May  10,  1904. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
441 
PERIFTKIIIA  ELATA  (Foieniaii).  — Yes,  pot  on  now;  your 
general  treatment  seems  satisfactory. 
THE  THREE  HEAVIEST  RENCHES  OF  GRAPES 
GROWN  IN  THESE  ISLANDS  (R.  E.).  -White  Nice,  sliown 
by  Mr.  Dickson  at  Edinlinrgh,  September  IG,  1875:  ^olb  15oz. 
Tlie  next  Itnncli  approaclhng  this  one  in  weight,  was  one  of 
Gros  Gnillanme.  giown  by  5lr.  Roberts,  gardener  at  Charle- 
vilie,  viz.,  231b  ooz.  A  bnnch  of  Black  Hamburgh  nas  shown 
by  Ml-.  Hunter  at  Belfast  in  1874,  weighing  211b  12oz. 
DIVIDING  PYRETHRUMS  AND  OTHER  HERBACEOUS 
PIjANTS  now  (Planter). — They  may  be  divided,  but  not  well, 
as  this  is  the  active  period  of  their  growth  and  entails  con- 
"iderable  trouble  in  shading  and  watering.  The  best  time  to 
divide  Pyrethrums  is  in  the  latter  part  of  summer,  or  as  soon 
as  the  flowering  is  over,  though  th^y  may  also  be  divided  in 
spring  when  commencing  to  grow.  A  similar  remark  applies  to 
herbaceous  plants  generally. 
SELECT  TREE  CARNATIONS  (G.  H.).-  As  you  live  south 
of  London  we  would  recommend  you  to  try  Messrs.  H.  and  J. 
Elliott,  Courtbushes  Nursery,  Hurstitierpoint,  Sussex.  The 
following  are  good  sorts  :  Brightonian,  America,  and  Governor 
Bliss,  in  .shades  of  scarlet  or  red;  Uriah  Pike  and  Lord  Rose¬ 
bery.  crimsons;  iMrs.  T.  AY.  Lawson  and  Alelba.  rose  pinks; 
Pride  of  the  Afarket  and  Airs.  Leopold. do  Rothschild,  salmon 
pinks ;  Duche.ss  Consuelo,  canary  yellow ;  Ivory  and  Lorna, 
whites. 
GRUBS  FOR  IDENTIFICATION  (J.  D.  AI.). -They  are 
grubs  of  the  Daddy-long-legs  or  Crane-fly,  and  are  specially 
destructive  in  pastures,  by  devouring  and  cutting  the  roots. 
The  fly  lays  her  eggs  towards  autumn.  AVe  do  not  know  of  any 
likely  cure  in  your  case,  where  seedlings  and  young  Cabbages 
are  being  devoured.  The  grulis  certainly  dislike  a  dry,  powdery 
.surface,  and  if  you  can  sprinkle  powdered  charcoal  on  the  soil 
between  the  seedlings,  this  may  prevent  their  action  to  a  cer¬ 
tain  extent.  Dustings  of  soot  and  lime  around  the  Cabbage 
plants  will  be  of  service,  and  watering  with  .soot  water  may 
also  help.  Salt  they  di.slike,  but  this  would  also  be  harmful  to 
the  plants  if  in  cpiantity.  A"ou  should  scald  the  soil  before 
using  it  in  boxes  or  for  potting,  as  doubtless  the  leather  jackets 
were  introduced  with  the  turf. 
HINTS  ON  PUDDLING  TO  AIAKE  A  POND  (L.  F.).— 
AA'hen  the  excavation  is  made,  or  partially  so,  the  bottom  puddle 
near  the  outer  edge  is  formed,  and  upon  this  is  raised  the  upright 
or  .side  puddle  ;  and  as  this  proceeds  the  ordinary  clay  or  earth 
is  rai.sed  at  the  same  time,  by  which  means  the  upright  puddle 
is  retained  in  its  place;  and  ultimately  the  sides,  being  formed 
in  a  sloping  direction,  admit  of  being  covered  with  gravel  or 
sand,  and  may  be  walked  upon,  or  stakes  may  be  driven  to  a 
considerable  depth  without  reaching  the  puddle  or  in  any  way 
injuring  it.  Tliis  can  never  be  the  case  if  the  puddle,  as  is 
sometimes  done,  be  laid  upon  the  sloping  side  of  the  pond.  The 
sides  may  slope  rapidly  or  the  reverse.  If  the  slope  be  con¬ 
siderable^  sand  or  gravel,  to  give  a  clean  appearance,  will  be 
more  likely  to  be  retained  upon  the  facing,  plants  can  be  more 
easily  fixed  and  cultivated.  Gold-fish  also  find  in  these  shallow, 
gravelly  parts,  under  the  leaves  of  the  plants,  suitable  places 
to  deposit  their  spawn,  and  without  this  they  are  seldom  found 
to  breed.  When  a  small  pond  is  to  be  made,  and  the  extent  of 
the  surface  is  marked  out,  it  would  then  be  nece.ssary  to  form  a 
second  or  outer  mark,  indicating  the  space  required  for  the  .side 
puddle,  and  about  3ft  is  the  proper  space  to  allow  for  this,  the 
puddle  requiring  about  2ft,  and  the  facing,  which  requires  to 
be  laid  upon  the  puddle,  ought  to  be  about  a  foot  more,  making 
together  3ft. 
