JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 
[ July 8, 1880. 
36 
also lightly pinch hack the side shoots. Stake the single plants 
intended for standards ; train up the leading shoot which forms after 
the bloom spike is pinched out only, and rub out all side shoots. They 
may be grown to a great height, but a height of from 18 inches to 
2 feet will suit most cases. A sunny and rather sheltered spot is now 
the most suitable for them. 
Bather closely pinch back young growing plants of Libonias, 
Salvias, Solanums, Veronicas, Eupatoriums, and Coronilla glauca, and 
when they break afresh either repot or plant them in a warm border, 
the soil of which is rather light. All to be lifted and potted before 
the arrival of frosty weather. 
*** All correspondence should be directed either to “ The Editors ” 
or to “ The Publisher.” Letters addressed to Mr. Johnson or 
Dr. Hogg often remain unopened unavoidably. "We request that 
no one will write privately to any of our correspondents, as doing 
so subjects them to unjustifiable trouble and expense. 
Correspondents should not mix up on the same sheet questions relat¬ 
ing to Gardening and those on Poultry and Bee subjects, and 
should never send more than two or three questions at once. All 
articles intended for insertion should be written on one side of 
the paper only. We cannot reply to questions through the post, 
and we do not undertake to return rejected communications. 
Pine Apple Culture (/it Sutcliffe ).—The “Pine Apple Manual,” published 
at our office, price 2s. 6 d. 
Cucumber Culture (3. C*.//.).—“Kitchen Garden Manual,” published at 
our office, price 4 \d., post free. 
Exhibiting Roses (A. Paine ).—Two Tea Roses of different varieties 
should not disqualify unless the wording of the schedule forbids it specially. 
Saw Machine (J. (?.).—The makers must advertise it, or you must adver¬ 
tise your want. We cannot inform you. 
Cactus grandiflorus (TP. B .).—The fruit is not eaten that we are aware 
of, but the fruit of C. speciosisimus when well ripened, is good, and that of 
C. triangularis (the Strawberry Pear) very delicious when ripened in a climate 
suitable for developing its qualities. 
Odontoglossum vexillarium (C. C.).— If the flowers are fertilised and 
seed pods form and swell, small plants would no doubt be injured if the seed 
was left to ripen, as the strength of the plants would be devoted to supporting 
the seed and might be exhausted. 
Honesty (C. M. PI).—If the weather is fine the seed vessels become quite 
silvery without any assistance ; if wet weather prevails the plants may be 
taken up when the seed is on the eve of maturity, or the stems be cut off and 
placed in a dry place under glass, and outdoors when the sun shines, to mature 
the seed and bleach the pods. 
Green Fly on Celery (Reader).—, Syringe the plants with a solution of 
soft soap and tobacco water, Gislmr-t compound, or any other approved insecti¬ 
cide of the strength that has so often been recommended ; or after rendering the 
foliage moist dust the plants with tobacco powder, and the aphides will soon 
disappear. 
Heating Pit (K. IF.).—If you have no side lights one 4-inch pipe taken 
round the pit would be sufficient for maintaining a suitable temperature for the 
plants you name. Two 3-inch pipes and a good boiler would enable you to work 
the pit at an intermediate or cool stove temperature in winter if required with¬ 
out hard firing. 
Abnormal Fuchsias (A. O.L .).—It is not at all unusual for small coloured 
incipient petals to form on the stamens, and we have seen many flowers much 
more marked in this respect than those you have sent to us. These freaks of 
Nature cannot be accounted for, but such changes are the most common in 
vigorously grown plants. 
Calycanthus not Fragrant (A. 73.).—There are several species of Caly- 
canthus which are not remarkab’e for their fragrance, and possibly yours may 
be one of them. What is its specific name ? They flower in early summer. 
Perhaps, however, you mean Chimonanthus fragrans, which is often called Caly¬ 
canthus ; but this flowers during the winter, from December onwards, and the 
flowers, though not particularly attractive, are highly fragrant. 
