430 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER 
[ Mry if, 1887. 
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. 
LATE INQUIRIES.—It is necessary to again remind correspondents that 
letters arriving on WEDNESDAY MORNING cannot be answered 
in the “ next issue,” which is then far advanced for press. 
Stable Sewage (.4. A.) —Without an indication of the proportion of acid 
in the cesspool we are unable to give a categorical reply to your question. 
Pour some of the contents on grass, and wait a few days until the effect 
can be perceived; you will then know how to proceed with the remainder. 
Sowing Dahlia Seed Outdoors (IF. A. Walker). —Good Dahlia seed will 
germinate freely sown now in rather light soil in the open air, shaded with 
mats if needed for the retention of moisture in hot dry weather, removing 
the covering immediately the first seedling is visible. We should sow in 
rows 18 inches asunder, and thin out the seedlings to 6 inches apart, and 
good tubers would form by the autumn, from which, if preserved, strong 
flowering plants would issue next year. We have seen many single 
Dahlias raised in that way, and a few flower the same year in which the 
seed was sown ; and though most of them may be acceptable for decorative 
purposes, only a comparative few can be expected to equal in merit 
existing named varieties. 
Decorative Pelargoniums (E. F., Wimbledon). —Most of the sturdy 
floriferous plants sold in the London flower market in 5-inch pots were 
raised from cuttings inserted last year at this time or sooner. The reason 
there are no cuttings on your purchased plants to take is not difficult to 
explain. The growers simply took care of them before sending the plants 
to market, otherwise they might not have a sufficient number of equally 
good examples another year. If you examine the plants carefully you will 
probably be able to see that two or three cuttings have been taken from 
the lower part of the flowering stems, a few strong growths usually pushing 
from there when the plants are vigorous, and these sturdy flowerless 
shoots make the best cuttings and plants. 
Planting Seakale ( S. E. L.).— You have been rightly informed that 
portions of the roots of Seakale are planted in the London market gardens 
in May, and develope into strong crowns the same season for forcing 
towards the end of the year and onwards into the spring. But to accom¬ 
plish that the root cuttings are made in the autumn and packed in sandy 
soil, then buds form at the ends during the winter, and are as prominent 
as sprouts are on Potatoes at the time of planting in May. If cuttings 
were taken from the roots now and planted, there would not be time for 
strong crowns to form by the autumn. Seakale roots and crowns raised 
from cuttings are, as a rule, much better than those raised from seed, 
lienee this latter method is rarely followed by growers for “ the trade.” 
Watercress ( A Swedish Subscriber).— Tour best plan, we think, and 
certainly the cheapest, of raising a stock of Watercress will be to procure a 
packet of seed, which is obtainable from all the prominent seedsmen in 
this country. Sow it thinly in drills 6 inches apart, and an inch deep or 
less, in rich free soil in a damp shaded position in the open air, keeping 
the ground constantly moist, and you will soon have plenty of strong 
plants for inserting along the margins of your stream, or all over it if the 
water is low enough and there is a layer of mud at the bottom for the 
reception of the roots. We have seen the best of Watercress grown in rich 
wet soil on the north side of a wall out of the reach of the sun except for 
an hour or two in the morning and evening. Your stream being a little 
shaded will not on that account render it unsuitable for growing Water¬ 
cress, and we do not apprehend you will find any difficulty in accomplish¬ 
ing your object. 
Pelargonium Leaves Scorched {S. G. II., Catford ).—The condition of 
the plants is due to defective root-action—that is, the juices have escaped 
from them more quickly than moisture was imbibed, hence the scorching 
or drying-up of the foliage. The defect in root-action may have been 
caused by an excess of water saturating the soil, and causing the tips of 
the roots to decay; or, on the other hand, by an insufficiency, in which 
case they would shrivel. This, possibly, is the mistake that has been 
made, seeing that they remained fresh in the early part of the season. 
