JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
Ootober  15,  1896 
‘686 
oS.  the  under  part  of  the  wax,  which  must  be  placed  in  vessels  and 
pat  in  the  oven  to  be  melted,  afterwards  pouring  it  into  moulds. 
What  sediment  remains  will  settle  at  the  bottom,  and  may  be  scraped 
off  when  cold. — An  English  Bee-keeper. 
TRADE  CATALOGUES  RECEIVED. 
Dicksons  &  Co.,  Waterloo  Place,  Edinburgh. — Frvit  Trees  and  Roses 
W.  Paul  &  Son,  Waltham  Cross. — Roses. 
All  correspondence  relating  to  editorial  matters  should  be 
directed  to  “  The  Editor.'’  Letters  addressed  personally  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,  and  departmental  writerBj, 
are  not  expected  to  answer  any  letters  they  may  receive  on 
Gardening  and  Bee  subjects,  through  the  post. 
Correspondents  should  not  mix  up  on  the  same  sheet  questions 
relating  to  Gardening  and  those  on  Bea  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,  as  a  rule,  reply  to  questions 
through  the  post,  and  we  do  not  undertake  to  return  rejected 
communications. 
Plants  on  Hire  (^H.  i?.).— Your  question  is  one  that  cannot  be 
usefully  answered.  The  prices  depend  entirely  on  the  nature  and  value 
of  the  plants,  and  also  vary  in  different  towns.  You  had  better  ascertain 
the  customary  charges  in  your  district,  and  yo*  will  have  of  course  to 
act  in  accordance  with  them  if  you  expect  to  succeed  as  a  decorator. 
Disease-resisting  Tomatoes  (i?  J.  C.'). — There  are  no  varieties 
that  can  be  said  to  be  really  disease-resisting.  It  is  very  largely  a 
question  of  cultivation.  Faulty  ventilation  is  responsible  for  most 
fungoid  attacks,  and  disease  may  be  rampant  in  less  than  a  week  on 
hitherto  healthy  plants,  owing  entirely  to  treating  Tomatoes  too  much 
like  Cucumbers.  Articles  on  this  important  subject  will  be  duly  forth¬ 
coming  in  these  pages.  You  will  do  well  to  change  your  variety  far 
those  with  medium-sized  smooth  round  fruit,  much  corrugated  varieties, 
being  usually  classed  as  “Jerseys,”  fetching  prices  of  “  seconds  ”  accord¬ 
ingly.  Comet,  Chemin  Rouge,  Ham  Green  Favourite,  Challenger,  and 
Frogmore  Selected  would  suit  you,  the  last  named  answering  well  for 
either  early  or  late  crops. 
Soli  Samples  (A.  xT,  P.'), — The  samples  of  turfy  loam  we  value  in 
the  following  order  : — No.  1  the  best  for  general  purposes,  of  medium 
texture,  with  a  natural  incorporation  of  vegetable  matter  that  conduces 
to  its  fertility.  No.  3  sandy  loam,  containing  little  vegetable  matter  and 
not  suflRciently  “holding"  in  character.  No.  2  more  sandy  still,  and 
poorer.  No.  1  would  form  a  good  staple  for  Cucumbers,  and  pressed 
firmly  down  for  Tomatoes  and  the  majority  of  softwooded  greenhouse 
plants,  also  for  the  early  stages  of  Chrysanthemums,  but  for  the  final 
potting,  also  for  Melons,  we  should  prefer  an  addition  of  heavier  loam, 
or  some  clay  dried  and  powdered  to  impart  retentiveness,  not  omitting  a 
little  gritty  matter  as  may  be  needed  to  insure  porosity.  We  do  not  conduct 
analyses  of  soils  nor  act  as  agents  in  the  matter,  and  we  do  not  think 
an  analysis  in  this  case  to  be  in  the  least  necessary. 
