46 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ July 13, 1882. 
than what you appear to have given them. You had better grow them as 
generously as possible for some time to come so that they may gain strength. 
We think it would be decidedly a mistake to withhold water now or to check their 
growth in any way with the object of inducing flowers, as these if produced 
would be necessarily poor, and would most certainly be obtained at the sacrifice 
of the future well-being of the plants. You will do well if you succeed in 
producing a satisfactory display of Eucharises and Cypripediums in late autumn 
or early winter, and of Pancratiums next year. 
Large Gloxinias (J. Gilbert). —The flowers were much damaged in transit 
through not having been well packed. Not one arrived in a perfect state ; but 
we can perceive they are of good substance, and some of them very large, one 
being 3 inches in diameter. The colours are not so bright and clear as is desir¬ 
able, but by careful selection and crossing you will soon improve the strain in 
that respect. The leaf sent is wonderfully fine, measuring 11J inches by 9 £ inches 
exclusive of the footstalk ; and as you say the plants have “ not been fed up for 
the occasion, but grown in ordinary loam and leaf soil, each plant having from 
thirty to forty expanded flowers,” you have been very successful in their produc¬ 
tion. You cannot do better than continue improving, especially as regards the 
colour of the flowers, and you will soon have a strain of considerable merit. At 
present your products are highly creditable to you both as a hybridiser and 
cultivator. 
Mezereum (Berry). —This is the old and commonly employed name of 
Daphne Mezereum, a hardy deciduous shrub with fragrant flowers, followed by 
bright Red Currant-like fruits. It is admirably adapted for suburban gardens 
and good positions in the front of shrubberies everywhere. It has pink flowers 
that expand in February or March. There are also red and white varieties, the 
latter very attractive, which flower in spring, and a reddish-pink kind that 
flowers in autumn. They are increased from seed and layers, also by grafting 
on stocks of the Spurge Laurel (Daphne Laureola), also raised from seed. The 
seeds of Daphnes are usually two years in germinating, and those you have 
sown last year may afford you plants next if the seed bed has not been dis¬ 
turbed. It is a common practice to store them in sand until spring and then 
sow them. If you like to try this plan and have only a few seeds it would be 
well to mix them in damp sand in a flower pot and bury the pot. If your 
shrub has branches that can be conveniently bent down and pegged in moist 
soil they will in due time emit roots. Some shrubs planted rather deeply 
also produce rooted suckers. Grafting is done in the spring, the stocks being 
established in pots, and the scions attached and kept in a close warm case or 
frame until united with the stocks. 
Mealy Bug in Peach House (Kittle).— We think you may check the 
increase of the insects, if not cleanse the trees, by forcible aud frequent syring- 
ings of pure water. Mere sprinklings are of no use, but the water must be 
applied with as much force as possible short of injuring the foliage. If you can, 
and we think you can, wash the meal off the insects they will be at your mercy. 
If pure water will not effect your object mix half a wineglassful of paraffin in 
each gallon of soft water, agitating very violently. "When using first eject 
several syringefuls into the vessel, then force one in the pail and apply one to 
the trees alternately. The two fluids will then be mixed, and if the work of 
syringing is thorough it will destroy the insects; but we should try the pure 
water remedy first, as we know from experience how effectual it is if effectively 
applied. 
Forcing Rhubarb (Novice). —You do not advise us as to the means of 
affording artificial heat, but we presume there is means of doing so ; if not, you 
will need to provide such either with hot-water pipes or fermenting materials, 
the latter being most suitable when available. We should arrange to have a 
pathway up the centre of the building 2 feet 6 inches wide, and should have 
beds on each side, the sides formed of boards so as to form bins 3 feet deep. 
These should be filled with fermenting materials, which are preferably com¬ 
posed of leaves—those of the Beech or Oak, to one part of fresh stable litter 
thrown into a heap and turned over a time or two, mixed, and watered if neces¬ 
sary so as to produce fermentation. Placed in the beds it will heat in a few 
days, but the roots must not be introduced until the heat has been tested and 
is on the wane, or declined to below 90°, then introduce the roots, making 
positions for them about half their depth into the fermenting materials, and 
filling up between them with rich compost and about a couple of inches above 
the crowns. The compost used should be moist, so as to lessen the necessity for 
water until the crowns have started into growth, and then water should be 
given as necessary in a tepid state to keep the soil thoroughly moist. With a 
top heat of 60° to 65° it will take three or four weeks to have stalks fit for 
gathering from the introduction of the roots. The best kind for early forcing 
is Johnstone’s St. Martin’s, which, however, is more costly than Yictoria, an 
admirable kind for marketing purposes. Linnaeus is also good for early use. 
