264 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
March  24,  1901. 
and  is,  of  .some  service  I  believe,  but  examples  which  are  far  off 
can  never  have  the  potent  effect  of  those  which  are  immediately 
present,  as  so  pertinently  expressed  by  ‘‘  E.  I'l.  H.”  in  his  welcome 
letter,  for  it  is  easier  to  follow  models  than  rules.  Such  letters 
are  what  I  wanted  for  my  beloved  object,  arid,  like  Oliver  Twist, 
“  I  want  more.” 
"G.’s”  conundrum,  on  the  same  page,  is  a  poser,  inasmuch 
as  one  has  no  per.soiial  key  to  character  in  the  instance  described. 
Hut  that  the  character,  so  far  as  it  is  exemplified,  is  a  very  strong 
one  I  do  not  doubt,  and  sufficiently  strong,  I  should  say,  to  bring 
the  young  man  out  at  the  top.  The  case  is,  I  believe,  excep¬ 
tional,  if  not  unique,  in  bothydom.  A  library  is  a  fine  thing, 
and  so  is  a  full  pocket  ;  but  we  don’t  want  bookworms  in  the 
bothy,  and  we  don’t  want  misers,  and,  so  far  as  my  experience 
is  concerned,  there  is,  here,  but  little  danger  of  either.  Many 
books,  with  the  object  of  cramming  a  man’s  head  with  other 
men’s  brains,  is  not  the  object  of  reading  as  I  take  it,  that  object 
being  to  read,  mark,  learn,  and  digest  in  order  to  develop  one’s 
inherent  ideas  and  individual  character;  otherwise  the  reader 
is  but  a  copvist.  Hence,  '‘Some  books  I’d  have,  and  some  ac- 
(luaintances  too,  but  very  good  and  very  few.” 
And  I  don’t  want  our  boys  to  .save  money  for  pure  love  (which 
is  very  impure  love)  of  gold,  but  for  its  usefulness  and  power ; 
so  tlie  answer  to  the  conundrum  is  this:  that  if  one  can’t  have 
a  big  bookshelf  without  an  empty  pocket,  then  take  the  common- 
sense  course  in  adopting  the  happy  medium,  for  I  do  not  think 
a  full  head  can  carry  itself  in  that  manly,  independent  way  that 
all  young  gardening  heads  should  be  carried  on  an  utterly  empty 
pocket  ;  and  many  an  opportunity  is  lost  for  want  of  a  pound. 
It  is  pleasant  to  add  that,  not  long  since,  one  of  our  bothy  lads 
(who  had  Ijeen  preached  at  a  bit  anent  the  Post  Office  Savings 
Hank)  brought  me  his  bank  book — sounds  ‘'nice!” — to  show  me 
that  His  Majesty  held  three  pounds  in  trust  for  him.  A  good 
start.  Proud!  Was  he.^  Rather;  but  not  more  so  than 
— An  Old  Boy. 
I  - - 
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. 
VARIOUS  (X.  Y.  Z.). — Your  queries  came  too  late  to  be 
answered  this  week,  but  thev  shall  receive  attention  next  week. 
SENDING  OF  PAPER  (G.  G.).— So  many  papers  come  that, 
alas!  wo  cannot  even  look  through  them  all.  The  cutting  will 
be  sufficient,  thanks. 
FERTILISER  FOR  MELONS  (H.  0.  H.).— The  information 
is  given  occasional l.v  bv  Mr.  Abbey,  under  ”  Work  for  the 
IVeek.”  But  either  Clay’s  Fertiliser  or  Thomson's  Manure  may 
be  recommended  in  a  weak  liciuid  state  twice  a  week,  or  even 
thrice,  during  the  active  growing  sea.son.  Attention  to  all 
points  of  detail  is  necessary  to  ensure  the  highest  success,  but 
in  aiming  at  size  be  careful  not  to  .spoil  the  flavour. 
BRITISH  BIRDS  (('.  E.  P.). — Twite  ”  is  a  popular  name  in 
some  districts  for  the  brown  or  common  linnet,  as  you  surmise. 
