JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
309 
April  3,  1902. 
DRAINING  GARDEN— MOSSY  ORCHARD  (Idem).— 
Thouffii  the  subsoil  is  sandy  loam,  it  may,  nevertheless,  require 
draining.  Examine  the  ground  by  digging  a  hole  to  a  depth  of 
4ft,  and  if  you  find  water  drain  to  a  depth  of  3ft  Gin  to  4ft.  The 
soil  of  the  mossy  orchard  is  both  wet  and  poor.  Drain  and  dress 
with  a  compost  of  one  ton  of  lime  mixed  with  ten  of  soil  or  refuse, 
applying  it  in  March  or  now. 
PEAR  AND  APPLE  TREES  SURFACE  ROOTING  (Idem).— 
It  is  an  excellent  sign.  Do  not  cover  them  with  soil,  or  very 
lightly,  but  mulch  around  the  trees  18in  or  2ft  from  the  stem 
with  some  rich  compost  or  well-rotted  manure,  putting  it  on  about 
half  to  three-quarters  of  an  inch  thick.  We  give  ours  fresh  short 
manure,  which  we  advise  if  the  trees  are  not  very  vigorous  and 
are  bearing  freeljq  applying  it  just  after  the  bloom  is  past,  and 
repeating  the  dressing  at  the  beginning  of  July. 
DESTROYING.  SLUGS  (J.  U.). — Apply  nitrate  of  soda  to  the 
ground  at  the  rate  of  lib  to  30  sq  yds,  but  before  putting  in  the 
crops.  Y  e  have  no  great  difficulty  with  slugs,  as  we  dress  the 
ground  with  salt  at  the  rate  of  twenty  bushels  per  acre  in  March, 
or  before  cropping,  and  upon  any  appearance  of  the  slugs  wo 
sprinkle  the  plants  and  the  soil  about  them  with  quicklime  early 
in  the  morning  or  at  dusk,  repeating  the  sprinkling  as  the  lime 
is  washed  away  by  rains,  or  the  slugs  continue  their  depredations. 
ORCHID  CULTURE  (Idem). — Of  the  tAvo  structures  the 
better  Avill  be  the  Fern  house,  assigning  them  the  lightest  posi¬ 
tion,  and  keeping  them  there  until  the  growth  is -complete,  AA’hen 
we  should  remoAm  thein-  to  the  greenhouse,  affording  them  the 
warmest  position^  but  near  the  glass,  and  shading  for  a  time  from 
bright  sun.  Diminish  the  supply  of  moisture,  and  AvithdraAv 
shade  as  the  groAvths  mature;  keep  the  plants  dry  in  Avinter,  but 
not  so  much  so  as  to  cause  the  pseudobulbs  to  shriAml.  They 
ought  to  be  repotted  at  once. 
HYACINTHS,  TULIPS,  AND  SCTLLAS  AFTER  FORCING 
(A.  G.).— They  should  be  kept  in  a  cool  house  or  pit  in  a  light 
airy  position  until  they  are  Avell  hardened  off  and  the  Aveather  is 
more  settled ;  or  about  the  middle  of  this  month  they  may  be 
planted  out  about  2in  deep  in  light  rich  soil  in  a  Avarm  border. 
The  Hyacinths  and  Scillas  may  remain  there  permanently,  but  the 
Tulips  should  be  taken  up  Avhen  the  tops  become  yelloAv,  and  after 
taking  off  these  and  the  roots,  place  the  bulbs  in  a  dry  cool  place 
until  November,  aa  hen  they  may  be  planted  in  the  border.  They 
are  not.  worth  forcing  a  second  time,  but  ai-e  good  for  borders. 
HOYA  CARNOSA  AND  TRACHYCARPUS  EXCELSUS  RE¬ 
POTTING  (H.  F.  F.). — Repot  noAv,  using  for  the  Hoya  a  compose 
of  equal  parts  of  fibrous  loam  and  sandy  peat  (the  cocoa-nut  fibre 
refuse  Avill  do),  and  old  coav  dung,  charcoal  in  lumps  between  the 
sizes  of  Hazel  Nuts  and  Walnuts,  broken  bricks  or  crocks,  and  old 
lime  rubbish,  Avith  good  drainage.  Place  in  the  hot  vinery  until 
the  groAvth  is  complete,  and  then  afford  a  light  airy  position  in 
the  conservatory,  and  no  more  Avater  than  is  sufficient  to  keep 
the  plants  from  shrivelling.  The  Trachycarpus  does  best  in  a 
compost  of  sandy  fibrous  peat  torn  up  roughly,  three  parts,  and 
one  part  fibrous  loam,  Avith  a  half  part  in  equal  proportion  of  old 
dry  c^w  dung,  silver  sand,  and  pieces  of  charcoal.  The  cocoanut 
jefuse  may  be  substituted  for  peat,  adding  a  fourth  of  silver  sand 
to  it.  It  Vvill  succeed  in  the  cool  conservatory,  being  hardy  in 
sheltered  positions. 
