September 20, 1888. J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
277 
• # * 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 un¬ 
avoidably. 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. 
Recruiting' Roses (Herts). —Mr. Bardney is not the man to forget 
liis promise, and the notes you will see from him in another column 
were in type several days before you penned your letter. 
Notes (G. H, Lancashire ').—We are obliged by your communica¬ 
tion, but the subject has been fully dealt with. We shall be glad to 
publish notes on the Potato crop, with the best methods of procedure 
where disease exists, and of storing the tubers. 
White Begonias (T. Smith ').—The two flowers of single white 
Tuberous Begonias you send are very good indeed. One is 5 j- inches in 
diameter, of good substance ; the other 3| inches in diameter, stout in 
texture, and as circular as any Begonia flower we have seen. They are 
both worth preserving. 
Variegated Sycamore (John Carter ').—The leaves are distinctly 
and effectively variegated, some of them being from half to two-thirds 
creamy white, while a few only contain small specks of green. If the 
tree grows freely, and the variegation is constant, it would be decidedly 
ornamental in parks and plantations. We suspect, however, that few 
persons are better able to judge of its value and distinctness than 
yourself. 
Greenhouse Plants Failing (S. Williams'). —If no deleterious 
fumes find entrance to the greenhouse of your friend, the cause of the 
failure must be attributed to errors in ventilation or faults in culti¬ 
vation ; but without knowing the methods pursued it is obviously im¬ 
possible for us to indicate, with any precision, the source of the evil. 
Too late morning ventilation is the cause of many failures in amateurs’ 
greenhouses. 
Florlferous Gladiolus ( IF. IS.). —You are not very likely to see 
spikes like the one you have sent exhibited at the leading shows, as 
growers for exhibition would consider such defective. There is a slight 
fasciation of the stem, causing the flowers to appear almost in a bunch 
at the top of it. We have seen many similar, and though such spikes 
arrest attention though differing from the type, we can hold out no hope 
of your making a fortune by your seedling. 
Stripping the leaves offPelargonium Cuttings (A Youngster’). 
—There is reason in everything. To strip off all the leaves is a bad plan, 
and is therefore not practised by any good gardeners ; at least, all we 
know worthy of the name only strip off the leaves from that part of the 
cutting to the extent of its insertion in the soil. Those leaves being 
the oldest are of least value from a rooting point of view, being more 
exhaustive of than contributing to the vigour of the cutting, and soon 
become sere if retained, hence are removed ; but leaves on cuttings 
above the soil undoubtedly facilitate the rooting process. 
Charitable Fund (T. S.). —We have considered your proposition, 
which is good in itself, and does credit to you as a sympathiser with 
distress. Much as we could wish all widows and orphans of gardeners 
provided for, this is at present impracticable, and with wider support 
accorded to existing institutions we are convinced more good can be done 
than by the project which you are quite justified in placing before us. 
The contributions to the Gardeners’ Orphan Fund are as low as could be 
framed, and widows benefit as much as orphans do by this institu- 
| tion. These are also eligible for election as pensioners of the Gardeners’ 
| Royal Benevolent Institution. 
Cuttings and Plants Damping ( G. F.).—Zonal Pelargonium 
j cuttings are unusually succulent this year, and only the most exposed, 
I firm-looking, short-jointed shoots should be chosen for cuttings ; and 
j these after being made may be left for the wounds to dry before inser- 
I tion. Very gritty soil should be used, consisting chiefly of sandy loam 
with a free admixture of sifted lime rubbish and crushed charcoal. 
The soil being moist water will not be required for a few days, and when 
needed sufficient ought to be given to pass through the soil, light and 
frequent sprinklings being ruinous. If the earth is moist on the surface ’ 
and dry below the cuttings are bound to decay. Abundance of light and 
air, with protection from rains, are essential at this season of the year. 
You should have given some particulars about the old plants, the position 
they occupy, and the treatment accorded them. You do not even say 
whether they are in pots or not. We are quite ready to give what in- 
foimation we can on your making the case clear that is at present 
obscure. 
Worm-llke Insects In Soil ( CO. S.). —These are small immature 
specimens of a species of centipede, probably Geopbilus subterraneus. 
This and kindred species have occasioned much trouble to gardeners for 
some years past, their insidious habits making them difficult to extir¬ 
pate. Free watering with lime water (clear) is good, as you suggest, 
and if the insects are detected on beds, the application during spring of 
lime, soot, and wood ashes, mixed in equal proportions. Some of our 
friends have lately tried petroleum, in the proportion of 1 oz. to- a 
gallon of water, well agitating before application. A number of these 
certipedes may be trapped, at any stage of their growth, by burying in 
the earth slices of Potato and Carrot wrapped in a little hay or moss. 
