JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
December  18,  1902. 
r  rr  4 
5/4 
picked  off,  wliicli  will  prevent,  damping.  During  severe  frosts 
it  is  best  to  protect. 
SPINACH. — The  winter  Spinach  is  greatly  freshened  up  and 
assisted  by  loosening  the  surface  between  the  rows  when  the 
soil  is  dry.  If  the  plants  have  grown  well  in  the  autumn,  some 
of  the  largest  leaves  may  be  gathered  for  use  in  moderation, 
but  the  central  leaves  should  not  be  touched.  Any  too-crowded 
plants  may  be  pulled  out. 
PEA  AND  BEAN  STICKS.— The  opportunity  should  be 
taken  of  securing  suitable  branches  from  Beech,  Oak,  and  Syca¬ 
more  trees.  Trim  and  point  ready  for  use  when  other  work 
cannot  be  done.  After  preparing  Pea  sticks,  lay  them  flat  on 
one  another,  and  weigh  down  with  logs  to  keep  them  flat. 
BURNING  RUBBISH. — The  accumulations  of  rubbish  in  the 
garden  should  be  placed  together  in  a  heap  and  burnt.  When 
a  good  fire  has  been  obtained,  much  of  the  wet  and  smaller 
rubbish,  leaves,  and  weeds  may  be  placed  on  it,  which  will 
cause  the  burning  to  be  slower,  and  more  in  the  nature  of  a 
smother.  The  material  obtained  is  valuable  to  spread  on  the 
land. — E.  D.  S. 
*  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. 
STREPTOSOLEN  JAMESONI,  PLANTING  (A.  M.,  North 
Notts). — This  very  handsome  greenhouse  evergreen,  scabrous- 
pubescent  shrub  would  not  succeed  planted  outside,  and  the 
growths  introduced  through  the  wall  for  training  up  the  roof 
of  a  greenhouse  similar  to  Vines,  though  it  certainly  is  best 
planted  out  in  a  border;  but  this  should  be  inside  the  house, 
being  well  drained,  and  a  sandy,  fibrous,  loamy  soil  provided. 
A  small  plant  may  be  accommodated  in  a  pot,  but  when  the 
plant  becomes  large  it  requires  a  tub,  though  it  is  better  given  a 
light,  airy  position,  and  planted  out  in  a  properly  prepared 
border. 
ORCHID  PESTS  (J.  L.,  Leeds). — We  found  no  insects  in  the 
box,  though  we  examined  the  contents  very  carefully  with  a 
powerful  lens.  Either  they  must  have  escaped,  though  this 
seems  impracticable,  or  been  of  so  small  and  fragile  a  nature 
as  to  have  been  withered  up.  The  decayed  Cattleya  pseudo-bulb 
points  to  attack  and  destruction  by  Cattleya  fly,  Isosoma,  grub, 
or  maggot,  it  entering  the  substance  of  and  destroying  the 
young  growth.  AVe  do  not  know  of  any  preventive,  and  the 
only  remedy  is  to  search  for  and  destroy  the  grubs,  an  affected 
pseudo-bulb  indicating  it  by  the  stunted  and  sickly  appearance, 
with  softness  to  the  touch  when  gently  felt  between  the  thumb 
and  finger. 
VINES  FOR  MIDSUMMER  (Oxon).— The  selection  of 
varieties  you  have!  made,  or  rather,  ask  our  opinion  of,  cannot 
be  surpassed  for  ripening  at  the  end  of  June,  namely  Black 
Hamburgh,  which  of  all  Grapes  is  the  best  for  general  use, 
especially  early  and  midseason,  Foster’s  Seedling,  an  early  and 
excellent  Grape,  and  will  hang  for  some  time  after  being  ripe 
in  good  condition,  and  Madresfie.ld  Court,  which,  when  true,  has 
large  bunches  and  berries,  oblong  or  oval,  and  of  the  greatest 
merit.  Buckland  Sweetwater  is  also  an  excellent  early  Grape. 
