Ak/ A'S^yv 
20 
JOURNAL  -OF  HORTICULTURE-  AXD'  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
■■-"l  r.  -  ' 
January  7,  1904. 
^■h  . . 
All  correspondence  relating  to  editorial  matters  .should  be  directed 
to  “The  Editor/’ 12,  Mitre. (JoruT  Chambers,  Fleet  Street, 
London,  E.C.  It  is  requested  that  no  one  will  write  privately, 
to  any  of  our  correspondents',,  seeking  inforination  on  matters 
■•'discussed  in  this  JouriiaI;'tis“dtdng  so  suhjedts  them  to  unjustiti- 
al)le  trouble  and  e.xpense.  In  naming  plants  we  only  undertake 
, to  name  species,- or  well-marked  varieties,  and  only  six  on  any 
•one  occasion.  Florists'  liowors'  wc.dO  not  name. 
ANGLE  OF  ELEVATION  FOR  PLANT  HOUSES  (Alpha).— 
In  structures  wheiTi  little  fire  heat  i.s  employed,  as  in  green- 
liouses,  an  elevation  of  40deg  i.s  as  good  as  could  be  adopted, 
and  even  for  stoves  the  angle  should  not  exceed  -IGdeg  ;  though 
ill  our  experience  ive  find  an  angle  of  lOdc^^g  the  best  for  the 
distribution  of  the  heat  a.s  equably  as  po.ssible. 
COWDUNG  FOR .  MIXING  ^Y1TH.  HORSE  DROPPINGS 
FOR  GROWING  MUSHROOMS  (Alpha).— The  cow  manure 
should  be  used  in  the  proportion  of  one  part  to  two  parts  of 
horse  droppings.  Ye.s';  cow  droppings  should  be  used,  and  they 
should  be  dried  before  use  and  mixed  with  the  horse  droppings, 
which  should  be  recently  collected  and  freed  from  long  straw, 
and  duly  sweetened. 
MHAT  IS  THE  BEST  PAINT  FOR  PAINTING  HOT- 
MLATER  PIPES  AFTER  GLEANING  HOUSE  WHICH  CON¬ 
TAINS  PLANTS (R.  A.  C.). — The  best  and  only  safe'  paint  to 
use  is  lamp-black,  formed  into  a  thin  paint  with  linseed  oil.  If 
this  be  applied  when  the  pipes  are  warm,  or  if  heatecl  shortly 
after  application,  the  pipes  will  scon  dry  and  give  off  all  the 
fumes  that  will  of  consequence  arise,  a  little  air  being  given 
so  as  to  allow  any  fumes  likely  to  be  injurious  to  tender  foliage 
plants  or  ferns,  continuing  this  until  there  is  no  perceptible 
smell  from  the  pipes.  This  practice  we  have  followed  for  many 
3'ears  in  both  iilant  and  fruit  houses. 
GENERAL  HINTS  ON  THE  MAKING  OF  A  ROCKERY 
(J.  B.). — The  construction  of  a  rockery  in  a  natural  manner 
requires  considerable  experience,  combined  with  a  knowledge 
of  the  various  requirements  of  the  plants.  The  stone  suitable  for 
the  purpose  is  sandstone,  tufa,  and  limestone.  Sometimes 
clinkers,  burrs,  and  even  largo  pieces  of  coke  dipped  in  cement 
are  used.  These,  however,  are  but  poor  substitutes  for  stone. 
The  plan  of  construction  in  all  cases  must  depend  largely  upon 
the  space  at  command,  and  also  for  the  plants  to  be  grown.  For 
ferns  the  effect  is  much  finer  when  below  than  above  the  ground 
level.  For  flowering  plants  the  situation  must  be  open,  sunny, 
arid  the  elevation  above  ground.  The  walks  should  undulate  an’d 
wind  to  and  fro ;  they  should  be  made  of  stone  or  concrete,  with 
rugged  steps  here  and  there.  Bold  projections  may  be  arranged 
at  intervals,  and  thus  cause  a  change  of  contour.  In  building 
the  stone  together  large  pockets  should  be  provided  to  hold  a 
good  supply  of  compost,  and  those  should  be  so  arranged  that 
they  may  be  connected  with  the  bulk  of  soil  on  which  the  body 
of  the  rock  is  built. 
The  stone  should  be  arranged  in  as  natural  a  manner  as  pos¬ 
sible ;  the  receptacles  for  the  plants  recede  as  they  rise,  and  the. 
rock  so  fixed  that  the  light  may  get  to  the  lowest  part  without 
ob.struction.  Arches,  so  frequently  made,  are  not  natural,  and 
most  rockeries  look  better  without  them.  In  the  case  of  level 
ground  mounds  of  earth  may  be  formed  and  stone  built  up  in  the 
form  of  nuniature  hills,  with  intervening  valleys,  or  in  the  form 
of  a  glen  or  ravine  for  ferns,  excavated  to  a  greater  or  less  depth. 
