August 3, 1882.] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 115 
Fig Tree not Bearing (Old Subscriber ).—Your tree has no doubt been 
permitted to grow too luxuriantly, and the wood has consequently not been 
matured. You say you cut the roots once with no effect. Cutting the roots is 
a very relative term, and we suspect the work was imperfectly done. We should 
dig a trench round the tree at one-third the distance from the stem that the tree 
is in height. This trench should be 2 feet wide and be dug quite below the 
roots. The semicircular mass of soil thus formed should also be undermined, 
severing all the roots that penetrate the subsoil. Fill this trench with hard 
poor material, lime rubbish being excellent, and ram it down as hard as a floor. 
This will check root-action, and the growths will be more firm and short-jointed. 
Kemove also all sappy and luxuriant growths at once, exposing those that are 
shorter and weaker to the full action of the sun. The leaves of these must not 
be shaded at all, and any shoots that are afterwards produced promptly re¬ 
moved. AVhen once the tree produces short-jointed growths but little pruning 
will be needed beyond removing entirely any superfluous growths which other¬ 
wise would shade the foliage of those intended for producing fruit. Overcrowd¬ 
ing the foliage of Fig trees and undue root-extension, which is incited by a 
multitude of shoots, are quite sufficient to prevent the trees bearing fruit. If 
you carry out the advice we have given thoroughly and thoughtfully, and the 
trees still remain barren, you may dig them up. 
Pruning Morello Cherries and Gooseberries (Idem).— Secure as 
much of the young wood to the wall without shortening the shoots as can be 
done without unduly crowding the trees, removing at the same time those shoots 
that are not required for retention, remembering that as a rule the most luxu¬ 
riant growths are not the most fruitful; these therefore should be cut out, pre¬ 
serving those that are moderately strong for fruiting. Gooseberry bushes if 
crowded may be partially pruned now by shortening the side shoots on the 
main branches to within 2 or 3 inches of the base of each, allowing the terminals 
to extend unless they are growing beyond the allotted bounds. The pruuing 
can be completed in the winter or early spring. See our remarks to another 
correspondent on pruning Raspberries. 
Eryngiums (J. IF. L .).—The plants of which you desire some particulars 
are members of the natural order Umbelliferai, but very distinct in general ap¬ 
pearance from the commonest types of that family. The leaves in several species 
are long, narrow, and spiny, something like the leaves of a Pine Apple plant. 
The flowers individually are not conspicuous, but the tall inflosescence is striking. 
In some forms, as E. amcthystinum, E. maritimum, E. Bourgati, and E. cceruleum, 
have a bluish hue that is very pleasing ; and E. eburneum, of which a plant is 
shown in fig. 21, is a handsome species from Brazil, but hardy in the south of 
England. All the Eryngiums succeed best in rather light sandy soil, but in 
other respects they are not at all particular. Eryngium campestre, or common 
Ervngo, is a native of the whole continent of Europe, and is found in some places 
Fig. 21.—Eryngium eburneum. 
in Britain. The root has a slightly bitter and aromatic taste, which it almost 
entirely loses by b filing in water, and in this last state the country people on 
the continent use it as an aliment. The Sea Holly, Sea Hulver, or Sea Holme 
(E. maritimum), grows on the seashore in many parts of Britain. According 
to Linmeus the young flowering shoots of this plant, eaten like Asparagus, are 
very nourishing. The leaves are sweetish, with a slight aromatic warm pun¬ 
gency. The roots are supposed to have the same virtues as the Orchis tribe. 
They are kept in shops candied, and have the reputation of being stimulating 
and restorative. They were first candied at Colchester in Essex about the begin¬ 
ning of the seventeenth century by an apothecary named Robert Buxton, and 
the same business is still continued in that town. E. aquaticunr is a native of 
low wet places in the United States, where it is called Button Snake-root. The 
root has a bitter, pungent, aromatic taste, causing, when chewed, a flow of 
saliva. 
Begonia Flowers Falling (L. IF. S .).—AVhen the plants are flowering 
profusely it is not unusual for a few flowers to fall prematurely, and the beauty 
of the plants is not seriously impaired. This, so far as we understand your 
letter, is the case with your plants. If the pots are filled with active and 
healthy roots a little weak clear liquid manure applied twice a week will have a 
beneficial effect. Soot water is safe and good, and should be given of the same 
colour as pale ale. 
Cinerarias Unhealthy (Idem). —A leaf-mining insect sometimes attacks 
Cinerarias, doing them much injury. AVe know of no remedy, nor any better 
course to adopt than to remove those leaves that are much mutilated, and by 
generous culture encourage the production of new and better foliage. Remove 
the healthy plants from the others, and they will with good attention probably 
remain healthy. AVe presume the plants are in frames. A greenhouse is unsuit¬ 
able for them in summer, and a too dry atmosphere is the cause of many plants 
being “ stunted.” If we had manure such as you describe, decayed so as to 
crumble to mould, we should prefer it to leaf soil for all free-growing soft- 
wooded plants. Your last question relative to the addition of a fertiliser is 
unanswerable, as you do not intimate what the plants are that you desire to 
cultivate. 
Heating a Conservatory (Novice). —There is no method of heating a 
building of the kind you mention at all comparable with a small boiler and 
4-inch pipes. In all probability if you could invite an intelligent gardener or 
local nurseryman to inspect the house he would be able to devise a plan for 
attaining your object; or an ironmonger having experience in heating would 
point out to you an arrangement that would answer. The smoke flues from 
the furnace of many conservatories are connected with a chimney of the house 
near which the structures are erected, and possibly a similar arrangement can 
be made in your case. 