As to whether they needed repotting or not would depend on the state 
of the roots, but of this you may be certain—that when the roots work 
freely in good soil, and are judiciously watered, a genial atmosphere being 
at the same time maintained in the house, the health of the plants will 
be improved. It will be advisable to syringe them well on the afternoons 
of bright days, and admit air to the house very early in the morning. 
Vine Leaves Scorched (IF. B. Heatlifield ).—The condition of the 
leaves you have sent is not due to the attacks of any insects. The foliage 
is so thin and destitute of tissue that it has collapsed through the evapora¬ 
tion of moisture from it when the atmosphere of the house was very dry 
and the sun bright. Such leaves are almost certain to be injured on the 
first bright sunny day that follows a period of dull weather. Though we 
do not as a rule advocate the shading of Vines, it is better to throw a net 
on the glass or sprinkle it with whitewash applied with a syringe than 
allow the leaves to be injured like those before us. When fresh roots form 
in the better soil the leaves will be stouter and scorching cease uuder 
judicious management and ventilation. See our reply to a correspondent 
on page 387, and turn the information there given to your own account. 
AVe shall be glad to advise you at any time, and trust you will succeed in 
your undertaking. 
Thinning Potato Growths (M. Elder).—Vie have no doubt at all that 
two or three strong stems from a set give a better yield than would thrice 
that number of weak growths. The latter produce a greater number of 
tubers, but small and “ trashy ” in comparison with the others. When 
clusters of small stems have pushed from a set we have often thinned 
them with advant ige to the crop, leaving only two or three of the stronger, 
drawing out the weaker when an inch or two above ground, or when 
hoeing between the rows the first time as soon as the plants were fairly 
visible. If you have doubts as to the usefulness of thinning, they wiil 
perhaps be dispelled by a well-conducted experiment. What we consider 
superfluous growths are as easily drawn out as if they were weeds ; indeed, 
we consider them as su h, as they deprive the soil of fertility without 
giving an adequate return. When thinning of the growths is resorted to 
it cannot be done too soon, late action not being nearly so effectual, and it 
may be of little or no service. The fault then rests with the individual, 
though it may not perhaps be easy to convince him of the fact. 
Raising Violas and Pansies from Seed (E. T. HI).—There is not any 
great difference in the flowering; the Violas, if anything, flower earliest 
and continue longest. For spr ng flowering some of the best Pansies are 
Cliveden Purple, Cliveden Yellow, and Cliveden White. Of Violas which 
may be raised from seed are Lutea major, yellow; Perfection, purple ; and 
Snowflake, white. To insure strong plants for planting in autumn the seed 
should be sown about the first week in Ju'y> not later, and not more than a 
fortnight earlier. The most suitable compost is good mellow loam, with a 
third of leaf soil or a fifth of well-decayed manure incorporated, and a little 
sand. The ordinary soil of gardens answers well, it being in good heart 
from liberal manuring. The seeds may be sown in pans or boxes and placed 
in a frame, keeping them moist, close, and shaded until the seedlings 
appear, when they should be kept near to the glass, and have all the light 
possible, with plenty of air, behsg gradually inured to the open air. If 
sown in the open they will do just as well, only make the surface fine and 
keep the soil moist. When large enough to handle they should be pricked 
off in beds of good soil in the open ground in rows C inohes apart and 
3 inches asunder in the rows, shading until established, affording supplies 
of water as needful to keep them growing freely. From these beds the 
plants may be moved with balls to their flowering quarters in autumn. 
