April  7,  190'. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
;5U9 
VINES  NOT  BREAKING  (J.  B.).-  We  aio  unable  to  account 
for  the  canes  jiot  starting,  assuming  they  liave  not  been  dressed 
with  anytliing  deleterious  that  ha^^  injured  the  buds.  ^  ou  give 
no  particulars  whereon  we  can  found  an  opinion,  neither  as  to 
the  tempei-ature  of  the  house,  position  of  the  roots,  or  general 
treatment.  You  do  not  even  say  whether 'the  old  rods  were  cut 
out  or  not,  and  if  not  whether  they  are  starting— the  young 
canes  alone  refusing  to  break.  Depress  them,  syringing  twice  or 
thrice  a  day  according  to  the  weather,  and  maintain  a  Irrisk 
temperature.  It  is,  however,  most  diffimdt  to  answer  with  pi’e- 
cision  in  the  absence  of  information  that  is  necessary  for  the 
purpose  of  a  satisfactory  reidy. 
TOP-DRESSING  FOR  ROSES  (A.  R.)— Dissolved  bones  and 
soot  form  a  good  manure.  It  is  not  advisable  to  mix  the  lime  with 
them  as  proposed,  but  the  lime  alone  would  be  a  good  addition  to 
the  soil.  It  should  be  applied  fresh 
or  newly  slaked  at  the  rate  of  a 
bushel  per  rod  (30J  srpiare  yards). 
It  is  best  applied  in  March  or  in  the 
autumn,  but  it  may  be  given  now 
and  lightly  pointed  in.  As  a  surface 
dressing  you  could  not  have  any¬ 
thing  better  than  dissolved  bones, 
soot,  and  the  artificial  manure  you 
name,  using  them  in  equal  propor¬ 
tions.  If  you  add  half  a  part  of 
sulphate  of  ammonia  it  would  im¬ 
prove  the  mixture.  A  dressing  early 
in  May,  aborit  the  middle  of  June, 
and  towards  the  close  of  July  would 
probably  be  sufficient,  half  a  peck 
per  rod  being  a  proper  dressing  of 
the  mixture.  We  are  pleased  to 
learn  that  we  have  been  of  some 
service  to  you  in  securing  “  fine 
Chrysanthemums  up  to  the  middle 
of  December,”  and  that  the  Toma¬ 
toes  planted  after  them  enabled  you 
to  “gather  the  first  dish  on 
March  29th.”  We  congratulate  you 
upon  your  well-merited  success. 
GLAUCIUM  LUTEUM  {¥.)— 
This,  the  Horned  Poppy,  succeeds 
in  any  ox'dinary  garden  soil,  seeds 
being  scattered  thinly  upon  the 
surface  and  lightly  raked  in.  Do  this  eaidy  next  month.  G.  luteum 
(or  flavum,  which  is  a  synonym)  is  found  wild  on  gravelly  places  by 
'  the  sea  in  oxxr  own  country,  and  grows  1  to  2ft.  high.  The  leaves 
are  deeply  cut,  and  possess  a  beautifixl  silveiy  sheen,  the  form  and 
character  of  plant  beloved  of  artists,  and  it  is  often  introduced  into 
pictures.  Tlie  individual  flowers  do  not  last  long,  but  numbers  ai’e 
px’oduced  each  day. 
DESTROYING  SLUGS  (Inquirer). — In  your  case  xve  .should 
ti'y  the  effects  of  iime  water.  Place  a  peck  of  lime  in  lumps 
fresh  from  the  kiln  iix  a  tub  h'oldixig  JOgalls  or  oOgalls  of  water, 
.stirring  well ;  then  allow  the  lime  that  is  ixot  taken  up  to  .settle 
at  the  bottom  of  the  tub.  If  there  is  a  light  covering  the  water 
will  be  as  strongly  impregnated  with  lime  as  it  can  be.  Apply 
it  to  wherever  the  slugs  abound  through  the  rose  of  a  garden  can 
preci.sely  as  if  you  xvere  giving  the  giound  a  good  watering 
after  a  dry  day.  Do  this  an  hour  or  so  after  ixiehtfall  xvhen  the 
marauders  are  engaged  in  their  foraging  expeditions,  and  unless 
your  slugs  are  of  a  hai’der  kind  than  ours  all  will  be  killed  that 
receive  a  good  drenching.  The  lime  water  will  do  no  harm  to 
the  .soil  or  the  plants.  By  a  few  nightly  applications  the  enemy 
will,  we  think,  soon  be  decimated. 
