42 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ July 14„18£7. 
Lemon Kidney Potatoes (F. —Your letter is really an advertise¬ 
ment, and it is not the rule to publish requests for articles unless they are 
rare and not wanted for commercial purposes. As you have grown the 
variety for many years, and have it true, you canno' do better than increase 
your stock. 11 e know that Potatoes have been distributed under the name 
of Lemon Kidneys that were not true, though the senders of them thought 
them to be so. We know the variety very well, and esteem it an excellent 
selection of the Ashleaf Kidney. We think it is grown about Mcrecambe 
in Lancashire. 
Cropping Peach Trees ( F. A .).—Healthy vigorous trees will carry a fruit 
to each square foot pf wall surface, and assuming that your trees grow freely, 
and are supplied with liquid manure, mulching them to encourage roots near 
the surface roots, the crop you name is permissible ; still, if you perceive 
the strain on the trees is so great as to unduly check the gro wth of the trees 
you must remove the pressure by tiking off some of the fruits from the 
weaker parts of the tree. Exercise good judgment in that respect, keeping 
the leaves clean, and all will be well. 
Thinning Apple Spurs (F. J.). —It is a good plan to th : n out the spurs 
where too thick, as by so doing the leaves on those retained have more 
space for a«similating the sap through the greater advantages of light and 
air ; in fact, it very o (ten makes all the difference between the spurs forming 
fruit buds or not. It, however, requires to be done with judgment, as too 
free thinnirig of the spurs on free-growing trees may force the buds on the 
spurs retained into growth, besides a reservation should be made of spur 
buds other than those wanted to form fruit buds in the current year, so as 
to maintain a succession of crops. 
Chrysanthemums (F. S.). —If you top the plants now you will increase 
the number of growths, but diminish the size and impair the quality of the 
blooms. If you prefer few and fine blooms do not top the plants, but pinch 
out the axillary growths that push from the stems, taking care that the 
plants do not suffer by want of water at any time. An exposed sunny 
position is suitable. If plunged in ashes twist the pots round often to 
prevent a great extension of roots through the drainage. The less they 
root into the ashes the better. Very few of the “great growers.” plunge 
the pots, but stand them on a tlrck firm layer of ashes impervious to 
worms. We presume you do not possess Mr. Molyneux's book. You 
would find it very useful on the question of setting the buds. 
Hoses ( Novice ). —Thin out small wiry looking growths now, cut back to 
about half their iength any rather strong growths that have not flowered, 
also cut back those that have flowered to buds that, appear starting, 
or bold buis on the stems, giving water copiously to the roots, and liquid 
manure if needed, then by keeping the shoots and foliage perfectly free 
from insects a second crop of flowers is produced by many varieties. Free 
growth is essential, and this can only be produced by healthy plants well 
supported, with liquid food. We think it not unlikely tint Mr. Gilmour 
may publish his practical articles to which you refer in pamphlet form 
There appeal's to be a desire that he should do so. We agree with you that 
such a manual would be useful, and think it would meet with acceptance. ^ 
Dissolving Bones (J. M .).—About half the weight of the bones is re¬ 
quired of sulphuric acid for their dissolving. The bones should be dry. 
Take of them 5 cwt., place on an earthen floor, and surround with a rim 
of fine dry ashes. Pour on the bones as much water as they will suck up 
without any standing, and then xiour on it 2 cwt. of sulphuric acid. It will 
boil somewhat violently for a while. When this has subsided it will get 
tolerably solid, and the whole may be mixed together, ashes and all, and 
will be fit for use in a few days. If the superphosphate is required pure, 
then, of course, the ashes must not be mixed therewith. It is not necessary 
to break the bones. It is a very valuable manure. It is necessary that it 
be kept dry. 
