876 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
i May 7, I89X; 
All 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. 
letter (^E. T. B .'),—The letter has been forwarded in aceorclance 
with your request. 
Peach Culture (.7. A.'). —You will find an article by Mr. Elvers 
in this Journal on page 220, September 11th, 1890, which may perhaps 
be the one you require. Another by the same authority appeared on 
page 340, October 11th, 1888. 
Proliferous Hyacinth (./u^. Carter <7o.).—We made no pretence 
to report the Show in question, though we subsequently heard you 
■exhibited a plant of Hyacinth Grand Maitre with nine good spikes of 
fiower from one bulb. Your letter of verification arrived one post too 
late for insertion. 
AXulching- with lawn IVIowing-s (.7. X. Z!). —The short grass cut 
from lawns may be applied with advantage to most crops in soil of a 
light sandy nature. The dressing is more useful in arresting evapora¬ 
tion than for any fertilising properties it contains ; but will do more 
good than harm if dug in when no longer needed as a mulch in supply¬ 
ing a little humus which is generally deficient in sandy soils. 
Tasmanian Apples (X. Oclienden). —As you live so near Covent 
Garden, by far the best plan would be for you to examine the different 
priced samples that are usually on view there. Your question is 
incapable of a categorical reply, as the prices vary more than ICO 
per cent. In a fruiterer’s shop we have seen them sold this week at 
■2d. a pound for poor fruit, 6d. for superior. Prices are governed by 
quality and supply, and therefore constantly changing. 
Hyacinths Failing (North Staffs). —The bulbs sent were good, 
jind not the cause of the failure. We have seen similar examples, and 
attributed the origin of the evil to water having lodged in the axils of 
the leaves, then becoming frozen, and remaining so for a considerable 
time, and thus rupturing by compression the sap vessels in the stems. 
The particirlar varieties or plants injured may have been somewhat 
more advanced than others at a critical time, and possibly the others 
had a very narrow escape from being similarly strangled. The bulbs 
nre sound and roots and leaves healthy. 
Thrips on Vines (A Lady Gardener). —The vinery may be fumi¬ 
gated with good tobacco paper, but take care to have the foliage dry and 
not give an overdose, delivering the smoke cool. It is better to funiigate 
on two or three consecutive evenings moderately than one powerful fumi¬ 
gation likely to damage the tender growths. The great evil of thrips 
is that fumigations for their extirpation need to be repeated at intervals 
of a few days, because the first fumigation only destroys the pests then 
existing. Vines, therefore, may be perfectly free from insects after a 
fumigation, and in the course of a week or ten days they are again 
infested with thrips simply because another generation has appeared. 
Eepeat the fumigation at not more distant intervals than a week for a 
•few times, but avoid fumigating whilst the Vines are in flower. 
Propagating- Clematis from Cuttings (Nemo'). —These are gene¬ 
rally grafted on pieces of root obtained from old plants grown outside, 
those of C. flammula answering the purpose well. These should be 
split open and the small scions inserted and tied with matting. A single 
bud is sufficient. They should be placed in small pots, and transferred 
to a propagating case or close frame with a warm moist atmosphere. 
When well united harden them gradually. Cuttings can be made of 
itlie young shoots, which may be cut up to an eye, and inserted in small 
pots of sandy soil in gentle heat, covering with a close frame. Layers 
•emit roots at the joints covered, in the course of a year, provided they 
are well watered, severing in spring just before growth commences. 
Arranging Carpet Beds (Merchant). —It is contrary to our rule, 
■as we have many times stated, to propose arrangements of plants ; but 
we examine those that are submitted, and suggest amendments if we 
•can. In this case, however, we had the opportunity of showing the 
design and list of plants to Mr. A. Graham, of Hampton Court, and he 
saj's the plants are not the best for the purpose, but might be employed 
as follows -Raise 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16, about 4 inches above 
the grass, bevel the edges, and plant with Echeveria and a little Sedum 
interspersed between; 1 and 5, blue Lobelia, with a little edging of 
Alternanthera ; 7 and 3, Golden Feather, with an edging of blue 
Lobelia ; 6 and 2, Centaurea ; 4 and 8, Alternanthera, edged whhMesem- 
bryanthemum. If you desire further information on this subject please 
indicate your propositions on any diagrams you may enclose. 