Crrnbs  In  Soil  (ZT.  C^.). — Your  case  is  exactly  similar  to  that  of 
“  C.  E.  G.,”  but  in  his  case  Cyclamens  were  ruined,  and  in  your  case  Ferns 
(see  page  362.  last  week).  The  enemy  is  precisely  the  same  in  both 
instances.  The  weevils,  that  seem  so  prevalent  with  you,  should  be 
■ought  for  at  night,  turning  the  light  on  and  catching  them  quickly  by 
shaking  the  infested  plants  on  white  sheets,  so  that  the  beetle-like 
pests  may  be  the  better  seen  and  secured.  They  deposit  eggs  in  the 
soil  which  produce  the  root-eating  maggots,  while  the  parent  beetles 
eat  the  leaves  of  Vines,  Ferns,  and  various  other  plants.  They  find  access 
into  the  soil  the  most  easily  when  it  is  allowed  to  get  too  dry  occasionally, 
and  when  too  light  potting  is  indulged  in.  It  is  difficult  to  destroy 
these  maggots.  Lemon  oil  is  said  to  be  good  for  the  purpose,  also 
“hellebore  tea,”  made  by  pouring  boiling  water  on  hellebore  powder, 
a  gallon  to  2  ozs.  A  correspondent  in  another  column  introduces  a  fresh 
remedy  for  soil  pests,  fresh  to  us  at  least — mustard  and  water  given  at 
a  temperature  of  120°,  or  thereabouts.  You  might  try  these  remedies, 
not  in  soil  containing  dead  plants,  but  experimentally  on  one  in  each 
case  that  is  alive,  and  which  yon  can  afford  to  lose  in  case  of  the  dose 
or  doses  proving  fatal.  If  you  carry  out  the  suggestion  you  might 
favour  ns  with  the  results. 
Vine  Weevils  (IF.  II.  IF.). — We  are  obliged  by  your  letter.. 
Mr.  Abbey  has  more  than  once  drawn  attention  to  methods  for  catching- 
the  weevils  and  destroying  the  grubs,  but  your  letter  shall  be  sent  to  him, 
in  case  he  may  have  anything  fresh  to  say.  You  w  ill  find  some  methods- 
of  riddance  suggested  in  answer  to  another  correspondent  whose  Ferns 
have  been  devoured  by  the  pest.  Clibran’s  Lemon  oil  was  the  advertised 
preparation  previeusly  referred  to,  and  is  mentioned  in  our  reply  to 
“  H.  C.” 
Destroying  Mealy  Bug  on  Dlpladenias  (JF.  N.). — We  know  of 
no  better  means  of  destroying  mealy  bug  than  vaporisation  with  nicotine, 
continuing  the  vaporisation  at  intervals  of  about  four  days  to  a  week 
for  three  or  four  times.  Another  good  mode  of  riddance  is  to  dress  the 
plants  by  means  of  a  brush  with  methylated  spirit,  just  moistening  the 
brush  and  applying  to  the  tufts  of  insects,  taking  care  not  to  use  the 
spirit  excessively  or  allow  it  to  run  down  to  the  soil.  If  used  with  a 
sponge  it  should  be  diluted  with  an  equal  amount  of  water.  The  various- 
advertised  insecticides  are  also  efficacious  for  destroying  this  pest. 
Cbrysanttiemum  Deaves  Browned  (/.  Z,).— On  examining  the 
leaves  we  failed  to  find  any  parasitic  organism.  The  appearance  is 
that  of  eelworm  infection,  but  we  could  not  discover  anything  to 
determine  the  exact  cause.  We  have  had  similar  trouble,  and  find 
nothing  better  than  a  generons  application  of  mineral  fertilisers  at  the 
roots  such  as  are  included  in  the  manures  advertised,  and  giving 
the  plants  plenty  of  air,  allowing  ample  space  between  them.  Dust¬ 
ing  with  a  powder  fungicide  such  as  Fostite  is  useful  against  the 
mould,  which  sometimes  causes  the  leaves  to  have  large  black  or  brown 
blotches, 
Raising  Sparaxls  ft-om  Seed  (Z).  C ). — The  seeds  should  be 
sown  in  pans  of  sandy  soil  about  September  (or  now),  and  placed  in  a 
cold  frame.  The  soil  should  be  kept  moist,  and  frost  excluded,  or  the 
pans  plunged  in  ashes.  The  young  plants  may  remain  in  the  seed  pans 
for  the  first  year,  when  they  should  either  be  potted  or  planted 
out.  It  takes  from  three  to  four  years  before  they  flower.  The  time, 
however,  is  well  rewarded,  as  by  growing  a  number  of  varieties  together, 
and  saving  their  seed,  numerous  other  sorts  may  be  obtained,  usually 
much  varied  in  colour  and  in  the  markings  of  the  flowers. 
Chrysanttaemums— -Writing  (iZ.  R."). — As  to  Chrysanthemums,, 
you  will  find  something  of  the  kind  you  have  anticipated  on  another 
page.  We  are  sorry  the  weather  has  dealt  so  cruelly  with  your  plants,  as 
it  has  with  many  others  in  various  parts  of  the  country.  As  to  writing, 
your  desire  is  most  creditable,  and  it  is  a  misfoitune  that  you  had  to 
commence  work  so  soon  (when  eight  years  old)  instead  of  attending 
school.  Still,  if  you  are  in  earnest,  you  may  yet  accomplish  your  object. 