Chrysanthemums not Thriving (H. B. F .).—Curiously you give not 
the slightest intimation as to the quantity of cow manure you mixed with 
the loam, nor of its condition as to moisture. Air. Molyneux has described 
in our columns and in his book the compost he uses. We suspect you 
have used too much manure in a too wet state, and rammed it down too 
firmly, making it very like a puddle, and in all probability yon have given 
too much water since potting, thousands of plants being injured by amatsurs 
by saturating soil before the roots of plants take possession of it; indeed, 
they never do take full possession of a mortar-like mixture. Mr. Moly¬ 
neux does not use cow manure, as he considers it makes the soil too close ; 
and it is quite certain yours is both too close and too wet, since water is 
“four or five minutes passing through it.” It ought to pass through a 
7-inch pot in less than one minute. You had better let the plants get so 
dry as to show faint signs of flagging, then with great care remove the 
unsuitable soil and pot them quickly in a mixture of three parts fibry 
loam with loose particles shaken out, one part of leaf mould, one of horse 
manure so far dried and decayed that it can be crushed into small particles, 
adding sufficient sand and crushed charcoal to form a porous mass. Let 
the mixture be just damp enough for compression, and it may then be 
pressed down firmly. The leaves of the plants may he kept fresh by 
syringing them occasionally and shading for a day or two, then give a good 
watering through a fine-rosed can. Aftei'wards avoid saturating the soil 
needlessly, still take care the plants do not suffer by want of water. You 
have made a mistake, then seek a remedy instead of asking for advice 
before, and your plants must suffer to some extent accordingly, though 
with good attention on the lines indicated they ought to recover. 
Plant Pests in Soil (E. B. B.). —A careful examination his been made 
of the plants and soil, with the result that no larvae or grubs of flies have 
been discovered; but there are plenty of other pests, and you appear to 
have several enemies to contend with. There are certainly more mites 
present than could be there accidentally, the species being one of the 
genus Bhizoglyphus, allied to if not identical with the Eucharis mite. The 
difficulty of deciding upon the names of these Bhizoglyplis is considerable, 
requiring an investigation of all their stages. Then there is a beetle mite 
—an Hoplopus^larger, and presumably feeding Upon the lesser mite, as 
is their habit. These, however, are in small number. Also we find a 
lively Podura, one of the brethren of the “ springtails.” The pots con¬ 
tained besides several examples of a millipede, Julus pulchellus, in a 
juvenile stage. This, we apprehend is the creature which has puzzled 
you by its mode of rapidly vanishing, and has no doubt done harm, and is 
possibly the chief enemy in your case. In large numbers it is highly 
destructive to bulbs and the fleshy roots of various other plants. AVe have 
known a collection of 5000 English and Spanish Irises ruined by it, and 
more than twice that number of Hyacinths and other bulbs. It is more 
abundant in soil rich in humus or decaying vegetable matter and reten¬ 
tive of moisture than in soil of a drier nature. AVe should try the effect 
of burning the soil hsed fn potting, or heating it sufficiently for destroying 
all insect life. This will not injure the soil, but improve it, as you may 
find by experiment; of course it must be moistened before being used, and 
for this purpose you will find hot water better than cold, also practically 
free from animalculae. Burning the soil intended for Asparagus would 
also certainly improve it, and if you have not tried that method of pre¬ 
paration by all means do so. A very heavy liming we should expect 
would be of service to the garden generally, using it fresh at the rate of 
150 bushels per acre. Gas lime applied to vacant land in the autumn at 
the rate of 40 bushels per acre is also worth trying. 
Names of Fruits.—The names and addresses of senders of fruit to be 
named must in all cases be enclosed with the specimens, whether letters 
referring to the fruit are sent] by post or not. The names are not neces¬ 
sarily required for publication, initals sufficing for that. Only six speci¬ 
mens can be named at once, and beyond that number cannot be preserved. 
•—1, Flower of Kent. 5, Buff-coat. 6, Downton Pippin. 7, Duchess’ 
Favoui’ite. The others not known. The sender of the Apples will recog¬ 
nise this reply. No letter accompanied the fruit. Non-compliance witli 
our request on that point leads to confusion. 
Names of Plants.—AVe only undertake to name species of plants, not 
varieties that have originated from seed and termed florists’ flowers. 
