314 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. r September 30 , isso. 
require annual or perennial plants, with the particular time, if any. that you 
require a display, and further whether you have beds on a lawn or gravel that 
you require to be filled on the massing system of one variety of plant in each 
bed, or desire the plants to be grown in mixture—if you will state such essential 
particulars as these we will readily advise you on the subject, but in its present 
form your question is unanswerable. 
Wintering Chrysanthemum frntescens ( E. C). —The plants may be 
wintered safely in a light position in an ordinary greenhouse. If they are 
planted out you should take up a few of the best and most sturdy at once, 
prune them slightly to render them compact, and pot them in good soil. Cut¬ 
tings may yet be struck, inserting them in sand and placing the pots in close 
and moderately heated frame or pit. Old plants yield cuttings in abundance in 
the spring, which strike with great freedom in moist sand in a heated frame or 
propagating house. 
Figs Cracking (Horace). —The cause of the fruit parting at the apex 
into four divisions is too much water at the roots, and too close and moist an 
atmosphere. When Figs are ripening, the trees require to be kept comparatively 
dry at the roots, but not so much as to distress the foliage ; a free circulation of 
dry warm air is also needed. This is not only necessary to prevent cracking, but 
is essential to quality and flavour. The most useful Fig for growing in heat, or 
indeed for any purpose, is Brown Turkey, and if you require a white companion 
for it grow White Marseilles. 
Vine Leaves Withering (Berwickshire). —It is not uncommon for the 
leaves to fall prematurely from young Vines that have made very strong canes, 
and it is not often that any serious injury results. The best leaves sent appear 
very healthy, but some of the others show unmistakeable signs of scorching. We 
do not think the Vines are “attacked with a disease.” You have perhaps been 
“pushing them on with fire heat,” and possibly sun heat, rather too fast. Admit 
more air, especially early in the morning. 
Disbudding Camellias ( Park Hill). —Undoubtedly a great number of 
the buds must be removed, but we should remove them by degrees, and very 
carefully. If the plants are vigorous they will support two or three flowers on 
each shoot, but if fine blooms are coveted one on each shoot will be sufficient; 
the final thinning, however, should not be done until the approach of spring, as 
from various causes some buds not infrequently drop during the winter. Remove 
one-third of the buds now, and the others at weekly intervals until they are 
reduced to the requisite number for expanding. 
Cyclamens Unhealthy (R. P. 0). —As the plants are just coming into 
bloom, we regret that we do not know of any mode of destroying the maggots at 
the base of the corms without at the same time despoiling the plants of their 
beauty. Very old corms are not infrequently affected in the manner you name ; 
but if your plants are young we cannot account for the presence of the maggots, 
unless thev were in the soil when it was used. You had better raise a fresh 
scock of plants from seed, which may be sown now if you have suitable heated 
structures for growing the seedlings. 
Grapes for Greenhouse (Inquire)). —The term “ greenhouse,” as applied 
to Grape culture, is very indefinite, as there are structures of that name in 
which the requisite temperature can be produced to ripen most varieties of 
Grapes. We can only say that the following Grapes having a Muscat flavour 
will ripen in vineries that are not usually kept at a hothouse temperature— 
Meurthe Frontignan, Venn’s Black Muscat, and in fine seasons Bowood Muscat. 
Troveren Frontignan requires more heat to produce it in good condition. 
Planting a Grave (J. M B). —We do not think your proposed plan of 
planting will answer your expectations. Assuming that both the Snowdrops 
and Crocuses would grow well, the foliage of the former would quite hide the 
design of the latter. If you desire to have Snowdrops you might plant a broad 
margin with them round the grave, forming the design in the centre as you 
propose with Crocuses. If the bulbs are covered 5 inches deep with light soil 
you will then be able to plant, with care, bedding plants in summer. After 
these are cleared off in the autumn a layer 4 or 5 inches in thickness of decayed 
manure should be spread on the surface. The rains will wash the beneficial portion 
of this to the bulbs, and in the spring the manure will have changed almost to 
black soil, and will be exactly suitable for the bedding plants. The bulbs can¬ 
not be planted too soon ; many failures ensue by deferring the planting of 
Crocuses until the corms have grown considerably, when decay often ensues. 
