456 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
r May 31,1&38. 
Conserving Moisture In Soli (Tl'. H. R .).—We have not a 
doubt you act rightly in keeping the surface of your light soil, on 
gravel, as loose and dry as possible for conserving moisture for your 
Eoses, for an inch or two of dust is an excellent preventive of evapora¬ 
tion. But all the same, loosening the soil facilitates the drying of the 
surface in spring, and often beneficially. It is the water “hanging 
about ” the surface of land planted with winter Lettuces that causes 
the loss of many in the spring if relief is not afforded through hoeing 
the ground and ridding it of some of the moisture by evaporation ; that 
is often the chief object of the first hoeings, and subsequently as growth 
progresses heat increases, and more moisture is required by the plants, it 
is conserved for them by the dusty surface. But if you were to observe 
the men at work with their hoes you would find the portion immediately 
done early in the season damper than that to be done, and in an hour or 
two it dries on a fine day. The sun-warmed surface soil turned in and 
■the colder layer brought up to be warmed and dried in turn makes the 
plants grow at that season. Later on the moist soil below is not brought 
up in hoeing, because the moisture is then wanted in the earth for the 
crops. A loose surface is equally good for conserving moisture in heavy 
soil in summer when it is wanted there, for if not loose the ground 
cracks and the moisture escapes through the fissures. We think you 
quite competent to discuss the whole matter, even with the author of 
the sentence that is not quite in accord with your views, but have no 
wish to influence you in the least in that direction. 
Intermediate Stocks (^Aherystwitli ).—As we gave you instruc¬ 
tions a short time ago on East Lothian Stocks, we presume you now 
refer to the London Intermediate kind, which is quite different—quicker 
in growth and less hardy. Nowhere are these Stocks seen finer than in 
Covent Garden Market, where they are sold by thousands for the deco¬ 
ration of metropolitan homes. The scarlet, or rather crimson, variety is 
the best. Sow very thinly in rich light soil in the open garden at the end 
of July. If the soil of the garden is naturally heavy prepare a compost 
of light loam and very much decayed manure or leaf soil in equal parts, 
and make a bed of this about 3 inches thick in which to sow the seed. 
If the seed bed can be so formed as to be covered with handlights or 
other glass protectors so much the better, as if drenching rains occur 
when the seedlings are in a small state much injury may be done ; still 
the young plants must not be coddled, but should be encouraged to 
assume a sturdy habit of growth from the very Ireginuing of their career. 
When they are large enough to be handled, and before they are in the 
■lightest degree crowded in the seetl beds, pot them singly in 3|-inch 
pots, place them in a frame and keep them close for a week, and shaded 
if the weather is sunny, but the moment they can endure the sun 
they enjoy it, also all the air possible, even to the extent of removing 
the lights entirely night and day during settled weather, and dwarf 
vigorous plants will be produced before winter. They must be wintered 
close to the glass in very light frames, and must have protection in severe 
weather. They will require little water during the dull days, yet must 
have sufficient to keep them in a fresh growing state, but decay of the 
foliage must be specially guarded against. If very dwarf plants are 
required, they may remain in these pots until they produce flower buds, 
and the moment it can be ascertained which will be double and which 
tingle, either shift the former into larger pots, using very rich turfy 
soil, or plant them out if the weather is favourable. 
Toung- Vines (J. E .').—You are doing right in allowing the Vines 
to break steadily, but if you allow the night temperature to fall below 
60° after the leaves commence expanding neither Mrs. Pince, White 
Tokay, nor the Muscat of Alexandria will ripen. When the fruit is set 
the temperature may be 5° higher, with the usual increase in the day¬ 
time from sun. The top lights should not be entirely closed at night, 
and must be further opened as soon as the temperature rises in the 
morning. It should never be allowed to reach 80° or 90° before the 
sashes are opened, and then have to give air to reduce it, for that prac¬ 
tice is injurious ; so is a great and needless inrush of cold or dry air 
through doors or front ventilators. The maximum day temperature, 
with air, may be about 85°, as registered by a shaded thermometer, and 
this need not be exceeded with top ventilation alone, rightly conducted, 
except in very hot weather indeed. A good deal of injury is done by 
reckless front ventilation in the early stages of growth, but during the 
ripening process the danger is lessened. A genial buoyant atmosphere 
should be maintained by damping the house proportionate with the in¬ 
creasing heat; and when closing early in the afternoon, or when the 
temperature will not exceed 90° afterwards, every part of the house 
should be heavily syringed, except when the Vines are flowering. 
Those in pots must be judiciously watered, always giving copious 
supplies before the leaves droop, yet withholding water when the soil is 
wet. Top-dressing may be needed as the fruit swells. The weight of 
the crop must be governed by the strength of the Vines. If good and 
well managed they should bear 8 lbs. or 10 lbs. each, though all do not 
do so. The permanent Vines, if the canes reach some distance up the 
roof, should be denuded of buds to near the base of the rafters, taking a 
leading growth from these, with one lateral, if the Vines are strong, 
from each side below the origin of the leader, letting these side laterals 
grow 2 01 3 feet. The buds, if any, lower down the main stem in the 
house we should not rub off, but pinch the shoots at two or three leaves, 
these strengthening the stem. You may find many details in past and 
future columns of Work for the Week. Your chief object should be to 
produce a strong leading cane by concentrating the resources of the 
Vine on few growths, while if you shorten the canes now they wdll 
bleed. The portion from which the buds are removed can be cut back 
in the autumn. 
