56 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
.Tanuar}'  20,  1898. 
Coating  the  Peas  in  red  lead  before  sowing  may  in  some  cases  prevent 
mice  from  interfering  with  them,  but  it  does  not  always  do  so.  The 
only  safe  plan  is  to  set  traps  and  catch  them.  I  have  tried  many 
plans  for  keeping  birds  at  bay,  and  the  most  effectual  one  I  have  yet 
discovered  is  to  fasten  several  lines  of  black  cotton  over  each  row,  a  lew 
inches  above  the  soil.  The  black  cotton  seems  to  answer  better  than  white, 
as  birds  do  not  appear  to  notice  it  till  their  wings  became  entangled, 
then  they  are  quickly  fi'ightened  away.  Strips  of  red  cloth  tie  i  to 
sticks  or  strings  a  few  feet  above  the  soil  scare  the  majority  of  birds 
for  a  time. 
As  soon  as  the  young  Peas  are  an  inch  above  the  ground  1  like  to 
earth  and  stake,  but  I  think  early  crops  are  not  benefited  by  being 
mulched,  as  it  helps  to  keep  the  soil  cool  at  a  time  when  it  often 
needs  warming.  Without  the  mulch  the  hoe  can  be  kept  going  close 
up  to  the  plants,  so  that  the  warm  air  carrying  both  heat  and  nitrogen 
may  be  forced  into  the  loosened  soil,  causing  the  roots  to  grow  apace, 
and  the  living  organisms  (which  the  lumps  on  roots  contain)  to  extract 
the  nitrogen,  and  form  it  into  such  compounds  as  all  leguminous 
plants  can  absorb. — II.  1>. 
GLOXINIAS. 
Early  sowing  of  the  seeds  of  Gloxinias  will  result  in  securing 
specimens  that  will  bloom  freely  the  first  season.  This  is  a  distinct 
advantage,  for  the  whole  of  the  plants  from  a  sowing  may  be  flowered, 
retaining  the  best,  and  throwing  away  varieties  that  are  inferior.  If 
the  best  seed  only  is  obtained  there  will  be  few  of  the  latter.  Any 
seedlings,  however,  which  do  not  flower  the  first  season  should  be 
kept  growing  in  a  suitable  temperature,  when  they  will  flower  early 
in  spring,  and  perhaps  give  blooms  of  more  than  ordinary  quality,  for 
it  is  not  always  the  seedlings  that  grow  the  quickest  that  are  the  best. 
Hence  it  is  that  every  seedling  should  be  cultivated  to  at  least  the 
flowering  stage,  whether  that  happen  the  first  year  or  the  second. 
As  the  present  is  a  suitable  time  to  sow  seeds  of  Gloxinias,  a  few 
details  of  the  operation  may  be  acceptable  to  those  who  have  at 
command  a  temperature  of  70°  to  75°.  A  propagating  frame  in  a 
plant  stove  is  the  most  suitable  position.  Hot-water  pipes  should  run 
under  the  frame,  and  moisture  may  be  maintained  in  it  by  a  good  depth 
of  fresh  cocoa-nut  fibre  refuse.  Heat  and  moisture  are  indispensable 
to  the  germination  of  the  seed,  as  well  as  to  carry  on  subsequently  a 
steady  and  progressive  growth. 
The  preparation  of  the  compost  and  the  recept.acles  for  sowing  in 
are  important.  Six-inch  pots  or  wide  shallow  pans  may  be  employed. 
They  must  be  clean  and  dry,  though  if  new  they  will  be  of  such  a 
porous  character  that  moisture  from  the  soil  will  be  freely  abstracted 
to  the  detriment  of  the  seedlings,  ])robably  at  a  critical  stage  of 
their  existence.  To  avoid  this  soak  the  pots  or  pans,  that  have  never 
been  used,  in  water  for  some  hours,  ami  after  they  are  properly  dry  on 
the  surface,  inside  and  out,  they  are  ready  for  use.  Fill  them  about 
one-third  with  clean  potsherds,  the  largest  pieces  at  the  bottom,  the 
smallest  on  the  top,  covering  the  whole  with  a  layer  of  damp  sphagnum 
moss  or  fibre  from  the  compost. 
