April 14, 1881. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
301 
for the other is as truly criminal as he who tenders knowingly 
a base coin. Let one of our cousins, Mr. L. H. Scudder, speak for 
himself. 
“ Let me caution you not to he too confident that even such prices 
can be obtained in the near future. Just note, if you please, how 
rapidly the manufacture of glucose is increasing ; factories are being 
started in all parts of our country, enough are already in operation 
to consume five millions of bushels of corn annually in the west 
alone. Now when you take into consideration the fact that they 
obtain over three gallons per bushel of what they call ‘ glucose ’ or 
‘ corn syrup ’ you will see that over fifteen million gallons annually 
are thrown upon our markets to be sold and used in various ways. 
But mark you, not one gallon is sold to the consumer by its proper 
name. The dear people buy it in their honey, candy, sugar, golden 
syrup, drips, and in other commodities we know not of. 
“ If your druggist sells you poison the law compels him to label it, 
that no harm may come of it. Then why not compel these men to 
do the same ? ’Tis true that they may not sell a mixture so destruc¬ 
tive as arsenic or any of the deadly poisons, but just as certainly 
injurious as any of them. Now my friends, in justice to ourselves 
and humanity, let us continue our warfare until the people by their 
representatives in Congress assembled, say to those men that their 
goods must be properly labelled and sold on their own merits. 
“ I fancy when that is done there will be a decline in the sulphuric 
acid and old rag market.” 
It is interesting to note that the results I detailed in our 
Journal some time since in reference to American wired-foun¬ 
dation, and once ridiculed on the other side of the Atlantic in a 
manner a little wanting in taste, are now courteously acknow¬ 
ledged by the inventor. Mr. D. S. Given, to be correct.— Frank 
R. Cheshire, Avenue House , Acton. 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
William Paul & Sou. Waltham Cross, Herts.— Catalogue of New 
Roses , Pelargoniums, Dahlias , Ac. 
James Backhouse & Son, York.— Catalogue of Alpine Plants and 
Hardy Perennials. 
Charles Turner, The Royal Nurseries, Slough, Uxbridge.— General 
Spring Catalogue for 1881. 
Dicksons & Co., 1, Waterloo Place, Edinburgh.— Descriptive Cata¬ 
logue of Florists' F lowers for 1881. 
Edward Gillett, Southwick, Mass., United States of America.— 
Annual Catalogue of North American Perennial Plants. 
Schultheis Brothers, Steinfurth-Nauheim, Germany.— Catalogue of 
New Roses for 1881. 
Charles Van Geert, Rue de la Provence, Antw’erp.— Catalogue of 
Conferee. 
J. B. A. Deleuil, Marseilles.— General Catalogue of Plants. 
PONDENTSJ 
Books (C. L .).—We do not know of any book precisely suited to your pur¬ 
pose. You should first practise elementary geometry, of which you will find 
figures and instructions in any good arithmetic as used in schools. “Plane 
Geometry,” published by Crosby Lockwood & Co., London, price 2.5., might also 
be useful to you. It can be ordered through a bookseller. Some of the best and 
most practical lessons on drawing designs for flower gardens and beds have 
appeared in several of the back numbers of this Journal. Many young gar¬ 
deners availed themselves of these, and by assiduous practice rendered them¬ 
selves competent in this essential part of their vocation ; while others merely 
glanced at the figures, passed them by, and are now unfortunately like yourself 
—“ unable to give a plan of a garden if it is called for.” Some young gardeners 
have no more knowledge of using the compasses than they have of digging a 
piece of unlevel ground and leaving it level with the least amount of labour. 
They may be fortunate, and have labourers to do the digging ; but they cannot 
expect them to prepare designs that are so often required by employers. 
Hyacinthus candicans (C. D .).—The bulbs may be planted at any time 
when the ground is in good condition. If they are wintered in pots the soil 
should not be kept dust dry. We do not know what number you require. If 
you can state the approximate date on which the article appeared it shall be sent 
to you. 
Vines Dying (F. C. T .).—The case is a mysterious one. We presume you 
are certain that nothing beyond the ingredients named were applied to the 
rod«. If nothing more was applied to them it is certain that mixture would 
not be the cause of death, as the Vines in the other house show conclusively. 
Assuming that no mistake has been made in the dressing nor experiments tried, 
we can only attribute the injury to the action of frost between the haybands. 
We have known Vines much injured and one killed by the haybands slipping 
during an intense frost, but the Vines had been started into growth. These 
are the only suggestions we are able to offer on a circumstance which appears 
to us of a very extraordinary nature. We are not at all satisfied that frost is 
the cause of the death of the Vines. Examine them with great care both where 
the haybands covered them, which parts you say are alive, and in the house 
where the rods are dead. We sympathise with you, and regret we are not able 
to give you a more satisfactory reply on the data you have afforded. 
Friendly Letters.— We have to acknowledge letters from a'vast number 
of correspondents at home and abroad for their congratulations on the termina¬ 
tion of a matter that we are surprised to find was of such widespread interest. 
Many letters are from friends who are unknown to us, and are not the less 
esteemed on that account. Our thanks are tendered to all those whose letters 
we are unable to acknowledge in the usual manner through the post. 
Rhubarb Running to Seed (F. J.).—You had better break off the 
flower stems as soon as they appear, as they are of no use unless you desire to 
save some seed, and then one plant will probably afford sufficient for your 
purpose. When Rhubarb produces many flower stems it is an indication 
that the plants have either received a check or are getting old, and in the latter 
case is suggestive that it would be advisable to take off some of the best crowns 
with roots attached and plant in fresh deeply worked and rich soil. This is 
best done just as the crowns are swelling in the spring. If your plants are 
young, liquid manure would be beneficial; and the stalks should not be pulled 
too closely—that is, some good foliage should be left for forming stronger 
crowns another year. 
