March 8, 1883. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
205 
Begonia Leaves Eaten (II. S). —We cannot of course say what has 
eaten your plants, but we think if they were under our charge we could find out 
the depredators. If you have satisfied yourself that the injury is not done by 
slugs you may well turn your attention to cockroaches. These pests are very 
fond of Begonias, and we have known plants injured similarly to those you have 
sent. \ arious methods are adopted for destroying cockroaches, phosphor paste 
being found one of the most effective at Kew. It is spread on pieces of bread 
and even paper, and placed in their haunts. We have been informed that Dalma¬ 
tian powder spread in houses or frames infested by cockroaches either kills or 
banishes them, but we have not tried it. Both these insecticides can be had 
from chemists. The fact of your Marguerites “ suddenly ” losing their green 
colour may perhaps be the result of an overstrong dose of liquid manure. The 
method you have adopted of making it is correct, but it should be used weak 
and clear—as bright as pale sherry and of the same colour. 
Fertilisers for Plants (Idem).— Nitrate of soda is a very active stimulant, 
more quick than durable, and must be used only in small quantities ; a small 
thimbleful spread on the soil in a 6-inch pot is ample, or from a quarter to 
half an ounce in a gallon of water. Bonemeal is less quick in its action but 
more continuous, and twice the quantity may be used as a top-dressing. It is 
not soluble in the same sense that the nitrate is. It is good for mixing in the 
soil for such plants as Pelargoniums, Chrysanthemums, Fuchsias, Begonias, and 
such others that require support over a long period. A pound, more or less 
according to the plants, may be mixed with a peck of soil. 
*• In the Garden ” (G. II.). —We are unable to congratulate you on your 
production, which in its present form is not suitable for publication in any paper, 
and we think you can occupy your time more profitably than in attempts at 
writing poetry. We have had several so-called poems sent to us from time to 
time, but this we think is the most unsatisfactory of all of them. It is weak in 
language and faulty in rhythm—in fact is not poetry at all, but a jingling con¬ 
glomeration of incongruities. Ten years hence you will thank us for this reply 
if you do not thank us now. 
Gardenias and Fern Fronds (L. I.K.). —We do not approve of covering 
Gardenias or any other cut flowers with dry cotton wool, as we know from the 
condition in which flowers so packed arrive at this office that wool extracts the 
moisture from the petals. If you cur the Gardenias as soon as expanded and 
place the stalks in tepid water, then if you wish to take or send the blooms to 
London secure a little damp moss round the stalks and pack in a close-fitting 
tin box, they will arrive perfectly fresh, and continue so longer than when dry 
wool is placed over them. In growing Adiantums for affording fronds for cut¬ 
ting, the plants should have a light sunny position. The fronds will not be so 
large nor of such a bright green as if grown in the shade, but they will last 
much longer when cut, selecting those that are mature, not the young soft 
fronds, and immersing them in water for an hour before using in bouquets. We 
are unable to say from whence Hyacinth and Orchid seeds can be obtained. You 
ought, however, to have no difficulty in raising the former, as the plants seed 
with great freedom, and it matures in a light greenhouse, frame, and as the 
season advances in the open air. Orchid seed is much more scarce, and much 
skill and patience are needed for raising plants when seed is obtained. 
Cypripedium spectabile (T. Mason). —You have not been misinformed as 
to the easy culture of this hardy Orchid, nor has its beauty been over-estimated, 
as it possesses merits which should make it a general favourite ; and when 
its perfect hardiness is taken into consideration with its present inexpensive¬ 
ness there is no reason why everyone should not possess one of the very best 
perennial Orchids. The plant is easily distinguished from all others. It grows 
from 1 to 2 feet high, the stems being more or less covered with leaves of a 
light green colour, and conspicuously veined. The flowers, which are borne 
singly, or from two to four on the stems, are very showy; the sepals and petals 
are spreading, ovate in form, the petals being much the widest, pure white in 
colour; the lip is very much inflated, of a rich rose colour, sometimes nearly 
crimson. The soil best suited for it is good peat and coarse sand, with some 
sphagnum chopped up fine and mixed with the peat. If grown in pots several 
should be placed in a large pot and kept plunged in moss or fibre in a shady 
place. When well grown it is a most beautiful plant for exhibition purposes, 
and it can be readily forced. It can be equally well grown if planted outside in 
peat and sand in a shady place or on the rockery, where it is quite at home with 
many of the Primulas, Dodecatheons, and Ferns. It forms a lovely companion 
for Ferns. The stems springing up from among the light green frouds of the 
Lady Fern are exceedingly attractive, and the plant thoroughly enjoys such a 
home. We have had it planted in old stumps, when it seemed to be peculiarly 
happy. 
