June  30,  190-J. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
563 
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  unjustiliable  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. 
SOUVENIR  DE  MAIAIAISON  CARNATIONS  GOING  OFF 
(S.  D.). — No  wonder  that  the  jJants  received  two  months  ago 
in  6-in  pots,  kept  shaded  in  a  Peach  house  and  syringed  twice 
daih’,  have  rotted  off,  your  idea  of  their  being  kept  too  moist 
being  the  correct  one!  Alaimaison  Carnations  are  usually  raised 
from  layers  in  July  or  August  outdoors  or  in  a  frame,  the  old 
plants  being  planted  out  as  soon  as  flowering  is  over,  and  when 
Avell  rooted  detached  and  potted  singly  in  3iii  or  Jin  pots,  accord¬ 
ing  to  the  .size  of  the  plants.  For  potting  soil,  use  good  fibrous 
sandy  loam  three  parts,  and  one  part  rotten  manure,  with 
enough  sand  to  keep  the  wliole  sufficiently  iiorous  to  admit  of 
the  free  passage  of  water.  After  pottnig,  which  should  be 
moderately  firm,  give  a  good  watering,  and  keep  in  a  close 
frame  for  a  week  or  two,  until  root  action  is  resumed,  when  air 
must  be  given  freeiy.  In  September  the  plants  should  be 
removed  to  a  greenhouse,  assigning  them  a  position  near  the 
glass,  and  where  they  can  have  plenty  of  air  and  room  side¬ 
ways.  Until  the  beginning  of  February,  when,  as  a  rule,  the 
plants  begin  to  grow,  great  attention  must  be  paid  to  watering. 
They  must  be  kept  somewhat  rather  dry  than  excessively  wet, 
as  the  greatest  enemy  in  winter  is  damp.  If  kept  too  wet,  a 
disease  known  as  “spot"  is  likely  to  appear  on  the  foliage. 
When  the  pots  are  filled  with  roots,  say  in  February,  the  plants 
may  be  shifted  into  Gin  or  Tin  pots,  using  a  compost  of  two 
parts  good  fibrous  sandy  loam,  one  part  leaf  mould,  and  one 
part  good  old  rotten  manure,  to  which  may  be  added  a  good 
sprinkling  of  coarse  gritty  sand.  Provide  good  drainage,  and 
pot  moderately  firm.  Watei'  carefully  for  a  time,  and  when 
growing  freely  water  copiously,  using  liquid  manure  when  the 
pots  are  filled  with  roots.  Keep  well  up  to  the  light,  give 
lilentj’  of  air,  and  the  bloom  nill  come  fine. 
REMEDY  FOR  RED  SPIDER  ON  VINES  (A.  B.).— The 
only  thoi’oughly  effectual  and  safe  remedy  is  hydrocyanic  acid 
gas,  and  this  is  certainly  not  a  safe  article  to  use  unless  with 
the  utmost  care,  as  the  fumes  are  fatal  to  animal  life,  therefore 
must  not  be  inhaled  by  the  operator.  For  generating  the  gas 
fused  98  per  cent,  potassium  cyanide,  commercial  sulphuric  acid 
and  water,  are  used  in  the  proportion  of  loz  .^avoirdupois)  of 
potassium  cyanide  to  1  fluid  ounce  of  sulphuric  acid,  and  2  fluid 
ounces  of  water  ]ier  180  cubic  feet  of  space  enciostd.  The  water 
and  sulphuric  acid  are  placed  in  an  earthen  vessel  in  the  order 
named,  the  acid  being  poured  slowly  upon  the  water  instead  of 
pouring  the  water  on  the  sulphuric  acid,  in  order  to  avoid  ex¬ 
plosions  in  the  vessel  placed  in  the  structure,  the  potassium 
