184 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
February  28,  1901. 
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  unjustifiable 
trouble  and  expense. 
Late  Figs  ( F .  J.  B.). — The  trees  should  be  pruned,  though  it  is  a  bad 
practice  so  late,  it  being  better  done  in  the  late  summer,  or  when  the 
crop  is  cleared.  After  pruning  they  should  be  dressed,  using  a  brush 
and  petroleum  or  carbolic  soap  to  cleanse  them  of  scale  and  hybernating 
red  spider,  or  add  a  tablespoonful  to  a  quart  of  water,  in  which  5  ozs.  of 
softsoap  has  been  dissolved  by  boiling,  adding  the  petroleum  while  hot, 
and  stirring  in  briskly  till  amalgamated.  This  when  cool  enough,  say 
130°  to  135°,  may  be  used  on  hard  wood,  and  diluted  half  with  hot 
water,  on  the  rest  of  the  tree,  taking  care  not  to  damage  the  young 
Figs.  The  old  mulching  or  loose  surface  soil  should  be  removed,  and  a 
little  fresh  loam  and  decayed  manure  supplied,  sprinkling  on  it  4  ozs. 
per  square  yard  of  some  approved  fertiliser,  pointing-in  lightly  or 
covering  with  a  little  compost.  Keep  the  house  as  cool  as  possible, 
merely  excluding  frost. 
Sample  of  Material  from  the  Hotbed  ( Subscriber ). — The  “insects’’ 
of  all  sizes  and  colours  are  “  spring  tails,”  and  have  no  connection  with 
red  spider,  and  the  white  worms  are  common  to  all  decaying  vegetable 
matter.  One  part  gas  liquor  to  five  parts  water  is  quite  strong  enough 
to  destroy  all  the.  insects  you  mention,  and  the  ammonia  vapour  arising 
is  even  then  too  powerful  for  plants  for  several  days;  but  we  presume 
you  intend  to  allow  time  for  this  to  be  dissipated  before  using  the 
hotbed,  a  sweet  atmosphere  being  secured.  There  is  no  danger  of  the 
insects  spreading  to  Vines.  The  quantity  of  Peruvian  guano  to  use  in 
water  for  damping  greenhouses  is  1  lb.  to  20  gallons  of  water,  stirring 
well  up  in  a  tub,  allowing  to  stand  overnight,  and  either  using  the 
clear  liquor  or  straining  before  use.  About  3  gallons  of  the  guano 
water  should  be  used  per  square  rod  (30£  square  yards)  of  surface,  not 
using  oftener  than  two  or  three  times  a  week. 
Early  Celery  (D.  F.  F.). — As  you  want  the  Celery  for  early  shows 
no  time  should  be  lost  in  sowing  seed  of  one  of  the  large  white  forms, 
notably  Wright’s  Giant  White,  and  it  is  also  advisable  in  many 
instances  to  raise  early  plants  to  blanch  for  home  consumption  in 
September.  Sandringham  Dwarf  White,  White  Gem,  and  Veitch’s 
Superb  White  are  among  the  most  reliable  of  the  white  varieties, 
Veitch’s  Early  Rose  being  also  exceptionally  good  for  the  earliest  crops. 
Sow  the  seed  somewhat  thinly  in  pans  of  fine  soil,  plunge  or  set  on  a 
brisk  hotbed  in  preference  to  dry  warm  stages,  cover  with  glass,  shade 
heavily,  and  keep  uniformly  moist  till  the  seed  has  germinated. 
A  shelf  in  a  well-heated  house  is  the  best  place  for  the  plants  till  they 
are  large  enough  to  prick  out  into  boxes  of  good  soil,  and  subsequently 
they  must  be  kept  growing  steadily  and  sturdily,  a  check  from  sudden 
exposure  to  low  temperatures,  or  from  dryness  and  poverty  at  the  roots, 
usually  having  the  effect  of  causing  premature  bolting. 
