July 2, 1885. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
13 
Hybrid Hibiscus {Cavan). —The flower Bent appears quite distinct, and 
the plant is well worthy of preservation, especially if you find it retains its 
character. 
Pruning Lilacs {Cambridge). —It is rather late for pruning if the bushes 
are to flower another year. Had you done so directly they ceased flowering, 
and the season proved good to thoroughly ripen their wood before autumn, 
they would undoubtedly flower the following season. The best time to prune 
Lilacs growing in borders outside is during the winter months, any time 
from the end of October to the following February, but the earlier it is done 
the better. These shrubs will bear very hard pruning, and for some seasons 
after will grow with increased vigour. If your bushes require to be cut 
back severely you had better leave them until winter, and a strong growth 
will be certain the following season, and in all probability a good crop of 
flowers the next spring if the branches are not too crowded and suckers 
are prevented extending from the roots. As to Chrysanthemums take off 
the summer bud, No. 3 in your diagram, and let the shoots 1, 2, and 4 ex¬ 
tend. We will refer to the subject again. 
Liquid Manure for Strawberries {M. F. B.). —There is no better 
liquid manure for Strawberries than the drainage from manure heaps or 
sewage, but when these are not obtainable guano water may be used, and 
has often been applied with great benefit. Half an ounce dissolved in a 
gallon of water is sufficient for plants in pots, but twice that quantity may 
be applied safely to established plants that need extra support in the open 
air. It should not be poured on the fruit or leaves, only on the soil, 
copiously, and if this can be mulched afterwards for the retention of the 
moisture it will be an advantage. It is an excellent plan to give liquid 
manure as soon as the fruit is set, then cover the ground with straw or 
other suitable material for keeping the fruit clean and preventing the evapo¬ 
ration of moisture from the earth. The use of liquid manure should be 
discontinued when the fruits commence colouring. 
Ventilating a Vinery {F. J.). —No hard-and-fast rule can be laid down. 
On some days the front lightB might be safely opened as you suggest, but 
with a dry driving wind blowing directly on the house we prefer not to open 
them to any material extent until the top ventilation fails to prevent the 
temperature rising too high. We are speaking now of Vines in full growth 
and with the crop swelling, as dry currents of air are then not conducive to 
free progress, but favourable to insects. The top lights should be left open 
to the extent of an inch or two all night, and should be opened wider the 
moment the sun raises the temperature in the morning, increasing the 
openings so long as the heat continues rising. With the top lights opened 
to the extent of a foot, the front sashes may be opened about an inch, more 
or less, according to the direction of the wind, increasing the top ventilation 
afterwards to its full extent if needed; then, if the temperature cannot be 
kept below 85°, the front lights must be opened more widely. We do not 
know that we can give more precise instructions, and the cultivator must 
exercise his j'udgment in the work in question. When the foliage gets firm 
and the wood commences ripening, more air may be admitted by the front 
lights than when the growths are young and tender. Your other letter has 
been handed to the publisher, the subject of it is beyond the province of the 
Editor. 
Mildew on Grapes {C. 0.). —We readily answer all the letters we 
receive, but by some cause or other that we cannot explain one now and 
then goes astray. It is by no means easy to tell you the “ cause ” of mildew 
on your Grapes beyond saying that the spores are in the house, and they 
find a suitable medium for germination. If you read the article on Ch’swick, 
page 527 last week, you will find that some Vines in the centre of the great 
vinery there are attacked, while others right and left of them are free, the 
treatment of all being identical. The bunches there are dusted with sulphur 
tied in muslin, and a few days after are syringed with rain water. That 
destroys the mildew and does not disfigure the Grapes ; but well water, or 
water containing lime, will leave unpleasant marks behind it. We should 
admit still more air, and employ a little more fire heat if needed for main¬ 
taining the requisite temperature. Keep the air of the house rather dry, 
and the rootB of the Vines moist. In the winter the Vines and every part 
of the house should undergo a thorough cleansing, and painting if convenient, 
removing also the surface soil from the border if it is inside the house, 
adding fresh compost. 
