Weekly Mail

RURAL NOTES. 8y Mr. J. Muir, Marram Abbey, Glamorganshire, ANSWERS TO COBEESPONDENTFC. Unless in special cases, no replies will be sent to readers by post, but all inquiries will have prwmpt and careful attention under this heading, and ice invite notes and questions on ALL rural subjects. AUCUBV. JAPONIC*. NOT FKOITXNG.—" Southport.' Y vue friend must havo a mule plant in thll neiglibourliood of his female plants. No fruit will be produced without this. You should buy a male plant and introduce it mar your others, when you would be sure of a crop such as you describe. COCIIIKEL WITH DROOPING COMB.—" Reader" (Carnf0:th).- You do not say what variety your Cockfrel is. In any case it does not matter much, as no cockerel whatever can be regtirded as perfect Yntli a drooping comb. He would not be noticeil at the ahows. I do not advise you t, I-re,-d tftlm him, RA tl,o ikii;j,)r.ty of the piogeny would have the s.'me defect. FUCHSIAS LEAFLKSS.—T. Rees.—You need not have any auxiety on tuis p;,illt. All fuchsias become Wflass in winter. You should keep the plants in" cool place, and do not give nny water at the tOclt until Mirch, whrn an increased tem- perature will induce new growth. MANGOLDS DECATINO.—" Cowkepppi" tbtirtiley). -Na-golds arll n.)t frost-proof. Froun what you say, I am of opinion that you have left youis out too long in the frost. You ahould have drawn them up and stored or protected them in Novem- bei-, or e*r'i,-r, if the fk-oat was severe. Now you Cannot do aDytliing to remedy the decay, but. you might pick them over and reserve the soundest to the last. Those that are becoming soft would ba butter boiled than given fltW. SKKB Foa CANABIES.—Old R"lIder. You will And some remarks in present issue from a highly experienced faancier. COLBOS DBCATINQ. — Newport" — Coleus are amongst the softest wooded of all plants. They are, therefore, most difficult to keep in good health during the winter. Thiy should be kupt in a house where the atmosphere is somewhat dry and th* temperature upwards of 60 degrees. If you can keep them growing gently they will decay low than if they are at a standstill. Remove the dead haves from the stems, water thoroughly vhen water is given, and sprinkle a little sharp ■ami round the collars of the plants. Colau- may be raised from seed town in heat in the spring, but it is a difficult matter to produoe new varie- t ee of a superior type. DisAQRaesBi.il ODOUR FROM OIL LAMP IN Cos- srkvAT,otty. Rawt- y.I'Iiis is the grtat objec- tion to oil lamps in conservatories. So,ne are recommended as being always agreeable, but I ■ever met with one. An your conservatory is attached to your drawing-room, you would fiud a sinall hot-Water apparatus much more suitable than the laapt Indeed, considering the trouble there is with the latter, I am surprised that they a e ever used. If you hayo any diflkuity in pro- curing a miniature hot-waier heiting apparatus write again. PROPAQATINS MISTLETOE.—" MiS8 C."—A good subject for a lady to be interested ill. See remarks b-d<>w, and trylbo experiment. Moss ON FarrlT TURES.—" Southport."—I pre- sume your trees am old it is generally aged trees that become covered with moss. You are quiie rignt in thinking it is harmful it hurbours insects and generates ill-health. It. is no easy matter to brush each branch over with any liquid to kill the rnosa. In fact, liquids of the kind are difficult to mime, but a good way of cleaning them is to procure souae fresh powdered lime, find wlitii it is not raining, but with the branches damp, throw the little over all patti. It will adhere to thu n,c.I, kill it, and renov tu. the tree c)titider,.tbly. FOWLS FOR THB ]'ABLE. L." (Doni-aatar).— PUrt, D"r)tinga are by n > un ans poor tublo fowls. Titer are large and vt-ry full in the breast, but stv utd be used before they are over a year old. It you wish to cross your D >rkings with another breed, introduce a game cocketel to halt a dozen of your PUUlltA. This will give you a stock of table fowls of unsurpassed quality. You will find them v ry hardy and easily reaied. You ihould pori th in together ."rly in January and begin to s t tile eggs abont the middle or the end of Februiry. Do not it- a a erooked-hr^ast. d cockerel. CAMELIA HUDS FALLING.—" AMXI<MI«."