262 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER 
[ September 20, 1883. 
at times, because of the surface water draining into the tank. For all kinds 
of vegetables and flowers applied in summer it is invaluable. For Vines 
or plants in pots (but for the latter the water must be clear) there is 
nothing to surpass it, and hardly anything is so good. The same remarks 
apply to fruit trees, bushes, as well as other trees and shrubs. To grass land 
or lawns it may be applied in winter or wherever the groimd is poor with 
nothing but benefit. But could you not lead the surface water into some 
other drain ? then you would know the strength of the sewerage, and how to 
dilute it. 
“ Mushrooms for the Million ” {J. S .).—The new edition of this work will 
be ready for publication in the course of a few days, and the price will 
be Is. A number of copies of the first edition were sold in paper covers at 
fid. each, but as the bound copies published at Is. have given the greatest 
satisfaction there will be no further issue of the too fragile form of this 
treatise. 
Root-pruning (S . 71). —The word “hoppers” in the article referred to 
should have been “ loppers,” an obvious misprint. 
Ground Vinery (JET. S.). —In the sketch given of this in “ Vines and Vine 
Culture,” the space you mark B is the bottom sill of the frame which rests 
on the bricks, there is no opening. The points A at the top are of no con¬ 
sequence, and may be cut off close if preferred. 
Insects in Old Post (71 IF. S., Lee ).—Though it would be unwise to 
speak positively until the insects forwarded have emerged from their pupa 
state, we consider the Elm post you mention has been mined by the larvae of 
a four-winged fly, one of the sawfly group, probably the species known as 
Sirex juvencus. Their galleries often occur numerously in the wood of Pine 
and Fir, and occasionally they are found in other trees. Owing to their slow 
growth they are discovered now and then in wood which has not been sus¬ 
pected of containing living tenants; thus a posse of the flies has been known 
to appear in a sitting-room, having been hidden within the boards of the 
flooring, causing surprise or even alarm. 
Mushrooms {A. L. 71, Notts ).—If the spawn is strong and the bed in 
proper condition Mushrooms usually commence appearing in about six weeks 
after the beds are cased with soil. Occasionally they appear a little sooner, 
but two months not unfrequently elapse before they are seen. We have 
known a bed to be spawned for three months before any Mushroom growth 
was visible, and the bed proved one of the most continuous bearers we ever 
had. You had better examine carefully a few of the lumps of spawn, and if 
the mycelium is spreading you will have Mushrooms in due time; if there 
is no appearance of the spawn running we should conclude either that it is 
not good, or the material was not of the right temperature or in the proper 
condition for its growth. 
Mildew on Roses (E. 77., Stockport ).—Most certainly we do not consider 
yon troublesome. We are ready at all times to give information when it is 
in our power to do so ; but no one can tell you the cause of mildew attacking 
your Roses. It is mainly due to atmospherical influences that are wholly 
beyond control. You will, however, find modes of destroying, and, what is 
better, preventing it, in reply to another correspondent in our present issue. 
If your plants are dry at the roots water them copiously with liquid manure 
if needed. 
Lifting Vines (S. B.). —You cannot do better than carry out your project 
of lifting at once, taking especial care that the roots are kept constantly 
moist during the operation. If you keep the foliage fresh by shading and 
syringing occasionally as may be needed, and the roots are good, the wood 
strong and ripens well, you may expect a moderate crop of fruit next year. 
It would be very unwise to crop heavily. You had better not use too much 
manure in the soil. If you intend planting young Vines in the inside border 
to which you allude, a width of 4 feet will be ample the first year. 
Pipes in Vinery (G. E., Sussex ).—We did not think it necessary to 
advise your altering the pipes, as we have seen the best of Grapes grown 
with the pipes even nearer the soil and stems of the Vines than yours are, 
due attention having been given to watering and mulching. Except fol¬ 
iate Grapes it is generally best to allow the roots of the Vines to extend 
into a good outside border. If you will state the size of the garden under 
your charge, and the number of men employed, also give your name and 
address, we will answer your other question. 