HEATING  WITH  HOT  YU\TER  (H.).— The  house  will  be 
efficiently  heated  by  tAvo  roAA's  of  3in  pipes,  a  floAv  and  return  along 
both  sides  of  the  house  and  across  one  end,  Avhich  avouIcI  be  a 
better  arrangement  than  having  them  along  one  side  of  the  house 
only,  as  shoAvn  in  your  sketch,  Avhich  Avould  have  ansAvered  well  for 
a  lean-to,  and  Avill  do  in  your  present  case,  only  the  pipes  all  round 
would  giA'e  a  more  uniform  Avarmth  throughout  the  structure. 
We  should  have  a  frame  mad'e  and  enclose  a  portion  of  the  pip('s 
with  brickwork,  raising  it  about  9in  above  the  pipes,  Avhich  may 
be  covered  Avith  slates,  or  have  rubble  placed  over  them  to  a  depth 
of  6in;  then  put  in  about  the  same  depth  of  plunging  material. 
This  Avill  give  you  sufficient  bottom  heat  for  propagating  most 
kinds  of  plants.  The  frame  Avill  enable  you  to  keep  the 
cuttings  close  and  moist  Avithout  interfering  AA’ith  the  other  occu¬ 
pants  of  the  house.  An  elliptic  boiler  Avould  no  doubt  ansAver ; 
but  take  care  to  have  one  that  Avill  not  from  its  smallness  require 
to  be  hard  driven  to  giA^e  the  requisite  heat  to  the  pipes,  for  the 
waste  of  fuel  is  then  enormous. 
NAMES  OF  PLANTS. —  Correspondents  whose  queries  are  un¬ 
answered  in  the  present  issue  are  respectfully  requested  to  consult  the 
following  number.  (G.  B.).  — 1,  Forsythia  suspensa  ;  2,  Nepeta 
Glechonia  A'ariegata ;  3.  Lycaste  aromatica ;  4,  Lonicera  Standishi 
(floAvering  late)  ;  5.  probably  Iris  fmtidis.sinia.  send  Avhen  in  floAA'er ; 
6.  SeinperA’iAuim  tabAdteforme ;  7.  Zainia  sp.  (Alf.  L-).^|  The  variety 
you  mention  as  being  like  Narcissus  sulphur  Pheenix  is  the  double 
form  of  N.  eernuus  ;  the  other  is  an  almormal  form  of  the  Butter  and 
Eggs  Narcissus.  (J.  H.  S.  N.). — 1,  Aeorus  Pseudo-Acorus  ;  2.  Hedera 
Helix  loliata  minor;  3,  the  Holm  Oak,  (,)uercus  Ilex;  4,  Parrottia 
japonica  ;  5,  Cedrus  atlantica. 
NAMES  OF  FRUIT.  —  Correspondents  ichose  queries  are  un¬ 
answered  in  the  piresent  issue  are  respectfully  requested  to  consult  the 
following  number.  (E.  G.  H.). — Apple,  Blanchard’s  Seedling. 
Trade  Catalogues  ReceiYed. 
DaA'id  Airdrie,  Florist,  Ydiitehaugh  Nursery,  Paisley. —  Florists’’ 
Flowers. 
Wm.  C'libran  A  Son,  Altrincham. — Plants. 
F.  A.  Haage,  jun..  Cacti  and  Succulent  Specialist.  Erfurt,  Germany- 
— Choice  Cacti. 
Amos  Perry,  Hardy  Plant  Farm.  AVinchmore  Hill,  Ijondon. — 
Parts  i,  2,  and  3,  of  Hardy  Plants  and  Shrubs. 
Charles  Turner,  The  Royal  Nurseries,  Slough. — Stove  and  Greenhouse 
Plants. 
- - 
Meteorological  Observations  at  Chiswick. 
Taken  in  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society’s  Gardens  at  Chiswick — 
height  above  sea  level  24  feet. 
Date. 
