204 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ March 9 , mbs. 
Lapageria alba ( Subscriber). —If the pot is fairly filled with roots and the 
plant is healthy, it may he planted out in April, and it will thrive if it receives 
proper attention in watering, and syringing on the afternoons of fine days. As 
you say nothing about the depth of drainage or the soil we presume you do not 
require information on these points. The plant will need careful watering in 
the pot, the supply being regulated by its condition and root-action, also by 
the state of the weather. You must take care to protect it efficiently from the 
attacks of slugs, or the work of a year may be destroyed in a night. 
Roses from Cuttings—Lobelias (Idem). —This is the wrong time of 
the year for inserting such Rose cuttings as you describe. The only plan we 
can suggest is for you to insert them in sandy soil under handlights, only one 
bud being above the surface, and the sand being kept moist, but you must not 
expect many of them to grow. If you wish to know the Inst modes of striking 
Rose cuttings read the articles on pages 49 and 350 of our last volume. If you 
do not possess these you can obtain them from the publisher in return for seven 
postage stamps and a request that he send you Nos. 56 and 69. If you only 
need a few plants of Lobelias you can provide them by dividing the plants as 
you propose ; but when large numbers are required they are raised from cuttings 
inserted in sand in pots and placed in a frame or propagating house having a 
minimum temperature of 70°, the sand to be kept moist and the cuttings 
shaded to prevent the leaves flagging. 
Labels Oxidised (Freemason). —There is no simpler plan that wo are 
aware of than rubbing them on a knife board with emery powder or powdered 
bathbrick until they are bright. We have cleansed them in this way, also by 
placing them between the brushes of a rotatory knife-cleaning machine. We 
have no record of the winners of the prizes for French Marigolds at the Man¬ 
chester International Exhibition of last year. The information could no doubt 
be obtained from the Secretary of the Botanic Gardens, Old Trafford, where the 
Show was held. 
Mulching Strawberries and Fruit Trees (J. J.). —You ask if this 
is a good time to give Strawberries and other fruit trees a good mulching of 
manure. As to Strawberries our reply is in the affirmative, and especially if 
the soil is of a light and dry nature ; if strong and wet the work had better be 
deferred until the flower trusses are fairly visible above the foliage. As to the 
“ other fruit trees,” no one can say whether they need mulching at all or not 
without knowing their condition. If they do need such aid, act in accordance 
with the nature of the soil as we have above indicated. 
Evergreens for Exposed Situation (II. B ).—Hollies are about the 
hardiest and best suited for withstanding the draughts, dust, and smoke of 
town or suburban gardens, especially that fine variety Ilex Hodginsi. This we 
advise, and the best time for planting is during moist weather in April, when 
the plants are about starting into growth. We have found Rhododendron 
ponticum do well in exposed situations ; but all evergreens in draughty positions 
are liable to have the foliage more or less browned during the winter. 
Tuberose Culture (E. E. TF.).—We presume you have no stove but only 
a greenhouse. You may pot the bulbs now, singly, in 5 or 6-inch pots, accord¬ 
ing to size. A suitable compost is formed of a little more than half turfy loam, 
the remainder sweet decayed manure, or, failing this, leaf soil, mixing with the 
bulk a tenth part of silver sand. Let the soil be moist but not wet when used, 
and the apex of the bulbs should be just above the surface. Stand the pots on 
the floor of the house or other convenient place, and cover them 3 inches deep 
with moist cocoa-nut fibre refuse, working it well between the pots. This will 
prevent the soil drying, and no water will be needed until the growths appear 
above the surface of the covering. Then withdraw the pots, keeping the growths 
shaded for a few days, gradually inuring them to the full sun. The soil must 
now never be allowed to become dry, and as the spikes advance and the pots are 
filled with roots liberal supplies of water must be given, and liquid manure 
twice a week will be beneficial. If the weather is very hot and dry the pots may 
be placed in saucers during the summer. The plants must have a light position, 
and be syringed or sprinkled on the evenings of hot days. With your con¬ 
veniences the bulbs will be of little use after flowering, and all you can do is to 
water them carefully, so as to maintain the foliage fresh as long as possible, 
affording the plants a very light and sunny position. 
Heating Stove and Greenhouse (C. P. A.).— According to the arrange¬ 
ment of the pipes as shown in your plan you have the same number of pipes in 
the greenhouse as in the stove, which will afford an equable temperature in 
both, presuming them to be of equal diameter. Two rows of 4-inch pipes will 
be required in the stove, but those for the greenhouse need only be 3-inch, and 
even these will give you too much heat at times, which, however, can be easily 
regulated by the valves as shown in your plan at n, those being required on the 
return as well as the flow pipe. In other respects we consider the arrangement 
the best that could be made under the circumstances, as the path at the ends 
may prevent the pipes being taken across the ends of the house where the door¬ 
ways are situated, which would have saved considerable piping in the green¬ 
house, one row of 4-inch pipes all around that structure being sufficient to ex¬ 
clude frost. The air pipes at GO should be as nearly as possible on the same 
level, and from the boiler to those points must be a slight ascent, so as to cause 
the air to rise to those points and escape by the air pipes. 
