r)28 



THE GARDENER. 



[Nov. 



refers to late trees, for the early ones 

 are leailess long ago. l.ike all other 

 fruit-trees, Figs are often tied in too 

 thickly, and this evil should be avoid- 

 ed, liemove the surface - soil of in- 

 side and restricted borders quite down 

 to the roots, and cover them with 

 some fresh loam with which horse- 

 droppings and bone-meal is liberally 

 mixed. Keep plants and pots cool 

 and airy all through this month, but 

 see that they are not allowed to be- 

 come over-dry at the roots. 



Cucumbers.— The nights are now- 

 long and the days sunless, conditions 

 which are very trying to Cucum- 

 bers. When cold, keep the heat at 



C5°; when mild, 7<V at night, with a 

 rise of S' or so by day. Water at 

 the root must be more sparingly ap- 

 l)lied, and the air kept drier, (iive a 

 little air every day, and keep young 

 growths regularly stopped and the 

 leaves from getting crowded. Do not 

 allow them to bear too many Cucum- 

 bers at once, or it will weaken them. 



Strawberries in Pots.— These should 

 now be plunged in cold frames, or 

 placed in orchard-houses or any cool 

 airy place where severe frosts cannot 

 reach them, or many of the pots may 

 get broken. See that they are never 

 allowed to become dry, nor so placed 

 that worms get into the pots. 



KITCHEN-GARDEN. 



Where forcing of vegetables is a mat- 

 ter of importance, the work in this 

 department will soon become general. 

 We never could see much to boast of 

 by having a mere item of any class of 

 forced produce for the sake of saying 

 that such had been on the table. 

 Those who have good Seakale and 

 Rhubarb at Christmas are perhaps the 

 wisest so far as economy is concerned. 

 In places where there is abundance of 

 means, it is merely a work of labour 

 to get plentj'^ of Asparagus, Seakale, 

 Rhubarb, Chicory, JMushrooms, young 

 Carrots, forced Potatoes in pots or 

 planted out in pits, Radishes, and 

 French Beans. French Beans are more 

 difficult to supply in January than 

 now. Those planted out in frames 

 and pits, and protected from severe 

 weather, may not be out of bearing 

 5^et ; but where fire-heat cannot be 

 applied to keep out damp, it is a diffi- 

 cult matter to keep them fruiting after 

 November sets in. Those who have 

 preserved quantities in salt are best 

 off; and much labour, expense, and 

 anxiety are avoided. AVhere there are 

 means to grow French Beans they may 

 be started at once in small pots — size 

 is not very important — "wnth three to 

 live beans in each, and allowed to grow 

 a few inches high in a heat of 55° to 60° 

 (more with sun), with due proportions 

 of air and plenty of light ; and potted 

 into 7-inch pots or a size larger, they 

 wnll do well, and make an excellent 

 change with other vegetables during 

 winter. Every two or three weeks a 



number of pots may be started as suc- 

 cession crops. When placed on warm 

 tan or leaves (in which soot and lime 

 have been mixed to eradicate slugs), 

 they grow freely, and are not so liable 

 to thrip or red-spider. When in flower, 

 much care is necessary to get them to 

 set freely. Sion House, Osborns, Wil- 

 liams, and Newington Wonder, are 

 among the most ])roductive kinds 

 which we know of. Asparagus may 

 be lifted carefully and placed thickly 

 together on a bed of warm leaves ; 

 cover with a few inches of light soil, 

 water with tepid water, keep close 

 till it is well up, and give air as it in- 

 creases in size. Beware of too much 

 heat to burn the roots, and if kept too 

 warm and close overhead the produce 

 will be tasteless. Seakale, where early 

 ripened and ready for forcing, may be 

 started at any time. A quantity of 

 roots dug up carefully and placed in 

 darkness anywhere, with a temperature 

 of 55'' to ij5°, will start and come into 

 use in good time. Pots placed over 

 crowns in the old-fashioned way, with 

 warm leaves and litter, answer well for 

 bringing it forward. Some like Seakale 

 forced in this way so much, that they 

 willallownoothermethodtobe putinto 

 practice for forcing it. Overheating 

 of the forcing material must be guarded 

 against. Rhubarb may be forced any- 

 where; it requires no blanching, and 

 may be brought forward by the aid of 

 a box placed in a kitchen or cellar. 

 In vineries, under stages of plant- 

 houses, manure-heated frames, and pits, 



