464 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ November 26, 1891. 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
Hogg & Wood, Coldstream and Duns, Scotland .—Catalogue of 
Nursery Stock, 1891-92. 
Harlan P. Kelsey, Linville, North Carolina, U.S.A .—Catalogue of 
Trees, Shrubs, and Herbaceous Plants. 
Thomas. Rivers & Son, Sawbridge worth .—Fruit Trees, 1892-93. 
G-eorge Phippen, Reading, Berks.— Carnations, and Ilowto Grow Them. 
James Walters, Eseter .—Catalogue of Roses. 
Ldveque etFils, Ivry-sur-Seine, near Paris .—Roses and Other Plants. 
James Carter, Dunnett & Beale, 237 and 238, High Holborn, London. 
-—Illustrated Wholesale List of Novelties for 1892. 
“Lambert’s,” 12, Dover Street, Borough, London .—List of Novelties. 
W. Cooper, 751, Old Kent Road, London, S.E .—Illustrated Price 
List of Conservatories, <fc. 
C S *A11 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 
snavoidably. 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 communications. 
Stands for Chrysanthemum Blooms (II. 0 .).—Thanks for your 
letter ; the height should be 3 inches in front, as you suggest. 
Double Xiilac Primrose (S. D.'). —Yes, there is a double variety 
of P. acaulis, which is quite hardy, and can be had from any dealer in 
hardy plants. 
Papers on Peaches (G. A 7 ".).—The numbers you require are not in 
stock, but several other good papers have appeared since then, to which 
we can refer you if desired. 
Name of Chrysanthemum (Amateur'). —We have no record of 
the bloom to which you refer, but if you write to Messrs. Perkins & Son, 
they will, no doubt, supply the name readily 7 . 
Christmas Boses (G. Twyford ).—They are very good. A letter 
has been posted to you. If the address you gave is insufficient inquire 
at the post office. 
Gloucester Show (G. Tidman). —If you will point out the precise 
inaccuracies in the report, and supply the necessary corrections, they shall 
be inserted if your letter reaches us not later than Tuesday morning next. 
Roman Hyacinths ( T.'. F.). —The Hyacinth bulbs are sound and 
good and the roots healthy. You should have described briefly your 
metnod of culture, and the position in which you grow the plants that fail. 
We suspect that those you have sent will flower satisfactorily with us. 
Species of Fruit (IF. Gale). —The class in the schedule is thus 
worded : “ Collection of fruit, six species, distinct.” You showed Grapes, 
Plums, Pears, Apples, Currants, and a Melon, and was therefore within 
the terms of the schedule. Another competitor showed two varieties of 
G-rapes and two of Pears in his collection of six dishes, thereby placing 
himself outside the prescribed terms, and he ought to have been dis¬ 
qualified by the judges, no mat + er how good his fruit might be. 
Sport from Culllngfordi Chrysanthemum ( J . T. Ebbutt). — 
Yours is not the first sport of this nature ; but whether it is the best 
or not we cannot tell, as unfortunately half the florets fell out of the 
most incurved example on removing the bloom from the box. It is 
worth preserving with the object of determining its true character by 
the methods adopted by leading exhibitors. The chief defect at present 
is bristiiness of the florets, as is often seen in Jeanne d’Arc. Try it 
again, and send younger blooms another year. 
Chrysanthemum Sport (G. Ilawhins ).—The paler bloom, which 
we should have thought the younger, is very fine indeed. It is pearly 
white with a faint blush tint, with broad smooth florets, the bloom 
being full and deep. Several florets fell out of the more cream coloured 
bloom which you refer to as the younger, and many were withered. If the 
characters of the first-named were fixed and constant, the variety would 
be an acquisition ; but the second detracts from the merits of the sport. 
Give it further trial. 
Gansel’s Seckle Pear (B. D. K.). —It so happened that Mr. 
Rivers called here the same day your letter and sketches arrived. He 
has no doubt the No. 2 Pear is Gansel’s Seckle, of which he has fruits 
at the present time. He considers it inferior to the true Seckle. So do 
we. It was raised by Mr. Williams of Pitmaston by crossing the Seckle 
with Gansel’s Bergamot. We should imagine the Seckle was raised 
from seed, not as a sport. Dana’s Hovey is a delicious little American 
Pear of the same nature, but ripens about Christmas. If you like small 
rich Pears you should try it. 
Stocks for Medlars (J. IF.).—Seedling Medlars are sometimes 
used, the seeds being sown as soon as the fruit is ripe ; they usually take 
two years to vegetate. The young plants must be tied to stakes, have 
the side growths pinched, and kept in an upright position to secure 
stems for grafting, or preferably budding at the right height. Medlars 
are also worked on Pear, Whitethorn, and Quince stocks. The Pear 
stock answers well for grafting or budding standard high, and has the 
a I vantage of succeeding in most soils. The Whitethorn is employed 
because it is readily obtained, and succeeds on sandy and dry soils. 