In  either  case  the  paths  should  undulate,  wind  in  and  out,  and 
in  appearance  resemble  a  wild  rocky  pathway. 
In  whatever  form  the  rockery  is  constructed  drainage  should 
be  provided  for  the  escape  of  superfluous  moisture.  Water  will 
drain  to  the  lowest  part,  and  there  provision  must  be  made  for 
its  disposal.  In  commencing  the  construction  the  paths  should 
first  be  planned,  and  from  these  the  rockwork  should  rise  in  an 
irregular  ma.ss.  The  general  outline  should  take  the  form  of  a 
series  of  terraces,  rising  tier  above  tier,  receding  farther  and 
farther  from  the  paths.  Bold  stones  projecting  here  and  there 
give  character  to  rockwork  and  prev^ent  the  eye  seeing  too  far  or 
too  much  from  any  one  point. 
Every  stone  must  be  made  perfectly  secure,  so  that  rain,  frost, 
and  other  influences  may  not  cause  injury  to  the  erection.  When 
the  budding  is  complete  some  good  compost  should  be  put  into 
the  pocLets  in  which  to  plant  the  plants,  this  compost  resting 
on  the  bulk  of  soil  constituting  the  foundation  of  the  rockwork. 
A  rockery  properly  constructed  consists  of  elevations,  depressions, 
pockets  or  recesses,  ledges,  niches,  crevices,  and  cosy  corners  for 
the  several  plants,  as  befits  the  respective  species  or  varieties. 
BULBUOR  NAME  (G.  W.' K.j.-^rqbablytmJonqiiil';  'send' 
a  flovyer  later.on.  ,  ....  .  ■  - 
GEOMETRIC  BEDS  ■(Working  Gardener).— Apply-  to  Mcssr.s-.- 
Cannell  and  Messr.s.  Toogood.  \Ve  will  also  f  urnish 'hints.  -  y 
BOOKS  ON  MARKET  GARDENING  (Constant  Reader). — 
“Market  and  Kitchen  Gardening  (Show,).”  B.s.  3d.,  from  8,  St. 
Mary-at-Hill,  London.  '  Market  Gardening”  (Cuthill),  Is.  2d., 
same  address  ;  '•  ILirket  Gardening  ”  ("  Salisbury  ”  Series),  also 
.same  addres-s,  8d. 
DWARF  SHRUBS,  BUSHY  IN  HABIT  AND  T'NDER  3ft, 
FOR  SMALfL  GARDENS  (A.  L.). — Evergreen  ;  Abelia  floribunda, 
dark  green  shilling  leaves,  very  .suitable  for  low  walls,  flowering 
in  clusters  in  the  .spring.  Azalea  aincena,  very  pretty;  rosy-pink, 
flowers  in  .siiring.  Berbetis  emiietrifolia,  yellow,  flowering  in 
.spring,  a  good  rock  plant.  Ci.stus  crispus,  flowering  in  June, 
preferring  a  dry  soil  and  sheltered  position.  Coronilla  valentina, 
flowering  in  August, very  elegant  and  pretty.  Daphne  Dauphine 
and  D.  Cneoium  major,  the  latter  a  trailer  and  flowers  sweet- 
scented.  Euonymus  radicans  alba  marginata,  Eavendula  spica, 
well  known,  delightfully  fragrant.  Pernettya  angustifolia,  dark 
green  foliage  and  bright  coral  berries.  Skimmia  japonica,  pre¬ 
fers  shady  position,  bearing  crimson  berries.  Southernwood 
(Artemisia  arbore.scens),  well  known  and  highly  fragrant.  Tb.' 
following  American  plants  are  suitable  in  all  but  calcareous  .soils, 
though  usually  termed  peat-plants,  as  they  thrive  on  peaty  .soils  : 
Andromeda  floribunda,  Gaultheria  Shallon,  Erica  Alporti,  E. 
Hammondi,  E.  herbacea  carnea,  E.  vulgaris  dumosa  aurea,  Kalmia 
angmsf ifolia.  Ledum  angu.stifolium,  Menziesia  polifolia  alba, 
Prinos  glaber,  and  Rhodora  canadensis — this  preferring  shade. 
HARDY  ANNUALS  GROWING  ABOUT  1ft  HIGH  WHICH 
ARE  MOST  CONTINUOUSLY  IN  BLOOM  ALL  THROUGH 
THE  SUMMER  (F.  B.). — Alyssum  maritimum,  white.  Gin. 
