December 22 , 1881. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
573 
and hardy plants. We do not know a work of its nature more useful for an 
ordinary gardener. 
Potatoes (E. Y .).—Your letter was answered last week on page 550. 
Removing Limewash (.4 Constant Subscriber ).—We know of no better 
mode than washing it off the wall, using long-handled hard brushes and plenty 
of water, commencing at the top of the wall and working downwards. By 
scrubbing the wall vigorously you will soon effect your object. 
"Winchester Red Celery (IF. if. T .).—The address you require is 412, 
Strand, London. We can give no opinion as to the merits of a new variety 
which we have neither grown nor tasted. 
Selection of Chrysanthemums (E. T. If.). — You will find the 
following half dozen good Pompon varieties—Mdlle. Marthe, Rosinante, St. 
Michael, Boule d’Or, White and Lilac Cedo Nulli. The Anemone Pompons best 
suited for the purpose named are Antonius, Firefly, Madame Montels, Marie 
Stuart, and Dick Turpin. 
Collection of Chrysanthemums ( San Juan ).—The varieties you 
name are all good, and we should suggest that you add M. Delaux, rich maroon, 
and Fulton, bright yellow, to the Japanese ; with Mdlle. Marthe, white, and St. 
Michael, bright yellow, to the Pompons. 
Peculiar Primula (T . IF. T .).—The strange appearance of the Primula 
flowers you sent is due to the calyx having become foliaceous—that is, it has 
assumed a leaf-like form closely surrounding and extending beyond the corolla. 
We have not seen the peculiarity so strongly marked in varieties of Primula 
sinensis before, though similar changes occur in allied plants, such as the old 
and singular Jack-in-the-Green or Gallygaskin Polyanthuses. We thank you for 
letter, and reciprocate your good wishes. 
Tous-les-mois ( Lorrimore ).—The kind of meal or starch known by the 
above name is obtained from the rootstock of a species of Canna, by some 
supposed to be C. coccinea, and by others C. achiras or C. ednlis. The sub¬ 
stance is prepared m the island of St. Kitt’s, and it is said its manufacture is 
attended with much difficulty. It is highly nutritious. 
Protecting Holly Hedge ( J. (?.).—We know of no more effectual plan 
for preventing rabbits injuring the newly planted Holly hedge than protecting 
it with galvanised wire netting. A good mode of fixing the netting is to bend 
about 6 inches along the bottom at right angles with the remaining portion, 
burying the bent strip about 2 inches deep, this facing outwards or towards the 
point of attack, and very few of the animals will succeed in burrowing under¬ 
neath it, as they certainly would do if either this or a better method of fixing 
were not adopted. It is not enough to simply sink the lower edge of the wire 
a few inches into the ground in its natural upright position. If any of our 
readers can suggest a better, simpler, and cheaper plan for the purpose indi¬ 
cated we will readily publish their experience. 
Tropseolum speciostim (./. L.). —It is perfectly hardy and needs no pro¬ 
tection whatever when once it is established, as you will perceive by a com¬ 
munication in another column. It is important that the roots be kept moist in 
transit, damp moss being a good material in which to pack them. Light loamy 
yet gritty soil will be suitable for planting them in, and a moist and cool posi¬ 
tion is preferable to a hot and dry one. This Tropseolum evidently enjoys plenty 
of water, as some of the districts in Scotland, where it grows luxuriantly, are 
remarkable for a heavy rainfall; this, however, passes away freely, and tiie soil 
is not stagnant. It should always be remembered that a rainfall of 30 inches 
in a low flat district liable to floods is equal in effect to a fall of 60 inches in a 
hilly district or where the ground is of a porous nature through which the rain 
passes rapidly. A liberal supply of water, therefore, with free drainage, -would 
appear to be essential to the free growth of this beautiful climber ; that is to 
say, the ground should be moist yet not waterlogged in consequence of defective 
drainage. 
Lime for Gardena (B. H. R ).—Though often nearly white, the mag¬ 
nesian limestone is generally of a yellow colour. It caunot by the eye be 
distinguished from common limestone of a similar colour, but is characterised 
by' containing a carbonate of magnesia, sometimes in large proportion, hence 
is injurious to plants. The simplest method of detecting magnesia in a lime¬ 
stone is to dissolve it in diluted muriatic acid, and then to pour clear lime 
water into the filtered solution. If a light white powder fall it is magnesia. 