AMAIONIACAL  CARBONATE  OF  COPPER  SOLUTION 
(F.  AI.AI.).-  This  is  usually  prepared  as  required,  according  to 
the  following  formulas:  1,'AAhter,  IGgalls  ;  carbonate  of  copper, 
loz  ;  carbonate  of  ammonia,  5oz.  Alix  the  carbonate  of  copper 
and  the  carbonate  of  ammonia,  and  dissolve  it  in  about  a  quart 
of  hot  water.  AA'hen  thoroughly  dissolved  add  IGgalls  of  cold 
water.  2.  Water,  45galls ;  aqua  ammonia  (.strength  26dog.s), 
3  pints;  carbonate  of  ammonia,  5oz.  Form  the  copper  car¬ 
bonate  into  a  thin  paste  by  adding  a  pint  and  a  half  of  water. 
Add  the  ammonia  water  slowly,  then  a  clear  deep  blue  solution 
is  obtained,  which  does  not  become  cloudy  when  diluted  to 
45galls.  The  latter  formula.  Prof.  Gallowey’s,  is  the  better 
article. 
NAMES  OF  PLANTS.  —  Correspondents  u-hose  queries  are 
nnansu'ered  in  the  present  issue  are  respectfully  requested  to  consult 
.the  folloxuiny  number.  (J.M.AV.).—!,  Daphne  Mezereum ;  2,  Primus 
Amygdalus.  (Albyn.).—1,  Spiraea  Thunbergi ;  2,  Ranunculus  am- 
plexicaulis  (see  note  page  408  in  last  week’s  Joxirnal).  (E.  C.).— 
Ulmus  campestris  variety.  (J.  McC.). — Daphne  Laureola.  (G.  S.). 
1,  Cryptomeria  elegans  ;  2,  Picea  excelsa ;  3,  Cedrus  atlantica  aurea  ; 
4’  Cupressus  Lawsoniana ;  5,  Sequoia  (AVellingtonia)  gigantea ;  6,  Abies 
nobilis  (porbably).  (J.  A.  B.).— The  light  or  white  petalled  flower  is 
Laelia  purpurata  Eusselliana  (syn.  L.  p.  Schriidera^),  and  the  mauve- 
purple  one  is  the  true  L.  purpurata. 
Pickings  ironi  the  Journal  oi  the  Board  oi 
Agriculture. 
AA’e  have  before  us  two  copies  of  this  “  dourna!,"  namely 
one  tor  the  month  of  Alarch  -  the  last  issue  qf  the  old  semes— 
and  one  for  April — the  first  issue- of  a  new  series,  sold  at  4d.  ])er 
month,  not  quite  a  penny  per  ueek,  and  giving  the  value  qt  ii 
penny  a  great  many  times  over.  This  work  can  be  obtained 
direct  from  AAdiitehall,  or  through  booksellers.  The  Alarch 
number  has  a  reference  to,  and  an  explanation  of,  the  duties 
expected  from  the  agricultural  correspondents  now  establishetl 
nearlv  all  over  the  United  Kingdom.  If,  as  we  have  betore 
said,  the  right  men  have  been  chosen,  and  the  people  interested 
in  tile  scheme  will  throw  off  that  apathy  that  affects  the  agri¬ 
cultural  mind,  much  good  may  ensue.  The  names  and  addresses 
of  the  agricultural  correspondents  for  the  neighbourhood  will 
be  exhibited  at  all  post  offices.  AVe  have  referred  before  to  the 
subjects  on  which  these  men  are  ready  to  advise,  and  we  only 
hope  the  thing  will  be  speedily  in  working  order.  N.R.  — It  is 
a  total  impossibility  that  these  good  men  can  by  intuiTion 
divine  the  needs  and  perplexities  of  their  neighbours,  and  we 
can  only  hope  theiv  neighbours  will  not  he  1)ack^^alcl  in  coming 
forward.  .  ,  ,  . 
