118 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ February D, 1888. 
mences ; but strong applications of these induce the growth of leaves at 
the expense of flowers and fruit. Possibly an ounce to the square yard 
would not be excessive in your case, but you had better exercise judg¬ 
ment in the matter, and we think you will not make any serious mistake. 
Unfruitful Trees—Root-prunlngr (./. G .').—Thousands of large 
trees bear no fruit because spring frosts destroy the blossoms. The ques¬ 
tion in your case is whether the trees blossom or not, and this you do 
not mention. However, 5 ou cannot err by removing the suckers that 
spring up, separating them close to the roots. The dying of the branches 
suggests that the soil may be wet, therefore the wood does not ripen. 
If water stands within 3 feet from the surface the land needs 
draining to more than that depth. The extent to which the roots of 
trees should be cut depends entirely on the character of the wood. If it 
is luxuriant and blossomless, then the trees should be well undermined, 
starting them 3 or 4 feet from the stems, and cutting oif t\re roots that 
strike downwards, reserving all of a fibrous nature and laying them in 
fresh soil as near the surface as is convenient, mulching with manure to 
prevent the roots drying in summer. If the growth is short and stubby, 
blossoming freely, such root-pruning wmuld do harm, though the old soil 
might be removed from the roots, adding fresh of a loamy character, 
and covering it with a thick layer of manure to be left to decay. This 
would stimulate root action, then better and healthier growth would 
follow. Some varieties of Plums and Apples are naturally shy, while 
others are abundant bearers. 
Unseated Peach Houses (f'. I').—There is grave danger in 
forcing the blossoms out early of their being ruined by after frosts with no 
blinds for protection. It is not wise to forward the blossom in the way 
you describe—viz., “ keeping the house close for the past two or three 
weeks ; ” indeed, the house should be kept open, so as to retard the 
blossom as much as possible. We have a house of similar length. The 
lights are off, and will remain off until the middle of March, unless the 
weather prove unusually mild, and so accelerate the blossom as to cause 
it to show colour, when the lights will be put on, in order to keep it dry 
and insure immunity from damage by frost. The difficulty is to keep 
back the blossom until about April, when we usually have weather that 
enables frost to be excluded by early closing the bouse and maintaining 
a dry atmosphere. After setting and the weather becoming warmer 
much can be effected in accelerating the ripening by judicious early 
ventilation—moderate ventilation during the day, so as to secure a good 
heat, and early closing so as to husband the sun heat—securing a long 
day’s work. Fruit can be had ready for use full three weeks before the 
same varieties are ripe grown outside. If fruit is wanted at the earliest 
period very early sorts should be grown, but these are not equal to the 
succeeding kinds in size, colour, and qualiU". 
Cool House Orebids (.7. F. — We should not advise you to 
undertake the culture of cool house Orchids in a “ hotbed and a green¬ 
house,” as you will probably fail, and it is very discouraging to amateurs 
to find some of their valued plants dving after they have been in their 
possession a month or two. Greenhouses suit but few Orchids, and 
even for them thej' require a special preparation. Some of the hardy 
Orchids and Disa grandiflora can be grown in this way, but Odonto- 
glossums would not succeed long in an ordinary greenhouse. They 
require a constantly humid atmosphere and protection from the direct 
rays of the sun, while the usual occupants of greenhouses need liberal 
ventilation, a drier atmosphere, and will endure much exposure to 
sun. To ensure satisfactory results you must either devote a portion of 
the house to the Orchids, separating it from the other part by a glass 
or wood partition, or you must give up the other plants. When you 
have arrived at a decision on these points we shall be able to give 
you some further information. When Orchids are in flower less 
moisture is necessary in the air, as the flowers are liable to be spotted 
and damp. The plan of standing the pots on inverted saucers in 
zinc trays is a good one in several ways, as it not only ensures a regular- 
supply of moisture, but prevents the attacks of slugs, woodlice. &c., 
which are apt to be troublesome. 
Planting- IVXarechal Hlel Roses (A'. S.'). — Although we should 
foresee no difficulty in securing at least three main growths from healthy 
and well-managed plants established 3 feet apart, you can accomplish 
your object equally well by planting 2 feet asunder. When the plants 
are vigorous more than the desired number of shoots will probably start, 
and the removal of the least suitable will then be necessary. If one 
here and there should be extra robust, taking a very decided lead of the 
others, its point may be nipped off, choosing the most suitable of the 
growths succeeding for extension with others that were not topped. You 
cannot expect absolute equality in the strength of all the shoots, nor is 
it necessary, though the less the disparity the better. Proceed on the 
lines indicated, topping the shoots as they reach the top of the house, 
and there will be no difficulty, with good managemt-nt, in covering the 
roof with wood that will produce flowers in abundance. When the 
object is to establish strong permanent plants, and these have long shoots 
when planted, they should be cut down to good buds near the base of 
the shoots after the upper buds have pushed an inch or so. Many 
Mardchal Niel Roses are ruined by allowing them to bear all the blooms 
possible the lirst season and before the roots are plentifully^ and actively 
working in the soil. Secure strong root action the first year, and strong 
growth will follow. If the plants are dug from the open ground they 
cannot well be too closely pruned soon after planting, because in that 
case the roots will have been, of necessity, mutilated, and the tops must 
be shortened correspondingly to restore the lost balance between root 
and branch. 
