August 28, 1884. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
205 
bed and keep the pipes clear. This would be the best disposition of the 
pipes for top heat; and for bottom heat, of which you say nothing, two rows 
of 4-inch pipes would be needed, surrounded and covered about G inches 
deep with rubble, above which you will need a foot of soil 12 to 15 inches 
distance from the glass for the growth of the plants, so that you will need 
to regulate the level of the pipes accordingly. The pipes should have a 
slight rise from the stove pipe to that poin; where the return is made, where 
should be an air pipe to let out the air and allow of the pipes filling with water, 
having a small tap, which can be shut when the pipes are filled with water, 
opening as needed to let out the air. 
Greenhouse Heaths {Idem). —Ericas Cavendishiana, ventricosa Both- 
welliana, ventricosa alba, ventricosa magnifica, retorca major, inflata alba, 
inflata rubra, tricolor elegans, tricolor profusa, perspicua rosea. Shannon! 
glabra, and Fairrieana, 
Cucumbers Failing {J. T. SI ).—Your Cucumbers are at a disadvcintage in 
being shaded by the Melons, and it is just possible that the pollen has not got 
sufficiently dry for distribution, and consequently fertilisation has been 
defective. Apart from that, however, we consider the soil too light, while 
in all probability sufficient water has not been given to the roots. You say 
they have been watered “ when dry,” but when Cucumbers are growing freely, 
and especially in such light compost as turf soil and road scrapings, they 
must be watered before the roots are dry, or there is sure to be a collapse of 
either the foliage or fruit, or both. Mix some rough turfy loam and decayed 
manure together in equal parts, spread an inch or two of it on the bed, 
keeping this—indeed the entire mass of soil—constantly and decidedly moist; 
surface roots will then be produced, which can be again covered, and the 
plants will be invigorated. 
Watering Vines {Idem). —The “ watery ” character of the varieties you 
name as compared with the Muscats is not the result of too much water 
having been given to the border, but because they are not highly flavoured 
Muscat Grapes. It is impossible for us to say whether you have unduly 
restricted the supply of water, as this can only be determined by a know¬ 
ledge of the nature of the border, the condition of the Vines, and character 
of the weather in your district; you may safely however, we think, con¬ 
tinue to give the same quantity, at least during bright weather, until the 
leaves show signs of changing in the autumn, maintaining at all times 
a healthy buoyant atmosphere. Do not place the muslin bags on the 
Grapes until they can no longer be left off without the fruit sustaining injury 
from wasps or flies. 
Exhibiting Fruit (J. E. TF.).—We have received the schedule. The 
wording of Class 31, “ Collection of small fruit, six varieties, including red 
and white Gooseberries,” we consider unsatisfactorily indefinite. From such 
a class Grapes and Melons at least should be excluded : if they are not, any¬ 
thing, even Pines, are admissible provided they be small.” Most persons 
are aware that there are “ small ” Grapes and “ small ” Melons, but it is not 
customary to offer prizes for them ; yet if those fruits are permitted in the 
class quoted the prizes should go to the smallest examples, as “ large ” ones 
would not be in accordance with the stipulations. This shows the unsatis¬ 
factory wording of the class in question. You will find sufficient has been 
said on the other subject this week. 
Removing Rose Trees {John Hopper). —In accordance with your request 
we print your question and append our reply : — A rents a house and 
garden from B, and plants a quantity of dwarf Bose bushes. After a time 
A gives notice of his intention to quit. In the meantime B dies, and his 
executors intimate to A that he will not be permitted to remove his Roses at 
the expiration of his tenancy. A has no written agreement. Can A defy 
the executors and remove the Roses ? Answer : If A is not a nurseryman 
he has no legal claim to the Roses ; they are the property of the executors 
or representatives of the late owner of the garden, B. 