Red Spider on Vines — The Onion Maggot {N. E., Somerset). —There is 
no mistake about what is “wrong with the leaves;” th>-y are swarming with 
red spider and the insects are abstracting the juices, hence the flimsy 
nature and yellow hue of the foliage. We should syringe them forcibly, 
directing the syringe between the bunch's and driving the water directly to 
every leaf, not one should escape. A large four-gallon canful will not be 
too much for each Vine. If you cannot wash off the insects in this way— 
and we think you can—follow with a dusting of sulphur or an insecticide 
applied with a spray-diffuser, as little or none will then fall on the fruit— 
that is, if the work be carefully done. See our reply to “ R. H. T.,” on page 
516. Do not employ any more fire heat than is necessa-y to prevent the 
temperature falling below 60°, keep the roots moist, and sprinkle strong 
guano water in the house when closing in the afternoon if the Grapes are 
stoned. The washing above referred to should be given when the sun is 
declining, leaving the ventilators open, so that the Vines get dry or nearly 
so before nightfall; or it may be done between five and six o’clock in the 
morning of a prospectively dry day, throwing the ventilators wide open and 
shaking the Vines to dislodge the water, and they will dry before the sun 
shines powerfully on them. When maggots get inside Onions they cannot 
be destroyed. You can try the effects of watering them with soapsuds, into 
each gallon of which a small wineglassful of petroleum is stirred briskly. 
This acts as a manure and should be applied in the evening. You ought to 
have tried the preventive remedy that was advised two or three weeks ago 
of covering the ground with lawn mowings. 
Vine Leaves Withering {J. C.). —We are sorry your Vines are in such 
an unsatisfactory state. Of one thing we can assure you, and that is, we 
fail to perceive the slightest evidence of the phylloxera, and we think you 
have no cause to be alarmed on that score. We suspect you have indicated 
the source of the evil—wireworms in the border. As soon as you were 
aware of their presence it is a pity you did not plant it with Potatoes, 
and dig the sets up again when the plants were an inch or two high, 
and set more. We shou'd plant Potatoes now if we had them, 
and failing this should at once sow Carrots, but before doing so 
should give the border a good soaking with ammoniacal liquor from gas¬ 
works, if procurable, diluting it with five times its volume of water; if we 
could not get this we should try petroleum and soapsuds, as advised to 
another correspondent for his Onions. But we should first assure ourselves 
by an examination of the border that it is really infested with wireworms. 
We also think you have kept the house fully too warm, and we think it 
possible it has remained closed too long in the morning at some time or 
other. One of the leaves is certainly scorched—its condition being quite 
different from the others. We should lower the night temperature fully 5°, 
and employ as little fire heat as possible. Syringing the Vines with perfectly 
clear soot water could not possibly do harm, and might do good. It is 
made by securing soot in a bag and immersing in water for a day or two, 
then throwing in a few lumps of lime, and after removing the scum the 
liquor should be as clear as sherry wine, and of the same colour. It will be 
better to shade slightly than to allow the leaves to collapse. One reason 
for thinking the house has been kept too close is the length and slenderness 
of the footstalks of the leaves. We should, therefore, try a lower tempera¬ 
ture, and give more air, especially very early in the morning, and should 
not close early with a high temperature and much moisture, and the same 
time a genial buoyant atmosphere must be maintained night and day. 
Names of Fruits (TV. J. J.). —The Grapes were mostly broken in transit, 
but we have little doubt the variety is Golden Champion. If it is disquali¬ 
fied under this name ask the judges to be good enough to state what it is. 
Names of Plants.—We only 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 contain 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. 
{H. M.). —Lysimachia vulgaris. {Cavan). —1, Asclepias currassavica ; 
2, Thalictrum anemonoides. {Pat). —1, Adiantum macrophyllum ; 2, Betonica 
grandiflora; 3, Nephrodium effusum var. divergens ; 4, Hakea saligna; 
5, Nephrodium molle variety. {Cucfcjield ).—Bupthalmum salicifolium. 
{Campus Martius ).—Myrica Gale, the Sweet Gale, a native of Britain, 
(Old Subscriber ).—The pink and white flower is a variety of Gladiolus 
ramosus; the other is the yellow Sweet Sultan, Centaurea suaveolens. 