Making Mushroom Bed (J. IF., Leeds). — The material sent by post 
was necessarily dried in transmission, and in that respect in very different 
condition from the bulk from which it was taken. It is of the right kind for 
growing Mushrooms, but whether it is too wet or impure or not it is impos¬ 
sible for us to say. No plainer instructions can be given on the subject than 
those in the treatise to which you refer. If you carry them out as exactly 
and intelligently you will, we think, succeed in your object. You have not 
carried them out exactly so far, as you will perceive if you peruse the 
chapter on preparing the manure on page 29 attentively. 
Vines Unsatisfactory {Inquirer). —Your letter is mislaid, but you will 
recognise this reply. The examples sent in a small box are similar to many 
others we have seen, and no one appears to know the cause of the shoots 
shrinking and leaves shrivelling. One very good gardener is of opinion a 
too low and damp atmosphere followed by sudden and bright sunshine con¬ 
tributes to the injury, and he has found the Vines to improve by an increase 
of temperature. We have submitted examples to Mr. W. G. Smith, the 
eminent fungologist, and he replies as follows :—“ I can make nothing satis¬ 
factory of these. I can only see that what you say is correct—cellular tissue 
dead, skin burnt, shoots shrivelled, a little oidium as well as the erineum 
(fungi), and a number of mites, possibly belonging to the latter.” 
Celery Fly (77. S. B .).—It is doubtful if there is any remedy when plants 
are “ very much infested ” with the grub. Remedial measures should have 
been adopted sooner. If when the first few blisters are seen the plants are 
regularly and frequently dusted with soot that will usually save the crop. 
We can suggest no other course at this late season than crushing the grubs 
with the finger and thumb. The attacks of the insect will soon cease now. 
It has been very destructive this year in many places. Early in the season 
several acres of plants were cut off nearly close to the ground and the tops 
burnt. These pknts produced a fresh growth of leaves and the crop will be 
good, but the heads not so large as usual. Also early in the season we saw 
the grub killed by petroleum ; but as we cannot advise its use so late from 
the fear of its affecting the quality of the stalks we had better not state how 
it was applied at present. The plants in your herbaceous border have, 
perhaps, been attacked by the larvae of the great cranefly, Tipula gigantea. 
It is most difficult to eradicate. If you have any starlings near cherish them ; 
they are the natural enemies of this garden and field pest. 
Grapes not Ripening (77. S.). —It is not unusual for a berry or two at 
the points of the bunches of Grapes to fail to ripen even when the Vines are 
in good condition. In thinning Grapes many growers cut off the berries at 
the extreme point of the bunches when they observe the footstalks smaller 
than the others and of a lighter green. The non-ripening of a berry he e 
and there is also, as you suggest, often the result of some slight injury to- 
the footstalks. It is not a bad case of shanking, such as was referred to in 
answer to a correspondent on page 240 last week ; still you will not err by- 
perusing the reply in question. We are very glad to hear of your success in 
Grape-growing, and trust your Vines will go on improving, as the berries are- 
rot quite of the first size yet. Black Hamburgh Grapes such as yours, if 
placed in the London market without a particle of bloom rubbed off, might, 
perhaps, realise 2s. per pound ; if rubbed, as so many are in transit, th»y 
would sell slowly at Is. per pound. Muscats are now being sold retail at 2s. 
to 4s. per pound, according to quality. It is not so much in growing Grapes 
for market as in packing them that so many persons reap disappointment. 
Quantities of Grapes arrive in London that can scarcely be sold at all, and 
certainly not at remunerative prices to the grower, through injury in transit 
by defective packing. 
