THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 291 



soon become fruitful if the grafts are put on near the roots, and the 

 trees are periodically lifted until they acquire a fruitful condition. 

 At all events, we can conscientiously say that bush and pyramid trees 

 occasion the least amount of labour, and are likely to give the largest 

 return in good fruit for the space of ground they occupy, of all the 

 various forms of fruit-trees. And as to the stocks, it is certain that 

 such as are called " free," and on which the trees grow with vigour, 

 though less precocious than the dwarfing stocks, may nevertheless be 

 rendered fruitful at an early period by the practice of biennial lifting, 

 which not only checks excessive vigour, but favours that abundant 

 production of surface roots on which the production of fruit so much 

 depends. S. H. 



THE YILLA KITCHEN- GAEDEN.— No. lY. 



BY J. C. CLAEKE, 

 Head Gardener at Cothelston House, near Taunton. 



X this and succeeding papers I propose to deal with 

 the cultivation of the occupants of the kitchen-garden 

 in alphabetical order. I shall therefore commence with 

 the 



Aettchoke.- — Of these there are two kinds, the 

 Globe and Jerusalem. I shall dwell on the former first : and in the 

 first place I may remind the reader it is no: perfectly hardy ; it 

 should therefore have some amount of protection round the hearts 

 of the plants during winter. The best covering I have ever found 

 is to gather up the leaves of the plants and then to cover up the 

 whole of the plant with ten to twelve inches of coal-ashes. Some 

 cultivators place round them the same depth of soil dug out between 

 the plants, and some use long litter from the stable, but I prefer the 

 coal-ashes above either. These plants are readily increased by taking 

 ofi" the offsets from established plants ; or one old plant may be taken 

 up and divided. This is best done about the middlfe of April, the 

 ground should be first deeply dug and heavily manured where they 

 are to be planted. If this is done in the autumn previous, so much 

 the better, as then the frost and rain of winter, with an occasional 

 stirring of the surface, will render the soil in a sweet, friable condi- 

 tion. The young plants should be placed six feet apart each way, 

 and at the time of planting some fine rich soil should be put round 

 the roots to induce them to root freely. If cold winds prevail, place 

 over each plant a sea-kale pot, or some other such contrivance, just 

 to screen them from the wind. It will be well to remember that 

 they are gross feeders, and that the more liberal the culture, the 

 more early will be the produce. They will require water during dry 

 weather for at least three months after planting, and after the first 

 month manure water may be given at every alternate watering. 

 With such treatment aa above advised, if the plants are in the 



