March  13,  1902. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  OOTTAOE  OARDENER, 
245 
All  correspondeiie®  relating  to  editorial  matter*  should  b*  directed 
to  The  Editor,”  12,  Mitre  Court  Chambers,  Fleet  Street, 
London,  E.C.  It  is  requested  that  no  one  tvill  write  privately 
to  any  of  our  correspondents,  seeking  information  on  matters 
discussed  in  this  Journal,  as  doing  so  subjects  them  to  unjustifiable 
trouble  and  expense. 
THLADIANTHA  DUBIA  (D.  F.  T.). — This  is  a  cucurbi- 
taceous  yellow-^lo^vered  annual.  Sow  seeds  now  indoors,  and 
prick  out  tlie  seedlings  in  a  sunny  position  in  IVIay. 
PRIMULA  OBC'OXICA  GR.VNDIFLORA  (D.  F.  T.).— Sow 
in  May  or  June.  Sow  P.  Arctotis  thinly  in  autumn,  or  as  soon 
as  the  seeds  are  fully  riim,  in  shallow  pans  filled  with  sandy 
soil.  The  seedlings  will  be  pricked 'out  and  planted  out  of  doors 
in  spring. 
COOPER’S  BLACK  GRAPE  (0.  E.  G.).— It  is  a  late  variety 
A  cp'  similar  to  Gros  Colman — indeed,  very  often  confounded  with 
this  Grape,  and  some  consider  the  two  varieties  identical.  It 
has  very  fine,  large,  lilack  berries  and  is  a  good  very  late,  and 
requires  to  be  grown  in  heat  and  well  finished  in  order  to  keep 
well  and  to  have  good  flavour. 
STRAWBERRIES  FOR  KEEPING  IN  HOT  WEATHER 
(A.  E.  R.). — Auguste  Boisselot,  midseasou ;  Oxonian  (Eleanor), 
late;  Royal  Sovereign,  early;  Sir  Joseph  Paxton,  earlj'  or  main 
crop  ;  Loxford  Hall  Seedling  and  Waterloo,  late,  are  likely  to 
meet  the  requirements  of  your  friend,  a  fruit  grower  in  Croydon, 
a  place  about  twenty  miles  outside  Alelbourne,  in  Australia. 
OAK  TREES  NOT  THRIVING  (Constance). — We  fear  there 
is  something  radically  wrong  with  your  Oak  trees,  which  you  say 
are  growing  in  a  field  on  a  dry  clayey  bottom,  so  very  dry  that, 
after  a  dry  season,  the  soil  is  so  dry  and  hard  that  it  is  late  in 
autumn  before  it  becomes  wetted  through.  If  the  trees  are  not 
very  old  they  might  be  benefited  by  the  surface  being  partially 
removed,  and  light  soil,  containing  more  sand  or  gravel  in  its 
texture,  substituted  for  it.  We  hardly  recommend  watering,  as 
nature  generally  supplies  moisture  enough  for  all  kinds  of  trees, 
excepting  those  newly  planted,  which  yours  are  not. 
LEGGY  PLANT  OF  ARALIA  SIEBOLDI  (E.  M.  W.).— The 
plant,  about  3ft  in  height,  v'ith  a  bare  stem  to  that  extent  and 
loaves  above  that,  would  iDrobably  root  if  the  stem  were  notched 
just  below  the  head  at  a  joint,  cutting  the  stem  about  half  wny 
through  by  a  transverse  cut  just  below  a  joint  or  where  a  leaf 
has  been,  and  another  slantingly  upwards  so  as  to  remove  the 
piece  of  stem  :  then  on  the  opposite  side,  and  a  joint  above,  make 
a  similar  incision,  the  plant  being  staked  and  the  head  secured 
to  it  so  as  to  prevent  breakage,  covering  the  stem  over  the  cuts 
with  moss  an  inch  or  two  above  and  below  as  Avell  as  over  the 
incisions,  binding  Avith  string  or  copper  Avire.  If  this  be  done 
noAv  and  the  moss  kept  Avet,  roots  Avould  be  emitted  from  the 
stem  in  the  course  of  a  foAV  Aveeks,  Avhen  the  stems  could  be  cut 
and  the  head  potted  into  a  Gin  pot.  Thus,  AA’ith  the  top  cut  off 
just  beloAv  the  incisions  and  point  of  root  emission,  the  plant 
would  have  the  head  of  leaves  just  above  the  pot,  the  long  stem 
being  got  rid  of.  If  cut  doAvn  to  near  the  soil  the  old  plant  AVould 
no  doubt  push  neAv  groAvths. 
