October 5, 1882. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER 
331 
Royal George Peach and Lord Napier Nectarine. It is immaterial which has 
the warmest position, but you will not err by devoting it to the Nectarine, with 
the object of securing early fruit. The centipede is not beneficial in the garden. 
Flue Heating {Anxious). —If your flue answers well except at the end 
near the chimney we should only remove that part and there fix glazed pipes, 
which, being thinner we presume than your paving tiles, would conduct the heat 
from the flue more quickly. Glazed tiles placed near the fire are apt to split at 
the sockets; at a distance from it we have seen them used with perfect safety. 
Flower Garden Boxes (A Youna Gardener). —There is no “average” 
size for such boxes as those to which you refer. The size of the boxes either is 
or ought to be stated in the schedules in which prizes are offered. We have 
seen boxes 3 feet square, 4 feet square, 4 by 3, 5 by 4, and even longer. We are 
not aware that there is any book published with coloured designs for flower 
gardens. 
Material for Mushroom Beds (J. D.). —We have no doubt that London 
stable manure where the horses are bedded with cocoa-nut fibre refuse would do 
for Mushroom beds if mixed with ordinary decayed stable manure. Even saw¬ 
dust that has been used as bedding in stables has, when largely mixed with the 
material in question, produced excellent Mushrooms. We doubt if either saw¬ 
dust or cocoa-nut fibre refuse used alone would answer the purpose, as the 
former especially is liable to promote the growth of small fungi. 
Removing Sub-laterals from Vines ( East Berwickshire).— Provided 
the principal leaves of the Vines are fully exposed to the light the laterals now 
being produced will not do any harm. If they shade the large foliage remove 
them gradually as you suggest, not by armfuls at once. You do not say whether 
you have cut the fruit of the Black Hamburghs ; if you have and the growth is 
strong you may remove the laterals, but do not remove them otherwise except 
for the purpose referred to of exposing the original foliage to the light and air. 
The production of sub-laterals when Grapes are ripening is a favourable 
symptom, as it indicates that the Vines are not overcropped, but have a surplus 
store of energy for future work. 
Gros Maroc Grape (TP. /.).— Although we have had no experience with 
grafting this variety on a healthy stock of Lady Downe’s, we should not hesitate 
to try it if we desired to add it to our collection. You might well try it with 
the rest, and if it does not answer your expectations you can readily remove it, 
and train an additional rod of whatever variety you find most useful in its 
place. Gros Maroc is a strong grower, does not as a rule produce very large 
bunches, but the berries are fine, colour beautifully, and possess an agreeable 
sprightly flavour that is pleasing to most palates. 
Early Potatoes for Market (II. if.). —We doubt if there is a better or 
more profitable early variety for the purpose in question than a true stock of 
Myatt’s Improved Ashleaf, which is synonymous with Rivers’ Royal Ashleaf. 
Beauty of Hebron is also profitable in some districts, and in light soil and 
rather dry and warm localities the Early Rose crops freely and is of good 
quality. If any of our readers have found other varieties more profitable than 
those we have named we will gladly record their experience. 
Shelter for Garden (R. P. 0.).— If you want a tall sheltering screen we 
know of nothing that will afford it so quickly and inexpensively as a hedge of 
Lombardy Poplars. They can be cut to any width and height you like, from 
2 feet in diameter to 20 feet or more high. Hornbeam forms a good hedge, and 
is well adapted for a screen of moderate height. Evergreen Privet is liable to 
be injured by frost during very severe winters. As an evergreen screen Thuia 
Lobbii forms one of the best. 
Standard Fruit Trees (Idem). —You do not say whether you want 
dessert or culinary Apples, so you must choose for yourself from the following. 
Dessert .—Devonshire Quarrenden, *Cox’s Orange Pippin, Wyken Pippin, and 
‘ s Wormsley Pippin. Culinary. — Keswick Codlin, *Cellini, Golden Noble, 
^Blenheim Pippin, and Dumelow's Seedling. Those prefixed by an asterisk are 
useful for both dessert and culinary purposes. Pears. —Jargonelle, Louise Bonne 
of Jersey, Hessle. and Swan’s Egg. Plums. —Rivers’ Early Prolific, The Czar, 
White Magnum Bonum, and Victoria. 
Eccremocarpus ecaber (Surrey). —This is doubtless the plant to which 
you refer. It is a native of Chili, and has rough leaves and orange-coloured 
flowers. It is hardy in most districts, and when established needs no protection; 
but it is advisable to place a little cocoa-nut fibre refuse or other suitable mate¬ 
rial over the roots of young plants. The plants die down on the approach of 
winter like Hops, but fresh growths start from the fleshy roots in the spring. 
