174 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
February  25,  1904. 
SOcleg  to  90deg  from  sun  heat.  Carefully  fertilise  any  shy-setting 
varieties,  brushing  the  bunches  lightly  with  a  camel’s-hair  brush, 
and  then  follow  with  it  charged  with  pollen  collected  from  free- 
setting  sorts,  such  as  Black  Hamburgh  and  Alicarite.  Fertilisa¬ 
tion  is  imperative  in  the  case  of  Muscats,  attending  to  it  on  a 
fine  day  after  the  house  has  been  ventilated  a  short  time,  and 
always  wdien  the  “caps”  part  easily  from  the  tips  of  the  flowers, 
as  then  the  stigmas  are  ready  to  receive  the  pollen. 
THINNING  GRAPES. — Never  allow  this  work  to  get  into 
arrears,  but  thin  free  setting  varieties  as  soon  as  they  are  fairly 
out  of  flower,  taking  out  the  smallest  berries  first,  and  then  going 
over  the  bunches  again,  so  as  to  leave  only  sufficient  berries  to 
form  a  compact  bunch,  each  berry  being  allowed  space  to  swell 
to  its  full  size  without  wedging  or  losing  its  natural  form.  This 
requires  the  exercise  of  a  little  judgment,  and  can  only  be 
acquired  by  experience.  Muscats  and  all  shy-setting  varieties 
should  not  be  thinned  until  the  properly  fertilised  berries  can  be 
distinguished,  as  they  take  the  lead  in  swelling,  whilst  the 
unfertilised  ovules  remain  almost  stationary. 
FEEDING. — After  setting  and  thinning  the  Grapes  swell  fast, 
and  should  be  accelerated  by  judicious  applications  of  liquid 
inanure,  encouraging  surface  roots  by  light  mulchings  of  lumpy 
manure,  such  as  sweetened  horse  droppings,  and  sprinkling  on 
each  square  yard  a  small  handful  of  a  mixture  of  three  parts 
superphosphate,  one  part  powdered  saltpetre,  half  a  part 
sulphate  of  magnesia,  and  quarter  part  sulphate  of  iron,  mixed. 
Attend  to  watering  as  required,  not  having  stated  times,  but 
always  make  an  examination  of  the  border,  and  supply  tepid 
water  whenever  necessary,  but  then  only,  and  always  sufficient 
to  moisten  the  soil  down  to  the  drainage.  Overwatering  is  even 
worse  than  too  little,  as  it  makes  the  soil  sodden  and  sour,  and 
shanking  follows.  Maintain  a  genial  condition  of  the  atmo¬ 
sphere  by  damping  the  floor  and  border  in  the  morning,  at  closing 
time,  and  in  the  evening.  Make  most  of  sun  heat  by  early 
closing,  running  up  to  85deg  or  90deg,  and  this  will  maintain  a 
good  temperature  into  the  night,  when  it  should  gradually  fall 
to  the  minimum  temperature  of  GOdeg  to  65deg.  Admit  air  in 
the  morning  before  the  sun  has  raised  the  temperature  more  than 
5deg  to  lOdeg.  This  should  be  done  without  lowering  the 
temperature,  and  the  Vines  will  be  saved  from  scorching. — 
G.  A.,  St.  Albans,  Herts. 
Young  Gardeners’  Domain. 
The  Eilitor  welcomes  shcrt  letters  from  under  gardeners.  Letters  should  be  con¬ 
fined  to  500  words  in  length,  should  be  written  only  on  one  side  of  the  paper, 
as  cltnrly  as  possible  with  one  inch  apace  at  both  top  ,and  bottom,  as  well 
as  at  the  sides.  The  names  and  addresses  of  the  writers  must  accompany 
all  communications,  not  necessarily  for  publicaiion,  but  as  a  guarantee  of 
good  faith.  If  these  points  are  not  respected,  the  letters  cannot  be  considered 
Calceolaria  Culture. 
Tlie  Calceolaria  is  a  plant  which  require.s  particular  atten¬ 
tion,  and  perhaps  these  few  remarks  will  be  of  use.  Calceolaria 
seed  is  very  fine,  and  great  care  will  be  necessary  whilst  sow¬ 
ing-.  This  should  take  place  about  the  second  week  in  July. 