'  Temperature  of  the 
i  Air. 
1 
Temperatuie  of 
the  Soil. 
At  9  A.M. 
<o 
1902. 
March. 
ection  ( 
Wind. 
At  9  A.M. 
1 
Day. 
i 
Night 
Rain. 
At 
!  1-ft. 
deep. 
At 
2-ft. 
deep 
^  . 
-ia  3  S 
O 
Dry 
Bulb. 
Wet 
Bulb. 
Oi 
a> 
iiO 
a 
Lowest.  1 
4  ft. 
deep. 
a  a  § 
ffl  o 
Sunday  ...23 
s.s.w. 
deg. 
40-9 
deg. 
38-6 
deg. 
51-4 
deg. 
28-3 
Ins. 
deg. 
41-4 
deg. 
44  3 
deg. 
45-2 
deg. 
19-4 
Monday  ...24 
S.S.AV. 
43-2 
38-8 
46-6 
31'0 
017 
42-2 
44-1 
45-2 
21-6 
Tuesday  ...25 
N.N.AV. 
42-2 
37-9 
49’4 
39-8 
— 
42-6 
43-9 
45-0 
37-2 
Wed’sday  26 
AV.S.AV. 
402 
37-2 
53-1 
31-5 
0-17 
41-8 
43-9 
45-0  < 
20-8 
Thursday  27 
W. 
52-9 
49-5 
58-6 
38-9 
— 
43-1 
43-8 
45-0 
37’0 
Friday  ...28 
S.W. 
46-7 
44-5 
57-3 
43-5 
— 
45-2 
44-5 
45-0 
33-0 
Saturday  29 
S.AV. 
47-1 
44-7 
55-4 
38-5 
0‘11 
1 
45-4 
45.2 
45-0  1 
28'5 
Means  ... 
44-7 
41-6 
53T 
35-9 
Total. 
0-45 
43T 
44-2 
45T 
28-2 
For  the  most  part  of  the  Aveek  the  Aveather  has  been  dull,  Avith  very 
cold  nights,  and  rain  on  three  days. 
Our  Transactions  with  Other  Lands. 
“  Ivoty,  apes,  and  peacocks  ”  w^ere  among  the  many 
articles  of  import  during  the  reign  of  the  great  Solomon  at 
Jerusalem.  Ivory  one  could  understand,  and  possibly  the 
peacocks,  as  they  may  be  considered  ornamental.  But  Avhy 
apes  1  We  Avere  always  at  a  loss.  What  trade  they  had  in 
those  days,  as  far  as  a  limited  ship  service  alloAved,  then 
there  Avere  the  overland  caravans  from  Egypt  and  the  far 
Orient.  A  fairly  central  country  Avas  the  kinardom  of  Israel 
and  Judah,  and  a  Avise,  commercially  minded  king  at  the 
head.  Put  Hiram’s  navy  against  some  of  our  big  shipping: 
lines  What  a  mighty  difference !  Yet  that  little  fleet,  that 
dcire  not  go  far  out  of  sight  of  land,  was  the  forerunner  ot 
our  great  merchant  service.  We  had  need  be  monarchs  ot 
the  sea  ;  it  is  our  best  friend,  our  greatest  ally. 
Do  our  readers,  in  their  Aveekly  or  daily  papers,  ever 
notice  the  phrase,  “  Rreadstiiffs  afloat  ”  1  Reading  for  last 
Aveek  (just  taking  that  Aveek  at  random),  Ave  Avere  very  much 
struck  by  a  list  of  the  consignments  Avhich  will  ever  noAV 
be  landed  at  our  various  seaports.  For  this  Aveek  Ave  find 
the  total  quantities  of  grain  and  pulse  on  passage  to  us  run 
someAA'hat  thus:  Wheat,  3,900,000  quarters;  Flour-Wheat, 
250,000  quarters;  Maize,  370,000  quarters;  Barley,  465,000 
quarters  ;  Beans,  8,000  quarters.  And  this  grand  contribu¬ 
tion  comes  to  us  from  XJnited  States,  Australia,  NeAv  Zea¬ 
land,  Argentine,  India  (Bombay,  Karachi,  Calcutta),  Riissiip 
and  the  Danube.  The  flour  is  French  and  Hungarian,  Avith 
Australian  and  American  patents,  we  suppose.  That  means 
fancy  flours  for  best  pastry  making.  What  a  debt  w^e  owe 
for  breadstiiffs  I  Not  once  a  year,  but  practically  eveiy 