Tomatoes (S. F.). —Do not top the plants as you propose above the 
truss of flowers and take up a second shoot to be treated similarly, or you 
will lose much time in producing a good crop of fruit; but let them grow 
as long as they have head room—of course, inducing sturdy growth by 
assigning the plants a light position and taking care they have plenty of 
air. All you have to do then is to take out the axillary growths when 
they are an inch long or so, not pinching them back to'a leaf, but removing 
them entirely, leaving only the fruit and foliage on the main stem. Plants 
treated in that way have produced stems 15 feet long, with clusters of fruit 
their entire length j and we have had others similarly treated as regards 
pinching the side growths bear heavily when topped at a height of 4 or 
5 feet, this being necessary because there was not room for further 
extension. 
Preserving Kidney Beans (J F.) —We have not preserved the small- 
podded Dwarf Kidney Beans, but have preserved the stout fleshy pods of 
Scarlet Runner Beans in salt. They are gathered when still crisp and 
dry, placed in layers 2 inches thick or so in stone jars, the first layer 
resting on salt, and each layer just covered with it as the packing pro¬ 
ceeds. . Prev ous to use in winter the pods are soaked for several hours, 
or a night, then placing them in fresh water for a hour or two before 
cooking. We think there would be a possibility of the smaller Beans 
getting too salt by remaining in the jars a long tiine—that is, if salted 
down now and left till the winter. The pods of Scarlet Runners, besides 
being much- morn fleshy, have not to remain in the jars so long, as they 
are only packed in them in late autumn, and properly prepared and 
cooked they are very good till late in the following spring. 
Cucumber Plants Clubbing at the Roots (T. 8 .).—The plants have the 
root disease, which is due to, in most cases, an excess of organic matter in 
the sod. especially vegetable or animal matter, generating humus, with its 
attendant nematoid germs. The corrective for this is to char the soil 
before use so as to destroy the nematoid germs, and also reduce the excess of 
organic matter over the inorganic, by which a more healthful plant is 
secured, safeguarding against disease ; or, in the case of soil not full of 
vegetable matter or fibre, therefore not likely to contain the germ of disease, 
manures of a kind calculated to strengthen the plant in proportion to its 
vigour should be employed, as superphosphate (dissolved bones), soot, and 
wood ashes, so that lime, potash, Ac, will be available for building up the 
plant ’ s structure, which, with due regard to other cultural requirements, are 
the only preventive me mures thatavail, remedial onei being of questionable 
eflicacy through the disease being internal, and to reach it requires 
measures destructive of the plants The only advice we can give is to root 
out the plants and soil, making a fresh start with healthy plants, fresh and 
sweet soil, observing cleanly culture. 
Enfeebled Roses (M. A. Bemham ).—Judging by the leaves sent the 
Roses must be in a very exhausted state, and they have been nearly 
devoured by insects. They have not been syringed half freely and often 
enough, and the “periodical manure waterings” have not been nearly 
adequate to sustain healthy growth. Being near a wall the soil is quite 
dry a foot or more below the surface, and poor. Nothing less than 
2 gallons of water to each square foot of surface, followed the next day 
with the same quantity of liquid manure, can be of real benefit to your 
Roses, following while the ground is wet with a covering of 4 inches of 
manure for retaining the moisture and enriching the surface. The Roses 
should also be violently syringed every evening. By carrying out the 
practice indicated there is reason to hope that improvement would follow. 
The ground must be made moist right down to the subsoil and kept 
moist and that can only be done by very heavy waterings indeed, and 
mulchings. If the water will not enter the ground, drive stakes down 
here and there, making deep cavities, and fill these with water over and 
over again till the ground is saturated. 
Liquorice Culture (Seer). —We have grown Liquorice satisfactorily 
according to the method described in Thompson’s “ Gardener's Assistant.” 
It succeeds best in deep, rich, and rather sandy soils, or in an alluvial one. 