Fibrous  peat  and  leaf  soil  in  equal  paits,  with  a  little  loam,  plenty 
of  silver  sand,  and  a  portion  of  finely  broken  charcoal,  form  a  porous 
and  suitable  mixture.  See  that  the  whole  is  properly  moist,  which 
consists  in  being  neither  wet  nor  dry.  Place  in  the  pot  or  pans, 
pressing  down  fairly  firm  to  within  an  inch  of  the  rim,  making  quite 
level  on  the  surface.  Give  a  gentle  watering  with  warm  water  through 
a  line-rosed  can.  When  drained  the  seed  may  be  sown,  scattering 
thinly  on  the  surface,  just  whitening  it  with  fine  sand.  Great  care 
must  be  exercised,  as  tlie  seed  is  very  small.  It  is  not  absolutedy 
essential  to  cover  the  seed,  though  if  it  is  done  a  mere  dusting  with 
soil  or  sand  through  a  hair  sieve  will  suffice. 
Plunge  the  pots  or  pans  to  half  their  depth  in  the  moist  fibre. 
Cover  with  a  pane  of  glass,  and  darken  with  moss  or  paper  until  the 
seed  germinates.  Then  remove  and  admit  air  gradually.  Let  the 
seedlings  have  all  the  light  possible,  but  maintain  a  regular  brisk 
temperature  and  adequate  humidity.  As  the  seedlings  advance  in 
size  they  will  require  increased  light  and  air.  The  general  tempera¬ 
ture  and  atmosphere  of  the  stove  will  by  this  time  have  become 
suitable,  and  the  pots  or  pans  may  be  accommodated  on  a  shelf  near 
the  glass  in  the  warmest  part  of  the  structure.  Shade  when  necessary 
from  bright  sunshine.  Water  must  be  given  of  the  same  tem¬ 
perature  as  the  house,  or  a  little  warmer,  by  placing  the  pots  or  pans 
in  the  water  so  that  moisture  may  percolate  upwards  by  capillary 
action,  'fhe  seed  pots,  however,  should  be  taken  out  of  the  vessel 
of  water  as  soon  as  the  first  signs  of  moisture  appear  through  the 
surface. 
Transplanting  of  the  seedlings  may  be  commenced  when  the  most 
forward  have  attained  a  sufficient  size.  This  is  easily  effected  by 
means  of  a  small  flat  stick,  notched  at  the  point,  so  that  the  little 
plants  can  be  readily  lifted  without  injury,  and  transferred  to  the 
surface  of  prepared  compost  in  other  pots  or  pans,  about  an  inch  apart. 
Water  but  lightly,  and  keep  rather  closer  and  shaded  for  a  short  time, 
then  assign  the  plants  a  warm  position  near  the  glass.  The 
next  move  must  be  to  3-inch  pots,  and  after  that  to  5-inch  pots,  in 
which  the  plants  will  grow  to  a  good  size,  having  large  leaves  and  a 
quantity  of  flowers.  When  in  flower  in  summer  the  plants  do  well  in 
an  ordinary  greenhouse.  The  compost  for  the  final  pottings  may 
consist  of  equal  parts  loam,  peat,  and  leaf  soil,  with  a  little  decayed 
cow  manure,  sand,  and  charcoal. — E.  H.  S. 
DISCURSIVE  NOTES  AND  QUESTIONS. 
Ten  Minutes’  JottinCtS. 
% 
( icCASlONS  may  often  arise  for  penning  short  notes  of  an  instructive, 
suggestive,  or  inquiring  character  on  diBerent  subjects  when  anything 
like  a  lengthy  article  could  not  be  written  on  a  particular  subject.  More¬ 
over,  1  am  inclined  to  think  that  a  series  of  variety  notes  may  not  be  less 
interesting,  while  easier  to  produce,  than  an  elaborate  essay.  A  few 
useful  points  of  practice  may  be  embodied  in  a  few  lines  ;  questions  may 
elicit  information,  and  suggestions  are  never  lost  when  recorded.  I  send 
a  trio  of  ten  minutes’ jottings  :  — 
Cineraria  Pests. 
I  should  be  glad  to  know  if  there  is  a  more  radical  cure  for  the  ravages 
of  the  “  leaf  miner  ”  or  larvae  of  the  Celery  fly  (Tejihritis  onopordinis) 
than  by  hand  manipulation.  For  some  years  I  was  luckily  free  from  the 
pest,  but  recently  it  has  been  most  troublesome,  completely  spoiling  the 
ap])earance  of  Cinerarias  by  the  mole-like  burrowing  in  the  leaves.  I 
should  like  more  testimony  to  convince  me  that  plants  unfed  by  artificial 
manures  are  the  more  severely  attacked.  I  have  noticed  this  on  more 
than  one  occasion,  and  it  leads  me  to  think  that  the  larvae  are  not  so 
partial  to  the  tissues  highly  impregnated  by  the  constant  use  of  organic 
manure.  Might  we  not  anticipate  in  the  future  that  by  the  skill  of  some 
experimentalist  a  chemical  combination  will  be  produced  that,  while 
acting  as  a  manure,  would  fortify  the  plants  against  this  destructive 
leaf  miner  ?  Singularly  enough  my  next-door  neighbour  is  never  troubled 
with  the  pest,  while  I  am  much  pestered,  the  plants  in  each  case  being 
grown  under  apparently  the  same  conditions.  Who  can  solve  the 
problem  / 
Squirrels  versus  Walnuts. 
