174 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AN!)  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
February  20,  1896. 
•#°  All  correspondence  should  be  directed  either  to  “  The 
Editor  ’’  or  to  “  The  Publisher.’'  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,  ae  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  communications. 
Sprayers  and  Powder  Distributors  («7.  B.). — Both  the  kinds 
you  mention  are  as  good  as  we  have  seen.  Vermorel’s  knapsack  pump 
L’Eclair  has  given  widespread  satisfaction  ;  it  has  been  advertised  in 
our  columns  by  Messrs.  Charles  Clarke  &  Co.,  20,  Great  St.  Helens, 
London,  E  C.  The  Torpille  powder  distributor  also  answers  its  purpose 
well.  It  is  obtainable  from  the  same  firm,  who  will  send  you  all 
particulars  on  application.  We  are  glad  that  as  a  “  new  subscriber  ” 
you  “like  the  matter  the  ‘Journal’  contains;”  all  new  subscribers  do, 
as  well  as  old  ones,  and  we  are  always  ready  to  be  of  service  to 
both  when  we  can. 
lawn  Mixture  of  Grass  Seeds  (.7.  C.  C.~) — You  will  reauire 
20  lbs.  of  finest  lawn  tennis  mixture  of  grass  seeds  to  form  a  good  close 
turf  quickly,  and  it  ought  to  be  procured  from  a  reliable  seedsman,  inform¬ 
ing  him  of  the  nature  of  your  soil,  so  that  a  suitable  mixture  may  be 
prepared.  It  will  cost  a  little  more  than  a  haphazard  mixture,  but  will 
be  much  more  satisfactory  and  cheaper  in  the  end.  Poa  annua  is  an 
annual  weed  grass,  common  on  walks  and  yards,  and  of  small  use  for  a 
lawn  tennis  ground.  The  15th  of  March  is  much  too  soon  to  sow  lawn 
grass  seeds,  it  being  better  to  defer  sowing  until  the  close  of  that  month 
or  beginning  of  April,  taking  care  to  have  the  soil  in  good  tilth,  choosing 
a  calm  day  for  sowing  with  an  early  prospect  of  rain. 
Tallowing-  land  for  Apple  Trees  (J2.  E.  II.). — The  ground  to 
be  planted  next  autumn  with  pyramid  Apple  trees  would  not  profit  by 
lying  after  draining  and  trenching,  but  it  would  do  so  immensely  if 
you  were  to  push  forward  the  draining  and  trenching,  so  as  to  be  able 
to  take  a  crop  of  Potatoes,  manuring  it  with  10  tons  of  good  farmyard 
manure,  supplemented  by  2  c wt.  of  kainit,  and  3  cwt.  of  basic  cinder  phos¬ 
phate  mixed.  The  cultura  operations  needed  for  the  Potato  crop  would 
insure  cleanliness  and  amelioration  of  the  brought  up  stubborn  material, 
and  secure  a  condition  and  enrichment  compatible  with  the  requirements 
of  Apple  trees,  while  the  Potato  crop  would  pay  for  all  the  expense 
incurred  for  it.  If  the  land  be  foul,  then  it  may  be  desirable  to  keep 
it  in  fallow  during  the  summer,  exposing  it  roughly,  and  working  so 
as  to  secure  thorough  cleanliness  and  good  condition.  It  will  not, 
however,  gain  anything  during  the  summer  unless  the  weather  be  dry, 
but  if  wet  it  will  lose  considerably,  as  instead  of  the  nitrates  being 
increased,  they  will  be  washed  out  in  proportion  to  the  rain. 
Covering  Vine  Border  in  the  Winter  ( Anxiovs ). — The  outside 
border,  and  we  presume  the  only  one,  as  the  Vines  are  probably  about 
thirty  years  old,  does  not  need  covering  with  manure  all  the  winter. 
