322 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 
[ April 21, 1881. 
the strongest growths tied out to form the base of the plant. The bush shape 
is the most suitable for the Hibiscus. They will, if strong, flower in 6, 7, and 
8-inch pots fairly well, but when wanted to flower the shoots must be allowed to 
extend instead of being stopped. A plant that has formed four or five shoots 
can be allowed to extend and bloom. They must be grown under the influence 
of light to solidify the wood as it is made, or the supply of flowers will be insig¬ 
nificant. After blooming, the plant3 should be carefully watered and kept 
through the winter in a temperature of about 50° to 55°, and be then somewhat 
drier at the roots to induce rest. About the mouth of February they should be 
well cut back, and then allowed to break into growth, afterwards repotting by 
reducing the old ball a little, and if larger plants are not required they can be 
replaced in the same sized pots. While growing a good supply of water will be 
needed, and when the pots are full of roots weak stimulants cau be given. They 
will grow luxuriantly in a mixture of peat and loam, or loam and a seventh of 
decayed manure, with plenty of sand to keep the whole porous. 
Gymnostachium Culture {Idem). —These are of easy cultivation, and 
can be successfully grown by anyone having the convenience of maintaining a 
stove temperature. They are easily propagated by cuttings, which root quickly 
if inserted in sand and placed in brisk heat in a close frame or under a bell- 
glass and well shaded. After the plants are well rooted specimen pans can be 
made up with a number of them. The centre of the pan should be elevated 
considerably, but this should be carried out according to taste. They can be 
grown to look well in baskets or in small pots. They delight in a light soil, 
which should consist of fibry peat, the small particles of soil being shaken out, 
sphagnum moss, charcoal, and plenty of sand. While growing abundance of 
water should be given and the plants liberally syringed. They grow with the 
greatest rapidity in a close moist atmosphere well shaded from strong light. 
When specimens are made up and the plants have grown a little the growth 
should be pegged down, when the stems will quickly throw out a number of 
roots. These plants are very beautiful when grown in connection with small¬ 
growing Ferns to cover vacant walls in stoves. They also look very attractive 
when growing amongst the moss on Orchid pots, but must be kept in due 
bounds. Gymnostachiums will not fail to grow luxuriantly if plenty of heat, 
water, shade, and a light compost is given them. 
Salvias for Winter {Idem). —The following are all worthy of cultivation— 
S. splendens and its variety Bruautii, S. Pitcheri, S. Bethelli, S. Heerii, and for 
spring S. gesneraeflora. Dark green paint would look the best for your hurdles. 
Vine Management (A Yorkshire Curate). —We submitted your letter to 
the writer of the article to which you refer, and he replies as follows :—“ Ac¬ 
cording to the description of the wood and leaves your Vines made last year the 
ti'eatment applied to restore them to health and vigour was right, and you 
cannot do better than persevere with the same means. Shoots 6 inches long 
in three weeks is very satisfactory, but five old rods and seven young canes in a 
house only 12 feet long are too many by half. It is too late to cut any of them 
out this season ; but if the young canes show sufficient bunches to form a fair 
crop we advise you to take every shoot from the old rods and give the house 
entirely up to the growth of the young ones, as it is from them you will derive 
the most benefit in future. Denuded of their leaves and side shoots the old rods 
will not interfere with the growth of the young canes, and the former can be cut 
away altogether next pruning time. ‘ Just moist ’ is not sufficiently wet for the 
inside border now that the loots will have so much demand on them. A 
thorough watering once a fortnight will be needed so long as the Vines are 
growing, and unless the rainfall is abundant the outside border should be 
treated in the same way. Liquid manure is preferable to clean water. That 
from a cowshed is good, and so is guano, dissolving 1 oz. to every 4 gallons of 
water. One bunch to every foot run of rod is what we generally allow as a 
good crop; and if you can secure this, although the bunches may be small, 
we would not let more remain under the circumstances. The leafless rod is in¬ 
cluded in the above rate; but the bare rod shows the further necessity of encou¬ 
raging the young canes. The straw should be removed from the surface of the 
border, and a 4-inch-deep coating of good manure be substituted for it. The 
haybands wall do no harm through being allowed to remain. One half of the 
berries may safely be thinned out before they are the size of peas, and if they 
become too close as they swell a few more may be taken out before they 
commence colouring.” 