PEACH  WOOD  NOT  RIPENING  (No  Name).— We  assume 
the  ti’ees  grow  luxuriantly,  though  you  do  not  say  so.  You 
nxerely  say  the  wood  does  not  ripen,  and  there  is  a  paucity  of 
pollen,,  also  that  you  train  thinly.  We  once  inspected  some 
Peach  trees  iix  the  charge  of  a  gardener,  and  he  undoubtedly 
considered  the  growths  xvere  di.spo.sed  thiidy  over  the  trellis,  but 
there  were  at  least  thrice  the  number  of  .shoots  that  ought  to 
have  been  retained.  The  result  was  immature  wood,  in  xvhicli 
little  nutriment  could  have  heen  .stored,  small  buds,  and  the 
year  following  not  half  a  crop  of  fruit.  If  the  .shoots  of  your 
trees  are  so  arranged  that  the  leaves  of  one  do  not  overlap  those 
of  the  other  the  xvood  ought  to  ripen  under  good  management. 
Perhaps  the  border  is  too  rich,  loose,  and  deep,  also  deficient  in 
calcareous  matter.  If  that  is  so,  and  the  trees  grow  gro.ssly,  you 
Avill  probably  not  find  the  topping  and  pinching  process  advan¬ 
tageous.  It  is  desirable  to  know  something  about  the  nature  of 
the  growth  and  condition  of  the  border  for  advisiixg  in  a  case 
of  this  kind  :  but  the  probability  is  that  the  root-action  is  exces¬ 
sive,  in  which  case  lifting  the  trees  .soon  after  the  crop  is 
gathered,  and  placing  the  I’oots  in  firm  soil  containing  a  liberal 
additioix  of  lime  rubbish,  would  result  in  iixiprovement. 
(  imk 
Glaucium  luteum. 
RATING  31ARKET  GARDENS  (W.  P.).  The  decision  to 
which  you  refei’  will,  we  think,  apjily  to  generai  as  w('ll  as  to 
local  rates,  but  for  precisi'  information  you  had  i)etter  apply  to 
a  solicitor. 
SiMALL  RHEBARB  (.1.  F.).—  In  all  probability  larger  stalks 
will  follow  as  tbe  sea.son  advances.  If  there  are  clusters  of  small 
crowns  you  may  cut  some  of  tliem  clean  out  ixx  order  that  tno 
strength  of  the  roots  v  ill  be  directed  to  tbe  larger.  It  will  pro¬ 
bably  be  advisable  to  split  a  few  of  these  from  the  outside'^  of 
the  stools  with  roots  attached,  and  plant  them  in  I'ich  soil.  It 
may  be  done  now,  but  no  stalks  should  be  pulled  from  them  this 
season.  Doyenne  Boussoch  is  a  fine-looking  Pear,  and  good  tor 
a  very  short  time  only.  When  once  ripe  it  “  goes  like  magic.” 
The  trees  may  be  inarched  as  you  sugge.st. 
BURNED  BONES  (-1.  H.).  —  By  burning  bones  the  organic 
or  animal  matter  is  consumed,  and  that  undoubtedly  possesses 
manurial  value,  but  the  phosphates  remain,  and  these  may  be 
regarded  as  the  chief  con.stituents  of  bones.  Buiuied  beef  bones 
have  been  found  to  contain  in  100  parts,  phosphate  of  lime  and 
fluoride  of  calcium,  90.70;  carbonate  of  lime,  2.16  ;  caibonate  of 
magne.sia,  l.IO  ;  carbonate  of  soda,  o.74.  This  bone  earth  is  thus 
decidedly  valuable,  especially  for  fruit  tiees,  and  applied  to  soil 
I'ich  in  animal  matter  would  be  practically  equal  to  bonemeal, 
but  to  soil  rich  in  phosphates  and  poor  in  animal  matter,  burned 
bones  could  not  be  of  much  sei'vice.  It  will  be  apparent,  there¬ 
fore,  that  the  question  of  burning  or  ixot  must  be  determined  in 
accoidance  xvith  the  nature  of  your  .soil  and  the  crops  to  which 
you  de.sire  to  apply  the  manure.  By  breaking  the  bones  mode¬ 
rately,  small  they  are  more  quickly  di.ssolved  by  the  acid. 