Gardenias and Eucharises {S. F .).—So much depends on the condition 
of the Gardenias, and especially the state of the roots, that it is not easj' to 
say whether 3 ’our plants should be repotted or not. Assuming, however, that 
they will receive careful attention in watering, they may be safely trans¬ 
ferred to pots just large enough to enable the fingers of the workman to pass 
freely round the balls of soil when in the fresh pots. A larger shift must be 
avoided. The soil, two-thirds turfy loam and one-third peat, with a little 
sand, must be pressed quite as firmly round the roots as the soil is in the 
present pots ; and both that soil and the soil to be used must be in a pleasantly 
moist state, neither very wet on the one hand or dry on the other. The 
growths must not be shortened. Let water be applied with judgment and 
the plants be syringed twice a day in bright weather. A shelf near the glass 
in a stove will be a suitable position for them, as they need sun to harden the 
growth ; yet a little shade must be afforded if needed to prevent flagging or 
scorching. In October they may be placed in the Cucumber house, and if 
they have been well managed they will flower in the winter. If there is 
any fear of mistakes being made in watering after potting, it would be safer 
to let the plants remain in their present pots plunged in others to prevent 
the roots drying. Assuming your Eucharises are strong and the pots filled 
with roots, keep them in the stove and well watered until the beginning of 
September, then remove them to a drier house, such as a vinery, reducing the 
supply of water—in fact, only giving sufficient to keep the foliage fresh. 
After five or six weeks of healthy rest place them in the Cucumber house or 
where they can have a night temperature of 65°, keeping the roots decidedly 
moist, and flowers will be produced in winter, always provided the plants are 
strong enough for flowering, and healthy. Bottom heat will be of assistance 
in promoting them flowering after the resting period. 
Mealy Bug on Vines {J. L.). —There is no quick and easy method of 
extirpating this pest. A heavy washing with petroleum and water after 
cutting the crop would destroy many insects. A wineglass of the oil to two 
or three gallons of water is safe when incorporated by violent and constant 
agitation during use, provided it is applied towards evening, and the Vines are 
shaded the next day if the weather is bright. A mere sprinkling, as if 
playing with the syringe, is of no use ; it must be a forcible and a thorough 
drenching to be efficacious. The first matter to attend to in the autumn is 
to gather the leaves just as they are ready to fall from the Vines and burn 
them. This is far better than allowing the leaves to fall and scattering the 
insects in thousands, and providing for a future supply. After the Vines 
are pruned, not the rods onljq but every portion of the house must he 
thoroughly washed, and the surface soil removed from the border and fre.sh 
added. The rods should also be dressed with either a mixture of clay and 
tar or Murray’s Vine composition, the efficacy of both these applications 
having been testified to by gardeners in our columns. It would not injure 
the Vines, assuming the wood is hard and ripe, to throw the house open to 
the frost in winter, itnless the weather should be unusually severe. Ror 
would this be a certain method of banishing the insects. 
Mushrooms Failing (IF. G.). —The position under the platform in j’our 
heated house is an admirable place for Mushrooms in the winter, or at any 
time when the heat of the house averages from 50° to 60°, a few degrees more 
or less occasionally not being material. The beds can be prevented diying 
by coverings of litter shaken from stable manure. Relative to the production 
of Mushroom spawn in the manure heap, you must remember that the exces¬ 
sive heat did not prevail through the entire mass, but was only in the centre, 
and over the heated part a layer would rest that was of the right tempera¬ 
ture for the germinationr of spores and the spread of the mycelium. The 
Mushrooms in the field were black because they were old when you found 
them ; had you discovered them a fortnight sooner they would have been of 
a different and much lighter colour. The cave to which you refer must be 
an excellent place for Mushrooms in the summer, or at any time when the 
temperature is not much below 55°. The failure you mention we do not attribute 
to the fungus but to the bed. It is clear the spawn has only spread near the 
surface, either because the bed is too cold below or because the material may 
have been unsuitable ; also there is the chance that the spawn was inserted 
when the heat was still rising in the bed, and the mass became too hot 
except near the surface. Spawn should never be inserted until the heat 
has reached its maximum and commences to decline ; and a bed, if the mate¬ 
rial is good and there is plenty of it, can generally be prevented from get¬ 
ting too cold by coverings of straw or hay. We have not seen any Mush¬ 
room beds made entirely of cocoa-nut fibre refuse, but good crops have been 
had with a portion of it mixed with suitable manure. 