Peach Tree Dying (F. P., Dublin). —Your tree appears to be young, and 
has probably not been planted more than two years. We attribute its death 
solely to the action of frost on the tissues before the tree was removed from 
the open ground. However slight the injury may be at the time it almost 
invariably spreads and grows, causing in stone fruits gum, and in pippin fruits 
canker. The fact that the injury in this case is not at the base of the stem 
suggests that that portion was protected, possibly by snow. Many cases have 
come under our notice of trees, a portion of them dying from apparently some 
obscure cause, but on investigation we have distinctly traced the origin of the 
disease to the action of frost that has ruptured the tissues of the trees, it may be 
some years previously. You tree has been diseased for some time, and what you 
term a “ sudden attack ” is a sudden collapse consequent on the injury that 
was caused before the tree was planted in the house. The branches growing 
below the diseased point will probably remain healthy, and may form the basis 
of a fruitful tree, but this can only be expected when every part of the disease 
has been removed. 
Show Fixtures (E. L. P .).—We are obliged by your letter. The subject 
has had our attention. Many provincial shows are held of which we have no 
intimation, or the-schedules only reach us a few days previous to the shows, 
and too late for our announcing the exhibitions. In reference to Rose shows, 
however, which you specially mention, lists as complete as we, with the aid of 
the Secretary of the National Rose Society, could obtain were frequently pub¬ 
lished in our columns last year, and this year the fixtures of shows already 
determined were published in our issue of the 16tli ult. Further, when the 
schedules of shows reach us soon enough they are acknowledged and the dates 
published in our “Notes and Gleanings” columns. We find it impossible to 
publish a list of shows every week, the great pressure on our columns quite pre¬ 
venting this ; but of shows that are advertised a tabulated list will be kept 
and published from time to time. Immediately pending shows will also be 
published in our list of “ Coming Events ” on the first page. This was done 
throughout last year, but the circumstance appears to have been overlooked 
by you. You do not name the Rose show to which you refer, and so we are 
unable to say whether it was announced or not. Successful and well-managed 
societies find it to their advantage to advertise their shows. 
Annotta—Bixa orellana (X., Surrey ).—The Aunotta of commerce is a 
red dyeing drug, produced from the red pulp which covers the seeds of Bixa 
orellana (fig. 41), a shrub growing in South America, and cultivated in the West 
Indies. The fruit is like a Chestnut, a two-valved capsule covered with flexible 
bristles, and contains a certain number of seeds smaller than peas. These seeds 
are covered with a soft, viscous, resinous pulp of a beautiful vermilion colour 
and unpleasant smell, like red lead mixed with oil; and it is this matter which 
constitutes annotta. The mode in which it is obtained is by pouring hot water 
ovor the pulp and the seeds, and leaving them to macerate until they are 
separated by pounding them with a wooden pestle. The seed* are then removed 
by straining the mass through a sieve ; and the pulp being allowed to settle, 
the water is gently poured off, and the pulp put into shallow vessels, in which 
it is gradually dried in the shade. After acquiring a proper consistency it is 
made into cylindrical rolls or balls, and placed in an airy place to dry, after 
which it is sent to market. This is most common in the English market, and 
is in the form of small rolls, each 2 or 3 ozs. in weight, hard, dry, and compact; 
brownish without and red within. The other process of manufacture is that 
pursued in Cayenne. The pulp and seeds together are bruised in wooden vessels. 
and hot water poured over them ; they are then left to soak for several days, 
and afterwards passed through a close sieve to separate the seeds. The matter 
is then left to ferment for about a week, when the water is gently poured off, 
and the solid part left to dry in the shade. When it has acquired the consistency 
of a sol'd paste it is formed into cakes of 3 or 4 lbs. weight, which are wrapped 
in the leaves of Arundo or Banana. This variety is of a bright yellow colour, 
rather soft to the touch, and of considerable solidity. 
Ornamental Shrubs (II. A’.).—You do not say how many you require. 
The choicer varieties of Rhododendrons would have a fine effect, and will grow 
in soil that does not contain lime. We will readily select some varieties for you 
if you desire us to do so and will state the number you require. Hollies, such 
as the Gold and Silver Queen, Euonymuses in variety, Desfontainea cpinosa, 
Laurustinuses, Lilacs, Olearia Haasti, Arbutuses, Andromeda floribuuda, Ber- 
beris Darwini, Garrya elliptica, Escallonia macrantha, Hypericum oblongifolium, 
Raphiolepis ovata, Arab a Sieboldi, and Yuccas, would all succeed in your neigh¬ 
bourhood. As fruit-bearing shrubs—Aucubas, Skimmia japonica, Symphori- 
carpus racemosus, and Pernettya mucronata are among the best; and for walls 
Crataegus pyracantha and Cotoneaster microphylla. Paul’s Double Scarlet Thorn, 
Laburnums (Scotch), Sueldres Roses, the Gum Cistus, Syringas, Ribes sangui- 
neum, Spiraea ariicfolia, Althaea frutex, and Spanish Broom would all be suit¬ 
able ; but as you do not state the extent of your garden, we have no idea whether 
we are naming too many or too few for your purpose. The shading material you 
name will in all probability be sufficient for your purpose. Your house will, we 
believe, be a tenant's fixture if you do not attach the framework to the loose 
bricks with mortar; but in all cases where a landlord is disposed to enforce 
his right it is advisable for a tenant to consult a solicitor before building. In the 
article to which you refer it is stated that a quart of common pretroleum placed 
in an apparatus holding 250 gallons will be useful in preventing incrustation. 
Vine Management (-4 Subscriber, Settle ).—You have done quite right in 
watering the inside border and top-dressing it, provided you have given suffi- 