Night  schools  or  similar  institutions  must  be  provided  in  the  busy  town 
from  which  you  write.  Avail  yourself  of  them,  and  strive  diligently  and 
perseveringly.  Some  of  the  ablest  men  in  the  kingdom  are  self-taught, 
and  some  of  the  best  writers  in  the  gardening  press  had  little  more 
“  schooling  ”  than  yourself.  Copy  some  of  the  articles  which  you  think 
are  good  as  neatly  as  you  can,  and  accurately,  and  take  special 
pains  to  acquire  the  useful  art  of  spelling  correctly.  Not  long  ago  we 
knew  of  a  good  situation  being  lost  through  a  carelessly  written  and  ill- 
spelt  letter.  Do  not  be  offended  by  any  persons  who  may  point  out  your 
mistakes,  and  correct  your  inaccuracies,  but  thank  them  for  their  kind¬ 
ness.  Do  the  best  you  can  in  the  direction  indicated,  and  send  us  a 
short  original  article  on  Chrysanthemums  another  year.  We  will  make- 
inquiries  about  the  postal  order.  Please  say  where  and  to  whom  it  was 
sent,  or  the  G.P.O.  letter,  also  favour  with  your  full  address. 
Fig  Trees  TTnflrultful  (^Somerset).— 01  the  samples  received  No.  1 
has  very  strong  woo'd  and  in  the  whole  length,  some  15  jinches,  there  is 
not  a  single  joint  showing  anything  like  Figs.  To  leave  such  tree  un¬ 
pruned  and  let  it  grow  from  the  wall  would  probably  result  in  an 
abundant  crop  of  fruit  in  two  years’  time,  but  there  cannot  possibly  be 
any  first  crop  Figs  on  such  tree  next  year  if  the  remainder  of  the  growths 
are  like  that  before  us.  Where  the  tree  is  let  grow  from  the  wall  it  loses 
the  advantage  of  its  warmth,  but  that  may  not  be  material  in  the  place 
where  it  is  growing.  Of  this  you  ought  to  be  able  to  judge.  It  would 
be  more  to  the  purpose  to  root-prune  it  now,  whilst  the  leaves  are  on 
the  tree,  taking  out  a  trench  at  one-third  the  distance  from  the  stem 
the  branches  extend  and  as  deeply  as  the  roots,  catting  off  all  roots 
there.  The  trench  may  remain  open  for  a  fortnight,  and  then  be  filled  in.. 
This  will  give  a  wholesome  check,  probably  causing  fruit  buds  to  form 
at  the  joints  and  at  the  axils  of  the  leaves,  especially  if  the  growths  were 
thinned  so  as  to  let  air  and  light  act  freely  ;  also  give  it  the  benefit  of 
the  wall’s  warmth.  Then,  when  the  leaves  are  all  down,  we  should  lift 
the  tree,  and  put  in  some  old  mortar  rubbish  6  inches  or  more  thick, 
and  on  that  place  the  ball  of  roots,  removing  some  of  the  soil  from 
amongst  them,  and  adding  a  sixth  of  old  mortar  rubbish  to  the  soil 
used,  making  all  quite  firm.  We  have  seen  a  tree  that  bad  been  thus 
treated,  and  it  gave  more  fruit  iin  one  season  afterwards  than  it  had 
done  in  twenty  years  [previously.  Afterwards,  when  the  tree  was 
inclined  to  grow  too  freely,  the  trench  was  opened  again  to  check  the 
growth  and  induce  a  more  fruitful  habit.  No.  2  wood  is  in  a  better 
state,  the  bads  being  embryonic  Figs.  We  should  treat  this  tree  in  a 
similar  way  to  that  advised  for  No.  1,  but  not  lifting  it,  unless  you  find 
the  roots  strong,  then  it  would  be  advisable  so  as  to  detach  any  that 
strike  down  into  the  soil.  It  is  an  excellent  old  plan  to  unnail  the 
trees  and  mat  them  up  for  the  winter.  It  is  all  conjecture  about  Fig 
trees  raised  from  suckers  not  bearing,  as  trees  we  have  had  cut  down  to 
the  ground  through  severe  winters  have  pushed  suckers  from  the  roota- 
which  have  borne  fruit  as  freely  as  the  previous  growths. 