—This is all old complaint he-tr-i of every winter, it arises from yeveral causes, such as the plant becoming to., dry at the root and being kept too el(,ge and in too high a temperature. The finest, arc alwayn grown in houses set *paitfor them. Tlier.) I.Iioy can receive the treatment, most agreeable to thi in but niany fine flowers are << produced in mixed greenhouses and c rst.rv.t.,ries if the plants are not treated as ex- tics. The temperature vf your little house—68 dogr"s-i,.i too high 55 degrees would suit them much belter. Do not let it xceud thil any more thau you can help, and keep it always low in very severe weill hi r, -ec-. t. at the soil at the root does not become over drv fit any time. 'Jour FOR LAWN.—" Liverpool."— As you are ab -ut f. lift it f- c)iyi the foundation of your new Louse and will not be re-layir, it for two months a! 16a.1, you mut not putït up in a heap with one on II", top oj tiia other. This wouid snon kill all ttie vegetation on the lower luivos. If you spread it out in a single layer on other gnS.9 it w .ulJ injure tile 141 The only way is to lay it out on some pari at present Iesti. tit" of Vi-1et;iti- u. Put the turves very close together, all if iefi wide at the joints a dryill2 wind would do it much harm. As you sny it n very mod turf you iro qliite right to reserve it. :5\l1tluj,j turf for iawu isn-u RIYlaY!I nbt lin.ible. To Livr, GnASS LAND.—"Novice."—The object of dressing the surface ot grass with lnne is to kill the moss And purity the turf, its Wtll as to ftiirmlate growth, but lie present is not a good i-ime to of these benefits. Aftir trying its application in almost every month of the yell I'. I i-iii more in favour of April tI an any other time. You can, however, have the lime carted to the fiMd at present and mix it up with three times :ts quantity of soil. This should he turned flY; r and mixed before applying, whsn it will form a capital dressing and gi VI, imine Hate resu'ts. PLANI LUAVTS FALLING: FJ..RS IN WINTKR.— MCon~Uut Rearier (Leeds).—It is quit" na:u<al thet Tuiir plnnt should drop its loaves at this measoit. Keep it somewhat dry and coo!. The ferns that have died d iwn should receive the same treatment. And do not force them in'.o nw growth uotil Maich. HKDUB roa GAUDSN.—" J. J."(IVitverlree).-Tlie eytigieen privet would suit you but. You can plant it from now until Maich. U»e plant* 18i». high, and plant them lit. to 18i", apart. Tiipy are very cheap. y.,u would readily procure them in aul- of the Liverpool nurseries. By reading the". •• Nates you wih fioel advice applic able to y -ur garden weskly. WINTER BRUKY-BKRAIUNG TUBES, The moat popular of these are the kolly, irbutus, aucuha, and pyracauths. The holly is best known and the most aoconimodating of all. Its berries are preferred to all others for Christmas decorations. Some seasozis- such as last wiiiter-they are very scarce, but this year they are unusually abundant, and there is no scarcity of them at the present time. It is now that one can advocate the planting of holly without having to enter far into detail to point out its merits its berries are wolcotne in every home, and the advan- tage- of possessing one's own plants to cut from must be apparent to 411. The ?ilants are somewhat n.ore expensive han eorae other kind# of shrubs, but ihey need not be planted in great numbers. l'he trees are best bought in when about 2ft. high, They frequently bear berries when about this size. The common green-leaved lorfc is the one generally seen, but the golden and silver varieties should not be omitted. The silver-leaved is especially pretty when in full berry. It is useless to try and grow hollies in poor, shallow soil. A deep, some- what light loam is the best for them, but poor soil can easily be made suitable for their growth by a free addition of manure. Old plants, too, which have ashamed an un- healthy appearance may often be re-juve- nated br introducing a quantity of manure to ihe roots and placing a layei- of the same oo the surface. Liquid manure may also be given them with advantage. The arbutus is commonly known a the s!raw- berry tree, bfliug so designated otving to the {ikenoss its fruit bag to H)o str;,wlerry. The Bowers are white, and ill autumu th- berries ohange to scarlet and yellow. They are most ornamental and extremely pretty for Christmas decorations. It succeeds well near the sea. The aucuba has also pretty berries, but it is necessary to plant a male plant near the females before the berries will form. Many fail to get their aucubas to berry through inattention to this. THE MISTLETOE. This has been associated with Christmas from time immemorial. It is a peouliar form of vegetation. I never saw or heard of it growing on its own roots. It is an un- doubted parasite, only existing on some other form of tree. It is very largely grown in the principal apple-growing counties of England. It is also largely imported, and forms