Mildew on Chrysanthemums (.4 Grower). —We do not think that the 
treatment to which your plants have been subjected has caused the “extra 
bad ” attack of mildew. We saw a collection of wonderfully healthy plants 
last week in another district that had been top-dressed and watered exactly 
the same as you describe, and richer and cleaner foliage we never saw. The- 
attack is no doubt due to atmospheric causes. Try mixing the sulphur in a. 
solution of soft soap and apply with a syringe ; if this fails try Ewing’s mil¬ 
dew composition. Mr. Bardney prevents mildew attacking Peach trees and 
Roses by syringing with a solution of soft soap made as follows :—A lump- 
of soft soap (about 2 tbs. or so) is placed in a saucepan and boiled for twenty 
minutes ; this is placed in a large pot and mixed with five or six gallons of 
water. About half a pint of this solution is placed in an ordinary large 
watering-can full of water, and used every time the trees and Roses are 
syringed. Not a vestige of mildew is seen on the foliage, and the water does 
not injure the petals of the Roses. It would probably have the same effect 
if applied in good time to Chrysanthemums ; perhaps he will state if he 
has tried it on these plants. 
Soil {North Herts). —The soil sent is very adhesive clay, very unwork¬ 
able in its present condition, and easily made worse by injudicious 
cultivation. In such tender-rooted plants do little good, because they 
cannot root into it. It is for this reason that your Roses fail in colour, and 
that La France thrives badly. In course of time heavy doses of manure 
will help the texture somewhat by furnishing it with humus, in which it is 
deficient; but this is not enough. The best -way of permanently improving 
such soils is to burn part of them, and to mix this part with the staple. 
We have seen most intractable clays very much improved by this means. 
Another good way is to collect all the gritty matter possible, such as 
rakings from off public roads, sandy or gravelly soil, or even coal ashes, 
and to mix them thoroughly with the soil. Peat is good, not so much as 
either a soil or as a manure, but as a mechanical opener of the clay. London 
manure is also good if applied very liberally. It is very doubtful if iron 
would help your Roses, but the way to apply it is to give very weak 
solution of copperas in water. There is no danger of quicklime affecting 
the colour of your Roses on such a soil except for the better, and, failing 
a liberal application of burnt clay, you cannot do better than give a good 
dressing of lime. Possibly in trenching you did as the majority do, turned 
down any good soil you had and the bad up. Never touch such subsoils as 
yours, unless to dig them over and leave them where they are, and mix 
gritty opening matter with them. Gritty matter will open them, but if 
only broken up they will become puddle; better let them alone. In a 
week or two the amelioration of soils will be discussed by “ Single-handed ,r 
in his chemistry articles, where you will find more information than can 
be imparted in a paragraph, but see next answer. 
Planting Roses in Clay Soil {Idem). —If you have trenched down any 
good soil you had and turned up such clay as you have sent us, Roses will 
do little good if planted in it. The manure you have given is good for the 
purpose if very thoroughly mixed with the surface soil. If not, this is what 
we would do. We would gather every stick that would burn, or provide 
other fuel, and burn as much clay as would cover the bed3 3 or 4 inches 
deep, and we would also provide leaf soil or other vegetable refuse, or 
screened town manure, or light soil, or peat, or all of them. Meanwhile 
we would dig the surface of the beds up very roughly, and allow the 
lumps to dry thoroughly. When dry we would either soften the lumps 
with water or wait till rain did it, and then would find it easy to knock 
them to powder with the fork. We would now spread the burnt clay, peat, 
manure, <fcc., over the surface, and thoroughly incorporate the whole. Such, 
a soil after this would be worth 500 per cent, more than before, and any¬ 
thing would luxuriate in it; but still, if good light soil could be had we 
would put a little round the roots at planting time. Then we would make 
such a thoroughly pulverised soil, not hard, but firm ; and we would never 
attempt to make a very smooth surface with the rake on such soil. Avoid 
this mistake and keep the surface gritty, cloddy, open. Never work such 
while adhesive with wet, and never dig in winter or autumn. 
Mushroom Spawn (T. S., Notts). —Milltrack Mushroom spawn is that 
which is found in the accumulated manure of horse or cow stables. It used 
to be plentiful in the tracks of horses that were employed in working of mills 
and threshing machines in the olden time, hence its name. It is almost 
impossible to teach anyone to make Mushroom-spawn bricks except by 
example, and it is not unlikely you will err if you attempt to make a “ large 
quantity.” Try a small quantity first. The following is the plan described 
in the “ Cottage Gardener’s Dictionary,” and is good when properly carried 
