222 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER 
[ March 18, 1888. 
Currant trees may still be planted if the roots are kept moist when out of 
the ground, but autumn is the best time. The price of trees depends on 
their size. Cocoa-nut fibre refuse can be had in small quantities from 
nurserymen and florists, in large quantities from advertisers of the 
material. 
The Date Plum ( W. J., Croydon). —Diospyros Lotos is the European 
Lote or Date Plum, and grows wild in countries bordering the Mediter¬ 
ranean. It produces fruit of the size of a Cherry, of a yellow colour and a 
sweet astringent taste, and it has been recommended as a cure for diarrhoea. 
D. decandra, a native of Cochin China, bears a large berry, of a yellow 
colour when ripe, with an austere and somewhat sweet taste and dis¬ 
agreeable smell ; but it is eaten and sold in the markets in the northern 
provinces of Cochin China. The wood, when of sufficient age, is of a fine, 
compact, regular grain, heavy, very white, veined with black, and some¬ 
times black at the heart, and is highly esteemed for cabinet-work. The 
fruit of D. psidioides, a native of Peru, is an inch in diameter, with an un¬ 
grateful smell and an insipid taste. D. Kaki, a native of Japan, produces a 
fruit like a yellow Plum, which the Japanese eat to such an extent as some¬ 
times to cause an attack of diarrhoea. It is sometimes imported to this 
country from China as a dried sweetmeat. It is preserved in the same 
manner a3 the Fig. 
Vines and Peaches ( F. J.). —We do not syringe our Vines after the 
leaves commence unfolding, except giving them a thorough washing, not a 
mere sprinkling through the syringe once a month or so to keep the leaves 
quite clean. A genial atmosphere is maintained by syringing every part of 
the house except the Vines early in the afternoons of bright days when the 
house is closed, damping the paths in the morning according to the weather. 
Some growers find it advantageous to syringe Vines regularly in districts 
where red spider is prevalent. Syringing or non-syringing is very much a 
question of management in other respects, and no inflexible rule can be 
stated on the subject. It is a question on which individuals must exercise 
their judgment. The laterals should be thinned gradually, so that the best 
are eventually retained, about 18 inches apart so as to afford space for full 
development of the leaves; but these permanent laterals must be safely 
secured before all the others are removed, or an accidental breakage of one 
of the former would leave a blank not easy to be filled. As the Peach trees 
are growing you must keep them in the house for some time, or until the 
weather is so mild that they can be placed outside without receiving injury. 
If you put them out now you will kill them. They must be prepared and 
hardened as if they were bedding plants, then planted out as you pro¬ 
pose. Cut out the branches that have produced no growths. We are 
unable to obtain the address you require. 
Cypripedium spectabile ( T., Surrey). —You have not been misinformed 
as to the easy culture of this hardy Orchid, nor has its beauty been over¬ 
estimated, as it possesses merits which should make it a general favourite; 
and when its perfect hardiness is taken into consideration with its present 
inexpensiveness there is no reason why everyone should not possess one of 
the very best perennial Orchids. The plant is easily distinguished from all 
others. It grows from 1 to 2 feet high, the stems being more or less covered 
with leaves of a light green colour, and conspicuously veined. The flowers, 
which are borne singly, or from two to four on the stems, are very showy; 
the sepals and petals are spreading, ovate in form, the petals being much 
the widest, pure white in colour; the lip is very much inflated, of a rich 
rose colour, sometimes nearly crimson. The soil best suited for it is good 
peat and coarse sand, with some sphagnum chopped up fine and mixed with 
the peat. If grown in pots several should be placed in a large pot and 
kept plunged in moss or fibre in a shady place. When well grown it is a 
most beautiful plant for exhibition purposes, and it can be readily forced. 
It can be equally well grown if planted outside in peat and sand in a shady 
place or on the rockery, where it is quite at home with many of the 
Primulas, Dodecatheons, and Ferns. It forms a lovely companion for Ferns. 
The stems springing up from among the light green fronds of the Lady 
Fern are exceedingly attractive, and the plant thoroughly enjoys such a 
home. We have had it planted in old stumps, when it seemed to be pecu¬ 
liarly happy. 