ERICA  HYEMALIS  AND  E.  GRACILIS— FORCING 
PELARGONIUMS  (Reader). — When  the  Ericas  have  done  bloom¬ 
ing,  iiut  them  in  the  course  of  March  in  a  compost  of  sandy  turfy 
peat,  draining  the  pots  to  one-third  their  depth,  and  keeping 
the  neck  of  the  plant  slightly  elevated.  Be  careful  not  to  dis¬ 
turb  the  roots  more  than  necessary,  picking  aAvay  the  old 
drainage  and  the  soil  not  filled  Avith  healthy  roots.  Give  a 
moderate  shift;  large  shifts  are  injurious.  Continue  the  plants 
in  the  cool  greenhouse,  they  could  not  have  a  more  suitable 
■situation.  Placing  Ericas  in  heat  is  their  ruin  ;  give  them,  on 
the  contrary,  all  the  light  and  air  practicable.  Train  the  shoots 
out  by  tying  them  Avith  matting  (but  not  so  as  to  break  them) 
to  pegs  in  the  soil.  If  the  plants  are  thin  of  shoots,  pinching  out 
the  points  of  these  Avill  cause  the  production  of  side  shoots,  and 
if  very  bare  you  may  cut  the  plants  in,  but  a  portion  of  young 
wood  'must  be  left  or  they  may  not  push  from  the  stumps.  A 
temperature  of  55deg  from  fire  heat  is  too  Avarm  for  Pelargoniums 
at  this  season,  for  unless  the  plants  are  far  adA^anced  for  bloom 
the  shoots  will  certainly  be  clraAvn  and  the  floAver-trusses  small. 
oOdeg,  Avith  air,  is  quite  Avarm  enough  until  the  trusses  are 
formed,  and  5deg  moreds  desirable  to  bring  the  plants  into  bloom. 
Iveeping  close  to  the  glass,  abundance  of  air,  and  no  more  heat 
than  necessary  to  maintain  the  plants  in  sIoav  yet  free  groAvth, 
are  the  essentials  of  forcing ;  but  the  less  the  plants  are  forced 
the  finer  Avill  be  the  blooms.  Your  Arum-like  plant  is  Richardia 
(Calla)  sethiopica. 
FOWLS  DUNG  (Guernsey  Blue). — Make  of  it  liquid  manure- 
by  putting  a  peck  to  40  gallons  of  water.  Apply  the  liquid  once 
or  twice  a  week  between  the  rows  of  drilled  Onions,  or  to  any  other 
of  your  kitchen  garden  crops. 
OLD  BOOK  ON  FRUIT  GROWING  (R.  W.  D.).— “  I  have 
a  book  on  fruit  groAving  by  Thomas  Hitt,  gardener  to  the  Right 
Hon.  Lord  Robert  Manners,  and  bearing  date  1765.  Can  you 
tell  me  its  Amine  ” 
[From  3s.  to  5s.  at  the  most.] 
SALTING  ASPARAGUS  BEDS  (A  Subscriber  of  Many  Years). 
—You  may  apply  salt  now,  and  throughout  the  time  of  the 
Asparagus  growing— that  is,  until  the  end  of  September.  We 
have  applied  the  salt  two  ways — sprinkling  it  on  the  surface  once 
a  month  at  the  rate  of  an  ounce  to  a  square  yard,  and  dissolving, 
it  4oz  in  each  gallon  of  house  seivage.  This  we  apply  once  a  week, 
the  Asparagus  is  a  native  of  the  seashore. 
IPOMCEA  HYBRIDA  MARGINATA  CULTURE  (C.).— Sow 
in  a  compost  of  light  turfy  loam,  AAdth  about  one-third  of  leaf 
mould  added.  Place  in  a  hotbed  frame,  and  when  the  plants  are 
in  the  rough  leaf  harden  off,  and  keep  in  the  greenhouse  until 
the  last  Aveek  in  May  ;  then  plant  them  in  the  garden,  giving  them 
a  tall  stake  to  tAvine  round,  or,  if  desired,  put  three  in  a  12in  pot, 
and  train  to  the  rafters  of  the  greenhouse. 
VINES  DISBUDDING  (Y.  G.) — Wait  until  the' shoots  have 
groAvn  enough  to  enable  you  to  distinguish  Avhich  will  and  which 
AAull  not  have  a  bunch  of  fruit,  and  Avhen  this  is  beyond  doubt 
rub  off  that  shoAving  no  fruit,  -or  if  both  sIioav  fruit  take  aAvay  the 
smallest,  giving  preference  to  the  shoot  nearest  the  bud.  You 
must  leave  one  shoot  to  each  spur,  Avhether  it  shoAvs  fruit  or  not, 
rubbing  off  all  others.  One  bunch  on  a  spur  is  ample  for  a  good 
crop,  more  taxing  the  strength  of  the  Vine  too  much.  Stop  them 
at  the  joint  or  leaf  above  the  fruit,  and  all  laterals  at  the  first 
joint.  The  Moss  is  Selaginella  denticulata,  and  the  other  Cytisiis 
pauciflorus,  Ave  think,  but  the  flower  Avas  crushed. 