The  next  article  goes  on  to  discuss  the  various  makes  of  mg 
engines  as  adapted  for  agricultural  uses.  They  are  time  savers, 
and  therefore  money  savers.  AA’e  want  something  better  aiul 
more  easily  set  agoing  tJian  the  cuinberous  steam  engine,  harm 
work  as  done  by  machinery,  is  made  up  not  of  one  continuqus 
day’s  work,  but  of  odd  hours’  ivork,  and  we  v  ant  something 
that  can  do  that  work  for  an  hour  or  two  expeditiously  and 
without  the  troiihle  of  much  preparation.  These  oil  engines 
seem  to  fulfil  the,se  requirements,  and  as  this  article  betore  us 
notes,  the  carriage  of  the  oil  is  a  much  easier  task  than  the 
carriage  of  the  coal  or  coke,  one  ton  of  oil  being  equal  in 
(venerating  power  to  5  or  8  tons  of  coal  or  coke. 
It  does  not  come  within  the  scope  of  our  paper  to  discuss 
he  various  makes  of  engines  or  their  several  peculiarities: 
iiffice  it  to  sav  that  no  farm  is  complete  nowadays  without  one 
»f  these  useful  workers  of  oue  kind  or  other.  Possibly  theie  is 
I  time  coming,  and  not  far  dKtant,  when  oil  engines  wil  be 
ised  as  the  motor  power  for  field  operations.  Given  a  machine 
)f  reasonable  price,  and  of  easy  management,  the  farmer  will 
rail  it  with  joy  as  the  solution  of  a  portion  at  least  of  the  labour 
lifficultv.  .  1  £  1  f  1 
AA’eeds  and  their  suppression  we  spoke  of  betore  ;  and  we 
urn  next  to  “Bee-keeping  for  Small  Farmers.  AA  e  don  t 
hink  ourselves  that  profitable  bee-keeping  will  ever  become  very 
'ommon  AVe  have  found  that  there  are  more  blank  years  than 
b-uitful  ones.  The  season  of  honey  flow  is  often  so  short,  and 
nterefered  with  alike  by  heavy  rains,  cold  sea.sons,  and  drought, 
hat  the  bees  have  no  opportunity  for  laying  111  stoijs;  only  the 
nost  meagre  supplies.  AVith  us  we  depend  chiefly  on  white 
dover  the  later  heather  harvest  being  quite  out  of  our  reach; 
ind  again,  the  initial  outlay  is  rather  a  seripus  item  ;  and  tew 
men  Imve  the  knack  and  skill  to  make  their  own  hives,  and 
Fewer  still  possess  the  “  art  ”  (for  so  we  may  really  call  it  of 
nanipulating  bees.  The  farmer’s  wife,  too,  has  more  than 
moimh  to  do  already  without  undertaking  much  honey 
management.”  The  prices  also  are  apt  to  be  very  disappointing. 
Oire  (vreat  bee  man  of  onr  acquaintance  was  111  despair  the 
ather  dav,  for.  despite  his  best  endeavours  (he  is  a  clever,  well- 
pducated  and  scientific  man),  he  had  lost  all  his  bees  from  foul 
lirood  V  few  vears  ago  a  great  interest  in  this  subject  was 
awakened  in  this  neighbourhood,  but  with  a  succession  of  bad 
seasons  the  interest  has  died  awaju  .  -.i  i 
“  Alinor  Ailments  of  Poultry”  may  be  read  with  much 
nrofit  AVe,  in  common  with  the  writer  of  the  paper,  believe 
in  prevention  rather  than  cure.  A  fowl  is  an  awkward  thing 
to  doctor,  and  we  would  rather  try  the  effect  of  happy 
despatch  ”  than  be  messing  about  with  doubtful  remedies.  J  he 
main  causes  of  disaster  are  summed  ’iP  q  Careless 
breeding,  damp,  draughty  house,  and  filth  ;  this  last  being  1 
(vreatest  of  all,  and,  alas!  the  most  common.  , 
There  is  an  interesting  paper  on  ‘  Cider  Factories  in  Gei- 
many  ”  that  will,  doubtless,  appeal  to  reader.s  in  our  cider  dis¬ 
tricts.  The  largest  German  factory  is  that  of  Treyeisen 
Brothers  Frankfort,  wliich  turns  out  660,000  gallons  per  year. 
The  imports  of  agricultural  produce  for  1903  give  us  some 
idea  of  onr  great  indebtedness  to  onr  colonies  and  other 
countries.  Canada  sends  us  more  than  double  the  number  ot 