Beetles on Conifer (J. 11.). —Your specimen is attacked by the Pine 
beetle, Hylurgus Piniperda, and will probably receive great injury unless you 
can adopt some means of eradicating it. In the case of a large specimen this is 
most difficult, and we can only suggest a good washing through a powerful 
engine with a solution of nicotine soap, of a strength of 3 ozs. to the gallon of 
water. If anyone can suggest a better remedy we should be glad to publish it. 
Antn in Orchid Pot (Inquirer ).—If the pot is thoroughly well drained, 
as it should be. we should place it in a tank of tepid water for a few hours. This 
we think would not injure the plant, while it might either drown the ants or 
induce them to take their departure. If very numerous they often do injury to 
flowers. We have seen them eat quite into the buds of Roses, and nibble off the 
stamens of Peach blossom in thousands. 
Red Rose for Beds (Constant Reader ).—It is not easy to select a red Rose 
having the habit and strength of the Gloire de Dijon, and that produces fine 
blooms freely and continuously. Cranston’s climbing Charles Lefebvre partakes 
of the habit of the Rose you name, but we do not think it so useful for a bed as 
the “ Crimson Bedder.” The old General Jacqueminot is a most useful variety 
for massing, as it produces richly coloured flowers freely and for a long period. 
Griselinia littoralis (A". Y. (?.).—This is a New Zealand shrub with 
shining coriaceous leaves and small inconspicuous flowers. It is propagated by 
layers in the autumn, by half-ripened shoots in sand under a handglass, and 
from seed. Daphne indica is propagated by inserting firm shoots in sand under 
a handglass in a close frame towards the end of summer, but more commonly by 
grafting on a hardy free-growing stock, such as D. Laureola, in March in a 
close frame. Brugmansias are increased by inserting cuttings of half-ripe 
stubby shoots in sandy soil in gentle heat under a handglass, and shaded to 
prevent flagging. We know of no book such as you appear to require. 
Mealy Bug on Vines (One in Trouble). —We regret being unable to in¬ 
form you of the best method of destroying or keeping in check mealy bug, which 
has made its appearance amongst some black and white Muscat Grapes which 
are beginning to colour. We have been fortunate in never having had to con¬ 
tend with the pest under such circumstances, but will readily publish practical 
information on the subject from those who are in a position to supply it. 
Potatoes Unhealthy ((?. R. A.).—The plants sent, we are sorry to inform 
you, are in our opinion affected with the Potato disease. Its outbreak is as 
much a mystery to us as it is to you, and the circumstance is the more perplex¬ 
ing, and we fear unfathomable, since the reputed disease-resister, the Scotch 
Champion, was the first to be affected, and is the most injured of all your 
varieties. Your soil is not of a nature, and especially as you have used no 
manure, for inducing the disease ; but more depends on the weather than the 
soil; and of the amount of rain you have had, with the prevailing temperature, 
you say nothing. We shall be glad to hear particulars on this point, and also 
to know if the disease is spreading. 
Seedling Delphiniums (John Cooper). —The spikes sent are very hand¬ 
some and indicate that the plants are well grown; the varieties are also good 
but not superior, and many of them not quite equal to the best named varieties 
in commerce. As you grow “a choice collection of the best named varieties,” 
you will be quite justified in naming such of the seedlings as are quite distinct 
from all others in your collection, and growing them for the adornment of your 
gardefi and distributing amongst your friends ; but we do not consider the 
flowers you have sent, beautiful as we admit them to be, possess any substantial 
commercial value. 
Camellia Leaves Spotted ( F. E. D.). —The cause of the evil is defective 
root-action, the roots not supplying sufficient nutriment to support the foliage, 
hence it spots at the edges, as in the leaves you have sent, and decays. As your 
plant was healthy before it was placed in the tub the soil used may not be suit¬ 
able, the ball of the plant may have been dry when placed in the tub, or the 
plant may have been watered too freely afterwards, rendering the soil sour and 
iujuring the roots. Any of these contingencies would produce the effect of 
which you complain. The remedy is inducing a more active state of the roots, 
and shading the plant from bright sun. 