The relative proportions of magnesia in two limestones may be estimated pretty 
nearly by dissolving an equal weight of each, pouring the filtered solutions into 
bottles which can be corked, and then filling up both with lime water. On 
subsiding the relative bulks of the precipitates will indicate the respective 
richness of the two varieties in magnesia. There is little or no magnesia in 
either the white or the grey lime in your district, and we should prefer the 
former for using in gardens. 
American Blight (L. J. A'.).—We received the box sent previously, but 
were not able to determine by whom it was forwarded, hence the absence of any 
reply. The whole of the malformations on the spurs have been caused by the 
American blight. If the tree were not particularly prized we should have advised 
its destruction, especially if the others were clean, but as it is a favourite we 
should endeavour to extirpate the pest that is the cause of so much injury. 
You have evidently destroyed a great number of the insects, but not all, as we 
find several fine specimens on the spurs you have sent. Mr. Speed of Chatsworth 
has found the following remedy effectual—“ Take a pint of gas tar and mix 
with it a pint of dry powdered clay. Form the whole into a paste by adding by 
degrees a gallon of warm soft water. If this is applied with a brush during 
winter it effectually destroys all insects, while it does not injure the trees.” 
Another good plan is to mix a wineglassful of paraffin with a gallon of strong 
soapsuds, and with this paint the trees, remembering that as much depends on 
the manner of its application as on the power of its dressing. Unless it is 
brushed thoroughly into the crevices of the bark the effects of this or any other 
insecticide will not be satisfactory, "We have no doubt the tree may be cleansed 
by applying the ressing in a thorough manner and as frequently as is necessary. 
You will find much information on paraffin as an insecticide, and the right 
niode of using it, in the “ Gardeners’ .Year-Book ” that is just being published. 
Nertera depressa and Other Plants ( R. C .).—The plant labelled No. 1 
is Nertera depressa, and is not difficult to grow. Do not remove the growths. If 
you keep the plants quite close to the glass in a very light house or frame, and 
water them copiously, they will flower freely and produce an abundance of 
berries. This plant cannot well have too much water and sun during the grow¬ 
ing season. The best berried plants we ever saw were plunged in ashes on a 
warm south border from April onwards, and watered daily, often twice a day 
during hot sunny weather. They were well hardened before being plunged, and 
were protected with mats when the nights were frosty. But in your district 
the plants would probably be best plunged in a very light frame; bul they 
should only be a few inches from the glass, and the frame-light might be drawn 
off entirely during favourable weather. Xo. 2 is Chlorophytum orcliidastrum 
yariegatum, and succeeds very well in a basket of light turfy soil suspended 
in a cool house. No. 3 is a Canna, and requires to be kept dry during the winter 
if in pots, otherwise store the roots in a dry cool place safe from frost. In the 
spring the plants may be transferred to the flower garden, and if planted in rich 
sail they would grow strongly and form an imposing bed in a suitable position. 
Exhibiting Chrysanthemums (Competitor).— “ At a recent exhibition 
a class was provided in the schedule for ‘ Twelve Pompons, not less than six 
varieties, to be shown in bunches of three, with foliage.’ The chief prize was 
awarded to an exhibitor with three individual flowers of each variety. The 
second prize was awarded to another who staged three trusses of each variety, 
each bunch of three trusses probably containing over a dozen individual blooms. 
According to the reading of the schedule ought not the latter stand to have 
been disqualified ?” "We state this question in order that our reply may be better 
understood and of more service generally, as the subject has much more than a 
personal significance. The second-prize stand referred to could not have been 
disqualified, as “ bunches ” certainly were staged—a “ bunch ” meaning a cluster. 
A number of the same kind growing together, or a number of stems contain¬ 
ing single flowers tied together, would form a bunch. In the Kingston schedule 
the stipulation is “ Twelve bunches of Pompons, distinct, three stems as cut 
to form a bunch (Anemone Pompons and Hybrids excluded).” Mr. Moorman 
was rightly adjudged the first prize in this class, each of the stems having six or 
more fine flowers. According to the extract from the schedule first referred to, 
the judges might, perhaps, have disqualified the first-prize stand, as blooms, not 
bunches, of three varieties were staged, but they no doubt, as judges usually do, 
exercised their discretion in reading ambiguous conditions. According to the 
Kingston schedule they could neither have disqualified bunches of three single 
blooms as cut from the plant nor bunches containing several blooms on one 
stem. Whatever is meant by committees should be stated, Either “ three single 
blooms to form a bunch,” or “three bunches of flowers as cut, number of blooms 
not limited,” would make the matter plain to all. 
