January £9, 1891. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
81 
the winter months the mulching is removed, as I think the action of 
frost on the border is of great benefit ; it mellows the soil and causes a 
•complete rest in the trees, which does not take place when the border 
IS covered with manure. I may state we never use farmyard manure 
in the soil at the time of planting. * 
Insects. 
Red spider and green and black aphides are very troublesome. The 
'former can be kept down by the free use of the syringe on fine days. If 
the other makes its appearance as soon as it is detected syringe the 
'trees with a solution of softsoap and tobacco juice, at the rate of 2 ozs. 
of softsoap and 1 pint of tobacco juice to 4 gaUons of tepid water. If 
■the trees are attacked by mildew a small quantity of sulphur may be 
added to this solution. I have been troubled of late years by a weevil, 
which eats off the flowers and embryo fruit, and which if not checked 
by some radical cure will soon spoil all the hopes of a crop. In a cold 
^mgenial season, when the trees can make little headway in growth, 
this pest will curl itself up in the young foliage, secure from the reach 
of all insecticide. In this case hand-picking should at once be 
resorted to, and all curled leaves crushed or removed. My mode of 
procedure has been to syringe the trees in autumn, before the insect 
■gets into its winter quarter, with a solution of petroleum and soapsuds 
from the laundry, if they are to be had ; if not, softsoap must be 
brought into requisition. To every gallon of the soapsuds we add one 
^nd a half wineglasses full of petroleum. This is kept well mixed by 
•one man, while another forcibly syringes every particle of the wall and 
the trees, making sure that not the slightest crevice is missed. 
In the winter all the branches and shoots are loosened from the wall, 
and every shred is gathered up and burned. I find this a favourite 
'hiding place for the larvae of insects. If, previous to loosening the 
main branches, a mark is made upon the wall to show the position they 
occupied, it will greatly facilitate the operation of nailing in the spring. 
The branches are then bunched up, pulled away from the wall, and 
•securely tied to stakes driven into the border for that purpose. 
I forgot to mention that, previous to being syringed, a piece of 
•canvas or old cloth is bound tightly round the stem of the tree, and 
spread upon the border a few feet round to prevent it getting saturated 
with the petroleum. The branches are kept away from the wall until 
the buds are showing colour in the spring. I find this retards the 
flowering for a fortnight or three weeks. In consequence they are not 
-so liable to be injured by late frosts. 
Before the trees are nailed in the spring, they are again syringed 
with one wineglassful of petroleum to a gallon of water. After 
■they are nailed we further retard by the aid of the blinds, pre- 
•viously named, by letting them down for an hour or two in the day 
■ during bright sunshine, until the trees get partly in flower. After this, 
the blinds are only used in case of frost or cold winds. 
In concluding my remarks on the Peach outside, I will name a few 
varieties that have proved most satisfactory with us. Alexander is the 
flrst to ripen, and is of good size, and a good Peach in all respects. 
Dymond also is amongst the best of early Peaches. These are closely 
^followed by Hale’s Early. I think this is better than the above. It is 
darger, and is first-rate in all respects. R'jyal George and Grosse 
Mignonne are useful sorts We have for some years had fruit of Wal- 
burton Admirable at the end of September and beginning of October. 
Although this is rather too late for good flavour, it is wonderful how it 
ie improved if the fruit is put into a Pine stove for a few days before it 
ds sent to table. 
In Nectarines Lord Napier is a long way the best with us. It is a 
liarge fruit and of good flavour. We have not missed a crop of this out¬ 
side for years. It ripens ten days earlier than Hunt’s Tawny. The 
latter is followed by Pine Apple. There are later Nectarines, but I do 
not advise planting them outside so far north. 
(To be continue 1.) 
VARIEGATED FOLIAGE PLANTS. 
As long as I remember our Journal it has been characterised by 
'the freedom of discussion allowed to its writers. As competition is the 
Kfe of trade, so may we conclude that discussion is the proper means by 
which to cultivate successfully an eajirit du corps in the writers who 
contribute so well to its pages. I have not seen Mr. Atkins’ signature 
before, but 1 thought his communication on foliage plants very much to 
the point, though there were one or two itenJs which the result of my 
experience would have altered somewhat. • I therefore think that 
“ Rusticus ” is a little too severe, especially as he is himself somewhat 
incorrect in some of the statements he makes. Thus he condemns 
Coleuses and Caladiums much too hastily. Coleus Tete d’Or when well 
^rown is one of the best and most effective decorative plants we have. 
