THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COrNTKY GENTLEMAN, Februart 23, 1S5S. 
course, I meant resting from fruit —not from arotrth. But 
now, one word more about the * rest.’ Will it answer to rest 
the Vines out of doors, up to a sheltered south wall, with the 
pots plunged, and protected from rain when desirable F 
“1 most entirely agree with what you say in your last 
number as to the excellence of the ‘ true old Egyptian Green ■ 
fleshed but where is it to be found ? It was in these 
gardens for thirty years, when a gardener came who would 
have something better. The end of it was, that the true old 
Egyptian was lost, and we have never had a really good 
Melon from that day to this. I have tried again and again 
to obtain the old sort , but in vain."—M • C. 
[Keeping in view what was formerly stated, and that rest¬ 
ing means resting from fruit, and not from growth, then our 
answer as to resting such 'S ines against a south wall will be 
modified according to the time you wish to fruit these 1 ines. 
For instance, Viues, in favourable positions, ripen their rods 
against walls, and fruit on tnese rods the following year ; and 
there is no reason why the same thing should not take place 
on the shoot from a Fine-pot plunged against the wall, and 
especially if protected from heavy and cold rains in the autumn. 
But sucti a Vine it would be desirable not to place in a pit, 
or house for forcing, until February or March, or until the buds 
began to swell naturally. If it were desirable to start these 
Vines before or about Christmas, then it would also be de¬ 
sirable that the pots should be started by Cliristmas, and the 
shoots encouraged to grow freely until fully the middle of 
August, when a dull day should be chosen for setting the 
plants out of doors against a south wall; shading them there 
a little for a few days in very bright weather, and then letting 
them have all the sun possible, and just as much water as 
would prevent them flagging ; giving no water at ail, if pos¬ 
sible, after the middle of September; and if the leaves were 
getting yellow, removing them to a north wall by the middle 
of October, and getting them in a dark and cool position by 
the end of the month. Where house-room was an object, 
such plants might be taken out of the house by the middle of 
July. The earlier they are set a growing, the earlier will they 
force well, if due attention has been given. 
Doctors differ, and why should not gardeners ? The 
Egyptian was a good, not in our opinion the very best. Melon. 
We do not know where it could be got true. Melons so 
soon miv. We grew it long, and, until lately, grew a modi¬ 
fication of it a very little larger, but a splendid Melon when 
got in its prime. Both it and the Egyptian had this fault 
with us that, just as the fruits were ripening, the plants would 
go off all at once without any assignable cause; so that, 
though all the fruit that were about ripe were very good, 
those just changing colour, or not so forward, were little 
better than Turnips. We have kept them fresh to the last 
by watering, Ac.; but a Melon ripened in a moist atmosphere 
is seldom worth much. Hence our frequent advice to water 
Melons, as they approach maturity, at the bottom of their 
roots, and to keep the surface-soil dry. Even with this 
attention, however, we found these small Melons peculiarly 
liable to the complaint alluded to above, though we must 
own we have had heavy crops without the mischief appear¬ 
ing. A very nice little Melon was sent out some time ago 
by the Horticultural Society, called the Mesulapatam, or 
something like that. Mr. Fleming’s hybrids are generally 
fine-flavoured, but rather too Pumpkin or Vegetable Marrow¬ 
looking. The Victor of Bath is a good Melon, but with the 
long Vegetable Marrow shape. The Bromham ELall y the 
Beech u:ood , the Golden Ball , and many of the Persians are 
most delicious when well ripened under a bright sun, and a 
dry atmosphere. Kinds like the Egyptian are very useful for 
small families; as, being small, many are produced in little 
space.} 
FILLING NAIL HOLES IN OLD WALLS—WASH 
FOR THE TREES ON IHEM. 
“ Will you inform me what is a good wash for old walls, 
full of nail holes. I have upwards of 7000 feet, superficial, of 
brick-wall, which is very old, and from being nailed to for a 
century or more, is very full of holes, which I have been told is 
the cause of the trees being so infested with blight. The 
trees consist of Apricots, Peaches, Nectarines, Figs, and 
Pears. Now, I want a wash that will not injure the tree*, 
but kill the larva deposited in the wall, and in the rough 
bark of the trees; and I want it to look of a brown or 
brick colour, so as not- to look diflerent from what it doe* 
now.”—A. B. 