Constructing Peach House {J. L.). —You do not state whether the 
house is to be erected against a wall already up, or whether a wall will have 
to be built, as we presume you intend to have a lean-to. This we should 
not have if a wall has to be built for its support. Granted you require the 
house against an existing wall, and that it has a southern aspect, we should 
have a house 12 feet wide, having 3 feet height of front lights, and these 
not more than a foot clear of the ground level, the front wall being built 
pier fashion, with 2 feet openings, arched over to allow the roots from the 
inside border to pass into the outside one. The depth of border will need 
to be 3 feet, so that you must have the front wall accordingly high with 
proper footings. The height of the back wall will need to be 11 feet 
6 inches, and this will give you a proper slope for the roof, the front lights 
being 3 feet, and with the brickwork 4 feet above ground. The height of 
the back wall must be calculated from the ground level. To accommodate 
two trees in front the house must not be less than 24 feet long, better 
30 feet, the front trees being trained to a trellis, fixed about 16 inches from 
the glass, and the front part curved so as to take off the angle formed by 
the eaves. The front trellis must only be taken up about two-thirds the 
house, calculating from the bottom of the rafter, so that the upper part of the 
house will remain clear and admit light to the trees at the back. It would 
be an advantage were the house a three-quarter span so as to keep down the 
back wall to a height of about 9 feet 6 inches, the front trellis in that case 
being taken up to the ridge. You will need lights not less than 2 feet wide 
at the top of the house its entire length, and the whole of the front lights 
should be made to open by crank and lever movement. If there is no wall 
we should advise a Bpan-roof house with the ends north and south, and 
18 feet wide so as to take trees on both sides of the house, having it 30 feet 
long. It wiil be more costly, but not much more so than a lean-to. 
Libonia floribunda Culture (R. S. T .).—A successful cultivator of this 
plant treats it as follows—“ Small bushy plants laden with their pretty 
orange scarlet tubular flowers are valuable for dinner-table and room 
decoration, producing a very charming effect. It is also suitable for arrang¬ 
ing amongst other plants in the conservatory. Unless large specimens are 
required small plants are the most useful for general decorative purposes. 
After flowering they should be pruned and placed in heat. The young 
shoots when an inch long make good cuttings, and should be inserted in 
light sandy loam, the pots being placed in a moist gentle bottom heat. 
When the cuttings have rooted they should be transferred singly into 2J-inch 
pots, employing a compost of two parts turfy loam, one part leaf soil, and 
one part well-decomposed manure, with plenty of sand to render the soil 
porous. After potting the plants must be kept in a close house and shadedi 
for a few days ; afterwards assign them positions near the glass, with full 
exposure to the sun, in a temperature ranging from 65° to 75°. Syringe 
them twice on fine days, and frequently pinch the points out of the shoots 
to induce the plants to become dwarf and bushy. As they inorease in size 
they must be potted, employing pots an inch larger each time. About the 
end of June they may be gradually hardened off and placed in cool pits or 
frames, which mast be ventilated freely on bright days, and supply the 
plants with plenty of water; liquid manure may also be given two or three 
times a week with beneficial results. About October the plants must be 
taken in the greenhouse, where they thrive in a temperature from 45° to 55°. 
By the end of November they will commence flowering, and will remain in 
great beauty till March.” 
Grafting Wax ( G. H .).—There are various preparations used in grafting 
fruit trees. Some of the mastics require to be used warm, but the following 
may be prepared and used without being heated :—Yellow wax, 1 lb. ; 
turpentine, 1 lb.; Burgundy pitch, 8 ozs.; mutton suet, 4 ozs. Melt all 
together and mix thoroughly, and leave them to cool. Form the mass into 
small balls, as it will not stick to the fingers, and use them when opportu¬ 
nity offers. Liquid grafting wax is a very useful application, and is, perhaps; 
the most convenient for the purpose of all the mastics used for covering 
wounds and grafting. It is of the consistency of varnish, and is applied 
very thinly with a brush. Care must be taken not to lay it on thickly, for 
the surface hardens so rapidly the alcohol is prevented from evaporating. 
Rosin, 1 lb.; beef tallow, 1 oz. ; spirits of turpentine, one tablespoonful; 
alcohol (95 per cent.), 6 ozs. Melt the rosin over a slow fire; when melted 
take it off and add the beef tallow, stirring it constantly ; let it cool down 
somewhat, mix the spirits of turpentine little by little with it, and at last 
the alcohol in the same way. Should the alcohol be added while the mass 
is too hot much will be loBt by rapid evaporation ; if, on the contrary, it is 
too cool, it will form a viscid lump, and must be slightly heated again. 
Stirring briskly is indispensable to mix the ingredients thoroughly. In 
well-corked bottles it keeps for years. If in course of time it becomes too 
thick, the addition of some alcohol will make it liquid again. For this 
purpose it must always be warmed. It is a good plan to put the bottle 
containing it in boiling or hot water to accomplish this. They are generally 
used in preference to clay in nurseries where grafting is extensively carried 1 
on, because more expeditious ; but where only a few trees are grafted well- 
prepared clay answers every purpose. 
