22 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
Januarj"  2,  190Z 
Trade  Catalogaes  Received. 
Carter  Co..  High  Holborn,  London. — Seeds. 
McHattie  &  Co.,  seed  mercdiants,  Chester. —  Seeds. 
Tlioinas  ^lethven  &  Sons,  seed  merchants,  Edinburgh. — Seeds. 
Win.  Paul  &  Son,  Waltliam  Cross.  Heids. — Seeds  and  Garden  Sundries. 
John  Peed  &  Son,  West  Norwood,  S.E. — Seeds. 
F.  Roemer,  seed  grower.  C^luedlinlnirgh,  Germany. — Seeds. 
Toogood  &  Sons,  Royal  Seed  Establishment,  Southampton. — Seeds. 
The  Vineries.  Ltd.,  nurserymen,  florists,  &c.,  Acoek’s  Green,  Birming¬ 
ham. — Plants  and  General  Nursery  Stock. 
Wells  A  Co.,  litd.,  Earlswood  Nurseries,  Redhill,  Surrey, — Chrys- 
antheviums. 
John  Wood,  seedsman  and  grower,  Penrith. —  Seeds. 
All  correspondence  relating  to  editorial  matters  should  be  directed 
to  The  Editor,”  12,  Mitre  Court  Chambers,  Fleet  Street, 
London,  E.C.  It  is  requested  that  no  one  will  write  privately 
to  any  of  our  correspondents,  seeking  information  on  matters 
discussed  in  this  .Journal,  as  doing  so  subjects  them  to  unjustiflable 
trouble  and  expense. 
PLUM  AND  PEARS  FOR  SOUTH-WEST  ASPECT  (H.  E.  B.). 
— Kirke's  Plum  is  one  of  the  finest,  being  large,  deep  purple  in  colour ; 
or  if  you  require  a  l  ellow  one.  Jefferson  coming  in  early  in  September 
is  excellent.  Coe’s  Golden  Drop  coming  at  the  end  of  September  is 
unrivalled.  Pears :  Doyennd  du  Comice,  Marie  Louise,  and  Glou 
Morgeau.  If  you  require  an  early  one  Beurrd  de  I’Assomption. 
SIZE  OF  A  TENNIS  COURT  (A.  B.,  Glasgow).— Would  you 
kindly  let  me  know,  through  the  Journal,  what  the  proper  size  is 
of  a  “  tennis  lawn,”  or  “  court,”  and  whether  it  is  best  on  grass 
er  made  up  and  covered  with  ashes  or  blaes?  You  might  also 
say  what  the  size  of  a  croquet  green  ought  to  be.” 
[A  court  for  the  single  game  is  27ft  wide  and  78fb  long,  and 
for  the  double  game,  78ft  long  and  36ft  wide.  The  posts  for  sup¬ 
porting  the  net  should  be  placed  3ft  beyond  the  sides.  It  is 
necessary  to  allow  a  margin  at  each  end  and  at  both  sides  for 
facility  of  playing  the  game  and  for  on-lookers — say,  18ft  at  each 
end  and  12ft  at  each  side.  To  play  croquet  it  requires  a  lawn  or 
court  similar  in  size  to  a  tennis  lawn,  as  the  ground  wears  more, 
and  it  is  not  advisable  to  play  constantly  on  the  same  spot.  The 
lawn  or  court  is  best  on  grass,  this  being  well  made,  and  not 
using  either  ashes  or  other  opening  material,  though  these  may 
be  employed  for  rendering  the  soil  more  porous  and  the  water  to 
percolate  through  and  away  from  it  freely,  the  site  being  well 
under-drained.] 
ORCHID  SEED  (A.  R.). — “Will  you  kindly  inform  me  where 
I  can  obtain  Orchid  seed,  especially  of  Cattleya  and  Lselia 
varieties,  and  what  is  the  best  way  of  sowing  them  ?  ” 
[We  do  not  know  where  you  may  obtain  seeds  of  Orchids, 
especially  of  Cattleya  and  Lselia  varieties,  as  the  successful^ 
hybridisers  are  always  anxious  to  originate  new  varieties  when 
so  fortunate  as  to  secure  good  seed  by  careful  fertilisation,  and 
would  not  pai-t  with  it  for  any  pecuniar}^  consideration.  How¬ 
ever,  you  may  try  Messrs.  Sander  and  Co.,  St.  Albans,  and 
other  of  the  large  Orchid  growlers  for  sale.  Various  methods  of 
sowing  are  in  vogue,  such  as  sprinkling  over  pieces  of  wood  and 
cork  or  Tree  Fern  stem,  and  on  the  top  of  moss  and  peat,  in  which 
established  plants  of  the  same  or  a  nearly  related  species  are 
grow'ing.  The  material  on  which  the  seeds  are  scattered  must 
always  be  kept  moist  and  shaded.  The  period  between  germina¬ 
tion  and  the  development  of  the  first  root  is  the  most  crucial  in 
the  life  of  a  seedling  Orchid.  After  they  are  of  sufficient  size  to 
handle  they  are  potted  off  into  pots,  and  as  they  gain  strength, 
are  given  treatment  approximating  to  that  of  adult  plants.] 
LUCULIA  GRATISSIMA  (W.  H.). — The  Luculia  bloom  is 
very  sweet  and  a  great  favourite  of  our  lady’s,  but  it  fades  in 
two  hours  after  it  is  cut.  Can  you  suggest  anything  that  will 
prolong  its  life?  I  am  going  to  try  chlorohydrate  of  ammonia, 
5^  grains  to  a  pint  and  a  half  of  w'ater.  Perhaps  you  can  recom¬ 
mend  something  better. — Yours  faithfully. 