Tlirips on Azaleas (A. S.). —The leaves you have sent indicate pretty 
clearly that your plants have been seriously infested with thrips, and there are 
either insects or eggs on the plants now, although we do not observe any on the 
few leaves before us. Thrips are not difficult to destroy, but one application of 
any insecticide is quite inadequate for keeping the plants clear. They require 
syringing periodically with a solution of nicotine soap, Gishurst compound, or 
soft soap and tobacco water. Any of those ingredients prepared at a strength of 
3 ozs. to a gallon of water, in the case of soft soap adding a pint of tobacco 
liquor, will destroy thrips, and so will petroleum prepared and applied as stated 
on page 149. The plants should be dipped if not too large; if they cannot be 
dipped lay them on their sides on a mat, or hold them over a tub, for catching 
the solution, and syringe them forcibly, turning them round so that the under 
side of every leaf is thoroughly wetted. Do this once a fortnight, and in the 
meantime syringe them daily in fine weather until they flower, and again after¬ 
wards when making their growth, at which time the insecticides may be further 
diluted for using occasionally. Remove the surface soil from the pots, and add 
fresh compost. When we find plants in the condition that yours are we 
usually find also that they have in other respects been neglected or mismanaged 
in watering. Be very careful in this respect, never permitting the soil to be 
really dry before water is applied, then giving it copiously. If the pots are very 
much crowded with roots a teaspoonful of Standen’s manure or a little more of 
bonemeal spread on the surface of a 6-inch pot once a week and watered in 
will be beneficial. 
Tropaeolum Buds Withering (Idem). —As your plant is healthy the 
flowers will in all probability expand ns the weather improves if you assign it a 
light position in your greenhouse. Baking the compost will improve rather 
than injure it, and all worms will be destroyed. 
Vines Unsatisfactory—Abortive Bunches (J. A.). —Undoubtedly 
the practice you have described, if we understand it rightly, of steaming the 
house at night and charging the air with ammonia by the excessive use of 
guano in the evaporating troughs, is faulty. This with the fumes of petroleum, 
that appear to have been the result of an accident, would account for the flower 
buds turning brown “as if burnt,” but would not account for their non-forma¬ 
tion, and on one of the bunches you have sent no buds have formed. No guano 
whatever should be placed in the evaporating troughs of your vinery until the 
Vines are in vigorous growth, say after the berries are swelling freely after the 
stoning period. We know it has been used before Vines have reached that stage 
without any injury resulting, but, on the contrary, with apparent benefit ; but 
it was by gardeners who thoroughly understood what they were doing. In your 
case we repeat emphatically that it ought not be used before the period indicated, 
and you will do well to insist on its disuse at once. Even without the guano 
such an excess of moisture and an absence of ventilation is injurious, and, ex¬ 
cept in very bright weather, we would not have a drop of water in the troughs. 
So far as we comprehend the condition of your Vines it would have been better 
if there had been no troughs on the pipes. The finest of Grapes can be grown 
and are produced without them, and, as used by some persons, evaporating 
troughs do far more harm than good in vineries. To return to the abortive 
bunches. While, as we have said, they have been injured by the practice alluded 
to, the initial cause of the curled budless tendrils is immature wood, and this in 
turn is the result of too much moisture and too little ventilation. When wood 
is unripe there is no food, or very little, stored in the Vine for sustaining the 
growth in its early stages, and before supplies are furnished by active roots and 
prepared by developed foliage. The stored-up sap is thin aim watery, and its 
virtues are soon exhausted, the embryo buds then wither, and flimsy foliage 
only is produced, which in turn cannot perform its functions, though it en¬ 
deavours to do so by enlargement and extension, producing a large surface with 
little substance or texture. Thus persons are deceived as to the condition of 
their Vines. They point to their luxuriant growth and large leaves as indica¬ 
tions of health, whereas they really indicate disease, and such Vines are no more 
in condition for work—iruit-bearing, than animals are that are unnaturally fed, 
that are flabby, not firm, and comparatively immoveable. Your Vines need 
more air and less atmospheric moisture, and you will not err by leaving the top 
ventilators open to the extent of an inch all night, a temperature of from 55° to 
60° being maintained, the floors, pipes, and every part of the house to be dry by 
twilight. As the heat increases in the morning so should the ventilation and 
moisture, until the maximum day temperature of 80° to 85° by sun is reached. 
Very little moisture should be afforded with a decline of temperature, and no 
syringing or damping should be done after the sun has left the house. 