Reporting (Anonymous). —AVe agree with you that it is of the greatest im¬ 
portance that shows be correctly reported. Every endeavour is made to accom¬ 
plish this, and if an error occurs we most readily publish a correction when it is 
brought to our notice in a proper manner and duly authenticated. AVhile we 
agree with you on that point we hope you will agree with us on another—namely, 
the extreme desirability of first ascertaining the truth of a matter before a grave 
charge of inaccuracy is preferred. Mr. Douglas, one of the Secretaries of the 
National Carnation Society, is not of the same opinion as you are, or were, and 
possibly he may have told you so. In a letter before us he says—“ I do not see 
the errors in the Journal, and think the report is a very good one ; but as it 
was late before the new flowers were examined, and as they were scattered about 
in the various stands, it was easy enough to make mistakes in reporting, and I 
trust your reporter was not put to any inconvenience ; as it is he did bis part as 
well as it was possible to do it." This is a very different letter from yours both in 
matter and tone, and if you cannot substantiate the charges you have made, 
and your sense of justice should impel jmu to offer an apology to our reporter, 
it will not be less frank and graceful if you do not do it anonymously. 
Heating Arrangement in Pinery (F. C.). —You do not give the size of 
the pit, but we presume there is a path along the house, which will take up at least 
2 feet of the width, and the flue also will occupy another foot, which will leave 
some 4 to 5 feet as the width of the pit or bed. Two rows of 4-inch pipes in a 
chamber beneath a bed of the width above indicated will be sufficient to afford 
a bottom heat of 90°, provided the pipes are disposed about a foot from the sides 
of the pit all round and immediately under the covers or flags forming the 
bottom of the plunging bed, the space of the heated chamber not being deeper 
than will admit of the pipes being clear of the ground or floor of the chamber. 
It is no deterrent to the heating of the bed for the covers of the chamber to rest 
or lie on the pipes, and the joints of the covers should be open, only being suffi¬ 
ciently close to prevent the plunging material from passing through the inter¬ 
stices. Sand is a bad conductor of heat; a more open material should be used, 
such as tan, sawdust, or cocoa fibre refuse, or even ashes. The sand will account 
in a great measure for the difficulty in maintaining the bottom heat at 90°, but 
we think, from the section, that the heating chamber is too deep, the pipes being 
arranged one over the other instead of on the flat or same level, with a slight 
incline to the boiler in both from the highest point, or that most distant from 
the boiler. It will be necessary to have fire day and night more or less as the 
weather determine to maintain the requisite bottom and top heat. For so small 
a boiler a ton of fuel (coal or coke) would serve about ten weeks. AVe do not 
think the consumption of fuel excessive. 
Budding Fruit Trees (Idem). —The proper time to bud the Apricot and 
Cherry is from the beginning of July to the early part of August, according to 
the locality and the earliness or lateness of the season. Peaches and Nectarines 
are usually not ready for budding until after the middle of July, and sometimes 
not until the middle of August, it being important that the wood become rather 
firm and the buds developed before operating. The condition of the wood and 
buds is of far greater importance than any mere date for performing the 
operation. Procure more buds and insert them now, and if these and the stocks 
are in a proper state you will probably succeed in your object. AVe cannot 
undertake to interpret the passages to which you refer, nor is it necessary, after 
the author has stated truly that “ the only rule that can be laid down in the 
case is that the buds should appear plump, fully and perfectly formed in the 
axils of the leaves, and the bark rising freely in the shoot into which the bud is 
to be inserted.” 
Fragaria indica (X .).—The plant concerning which you desire some 
information bears the above name, being a species of Strawberry that is very 
useful for decorative purposes. AVhen a number of plants are grown in small pots 
they form a most pleasing edge for shelves in greenhouses or conservatories, the 
slender training growths then forming a fringe of green, in which the bright red 
fruits are very conspicuous. 
Names of Plants (C. H. Stephens ).—AVe have stated repeatedly, and even 
as late as last week, that we do not undertake to name varieties of florists’ 
flowers. The petals had fallen from the single varieties : the semi-double 
form is probably AVonderful, a sport from Yesuvius. (K. L., Cheshire ).—Sedum 
Sieboldi variegatum. (H. J. (?.).—1, Aspidium aculeatum ; 2, Asplenium mari- 
liuin; 3. Doodia media; 4, Pteris serrulata; 5, a Selaginella, specific name 
not determinable from such a fragment. (/. IF.).—A very richly coloured 
variety of Scabiosa succisa. (G. S.). —Veratrnm nigrum. (R. C. F. G.). —The 
Fern is AVoodsia obtusa. The blue flower is Centaurea montana. (A. (?.).— 
1, Adiantum Capillus-Yeneris; 2, Gymnadenia conopsea; 3, Polypodium rhm- 
ticum. (Keswick ).—Tecorna stans. (IF. II. Myers). —13, Agrostis canina (Marsh 
Bent Grass); 17, Arrhenatherum avenaceum (Oat-like Soft Grass) ; 18, Phleun* 
pratense (Cat’s-tail or Timothy Grass), an excellent meadow grass; 22, Triticum 
caninum (Bearded Couch Grass) ; 25, Trisetum flavescens (Yellowish Oat Grass) ; 
28, Schlerochloa rigida (Rigid Meadow Grass), this is a handsome little Grass 
of no agricultural use frequently found in the limestone and by the seaconst. 
(J. Greenock). —1, Doronicum austriacum ; 2, Veronica spicata ; 3, Veronica 
rupestris; 4, no flowers expanded, probably a Coreopsis; 6, Veronica gentian- 
oides; 6, £edum spatulifolium. 
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