We cannot recommend dealers, but by consulting our advertising columns you 
will be able to obtain quotations by applying to those who have roots to sell. 
Heating Greenhouse (if. C. A.). —The proposed number of 2-inch pipes 
will be sufficient to maintain in a greenhouse 40 feet by 10 feet a temperature of 
45° to 50°, in fact two rows of 4-inch pipes would be ample ; but there is this 
advantage in 4-inch pipes, that they do not cool so quickly as 2-inch from the 
greater quantity of water in the former, hence the necessity of having a pro¬ 
portionately larger extent of surface of 2-inch piping than would be needed of 
4-inch. For instance, 1 foot rap of flow and return 4-inch pipe will have 
288 inches of heated surface, whilst four 2-inch pipes of the same length will 
have the same number of square inches of heated surface, but only contain half 
the quantity of water of the 4-inch pipes. This shows the necessity of using 
more piping with a small than large diameter of pipe. We should have the 
same number of return pipes as there are flows. 
Ducks in the Garden (C. A. J.). —Mr. Iggulden can only oblige you by 
stating that the ducks alluded to on page 514 last volume were obtained by 
putting the eggs laid by wild ducks under a broody hen. When hatched the 
hen and ducklings were transferred to the garden, the former being kept con¬ 
fined under a coop, the bars of which are arranged so as to allow of the ducks 
going in and out till such times as they are independent of the hen mother. 
They are thus at liberty to roam about, and this they do surprisingly nearly all 
day long, but more especially when the slugs are generally out—viz., in the 
mornings and evenings. They are best without water to swim in, but are kept 
well supplied with water to drink in a shallow pan. They are not so heavy and 
work harder than the tame breeds, but when nearly full grown are rather 
destructive among Strawberries and Asparagus. They are now sent back to the 
lake where the eggs originally came from, but every evening they pay us a 
visit. It would be useless to get them full grown, unless their wings were 
clipped. Ducks are much the best workers and less destructive when in a young 
state; aud next season Mr. Iggulden hopes to arrange for three successive 
broods. 
Names of Plants (R. B.). —1, LoniceraLedebouri; 2, a Sisyrinchium, but 
specimen insufficient for determining the species ; 3, Solidago Virgaurea. We do 
not undertake to name varieties of Irises, Pelargoniums, Roses, nor similar 
garden or florists’ flowers, but only species of plants. (Jumbo). —2, A Franciscea, 
but no one could identify the species from such a fragment; 3, Cyperus alterni- 
folius ; 4, Melilotus leucantha; 5, Centranthus ruber; 7, Polemonium caeruleum. 
We cannot name the others ; all the specimens were much withered. (R. F. S.). 
—1, Jasminum Poiteau ; 2, Passiflora cserulea ; 3, insufficient; 4, Cobaea scan- 
dens. (No Name). —1, Maranta zebrina; 2, Cissus discolor ; 3, Hibiscus Cooperi; 
4, Tradescantia zebrina; 5, Clerodendron Balfourianum ; 6, Abutilon vexillarium. 
You have sent us neither name nor initials to indicate your plants. 
Bees not Swarming (Clifton ).—The cause of your bees not swarming this 
year is not owing to bad management or an unfavourable neighbourhood or 
wrong position in your garden. The present season has been unfavourable for 
bees, honey-gathering, and swarming. The strongest hives have been late 
in swarming, and many hives have not yet swarmed. Your case is not 
singular or exceptional. The fact of your supering and nadiring one of 
your hives in May is the reason that the super is empty. Probably 
the nadir or bottom box is quite full of combs and bees. But be assured that 
up till the present date (July 7th) all bee-keepers in Great Britain regret the 
absence of honey weather. There have been plenty of flowers, but owing to the 
wind being often in the east and north there has been but little or no honey in 
them. We are now in the middle of the Clover season, and Lime trees are not 
yet generally in flower, and if we have a spell of fine weather this month we 
shall have plenty of honey after all. Then, after the Clover season ends, the 
Heather in moorland districts begins, and continues till about the 10th of 
September. 
