116 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER 
Februar}’  9,  1898. 
All  correspondence  relating  to  editorial  matters  should,  until 
further  notice,  be  directed  to“  The  Editor,”  8,  Rose  Hill  Road, 
Wandsworth,  S.W.,  and  iffOT  to  12,  Mitre  Court  Chambers, 
Fleet  Street.  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 
unjustifiable  trouble  and  expense,  and  departmental  writers 
are  not  expected  to  answer  any  letters  they  may  receive  on 
Gardening  and  Bee  subjects  through  the  post.  If  information 
be  desired  on  any  particular  subject  from  any  particular 
authority  who  may  be  named,  endeavour  will  be  made  to  obtain 
it  by  the  Editor.  Letters  of  inquiry  must  be  accompanied  by 
the  names  and  addresses  of  the  writers,  but  these  will  neither  be 
published  nor  disclosed  when  initials  or  nom  de  flumes  are  given 
for  the  purpose  of  replies. 
Correspondents  should  not  mix  up  on  the  same  sheet  questions  relating 
to  Gardening  and  those  on  Bee  subjects,  and  it  is  convenient  when 
each  question  is  written  on  a  separate  sheet.  All  articles  intended 
for  insertion  should  be  written  on  one  side  of  the  paper  only  ;  and 
the  name  and  address  of  each  writer  must  be  known  by  the 
Editor,  though  not  necessarily  for  insertion.  We  cannot,  as  a 
rule,  reply  to  questions  through  the  post,  and  we  do  not  under¬ 
take  to  return  communications  which,  for  any  reason,  cannot 
be  inserted. 
Sweet  Peas  for  Exhibition  (-S.). — We  scarcely  know  what  you  mean 
by  the  "‘single  stem  system.  ’  If  you  mean  training  one  plant  to  a  stake, 
and  these  a  foot  or  more  apart,  we  should  not  deem  it  the  best  plan  for  an 
exposed  position.  We  should  prefer  a  richly  prepared  trench,  nearly  a 
foot  wide — or,  in  other  words,  the  ground  broken  up  to  the  depth  of  2  feet, 
and  made  good  to  that  depth  with  sweet  moist  decayed  manure,  adding 
also  wood  ashes,  as  well  as  a  handful  of  bonemeal,  over  a  length  of 
2  yards.  If  the  seeds  are  placed  evenly  over  the  trench  on  a  layer  of 
light  soil,  and  covered  2  inches  deep  with  the  same  kind  of  free  soil,  the 
surface  being  a  couple  of  inches  below  the  general  ground  level,  and  the 
plants  appear  3  inches  apart,  exhibition  blooms  may  be  had  by  the  aid 
of  judicious  applications  of  liquid  manure  when  the  plants  are  advancing 
ingrowth.  We  know  of  nothing  better  as  supports  than  fresh  twiggy 
Hazel  rods,  which  are  plentiful  in  some  districts,  and  sold  in  bundles, 
both  in  the  country  and  the  suburbs  of  towns.  .lust  as  this  reply  is 
completed  an  article  comes  to  hand  from  a  successful  cultivator,  and  it 
does  not  seem  to  differ  materially  from  the  advice  above  given. 
Woodlice  in  Stable  Manure  {Gordon  Boad). — You  wish  to  know 
what  to  mix  with  stalde  manure  and  Oak  leaves  to  keep  away  woodlice, 
which  eat  up  the  young  plants  as  they  appear,  in  your  propagating  bed. 
As  a  rule  where  wooMice  abound  the  manure  and  surroundings  of  the 
frame  are  too  dry.  Take  care  that  the  material  of  which  the  bed  is  com¬ 
posed  is  moist.  A  light  sprinkling  of  guano  amongst  it  would  assist 
fermentation  and  be  obnoxious  to  woodlice  ;  but  the  surface  of  the  bed 
must  be  well  and  closely  covered  with  cocoa-nut  fibre  refuse  or  other 
suitable  material  for  standing  the  pots  on  and  preventing  any  escape  of 
noxious  gases  from  the  bed  into  the  frame.  This  covering  must  be  kept 
moist,  and  no  fissures  allowed  near  the  sides  of  the  frame  or  elsewhere. 
If  the  pests  still  find  entrance  remove  the  pots  for  a  few  moments  and 
give  the  bed  a  soaking  with  boiling  water,  also  all  round  the  outside  of 
the  frame  in  your  greenhouse,  and  you  will  soon  reduce  the  numbers  of 
the  enemy.  We  suspect  you  provide  dry  corners  somewhere,  which  wood- 
lice  enjoy,  and  increase  and  multiply  accordingly.  We  do  not  think  they 
are  worthy  of  being  made  so  comfortable. 
