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JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ January 15, 1891, 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
William Rumsay, Waltham Cross, N.— Catalogue of Seeds, 
William Barron & Son, Elvaston Nurseries, Borrowasli, Derby.— 
Catalogue of Coniferee, Forest Trees, d)e. 
Charles Turner, Royal Nurseries, Slough.— Catalogue of Kitchen, 
Flower Garden, and Farm Seeds. 
Peter Henderson & Co.. 35 and 37, Cortland Street, New York.— 
Manual of Ei'erything for the Garden. 
Dicksons & Co., 1, Waterloo Place, Edinburgh.— Catalogue of Gar¬ 
den Seeds. 
William Baylor Hartland, 24, Patrick Street, Cork.— Year Booh of 
Seeds. 
E. H. Krelage & Son, Haarlem.— Catalogue of Bulbs, Plants, and 
Seeds. 
Dobie &: Mason, 66, Deansgate, Manchester.— List of Reliable Seeds. 
Wm. Cutbush & Son, Highgate.— Catalogue of Flower and Vegetable 
Seeds. 
B. Soddy, 243, Walworth Road, S.E.— Spring Catalogue. 
Gr. Elliott, Huddersfield.— Catalogue of Seeds. 
W. Piercey, Beadnell Road, Forest Hill, London.— Besoriptire Lid 
of Early Flowering Chrysanthemums. 
AU correspondence should be directed either to “ The 
Editor ” or to “ The Publisher.” Letters addressed to 
Dr. Hogg or members of the staff 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 
relating to Gardening and those on 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 communica¬ 
tions. 
Report of Dinner (TF. 77.).—Had the report of the dinner on 
New Year’s Eve arrived in time for insertion last week it would have 
been inserted, but it was not posted soon enough for that purpose. We 
cannot publish “news” of that character more than a fortnight after 
dates. 
Sbadlng Plant Houses (JL Reader ').—It is impossible for anyone 
to say “ which of the various materials is the most suitable for shading 
plants.” Some plants require all the sun they can receive, others a 
mere shadow cast over them, while several more—notably Palms, Ferns, 
and many ornamental-foliaged plants—enjoy a denser shade. It is 
necessary to know the kinds of plants to be shaded for indicating suit¬ 
able material and methods. If you write again please send your name 
and address, not for publication. 
Winter Dressing: for Vines Infested with Red Spider (A. Bf). 
—The Vines having been pruned and all loose bark removed, wash 
them thoroughly with a solution of softsoap, 4 ozs. to a gallon of water. 
Apply with a brush, reaching well into every crevice and angle, being 
careful not to damage the buds, but wash the rods or canes well about 
the “eyes.” The washing does much good, especially if used tolerably 
hot, but not over 120°. After this the Vines may be dressed with 
Gishursft or other approved insecticides, which, to be safe and effectual, 
must be used according to the printed instructions accompanying them. 
Scraping: Vine Rods (^Subscriber ),—We have seen Vines seriously 
injured by excessive peeling and scraping, but whether there is “any¬ 
thing to be feared ” in your case or not we have obviously no means of 
knowing. Safe methods of cleansing Vines have been published re¬ 
peatedly, and most persons when in doubt seek advice before doing 
anything of a risky nature, We hope you have not done too much at 
your Vines, and refer you to a method of cleansing in reply to “A. B.” 
For extirpating mealy bug lemon oil is found by many gardeners to be 
a good preparation. But every part of a house and everything in it 
should be cleansed, as well as the Vines where those insects abound, or 
the work of eradication will only be half done. 
rrozen Mushroom Beds (TF. B., Sussex). — If you have 
Wright’s “ Mushrooms for the Millio i,” you will find on pages 52 and 111 
that cold does not destroy the mycelium in Mushroom beds, but only 
arrests its growth, and delays the production of Mushrooms. Mush- 
loom beis have produced excellent crops in spring after being frozen in 
winter, but it is desirable to prevent their freezing when this can be 
done. Many outdoor beds are now covered 2 feet deep with litter, and 
affording fine Mushrooms. Protect the beds as well as you can, and as 
they have produced soma Mushrooms theyiwill perhaps yield plentifully 
in spring. If you do not possess the work named it can be had from 
this office post free for Is. 2d. 
Tomatoes in Winter (Ldem). —As a rule a house in which 
different kinds of plants have to be kept healthy is not favourable to 
the setting of Tomatoes in winter, even if it is kept as dry as is prac¬ 
ticable. Moreover, the weather has been of the most unfavourable 
character of late for the bursting of pollen cells and subsequent 
fertilisation. We suspect the failure is mainly due to a scarcity of 
pollen. You do not mention the temperature of the house, which 
should range from 55° to 65° by fire heat, and as high as possible with 
sun, but there has been scarcely any sun for a month or more to the 
great disadvantage of gardeners who are engaged in forcing operations. 