cyanide  is  then  dropped  in,  and  the  operator  quickly  withdraws 
and  closes  the  house.  Cai-e,  exti-eme,  we  repeat,  must  be  exer¬ 
cised  in  applying  this  method  of  treatment,  as  the  potassium 
cyanide  and  the  gas  generated  are  very  poisonous.  Messrs 
Cross  and  Sons,  79,  Alark  Lane,  London,  supply  Necros 
Vaporising  powders  in  sets,  No.  1,  equal  to  15,000  cubic  feet, 
and  No.  2  equal  to  7,500  cubic  feet,  at  3s.  and  2s.  respectively, 
with  apparatus  at  2s.  6d.  each,  for  generating  hydrocyanic  acid 
gas,  but  of  their  use  we  have  no  data.  Camiibell’s  Patent 
Sulphur  Vaporiser  is  a  great  advance  upon  sulphuring  the  hot- 
water  pipes,  and  when  pure  flowers  of  sulphur  is  used  the  fumes 
or  vapour  is  not  injurious  to  Vines,  Ac.  Of  cour.se,  anything 
can  be  overdone,  and  then  the  measure  of  injury  is  correspond¬ 
ing.  Some  remedies,  such  as  Spidicide,  are  tainting  to  the 
Grapes,  and  are  best  avoided.  For  this  reason  a  lai’ge  grower 
(some  40  acres  of  glass)  treats  red  .spider  in  Vines  with  water 
only,  applying  by  means  of  a -hose  pipe  held  closely  to  the  under 
side  of  infested  leaves,  regulating  the  spray  with  finger,  and 
thus  clears  away  the  pe.sts  with  their  webs  and  eggs.  This, 
taken  in  time,  does  not  affect  the  Grapes  prejudicially.  We 
have  found  the  very  tedious  process  of  spraying  over  infested 
leaves  on  the  under  side  and  places  of  infection  .singularly 
effective,  and  about  the  only  thing  that  can  safelj'  be  done  when 
the  Grapes  have  comnnmeed  colouring.  The  .sponge  should  be 
dipped  in  a  soapy  solution,  2oz  or  3oz.  softsoap  to  a  gallon  of 
water,  and  squeezed  so  that  “running"  is  avoided.  This  is 
what  Ave  advise  from  experience  a"-  most  serviceable  and  safe. 
taking  care  not  to  bru.sh  the  Grapes.  Perbap.s  some  cori'espon- 
dent  Avill  give  experience  of  hydrocyanic  acid  gas  in  the  ca>e  of 
Vines  infe.sted  with  red  spider  and  mealy  bug. 
THE  GERMANDER  PLANT. — The  common  Germander  is 
Teucrium  C’bainmdrys,  which  is  esteemed  chiefly  as  a  mild 
aperient  and  coiroborant  in  uterine,  rheumatic,  gouty,  asid 
scrofulous  affections  and  intermittent  fevers.  It  formed  an 
ingredient  in  the  once  celebrated  gout  medicine  called  Portland 
Powdei-.  5>i'onica  Chanuedrys  is  also  known  as  the  Gei’ma  i 
Speedwell,  and  has  been  used  as  a  substitute  for  tea. 
IMPROVING  THE  SOIL  BY  Bl'RNING  (F.  L.).— The  site 
for  the  fire,  or  fires,  .should  first  be  trenched  to  a  depth  of 
2ft  9in,  turning  the  top  spit  to  the  bottom  of  the  trench,  and 
taking  out  the  two  bottom  spits  for  burning.  This  may  be  stiff 
work,  but  the  work  can  be  done  by  dipping  the  tool  in  a  pail 
of  Avater  at  OA'ery  lift  in  order  to  make  the  next  spadeful  slip 
off  the  metal.  On  this  site,  or  sites,  the  lire  is  to  be  com¬ 
menced.  Wood  o)dy  fit  for  chari-ing,  or  lireAvood,  is  the  best 
material  for  burning,  as  it  affords  in  burning  a  desirable 
quantity  of  potash  and  other  mineral  elements  useful  to  plants. 