Galvanised Wire Injurious (.4 Well-Wisher). —Galvanised wire under 
certain conditions and circumstances is undoubtedly injurious. Some wire 
is saturated with muriatic acid for cleansing it before being coated with 
zinc, and this acid escaping, as it will do through the zinc covering, injures 
the shoots that rest on the wire. Again, in districts where there is much 
sulphuric acid in the air this combines with the zinc and forms white vitriol 
(sulphate of zinc), which is undoubtedly injurious, and is sure to corrode 
the wood that it touches. It is to one of those two causes that the injury 
to your trees is due. The remedy is either giving the wires three coats of 
paint, or taking care that in tying the shoots that a twist is given to the 
ligature, so that this, and not the shoot itself, rests on the wire. We have 
no recollection of receiving a letter from you on the subject before, aud 
suspect the one you posted failed to reach its proper destination. 
Early White Grape (TF. J.). —As an early white Grape “other than 
Foster’s Seedling, Duke of Buccleuch, and Muscats” for exhibiting in July, 
we doubt if you will find a better than the Buckland Swietwater. Well 
grown it produces large bunches with fine berries, and these well finished are 
worthy of being staged with the others in non-Muscat classes. The Duke 
of Buccleuch shown in its best condition is unrivalled as an eady white 
Grape, but first-rate “ Bucklands ” are more frequently seen than farst-rate 
“Dukes;” and second-class examples of this Grape we have often seen 
placed behind first-class bunches of the older favourite. Buckland Sweet¬ 
water ripens with the Black Hamburgh under similar treatmenr., or perhaps 
a few days earlier ; and the longer it hangs after being ripe the more flavour¬ 
less the fruit becomes. Golden Queen requires nearly or quite as much time 
as Muscats to finish, and then too often there is a dark stain in the fruit 
that is not agreeable. The best growers of this Grape we know are Mr. 
Wallis, Keele Hall, and Mr. Allis, Old Warden. We are sorry to learn of the 
accident to the Duke, which was promising so well. Why not try it again, 
with a Vine of the Buckland also ? The former, as we have said, is the finer, 
the latter the more certain to grow and bear well. 
Names of Fruit {Reader). —Your Apple is the Irish Peach, one of the 
best of the early varieties. {R. Bouglon). —The name of the Plum you have 
sent is the Lombard or Bleekers Scarlet. You may possibly obtain trees under 
the former name. 
Names of Plants {Aslfford). —Rot every week but on occasions innumer¬ 
able we have stated that we do not undertake to name varieties of florist’s 
flowers, but only species of plants. The Petunia and Carnation sent are not 
species, but merely varieties that have been obtained from seed, and if they 
ever had any names they can only be obtained from the florist w'no supplied 
the plants. {Lad}/ A'i«y).—Boykinia major. (IF. IF.).—1, Adiantum car- 
diochlmna ; 2, Tradescantia zebrina ; 3, Clematis Flammula ; 4, Selaginella 
Kraussiana; 5, Selaginella serpens ; 6, Kniphofla (Tritoma) Uvaria. 
Various (Apiarian).—Yon had bettor feed gently, as by feeding rapidly 
the bees may simply store the syrup. You cannot do better than apply to 
Messrs. Neighbour, 127, High Holborn, for. a smoker. The salicylic acid 
solution will keep for a considerable time. 
COVERT GARDEN MARKET.— August 27th. 
OOR market is now getting quieter, though large consigameuts are reaching us from 
the continent. Prices have hecn well maintained. 
FRUIT. 
s. 
d. 
8. 
d. 
t. 
d. 
a. 
d. 
Apples. 
i sieve 
3 
6 
to 4 
6 
Oranges. 
.. 100 
« 
0 to 10 
0 
Cherries. 
J sieve 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Peaches . 
perdoz. 
2 
0 
10 
0 
Chestnuts .. •• 
bushel 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Pears, kitchen 
dozen 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Currants, Rod ., 
A sieve 
0 
0 
0 
0 
,, dessert 
dozen 
1 
0 
3 
0 
„ Black .. 
1 sieve 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Pine Apples English,. Ib. 
2 
0 
3 
6 
Figs . 
dozen 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Plums . 
4 sieve 
4 
0 
7 
0 
.. ID. 
1 
0 
2 
6 
Strawberries.. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Lemons. 
• • case 
15 
0 
21 
0 
St. Michael Pines 
..each 
2 
0 