Packing Strawberries (Old Subscriber). —Shallow boxes should be made 
on the same principle as referred to for Peaches last week ; but for the fruit in 
question these boxes or trays only need to be 2 inches deep, and several of 
them can be placed in a larger box made for the purpose, strips of wood between 
each preventing the fruit being crushed. Each fruit should be wrapped in a 
partially withered Strawberry leaf or Spinach leaf, and placed closely yet care¬ 
fully in the tray on a bed of leaves or bran, and a layer of soft leaves on the top. 
If the packing is carefully done and the fruit not over-ripe it may be sent long 
distances without being crushed. When packed for sale in the markets the 
fruit is placed in round chip punnets. 
Allamandas and Stephanotis (J. (?.).—The Allamanda flowers are very 
fine ; the variety is, we think, Hendersoni. The Stephanotis is good, and the fact 
that the plant flowers continuously over a period of nine months is sufficient 
evidence of the merits of the variety and your skill as a cultivator. 
Stephanotis Management (II. S. /.).—If you denude the plant of its 
side growths you will in all probability deprive yourself of a succession of fine 
flowers. As room is scarce you may remove those growths that are long-jointed 
and very luxuriant, retaining all that are shorter jointed, as these may be ex¬ 
pected to produce flowers. They can be trained loosely round the wire, and after 
flowering if the plant is much crowded the superfluous growths may be removed. 
If yon send 3Jrf. in postage stamps to the publisher, and ask him to send you 
No. 958 of the Journal. August 7tli, 1879, you will find an excellent article on 
the cultivation of Allamandas. Mr. B. S. Williams, Victoria and Paradise 
Nurseries, Holloway, publishes some useful books on stove and greenhouse 
plants, and will send you particulars of them on application. 
Clematis not Succeeding (Bert). —We do not quite understand your 
question. If the house is a lean-to, and the roof is not very short, the plant 
ought to succeed, if planted in suitable soil and trained near the glass the same 
as a Vine. What variety of Clematis is it ? how long has it been planted ? what 
is the nature and position of the border ? and how has the plant been pruned ? 
Information of this nature appears essential to enable us to account for the 
unsatisfactory condition of your plant. 
Variegated Kale (0. 0. S .).—The leaves sent are attractive, the colours 
being varied and good, some clear ivory white and the others rich. We have 
grown superior examples, and have occasionally had varieties equal to yours 
from a packet of purchased seed that had been saved from selected plants. 
Your varieties are. however, above the average of tho-e ordinarily produced 
from purchased seed. The value of a “ strain ” depends on the per-centage of 
superior forms. If all of yours are equal to the examples sent your strain is a 
good one. 
Mandevilla suaveolens (P. !>.).—The plant you mention is a native of 
Buenos Ayres, and received its generic name in honour of John Mandeville, who 
was minister at that place. It is spelled as given above, and not with the final 
« ea ” as it is erroneously rendered in some catalogues. 
Removing Vine (Donegal). —If yon remove the Vine at all you had better 
do it in the autumn, say towards the end of September, and then if the weather 
is bright syringe the foliage several times a day, and shade if needful to keep it 
fresh ; you will then induce fresh root action before winter, which will be a great 
advantage. From your description of it, however, the Vine appears to be in an 
enfeebled state, and it is for you to consider whether a strong young cane would 
not prove more satisfactory. If you decide to remove the Vine first have the 
station ready, with plenty of loam at hand, mixed with wood ashes and a third 
of decayed manure if the soil is poor, for covering the roots. These must be kept 
moist during the process of removal, choosing a dull day for the work, which 
must be carefully yet expeditiously done. 
Potting Plum and Budding Cherry Trees (Idem). —If you wish to 
have fruit as early as possible and small trees in pots, you may pot them now and 
plunge the pots in ashes outdoors to remain through the summer. The trees 
would grow larger, but would not be quite so precocious if left in the ground 
until the autumn. We should prune them as you propose now, pinch the strong 
shoots in the summer as needed to secure an equalisation of growth, exposing 
all the foliage to the sun, and pot the trees in the autumn. Cherries are far 
better bndded than grafted. Grafting, if it succeeds, is often followed by 
gumming. Furthermore, your scions are too advanced. They should have been 
cut off a month sooner, and kept fresh by being placed in moist soil and a cool 
position until the stocks commenced growing. AVe advise you, however, to 
practise budding, inserting a few buds at different times, and you will soon find 
out the conditions requisite for success. AVe cannot state the time, as all de¬ 
pends on the condition of the buds and stocks. 
Various (Idem).— The pots used for sowing Cucumber and Melon seeds 
should be washed clean, and be dry when used. One crock and a bit of turf 
shaken from the soil will suffice for drainage at this season of the year. The 
plants can then be turned out of the pots without the roots sustaining any 
injury. If you have moss over the drainage we should not remove it when 
repotting the plants. The manure may be used fresh from the stable for lining 
frames if a little that is old and sweet is placed on the top. The quantity you 
name, if applied frequently, will be of much service. Occasionally the lining 
should be turned over, adding to it fresh material, and an increase of heat is 
obtained. Linings wi’l not afford sufficient heat if the glass is not covered with 
mats during co'd nights, two or three thicknesses often being needful. Early 
autumn is the best time for transplanting Hepaticas, but it is not necessary nor 
advisable to remove the plants every year. The same remark applies to the Iris 
you name. The young growths of Deutzias and AA'eigelas strike readily if 
inserted in sand, covered with a bellglass, and placed in a Cucumber frame. 
The 3 oil must be kept moist, the cuttings shaded for a time, and the growths a 