A  little  stack  of  Avood  should  be  formed  5ft  in  diameter  ar  base, 
tapering  cone-like  to  a  height  of  5ft,  beginning  with  a  fcAv  dry 
faggots  in  the  middle,  and  finishing  Avith  .stronger  junks  of  AA'ood 
toAvards  the  outside.  All  round  this  .stack  of  Avood  a  coating  of 
clay  is  laid  to  the  extent  of  about  a  foot  in  depth,  packing  it  in 
lumps  as  taken  out  of  the  trench.  5Vhen  this  is  done  set  fire  to 
the  centre,  and  long  ore  the  AAood  is  ail  consumed,  the  clay 
Avill  haA^e  caught  fire  and  be  burning  freely.  As  .soon  as  the 
fii-.st  layer  is  nearly  burned  throu  add  another  layer  of  clay 
all  I'onnd,  Avhich  in  turn  Avill  soon  be  burned  through  also.  -.Now- 
break  doAvn  the  heap  Avith  a  strong  iron-handled  hoe  for  the 
purpose  of  extending  the  bases  of  operation,  and  for  adding- 
more  Avood  to  quicken  the  fire.  After  the  fire  is  thus  set  agoing, 
the  Avood  necessarily  laid  horizontally  over  the  burning  heap, 
putting  the  strongest  pieces  of  Avood  next  the  burning  mass,  and 
finishing  off  the  layer  Avith  the  smallest  to  preA’ent  the  clay  from 
lying  too  closely  to  the  aa’oocI  and  obstructing  the  draught.  In 
the  meantime  open  trenches  at  the  extremities  -  of  the  plot, 
taking  out  the  clay  and  placing  the  top  spit  at  the  bottom  as 
already  described  in  making  the  site  for  the  fii'e,  forwarding  the 
clay  to  the  fire,  there  being  the  solid  undisturbed  surface  to 
Avheel  it  OA-er,  and  the  di.stance  les.sened  as  the  fire  becomes 
larger  and  requires  more  feeding.  AVhen  again  necessary  to 
break  doAvn  the  lire  for  the  purpose  of  extending  the  base  and 
increasing  its  cajiacity  for  consuming  the  clay,  another  layer  of 
Avood  is  added,  and  then  a  layer  of  clay  over  the  .surface  and  all 
round  the  heap  outside.  After  this  is  burned  through,  another 
iaj-er  of  clay  is  packed  on  all  over  and  round  Avithout  any  Avood, 
and  so  on  Avith  two  or  three  layers,  till  it  becomes  necessary  to 
enlarge  the  base  of  the  fire,  by  draAving  it  doAvn  from  the  top, 
then  adding  more  Avood,  and  from  the  great  poAver  AAhich  the 
fire  attains  it  is  necessary  to  have  plent}-  of  claj'  and  hand  poAver 
at  hand  to  cover  over  the  avoocI  quickly,  or  it  Avill  be  consumed 
Avithout  doing  much  good.  And  so  this  process  is  continued 
till  the  nece.ssary  quantity  of  clay  is  burned;  When  the  fire  is 
poAA-erful  layers  of  clay  may  be  AAdieeled  on  to  the  thickness  of 
3ft  and  more  at  a  time.  As  soon  as  the  heap  is  sufficiently  cool 
to  be  moA-ed  it  is  Avh.eeled  back  over  the  surface  of  the  ground 
Avhence  taken,  as  the  tAvo  under  spits,  and  regularly  spread, 
and  the  large  lumps  broken  up.  On  this  surface  of  burned 
material  should  be  placed  a  good  layer  of  compost  or  rubbish 
heap  material,  rotten  leaA-es,  road  .scrapings,  dung,  and  any 
other  decayed  vegetable  matter  that  can  be  obtained.  Then 
open  a  trench  at  one  end  of  the  plot,  and  turn  the  Avhole  over 
and  mix  as  is  done  in  a  compost  heap  to  the  depth  of  the 
original  clay,  this  being  forked  up  as  AA-ell  as  it  Avili  alloAv  at  the 
bottom  of  the  trench.  Remember,  all  this  Avill  be  futile  unle.ss 
the  ground  has,  previous  to  operations,  been  thoroughly 
drained.  Soil  for  analysis  should  be  sent  to  Dr.  Voelcker,  L'2, 
Tudor  Street,  NeAv  Bridge  Street,  London,  E.C.,  fee  £3. 
NAMES  OF  PLANTS.  —  Correspondents  whose  queries  are 
unanswered  in  the  present  issue  are  respectfully  requested  to  consult 
the  following  number.  (M.  F.  E.  C.). — 1,  Cryptomeria  elegant- 
issima  ;  2,  Seqtioia  gigantea,  the  Wellingtonia  ;  3,  Taxodiuin 
distichum,  the  SAvamp  Cypres  ;  4,  Cupressus  Macnabiana  ;  5, 
Cytisus  virgata.  (T.  W.). — 1,  Datura  suaveolens  ;  2,  Lantana  nivea 
variety  ;  3,  not  recognised  in  its  present  state  ;  4,  Passiflora  race- 
mosa.  (Nemo). — 1,  Buddleia  globosa  ;  2,  Crataegus  CrAis-galli. 
Trade  Catalogues  Received. 
William  Colchester  and  Co.,  Ipswich. — Fertilisers. 
D.  Guiheneuf,  24,  Eue  Albourg,  Paris. —  Trade  Offer  of  French  Eulhs 
and  Plants. 
M.Herb,  ViaTrivio  24-36,  Naples. — General  Bulb  Catalogue. 
W.  Manger  and  Sons,  Wholesale  Bulb  GroAA-ers,  Guernsey. — Bulls. 
Ant.  Eoozen  and  Son,  OverA'een,  near  Haarlem,  Holland. — Dutch  .i 
Cape  Bulbs,  autumn,  1901. 