Early Produce for Market (R. R). —Fruit, flowers, and vegetables 
are largely forced for market purposes, and those who are acquainted with the 
peculiar nature of the work appear to succeed very well. We do not consider it 
safe to advise a man who has been exclusively employed in gentlemen's gardens 
to invest his savings in trying to establish a trade of this kind without being 
practically acquainted with the general conduct of the business as it is practised 
in the neighbourhood of London. Competition is very keen, and special know¬ 
ledge is needed to attain success. Most of the growers for the London markets 
confine themselves to the production of either flowers, fruit, or vegetables, but 
we believe among others Mr. Elliott of Fulham grows them all more or less 
extensively. 
Paulownia imperialis ( Winchester ).—The leaves you sent appear to be 
those of the above-named Japanese tree, which in habit and foliage resembles 
Catalpa syringaefolia, but differs structurally, the latter being allied to the 
Bignonias, while the former is included in the natural order Scrophulariacefe. 
The tree was originally discovered by Dr. Siebold, and was introduced to this 
country in 1840. It has been planted somewhat extensively in Paris, where, and 
in the south-western parts of England, it is very ornamental, owing to the.fine 
foliage and purplish-lilac flowers that mark the species. The flowers are not, 
however, very frequently produced in unfavourable positions, and in the neigh¬ 
bourhood of London they are rarely matured, the tree often being injured by 
frost. A moderately light dry soil and a sheltered warm position seem to suit 
the Paulownia very well. 
Melon Leaves Decaying (J. G.).— It is very difficult to account for 
injury to the plants in the house while those in frames remain healthy. Is the 
bed chambered and heated wholly with hot-water pipes ? If so, there is a pro¬ 
bability that the roots when they reach the slates, or whatever the pipes are 
covered with, are injured by heat or drought, while the bulk of the soil in the bed 
is in good condition. Is the glass of the house different from that of the frames ? 
If the former is very common and full of lenses the leaves under it -would be 
scorched and blotched. Do you syringe the plants rather late in the afternoon, 
or damp the house freely then ? We gather from your letter that the front 
ventilators are left open at night and the top ventilators are closed. We should 
reverse this mode of ventilating, and not allow the temperature to fall below 65° 
at any time. If there is much moisture in the house and the temperature is 
low in the morning there will be a condensation of moisture on the foliage, and 
the sudden evaporation following the opening of the top ventilators after the 
sun has been shining on the house for some time would result in injury to the 
foliage. The injury, we think, arises from one of the causes we have indicated, 
or possibly a combination of them. 
Vine Shoots Injured (Fleetwood ).—We sent for the Vine leaves expect¬ 
ing to find them infested with thrips, which when numerous often attack the 
young growths and destroy the epidermis. But there were only two of those 
insects on one of the leaves sent, which circumstance does not indicate that 
thrips are sufficiently numerous to have caused the injury, unless, indeed, they 
are more plentiful on some other leaves that we did not see. The affected por¬ 
tion has been subjected to careful microscopical examination, and not a trace of 
fungus can be found. We conclude that the injury is either the result of the 
puncturing of some insects, or the shoots have been in contact with something 
poisonous to their tissues. The Vines are evidently unhealthy, the leaves lack¬ 
ing substance, and the wood being very unripe. You do not inform us as to 
their age, condition, the treatment which they have received, nor the wires to 
which they are trained, all of which particulars would have been of assistance to 
us in endeavouring to find the cause of the injury. 
Ficus elastica Unhealthy (S. A. /*., Clevedon ).—The discolouration of 
the foliage is either the result of the plant having been too dry at the roots at 
some time (it may have been months ago), or the plant has been removed from 
a shaded to a more sunny position ; or again, it was injured by the extreme cold 
of last winter. Hundreds of plants in the windows of sitting rooms have lost 
their foliage this summer- a certain result of the extreme cold of the preceding 
winter, while hundreds more were killed by the frost gaining access to the rooms. 
As you do not state the conditions under which your plant was grown we are 
unable to give you a more precise reply. If the plant is very large, while the 
pot in which it is growing is small and much crowded with roots, watering it 
twice a week with weak soot water will be beneficial. If you tie up a handful 
of soot in a piece of canvas and suspend it in a pail of water for a week you will 
have an excellent stimulant for your plant. The soot water may need diluting. 
