484 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ December 6,1883. 
which had been placed on the outside border on the 10th 
was now removed, and we hoped that the time for severe frost 
had gone. On the following morning the wind was again in 
the east, but there was no actual frost; the sun rose brightly 
and we were obliged to give a little air. T he afternoon was 
dull and cold, with an attempt once or twice to snow; but with 
a good damping down after closing the sun heat gained in 
the morning, our Vine looked, and the atmosphere felt, very 
comfortable. On the lGth we had sharp frost again, 13° below 
freezing point, and even 18° on the ground. We aired at 8.30, 
increased at 9, reduced at 10.30 on clouds appearing on the 
windy side, and closed finally at 11 a.m. 
This morning (the 17tli) we only had 1° of frost. The sun 
rose brightly and the ventilators were opened at 7.30, but they 
were closed again at 9.30 on the sky becoming cloudy. It 
appeared to be clearing again at 10.30, and before it could peep 
through we had a chink of air on three lights. It turned cloudy 
again soon aftei', and the house was finally closed at 11. The 
sun shone again at intervals during the day and kept the 
temperature up to 80° most of the time, and altogether we flatter 
ourselves that to-day at least we have made the most of the 
weather.—Vi. Taydoe. 
CAMELLIAS. 
On several occasions notes have appeared in the Journal of Horti¬ 
culture respecting the advantages and disadvantages of shading 
Camellias. Both sides of the question have been ably treated by ex¬ 
perienced persons, and doubtless if the conditions were known under 
which their plants were grown the systems advocated were equally good. 
In my opinion, before either practice is condemned or supported, the 
kind of house, its aspect and position, should betaken into consideration, 
also whether the structure is wholly or partially shaded by trees or 
adjoining buildings. It is not, however, my intention to enter into the 
question beyond stating, for the information of the readers of the Journal, 
that Camellias can be grown successfully without any other shade than is 
given hy the house in which they are grown. 
The Camellia house at Shireclirla Hall, Sheffield, affords an excellent 
example, and is well known in this neighbourhood to contain a collection 
of plants that are noted for their annual display of flowers. The house 
stands north and south, has glazed ends but no glass at the sides, and a 
span roof with a rather flat pitch. It is fully exposed to the sun 
from six o’clock in the morning until six or seven o’clock in the evening 
during the summer months, and is never shaded, so that the plants are 
exposed to the full sunshine. That this is beneficial and suitable to their 
requirements is testified by the health and vigour of the plants that are well 
set with an abundance of fine plump flower buds which arc now expanding. 
The foliage is thick, of a deep glossy green colour, and the flower buds 
so well set that you may give the trees a good shake without dislodging 
one. They were produced in such large numbers that disbudding had to 
be freely resorted to, each shoot being laden with clusters. I send you 
one of the points that was not thinned out, with sixteen flower buds on 
it. Of course, all the shoots were not so heavily laden as this one (the 
average being about ten), but it will show you how freely they were pro¬ 
duced. The plants were disbudded in the end of September, when from 
one plant over 1400 buds were taken, and it is now bearing upwards of 
2000 fine buds and flowers, those expanded being of large size and good 
substance, with strong petals, testifying that it is not overloaded, and 
will mature its large crop of blossoms. I have seen this plant when in 
full bloom, and the ground around it has been thickly covered with the 
petals fallen from the ungathered flowers. 
This plant is the good old variety Alba plena, a variety that will not 
easily be surpassed by any new one. It is now in a tub about 3 feet 
6 inches square, in which it has been growing and blooming vigorously 
for eight years. 
All the other plants in the house are equally healthy and full of 
well-set flower buds, and speak unmistakeably of the skill and able 
management of Mr. Udale, the head gardener. Amongst the plants the 
principal varieties, in addition to the one mentioned, are Bealii, 
bicolor de la Beine, Chandlerii, Chandlerii elegans, candidissima, 
Countess of Orkney, Colletti, Donckelaarii, Empress Eughnie, fimbriata, 
imbricata, Comtesse Lavinia Maggi, Lady Hume’s Blush, Mad. Cachet, 
Mathotiana, Mathotiana alba, Triompbe de Bossea, and reticulata.—J. H. 
[We have seen the Camellias referred to, and can testify to their 
admirable condition]. 
DESTROYING! CRICKETS AND COCKROACHES. 
I OBSERVED in the Journal an inquiry as to how to get rid of crickets 
in a vinery or hothouse. The incident I will mention may be of use to 
the inquirer. By some means, probably from manure purchased, 
crickets were introduced into my vinery and the adjoining house where 
my Orange and Lemon trees were. I observed the bark on these trees was 
nibbled, and was led to suppose this was done by the crickets. It was, 
however, the only mischief I ever observed. Every cricket was 
destroyed that could be seen, many of them young. Nothing in the 
way of poison had any effect. Two or three times, when one of my 
ervants had been sent to the vinery, I was told that as the door was 
opened a small tabby cat made its escape from the house. From this 
time I never heard the chirping of a cricket. I inquired of the gardener, 
and he told me he never heard them now, and mentioning the visits of 
the cat, I learned from him that a neighbour kept a cat, such as that 
described, purposely to destroy crickets and cockroaches in the house. 