Moreover, it stands house work well, and is so easily increased that we 
can dispose of many badly damaged veterans with less compunction 
than is felt for the loss of a good specimen of a plant more difficult to 
increase. Caladiums, again, are very good for grouping or placing in 
single vases. If properly prepared they w.ll stand a two-months 
campaign in summer or autumn. 
The variegated Pine Apple is also a very good decorative plant, but i 
should imagine neither of your correspondents has seen it in good form. 
.Our method is to grow the plants on to a large size, which they can be 
in 10 to 12-inch pots. When large enough they are “ beheaded,” and 
the tops are rooted in 5-inch pots, and kept in the full glare of the sun 
throughout the summer. There is no “ spikiness ” abo'it such plants, 
and the colouring is worth the trouble. Pandanus Veitchi is one of the 
best standing plants, but it requires a peculiar treatment from the 
cutting stage to get it into best form. 
As to the method of propagating tops of Ficus elastica variegata 
from cuttings, why do so when roots can be more quickly produced on 
the plants by dividing the stem at the desired point and mossing ? To 
grow this plant well it ought to be allowed the temperature of a hot 
stove. The warmer treatment it receives the better it colo’urs. I have 
a large stock of this now, the tallest with single stem, clothed from the 
pot with foliage, being quite 7 feet in height. When in good condition 
it takes high place among decorative plants. However, it should be 
understood that it will not do under the same treatment as the type 
will, nor is it so well adapted to stand rouzh treatment. 
Both writers have omitted such grand Dracaenas as Lindeni variegata 
superba and Mrs. Freake. —B. 
Visitors to the Orchid Nursery at St. Albans cannot fail to be 
favourably impressed by the healthy and vigorous condition of the 
plants. This to a great extent no doubt is due to the genial 
surroundings, in which leaves play an important part. It was a 
conversation I had with Mr. Sander which led to my adopting 
leaves for the houses in these gardens, and I think with very 
beneficial results, and especially so as regards Cattleyas. Iron and 
stone play too important a part in the modern construction of Orchid 
Ironses, and although this must be had to a certain extent, yet if 
there are not other counteracting agencies the Orchids will nob 
thrive as they ought. Mr. Horner of Auricula fame, who can 
grow Orchids as well as most people, and better than many, 
attributes no mean part of his success to the floor of the houses 
being of earth, and so imparting more natural surroundings. 
E^arly fruit forcers are fully alive to the beneficial influence in 
which leaves, or even leaves and stable manure, have upon the 
various fruit trees and plants. With Orchids it is not less 
important, as these denizens of the tropical forests receive the 
major part of their sustenance from the surrounding atmosphere, 
which must be charged with the vapours arising from the decaying 
vegetation 
Leaves have not an untidy appearance, especially where pits for 
receiving them are sunk in the house level with the floor. I 
cover the whole of the fliors wdth leaves, a trellis being used for 
walking upon. I am aware that some people have a great aversion 
to leaves on account of the belief that they harbour slugs, but as 
open lath stages are now generally raised above the under or close- 
fitting one, the supports of which can be fixed in receptacles for 
holding water, there need be no fear of injury from these pests. 
Whenlhe leaves aie first introduced the heating soon causes the 
slucTs to change their quarters, consequently we keep a sharp look out 
and kill all we can see before they have much chance of escaping. 
During the late severe weather rather sharp firing has had to be 
resorted to so as to keep a safe temperature, but the genial state of 
the atmosphere, on account of the leaves contained in the houses, 
has been quite marked. Orchids, say Cattleyas for instance, 
which are kept fairly dry through the winter months would 
become drier in a given time in a winter like the present, on 
account of the extra artificial heat, than they otherwise would do 
in a milder winter with less firing. Leaves counteract this drying 
influence to a remarkable degree—a great point I think in their 
favour.— A. Young, Ahherlerj Hall Gardens, Stourport. 
Hardy Cvprirediums. 
Among the rarest plants in the hardy plant garden to be found 
in fine established tufts are the hardy Cypripediums, though why 
it should be so is a problem hard to solve. Some, it is true, 
require especial care in growing them, but these difficulties would 