Grafting Fruit Trees (A Beginner ).—Apples are grafted on the Crab and 
Paradise stocks, the former for orchard trees, the latter for bushes. Crab stocks 
are raised from seed, Paradise stocks from layers and cuttings inserted in the 
autumn. Pears are grafted or budded on Pear stocks for standards and trees 
for free growth generally ; on Quince stocks, for smaller trees and early fruit¬ 
fulness, the stocks being raised as above mentioned. Plums are budded or 
grafted on Plum stocks, and Peaches or Nectarines are budded on stocks of the 
same kind. Grafting is done in the spring when the sap commences rising, and 
it is an advantage if the stocks are in advance of the grafts or scions, by the 
latter having been retarded by cutting from the trees before any signs of 
growth are apparent, and storing in soil in a cool position. There are various 
methods of grafting; for young trees Baltet's system of crown grafting, as re¬ 
presented in the accompanying figures, being simple and good. The stock A 
(fig. 90) is cut slantingly at 
the top B, and the graft is 
placed within the bark, so 
that it fits upon the acute 
end of the crown by means 
of a little notch. A cut is 
made through the bark of the 
stock, one side of it, C, raised ; 
the graft is slipped into the 
opening so that the flat side 
caused by cutting the notch 
in the graft rests against the 
sapwood, E, of the stock, and 
the back part, G, is covered 
over with the flap C. The 
chances of success are greatly 
increased if a thin strip of 
bark, I, is taken off the side 
of the notch, and the graft so 
fitted-in that the part thus 
exposed rests against that 
portion, P, of the bark of the 
stock which has not been 
separated from the sapwood. 
In fig. 90, J represents the 
appearance which is pre¬ 
sented when the work is all 
aone Dur.rne waxing ana tyemg. We add the plan of the stock, b, the portion 
of bark, c, raised from the wood, and the other, D, which remains untouched. 
These slight variations, which may be infinitely increased according as reason 
and practice dictate, have for their object the hastening of the union between 
the graft and the stock. A small work on grafting that would be useful to you 
is published at 170, Strand, London, the price, we think, being about Is. 
Names of Fruits. —We have many times notified that only six varieties of 
fruits can be named at once; still large packages reach us, the contents of which 
cannot be examined. Some fruits are not named because the sender’s name 
does not accompany them, and we cannot always determine to whom the re¬ 
spective parcels belong, even by the aid of letters received by post. Bears, wo 
have previously intimated, ought to be ripe or approaching ripeness when sent, 
or a number of them cannot be identified. All packages must be carriage paid; 
unpaid parcels are sent every week that are not taken in, The fee for naming 
fruit to non-subscribers is 5r. It is important that these conditions be attended 
to for preventing disappointment. (Reader).— The Apple is an imperfect ex¬ 
ample of the Blenheim Pippin. (II. II.). —1, Reinette Diel; 2, Stamford Pippin. 
(James Searle). —13, Probably Northern Spy ; 14, Margil ; 15, Lucombe’s Pine 
Apple ; 16, not known; 17, Dumelow’s Seedling; 18, Kentish Fillbasket. (G. 
Picker ).—The large conical Apple is Catshead. which we think we have named 
for you before; 1, Trumpington ; 3, Gloria Mundi; 6, Court of Wick. No 
numbers were attached to the others, therefore wo cannot name them. Num¬ 
bers should be firmly secured to the fruit. 
Names of Plants (G. I\). —1, Pteris argyrea; 2, Polystichum aculeatum ; 
3, Pteris serrulata cristata; 4, Adiantum pnbescens ; 5, appears to be a Nephro- 
dium, but the specimen was not sufficiently mature to enable us to determine 
it with certainty ; 6, Helleborus foetidus. (Reader).— It is impossible to name 
Conifers with certainty from small sprays unless information relative to the 
character of the specimens accompany them, and we can only say that No. 1 
resembles the male form of Juniperus ciiinensis, aud No. 2 J. virginiana, the Red 
Cedar. (C. E. if.). —1, Testidunaria elephantipes; 2, not recognisable; 3, 
Euonymus japouicus latifolius variegatus; 4, apparently a Francos, but the 
specimen was insufficient for identification without flowers ; 5, Sedum carneum 
variegatum ; 6, Alonsoa incisa. (T. J. Zf.).—Adiantum macrophyllum. (R. C.). 
Fig. 90. 