Vines in Pots (W. II. —The pots must not be exposed to the full 
action of the sun, or in all probability they will be of little value for planting 
after bearing a crop this season. Mr. Bardney has had great success in shifting 
his fruiting Vines into pots 4 inches larger than those in which they arrived 
from the nursery. This repotting is done carefully, only removing a portion of 
the soil and not materially disturbing the roots, the time for the operation being 
when the canes have fairly commenced growth, yet the shoots not so far ad¬ 
vanced as to endanger their being broken off. The soil, both in the pots and 
that to be employed, is moist without being decidedly wet when the shifting is 
done. The latter, turfy loam and bonemeal, is pressed very firmly round the 
other, and water is applied cautiously for a time until root-action is active, 
which will be known by the foliage changing from a light to a deeper green. 
From that time the supply must be ample—that is to say, immediately the soil 
shows signs of crumbling when pressed water must be applied copiously. As 
the season advances, and the fruit swells freely, water must be given whenever 
it enters the soil freely. No signs of dryness of the soil must then be permitted, 
at the same time avoid saturation. If you cannot repot the Vines they will 
require still more water, with top-dressings of fresh loam and manuie, and also 
liquid manure occasionally after the Grapes have stoned. It will be well to cite 
what the cultivator named has written on this subject. Such results as he has 
recorded could not have been attained if the Vines had not been repotted. 
“ Many growers fruit Vines in the pots they were grown in ; but I have satisfied 
myself that this is not the best or most satisfactory system. However good and 
rich the soil may have been, the young Vine must have exhausted it by the end 
of the season. Rich top-dressings of soil and manure will certainly help them, 
with a free use of stimulants every time watering is done, but even this is not 
sufficient. When the fruit commences colouring liberal quantities of stimulants 
should be discontinued, or the fruit may possess but little flavour; but aid is 
actually discontinued under the above system at a time when the Vine requires 
liberal treatment, and the berries in consequence are comparatively small. I 
have failed at least to produce Grapes as good in berry and quality generally 
under the system described as I have by shifting the Vines into pots 4 inches 
larger than those they were grown in after they were well started into growth. 
The fresh soil given them will be ample to sustain them until the fruit is ripe, 
which will be of a superior quality. I have read in reference to Vines in pots, 
‘ Fruit once, and that heavily.’ Now the question arises whether it is wise to 
do this or retain them for a longer period than one year. If cropped heavily 
they are useless after the first season. If cropped fairly and retained a second 
year they will produce better Grapes than in the first instance; but to accom¬ 
plish this successfully they should be planted out in narrow borders of good 
soil. Experience proves to me that this is by far the most satisfactory system. 
Some Vines transferred from 10 to 14-inch pots early last year carried an excel¬ 
lent crop of well-finished serviceable fruit. The Vines had six bunches each, 
the produce of one Vine weighing a few ounces less than 10 lbs. These Vines 
made fine wood, and were this season planted out in a narrow border of loam, to 
which was added a little fresh lime and a few small bones. The laterals were 
about 1 foot in length when the Vines were planted, and extra care was taken 
that they did not suffer by the want of water. The produce was again weighed 
from the same Vine, which this year carried the same number of bunches, 
weighing in all 11 lbs. Other Vines carried a greater weight of Grapes this 
year than the one alluded to, while none had less than 8lbs., the number of 
bunches throughout varying from five to seven, according to their size. The 
berries were larger than last year, and would have been finer still if we had 
thinned them more liberally ; but from the first swelling we concluded the 
berries would not be large, but were agreeably mistaken when the roots were 
fairly established in the new compost. The wood made this year is superior to 
that they produced last year, is well ripened, and the Vines will, I do not fear, 
produce some excellent early Grapes again next year.” 
Names of Plants (J. II.). —The Heath is Erica carnea, the Grass is a form 
of 1’oa pratensis, an extremely useful Grass for pastures. (G. Hillier). —We have 
many times stated that we do not undertake to name varieties of (lowers, but 
only distinct species. Varieties are far too numerous, and many of them too 
closely resembling each other, to enable anyone to name them with confidence 
without comparing them with the flowers in a large collection. We can only 
say that of the Camellia blooms you have sent, No. 1 resembles eximea ; 2, deli* 
catissima ; 3, imperfect, possibly alba plena ; 4, Beauty of Hornsey ; 5, Bealii; 
6, Valtavaredo. 
Removing Bees (TIL IlnisJian -).—Late in the afternoon will be the best 
time for transferring the bees and removing the hive. If you do this during 