Man-eating Tree {T. J. S.). —We have made inquiries, and cannot learn 
that any tree known under the above name exists in England. Some time ago 
an article was sent to us on the subject, but it was of such a sensational character 
that we refused to publish it. You have probably seen the same article in print 
somewhere ; and if so, our opinion of it is that it was founded on some fable that 
originated in uncivilised minds, and was turned to account by manufacturers of 
paragraphs of “ startling information.” 
Grape Bunches Withering {R. Davies). —The most probable cause of 
the bunches withering is a sudden check, such as would be likely to arise from 
the prevalence of such prolonged cold as we have experienced lately. The days 
have been very bright and the air unusually cold, which in itself would do no 
harm unless it were admitted in such quantity as to cause excessive evaporation 
from the leaves and so check the supply of sap to the bunches, and they would 
in that case curl up and shrivel. It certainly is a check of some kind, and this 
we think the most likely one. Indeed, we have iu the centre of a house two 
Muscat of Alexandria, upon which, at the top of the house, the bunches have 
shrivelled in a similar manner, entirely due to the sliding light being let down 
over them admitting a current of cold air. At the lower portion of the Vines 
the bunches are all that could be desired, and the foliage is good. It is better 
when the external air is cold to allow the temperature of the house to rise 
5° to 10° than to admit a quantity of air to reduce the hear, which usually 
results in a disastrous check. The bunches may also have withered from the 
roots in an outside border not being active so as to meet the demands of the 
foliage. More moisture in the atmosphere would have done much to remedy 
the evil, especially if accompanied with a few degrees higher temperature at 
night. There is yet another, and by far the most frequent, cause of the bunches 
shrivelling—viz., immature wood. This may result from the roots being in a 
badly drained, consequently wet and cold border, or from not attending to the 
conditions essential to the maturation of the wood by insuring a free circulation 
of air and a warm rather dry atmosphere. It may also arise from overcropping, 
but this can hardly apply to your case. 
Vines and Bees {M. C., Worcester). —By all means retain your bees, and 
increase them too if you desire to do so ; and if the Vines do not succeed it 
will certainly not be the fault of the industrious insects. We have had ten 
hives within as many yards of a vinery that contained many more varieties of 
Grapes than you have, and all of them produced satisfactory crops. 
Broccoli for Succession {J. E.). —This further reply to your letter has 
been sent to us by a gardener of great experience. “Walcheren is not properly 
classed as a Broccoli, but is (as should all that head the same season be classed) 
a Cauliflower. The term Broccoli as now applied is a misnomer. It originally 
referred to an open or somewhat branching head, but is now applied alike to 
those plants which have close heads — i.e., Cauliflowers, whether they head the 
same season as sown, or not until the following season. In order to obtain a 
succession of Cauliflowers (cooks call Broccoli by that term) all the year round, 
a sowing should be made the third week in August, aud the seedlings should be 
pricked under handlights or in frames early in October. They will afford heads in 
June from the handlights. It is well to sow some early kind, as Early London 
or Erfurt Mammoth, which precede Walcheren by ten days or a fortnight. An¬ 
other sowing made on a warm border from the middle to the end of March of 
Walcheren, will come in late in July or early August; another sowing of the 
same about the middle of April will come in in late August or early September, 
and Veitch’s Autumn Giant sown at the same time will succeed them. A sowing 
of Walcheren the middle of May will yield heads in October onwards, and 
by lifting the plants when the heads are the size of a teacup, and laying them in 
in pits or frames with protection in severe weather, a long succession may be 
secured. Veitch’s Pelf-protecting Autumn and Snow’s Winter White Broccolis 
sown early in April will give heads by December ; and iu an ordinary winter, by 
lifting and protecting as described for Cauliflower, heads may be had up to 
February or March, when Penzance sown early in April will come in, followed 
by Cooling’s Matchless and Leamington in late March or early April, and suc¬ 
ceeded by Lauder’s Goshen, Wilcove, and Model, a very fine late kind. These 
may be over in an early season by early May. In a late one heads may be cut in 
June ; but to secure an unbroken succession some of the latest should be lifted 
when the heads are not larger than a teacup and laid in under a north wall. 
Indeed to secure a late supply of Broccolis, plants at planting time should be 
planted on a north border so as to succeed those in the open quarters. In mill 
borders we have had Wilcove equal to any summer Cauliflower in May, and 
Goshen and Model as late as the middle of June, and shall have them this 
season. All late Broccolis should be sown in April. Sown in June some of 
them will not head at all. In warm localities Snow’s Winter may be sown in 
May, it being half Cauliflower.” 
