442 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ Novembor 11, 1886. 
Plants for Covering Ground under Trees (Balhim ).—There is nothing 
better than the common or English Ivy (Hedera Helix), or Irish (Hedera 
canadensis), both of which grow quickly and soon form an acceptable green 
clothing. It is best to break up the ground before planting, thoroughly 
clearing it of weeds, and to insure its covering the ground soon pat in 
strong plants at about a yard apart every way, and train the shoots every 
way, pegging them to keep them in position. They will root into the soil 
as they grow, and if watered during dry weather they will grow more freely. 
Periwinkle is also good for the purpose, the plants being put in about a foot 
apart. The Lesser Periwinkle is best—viz., Yinca minor. 
Fir Tree Oil ( A. B.). —We are obliged by your letter, but doubt if any 
public advantage would result from its public ition. We know several 
excellent gardeners who use this insecticide to their satisfaction, and we 
have seen plants injured by its use even when the instructions as to quan¬ 
tity have been carefully followed. We suspect that the nature of the water 
employed in the mixing is a matter of importance, more especially since a 
very intelligent gardener found the insecticide injurious to some plants 
when mixed in hard water, while it did not injure the same plants when 
used with rain water. We cannot imagine any gardener persistently em¬ 
ploying any article that failed to answer its purpose, nor on the other hand 
rejecting/what he found to be safe and good beeause of its condemnation by 
someone else. Plants with soft woolly foliage are more liable to be inju¬ 
riously affected by strong insecticides than those are which have firm 
smooth leaves. 
Destroying Weeds on Walks (F. J.). —We have seen Smith’s weed killer 
answer its purpose well; but as you cannot procure it in your district you 
can try the following :—A quarter of a pint of sulphuric acid mixed in a 
gallon of water and immediately poured upon the path will destroy all 
small weeds ; so will an ounce of crude carbolic acid in the sams quantity 
of water. A waterpot with a fine rose answers best for the work. Care 
must be taken not to let the acid touch the clothes or boot3, or it will burn 
holes in them, and it will also kill Box or Grass edgings. Apply it in fine 
weather, and you will hav; no more weeds for several months. The acid 
can be had from any chemist or oil and colour dealer. We have not tried 
Birkenhead’s beetle-trap for catching woodlice. 
Vines Failing (A Young Gardener). —You appear to be growing Grapes 
under great disadvantages. In such a house with a flat heavy roof glazed 
with small squares you cannot be expected to produce good Grapes with the 
Vine3 only 2 feet apart. With a very thin disposal of the laterals and a 
light roof we h ive seen good Grapes produced with the Vines 2 feet asunder, 
but special and careful management was given in preventing overcrowding 
and the production of good foliage. You say the growths of your Vines 
were crowded, yet the leaves were large but thin. They were large because 
of the efforts made to reach the light they needed, which could not reach 
them, and they could not be otherwiss than thin under those circumstances. 
Very different foliage must be had before good crops of satisfactory Grapes 
can be produced. You had better carry out your plan of cutting out every 
alternate rod, and try your proposal of taking up a young cane between 
each spurred Vine and crop it on the “long rod system.” The laterals on 
the spurred rods should be 18 inches apart, and each should produce six or 
eight leaves, according as thero may be space for their unchecked develop¬ 
ment under the full and direct action of light; then, with healthy root- 
action in good soil and moderate cropping for a year, the Vines ought to 
improve considerably. As soon as the leaves fall is the best time for cut¬ 
ting down and pruning Vines, and you may dress the wounds well with 
painters’ knotting. We are pleased you find the Journal useful. 