Asperula  azurea  setosa,  pale  blue,  1ft.  Calendula  officinalis  yar. 
Meteor,  double  lemon  yellow,  striped  silver;  C.  Orange  King, 
double  orange ;  C.  Sulphur  Brown,  sulphur  yellow ;  C.  pluvialis, 
wliiU',  1ft.  Calliopsis  Tom  Thumb,  crimson  ;  C.  marmorata  nana, 
yellow  marbled  brown,  1ft.  Centaurea  Cyaiius  minor  Victoria, 
dark  blue.  Gin  to  8iii ;  C.  depressa,  blue,  1ft.  Eschscholtzia 
cro-cea,  deep  orange;  E.  c.  alba,  white;  E.  c.  flore-plenq,  semi¬ 
double  bright  orange:  E.  grandiflo-ra  rosea,  rosy  carmine;  E. 
californica,  yellow  ;  E.  Mandarin,  orange  scarlet,  1ft.  Godetia 
gloriosa,  criinson  ;  G.  Lady  Albemarle,  carmine  crimson,  edged 
lilac,  1ft;  G.  La  Belle,  crimson,  edged  white,  1ft.  Leptosiphon 
densiflorus,  lilac,  and  L.  d.  aibu.s,  white,  1ft.  Limnanthes 
Douglasi,  white  and  yellow.  Gin.  Linum  grandiflqruni  coc- 
cineum,  scarlet,  1ft.  Lupinus  nanus,  blue  and  white;  L.  n. 
albus,  white.  Mignonette  in  variety.  Nolana  atriplicifolia, 
white  and  blue,  trailing.  Saponaria  calabrica,  pink;  and  S.  c. 
alba  white,  8in.  Senecio,  dwarf  crimson  and  dwarf  white, 
dwarf  Sweet  Peas,  Cupid  and  Pink  Cupid,  Gin.  Nasturtium, 
Tom  Thumb  varieties,  Beauty,  Chamaeleon,  Cloth  of  Gold,  Pearl, 
Scarlet,  Spotted,  and  Yellow. 
INSTRUMENT  for  LIFTING  SLUGS. — By  a  simple  contrivance 
like  that  shown,  much 
disagreeable  handling 
can  be  avoided.  The 
pattern  describes  itself, 
and  any  odd  man  of 
a  mechanical  turn  of 
mind  can  make  such  ■ 
lifters  out  of  ordinary 
copper  or  zinc  wire. 
HINTS  ON  MAKING  A  LAWN  FROM  SEED  (F.  K.).— Pre¬ 
paration  should  be  commenced  in  autumn  or  during  winter,  and 
if  the  site  is  not  naturally  drained  it  mu.st  be  made  so  by  the 
insertion  of  pipes.  The  various  levels  of  the  surface  .should  then 
be  marked,  and  the  whole  be  dug  over  a  spit  deep  and  as  evenly 
as  possible.  If  the  soil  is  fairly  good  and  not  vmry  heavy  there 
will  be  no  difficulty  in  preparing  the  ground.  Where  it  is  very 
poor  and  sandy,  the  addition  of  some  that  is  heavier  and  of  better 
quality  will  be  advisable.  When  too  heavy  the  addition  of  road 
scrapings,  ashes,  or  other  opening  material  will  greatly  benefit 
the  soil,  and  the  lawn  will  accord  with  the  depth  and  f(uality  of 
the  soil  beneath.  The  soil  having  been  dug  all  over  alike  should 
be  allowed  to  remain  until  spring,  when  exposure  to  rain  and  frost 
will  have  rendered  it  solid  and  in  good  condition  for  treading  and 
raking  down  in  preparation  for  sowing  with  grass  seeds.  It  is 
important  that  the  ground  be  free  from  perennial  weeds,  the 
roots  being  carefully  extracted  and  removed  in  digging  the 
ground.  The  best  -season  for  sowing  is  in  March  and  April,  especi¬ 
ally  the  latter,  as  the  warm  sunshine  and  showery  weather  then 
usually  experienced  are  more  favourable  than  any  other  for  the 
quick  germination  of  the  seed.  The  .surface  should  be  of  the  full 
height  required  for  the  lawn.  A  verge  of  turf  round  the  outside 
is  a  good  guide  in  preparing  a  lawn  for  gi-ass  seeds,  as  the  height 
of  this  IS  a  good  guide  in  determining  with  the  eye  the  levelling 
of  the' inside  part.  The  seeds  should  be  sown  evenly,  on  a  calm 
day,  an^  lightly  covered  by  means  of  a  wooden  rake,  followed  by 
a  light  toller,  and  when  the  grass  is  well  up  a  heavy  roller  may 