Cucumber  and  Tomato  Eelworm  (A  Constant  Reader).— 1,  A  1  per 
cent,  solution  of  sulphuric  acid,  1  fluid  ounce  to  5  pints  of  water,  is  fatal 
to  eelworm  reached  by  it.  Soil,  however,  varies  considerably  in 
moisture  and  in  a  measure  dilutes  the  solution,  so  that  there  is  need  to 
exercise  judgment.  2,  The  solution  may  be,  but  is  not  advisedly,  used 
on  the  ground  of  the  house  while  plants  are  growing  in  pots,  as  there 
is  some  vapour  given  off  by  the  action  of  the  acid  on  organic  matter, 
which  is  more  or  less' injurious  to  vegetation.  3,  A  1  per  cent,  solution 
renders  the  ground  sterile,  or  rather  unfitted  for  broad-leaved  plants, 
such  as  Cucumbers  and  Tomatoes,  for  from  six  to  thirteen  weeks,  this 
depending  on  the  nature  of  the  soil,  as  it  contains  organic  matter  or 
otherwise,  is  relatively  poor.  4,  The  life  history  of  the  eelworm  infesting 
Cucumbers  and  Tomatoes  is  fully  given,  with  illustrations,  in  the 
Journal  of  Horticulture,  October  29th,  1896,  page  423.  5,  The  Cucumber 
and  Tomato  are  most  virulently  infested  by  root-knot  eelworm,  but 
most  oommonly,  according  to  our  investigations,  the  root-stem  eelworm, 
found  everywhere  on  native  vegetation.  6,  Your  question,  “  How  may 
they  be  found  in  ground  or  affected  plants  ?  ”  admits  of  but  one  reply— 
namely,  by  examination.  Of  course,  everyone  does  not  know  how  to 
use  a  microscope,  and  even  the  things  it  reveals  are  not  comprehended 
for  lack  of  knowledge.  However,  we  cannot  understand  how  anyone 
can  have  eelworm  and,  examining  the  roots  microscopically,  cannot  find 
it.  If  not  there  the  roots  are  not  affected,  and  we  may  pay  there  is  no 
justification  for  the  assumed  deduction  from  appearances.  In  the  case 
of  soils  it  may  take,  however,  even  days  to  discover.  As  for  the 
remedies  advanced  being  quite  useless,  we  must  say  that  they  have 
been  found  complete  in  not  a  few  instances. 
Stocks  for  Budding  (H.  IF.  C.).  —  The  stocks  bought  in  ought  not 
to  be  cut  down  close  to  the  ground,  nor  cub  at  all,  unless  straggling  in 
growth  and  having  correspondingly  poor  roots,  when  a  little  trimming 
may  be  practised,  especially  on  the  side  growths  and  unwieldy  tops, 
otherwise  the  stem  must  be  left  intact,  and  the  bud  inserted  therein  at 
the  proper  time  and  at  the  right  place — a  smooth  part  of  the  bark  near 
the  ground.  Cutting  off  close  to  the  ground  is  only  necessary  when 
the  stocks  are  old  and  the  bark  has  become  hardened,  so  as  not  to  be 
readily  raised  with  the  budding  knife  haft. 
Growing  Fittonias  {Novice). — In  2-inch  pots  these  are  useful  little 
plants  for  various  forms  of  deooration.  They  root  readily  at  almost 
any  season  of  the  year,  and  may  be  inserted  in  the  pots  in  whieh  they 
are  to  be  grown,  and  few  dwarf  plants  are  more  effective  when 
associated  with  small  Ferns  or  Selaginellas.  The  two  arranged  together 
as  a  front  margin  to  the  stove  are  very  pleasing,  and  the  close  moist 
atmosphere  of  the  latter  suits  them  admirably.  They  are  more  beautiful 
when  grown  in  low  Orchid  pans  4  inches  across  than  in  ordinary  pots. 
When  arranged  at  the  front  of  a  group  of  plants  these  low  pans  can 
be  tilted  so  that  the  plants  with  their  finely  marked  leaves  reach  to 
the  base. 
Pruning  Dwarf  Fruit  Trees  {Amateur). — The  trees  should  have  as 
little  pruning  as  possible  for  profitable  production,  aoting  on  the 
following  principles :  —  1,  Allow  each  variety  to  assume  its  natural 
form  ;  2,  confine  pruning  to  thinning  out  the  shoots  in  late  June  or 
early  July  where  they  cross,  crowd,  or  otherwise  interfere  with  each 
other,  or  impede  the  free  access  of  light,  air,  and  rain  to  the  fruit  and 
foliage,  and  in  September  shorten  any  shoots  that  have  grown  too  long 
to  half  their  length,  and  those  not  required  for  extension  to  four  or  six 
good  sized  leaves.  This  is  with  the  object  of  ripening  the  wood  and 
developing  the  fruit  buds.  The  above  comprises  the  summer  pruning, 
and  the  winter  pruning  merely  consists  in  shortening  shoots  not 
required  for  extension  to  three  or  four  buds,  and  thinning  where 
necessary,  so  as  to  leave  the  primary  branches  9'  to  12  inches  apart ; 
the  result  is  a  full  crop  of  fruit  by  the  third  year,  and  the  object  then 
must  be  to  prevent  overcropping  by  judicious  thinning  of  the  fruit, 
keeping  the  trees  under  rather  than  overcropped,  as  some  growth  is 
necessary  each  year — not  only  for  the  needful  enlargement  of  the  trees, 
bat  for  keeping  them  in  constant  bearing  year  after  year.  When  the 
trees  attain  a  good  size  and  are  judiciously  cropped  they  will  need  very 
little  pruning,  it  being  more  a  question  of  thinning  than  shortening  the 
growths. 