Assuming  that  the  pans  are  carefully  crocked,  they  should  be 
filled  with  a  nice  light  compost,  consisting  of  fibrous  loam  and 
leaf  soil  in  equal  proportions  with  a  good  sprinkling  of  silver 
sand.  Press  the  soil  firmly,  and  water  with  a  fine-rosed  can 
before  sowung.  Allow  this  to  drain,  then  sow  the  seed  thinly, 
with  the  lightest  possible  covering  of  sand  :  remove  to  a  cold 
frame,  and  cover  with  a  pane  of  glass.  Now  shade  closely  till 
;  the  seedlings  appear,  when  one  can  gradually  expose  them  to 
the  light,  but  at  no  time  should  they  be  subjected  to  the  sun’s 
rays.  Pot  into  “thumbs”  so  soon  as  they  are  large  enough 
to  handle,  allowing  a  little  more  loam  in  the  compost.  Again 
remove  to  frame,  and  shade  carefully.  Pot  on  as  they  fill  the 
pots  with  roots,  never  allowing  them  tp  become  pot-bound,  or 
pale,  sickly  leaves  will  be  the  result. 
Admit  air  freely  on  every  favourable  occasion,  but  avoid 
cold  draughts.  For  final  potting  I  advise  lumpy  fibrous  loam 
two  parts,  flaky  leaf  soil  one  part,  with  some  sharp  grit  and 
mortar  rubble  added.  One  of  the  chief  features  in  the  culture 
of  this  plant  is  the  careful  use  of  the  water-pot.  Over- 
watering  is  just  as  bad  as  not  giving  enough,  but  always  strive 
for  the  happy  medium.  Tliey  should  remain  in  a  cold  frame 
,  until  the  autumn  frosts  appear,  when  they  should  be  removed 
to  a  nice  airy  pit,  on  shelves  near  the  roof  glass.  The  tempe¬ 
rature  need  not  exceed  40deg  to  45deg  Fahr.  at  night,  Avith  a  rise 
to  50deg  to  55deg  Fahr.  in  the  daytime.  Keep  a  sharp  look-out 
for  green  fly,  and  fumigate  at  their  first  appearance.  Plants 
grown  here  under  the  above  conditions  ai-e  a  fine,  healthy  lot, 
and  will  soon  be  a  pleasing  spectacle. — Geo.  F.  Sleight,  Hamp- 
worth  Lodge  Gardens,  Salisbury. 
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  unjustifi¬ 
able  trouble  and  expense.  In  naming  plants  we  only  undertake 
to  name  species,  or  well-marked  varieties,  and  only  six  on  any 
one  occasion.  Florists’  flowers  we  do  not  name. 
PACKING  FRUIT  (E.  F.). — American  Apples  are  sent  to 
this  country  in  barrels,  the  fruit  being  firmly  pressed  down 
without  any  packing.  Each  barrel  holds  about  three  bushels. 
Much  fruit  is  sent  from  Kent  to  London  in  round,  very  strongly 
made,  bushel  baskets.  French  Plums  are  sent  in  deal  boxes, 
differing  in  size,  many  being  about  2ft  long,  I8in  wide,  and  9in 
deep;  but  choicer  fruits  are  sent  in  much  smaller  boxes  contain¬ 
ing  two  or  three  layers  of  fruit,  packed  in  soft  paper  shavings, 
the  boxes  also  being  lined  ivith  paper,  the  ornamental  or 
“  laced  ”  margin  of  which  is  brought  very  neatly  over  the  fruit, 
giving  the  boxes  a  very  attractive  appearance.  Some  of  the 
smaller  of  these,  a  foot  in  length  or  less,  are  extremely  tasteful, 
and  not  a  feiv  purchasers  consider  them  worth  more  than  the 
fruits  they  contain. 