The Quince is considered the best when the Medlar has to be grown in 
moist situations, as it roots near the surface, and the trees are dwarfed 
and produce finer fruit. Seedling Medlars are the best stocks in good soils. 
Apricots (Inquirer). —Ouliins Early Peach and Powell’s Late are 
two good Apricots, having the quality of Moor Park, but much hardier 
constitutions than that fine variety. Kaisha is also an excellent Apricot, 
much less in size than the preceding, yet when well thinned attains to a 
good size and is delicious in flavour. It is a most abundant bearer, and 
not so liable ro gum as many varieties. The Pears cracking and spotting 
is no doubt due to the wet season, which has been favourable to the 
spread of the fungus, causing their disfigurement, one of the worst 
being Louise Bonne of Jersey. Try the remedies named in last week’s 
Journal, page 421. 
Saddle Boiler Furnace not Drawing (I. E.). —Either the 
setting is defective or surrounding objects cause a down draught. We 
presume you have an ash pit not less than 1 foot deep and the length of 
the furnace bars, and this enclosed on the two sides and far end so that 
air must pass through the bars or door opening to the furnace. Then 
the side flues should have their bottoms at two-thirds the height of the 
furnace, calculating from the furnace bars to the crown of the boiler. 
This will give the fire and smoke a jump from the furnace into the 
side flues, and if those are taken over the top of the saddle in one flue 
to the chimney, and all properly separated and constructed, it is difficult 
to see why the fire will not draw. Consult a bricklayer who understands 
boiler setting. 
Gypsum as Manure (G. H. H.). —Gypsum as advertised for 
manure differs from the plaster of Paris used by builders in being purely 
ground or powdered sulphate of lime (gypsum), whilst plaster ot Paris 
of the builders contains a small quantity of lime, causing the plaster, 
when moistened, to set into a hard marble-like substance, otherwise pure 
plaster of Paris and gypsum (ground) are ideniical. You cannot form 
gypsum by taking lime and sulphur and mixing them in the manner you 
describe; besides, sulphur is one of the worst possible substances to 
apply to the soil. Sulphur, combined with lime (hydrated calcic 
sulphate, CaSon 2H;>,0), is very different substance from the same com¬ 
ponents used separately. Procure the gypsum from the manuie dealer 
or make sure that the plaster of Paris contains no “setting ” substance. 
Heating Arrangements (J. R.). —You may cut a piece out of the 
flow and another out of the return pipe, and fix a two-way branch on 
each where you propose, with a syphon at the end of the run of piping, 
where there must be a pipe or tap at the highest point of each syphon 
to let out the air, but it seems that you will have to heat the greenhouse 
at the same time as the house you wish to keep warmer, which is a bad 
arrangement, as the warmest part should be nearest the boiler, so that 
it could be heated without unnecessarily heating the greenhouse. It 
would be better to so arrange the pipes so that each house could be heated 
independently of the other, having valves on each for regulating the 
heat. This may, perhaps, be arranged in the manner you describe by 
heating direct from the boiler. You may get diminishing sockets from 
the horticultural builder who supplies the pipes if you describe what 
you require. 
Flowers and Seeds (J. IF.).—The essential parts of a flower are 
the stamens and pistil, and without these seed cannot be produced. 
The term “ flower ” includes both calyx and corolla, which are not 
essential to seed production, though they are present in a very large 
number of flowers, and serve both as protection to the more delicate 
essential organs, and as a means of attraction to insects. Seed, however, 
is often produced without calyx or corolla being present, and some 
might, therefore, erroneously think there was no flower. Some flowers, 
termed cleistogamous, also produce seed without expanding, as in some 
of the Yiola family, and when these pods are observed it might be 
thought they had been produced without flowers. Without ovules to 
be fertilised by pollen, through the medium of stigma and style, or 
without their aid (as in the Conifer family), it is impossible to produce 
seed ; therefore our decision is in favour of B. 
Guano for Asparagus (Francis). —“ Guano copperas,” consisting 
mainly of porous sulphate (Fe S 04 ), more or less ammoniated, is useful 
as a manure and may be used for Asparagus as a top-dressmg. A small 
quantity is most beneficial, say half to 1 lb. per square rod, or quarter 
to half oz. per square yaid. A large quantity is injurious. It should 
be applied early in spring, always when the ground is wet. Asparagus 
contains a large per-centage of iron, and succeeds best on siliceous soils, 
especially alluvial, which always contain iron. Iron sulpbate is well 
known to increase the leafy or pulpy parts of plants, but it must be 
used discriminately, taking care not to give an overdose. “ Ichthemic 
guano ” is not so good as the nitrogenous guanos for Asparagus, yet 
valuable. Non-nitrogenous guanos, however, are more durable in effect, 
and may be used with advantage in soils deficient in lime. 
Packing Fruit (F. S., Buenos Ayres). —There is always a market in 
England for choice garden produce of all kinds, especially at those seasons 
when it has not to compete with continental consignments and home¬ 
grown produce. “ Very fine, first-class Pears in the months of March, 
April and May ” are sure to realise good prices, provided the fruit 