ROLLERS  FOR  OUTSIDE  SHADES  (J.  McI.).— There  is 
nothing  for  this  purpose  so  light  as  wood.  The  rollers  may  be 
made  from  50ft  and  more  in  length  if  draAvn  up  by  each  end  and 
the  middle.  In  such  cases  it  is  best  where  the  pulley  ropes  pass 
underneath  the  roller — that  is,  fastened  at  back,  come  down  the 
glass,  and  go  back  above  the  blind  to  a  pulley  at  the  top,  all  the 
ropes  being  joined  to  form  one  in  the  centre,  so  that  one  man  may 
pull  all  the  strings  at  once.  A  blind  Avith  a  wheel  or  place  for 
a  rope  merely  at  one  end  should  not  be  much  more  than  30ft  in 
length.  We  have  seen  galvanised  ii'on  rollers,  stout  but  holloAV 
inside,  and  about  l^in  in  diameter,  do  very  Avell ;  but  if  tho  roller 
is  heaA^y,  and  one  pulley  string  has  too  much  to  do,  they  too  will 
Avarp.  The  best  remedy  is  to  have  plenty  of  pulley  stnngs,  and 
supposing  there  are  three,  the  two  end  ones  may  be  brought  along 
the  top  of  the  house  to  the  middle,  and  one  man  can  then  pull  all 
the  three  strings  at  once. 
CARTLEYA  LABIATA  —  PSEUDO-BULBS  DECAYED 
(J.  M.).' — There  is  nothing  in  the  piece  you  sent  to  indicate  the 
cause  of  the  decay,  it  probablj'  haAung  arisen  from  an  excess  of 
moisture  on  the  particular  part,  and,  thus  Aveakening  the  tissues, 
has  given  advantage  to  some  parasitic  or  semi-parasitic  micro¬ 
organism,  thus  hastening  putrefaction.  A  similar,  if  not  identical, 
disease  sometimes  attacks  Cattleyas  at  the  roots  and  spreads  f-o 
and  destroys  the  pseudo-bulbs,  turning  them  quite  black,  and 
afterAvards  they  decay.  This  has  been  attributed  to  “  brunure,’^ 
or  broAvning,  a  disease  that  affects  Vines,  Potatoes,  Tomatoes, 
and  many  other  plants,  named  Plasmodiophora  vitis,  Avhich 
infests  the  cells,  having  an  amseboid  appearance.  It,  hoAvcA'cr, 
may  arise  from  pliysical  causes,  a  common  occurrence  being  that 
of  water  lodging  in  the  large  sheathing  scales  and  thus  setting 
up  decay.  Syringing,  therefore,  must  be  done  carefully,  especially 
Avhen  the  pseudo-bulbs  are  yoAing,  instead  of  syringing  plants 
groAAUi  in  pots. 
NAMES  OF  PLANTS. — Correspondents  rvhose  queries  are  un¬ 
answered  in  thi  present  issue  are  respectfully  requested  to  consult  the 
following  number.  (R.  AY.  Dean). — 1,  Cupressu.s  tliyoides  var. 
leptoclada ;  2.  Cryptomeria  japonica  A  ar.  elegans ;  3,  Gupressus 
pisifera  var.  plunio.sa  aurea ;  4,  Guprc.ssns  pisifera  var.  scpiairosa ; 
5.  .Jimiperus  comnmni.s  ;  6,  Thuya  occidentalis  var.  lutea  ;  7.  C'upres.sus 
pisifera  var.  plumosa  aurea;  8.  Tliuya  gigantea  ;  9.  Aides  Pinsapo  ; 
10,  Pseudotsuga  Douglasi ;  11,  CupreR.sus  pisifera  var.  filifera;  12. 
Ca.ssinia  fulvida.  (.J.  AI.). — 1.  Eupatoriuin  riparium  ;  2,  Eujiatoriuni 
adeniphorum  ;  3.  unrecognised  Avithout  the  floAvers  ;  4.  Sequoia  seni- 
pervirens,  the  Californian  RedAvood. 
NAME  OF  FRI’TT.  —  Correspondents  whose  queries  are  un¬ 
answered  in  the  present  issue  are  respectfully  requested  to  consult  the 
following  number.  (R.  AA^.  D.).— Apple  Cobhani. 
EDITORIAL  NOTICE.— Our  readers  can  greatly  assist  in  adding 
interest  to  the  pages  of  “The  Journal”  by  their  kindly  con¬ 
tribution  of  timely  notes  and  notices,  and  at  the  present  period 
of  the  year  there  may  be  photographic  examples  of  Avell-gi’OAVu 
fruit,  &c.,  groAving  or  otherAvise,  that  Avould  he  worthy  of  repro¬ 
duction.  The  Editor  would  be  pleased  to  liave  such  subjects  for 
consideration  and  probable  use.  He  does  not  guarantee  to  pay 
for  prints  unless  by  special  agi-eement. 