Apple  Norfolk  Bearer  {D.  W.).— We  do  not  consider  the  variety  to  be 
Norfolk  Bearer,  of  which  the  following  is  Dr.  Hogg’s  description  ; _ 
“  Fruit,  about  medium  size,  2f  inches  wide  and  2^  inches  high  ;  roundish 
and  obtusely  angular  from  the  middle  towards  the  crown,  where  it  is 
rather  narrow.  Skin,  smooth  and  shining,  very  much  covered  with  lively 
crimson,  which  is  marked  with  broken  stripes  and  spots  of  darker  crimson 
extending  over  one-half  of  the  surface  or  wherever  exposed  to  the  sun  ; 
on  the  shaded  side  it  is  green,  with  a  yellowish  tinge  as  it  ripens,  and  with 
some  dots  and  broken  streaks  of  light  crimson  where  it  blends  with  the 
sunny  side  ;  it  is  covered  all  over  the  surface  with  rather  large  russet 
dots,  and  altogether  is  much  the  same  colour  as  Norfolk  Beefin.  Eye, 
half  open  ;  segments,  erect  convergent,  placed  in  a  shallow,  narrow,  and 
plaited  basin.  Stamens,  median  ;  tube  conical.  Stalk,  very  short,  some¬ 
times  a  mere  knob,  or  over  half  an  inch  long,  slender,  inserted  in  a  narrow 
and  not  very  deep  cavity.  Flesh,  greenish,  tender,  crisp,  with  a  brisk  and 
agreeable  flavour.  A  culinary  Apple  of  very  good  quality  ;  in  use  during 
December  and  J anuary.  Its  great  recommendation  is  its  productiveness. 
I  find  it  an  excellent  variety  for  growing  in  the  northern  districts,  such  as 
the  south  of  Scotland,  where  it  succeeds  remarkably  well.”  We  do  not 
know  the  local  variety  you  name. 
Summer  Flowering  Plants  for  Dry  Shaded  Border  (fl/.). — A  few  are 
Aconitum  napellus,  Adonis  pyrenaica,  Agrostemma  coronaria,  Anemone 
japonica,  A.  j.  alba,  Armeria  plantaginea  grandiflora.  Campanula 
glomerata  aggregata,  C.  g.  alba.  Digitalis  gigantea,  D.  purpurea 
vars,,  Erodium  Manescavi.  Geranium  ibericum,  Geum  coccineum  fl.  pi., 
Hypericum  cal3’cinum,  (Eiiothera  fruticosa  Youngi,  (E.  macrocarpa, 
Gl.  taraxacifolia,  Oxalis  fioribunda.  and  Sedum  spectabile.  German 
Irises  often  succeed  if  planted,  as  all  should  be,  when  the  soil  is  moist ; 
also  herbaceous  Pasonies. 
Grasses  for  a  Lawn  (Z.). — For  producing  a  superior  lawn  in  thoroughly 
clean,  good,  well  prepared  soil,  the  following  mixture  has  been  found  to 
answer  well.  Four  pounds  each  of  Agrostis  vulgaris,  Cynosurus  cristatus, 
Festuca  tenuifolia,  Poa  nemoralis,  and  Poa  pratensis.  The  quantities 
given  are  for  a  rood  acre)  or  ^  lb.  per  rod  of  30J  square  yards.  It 
would  be  better  to  increase  than  reduce  the  quantity  where  small  birds 
are  troublesome,  or  when  a  close  lawn  is  desired  very  quickly.  The  seeds 
can  only  be  sown  evenly  on  a  calm  dajq  and  it  is  desirable  to  take 
advantage  of  warm,  dull,  showery  weather  from  the  middle  to  the  end  of 
April  for  the  operation.  If  the  preparation  of  the  ground  is  completed 
early  in  March  natural  weed  seeds  that  it  may  contain  will  germinate  in 
time  for  the  small  seedlings  to  be  hoed  up  before  sowing  the  grass  seeds, 
and  the  lawn  will  be  tbe  cleaner.  White  Clover  is  e.xcluded  from  the 
mixture  because  the  leaves  remain  wet  after  dew  or  rain  much  longer 
than  the  grass  does,  making  the  surface  too  greasy  for  pleasing  croquet 
or  lawn  tennis  players.  If  Clover  is  desired  seed  should  be  sown 
separately,  not  mixed  with  the  grass  seeds.  We  have  seen  croquet 
played  on  ground  in  six  weeks  after  the  seeds  were  sown  on  25th  April. 
Light  soil  was  sifted  over  them  and  warm  showers  followed.  In  this 
particular  case  half  as  much  more  seed  was  sown  as  above  stated,  but 
the  quantity  given  answers  very  well  when  birds  do  not  get  a  goodly 
share,  as  they  usually  do  if  the  seeds  are  not  placed  out  of  their  sight  by 
a  light  covering  of  soil. 
Pruning  Cherry  Trees  {0.  F.). — The  Cherry,  like  the  Apple,  produces 
fruit  mainlj'  on  spurs,  the  buds  being,  however,  much  smaller  and  several 
clustered  together,  with  a  growing  bud  in  the  centre.  In  pruning,  there¬ 
fore,  the  short  stubby  shoots  must  be  left,  and  many  of  the  buds  on  them 
will  develop  into  trusses  of  bloom,  and,  all  being  well,  Cherries  will  follow. 