A Selection of Apples (E. Mordaunt). —We give, as you requested, two 
dozen each of the varieties that were the most numerously exhibited at the 
Apple Coigress at Chiswick. They are as follows :—King of the Pippins, 
Cox’s Orange Pippin, Ribston Pippin, Kerry Pippin, Blenheim Pippin, Irish 
Peach, Devonshire Quarreuden, Sturmer Pipoin, Scarlet Nonpareil, Court 
Pendu Plat, Yellow Ingestrie, Fearn’s Pippin, Ciaygite Pearmain, Worcester 
Pearmain, Margil, Wyken Pippiu, Cackle Pippin, Court of Wick, Red 
Astrachan, Adams’ Pearmain, Mr. Gladstone, Golden Pippiu, Maunington’s 
Pearmain, Gravenstein, Lord Suffie'.d, Dumelow’s Seedling, Keswick Codlin, 
Warner’s King, Blenheim Orange, N -w or Winter Hawthornden, Cellini, 
Ecklinville Seedling, Stirling Castle, Hawthornden, Manks Codlin, Golden 
Noble, Cox’s Pomona, Alfriston, Emperor Alexander, Northern Greening, 
Tower of Glamis, Mere de Mhnage, Beauty of Kent, Lord Derby, Yorkshire 
Greening, Annie Elizabeth. Norfolk Beefing, Loddington Seedling. We 
also extract from “ British Apples ” in reference to the poll in question 
“These returns are valuable as showing the extmt of appreciation in which 
certain varieties are held throughout the country. They cannot, however, 
be altogether accepted as complete lists of the best or most desirable sorts 
to cultivate in all cases. For example, many excellent varieties of Apples, 
through being comparatively unknown, are plac.d much lower in the lists 
than their merits otherwise entitle them ; among others, the following may 
be named, Pearson’s Plate, Melon, Grenadier, Lane's Prince Albert, 
Bramley’s Seedling, Frogmore Prolific, Lady Henniker, Go’den Spire, School¬ 
master, Ac. The most popular Apple—or that which has received the 
greatest number of marks (101 of a possible 130)—-Is Lord Saffidd, King of 
the Pippins being placed second with 98. Thi moit popular dessert Apple 
in England is Cox’s Orauge Pippin ; but it is evidently not so wall known 
or so well suited for the colder climate of Scotland. With this exception 
the returns are singularly uniform, the varieties selected as mo3t suitable 
for the north being also held in the same appreciation in the south. Thus, 
the varieties of Apples that are really worthy of cultivation may be reduced 
to comparatively narrow limits. It may be remarked that the Committee 
consider many of the dessert Apples as too small for g meral use; since 
there are now si many good ones it would seem useless to cultivate them, 
such as Sam Young, Golden Harvey, Lamb Abbey Pearmain, Court of Wick, 
Redleaf Russet, Guernsey Pippin, Downton Pippin, Ac. Aud in regard to 
culinary Apples, since so many excellent varieties of large size, Ac., are now 
in cultivation, all those under the standard of ‘ Large, i.e., 3 inches in 
diameter,’ might be, with advantage, at once discarded, excepting always a 
few sorts that are specially adapted to certain localities.” 
Planting Florists’ Tulips (W. E. L.).— These handsome flowers will 
repay for the care you propose bestowing on their cultivation. A rich soil 
is necessary, yet it must not be over-rich. Procure some one-year-old 
cowdung ; spread over and upon the drains a stratum of this cowdung 
2 inches thick ; then mix about one-sixth of very well decomposed hotbed 
dung with the loam thrown out and laid on one side on commencing the 
operation of draining. If there is not enough soil to make the bed up level 
as before, procure some good loam for the purpose, mixing it with the same 
proportion of well decomposed dung. If the situation is low and damp, it 
will be advisable to place an edging round the bed, 6 or 8 inches deep, ot 
sufficient strength to bear up the soil when it is raised to that heignt. -the 
best material for an edging of this kind is blue slate, and the next, slabs oi 
wood nailed to strong uprights driven into the ground at proper intervals. 
Mix the top surfaoe with a considerable quantity of river sand; this will 
cause the bulb 3 to come out of the soil at taking-up time, clean, and oi a 
bright brown colour. The best planting season is about the beginning ot 
the second week in November, as near the 10th of that month as tne 
weather and the state of the ground will permit. This rule applies to ail 
the country north of London ; perhaps, in the milder climate of the 
southern counties a week later would be better. Offsets may be planted a 
little s ooner or later, as may be convenient. The tallest should be in the 
centre of the bed. This renders it necessary to plant them in rows length¬ 
ways of the bed, and not across it. This being determined upon, let the 
soil be levelled ; then with a hoe draw a drill the length of the bed, as 
nearly 2 inches deep as possible. As soon as the drill is drawn, bring out 
all the tall growers, and plant them 5 inches apart at the bottom of the 
drill, giving each a gentle pressure. When the row is finished, thrust in 
at each end a strong stick, to mark where the row of bulbs is when covered 
up. Cover up the bulbs by the aid of a short-toothed rake. After that let 
the soil on each side of the planted row be stirred up with a three-pronged 
fork. Then set the line at the right distance from the centre (we mentioned 
that the beds should be 4 feet wide, which would allow 9 inches between 
each of the five rows, and 6 inches next the edging); the line then must be 
set at such a distance from the centre that the next row of bulbs wul be 
exactly 9 inches apart from the centre one. Draw the drill the same depth 
as the first, and plant the next tallest flowers in it. Then, mark the row 
with a stick at each end, and so proceed till the whole is finished; the 
lowest growers will then be next the paths all round the bed. Where the 
collection is small, hoops, either of wood or iron, with canvas covers, or 
mats to be thrown over the hoops, which ought to be high enough to 
keep the covering clear of the flowers, will do. This covering should be 
applied, not only when the plants are in bloom, but also to shelter them 
from the late frosts after the plants make their appearance, as well as the 
cutting winds during the early months of the year. Too much shelter only 
coddles the plants, and makes them tender. On all favourable occasions 
remove the coverings entirely, and let the Tulips have the benefit of tine 
weather and gentle rains. If the spring is unusually forward and warm, so 
as to bring the flowers on too early, retard them by putting on the covers 
only on the side exposed to the heat of the sun. For a large collection, a 
regular tent, formed of a frame of wood and covered with canvas, is 
required. As soon as a Tulip has done blooming cut down the flower stem, 
but do not injure the leaves. Expose these fully to the light and air. As 
soon as the leaves are turned yellow take up the bulbs. If delayed some 
time, and the weather should be wet, there is danger of their starting fresh 
roots, which would injure the bloom next year. When taken up, expose 
them to the sun a few hours every morning until they turn brown > ^nd 
when perfectly dry, divide from the flowering bulbs all the offsets. They 
should be kept in a cool, dry room till the planting season arrives again. 