a valuable article of commerce at this season. It might be much more generally grown than it is, and it is easily produced or increased in the following manner:— PROPAGATING MlPTLRXOE. The most simple way of doing this is to select a few plump berries full of seed, and on a day when the bark of the apple trees is dry press the berry between the fingers to make it burht. The juice is sticky, and by pressing the berry to the bark it will readily adhere. In the spring two small prongs will appear. This is the original growth of the mistletoe. It will soon root into the bark, and become a cluster in a few years. Care must be taken that the birds do not remove the seed. Contrary to a popular idea, the mistletoe will grow on almost any variety of tree, but it is most at home on the apple, and grows most readily on it. THE SCOTCH FIR AS A TDIBRR TORN. It is quite right that trees of an ornamental charaoter should be planted near dwellings, irrespective of their value as timber, but in places and positions where ornament ii not the leading feature only the most useful timbar trees should be planted. In this respect I am more and more convinced that the Scotoh fit- is one of the most valuable that can be introduced. When well grown, it is little behind foreign deal in quality, and for repairing farm buildings, cottages, and the like it is excellent. It dots not grow very fast for two or three years after being planted, but after that it makes rapid progress. • EARLY BROAT> BKANS. W. S." writes TI)a broad bean is a favourite ye¡8UtJ.. in many cottage gardens. I was glad to sea your note on sowing the seed for the taily ciop in December, but I am not in favour of sowing Ja"gA podded sort.- at this time or in any of the epiing months. The huge-pouded kinds, such as Kinber Mammoth,' are very fascinating and good in summer, but they are not the earliest. Writing with much experience t, i v-rlfy my advic, I recommend tho E irly Maz*gan before alletlici-s for j-rr^ent sowing." GIT A PES FOn SMALL GIIOWEIIS. As soon as amateurs erect a glass house, often with the intention of restricting it to flowers alone, they fancy they would like to try a grape vine as being the most choice fruit that can be grown in such a position. In making their selection of a variety to plant, various recommendations may be placed before thom. The" Muscat of Alexandria," for instance, is one of the finest flavoured of all grapes, but in the hands of the unexpe- rienced it rarfly forms sufficient berries to furnish a full bunch, and it requires more heat than any other grape to bring it to perfection. Anyone going in for size of berry and II show" would be sure to fix on the variety known as "Gros Colman." It has a fine appearance, but the flavour at best is only third rate, and with amateurs would not reach even this standard. Of all grapes most suitable for an amatour and small huuee, none equal the Black Hamburg. it is a very full grower and most prolitic. It will produce and ripen its fruit under glass from April until October with less fire heat than any grape grown. In favourable locali- ties, in a good season, it will ripen perfectly without artificial beat. The bunches and berries are of medium size, and the flavour uuder all conditions is most agreeable. It is somewhat thin in the skiu- a point in its favour in summer,but against its keeping well in winter. Few small growers would regard this as unfavourable when its other good qualities are taken into consideration. x- POTATOES For. SEED, Many of these were stored in a very uia-Ipe condition, and they are now pushing into growlh prematurely. i hese growths have a great tendency to weaken the tuber, arid the larger they become Lhe more harm they do. They should never be allowed to make any headway, and the whole of them should be removed before they have gainsd any size. Do not cut them off, but rub them away. Spread the tubers out afterwards as thinly as possible, and keep them very cool. In Irying to prevent the frost leaching them they are often placed in some posi* ion where the temperature is much too high. This is very injurious to them. They are much better in a temperature under 10 degrees than over that. PLANTING FRUIT TXLRS TOO vEEP. There is nothing more injurious to fruit trees than planting them too deep, i his cause alone has ruined thousands, and pre- vented thousands upon thousands more from continuing to be the fruitful subjects that were anticipated. Fear of their being shaken with the wind induces many to give I them a good hold in the ground, and they are put down 1ft. or more when planted, whereas