Fumlg^atlng-—How not to do It (A'. S. R .').—We print your letter 
as a warning in case there should happen to be other readers who have 
overlooked what has been published time after time on the danger of 
burning sulphur in plant houses and vineries. We have seen Vines 
ruined by it, also Cucumbers and Melons, and now we record this wreck 
amongst plants. You ask our advice under the following circumstances 
—“ I have a span-roofed house containing a general collection of green¬ 
house plants, young stuff waiting to be bedded out, and two climbing 
Roses. Finding the latter troubled with green fly I closed the lights and 
burnt two small sulphur pastiles, used for disinfecting sick rooms. The 
house was only shut up for a quarter of an hour, and I then gave every¬ 
thing a thorough syringing with clear water. The next morning the 
effects, I presume of the sulphur, appear disastrous, though the effect on 
different plants is very striking. Large and small plants of Helio¬ 
trope and Dahlias have turned nearly black, but do not droop. Young 
Asters, Geraniums, and the leaves of the Roses droop and look withered 
as if in want of water. Young Stocks and Verbenas have become 
blanched. Mignonette, large plants just coming into bloom, have 
turned a red brown and withered as if they had finished blooming. 
Ferns seem all right, and Tomatoes slightly droop. A sickly smell 
pervades the house and all the plants. I have now the door and all 
lights wide open. Please tell me if I can do any more. I suppose these 
effects are from the sulphur. The only thing yiot affected is the green 
fly.” Undoubtedly the disastrous effects are from the sulphur, and 
unless you are a very new reader of the Journal you have overlooked 
safe methods of destroying insects and adopted a course that has been 
many times alluded to as positively dangerous. Some of the plants will 
be of no further use, others may be cut back more or less, according to 
the extent of the injury—the Roses and Pelargoniums, for instance ; 
then by syringing freely morning and evening, and maintaining a moist 
genial atmosphere by damping the floors and stages as they dry, giving 
water to the roots of the plants judiciously, and freely yet carefully 
ventilating, healthy growth may follow. Those intended for planting 
out may be stood in a shaded position outdoors till they show signs of 
recovery from the injury they have sustained, and which might have 
been averted. Tobacco smoke will destroy aphides without injuring 
plants, and solutions of the advertised insecticides are also safe and 
good for the purpose for which they are prepared. 
Peacb Trees TTnsatlsfactory (J. II .').—The leaves are very badly 
scorched. They have every appearance of having been subjected whilst 
damp or wet to tobacco smoke or fumes of an injurious character. As 
you state it is not caused by tobacco smoke, we can only conclude that 
the structure has been kept much too close and too moist, w’hich in a 
dull period favoured the formation of thin foliage and soft long-jointed 
wood. Upon a return of bright weather and the consequently increased 
evaporation, the foliage would part with more moisture than the roots 
from their having such a depth (4 feet) of light porous material, would 
be able to maintain, and as a consequence the tissues of the leaves 
would shrink, especially the edges and softer parts of the leaves most 
distant from the midrib and veins or sources of supply. In that way 
only can the present appearance of the leaves be accounted for, unless 
we assume that the scorching is due to want of air in the early part of 
the day, the sun being allowed to act powerfully upon them whilst wet, 
not necessarily from sjTinging, but from the deposition of moisture 
through the night, and a large influx of air, rapid evaporation taking 
place, with the resulting scorching. Though the scorching might have 
been lessened, if not prevented, by judicious treatment, nothing but a 
radical change in the soil will cause the trees to make healthy and 
fruitful wood. The remedy is to lift the trees in autumn as soon as the 
leaves are showing the first indications of ripening, doing it carefully, so 
as to preserve all the roots practicable, and particularly those near the stem, 
keeping them from the drying influences of the atmosphere as much as 
possible. If you cannot obtain fresh soil mix about a fourth of clay 
marl with the present light soil, breaking it up small, and incorporating 
evenly with the soil to a depth of 2 feet. It would be an advantage if 
you could take out the soil to a depth of 3 feet, and put in a foot depth 
of old mortar rubbish from an old building, roughest at bottom and 
finest at top, and then the soil mixed .as advised with th^ clayey marl, 
making it firm by treading, it being in such condition that it will not. 
clog, yet having sufficient moisture to favour the spread of the roots. 
Lay the roots in the border so made, the upjwrmost not being more than 
3 or 4 inches from the surface, and the others disposed in layers with a 
similar thickness of soil between. Make the soil very firm, afford a good 
watering to settle it about the roots, and mulch as far as the roots 
extend with 2 or 3 inches thickness of short fresh stable manure, the 
straw being shaken out. If the weather be bright syringe and shade 
whilst the work is being done and for a few days afterwards. The trees 
will push fresh roots quickly, and they will set and stone the fruit in a 
satisfactory manner next year. 
Strawberries Falling' (J. 31. G .).—Yours is a misfortune rather 
than a fault, that has happened with many a good gardener. On some soils 
large-growing varieties, such as President, Sir Joseph Paxton, Eleanor, 
Dr. Hogg, British Queen, and others, “ run out ” or produce nothing but 
leaves, with the exception of a few small flowers. In our garden the first 
and second named, three-year-old plants, are practically barren, while 
young plantations, one and two years old, are flowering abundantly. We 
visited a garden recently, and every plant of President was barren, as 
was the case last year ; runners from these have also failed, not one in a 
hundred showing, while others, planted at the same time, of Vicomtesse 
Heiicart de Thury, obtained from a distance, were all flowering well. 
If you have not tried this Strawberry we advise you to do so, for it is 