We presume your plant is established in the soil—not in a pot, and the roots 
will only need the protection indicated. If the plant is in a pot winter it in a 
frame or cool greenhouse. Fresh seed germinates quickly when sown in heat in 
the spring and kept moist, the plants flowering the same season. 
Oak Spangles (Idem). —These are produced by insects, species of Diplo- 
lepis, some of which produce very pretty galls—red or orange and fringed. In 
most museums they can be seen, and in the British Museum a very good collec¬ 
tion will be found. 
Violets in Frames (A. D .).—In all probability the soil in which the 
Cucumbers were grown will be suitable for the Violets, but it must be tho¬ 
roughly moist without being saturated. An addition of decayed vegetable 
matter and burnt refuse would improve the soil if it is heavy. As you have not 
stated the distance that the present soil is from the glass we are unable to 
advise you on that point; but you will, we think, find all the particulars you 
require in an excellent article on Violets in Frames on page 224, September 7th, 
1882. If you do not possess this number it can be had from the publisher, post 
free, for 3£d. in stamps. 
Conifers for Border (A Leeds Subscriber). —We think you are attempt¬ 
ing far too much in a border only 7J feet wide. So far as we understand the 
case, we think a row of Conifers of one kind to form a screen or hedge would be 
decidedly preferable to a mixed assortment, and we should plant Thuia Lobbii. 
It is hardy, close vet feathery, bright green, and very hardy. In the front of 
these you might furnish the border with Rhododendrons if the soil is suitable, 
interspersed with variegated Hollies, Boxes, and Aucufcas, leaving a margin as 
you suggest for flowers Large deciduous trees in such a border would spoil 
both the Conifers and evergreens, and very few, if any, of such trees should be 
planted, unless indeed you prefer them to the others. 
Decayed Manure (C. />.).—The material of which you have sent a sample 
is such as many' gardeners would be glad to have for mixing with strong loam 
for such plants as Fuchsias, Pelargoniums, Cinerarias, Calceolarias—indeed, 
nearly all kinds of softwooded plants and bulbs ; it would be also valuable for 
surfacing flower beds in the summer. Added to strong soil at the rate of about 
a sixth of the bulk it would make an excellent compost. If used similarly with 
light soil it would make the mass too light, but that in a measure might be 
obviated by potting very firmly. Rubbed through a sieve it would be excellent 
for the purpose of raising seedlings of all kinds of flowers in the spring. It 
would not be suitable for hardwooded plants such as Azaleas. 
Plumbago capensis (Idem).- The old foliage is liable to be attacked 
with mildew, and this is no doubt the “ white substance ” to which you allude, 
but which was rubbed off the leaves you sent in transit. Dissolve 2 ozs. of soft- 
soap in a gallon of water, in which mix a small handful of sulphur. With this 
solution at a temperature of 120° syringe the plant thoroughly, but prevent by 
some means much of it draining into the pot. Several leaves usually turn yellow 
at this season and fall, the plant being semi-deciduous, like Azaleas. After it 
ceases flowering reduce the supply of water, and during November and two 
following months keep the soil almost dry. In February prune it closely, and 
when growth commences remove a portion of the old soil from the roots and 
add fresh loam. If you do not possess our “ Greenhouse Manual ” you might 
with advantage obtain it; its price is 10rf. post free. We do not consider you 
have given us any trouble, and we shall always be glad to aid you in obtaining 
proficiency. 
Roses for Towns (A. IF.).—If the soil in your garden where you contem¬ 
plate making a bed for Roses is not good you had better remove it to the depth 
of 2 feet. This will be ample if the ground is well drained, which is essential 
for the successful cultivation of Roses. When the soil is cleared out good fibry 
loam of a rather strong nature should be obtained, to which add one barrowful 
of good half-decayed manure to every eight barrowfuls of loam. If soil only of 
a light nature is available add one-seventh of clay, and incorporate it well with 
the soil before placing it in the bed. The clay should either be dried in some 
suitable place or over a fire made for the purpose, which will enable you to break 
it up easily into small particles. To break it well up before mixing it with the 
soil is much better than chopping it into pieces with a spade ; for if mixed into 
the soil in lumps it will remain in that condition, except what little is turned 
to the top, which will fall by the influence of the weather. This is all the pre¬ 
paration needed to form a bed for Roses, but the soil should not be allowed to 
become into a wet saturated state before wheeling it into the bed. The follow¬ 
ing varieties may be safely planted :—La France, Gdndral Jacqueminot, John 
Hopper, Jules Margottin, Duke of Edinburgh, Comtesse d’Oxford, Capitaine 
Christy, Abel Carriftre, Souvenir de la Malmaison, Edouard Morten, La Duchesse 
de Moray, Magna Charta, Princess Louise Victoria, Sultan of Zanzibar, Sir 
Garnet Wolseley, Victor Verdier, Boule de Neige, and Louis Van Houtte. If 
only six varieties are required plant the first six named. It is much better to 
plant a quantity of a few kinds that will flourish than a greater number of 
uncertain varieties. 