A decoction of hellebore made by mixing 2ozs. of the powder in boiling 
water to the consistency of cream, then stirring this in a gallon of 
water, is good. It is an excellent plan to bake infested soil for potting 
purposes, moistening previous to use. We only know of one garden in 
which this practice has failed, but there may be more. 
The Oldest Apple (Sextus). — No doubt as you say there are 
differences of opinion on the subject. What “ Dr. Hogg thinks about it” 
is conveyed in a note in his “ Fruit Manual ” in the following words :— 
“ This is, I believe, the oldest existing English Apple on record. It is. 
noticed as being cultivated in Norfolk as early as the year 1200,—what 
evidence against Mr. Knight’s theory 1 In Blomelield’s ‘ History of 
Norfolk ’ there is mention of a tenure in that county by petty serjeanty, 
and the payment of 200 Pearmains, and four hogsheads of cider of 
Pearmains into the Exchequer, at the Feast of St. Michael, yearly. It is 
the original of all the Pearmains, a name now applied to a great variety 
of Apples. Much doubt has existed as to the origin of this word. 
The early forms in which it was written were Pearemaine and Peare- 
maine. In some early historical works of the same period I have seen 
Charlemagne written Charlemaine, the last portion of the word having 
the same termination as Pearemaine. Now, Charlemagne being derived 
from Carolus magnus there is every probability that Pearemaine is 
derived from Pyrus magnus. The signification, therefore, of Pearmain 
is the Great Pear Apple, in allusion, no doubt, to the varieties known by 
that name, bearing a resemblance to the form of a Pear.” 
Good Border Carnations (A Sixteen-years Subscriber). — The 
following are selected as of “ good constitution and did not split their 
pods ” this year in a collection of several thousands of plants in all the 
leading varieties grown by Mr. John Forbes at Dover House, Roe- 
hampton. Growers of these flowers are at liberty to supplement the list 
with other varieties they have found of “ good constitution and do not 
split their pods.” Here is the Dover House selection with the colours of 
the flowers. White : W. P. Milner, Virgo, Gloire de Nancy, Ossian, and 
Miss M. North. Scarlet: Brigadier and Illuminator. Purple : Walter 
Ware, Evelyn, Auctioneer, and Royal Purple. Pink : Gertrude Tegnier 
and Raby. Rose : Queen of the Roses and John Barnet. Yellow : 
Florence and King of the Yellows. Purple Flakes : Miss Mills, Ajax, 
James Douglas, and Squire Trew. Scarlet Flakes : Flirt and Dan 
Godfrey. Rose Flakes : Lovely Ann, Rose of Stapleton, and James Merry- 
weather. Scarlet Bizarres: True Briton, Prince Albert, William. 
Spoor, and Lord Wolverton. Crimson Bizarres : J. D. Hextall and 
Duke of Bedford. Pink and Purple Bizarres : James Taylor and Sarah 
Payne. ‘Fancy Varieties : Lightbody’s Seedling, Grandiflora, Sir B„ 
Seymour, Goldfinder, and Alderman. 
Arranging- Conservatory (Novice). —The walls will look very 
tame covered with Ivy. We suggest that the most conspicuous be 
covered with ornamental rockwork to some little height from the 
floor, and above that have rockwork pockets for Ferns, ornamental 
leaved Begonias, Tradescantias, and similar plants, and cover the smooth 
portions of the walls with Ficus repens and var. minima. It is very 
close growing, forming a capital background to the Ferns, &c., and is 
better indoors than Ivy. Vines would not succeed in such house, nor 
are Roses suitable unless they are trained well up to the glass, and have 
plenty of light. We should have a border along the front inside, and 
plant Lapageria rosea and L. alba. They are charming when seen, 
together, and would grow admirably in such position, training them up> 
the front and over the roof from 6 to 9 inches from the glass. Camellias: 
would do well, and Oranges may be grown in pots ; but it would be best 
to rely chiefly on Palms and other foliage plants, such as Indiarubber, 
Aspidistra lurida variegata, Dracaena congesta, D. australis, Aralia 
Sieboldi and var. variegata, Phormium Veitchi, and P. Colensoi. For 
hanging baskets you could not have anything better than Ferns, such 
as Nephrolepis Bausei, Davallia fijiensis major, D. Mariesi, and Platy- 
cerium alcicorne majus. 
Apricots under Glass (J. S.). —Where a wall 10 to 12 feet high 
exists with a south, south-west, or south-east aspect, it may be covered 
with a case of about 4 feet 6 inches in width, having a boarded front 
18 inches high, with a board 9 inches wide hinged at the top and opening 
outwards the whole length for front ventilation. The top lights may be 
2 feet G inches wide, and fixed at an angle or incline of two-thirds the 
width of the lights, which should be made to open the whole length. 
The slope of the front lights will be determined by the front and top 
