336 



THE GARDENER. 



[July 



ground. Sow jjlenty of small Salad, 

 and Radish of sorts; Turnip kinds 

 answer best at this season. They may 

 be sown among other crops, or under 

 the shade of bushes. A mat or other 

 covering placed over the seed, keeping 

 the ground moist, will be a safe method 

 of getting the seeds to vegetate on dry, 

 hot positions. French Beans may still 

 be sown in the south for a late crop, 

 but in the north only where they can 

 be protected from autumn frost. A 

 good breadth should be jilaced where a 

 frame can be put over them. AVhen 

 the plants are well established in the 

 open ground, and glass placed over 

 them when there is danger of frost, j 

 they will keep in full bearing far into j 

 the autumn. Top in Scarlet Runners, 

 whether grown staked or kept dwarf. ; 

 If they are required to keep on bearing, \ 

 the Beans should all be picked off 

 before they get old. This applies to 

 all kinds of Beans. Make a sowing of 

 any early kind of Peas, for a chance 

 crop. They should be in a position 

 where the sun does not shine on them 

 early in the morning, as when they are 

 touched with frost they are better to 

 be thawed before the sun shines on 

 them. This applies to French Beans 

 and other tender crops. Asparagus- 

 beds may be dusted with salt, which 

 not only kills the weeds, but helps the 

 growth of the plants. The more vigor- 

 ously Asparagus is grown now, the 

 finer it will be when forced, or for next 



j'-ear's supply. Leeks may now be 

 planted on extra rich land, if not done 

 earlier. The main crops of Celery 

 should now be got in without delay. 

 Take up Garlic and Shallots when 

 their tops become yellow. Tomatoes 

 will now require attention, by training, 

 rubbing oil" laterals, and plenty of 

 water. Expose the fruit freely to sun. 

 Those which have been forced and con- 

 tinue to bear, may be placed on open 

 spaces against walls. Though they 

 bear well in southern districts planted 

 out like Potatoes and staked, they re- 

 quire in the north the aid of a wall, a 

 sloping ridge, with slates placed over 

 it, or some other contrivance to afford 

 shelter and heat. Capsicums and 

 Chilis also require a warm position, 

 and to get them ripened early they re- 

 quire glass and artificial heat. Cucum- 

 bers and Vegetable Marrows on ridges, 

 or planted against walls, should have 

 attention to training, stopping, and 

 thoroughly watering the plants. They 

 should be allowed to run freely, and 

 not become matted in the foliage. A 

 good mulching over the roots, especi- 

 ally Cucumbers, will help them much, 

 and save labour. Manure from a 

 Mushroom -bed used in this way of tea 

 gives good supplies of Mushrooms during 

 autumn. Free open surfaces among 

 all crops will do much to save the use 

 of the watering-pot. The hoe or prong 

 can scarcely be used too freely. 



M. T. 



rOECING DEPARTMENT. 



Pines. — Plants that were shifted to 

 their fruiting-pots in INIarch and April 

 will now be growing rapidly, and filling 

 their pots with roots. Much of the 

 success in connection with this portion 

 of the stock depends on the manner in 

 which these are ventilated and watered. 

 If they are over watered and syringed, 

 and under- ventilated, the consequence 

 will be a soft, watery,immaturedgrowth, 

 that will render them not easily started 

 into fruit M'hen that is required of 

 them. (In many instances Pines have 

 not started satisfactorily this year, 

 owing to the dull damp summer and 

 autumn of last year.) On the other 

 hand, if not sufficiently supplied with 

 water, and too freely ventilated, the 

 result will be a stunted growth that 

 will be very apt to cause the plants to 

 "button," or start prematurely. The 

 medium between such extremes should 



be the aim — giving sufficient water 

 through the heat of the summer to 

 keep the soil regularly moist, and suf- 

 ficient air to prevent their drawing up 

 weakly. Put air on gradually as soon 

 as the thermometer touches 80°, and 

 increase it at intervals, reducing it by 

 degrees also in the afternoon. On 

 bright days dew them over with a fine 

 syringe, but not so heavily as to cause 

 much water to lodge in the axils of the 

 leaves, which has a tendency to pro- 

 duce suckers, and to cause a too soft 

 growth of the leaves. Shut up early 

 in the afternoon, so that for a short 

 time the thermometer may stand at 

 90" with sun-heat. In the south, little 

 or no fire-heat will now be necessary 

 if the weather be summer-like. But 

 in Scotland it is desirable to put a 

 little heat into the pipes every night 

 to keep the heat at 75° at midnight. 