COVENT GARDEN MARKET— July 12tii. 
Tetb wet weather has seriously affected the quality of soft fruit the last few 
days, prices being somewhat lower in consequence, although supplies are heav 3 T . 
Grapes are again lower, but good samples of Peaches and Nectarines are in 
demand. 
FRUIT. 
8. 
d. 
8. 
d. 
Apples. 
J sieve 
0 
OtoO 
0 
Apricots. 
box 
i 
6 
2 
0 
Ditto .. 
l 
0 
2 
0 
Cherries. 
i sieve 
6 
0 
12 
0 
Chestnuts. 
bushel 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Currants, Black.. 
i sieve 
5 
6 
6 
0 
,, Red.... 
\ sieve 
4 
0 
5 
0 
Figs. 
dozen 
4 
0 
0 
0 
Filberts. 
ft. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Cobs. 
100 ft. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Gooseberries .... 
i sieve 
2 
6 
0 
0 
s. 
d. 
VE 
s. 
GE 1 
d. 
Artichokes. 
dozen 
2 
0 to 4 
0 
Asparagus. 
bundle 
3 
0 
0 
Beans, Kidney .... 
100 
1 
3 
0 
0 
Beet, Red. 
dozen 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Broccoli. 
bundle 
0 
9 
i 
6 
Brussel s Sprouts.. 
i sieve 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Cabbage . 
dozen 
0 
6 
1 
0 
Capsicums. 
100 
1 
6 
2 
0 
Carrots, new. 
bunch 
0 
6 
i 
0 
Cauliflowers. 
dozen 
2 
0 
3 
0 
Celery. 
bundle 
1 
6 
2 
0 
Coleworts_doz. bunches 
2 
0 
4 
0 
Cucumbers. 
each 
0 
4 
0 
6 
Endive. 
dozen 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Fennel. 
bunch 
0 
3 
0 
0 
Garlic . 
ft. 
0 
6 
0 
0 
Herbs. 
bunch 
0 
2 
0 
0 
Leeks. 
bunch 
0 
3 
0 
4 
s. d. s. d. 
Grapes . lb. l 6to4 0 
Lemons. case 20 o 30 o 
Melons. each 2 0 4 0 
Nectarines. dozen 4 0 12 0 
Oranges . 100 4 0 6 0 
Peaches . dozen 4 0 12 o 
Pears,kitchen .. dozen 0 0 0 0 
dessert. dozen 0 0 0 0 
Pine Apples, English ft. 3 0 4 0 
Strawberries .... lb. 0 6 10 
Walnuts . bushel 0 0 0 0 
s. d. s. d. 
Mushrooms .punnet 1 Otol 6 
Mustard & Cress .. punnet 0 2 0 8 
Onions. bushel 3 6 0 0 
pickling. quart 0 0 0 5 
Parsley. doz. bunches 3 0 4 0 
Parsnips. dozen 10 2 0 
Potatoes. cwt. 10 0 0 0 
Kidney. cwt. 10 0 14 0 
Radishes.... doz .bunches 10 0 6 
Rhubarb. bundle 0 4 0 6 
Salsafy. bundle 10 0 0 
Scorzonera . bundle 16 0 0 
Seakale . basket 0 0 0 0 
Shallots. ft. o 3 0 o 
Spinach . bushel 3 0 0 0 
Tomatoes . ft. 0 6 0 8 
Turnips, new. bunch 0 6 0 0 
POULTRY AND PIGEON CHRONICLE. 
THE SHORTHORNED BREED OF CATTLE. 
( Continued from page 23.) 
We now come to a period within our own recollection in speak¬ 
ing of Shorthorn cattle imported into Australia ; aud we have a 
vivid recollection of what was called the unbeaten bull, Master 
Butterfly, belonging to Colonel Townley, when he gained the first 
prize for Shorthorn bulls over two years old, at the meeting of 
the Royal Agricultural Society of England’s Show at Chelms¬ 
ford in 1856, which also took the first prize for bulls under 
two years old at the Carlisle Royal Society’s Meeting in the 
previous year. On seeing this magnificent animal, which was 
of a bright roan colour, of enormous size and weight, and as 
near perfection in all his points as we have seen any Shorthorn, 
and after looking at him with wonder and admiration, and hand- 