This may be a hint to the person suffering from these pests. I doubt if 
all cats would be so useful, for when there were two or three in my house 
where cockroaches were in the kitchen, the servants did not find they 
were destroyed by the cats. If one cannot be found with the desired 
propensity, I would ask my neighbour to keep a kitten of this useful cat 
of hers, and would gladly let your inquirer have it.—M. D. 
In reply to the request of “ J. W. R.,” on page 446, for a method of 
destroying cockroaches, &c., I beg to say that if he will water the floors 
and lower parts of the walls with a solution of crude carbolic acid 
(14 pint of acid to 1 gallon of boiling water) every day for a week, he 
will destroy them. When they are cleared out, watering once a month 
will prevent their reappearance. I may say that I have cleared them 
out of several dwelling houses where the kitchens literally swarmed 
with them by a liberal use of this solution. The acid I have found most 
easily soluble is Calvert’s, for which I pay 4s. 6 d. per pail. I hope this 
recipe will be of use to “ J. W. R.”— Hibernian. 
Ip “ J. W. R.” were to try Chase’s beetle poison, and use it according 
to the directions on the box, I feel sure he would soon diminish the pests 
which cause him such trouble. It can be purchased through the 
London nurserymen, but I send for it to the proprietor, who will forward 
it per parcel post. Without using it at intervals I can get neither 
Orchid roots nor flower spikes.—J. R. M. 
ANEMONE JAPONICA ALBA IN POTS. 
It appears from “ M. M.’s ” remarks (page 464), that he is fully capable 
oE supplying the information he credits me with omitting (page 436) 
or he lives in a most unfavourable locality if his outside plants do not 
flower before the month of October. This I infer is the case, and the 
reason they were planted inside with the marked success detailed. I am 
too much occupied to make notes when the first flower of a certain plant 
opens and when the last can be gathered, therefore I have no dates to 
give. I can only say that plants in a favourable position and which have 
just gone to the rubbish heap opened their first flowers in August ; it 
might have been the middle or end of the month, but they could not have 
been said to have been well in flower before the early part of the following 
month. Plants that were one year old and transplanted in rich soil 
just as the foliage failed in autumn were in full flower during the same 
month, and continued flowering until cut off by 13° of frost a fortnight 
ago. Another batch of plants raised last spring, and which we intended 
to protect with old lights as described, were also cut off the same evening. 
These only commenced to open their first flowers the last week in October, 
when a number of the latest plants were lifted and placed in pots. These 
would have flowered until the end of December if the weather had not 
come so severe as to penetrate the slight protection I intended to afford 
them, but the frost caught us in this instance napping. There was 
abundance of small late Chrysanthemums and other plants that had to be 
placed in frames hurriedly, and unfortunately we had to sacrifice 
this batch of Anemones which had been purposely prepared for late 
flowering. 
I have our latest of all at the present time in a cold frame, and they 
have had up to the time of writing only two or three flowers. The most 
forward I intend to remove from the frame to one of our houses in 
time to have upon them a good number of flowers by Christmas ; but the 
latest of these plants will not be in flower by that date. I am expecting 
to bring them into flower during the following month, but when they 
will finish producing flowers I cannot tell. Should they go off or fail to 
flower satisfactorily “ M. M.” shall be informed through your pages. 
—W. B. 
CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 
FIXING SPORTS. 
It is quite probable that some readers of this Journal may have 
noticed during the present season distinct sports from well-known 
varieties of Chrysanthemums, and may be a little doubtful as to the best 
method of fixing them. Hence a few notes on the subject may be 
useful, as perhaps few have an opportunity of observing the methods 
adopted by successful raisers, and hints on this matter are rarely 
recorded. The first and simplest case is when a plant shows very little 
of the usual character of the variety—in other words when the sport 
predominates. In some instances like this the grower will take all the 
cuttings obtainable at the base of the stems in the ordinary way, in the 
hope that the altered characters may have affected the entire plant. 
From the stock so raised the plants that come true can be selected 
another season, and these increased at pleasure. Others, again, will 
carefully preserve only that portion of the old plant bearing the sport, 
and will remove the other ; but this would be better practised when not 
more than half the plant has sported. Commonly, however, only one 
branch will bear a bloom differing from those of the variety in colour 
or some minor characters, and this is the most difficult. Cuttings of the 
old wood will root occasionally ; but they are very uncertain, and Mr. 
Salter of Streatham, who secured that beautiful sport from James 
