496 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ June 12, 1690. 
All correspondence should be directed either to “ The 
Editor ” or to “ The Purlisher.” Letters addressed to 
Dr. Hogg or members of the staff often remain unopened 
unavoidably. 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 communica¬ 
tions. 
B. Peculiar Cloxlnia (ZT. S.'). —We have seen similar instances 
before; it is an approach to a duplex form with the outer corolla 
■split into distinct lobes. 
Aquileglas (7?. C. A.).—They are extremely good and varied in 
colours, but from seed of what are termed “ hybrid strains ” flowers of 
equally fine characters are now easily obtained. 
Insects on Apple Blossom (J- H'l Astioond Banli). —Your trees 
are evidently infested with the Apple chermes (Psylla Mali). Seethe 
recommendation in another reply. The species is abundant this season 
in some places. You have also enclosed caterpillars of the winter 
moth, so that species has also been doing mischief. The method of 
•dealing with this is fully discussed in last week’s issue. 
Iilsts of riower Sbo-ws (A R .').—We have no such list of shows 
as you desire, and have not cognizance of shows other than those which 
are advertised or of which we receive schedules. There is a list of 
horticultural societies, with their secretaries, in the “ Horticultural 
Directory,” and you could obtain a reply from any of them by return 
post card. 
Kalnit for Roses (^Kittie), —As this salt contains a large per¬ 
centage of potash, and as this is a constituent of Roses, a dressing to your 
beds would be certainly beneficial if the soil is weak in that essential, 
and in any case will not be likely to do harm. Some samples, however, 
contain a considerable amount of common salt, and this is not good for 
cold wet land, though it is for dry soils. You may sprinkle kainiton the 
soil at the rate of 2 ozs. to each square yard, and afterwards run the hoe 
through the surface. It is not only good manurially, but makes slugs 
very uncomfortable. 
Blenbelm Pippin Apple Sboots Withered (P. II. IE).— 
The shoots are dried, and have probably suffered through the trees being 
kept a considerable time out of the ground, or they may have been 
injured through freezing and handling before planting. Certainly they 
have had their tissue destroyed by some means, the sap not being able 
to penetrate the damaged parts. There is no trace of canker, and it is 
a case that requires explanation, which we think none is so likely 
to afford as the vendor of the trees. No dajnage seems to have 
resulted from the pruning, the tissue being entirely destroyed, and no 
doubt prior to the pruning, although the wood might not show the 
-defective condition until it was subjected to the increased evaporation 
•of the advanced season. 
Narcissus Buds Wltberlngr {J. 5.).—The flower buds of Nar¬ 
cissus poeticus flore-pleno are somewhat prone to shrivel, and the 
misfortune appears more prevalent during some seasons than others, 
probably in consequence of a check to free growth through weather 
influences. We have observed also that the occurrence is the most 
frequent when the plants have been so long established in their 
positions that they have deprived the soil of essential constituents. 
Similar results in the buds failing occur when bulbs are planted too 
late, and the root-action consequently inadequate for supporting the 
plants at the time of flowering. Growers of flowers for market do not 
like to allow the bulbs to remain in the ground more than two years, 
and some replant every year in deep well enriched soil early in August. 
The leaves and stems you have sent are very weak. 
Nitrate of Soda for Vines (IE. II. II.').- —You ask if “nitrate 
of soda is good for stimulating the growth of Grape Vines.” It will 
stimulate the growth of anything, but unless the soil also contains 
calcareous and potassic matter, the growth of Vines so stimulated is 
not substantial. Young Vines growing in a recently made border, or 
young fruit trees and bushes, may ofcen be usefully assisted by a dress¬ 
ing of the fertiliser, as they will by the freer growth incited appro¬ 
priate more of the mineral food that the fresh soil contains ; but if 
nitrate of soda is alone used year after year, it follows that the soil 
must be deprived of essential constituents by the increased growth 
incited. Some growers of Grapes who crop their Vines heavily take 
care that the soil is well foitified with minerals for the wood, then after 
the Grapes are thinned they apply nitrate of sola to feed the fruit. 
Apple Chermes (^Psi/lla Ilali ).— It has been stated that the 
most efficacious wash for the destruction of this pest is one contain¬ 
ing sulphuret of lime. This may be made by combining the sulphuret 
with water, or more conveniently by boiling together sulphur and lime 
in the proportion of one pound of sulphur and two of lime to four 
gallons of water. Tobacco water also kills them, with or without the 
addition of Gishurst compound, but the difficulty is to reach the insects 
secluded as they are in the blossoms. In fact, not much can be done 
during the spring, and the time for the destruction of chermes is the 
winter. Those who are to be the parents of the new brood lodge within 
cracks of the bark, angles and ridges of twigs, and the like places of 
shelter, where, however, they may be reached and killed by copious 
syringing with a hot solution of softsoap. A little petroleum has been 
added, but it is not necessary. 