the roots should in no case ù, covered over more than Gin. If support is needed this should be supplied by stakes. There are few times when fruit trees look better than when growing in the nursery. This is mainly owing to the oare nurserymen take not to plant too deep. They know the evil of it and avoid it. It is a safe plan never to plant deeper than where the tree has been oovered with soil in the nursery. This may be ascertained by looking for the soil line shown on the stem. But it is not deep planting alone at first that L have to warn readers against. Trees that were properly planted at first are often spoiled afterwards by having a quantity of soil and other material placed round their stems and over the roots on the surfaoe from time to time. These additions soon accumulate until the roots of a tree that were only Gin. or so below the surface originally ara Ift. 18in. and sometiines 2ft. btloy, the surfaoe. True, some roots may push up and come to the surface, but the main lot are below, and being so far from sun and air, the tree soon fails to grow well and bear full crops of perfeotfruit. This is a fertile cause of failure in fruit trees. When thpy rail into this con- dition root-pruning is often recommended to rectify them, but raising them up altogether would in the majority of cases prove much more beneficial. The removal of much of the top soil and having the surface about the same level as it was originally would also prove advan- tageous. I would advise all who have their fruit trees suffering from being too deeply planted to clear away the soil forthwith. The trees will indicate how much they have rclishrd ihe change before the next season is ov.-i', ,d in t-lio succoodinp- vp&i- they will bear fruit of a proper type, which is more than many of them have been doing of late. FOODS FOR CAGE BIRD, Lancashire Uoppy" writes :— "I notice some of your reidets make inquires respecting their cage birds. All an eld a) d ex tensive breeder and t-fancier, I send you si-me remarks on bird foods. Carter's Bird Seed, now so generally advertised, is sound, carefully selected, and agreeable, but some preftr to htiy the seed separately and mix it tli<«nnelves. Canary seed is a well-known article. Used alons, it is too fattening, and it should, therefore, always be mixed with some other tleif. Blimp setd-also common—is very fattenine, and heating, and mint be used sparingly who rot good song and qual fiud breeding bir is are desired. Rape seed is very valu,tbl-. The Geumn or French is the best. The black rape iii, an u rule, harmful. Tne first mentioned is co hng and nourishing, and should be generally used. Ma.w seed is an astringent, and should not be freely usrd, although a Iiitie may be mixed whh othtr feed, of given alone, if necvsntry, as a e n rec-ive. Linseed is most useful during moult, and a little now and again koip-i tha birdn in good II a: lief und fine condition. Millet and juga sends are aiso acceptable in mll!all pro- portions. The iniJitj!. may he bought attached to tiie straw, and a few given to th" birds occasionally to alllue themselves. 1 am very partial t supply- ing food on straw when procurable, and o are the birds, as is proved by the earnest wity tliey spend the time in picking it over. Horn-times a li-tlo maggot n.ay be found in tins of bud seed. All such should be avoided a-J being unhealthy. All set'd should be free from mllgol, dust, and imparities. Too much attention cannot be pailj to tnis. Eg food is mort beneficial at breeding time. Some oniy give it, to the young birds, but I give it to all. Mark thij, how- ever-only in saull quantities. I always mix ciushed biscuit with the egg. Sand is necessary to the exi-tetice of cagt birds throughout the whole year. Ortiiiury river sand, if washed clein, is Ktnpie. Sawdust must never be used in cagus. Gre.. food is alio essential, particularly in sum- mer, and in winter to a certain extent. Groundsel, chickweed, dandelion, and lettuce are the best. Wnen green foods were scarce in winter I have sometimes raised a little mustard and cress and given them thi*, but, only in very small quan- tities, as it is somewhat irritating. There is yet another food I have not mentioned—that is cayenne. Probably it cannot be regarded as a food, but merely a stimulant to produce colour of plumage, and sometimes to assist in moult.. The young birds should be staitsd on the cayenne when six or seven wet-ks old, but as this food only applies to canaries, and the others to birds gene- rally, I will not dwell on its merits, more esptcialiy as I am not in favour of its use as a rule."