For  early  forcing,  the  ATines  are  best  confined  to  an  inside 
border,  or  at  least  until  this  is  thoroughly  occupied  with  roots ; 
then  they  may  be  allowed  to  extend  in  the  outside  border, 
which  should  not  be  made  until  required,  the  apertures  in  the 
front  wall  to  allow  the  roots  to  pass  into  thei  outside  border 
being  walled  up  until  that  time.  AVe  don’t  understand  what 
you  mean  by  pruning  and  planting  the  Vines  at  the  end  of 
May.  If  you  mean  not  procuring  the  Vines  until  that  time, 
and  canes  of  the  current  year’s  raising,  we  say  decidedly  don’t, 
for  they  will  receive  a  check  in  transporting  from  the  nursery, 
and  not  do  well.  Better  procure  the  canes  now,  cut  them  down 
to  within  a  couple  of  buds  of  the  base,  keep  in  a  cool  house  and 
on  the  dry  side,  but  not  so  dry  at  the  roots  as  to  cause 
shrinkage  of  the  wood,  and  when  the  buds  show  signs  of  swell¬ 
ing,  as  they  will  in  a  cool  house  in  March  or  April,  turn  out  of 
the  pots,  remove  the  old  soil,  soaking  if  necessary,  and  plant, 
spreading  the  roots  out  evenly,  and  keeping  the  collar  rather 
high,  not  covering  the  roots  more  than  3in.  AVith  a  minimum 
temperature  of  oOdeg  the  A  ines  will  start  into  growth  vigorously. 
AA.CANCIES  AT  KEAV  (C.  B.)— Your  letter  has  been 
privately  answered. 
SCALE  ON  FRUIT  TREES  (Inquirer). — Your  trees  are  in¬ 
fested  with  oyster  scale,  and  they  cannot  flourish  until  it  is 
destroyed.  Dissolve  4oz  of  Gishurst  compound  or  nicotine  soap 
in  a  gallon  of  hot  water,  stirring  well  into  it  while  hot  a  wine- 
glassful  of  petroleum,  and  apply  carefully  with  a  brush,  rubbing 
well  into  all  the  crevices.  If  the  mixture  is  hotter  than  your 
hand  can  be  borne  in  it  when  applied,  it  will  be  more  effectual. 
Trees  that  are  in  such  a  state  as  yours  appear  to  be  must  have 
had  their  growth  much  checked,  and  this  would  act  prejudicially 
on  the  roots.  AATe  should  therefore  remove  some  of  the  strong 
soil  from  them  and  add  fresh,  with  much  gritty  matter,  such  as 
wood  ashes,  mixed  with  it,  and  mulch  with  partially  decayed 
manure.  It  is  a,  pity  you  did  not  act  sooner,  as  we  fear  you  will 
now  have  some  difficulty  in  re-invigorating  the  trees. 
MOSS  ON  FRUIT  TREES  (T.  S.).— AVe  have  quite  cleared 
moss  from  fruit  trees  by  limewashing  the  trunks  and  main 
branches,  and  dusting  freshly  slaked  lime  liberally  amongst  the 
smaller  branches  and  spurs  when  quite  wet  after  a  foggy  or 
drizzling  day.  If  there  is  no  wind  a  man  with  the  aid  of  a 
ladder  may  dress  a  good-sized  tree  in  ten  minutes,  so  that  every 
side  of  every  twig  is  reached,  and  the  lime  falling  to  the  ground 
can  be  pointed  in  if  needed,  and  will  be  beneficial  to  the  roots. 
The  lime  should  be  obtained  in  lumps,  then  slaked  into  powder 
and  used  immediately.  Having  found  this  quite  effectual  we 
have  not  tried  petroleum  for  the  same  purpose.  If  you  consider 
lime  unsightly,  not  only  the  Mosses  and  Lichens  which  so  gene¬ 
rally  affect  fruit  trees,  but  the  eggs  of  insects,  may  be  effectually 
destroyed  by  dressing  the  trees  in  winter  with  a  wash  composed 
of  a  saturated  solution  of  softsoap  and  common  salt  or  brine. 
The  trunks  and  large  branches  ought  to  be  first  scraped  with  a 
scraper  made  of  old  hoop  or  any  other  implement  that  may  be 
improvised  for  the  purpose,  and  when  all  the  scales  of  bark  are 
removed  apply  the  mixture  with  a  painter’s  brush,  working  it 
well  into  the  crevices. 