[A  tiny  drop  of  alum  amongst  the  water  in  which  floivers  are 
is  said  to  assist  them.  Charcoal  acts  in  keeping  the  water  pure, 
and  the  chlorohydrate  of  ammonia  wall  also  stimulate  the  stems 
and  flowers,  but  you  cannot  force  Nature  beyond  her  bounds. 
Luculia  gratissima  fades  very,  very  soon,  and  nothing  can 
prevent  this.] 
VALLOTAS  DECAYING  (S.  P.).— The  bulb  was  ecmpletelj' 
crushed  in  transit  through  the  post.  If  you  send  us  another  in  a 
small  box  it  shall  be  forwarded  to  the  gardener  wJicse  instructions 
you  have  followed.  We  do  not,  however,  think  the  spider  you  name- 
has  caused  the  decay. 
STARTING  IN  BUSINESS  (Mrs.  E.  D.  W.).— “  The  competition 
in  gi’owing  and  marketing  flow'ers  or  Mushrooms  has  beceme  so  keen, 
that  it  would  be  utter  folly  for  anyone  to  enter  the  business  wdthout  a 
practical  knoAvledge  with  the  expectation  of  making  money.”  The- 
above,  in  answer  to  a  query  made  to  the  “  Florists’  Exchange.” 
SNAILS  IN  CUCUMBER  HOUSE  (Snail). — The  specimens 
you  have  sent  shall  be  examined  ;  in  the  meantime  you  must  work 
assiduously  in  entrapping  the  pests.  Perhaps  a  light  sprinkling  of 
greatly  diluted  iiaraffin.  not  more  than  a  fluid  ounce  of  the  oil  to  a 
gallon  of  water,  might  check  the  pests  and  not  injure  the  plants  ;  but 
proceed  cautiously,  and  try  it  on  a  small  portion  of  the  bed  first,  and 
note  the  result. 
STORING  POTATOES  (J.  S.). — The  mode  you  suggest  will 
answer  provided  the  tubers  are  sufficiently  covered  to  exclude  frost ; 
but  they  should  not  remain  in  the  bags  a  day  after  signs  of  growth 
are  apparent,  but  should  then  be  spread  thinly  in  a  cool  and  if  possible 
a  light  place  ;  the  shoots  will  then  gi-ow  slowly,  and  be  of  that  sturdy 
character  which  is  so  serrteeable  for  securing  good  crops.  Very  thick 
coverings  of  straw  or  other  light  and  dry  material  will  be  neeessarj’ 
for  the  safety  of  the  tubers  it  the  present  severe  rveather  continues. 
The  quality  of  the  Kale  is  generally  better  when  the  leaves  are  cut  off 
a  short  distance  from  the  stem  than  rvhen  torn  off  roughly. 
\ 
Section  of  Cattley.v  Flower. 
In  answer  to  “  R.  S. :  ”  The  above  shows  a  lateral  view  of  a 
Cattleya  flower,  with  all  the  sepals  and  petals  removed  except  the 
bisected  labellum,  seen  only  in  outline.  a,  anther ;  b,  spring  at 
the  top  of  the  column ;  ]),  pollen  masses  ;  r,  rostellum  ;  s,  stigma  ; 
coZ,  column  ;  I,  lip  or  labellum  ;  «,  nectary  ;  g,  ovarium  or  geimen. 
(See  Darwin’s  “  Fertilisation  of  Orchids.”) 
EARLY  APPLES  FOR  EXPOSED  POSITION  (C.  J.).  — 
Dessert  ;  Early  Julien,  Devonshire  Quarrenden,  aiul  Ravebston 
Pippin.  Kitchen  :  Carlisle  Codlin,  Lord  Suftield,  and  Keswick  Ccdlin., 
EPSOM  SALTS  AS  MANURE  (W.  K.).  —  This  substance, 
sulphate  of.  magnesia,  is  an  excellent  manure,  and  you  may  safely 
apply  it  to  your  lawn  and  garden  crops  at  the  rate  of  3  or  4  ozs.  per 
square  yard. 
PRUNING  OLD  PEAR  TREES  (A.  B.  C.).— It  is  questionable 
if  root-pruning  would  render  the  trees  fruitful.  If  a  great  number  of 
the  spurs  were  removed,  and  some  of  the  branches  too  if  crowded,, 
and  young  growths  Avere  trained  thinly  to  the  wall  and  sufficiently 
exposed  to  the  sun  to  ripen  their  wood,  they  would  in  due  time  form 
fruit  spurs,  the  same  as  the  young  Avood  does  at  the  extremities  of 
the  branches. 
CHRYSANTHEMUMS  AFTER  FLOWERING  (Sol).  —  W^e 
presume  that  your  Chrysanthemums  are  groAvn  in  pots  under  glass  ; 
if  so,  Ave  should  cut  them  doAvn  level  Avith  the  surface  of  the  pats 
immediately  they  haA’e  done  floAvering  in  order  to  encourage  cuttings 
for  reproducing  the  stock  for  another  year.  If  ycur  plants  are  groAA’- 
ing  out  of  doors  the  first  favourable  opportunity  should  be  chosen  for 
cutting  them  down,  and  some  Avell-decayed  manure  forked  in  around 
them.  They  will  in  that  case  form  lai-ge  clumps  for  next  autumn. 