Stimulants for Plants — Guano and nitrate of soda 
would be more likely to retard than accelerate the flowering of seed¬ 
ling Zonal Pelargoniums and Fuchsias, that appear, as you say, to 
“make too much growth.” The former should be much root-bound, 
and stood in a hot sunny position in the open air, giving only sufficient 
water to prevent the leaves flagging. The stems will then get hard and 
flower buds form, when a weak liquid stimulant may be given. If you 
have plants from cuttings and the pots are filled with roots, a stimulant 
might be beneficial if the plants have abundance of air and sun. A 
quarter of an ounce each of the two manures named will be ample for 
a gallon of water, and we should commence with less rather than more, 
twice a week. The Fuchsia will probably flower if it is stood in a 
shaded position in the open air and not allowed to suffer by want of 
water. The finest specimens exhibited are grown outdoors from May 
till September. 
Frunuses (C.I .).—Your Prunuses will be too tall and loose for table 
decoration. After flowering they should be cut close back, leaving 
about two eyes of the previous season’s wood. VV'e advise you to cut 
them back now and push them into growth and thoroughly ripen their 
shoots indoors. Potting should be done after they have been cut back 
and have started into growth. If you wish to confine them to a certain 
sized pot they will bear the reduction of their roots by at least one- 
third, so that they can be conveniently placed in the same size again. 
It is a good plan to raise a few plants annually by inserting cuttings in 
sandy soil after the plants have flowered, covering them with a bell- 
glass, and placing them in brisk heat. The cuttings should be about 
3 inches in length, and slipped off with a sharp knife close to where they 
issue from the shoot of the previous year. Cuttings of Cytisus will root 
freely if inserted in autumn. Nearly all who grow for the market insert 
their cuttings towards autumn, and then they are ready for potting 
early in the year, and make good plants the first season. We shall 
always cheerfully answer any question you may send, in the hope that 
our replies will be useful. 
Feach Beaves Silvered (^Pericles ).—The leaves present the 
appearance of what is termed the “ silver leaf ” in Plums, and is 
caused by a separation of the skins. It is probably due to a deficiency 
of potassic and phosphatic matter in the soil, so that the sun acting 
on the tissues of the leaves heats the watery particles, but not to 
the extent of scorching the tissue, and causes the separation of 
the skins through a defective deposition of the chlorophyl—the green, 
resinous, granular colouring matter of plants. This, however, is 
not wanting in the leaves sent, and they are not more injured 
than often occurs through excessive fumigation. With a more adequate 
supply of the elements named and less watery matter the deposi¬ 
tion of chlorophyl will take place, and the leaves assume a better 
colour, though they may remain more or less glaucous. The leaves are 
thin in tissue, and the wood is long-jointed. The tree is advancing 
rapidly in the direction of gum and imperfect stoning, due to excessive 
but ill assimilated food. Let the leaves have more air and more space, 
so that they can perform their functions better, elaborating and 
assimilating the food. Storing it in the wood and buds gives colour in 
due course to foliage and fruit. 
Garden Self-supporting (5A J. A .).—^We see no reason why 
your proposed scheme of growing enough Tomatoes, in houses specially 
constructed for their culture, to pay all expenses connected with your 
small garden, should not answer well. Too often, when owners of 
property have conceived somewhat similiar ideas, they expect far too 
much from the conveniences for growing flowers and fruit, and in but 
few instances have the results been satisfactory. You are going to work 
in a far more sensible manner, the experience gained on the Channel 
Islands being especially valuable. What you say concerning the disad¬ 
vantages under which the enterprising growers in Jersey and Guernsey 
labour is quite correct, and any competent person in the southern counties 
of England ought to be able to compete successfully with them. They 
have a slight advantage in the geniality of the climate, but in all pro¬ 
bability the more humid atmosphere they may have to contend with is 
far more favourable to the spread of atmospherical diseases than is the 
case generally on the mainland. Your greatest difficulty will be in 
getting a suitable man, but as you offer fair remuneration many gardeners 
might be glad to be engaged. There is no necessity for you to withdraw 
from active work altogether, and perhaps at the outset your knowledge 
gained by observation elsewhere would be of the greatest value. We do 
not think the prices of Tomatoes will fall materially, or at all events 