It  suffices  if  the  stems,  which  we  assume  are  partly  outside,  be  properly 
protected  with  haybauds  or  other  material,  and  the  large  roots  near  the 
collar  are  mulched  with  a  few  inches  thickness  of  partially  decayed 
manure,  or  even  with  compost,  as  it  is  not  the  freezing  so  much  as  the 
sudden  thawing  that,  causes  the  mischief.  With  those  precautions  the 
border  may  remain  bare  through  the  winter  without  prejudice  or  injury 
to  the  roots.  Vines  are  not  natives  of  countries  where  frost  is  nearly 
so  severe,  nor  the  rainfall  so  abundant  as  here.  Some,  however,  think 
exposure  beneficial,  and  only  cover  their  borders  with  a  light  mulch  in 
summer  as  an  encouiagement  of  the  surface  roots,  and  for  securing  more 
uniform  moisture  »b  well  as  some  nourishment.  These  remarks  apply  to 
mid-season  Vines,  which  do  not,  as  a  rule,  start  info  growth  before  March, 
and  the  Grapes  ripen  in  August.  When  the  Vines  are  forced  much 
earlier  it  is  usual  and  advisable  to  cover  the  border  with  sufficient  protec¬ 
tive  material  to  exclude  frost,  for  it  is  certain  the  roots  cannot  transmit 
the  water  they  absorb  from  the  soil  when  they  are  frozen,  and  in  that 
case  the  Vines  if  in  growth  will  evaporate  what  water  they  contain,  and 
flag  in  consequence  of  an  inadequate  supply.  This  sometimes  causes 
loss  of  crop.  It  is  a  question,  therefore,  of  circumstances.  In  your 
caBe  we  should  remove  all  the  manure  except  2  or  3  inches  of  a  some¬ 
what  lumpy  nature.  The  air  will  then  have  a  chance  of  oxidising  the 
soil,  and  that  means  sweetening,  while  rain  will  enter  freely  and  cleanse 
it  from  impurities,  sour  material  being  displaced  by  nitrified  and 
ammoniated  ;  at  the  same  time  see  that  the  stems,  if  outside,  are 
properly  protected,  as  well  as  the  large  roots,  from  frost. 
“The  Cultivated  Rose”  (  W.  J.  P.). — You  ask  if  our  indigenous 
species  of  Roses  have  plaved  any  part,  selective  or  otherwise,  in  the 
origin  of  the  “  cultivated  Rose,”  and  also  intimate  that  you  would  read 
with  pleasure  a  detailed  account  of  the  matter.  We  shall  be  glad  if  any 
experts  can  supply  something  of  what  you  wish  to  know.  The  History 
of  the  Rose,  in  Mr.  William  Paul’s  great  work,  the  “  Rose  Garden,'” 
would  interest  you.  He  tells  us  there  that  the  French  Rose,  Rosa 
gallica,  crossed  with  the  Chinese  Rose  produced  the  Hybrid  Chinese  ; 
the  latter  again  crossed  with  the  Bourbon  and  Damask  Perpetual 
produced  the  Hybrid  Perpetual.  A  great  deal  might  be  said  on  the 
subject  by  those  in  sympathy  with  it,  and  who  may  also  have  time  and 
opportunities  for  research. 
Applying  Chemical  Manure  to  Vines  (IF.  6.'). — The  best  time 
to  apply  fertilisers  of  a  quick-acting  nature  is  when  the  Vines  are 
commencing  to  grow,  and  those  of  a  slow  nature  in  the  autumn.  Bone 
meal  is  a  slow  acting  substance,  but  steamed  or  boiled  is  quicker  and 
much  poorer  in  nitrogen  than  that  from  raw  bones.  The  bone  meal  you 
have  will  be  useful  applied  now,  using  4  ozs.  to  £  lb.  per  square  yard, 
and  pointing  in  moderately,  supplying  phosphoric  acid  and  some 
ammonia.  This  may  be  followed  when  the  Vines  are  commencing  to 
grow  with  nitrate  of  soda  crushed  fine  and  mixed  with  two  or  three  parts 
of  finely  Bifted  earth  or  thoroughly  decayed  manure,  using  1  oz.  of  nitrate 
of  soda  per  square  yard,  repeating  when  the  Grapes  are  set,  when  half 
grown  and  after  stoning.  Those  will  do  some  good  if  there  is  plenty  of 
potash  in  the  soil,  but  the  better  plan  is  to  add  some  to  the  bone  meal, 
say  two  parts  bone  meal  and  one  part  sulphate  of  potash,  using  the 
amount  of  the  mixture  as  of  bone  meal  alone,  afterwards  using  the  nitratj 
of  soda  as  before  named.  This  will  enable  you  to  utilise  the  materials 
at  command,  which  is  usually  more  appreciated  by  the  proprietor,  and 
always  better  for  the  man. 
Chemical  Manure  for  Peaty  Soil — Mineral  and  Bone 
Superphosphates  (Z7.).  —  Mineral  superphosphates  vary  in  per¬ 
centage  of  soluble  phosphate,  according  to  the  source  from  which  they 
are  made.  The  usual  quality  contains  from  25  to  27  per  cent,  of 
phosphate  rendered  soluble,  but  higher  qualities  can  be  obtained. 