CAIMELLIAS  WITH  YELLOW  FOLIAGE  (W.  H.).— The 
Camellias  are  not,  we  think,  in  good  health.  They  are  probably 
in  a  bad  state  at  the  roots.  It  xvoidd  be  de.sirable  to  examipe 
the  drainage,  and  if  defective  rectify  it.  At  the  same  time  ex¬ 
amine  the  soil,  and  if  not  xveli  occupied  xvith  healthy  roots  it 
would  be  desirable  to  remove  it  from  among.st  them  and  supply 
fresh.  We  use  fi’esh  turfv  loam  of  a  light  nature,  cut  about  2in 
thick  and  turned  up  roughly.  In  this  xve  pot  rather  firmly. 
Good  drainage  is  necessai'y,  as  the  plants  .should  not  be  more 
frequently  disturbed  than  every  thiid  or  fourth  year.  Failing 
the  loam.  Camellias  thrix^e  xx’ell  in  fibi'ous  peat,  small  plants 
doing  admirably  in  leaf  soil  alone  xx  ith  a  free  admixture  of  sand. 
With  the  roots  in  a  healthy  .state  the  new  groxvths  xvill  produce 
better  foliage.  If  the  roots  are  in  good  condition  afford  soot 
water,  xvhich  xx  ill  improve  the  gj'owth  and  colour  of  the  foliage. 
- - 
The  SiuiTNc;  Numbeu.  — “W.  S.”  xvrites :  “I  am  late  in 
sending  you  a  congratulatory  note  on  the  excellence  of  your 
Spring  Number,  both  letterpress  and  illustratioix  being  so  good 
and  varied.  The  notes  on  Westonbirt  xxere  mo.st  interesting 
readiixg,  and  the  photos  clearly  indicate  xvhat  a  fine  domain  it 
it.  We  hear  so  much  of  Capt.  Holford  and  his  orchids, 
Amaryllis,  Ac.,  that  you  could  scarcely  have  chosen  a  more 
popular  text  for  your  ‘special.’  Mr.  Abbey’s  articles  afford 
another  instance  of  his  xvouderfully  varied  capacity.” 
Agricultural  Literature. 
“It  never  rains  but  it  pours.”  We  have  had  nothing  very 
special  to  chronicle  under  our  heading  for  some  little  time — just 
tlie  oi'dinary  weekly  literature;  but,  at  this  moment,  xxe  have 
on  our  writing  table  three  books,  two  of  them  large,  entirely, 
devoted  to  matters  agricultural,  and  touching  on  every  possible 
branch.  The  first  is  “  Practice  with  Science,”  the  yearly  volume 
of  the  doings  of  “The  Royal.”  The  second  is  fiom  Washing¬ 
ton,  U.S.A.,  the  nineteenth  annual  report  of  the  Bureau  of 
Animal  Indii.Ary,  and  the  third  is  the  Journal  of  the  British 
Dairy  Farmers.  The  matter  contained  in  the  “  Royal  ”  and  in 
the  American  volume  is  new— that  is,  the  papers  (xxe  believe) 
have  not  appeared  in  any  other  form.  Respecting  the  Li'itish 
Dairy  Farmers,  the  account  of  the  French  tour  xvas  published 
in  most  of  the  agricultural  papers  (at  greater  or  less  length) 
during  the  summer.  Most  of  the  papers,  too,  dwelt  on  the 
salient  points  of  the  October  dairy  exhibition  in  London,  but 
besides  these  features  there  is  much  that  is  most  excellent  and 
instructive. 
To  begin  xxith  “The  Royal.” 
We  do  prefer  one  xvell-bound. 