The  object  of  the  articles  on  British  birds  is  not  to  treat  of 
their  natural  history,  but  briefly  to  direct  attention  to  their 
utility  or  otherwise  as  affecting  cultivators,  which  is  chiefly  in- 
fliunced  by  the  nature  of  the  food  of  the  several  species, 
resident  or  migratory.  Goat  Sucker  .should  be  read  for  Gnat 
Sucker,  and  Cotile  for  Cotite,  the  scientific  name  of  the  Sand 
-Martin.  In  connection  with  the  eggs  of  the  Sand  Martin,  they 
certainly  are  speckled  in  our  experience. 
lOFFECT  ON  GRASS  THROUGH  SPRAYING  FRUIT  TREES 
WITH  CAUSTIC'  ALKALI  WASH  (.1.  D.).  -The  spraying  of  fruit 
Trees  with  caustic  alkali  solution  is  certainl.v  injurious  to  the 
grass  or  herbage  beneath,  but  w  hen  the  wash  is  applied  by  means 
of  a  knapsack  sprayer  which  produces  a  fine  spray,  and  only 
enough  liiiuid  used  to  lust  wet  the  twigs  and  branches,  avoiding 
an  exce-s,  the  damage  is  not  material,  indeed,  the  spraying  being 
performed  whilst,  the  trees  are  quite  dormant,  as  it  should  be 
ill  all  cases  with  the  caustic  soda  and  commercial  potash  (pcarlash) 
lolution,  the  injury  to  the  grass  is  not  conseijuential.  as  the 
herbage  is  also  more  or  less  dormant,  and  ma.v  do  good  by  killing 
moss,  &c. 
BOTTLE-GRAFTING  (B.). — Bottle-grafting  has  been  prac¬ 
tised  for  many  years  in  this  country  for  uniting  Oranges. 
Oleanders,  Vines,  and  other  plants;  but  there  is  usually  a  special 
reason  for  adopting  such  a  means.  An  instance  where  bottle¬ 
grafting  was  largely  practised  in  a  market  garden  known  to  us 
was  completel.v  succe.ssful.  In 
the  month  of  Januar.v  the  roofs  of 
most  of  the  hou.ses  were  covered 
with  Black  Hamburgh  Vines,  and 
nine  months  afterwards  with  splen¬ 
did,  well-ripened  canes  of  late 
Grapes,  capable  of  bearing  a  heavy 
crop  of  fruit.  The  grafts  were, 
before  pruning,  loft  to  20ft  in 
length,  and  as  thick  as  one’s 
thumb,  short-jointed,  and  studded 
with  bold  eyes  of  abundant  pro¬ 
mise.  At  the  time  that  these 
grafts  were  being  matured,  the 
stocks  on  which  they  were  worked 
ripened  perfectl.v  ten  bunches  of 
Grapes  apiece,  of  weights  varying 
from  11b  to  31b  each.  Ten  days 
after  starting  the  houses  in 
Februarv,  the  gardener  put  on  177 
grafts  of  various  kinds.  The  grafts 
pushed  at  the  same  time  as  the 
stock,  and,  witli  seven  exceptions, 
in  a  short  time  the  union  was  com¬ 
plete.  The  grafts  had  been  put  on 
wood  of  various  ages  from  four 
years  to  one  year  old,  and  without 
much  difference  in  after  growth. 
If  grafts  are  plentiful,  they  should 
be  not  less  than  1ft  in  length,  but 
if  .scarce,  less  will  do.  Take  a  .slice 
off  the  graft  in  the  middle,  sa.v 
bin  long,  leaving  4in  at  the  bottom 
to  go  into  the  bottle,  and  3in  above 
the  slice  to  pu.'-h  and  form  the 
future  44ne.  Take  a  similar 
off  the  stock,  fit  the  two  together, 
and  bandage  round  with  tape  or 
some  such  material.  Nothing  else 
is  rec|uired.  The  suspended  bottle 
should  be  regularly  filled  with  rain 
water,  and  a  little  powdered  char¬ 
coal  i.s  put  to  keep  it  pure. 