Brassia  verrucosa  (J.  C.  S.). — We  are  sorry  to  hear  you  have  been 
so  unsuccessful  in  Orchid  culture,  and  should  be  pleased  to  be  of 
assistance  to  you,  but  yon  have  given  us  no  clue  as  to  what  conveniences 
you  have  for  growing  them.  Brassia  verrucosa  is  not  as  easy  to  grow  as 
Cypripedium  insigne,  but  at  the  same  time  its  culture  presents  no  special 
difficulty  in  a  suitable  house.  A  winter  minimum  of  50°  is  necessary, 
and  in  summer  the  night  temperature  should  be  10°  higher,  rising  hy 
day  to  70°  or  80°  by  sun  heat,  65°  by  fire  alone.  A  moist  atmosphere 
should  be  kept  up,  and  during  the  time  growth  is  active  the  roots  must 
be  kept  damp.  But  a  good  point  to  remember  in  watering  Orchids  is 
that  the  roots  must  be  allowed  to  get  really  well  on  the  dry  side  before 
another  supply  of  water  is  afforded,  and  then  sufficient  must  be  given 
to  thoroughly  soak  the  compost.  A  day’s  drying  never  hurts  any 
epiphytal  Orchid,  but  a  constantly  wet  state  is  very  wrong.  The 
compost  for  B.  verrucosa  should  consist  of  good  lumpy  peat  and 
sphagnum,  with  plenty  of  rough  crocks  added.  Should  your  plant  be 
in  bad  condition  at  the  roots  you  should  repot  it,  but  avoid  disturbing 
it  if  you  can,  as  the  roots  are  easily  injured  by  rough  treatment. 
Lightly  sprinkling  the  plants  with  tepid  water  is  very  helpful  to  them 
in  warm  dry  summer  weather,  but  in  autumn,  winter,  and  early  spring 
this  must  not  be  practised.  Like  all  other  Orchids  Brassia  verrucosa 
must  be  kept  clean  ;  insects  will  soon  ruin  the  strongest  plants  if  allowed 
to  remain.  We  trust  this  information  will  help  you,  but  if  there  is  any 
point  on  which  you  need  further  advice,  write  again,  giving  full 
particulars  as  to  your  house  and  treatment. 
Names  of  Plants. — We  only  undertake  to  name  species  of  cultivated 
plants,  not  wild  flowers,  or  varieties  that  have  originated  from  seeds  and 
termed  florists’  flowers.  Flowering  specimens  are  necessary  of  flowering 
plants,  and  Fern  fronds  should  bear  spores.  Specimens  should  arrive 
in  a  fresh  state  in  securely  tied  firm  boxes.  Thin  paper  boxes  arrive  in 
a  flattened  state.  Slightly  damp  moss,  soft  green  grass,  or  leaves  form 
the  best  packing,  dry  wool  or  paper  the  worst.  Those  arrive  in  the 
best  condition  that  are  so  closely  or  firmly  packed  in  soft  green  fresh 
grass,  as  to  remain  unmoved  by  shaking.  No  specimens  should  be  sent 
to  rest  in  the  post  office  over  Sunday,  on  which  day  there  is  no  delivery 
of  postal  matter  in  London.  Specimens  in  partially  filled  boxes  are 
invariably  injured  or  spoiled  by  being  dashed  to  and  fro  in  transit.  Not 
more  than  six  specimens  can  be  named  at  once,  and  the  numbers  should 
be  visible  without  untying  the  ligatures,  it  being  often  difficult  to 
separate  them  when  the  paper  is  damp.  (P.  B.  D.). — 1,  Onychium 
japonicum;  2,  Nephrolepis  exaltata  ;  3,  Polystichum  aculeatum  ;  4, 
Pteris  cretica  albo-lineata ;  5,  Davallia  canadensis  ;  6,  Selaginella 
Wildenovi.  (G.  H.  F.). — 1,  Curculigo  recurvata;  2,  Sparmannia 
africana  ;  3,  ( Chimonanthus  fragrans  ;  4,  Linum  flavum  ;  5,  Cceloygne 
cristata.  (/.  IF.  IF.). — 1,  Deutzia  gracilis  ;  2,  Begonia  metallica ;  3, 
B.  Carried.  (C.  C.  R.). — 1,  Cypripedium  insigne  ;  2,  Cattleya  Trianae ; 
3,  Sparmannia  africana. 