Names of Plants (W. B.). —Mr. Wm. Paul thinks your Bose is Mon- 
plaisir, which he describes as an excellent variety for growing under glass if 
“ starved and not pruned much,” but the flowers rarely open well out of doors. 
{E. S. Clarke). —Your Camellia is probably a sport from Eclipse, which occasion¬ 
ally produces flowers exactly like the one you have sent. It used to be grown 
in the Waltham Cross Nurseries, and probably is still included in Mr. Paul’s 
collection. {W. II. Myers). —1, Epimedium pinnatum ; 2, Specimen very much 
withered, but resembled Gesnera Blassi. We have received other plants pre¬ 
sumably for naming, but no nates accompanied them, nor have been received 
by post in reference to them. 
COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— April 20. 
NO alteration to quote. Prices remain the same; business quiet. 
FRUIT. 
s. d. s. d. s. d. a. d. 
Apples. 
i sieve 
2 
6 to 4 
6 
Melons . 
0 
OtoO 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Nectarines.. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Cherries. 
»» ft. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Oranges .... 
4 
0 
8 
0 
Chestnuts. 
bushel 12 
0 
16 
0 
Peaches .... 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Figs. 
dozen 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Pears,kitchen .. dozen 
2 
0 
3 
0 
Filberts. 
I? ft. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
dessert .... 
4 
0 
8 
0 
Cobs. 
F ft 
2 
0 
0 
0 
Pine Apples 
.... ^ ft 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Gooseberries .... 
i sieve 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Strawberries 
.... per ft. 
6 
0 
8 
0 
Grapes . 
ft 
6 
0 
15 
e 
Walnuts ... 
.... bushel 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Lenioas. 
IP 1 case 12 
0 
18 
0 
ditto . 
W 100 
0 
0 
0 
0 
VEGETABLES. 
S. 
d. 
S. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
8. 
d. 
Artichokes. 
dozen 
2 
0to4 
0 
Mushrooms 
1 
o to 1 
8 
Asparagus. 
bundle 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Mustard* Cress .. punnet 
0 
2 
0 
3 
Beans, Kidney .... 
V 100 
i 
0 
1 
6 
Onions. 
3 
6 
s 
0 
Beet, lied. 
dozen 
1 
0 
2 
0 
pickling .. 
0 
0 
0 
Q 
Broccoli. 
bundle 
0 
9 
1 
6 
Parsley. 
doz.bunches 
6 
e 
0 
0 
Brussels Sprouts.. 
i sieve 
0 
9 
1 
S 
Parsnips .... 
1 
0 
2 
0 
0 
6 
1 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Carrots. 
bunch 
0 
4 
0 
6 
Potatoes .... 
3 
9 
4 
0 
Capsicums. 
$>• 100 
1 
6 
2 
0 
Kidney.... 
4 
0 
4 
6 
Cauliflowers. 
dozen 
0 
0 
3 
6 
Radishes.... 
doz .bunches 
i 
6 
2 
O 
Celery. 
bundle 
1 
6 
2 
0 
Rhubarb .... 
0 
4 
0 
6 
Coleworts_doz. bunches 
2 
0 
4 
0 
Salsafy. 
i 
0 
0 
« 
Cucumbers. 
each 
0 
4 
0 
6 
Scorzonera 
i 
6 
0 
0 
Endive. 
dozen 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Seakale .... 
8 
0 
3 
8 
Fennel. 
bunch 
0 
3 
0 
0 
Shallots .... 
0 
3 
0 
0 
Garlic . 
& ft. 
0 
6 
0 
0 
Spinach .... 
3 
0 
0 
0 
Herbs . 
bunch 
0 
2 
0 
c 
Turnips. 
0 
4 
0 
0 
Leeks. 
bunch 
0 
3 
6 
4 
Vegetable Marrows each 
0 
0 
0 
0 
POULTRY AND PIGEON CHRONICLE. 
THE FIELD CULTURE OF GOURDS AND PUMPKINS 
FOR CATTLE FEEDING. 
Many of the Gourd family are used for culinary purposes in 
most countries, especially in France and other continental States, 
as well as in America and Canada, but except the dwarf Marrows 
they have not hitherto been generally appreciated in this country 
for culinary purposes. Our object in the following remarks is to 
show how these fruits can be rendered useful as food for cattle, 
especially m the eastern and [southern districts of England. In 