FORCING  SEAKALE  (J.  E.  B.).— Seakale  may  be  forced  in 
any  place  where*  it  can  be  kept  moist  and  dark  in  a  temperature 
from  about  50  cl  eg  to  70deg.  The  milder  the  heat  is  the  slower 
is  the  growth,  and  also  the  stronger;  but  the  crowns  must  be  in 
total  daTkiiess  or  the  produce'  will  be  green,  while  if  the  roots 
and  air  be  dry  it  will  be  tough.  You  may  pack  the  roots  closely 
together  in  pots,  plunge  these  in  a  bed  of  manure  and  leaves, 
inverting  other  pots  over  the  crowns;  or  you  may  pack  a- 
number  of  roots  in  a  mixed  fermenting  bed  and  box  the  whole 
in  with  boards  a  foot  or  18in  above  the  crowns.  In  a  quite  dark 
place  nothing  of  the  kind  for  excluding  light  will  be  required; 
all  that  is  needed  in  such  a  case  is  a  humid  atmosphere,  gentle 
warmth,  and  regular  moisture  at  the  roots.  Roots  established 
in  the  ground,  covered  with  pots,  these  covered  to  the  depth  of 
a  foot  or  so  with  manure  or  leaves,  will  afford  excellent  Seakale. 
The  thickness  of  the  covering  must  be  regulated  by  the  heat.  A 
stick  forced  into  the  mass  to  remain  there,  drawn  out  occa¬ 
sionally  and  grasped  in  the  hands,  will  sufficiently  indicate  the 
temperature.  If  neither  hot  nor  cold,  but  comfortably  warm,  it 
will  be  right  for  the  growth  of  the  crop.  A  certain  number  of 
crowns  should  be  placed  in  heat  or  covered  about  every  ten  days 
to  maintain  a  regular  supply. 
- o#.. - 
Meteorological  Observations  at  Chiswick. 
Taken  in  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society’s  Gardens  at  C  his¬ 
wick,  height  above  sea  level  24  feet. 
Date. 
Temperature  of  the 
Air. 
Temperatute  of 
the  Soil, 
At  9  A.M. 
<D 
1902. 
December. 
!l 
O  > 
At  9  A.M. 
Day. 
Night 
c 
cd 
At 
1-ft. 
deep. 
At 
2-ft. 
deep. 
At 
4-ft. 
deep. 
Lowest 
Temperatur 
on  <3 rasa. 
u 
5 
Dry 
Bulb. 
Wet 
Bulb. 
43 
02 
A 
to 
5 
02 
<D 
s 
o 
J 
Sunday  ...  7 
E.N.E. 
deg. 
27-6 
deg. 
272 
deg. 
35  5 
deg. 
25-6 
Ins. 
deg. 
37'1 
deg. 
43-0 
deg. 
47  9 
deg. 
18  3 
Monday  ...  8 
E.N.E. 
35'0 
32  5 
35-7 
27-0 
o-oi 
35'8 
42-5 
47-6 
24-1 
Tuesday  ...  9 
E  N.E. 
35-5 
332 
37T 
33-0 
— 
36-7 
42-0 
472 
30-5 
Wed’sday  10 
E.N.E. 
36-9 
35  0 
38-4 
352 
— 
36  8 
41-7 
46'9 
31-4 
Thursday  11 
N.E. 
34  0 
32-5 
35-0 
34  0 
— 
37-6 
41-6 
46-5 
32  7 
Friday  ...12 
S.E, 
32-3 
31-3 
46-6 
32-0 
0-07 
37-6 
41-6 
46-3 
26.6 
Saturday  13 
S.E. 
46-6 
45-9 
52-6 
32-0 
0.02 
387 
41-5 
46T 
25-4 
Means  ... 
35  4 
33-9 
401 
31-3 
Total. 
0T0 
37-3 
420 
46-9 
,  27  0 
The  weather  has  been  dull,  with  very  cold  east  and  north-east 
winds,  and  a  rise  in  the  temperature  towards  the  end  of  the  week. 