Having  several  lai’ge  Walnut  trees  within  easy  distance  of  the  shrub¬ 
beries  and  flower  beds,  and  seeing  occasionally  at  this  time  of  the  year 
the  squirrels  making  various  excursions  thither,  led  me  to  watch  their 
movements.  After  sundry  scratchings  in  different  parts  of  the  beds  they 
would  find  their  hoard  and  make  off  to  a  neighbouring  tree  to  enjoy  their 
meal.  Two  things  struck  me  as  worthy  of  emulation,  and  as  lessons 
which  we  ourselves  might  benefit  by  in  our  walk  through  life  ;  first,  the 
industry  of  these  nimble-footed  creatures.  When  their  harvest  is  ready 
they  are  not  allowed  to  be  disturbed  here,  so  that  quite  an  army  of  them 
congregate.  Silently,  and  with  surprising  quickness,  do  they  collect  the 
nuts  one  by  one,  and  disappear  for  a  few  moments,  returning  again  and 
again  until  all  were  “  gathered  in.”  I  have  come  to  the  conclusion  that  these 
wise  creatures  bury  their  spoil  singly  in  most  cases  in  the  ground.  But 
why  singly  ?  Because  of  enemies,  which  if  the  nuts  were  stored  in  one 
heap  might  find  their  storehouse  and  empty  it- a  circumstance  which 
could  not  happen  in  the  former  instance.  Are  the  squirrels  guided  by 
smell  or  instinct  in  finding  the  solitary  nuts  ?  They  do  not  seem  to  know 
the  exact  whereabouts  of  their  hoard  right  away.  One  can  understand 
the  labour  and  exertion  necessary  to  enable  them  to  so  store  away  their 
winter  sustenance  so  securely.  When  in  the  heyday  of  abundance  of 
good  thing.®  there  is  no  undue  feasting  and  merrymaking,  but  one  and  all 
seem  bent  on  securing  as  good  a  store  as  possible,  putting  by  for  the 
rainy  day  so  sure  to  come.  An  all-wise  Providence  gives  to  these  lowly 
animals  the  instinct  to  provide  for  their  future  well-being  ;  surely  it 
behoves  all  of  us  to  imitate  it  in  as  large  a  measure  as  our  means  allow, 
bearing  in  mind  the  old  maxim,  “Heaven  helps  those  who  help 
themselves.” 
Flued  Garden  Walls. 
It  would  be  interesting  to  know  whether  there  are  still  any  of  these 
now  generally  obsolete  arrangements  in  use  at  the  present  time.  They 
were  in  full  swing  here  over  forty  years  ago,  but  now  only  the  double 
fire  hole  doors  remain  as  outward  evidence  of  the  practice  at  that  period. 
The  oldest  men  can  refer  to  the  time  when  over  each  of  these  flue  doors, 
which  are  situated  about  20  yards  apart,  were  roofs,  and  these,  with 
the  chimney  pots  on  the  walls,  would,  I  imagine,  give  one  the  idea  of  a 
fort  garrisoned  with  soldiers  on  the  look-out  for  an  enemy,  rather  than 
merely  an  artificially  heated  fruit  wall.  We  still  have  in  use  a  few  of  the 
blind  poles,  also  some  of  the  oak  slabs,  fashioned  like  a  capital  L,  for 
gripping  the  3  feet  3-inch  wide  coping  stones,  with  a  pulley  at  one  end 
for  the  cords  to  go  through,  to  draw  the  blinds  up  or  down. .  The  flues 
are  made  oblique  or  slanting.  I  should  think  the  wall  in  the  line  of  the 
flue  would  be  very  warm  as  compared  with  that  part  more  isolated. 
It  is  difficult  to  see  the  utility  of  all  this  expense,  with  the  attendant  cost 
of  firing.  I  believe  there  were  fourteen  double  sets  at  work  here  in  their 
owner.  Sir  Robert  Heron’s  time.  Are  there  gardeners  still  alive  who 
can  give  us  their  personal  exjieriences  of  the  working  of  these  ancient 
flues  in  garden  walls  1 — Geo.  Dyke,  Stuhtm  Gardens,  Newark. 