(C. 3. S .).—Pyrus arbutifolia. {A. B.). —The Trumpet Honeysuckle, Loni- 
cera sempervirens. 
Unsealed Cells—Supering {A. G. F .).—Bees not sealing their honey 
cells in supers shows there is a break in the supply of honey on the pastures, 
or the bees are not finding it plentifully, or they would seal their cells, if 
your hive that has swarmed is pretty full of bees, super at once, and it will 
prevent other swarms issuing, and if your locality is a good one for bees— 
i.e ., if there is plenty of honey-producing flowers in the neighbourhood, you 
may get some good supers. 
COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— July 1st. 
VERY heavy supplies reaching us, and prices are lower all round, more particularly 
Grapes and Strawberries. Vegetables plentiful. 
FRUIT. 
8. 
d. 
S. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
S. 
d 
Apples. 
} sieve 
0 
0 
to 0 
0 
Lemons. 
.. case 
15 
0 to 21 
0 
Cherries .. .. 
A-sieve 
4 
0 
10 
0 
Oranges. 
.. 100 
8 
0 
12 
0 
Cobs, Kent .. per 100 lbs. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Peaches . 
perdoz. 
6 
0 
10 
0 
Currants, Red 
£ sieve 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Pears, kitchen 
dozen 
0 
0 
0 
0 
,, Black .. 
| sieve 
0 
0 
0 
0 
,, dessert 
dozen 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Figs . 
dozen 
4 
0 
8 
0 
Pine Apples English., lb. 
2 
0 
3 
0 
Gooseberries .. .. 
A sieve 
1 
6 
2 
0 
Strawberries.. .. 
.. lb. 
0 
3 
1 
0 
Grapes. 
1 
6 
2 
6 
St. Michael Pines 
..each 
3 
0 
7 
0 
VEGETABLES. 
8. 
a. 
s 
d 
8. 
d. 
8. 
a. 
Artichokes •. .. 
dozen 
l 
6 
to 2 
0 
Lettuce . 
. dozen 
1 
0 
to 2 
0 
Asparagus .. .. 
bundle 
2 
0 
5 
0 
Mushrooms .. 
punnet 
0 
0 
1 
4 
Beans, Kidney 
lb. 
i 
0 
0 
0 
Mustard and Cress 
punnet 
0 
2 
0 
0 
Beet, Red .. .. 
dozen 
i 
0 
s 
0 
Onions. 
bunch 
0 
3 
0 
0 
Broccoli . 
bundle 
0 
9 
1 
0 
Parsley .. dozen bunches 
2 
0 
8 
s 
Brussels Sprouts .. 
{ sieve 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Parsnips. 
dozen 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Cabbage . 
doken 
0 
0 
1 
0 
Potatoes. 
cwt. 
4 
0 
5 
0 
Capsicums .. .. 
100 
1 
6 
2 
0 
,, Kidney . 
cwt. 
4 
0 
5 
0 
Carrots . 
bunch 
0 
s 
0 
4 
Rhubarb . 
bundle 
0 
4 
0 
0 
Cauliflowers .. .. 
dozen 
2 
0 
3 
0 
Salsafy . 
bundle 
1 
0 
0 
0 
Celery . 
bundle 
1 
6 
2 
0 
Scorzonera .. . 
bundle 
1 
6 
0 
0 
Coleworts dcz. bunches 
a 
0 
4 
0 
Seakale .. .. per basket 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Cucumbers .. .. 
each 
0 
s 
0 
6 
Shallots. 
0 
3 
0 
0 
Endive . 
dozen 
l 
0 
2 
0 
Spinach. 
bushel 
2 
0 
4 
0 
Her os . 
bunch 
0 
2 
0 
0 
Tomatoes 
.. lb. 
0 
6 
0 
8 
Leeks . 
bunch 
0 
3 
0 
4 
Turnips .. .. 
bunch 
0 
6 
0 
0 
DAIRY FARMING. 
THE DAIRY. 
That the home farm dairy should be cool, sweet, clean, 
well ventilated, replete with every convenience, and stand 
in an open airy situation, safe from all risk of any foul odours 
being blown to it from buildings or yards, would appear to be 