Bunches of Crapes Dwindling (A. IF.).—The bunches are little 
further developed than tendrils, and are probably the result of an 
insufficient storing of elaborated sap, due to immaturity of the wood. 
There is no remedy but duly exposing a larger amount of foliage to light 
and air, not necessarily with a quantity of gro-wths, but the principal 
ones kept rather thin, and the leaves to which the Vines will be pruned 
must be kept free from laterals shading or in any way interfering with 
their elaborating and assimilating functions, pinching the laterals from 
those joints at the first leaf, and to one of subsequent growth. To 
further concentrate the strength on the buds stop the side growths at 
the sixth leaf, and the leading growths at 3 feet, taking up a lateral as 
a continuation. Above all avoid overcrowding, ventilating freely so as 
to insure sturdy growths and thick textured leaves. Prune to plump 
round birds as near the base of the current growth as possible. Too 
close pruning often means cutting away all the coming year’s Grapes. 
Crafting Orange Trees (E. A'.). 
—Your seedlings, we presume, being 
young, may be grafted now with any 
good variety of which you can obtain 
cuttings of healthy shoots with leaves 
grown last year and now a little firm 
but not hard. Let these be long enough 
for inserting in a bottle of water, and 
about 3 inches from the top of the 
shoot to be attached, take a slice off 
the bark 2 inches long, and just into 
the firm wood. An exactly similar slice, 
and exactly opposite, being taken from 
the stock, the two can be joined and 
secured, as shown in the sketch. The 
water will support the graft until the 
union takes place, and this is quicker 
and more certain if the grafted part is 
shaded from the sun and sprinkled every 
day. When the graft commences grow¬ 
ing gradually cut away the head of the 
seedling tree, removing a little at a 
time, until only the graft remains. The 
part inserted in the bottle may then be 
cut off close to the stem. If the portion 
attached is taken from a fruitful tree, 
fruit will be produced years before it 
could be borne by a seedling tree. 
Your small house will be suitable for 
the plants, and if established in separate 
pots, and healthy, do not repot them 
till some time after the grafts are grow¬ 
ing freely, and then you had better, perhaps, write again. You ought to 
have given particulars respecting the age and condition of the seedlings. 
Dressing- Fruit Trees with Artificials (S. J. A .).—The use of 
artificial manures over the foliage is not judicious, particularly those 
that dissolve readily, or become diliquescent, or rapidly absorb moisture 
when mixed with other substances. Nitrate of soda will disfigure 
every leaf it falls upon, so also will either of the other two substances, 
namely—superphosphate and muriate of potash, but it is only when 
the former contains an excess of sulphuric acid, which is very seldom, 
and the latter an undue proportion of hydrochloric acid, this being 
more common than the other. The injury probably arises from this 
cause ; in fact, it appears you have far more chloride proportionately 
than potash, but that of course can only be ascertained by analysis. 
Muriate of potash is not safe to apply over foliage, and in soils deficient 
of humus this salt is destructive alone, but nitrate of soda neutralises 
its injurious properties, and it is most efficacious when mixed with 
bonemeal, therefore avoiding danger of an excess of acid. 
Paris Green and Bed Spider (IF. B .).—Paris green sprayed on 
Apple and Plum trees does not do the least harm to Gooseberry and 
Currant bushes growing under them, but on the contrary has been of 
great benefit to thousands in preventing their being devoured by cater¬ 
pillars. It must not be used in excess, 1 oz. to ten gallons of water 
sufficing to destroy caterpillars, and it must be constantly stirred or the 
poison will sink to the bottom of the vessel. Through this cause it has 
often done serious injury to fruit trees. Paris green can be kept 
in suspension in water by constant agitation, but cannot be dissolved. 
It is best because safest in the paste form, as advertised by Messrs. 
Blundell & Spence. We should not apply it to red-spider-infested 
Gooseberry bushes, as the fruit is usually large enough for use when the 
bushes are infested. We do not know of anything better for destroying 
the spider than syringing -wdth sulphur and water; but the insects 
chiefly attack the under sides of the leaves. Plenty of liquid manure 
applied to the roots now to promote the development of stout foliage 
and fine fruit, is an excellent preventive of the insidious enemy. 
FIG. 69. 
GRAFTING ORANGE TREES. 