NARCISSUS  HORSEFIELDI  AND  SIMILAR  VARIETIES, 
TRANSFERRING  FROM  ALLUVIAL  TO  VERY  SANDY 
SOIL  (D.). — Although  Narcissi  succeed  fairly  well  in  light, 
sandy  soil,  they  like  something  more  substantial  as  a  base  or 
subsoil,  and  can  only  be  kept  in  satisfactory  condition  by  liberal 
dressings  of  manure.  On  such  soil  we  found  nothing  better 
than  cow  manure,  a  good  dressing  (forty  tons  per  acre,  quarter 
of  a  ton  per  rod)  being  given  and  ivorked  into  the  soil  to  a 
depth  of  a  foot  before  planting.  This  supplies  humus  and 
nutrient  matter,  and  suffices  for  a  number  of  years,  or  until 
they  require  taking  up  for  division,  assorting,  and  replanting. 
We,  however,  also  gave  a  top-dressing  each  autumn  of 
thoroughly  decayed  manure,  and  the  Narcissus  throve  much 
better  than  on  heavier  and  richer  soil. 
YOUNG  CUCUMBER  LEAVES  AND  TENDRILS  TURN¬ 
ING  YELLOW  (W.).— The  symptoms  you  describe  are  not 
those  of  “yelloAvs,”  but  of  eehvorm  or  defective  root  action, 
but  which  we  cannot  say  in  the  absence  of  specimens.  We  have 
known  the  appearance  you  describe  follow  a  check,  such  as  a 
sudden  change  from  dull  and  cold  to  bright  weather ;  also  a 
supply  of  cold  water,  or  an  excessive  supply  of  this  making 
the  soil  sodden,  with  a  consequent  loss  of  roots,  causing  the 
foliage  to  die  back  and  the  growths  to  become  stunted.  The 
sulphate  of  iron  is  useful  against  eelworm,  w'hich  we  fear  the 
symptoms  indicate,  and  you  should  use  kainit  at  alternate 
waterings,  not  employing  more  than  ioz  in  a  gallon  of  water, 
and  apply  a  gallon  of  such  solution  per  square  yard  with  a  fine- 
rose  watering  can.  The  turfy  loam  ought  to  have  been  dis¬ 
infected  before  use,  as  there  is  great  danger  in  using  fresh-cut 
loam,  and  the  mixing  ivith  fresh  horse  droppings  would  aggra 
vate  the  evil,  while  the  burnt  a.shes  from  a  smother  heap  and 
the  old  mortar  rubble  would  to  some  extent  counteract  it. 
Possibly  by  the  use  of  the  kainit  and  sulphate  of  iron  you  may 
overcome  the  eelworm  before  it  has  taken  possession  of  the 
plants  and  commenced  breeding,  when  there  is  no  cure, 
PREVENTING  MILDEW  ON  VINES  (N.).— The  Vines, 
if  they  have  not  started  into  groivth,  may  be  wa.shed  lyith  a 
10  per  cent,  .solution  of  sulphate  of  iron  (green  vitriol  or 
copperas),  applying  it  to  the  rods  with  a  brush.  The  walls 
should  be  whitewashed,  using  the  copperas  solution,  lib  to  a 
gallon  of  water,  for  mixing  with  the  lime,  or  a  good  handful 
of  flowers  of  sulphur  may  be  mixed  with  each  pailful  of  lime- 
wa.sh.  The  sulphur  wall  give  off  some  fumes  under  the  action 
of  the  sun,  which  are  inimical  to  mildew.  The  border  may  also 
be  sprinkled  with  the  sulphate  of  iron  solution,  a  three-gallon 
wateringcanful  being  sufficient  for  90i  square  yards.  House 
sewage  would  not  produce  mildew,  but  in  excessive  quantity, 
and  applied  cold,  might  favour  its  development.  The  blue 
mould  on  the  cuts  indicates  a  damp  atmosphere,  and  possibly 
this  is  the  only  mildew  that  has  infested  the  Vines.  Indeed, 
we  have  a  strong  smspicion  that  this  so-called  saprophyte  is  a 
parasitic  fungus  on  Vines,  as  we  came  across  some  last  year 
producing  growths  or  conidia  bearing  hyphse  from  living  tissue. 
It  would  be  advisable  to  keep  the  Vines  rather  dry  as  regards 
syringing,  and  use  the  sulphur  on  the  hot-water  pipes  very 
carefull^  as  it  may  produce  rust  in  the  berries,  which  i.s  quite 
as  bad  as  mildew  for  spoiling  Grapes.  .  ... 