It should be of the colour of pale sherry when used, and quite clear. 
Potatoes and Melons (Old Subscriber). —1, It is not necessary to allude 
to a clerical error that has not misled you. 2, Bedfont Seedling is correct 
3, Mammoth Pearl is the name of the Potato. 4, We have answered the ques¬ 
tion relative to the Melon clearly and accurately,and have nothing more to add. 
5, We have no official list of the awards. Wormleighton’s Seedling is possibly 
correct, the card, as is often the case at exhibitions, having perhaps been placed 
on the wrong dish accidentally and afterwards corrected. When the report of a 
show has to be in print two or three hours after the completion of the judging it 
is obviously impossible to verify the accuracy of every name and award. In this 
case all the cards were not placed on the dishes until 1.15, and the report was in 
the printer’s hands at 2.30—an hour and a quarter after the judging ; so that if 
there were only two errors, and one of them a comma, our reporter may be com¬ 
plimented rather than otherwise on his work. In two of the gardening journals 
Wiltshire Snowflake is credited with having received the first prize in the new 
variety class, and in two others Wormleighton’s Seedling. The name of this 
variety, as you have quoted it, has not appeared in any gardening journai. 
Names of Fruits (H. P.) —The Pear is Caillot Rosat; the Plum is Nelson’s 
Victory. The Peach we cannot name without the leaves and the flowers. (R. 
Adams ).—It is not Jefferson Plum but Transparent Gage, a most delicious 
variety. (Henry Berry ).—It is Diamond Plum. (Henry Riches). —1, Beurrd 
Diel; 2, Duchesse d’Angoulelme ; 3, Beurre d’Amanlis. The others are not yet 
in condition for naming. (George Similes). —Please send wood, foliage, and 
fruit of the Apple as you propose, also of the other variety if possible, and we 
will submit them to close examination. 
Names of Plants (X X).—1, Polystichum angulare proliferum ; 2, Lastrea 
dilatata, may be by some called a variety, certainly not the Hay-scented Fern ; 
3, Cystopteris fragilis, Brittle Bladder Fern ; 4, Cystopteris fragilis var. dentata. 
We have recently seen it in Scotland, and it seems to be intermediate between 
C. fragile and C. Dickieana; 5, Athyrinm Filix-fcemina, Lady Fern ; 6, Polys¬ 
tichum angulare. (Winchester ).—Paulownia imperialis. (Arthur Paine). — 
Zephyranthes Candida. (D. B ).—We do not undertake, as we have often men¬ 
tioned, the naming of varieties of florists’ flowers ; but we have no objection to 
state that the crushed Fuchsia flower we have received resembles Earl of 
Beaconsfield. (IF. C. B). —1, Very unsatisfactory specimen, but it resembles 
Paullinia thalictrifolia; 2, Selaginella cuspidata ; 3, Selaginella Martensii; 4, 
Adiantum hispidulum ; 5, Selaginella Galeottii; 6, Adiantum tenerum. (IF. 
Begbie).— Mentha piperita. (G. 0. S.). —The specimen appears to be a good form 
of Lathyrus latifolius var. ensifolius. (Reader ).— 1 and 2 cannot be identified 
without they are bearing spores, as we previously informed you ; 3, Tropasolum 
speciosum. (E. D. C. /.).—Lobelia fulgens ignea. (D. J. N .).—Sedum spurium. 
POULTRY, PIGEON, AND BEE CHRONICLE. 
SHED ACCOMMODATION FOR CATTLE. 
(Continued from page 294.) 
Our further treatment of this subject would by no means be 
so complete as we could desire, unless the question of farmyard 
economy and the best form of farmsteading as a whole are fully 
considered, but more especially that portion relating to covered 
yards or farmsteading. We have gone rather minutely into the 
question of box feeding, yard and shed feeding, &c., with accom¬ 
modation for cattle, in former parts of these remarks as being 
necessary in themselves, and also as parts of a set of buildings 
for farming purposes. It is now, however, our intention and 
wish to take up the matter so that the farm steading may not only 