Ivy for Covering a House (Vicar ).—The quickest-growing is, we think, 
the Irish (Hedera canariensis), and that we should plant. We should procure 
good strong plants in pots, and we have had them with shoots 6 feet long, and 
otherwise well furnished. They may be planted at any time. The price varies 
with the size of the plants. For the size named we gave 30s. per dozen, for good 
well-rooted plants in pots 15s. per dozen, and for small but well-rooted 9s. to 12s. 
Plant at once. The plants will be well established for a good growth another 
season. 
"Vines Unsatisfactory (Subscriber).— Although you have written fully on 
the subject that perplexes you, as all inquirers should when seeking informa¬ 
tion, you have yet omitted to state one or two points that appear to us to have 
an important bearing on the matter. First, as plants in pots are affected simi¬ 
larly to the Vines, the foliage being hard and crumpled, you could easily ascer¬ 
tain whether the roots are healthy, at least up to the time that growth ceases ; 
if they are you would have strong evidence that the cause of the injury is not in 
the soil. Secondly, you do not inform us whether you syringe the Vines and 
plants or not. The Vines are certainly in a very unsatisfactory state, and judg¬ 
ing from your letter and a close examination of the growths sent we conclude 
that there has been an excess of moisture in the atmosphere of the house. The 
leaves appear to have been quite gorged with moisture, and it is certain they 
have had more than they could digest, consequently the tissue was injured and 
then destroyed, drying up in its present form. We are confirmed in this view 
of the case by the fact that the large leaves are not injured to nearly the same 
extent as the small; the former can to a considerable extent elaborate the 
moisture, the latter cannot. Are the tanks in the house uncovered ? If they 
are very large and exposed we think they are the source of the evil, and if you 
syringe that will aggravate the injury'. Water ‘from chalk is not usually 
injurious to vegetation, and in this case we do not attribute the injury to the 
quality of the water, but rather to an excess of it, the growths appearing to be 
quite congested. If the tanks are open cover them securely ; employ the syringe 
cautiously if at all; ventilate freely night and day, according to the weathex - , 
and see that evei'y leaf is exposed to the light. We should remove all the worst 
growths, as their retention cannot be of any benefit to the Vines, and possibly 
if you cari-y out onr suggestions the subsequent growths will be more healthy. 
We suspect that if you were to permit a portion of one of the Vines to make 
growth outside the house that it would not be in the condition of the examples 
that you have sent to us ; and if you were to prune the affected Fuchsias and 
plant them outdooi’s we think the succeeding growth would be healthy. 
Insects—Fragile Boxes (J. L. C .).—The lid of the fragile chip box was 
broken in the post, and the insects appear to have escaped, for there was not one 
in the box on its arrival. Stout boxes or tin canisters should be employed for 
sending specimens. AVe have this week received parcels of flowers and fruit 
quite crushed and the contents spoiled. 
Names of Fruit (E. J. L .).—The Strawberry is the Bicton Pine. (R. Gil¬ 
bert). —The Strawberry is in our opinion decidedly' President, but we have seen 
many exhibited under this name that were Sir Joseph Paxton. (C. Bennett ).— 
The fruit was crushed in transit into a shapeless mass. 
Names of Plants (A. B. P.).— 7, Carex vulgaris; 8, C. binervis ; 9, Ar- 
l'henatherum avenaceum ; 10, Bi'omus mollis ; 11, Avena flavescens ; 12, Anthox- 
anthum odoratum. tJ. Woodliffe). —I, Philadelphus grandifloras; 2, P. coro- 
narius; 3, Deutzia scabra ; 4, Campanula rotundifolia; 5, C. glomerata : 6, Cen- 
tranthus ruber. (II. (?.).—A species of Carex. but the specimen was insufficient 
for identification. (IF. J/.).—The specimens you sent are the same as those you 
refer to. (IF. II. Myers). —1, Galega officinalis ; 2, Tradescantia vii'ginica ; 
5, Philadelphus coronarins. We will endeavour to name the others in a future 
issue. (F. Smith ).—Eriophorum polystachyon. (J. R.). —1, AVe cannot deter¬ 
mine without flowers ; 2, Galeopsis Tetrahit; 3, Polygonum convolvulus; 4 
gallis arvensis. (Mrs. Pode ).—Mimulus cardinalis. , A na _ 