AMERICAN  GARDENING  PAPERS  (F.).— “  The  Florists' 
Exchange,”  every  Saturday,  2  to  8,  Duane  Street,  New  York; 
•‘The  American  Florist.”  324,  Deaiborn  Street,  Chicago;  also 
The  M'eckly  Florists’  Review.”  Chicago.  These  seem  to  be 
the  leading  horticultural  trade  papers  in  the  U.S.A.  “  American 
Gardening,”  13(j,  Liberty  Street,  New  York,  City,  is  mainly 
devoted  to  private  gardeners  and  parkmen.  The  three  first- 
named  cost  1  dollar  per  year  (from  the  trade  only);  the  last- 
named  cost  b  cents  per  copy  . 
slice y 
Bottle  Grafting. 
B,  scion  i  C,  bottle”  D,  K,  stock. 
TRElfS  FOR  AN  ISLAND  (Daisy).— The  most  suitable  are 
the  Alders.  Birches  and  Willows.  Of  Alders,  Alnus  glutinosa 
folds  aureis,  A.  g.  laciniata,  A.  g.  laciniata  imperiali.s,  and 
A.  incana  nova  pindula.  Of  Birches,  Bctula  alba,  B.  a. 
fastigiata,  B.  a.  laciniata  pcndula,  B.  a.  pendula  (young),  and 
B.  a.  purpurea.  Of  Willows,  Salix  alba.  S.  americana  and 
var.  pendula,  S.  bab.vlonica  (common  Weeping),  and  var.  annularis 
(Ringlet  Willow),  S.  Caprea  pcndula  (Kilmarnock  Weeping). 
S.  cardinalis.  S.  purpurea  pendula,  S.  regalis  and  S.  sericea 
pendula.  Of  shrubs  the  Dogwood.s  are  fine  :  Cornu.s  alba  Spat  hi, 
C.  brach.vpoda  variegata,  C.  florida  pendula,  C.  f.  rubra,  C. 
Kousa,  C.  Mas  eleganti.'sima  aurea,  C.  sanguinea  atro-sanguinea, 
and  C.  s.  variegata,  Deutzia  scabra  candidis.siina.  1).  s.  discolor 
purpurasceus,  D.  s.  flore  pleno,  D.  s.  Wellsii,  D.  s.  Watereri, 
Spiriea  salicifolia  and  var.  paniculata  alba,  S.  callosa  and  var. 
atro-sanguinea  and  splendens,  S.  ariiefolia.  Guelder  Rose 
(Viburnum  Opulus  sterile)  and  Weigela  (Diervilla)  rosea  and  vars. 
also  do  well  in  damp  situations.  No  shrub  is  finer  for  foliage 
than  the  Golden  Elder  (Sambucus  nigra  aurea).  For  gracefulness 
the  Bamboos  are  indispmisable  in  sheltered  situations.  Arundi- 
naria  nitida  and  A.  Simoni ;  Phyllostach.vs  Henonis,  P.  nigra 
and  P.  viridi-glaucescens  are  noble  plants.  Of  Grasses,  Apera 
arundinacea,  El.ymus  glaucifolius,  Eulalia  japonica  and  vars. 
variegata  and  zebrina.  Pampas  Grass  (G.vnerium  argenteuni). 
Arundo  conspicua,  Phalaris  arundinacea  elegantissima,  with  New 
Zealand  Flax  (Phormium  tenax).  Bocconia  cordata  and  Pol,\- 
gonum  sachalinense  are  very  fine  on  the  margin  of  water,  a- 
also  are  the  Gunneras  manicata  and  .scabra,  but  they  require 
sheltir.  The  foliage  of  the  Rhubarbs  (Rheum  officinale  and 
R.  palmatum  var.  tanguiticum)  is  bold  and  effective,  Spiraeas 
Aruncus.  a>tilboides,  filipendula  fl.-pl.,  palmata,  Ulmaria  fl.-pl. 
and  venusta  are  very  fine  in  damp  situations. 