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 bear spores. Specimens should arrive in a fresh Btate 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. 
(B. T. F.). —Your plant is Dendrobium crassinode, and a rather pretty 
variety. 
COYENT GARDEN MARKET.— March 17th. 
No alteration from last week. Cucumber trade very dull indeed. 
FRUIT. 
8. 
d. 
8. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
8. 
Apples. 
£ sieve 
2 
0 to 3 
8 
Oranges. 
.. 100 
4 
Oto 
6 
0 
„ Canadian .. 
barrel 
10 
0 
12 
6 
Peaches . 
perdoz. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Nova Scotia 
10 
0 
12 
6 
Pears, kitchen .. 
dozen 
1 
0 
1 
e 
Cobs. Kent .. per 100 lbs. 27 
6 
30 
0 
,, dessert .. 
dozen 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Figs . 
dozen 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Pine Apples English .. ft. 
1 
0 
1 
6 
Grapes . 
5 
0 
8 
0 
Plums. 
£ 9ieve 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Lemons. 
8 
0 
10 
0 
St. Michael Pines 
. .each 
2 
0 
6 
0 
Melon . 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Stawberries .. .. 
per oz. 
0 
9 
0 
O’ 
VEGETABLES. 
8. 
d. 
8. 
d 
8. 
d. 
8. 
a 
Artichokes .. .. dozen 1 
Asparagus .. .. bundle 2 
Beans, Kidney .. lb. 2 
Beet, Red .. .. dozen 1 
Broccoli •• .. .. bundle 0 
Brussels Sprouts .. i sieve 6 
Cabbage . dozen 2 
Capsicums .. .. 100 1 
Carrots • • • • • • bunch 0 
Cauliflowers .. .. dozen 3 
Celery .bundle 1 
Coleworts doz. bunches 2 
Cucumbers .. .. each 0 
Endive.dozen 1 
Herbs .bunch 0 
Leeks .bunch 0 
0 to 0 0 
8 0 
3 0 
3 0 
Lettuce.dozen 1 
Mushrooms .. ..punnet 0 
Mustard and Cress punnet 0 
Onions.bunch 0 
Parsley .. dozen bunches 2 
Parsnips.dozen 1 
Potatoes. cwt. 4 
,, Kidney .. cwt. 4 
Rhubarb.bundle 0 
Salsafy.bundle 1 
Scorzonera .. .. bundle 1 
Seakale .. .. per basket 2 
Shallots.ft. 0 
Spinach.bushel 6 
Tomatoes .ft. 0 
Turnips .. .. bunch 0 
0 to 1 6 
8 6 
0 
8 
PLANTS IN POTS. 
Aralia Sieboldi .. 
Arbor vitae (golden) 
,, (common) 
Arum Lilies .. .. 
Azaleas. 
Begonias .. .. 
Bouvardia .. .. 
Cineraria .. .. 
Cyclamen .. .. 
Cyperu3. 
Dracaena terminalis, 
„ viridis .. 
Erica, various 
Euonymus, in var. 
Evergreens, in var. 
dozen 9 
dozen 0 
dozen 6 
dozen 9 
dozen 24 
dozen 0 
dozen 12 
dozen 10 
dozen 12 
dozen 4 
dozen 30 
dozen 12 
dozen 12 
dozen 6 
dozen 6 
d. 
8. 
d. 
8. 
d. 
0 to 18 
0 
Ficus elastics 
each 
i 
6 
0 
0 
0 
Ferns, in variety .. 
dozen 
4 
0 
0 
12 
0 
Foliage Plants, var 
each 
2 
0 
0 
18 
0 
Genistas .. .. 
dozen 10 
0 
0 
42 
0 
Hyacinths .. .. 
dozen 
6 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Lilies of the Valley, in 
0 
18 
0 
clumps or pots, per doz. 
15 
0 
0 
12 
0 
Marguerite Daisy 
dozen 
8 
0 
0 
24 
0 
Myrtles. 
dozen 
6 
0 
0 
12 
0 
Palms, in var. 
each 
2 
6 
0 
60 
0 
Pelargoniums, scarlet, doz. 
6 
0 
0 
24 
0 
Primulas, single, 
dozen 
4 
0 
0 
24 
0 
Solanum .. .. 
dozen 
8 
0 
0 
18 
0 
Spirsea. 
dozen 12 
0 
0 
24 
0 
Tulips. 
12 pots 
6 
0 
s. d. 
7 8 
18 0 
10 0 
12 
9 0 
80 
12 
12 
21 
9 
6 
12 
18 
9 