Names of Fruits.—The names and addresses of senders of fruit to be named 
must in all cases be enclosed with the specimens, whether letters referring 
to the fruit are sent by post or not. The names are not necessarily required 
for publication, initials sufficing for that. Only six specimens can be 
named at once, and surplus fruits beyond that number cannot be preserved. 
(St. Michaels). —Pears: 1, Nouveau Poiteau; 2, Doyenne du Comice; 3, 
Duchesse d’Orleans. Apples : 1, Longville’s Kernel ; 2, Green Balsam ; 
3, Minchall Crab. (F. L.).— 1, Nouveau Poiteau; 2, Bois Napoleon; 4, 
Beurre Clairgeau ; 5, Beurre Diel. (F. Jellico). —1, Not known; 2, Beurre 
Superfin ; 3, Epine du Mas; 4, Doyennti du Cornice; 5, Not known ; 
6, Catillac. (Hillside). —You will find the reply in No. 1987. (V. E. Owen). 
—1, Alfriston ; 2, Northern Greening ; 3, Golden Reinette ; 4, Cox s 
Orange Pippin; 5, Golden Winter Pearmain ; 6, Dutch Codlin. (Subscriber). 
—1 Pitmaston Duchess; 2, Duchesse d’Angouleme ; 3; BeurrdDiel; 4, In 
bad condition ; 12, General Todleben. (J. E. B.). —1, Beurre de Jonghe ; 
2, Fondante de Noel; 4, Winter Nelis; 5, Adele de St. Denis ; 0, Beurre 
Capiaumont. (G. P.). —1, Blenheim Pippin; 2, Golden Pearmain; 4, 
Holland bury; 5, Flanders Pippin; 6, Winter Greening. 
Names of Plants.—We only undertake to name species of plants, not 
varieties that have originated from seed and termed florists’ flowers. 
Flowering specimens are necessary of flowering plants, and Fern fronds 
should bear spores. Specimens should arrive in a fresh state in farm 
boxes. Slightly damp moss or soft green leaves form the best packing, dry 
cotton wool the worst. Not more than six specimens can be named at once. 
(/. T. Grange). —Euonymus europma. (West Country). —^1, Oncidium 
ampliatum ; 2, Oncidium tigrinum ; 3, Diplacus glutinosus. (a. 8.).— The 
Orchid is Lycaste lanipes, the other plant is Panicum variegatum. (Inquirer). 
—The numbers were all displaced from the specimens except 4, wmch is 
Maranta zebrina. The leaf with green and white stripes is Aspidistra lurida 
variegata. The two large leaves are Dieffenbachias. 
C07ENT GARDEN MARKE T.—November 10th. 
Trade very quiet, with good supplies. Prices unaltered. 
FRUIT. 
6 , 
d. 
s. 
d. 
8. 
d. 
8. 
d 
Apples 
6 t 
4 
0 
Melon . 
0 
0 
to 0 
0 
„ 
Nova Scotia and 
Oranges .. .. 
.. 100 
6 
0 
12 
0 
Canada, per barrel 1 2 
0 
21 
0 
Peaches . 
perdoz. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Cherries 
. £ sieve 0 
0 
0 
0 
Peirs.. .. .. . 
dozen 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Cobs 
0 
0 
0 
Pine Apples English., tb. 
3 
0 
4 
0 
Figs 
6 
0 
9 
Plains. 
£ sieve 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Graoes 
. tb. o 
6 
3 
0 
St. Michael Pines 
. .each 
4 
0 
6 
0 
Lemons 
0 
15 
0 
Strawberries .. .. 
per lb. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