[Our experience will not thoroughly meet yotir case; but 
periiaps some correspondent, or friend, may be able to do so. 
In such a case, we know of an instance of a wall being washed 
with Stockholm tar; but it had to be done as soon as 
the leaves were falling; and some of the trees vegetated, in 
spring, before the deleterious smell was completely gone. 
We have washed the walls with a thick solution of sifted 
lime and sharp sand, which filled up the holes, and was 
too hot even for the larva. To give this a dark appear¬ 
ance, we have used a portion of day paint along with it. If, 
when thoroughly dry, the wall was well scrubbed with a 
hard broom,}he loose matter would be pretty well rubbed 
oft' the wall, while the holes remained fully well. covered. 
If the holes are chiefly in the mortar, we know of no better 
mode of making a sound good wall than picking out a little 
mortar all the way, and then filling it with a lime cement, 
formed of sifted quicklime, and fine washed gritty clear sand, 
and a little lampblack to colour, and beat up into a thick 
paste, with as little water as possible. The success of this slight 
pointing depends, after getting the right material, upon the 
elbow grease , with which it is well beat together with but little 
water, and the dexterity and rapidity with which it is applied 
to the joints of the walk If well done, the joints of an old 
wall will be made firmer than the bricks. You could also use 
a water colour of the colour vou like, but it would not be 
lasting. If you did not mind the brick colour, you might wash 
it with the lime and sand—brush as aforesaid—then colour all 
over with lithe wash, and in a week or so, when thoroughly 
drv, give it a coat all over with anticorrosive and oil. This 
latter mode would look well for several years, and then it 
would begin to peel a little. But after being coloured with 
t hin lime wash, it would not take so much oil as you would 
imagine to mix up the anticorrosive. 
Y ou could not do better than paint all your old steins of 
trees over with a paint of clay, made up with weak tobacco 
water, and a little flowers of sulphur. \S e have great faith in 
fine clay paint alone, thin enough to run into every cr ann y. 
Keep the larva from air, and they will give us little trouble. 
If you did not like the colour of the clay paint, you might 
add some soot, or lime, to get the colour you like best.} 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
Advertisement (T. J3i, Edgbaston ). — Your advertisement -was 
charged three shillings and sixpence. If Mr. Granger made vou pay 
more, we had nothing to do with the overcharge. 
Gardener's Place ns France [ M . X . E. . — We cannot assist you. 
Our correspondent, who is a young man. and a proficient in gardening, 
wishes to obtain employment in a French Nursery. Can any of our 
readers help him to attain his object! 
Erica hyemalis—Cleaning Pots [A Constant Correspondent). — 
When done flowering, cut oil all the flower-stalks, and prune away a 
good portion of the wood of last year. Let it stand for a fortnight or 
so after that in the greenhouse, to rest itself, as it were; and if then 
you can keep it closer and warmer, to set it growing afresh, it will be 
all in its favour. When the fresh shoots are an inch or two in length, 
repot, if it requires, and keep close and warm again, say from 50 3 to 
55°, if convenient, until roots are getting into the fresh soil, when 
more air must be given, • in order that the shoots may be hardy and 
robust. We can hardly judge what is the matter with your flower¬ 
pots. It would be advisable not to use them but for the commonest 
purposes. If they have become saturated with sulphur, or any salt, it 
is liEely to come out as an efflorescence. Even if pots have come in 
contact with strong liquid manures, we like to steep them for some 
days in clean water, and scrub them well before using. You might 
place your pots in lime and soap water, and then rinse them well after¬ 
wards. 
Failvre of Sea-kale — Draining Vine Borders {An Old Sub¬ 
scriber ).—We can hardly tell you the reason of the failure, without 
knowing more of your practices. If your old plants had large, well- 
developed buds when you took them up, they ought to have yielded 
large heads. If your plants had a great number of small buds, instead 
of a few prominent ones, no taking up and forcing would give you large, 
stumpy heads. The same rule will hold good as respects your young 
plantation. Many grow even Sea-kale, so as to have small Leads, 
because they never trouble themselves with thinning out an extra 
number of small shoots, so as to concentrate the strength of the plant 
into a few shoots. We have had fair heads from plants sown in March, 
but that is rather young. The next thin g to be considered, is your 
mode of forcing. Ail forcing should be gradual. If not well versed 