Span-roofed House (./. 77.).—The site appears a good one and the 
arrangement for stokehole admirable. Wo should have the house 
12 feet wide, the side walls 3 feet high above the ground level, <) inches 
thick to within three courses of bricks of the top, which should be 
4^ inches and built in cement, by which you would gain 4^ inches on 
both sides inside. We shoidd have side lights about 2 feet high, and 
made to open the entire length, being hinged -at the top, and opening 
outwards from the bottom by crank and lever movement. The house 
would therefore be 5 feet high at the sides, and it should be about 
8 feet 0 inches high in the centre from the floor to the ridge. On the 
south-east side have top lights 2 feet wide running the whole length 
of the house, and raised by crank and lever movement similar to the 
side lights. The end next the stokehole may be a blank wall, and if you 
could arrange, to have a potting-shed over the boiler, a door leading from 
the greenhouse, it would be a great convenience. Have the path 
2 feet (! inches wide up the centre, with open lath stage on both sides 
level with the top of the recessed brickwork, the wall forming rests for 
the stave on that side. Two rows of 3-inch pipes on each side would be 
required for heating, and should be plac-d beneath the staging but clear 
the floor. On one side you could arrange to have a bed of about 
4 feet in length and the wndth of the stage walled all round, and the hot- 
water pipes .going through it: they being covered with boards would 
form a chamber, and covered with a frame would make an excellent 
place for raising plants from cuttings. Slates woirld be better than the 
boards, and they should not be placed quite close, but have slight spaces 
between to let water pass away. The cover on the bottom of the frame 
should bo level with the stage on which the frame—about 9 inches deep 
in front and 1 foot at back—should rest. Let the south-west end be 
glazed down to the level of the brickwork at sides, having corresponding 
brickwork at the end to that of the sides. A small boiler would meet 
your requirements. The pits would bo very useful for hardening off 
plants. 
Repotting Stephanotis and Camellias (77 6 -'.).—A pot 2 feet 
in diameter is large enough for a fine exhibition specimen Stephanotis, 
and as your plant is at present established in such a pot, yet needs 
repotting, you may safely reduce the mass of soil, d’sentangling some 
of the roots, in the meantime wa.shing the pot well with hot water, and 
it will quickly dry for using again. But we should not ruthlessly chop 
a slice oil all round the ball of soil as you propose, but pick out the soil 
with a stick, and preserve all healthy roots, removing sufficient of the 
old soil to enable a good quantity of new being placed under, around, 
and over the roots and soil as reduced. Drain the pot well, and mind 
the old soil is not dry in the centre, nor should it be very wet. I^et the 
fresh compost be of a turfy character, and composed mainly of fibrous 
loam and peat, the former preponderating, with some broken charcoal 
and sand added to ensure porosity, and if a tenth part of dried cow 
manure, crushed into small particles, be added, it will improve the 
compost, as would a twentieth part of bonemeal. Press the whole down 
into a firm yet slightly elastic mass, leaving a space of 2 inches from 
the surface of the soil to the top of the pot for subsequent top-dressings, 
and holding sufficient water for passing through the entire mass of 
soil ; be careful, however, not to overwater at the first, but rather 
ke-pthe plant fresh by syringing frequently, and shaded as maybe 
needed in bright weather. Stillwater must be gi'cn before the soil 
gets dry, withholding it so long as it remains decidedly moist, remember¬ 
ing that extremes of both dryness or wetness will check free root-ex- 
tension into the new soil. If you make no mistake in carrying out the 
work of reducing, repotting, and subsequently -watering, your plant 
■w'ili thrive. It will be better plunged in gentle bottom heat, the tem¬ 
perature of the house ranging from G 0 ° to 85°. The same mixture will be 
suitable for the Camellia, and any inert soil may be removed from the 
roots, only placin.g the plant in a p-ot just large enough to enable fresh 
soil being conveniently packed round the roots. Exercise good judg¬ 
ment in watering, syi inging more or less freely according to the weather, 
also the tjmperatura in which the jflant is placed, from 50° to (15° 
being suitable for induciu.g free yet healthy growth, though the plant 
will grow very well, though more slowly, in a cooler house. 
"Vines not Thriving-— A ItSistake (<S'. 77).—We fail to find 
evidence of the presence of the phyllo.xera on the roots sent, but they 
are almost in as bad condition as if they bad been attacked by that pest. 
We should uproot them and procure fresh Vines, shorteninsj now, and 
plantinv in spring as advised in “ Work for the Week ” of the present 
issue, and in soil similar to there described. You now tell us you buried 
“ some legs, kc., of horses in the border but you “ do not think the 
Vine roots have t-ot down to them 3 mt.” If they had we presume you 
woulil have attributed their condition to the carrion. Why, then, have 
placed it within their reach ? If you have been a reader of the .Journal 
for many years we are astonished you should bury “ legs, &c., of horses ” 
in the border ; and if you have not long been a subscriber so much the 
worse for yourself. Whether the roots have reached the poison or not, 
w'e sus])ect they have scarcely moved since they were planted, or rather 
it is certain that many of them have moved backwards. A few may 
have extended somewhat, but onlj^ sufficiently to prevent the Vines 
dying. After 3 our admission we have lost confidence in your Vine 
border ; but even assuming it to be good where the Vine roots are, your 
Treatment has been faulty, and in one important particular different 
from what we have many times advised. It is the reverse of good 
practice to plant Vines in the autumn and force them into action in 
February in a temperature of 5.5° to (>3°. That is the way to drain the 
rods of sap before it is possible for the roots to move for absorbing 
nutriment to sustain the growth ; indeed, we suspect the roots were 