Tomatoes may be admirably grown against the back wall of the vinery, 
the upper half of the roof of which is unoccupied. Seed may be sown 
at once for your purpose thinly, growing the plants sturdily, and having 
them very strong for planting or shifting into large pots for fruiting 
when the temperature of the vinery is suitable for them. You will 
find Mr, Iggulden’s work on “Tomato Culture” useful for reference, 
and it can be obtained from this office post free for Is. 1 jd. 
Iilme and Sulphur as a Dressing: for Vines (G, 77.).—The 
following, which is good as an insecticide and fungicide of many years’ 
proved eflicacy, is probably what you require. Take 7 lbs. of flowers 
of sulphur, and 7 lbs. of quicklime, boil together for fifteen minutes in 
3 gallons of water, then add 2 lbs. of softsoap and 1 lb. of strongest shag 
tobacco, boiling all together for half an hour, adding 9 gallons of water, 
keeping it well stirred. Allow it to cool, then strain, and when settled 
take off the clear liquid, place in earthenware bottles, keeping them closely 
corked. In its pure state it may be used for dressing Vines and other 
fruit trees when at rest, applying it with a brush, taking care not to 
injure or dislocate the buds. For syringing Peach and other fruit trees 
during growth 1 pint to 3 gallons of water is a suitable quantity, and 
efficacious against insects and mildew. It must not be applied over 
Vines in growth, as it is apt to leave a deposit upon the berries similar 
to stain marks occasioned by using hard or lime water. If used over 
Cucumbers or Melons, as well as plants with hairy leaves, half a pint is 
a full quantity to add to 3 gallons of water. 
Grafting: Roses under Glass (S. S.), —Roses can be as success¬ 
fully grafted with leaves on the scion as when the wood is leafless and 
dormant. More Roses are probably grafted in the former condition 
than in the latter, but dormant wood is much more largely employed 
than was the case at one time. Time is saved by so doing, which is an 
advantage when large numbers are required. The greatest success is 
attained when young half-ripened wood can be used as scions, as it 
unites quickly, and the small plants are soon ready for placing into 
larger pots. The young growths die after they have started in the 
propagating more frequently when dormant wood is used for scions 
than when comparatively young wood is employed. It is due to im¬ 
perfect union of the stock and scion. The young growth has been 
forced out of the scion, and when the stored-up supply of food is 
exhausted it withers and dies. If the union was perfect supplies would 
be drawn up from the stock and all would go well. The secret in 
working Roses in large numbers is to have the stock and scion in the 
same stage of growth when grafting is performed. When young wood 
is employed the stocks should be started before they are grafted, so 
that the sap will flow freely. When this is done few deaths occur 
under good management. 
Stocks for Roses and Fruit Trees (R. B.). —The Manetti 
stock is an Italian Briar of very free growth, hardy in this country, 
and increased by cuttings inserted in the open ground in the autumn. 
English Briar stocks for dwarf Rose^ are raised in the same way, also 
from seed. Before the cuttings are inserted the buds are carefully 
removed except two or three at the top of each cutting, these alone being 
above ground. The cuttings are inserted slantingly in ridges, and when 
the stocks are large enough for budding the soil is levelled do5^’n and 
the buds inserted close to the ground, one in each stem, below the 
branching growths. Quince stocks are raised from cuttings on the 
same lines as described for Briars, also by layers. Pear and Crab stocks 
are obtained from pips or seeds of those fruits sown in the open 
ground. Many stocks for Apples, and known as “free” stocks, are 
raised from Apple pips obtained in the process of cider making. 
Paradise stocks are raised both by layers and cuttings of dwarf precocious 
kinds of Apples, which are grown for that purpose. They are not 
employed for Pears, but only for providing Apple trees of compact 
growth and early productiveness. 
Grapes, Peaches, and Fii:s Falling: (One in a Fix'). —These 
fail from other causes than “ want of lime and potash.” Both, however, 
are excellent dressings for soils derived from “ reddish sandstone.” You 
say “ The Grapes shrivel up like raisins as soon as ripe ; very sweet, but 
not fit to look at.” Lime and potash, good as they are, will not prevent 
that defect. Good cultivation, mulching, liquid manure, or a due supply 
of nitrogenous manures, are absolutely essential to secure well develop'd 
and properly finished fruit. Lime half an thick pointed into the 
borders as deeply as the roots allow will act beneficially—liberating 
food and aiding nitrification—but it ought to be well mixed with the 