The ground should be heavily manured the year previous to planting, in 
order that the manure may be completely decomposed; and it should 
either be trenched 3 feet deep in autumn, laid in ridges, and allowed to 
remain in that state till spring, or it may be trenched immediately before 
planting. The former method is the preferable one. Liquorice is pro¬ 
pagated by portions of the creeping stem, commonly termed the creeping 
root, from 4 to 6 inches in length, each having two or three buds. These 
having been prepared, should be planted in February or early in March, 
in rows 3 feet apart, and 11 inches from each other in the row, covering 
with earth to the depth of 2 or 3 inches. Every year in November, when 
the sap has gone down, and the leaves have turned yellow, the old stems 
should be cut down with a pruning knife to the level of the ground. At 
this time also the creeping stems ought to be forked up and cut off close 
to the main stems, and preserved in sand or in heaps covered with straw 
and earth for future plantations. The ground between the rows should be 
forked occasionally, and be kept free of weeds. The roots will be ready 
for taking up three years after planting. This should be done in winter 
after the descent of the sap. A trench about 3 feet deep must then be 
cast out, and a rope being fastened round the top the roots should be pulled 
up, after which they may be stored in sand for use; or if there is a large 
quantity they may be kept in pits like Potatoes. 
Begonias Unhealthy ( Saxoring ).—In the first place we may inform 
you that we have had good Begonias six years old, bushes 4 feet high 
and as much in diameter, bearing, say, 500 flowers, but we have also had 
the tubers of other varieties canker before they have exceeded half that 
age. All the varieties are not equally vigorous, and some of the doubles less 
so than the singles. We have examined the leaves .you have sent very 
carefully and can find no insects on them, and we do not imagine the 
pigeons that you have seen pecking the plants were attracted there by 
insects. We are of opinion that the root action of your plants is defective. 
This may have been caused by aged or impaired tubers, allowing the soil 
to get too dry at some time, causing some of the roots to shrivel, or too 
wet, causing them to decay. The effect on the plants would be the same 
in all cases—namely, the evaporation of moisture from the leaves in bright 
weather would be in excess of the absorption by the comparatively inactive 
roots, with the inevitable result of portions of the leaves shrinking, 
eventually drying up near the edges, or in blotches, just as is the case with 
Vines under similar conditions that are “ scorched.” If your plant that is 
so badly affected in the outdoor vase has not been long there, or, in 
other words, if it was approaching the flowering stage when put out, we 
have small doubt that we have indicated the cause of the injury. The dry 
air of your drawing room would also excite rapid transpiration, and the 
plants in the vinery would be much more liable to suffer in the same way 
on dry stages than on a close and rather damp base. The best and 
healthiest of plants we have seen are either stood on a close base or 
partially plunged in ashes from which moisture steadily rises, currents of 
dry air passing upwards and in contact with the under side of the leaves 
being as injurious to Begonias as to Cinerarias and Calceolarias. We have, 
as you will admit, given particular attention to your case, though we shall 
not be surprised to learn that our views are not in complete accord with 
your own. We are sorry your plants are in such an unfortunate state, and 
should only be too glad if we could point out a remedy. We think we 
could have prevented the evil, unless the tubers were enfeebled, but we 
fear it is now so aggrevaled that a cure is practically impossible. Try the 
effect of standing some of the plants on the north side of a wall, never 
letting the roots get dry before water is given, and keep the ashes damp on 
which the pots stand. The double flowers sent are very small indeed, 
and indicate that they have not had the requisite support. If the tubers 
are not sound, strong healthy plants could not be expected. The most 
extensive and successful cultivators of Begonias are constantly raising 
fresh plants from seed, these being more vigorous than plants raised from 
cuttings, and, as a rule, the most vigorous plants and finest blooms are the 
produce of tubers two or three years old, and only a few very robust sorts 
continue healthy seven or eight years. 
Names of Plants.—We onlv 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 firm 
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. 
(Tree). — 2, Spiraea Filipendula flore-pleno; 5, Monarda didyma; 
0, Agrostemma flos-Jovis; 13, Polemonium coeruleum ; 23, Hemerocallis 
fulva. (W. W.). —The name of the Orchid with the long leaf was given 
on page 475; it is Scuticaria Hadweni. The other is a very fine variety 