V ines and Melons (I. E .).— If the roots of the Vines are confined to the 
6 feet-wdde border, which appears to be very shallow—too shallow—in the front, 
you cannot expect superior Grapes unless there is a network of fibres near the 
surface of the border, and these are well supplied with food in the form of 
frequent top-dressings of fresh loam and manure. In many Vine borders there 
are no fibrous roots within a foot or more from the surface, and in such cases 
top-dressings are of little use. We suspect this is the condition of your border, 
and if so the sooner you remove the old soil, or most of it, raise the roots as 
much as possible, notching several of them by making a deep vertical cut half 
through the main roots and a sloping cut upwards to it, the better. If wood 
ashes are added freely to the loam fresh roots will be emitted the more freely. 
The roots must not be allowed to become dry during the process of raising 
them ; they should be covered with soil 4 or 5 inches deep, this to be mulched 
with manure. A top-dressing of manure is of great service during the summer, 
as if the border becomes dry at the surface the roots at once leave it and pene¬ 
trate downwards ; neither will they permeate the surface of a border that is 
loose by being forked over periodically. In another column you will find what 
has been done by renovating Vine borders, and you cannot do better than follow 
the practice there detailed so far as it applies to your circumstances. In reference 
to the Melons, we presume you had fermenting materials in the pit, but you do 
not say so, and hence the roots were not dry at the botttom of the bed ; if they 
were dry there that circumstance would account for the failure. We have seen 
not a few plants collapse from the cause indicated, and we have also seen them 
wither, this season especially, under skilled treatment by being affected with a 
disease, the origin and nature of which at present appear quite obscure. Melons, 
too, are apt to fail in the manner you describe when grown in too light soil. So 
far from troubling us with your second letter we are glad to receive it, as in 
regard to the Vines especially, and Melons possibly, it has enabled us to give you 
a reply that may be useful. 
Names of Plants (Rosa). —The plant of which you obtained seeds from 
Ceylon is Cassia corymbosa ; it succeeds in a greenhouse, or planted out in the 
open ground in summer to be taken up and potted in the autumn. The plant 
raised from seed sent from Bengal is an inferior form of the African Marigold. 
(J. F. L.). —1, Herniaria glabra ; 2, Mentha Pulegium gibraltarica ; 3, Stellaria 
graminea aurea; 4, Insufficient. 
Names of Fruits (J. Winter). —1, Louise Bonne of Jersey ; 2, Urbaniste ; 
3, Marie Louise d’Uccle ; 4, Stirling Castle ; 5, Tower of Glaniis ; 6, King of the 
Pippins. (Alloa). —1, Dumelow’s Seedling; 2, Gloria Mundi; 3, Warner’s King ; 
4, Beauty of Kent. (Winchester). —1, Court Pend ft Plat; 2, Beurre Diel ; 3, 
Beurre Sterckmans. (J. P .).—1, Lord Lennox ; 2, Cellini; 3, Duchess of Olden¬ 
burg ; 4, Cellini. (S. L. D .).—1, Emperor Alexander; 2, Wyken Pippin ; 3, 
Wormsley Pippin ; 4, Norfolk Bearer; 5, not known, probably a local variety. 
(L. L .).—You ask for the names of six fruits, but we have only received three; 
1, specimen poor and insufficient; 5, King of the Pippins; the large Apple, 
from which the number has been lost, Dumelow’s Seedling. (G. R .).—The 
Apple is the Gravensteiu. (Four Pears). —1, Beurre Charneuse; 2, Beadnell’s 
Seedling; 3,Fondante d’Automne. All the fruits were over-ripe when dispatched, 
and decayed before examination. The sender’s name of these four Pear- has 
either not been received or been misplaced. No. 4, which cannot be identified, 
is a very round fruit. Our correspondent will have no difficulty in recognising 
the reply as the one pertaining to the fruit he has sent. Some other fruits will 
be named next week. 
Naming Fruits (C. J .).—Although the greatest possible care is taken 
to keep the fruit separate, yet with such a number of specimens it is not impos¬ 
sible for an accident to occur by misplacement. In many cases, too, the 
numbers sent with the fruit are not attached to them firmly ; several, no doubt, 
are apparently secure when packed, but get displaced in transit. We do not 
remember whether this was so with your parcel or not. Quantities of fruit 
reach us with tablets either simply placed on or under them, not attached at all. 
This always causes inconvenience, and it is sometimes impossible to determine 
to which fruits the numbers apply. We find it imperative to adhere to our 
rule only to name six sorts at one time; and when we state that it is not 
unusual for several boxes containing from twenty to fifty and even a hundred 
specimens to reach us in the course of a week, the impracticability of retaining 