Extension  growths — that  is,  shoots  that  form  branches,  being  usually  of 
moderate  strength  on  old  trees,  may  be  left  their  full  length,  and  if  thinly  dis¬ 
posed  will  form  spurs  and  give  fruit  in  due  season.  When  the  young  side 
shoots  are  a  considerable  length  it  may  be  necessary  to  shorten  them  to 
give  rise  to  other  growths  at  the  desired  points  for  covering  the  space 
pi’operly  with  branches.  Old  trees  usually  require  the  old  spurs  thinning, 
cutting  away  the  weak  and  long,  and  thus  giving  those  nearest  the  wall 
the  better  advantage.  They  must  not  be  very  close  together,  but  at 
least  6  inches  apart,  removing  some  of  the  least  promising,  if  necessary. 
Keep  the  trees  tree  from  insects. 
Triple  Buds  on  Apricot  Trees  {Idem). — Triple  buds  consist  of  three 
buds  at  a  joint  of  the  shoot,  two  at  the  sides  of  a  central  one.  which  is 
generally  a  wood  bud,  and  the  others  blossom  buds.  Spurs,  which  are 
stubby  clusters  of  buds,  must  not  be  cut  back,  but  if  very  close  together 
some  of  the  weaker  may  be  entirely  removed.  Elongated  spurs  may  be 
shortened  to  a  growth  nearer  the  branch  from  whence  they  proceed. 
This  must  be  done  very  carefully  and  with  judgment,  otherwise  there 
cannot  possibly  be  any  Iruit,  as  growths  are  essential  to  produce  it,  and 
fresh  ones  do  not  always  push  from  the  branches  when  spurs  are  cut 
entirely  away.  The  Apricot,  however,  produces  both  spurs  and  young 
shoots  annually,  and  bears  fruit  on  the  latter  as  well  as  on  the  short 
stubby’  shoots  or  spurs.  The  young  shoots  may  only  be  a  few  inches 
long,  or  they  may  extend  several  inches  during  the  summer,  but  it  is 
usual  to  stop  these  at  about  6  inches  of  growth,  or  to  five  or  six  leaves  of 
their  base  in  July,  which  causes  them  to  plump  the  basal  buds  and  form 
blossom  buds  there.  At  the  winter  pruning  these  shoots  are  cut  back  to 
an  inch  of  their  base,  and  the  buds  thus  left  will  be,  or  mostly  are,  some 
wood  and  others  blossom  buds.  A  double  bud  usually  consists  of  a 
blossom  bud  at  the  side  of  a  wood  bud,  and  therefore  growth  is  sure  to 
issue  when  a  shoot  is  cut  to  a  double  or  triple  bud.  We  do  not  know  of 
any  small  work  such  as  you  require,  but  may  publish  illustrations  that  * 
may  be  helpful  in  some  future  issues.  A  crowbar  may  be  procured  from 
any  blacksmith.  The  holes  for  liquid  manure  should  be  made  a  foot  or 
more  deep,  filling  them  repeatedly  with  the  liquid,  and  afterwards  closing 
them  with  rich  soil  and  wood  ashes  pressed  firmly  down.  In  making  the 
holes  avoid  injuring  the  roots,  especially  the  large  ones  near  the  stem. 
The  sooner  the  work  is  done  after  the  frost  has  gone  the  better. 
Eggs  on  Apple  Twig  {Medway). — The  eggs  are  those  of  the  lackey 
moth,  Bombyx  neustria,  which,  in  the  larval  stage,  is  very  destructive  to 
the  leafage  of  Apple  and  other  fruit  trees.  From  the  eggs  small  black 
hairy  caterpillars  emerge  about  the  beginning  of  May,  and  they  spin  a 
web  over  themselves  for  protection,  which  they  enlarge  from  time  to  time 
as  needed  for  their  accommodation.  The  caterpillars  go  out  to  feed  on 
the  leaves  and  return  to  the  web-nests.  The  thing  is  to  prevent  their 
emerging  from  the  eggs.  The  rings  of  eggs  are  very’  hard  and  diflScult 
to  crush  with  a  knife  unless  a  hard  substance  be  placed  against  the 
opposite  side  of  the  ring,  and  the  back  of  the  knife  applied  with  consider¬ 
able  pressure.  We  have  cracked  and  removed  the  bands  of  eggs  in  this 
way  without  injury'  to  the  shoots,  which  is  often  a  matter  of  consequence, 
as  the  removal  of  the  twigs  with  the  rings  ot  eggs  may  interfere  with  the 
progress  of  the  tree.  Where  this  is  not  material,  the  shoots  containing 
the  rings  may  be  cut  off  and  the  eggs  destroyed  by  burning.  No  outward 
application  appears  to  act  on  the  eggs,  as  they  are  too  glassy  ;  therefore, 
in  the  case  of  orchards,  the  larvas  may  be  allowed  to  emerge  and  then 
destroy  them  in  the  small  webs,  they  being  easily  crushed  with  the  hand. 