On  most  soils  containing  a  sufficiency  of  lime,  these  mineral  superphos¬ 
phates  are  the  most  certain  and  economical  form  in  which  phosphoric 
acid  can  be  applied,  especially  on  clayey  land  and  in  late  growing 
districts.  They  do  not  contain  any  nitrogen,  consequently  are  not  as 
valuable  as  bone  superphosphates,  which  in  that  of  dissolved  raw  bones 
(pure)  contain  2'86  nitrogen,  equal  to  3  47  of  ammonia,  while  that 
from  dissolved,  steamed,  or  boiled  bones  is  nitrogen  170,  equal  to 
ammonia  2-18  per  cent.  Bone  superphosphates  are,  therefore,  higher 
in  price  and  better  value  for  your  purpose  than  mineral  superphosphates. 
The  mixture  given  on  page  130,  February  6th,  is  not  generally  suitable 
for  plants  in  pots,  but  it  answers  for  the  quick  growing  softwooded 
plants  when  the  roots  are  not  on  the  surface,  and  it  is  kept,  from  the 
foliage.  A  better  mixture  is  composed  of  three  parts  superphosphate, 
one  and  a  half  part  powdered  saltpetre,  and  one  and  a  half  part 
powdered  sulphate  of  ammonia,  mixed,  using  au  ounce  to  half  a  dozen 
6-inch  pots,  or  in  liquid  form  half  ounce  to  a  gallon  of  water. 
Making  Mushroom  Spawn  (IF,). — We  cannot  give  you  a  better 
reply  than  that  we  gave  to  a  New  Zealand  correspondent  some  little 
time  ago.  “  Mushrooms  for  the  Million  ”  does  not  describe  the  making 
of  spawn.  It  is  written  for  the  guidance  of  the  inexperienced  in  grow¬ 
ing  Mushroons,  and  in  the  hope  that  they  may  succeed  in  their  object. 
There  would  be  ten  times  more  failures  than  now  if  beginners  were  to 
commence  with  making  the  spawn.  It  would  no  more  answer  to  do  so 
than  for  every  builder  of  a  house  to  make  his  own  bricks.  Moreover,  as 
has  been  stated  in  the  Journal  of  Horticulture,  there  are  some  things 
which  cannot  very  well  be  taught  on  paper — making  a  watch,  for 
instance — but  can  only  be  learned  by  experience.  It  is  much  the  same 
in  respect  to  making  Mushroom  bricks.  General  lines  of  guidance  may 
be  laid  down,  and  with  perseverance,  and  possibly  sundry  failures,  a 
few  persons  who  follow  them  may  succeed  in  their  object.  No  better 
time  for  making  the  spawn  can  be  selected  than  the  end  of  August  or 
the  beginning  of  September  in  England.  Take,  as  materials,  a  barrow- 
load  of  cowdung,  rather  stiff,  and  two  barrowloads  of  horse  droppings, 
with  a  little  short  Btraw  with  them,  and  half  a  barrowload  of  fibry 
loam.  Mix  these  into  a  stiff  mortar-like  substance  until  well  incor¬ 
porated  and  the  mixture  looks  like  grafting-clay.  Then  make  a  frame 
of  wood,  say  half-inch  boards,  and  in  four  pieces — that  is,  two  sides  and 
two  ends — enclosing  a  space  of  9  inches  long,  4^  inches  wide,  aud  H  inch 
deep.  Then  obtain  a  flat  clean  board  and  a  bucket  of  water,  dip  the 
frame  in  the  water,  place  it  on  your  board,  fill  it  with  the  prepared 
material,  strike  level  with  spade  or  trowel,  and  turn  out  the  bricks, 
placing  them  on  edge  on  the  boards  to  dry.  In  two  or  three  days,  if 
fine,  make  two  holes  in  the  bricks,  but  not  going  through — say  about  an 
inch  in  diameter — turn  the  bricks  until  they  are  tolerably  dry,  then  into 
each  hole  push  a  piece  of  good  spawn,  and  draw  a  little  cowdung  on  clay 
over  it  to  prevent  its  falling  out.  Next  make  up  a  slight  hotbed  of 
litter,  on  which  build  these  bricks  on  edge  in  piles,  in  open  honeycomb 
or  pigeon-hole  fashion,  and  cover  over  with  litter,  so  that  these  spawned 
bricks  shall  have  a  temperature  of  from  80°  to  85°,  and  not  more.  As 
the  spawn  runs,  the  bricks  must  be  examined,  and,  as  soon  as  they  are 
filled  with  the  gossamer-like  white  spawn  threads,  removed,  and  kept  in 
a  dry  place  until  wanted  for  use.  Some  bricks  or  pieces  will  be  ready 
to  remove  before  others.  Such  is  the  method  of  procedure,  and  we  trust 
you  may  be  able  to  exercise  the  judgment  that  is  requisite  in  carrying  it 
out  to  achieve  success. 
