236 



THE GARDENERS' MONTHLY 



[August, 



claiming the earliest and best to ensure a perfect 

 stock. 



Celery will require earthing up as it grows, to 

 get it to blanch well. It is not well, however, to 

 commence too early, as earthing up tends, in a 

 slight degree, to weaken the growth of the plants. 

 Take care, also, not to let the soil get into the 

 heart in earthing, or the crown is apt to rot. 



As fast as Endive is desired for salad, it should 

 be blanched. Matting thrown over is the best for 

 this purpose, as the plants are not so liable to rot 

 as when pots or boards are employed. 



In cold or mountainous regions, melons are 

 hastened in the ripening process, and improved 

 in flavor, by a piece of tile being placed under the 

 fruit. 



Keep weeds from your compost heaps, as they 

 exhaust the soil, and bear seeds for future brow- 

 sweatings. 



Sow lettuce for fall crop, thinly, and in deep 

 and very rich ground. 



Early Valentine beans may still be sown early 

 in the month — the soil for a late crop should be 

 well trenched, or, if the fall be dry, they will be 

 stringy and tough. 



Cucumbers, squash, and other similar plants, 

 often suffer from drought at this season. Cold 

 water does not help them much, but a mulching 

 of half-rotten leaves strengthens them consider- 

 ably. 



Cut down straggling herbs, and they will make 

 new heads for next season. 



Towards the end of the month, a sowing of 

 spinach may be made in rich soil, which will 

 come in for use before winter. That desired for 

 winter and early spring use, is usually sown in 

 September in this region. A few turnips may also 

 be sown for an early crop, but will be hot and 

 stringy unless the soil is very rich. 



Corn salad is often sowed at the end of this 

 month. It does not do so well in damp soil or 

 low situation. 



COMMUNICATIONS. 



FORCING STRAWBERRIES. 

 liV E. C. 



In answer to Mr. Thomas Kould's query upon 

 the above subject, permit me to relate a few prac- 

 tical hints, which after many years' experience I 

 have found productive of good results. In the 

 cultivation of strawberries under glass it is of 

 primary importance to obtain good runners of 



some standard variety. My own plan has been 

 to plant a row by itself by the side of a walk or 

 some convenient place ; by this means stouter 

 runners are obtained, and they are easier got at 

 for the purpose of layering and watering. As 

 soon as the runners can be handled they should 

 be layered into 2 3^ -inch pots, filled to within half 

 an inch of the top, with rich mellow loam. The 

 pots should be plunged to the rim, the runners 

 laid in the centre and fastened there by a small 

 twig of willow bent, or by laying a small stone 

 upon the runner. They should be carefully at- 

 tended to with water, and all surplus runners re- 

 moved as they appear As soon as they have 

 well filled their pots with roots they should be 

 severed from the parent plant, and removed to 

 some shaded corner. In about a week they will 

 be ready to be potted into their fruiting pots.— 4'2 

 or ;-inch pots will be large enough for those in- 

 tended for very early forcing, giving the rest 6- 

 inch pots. 



The compost which 1 have found most suitable 

 is three parts rough fibry loam to one of well 

 rotted manure, with a sprinkling of crushed bones. 

 The compost should on no account be in a wet 

 condition; if it will stick together when lifted in 

 the hand and pressed, it is too wet, and used in 

 such a state will get into that " baked ■" condition 

 so antagonistic to the well-being of any plant. 

 The pots should be well drained, and they should 

 be potted firmly. Stand them close together for 

 a week or so in some shaded position, carefully 

 watering until they take hold of the new soil, and 

 syringed every evening. They should afterwards 

 be plunged in ashes or some such material in an 

 open position, and never allowed to get dry, 

 syringing them every evening to keep down red 

 spider, applying the syringe well to the under side 

 of the leaves, for this is where the enemy begins. 

 When they have well filled their pots with roots, 

 they should be watered with weak manure water 

 two or three times a week, made either from cow 

 manure or guano, and used about the color of 

 strong tea. If all has gone well by October the 

 balls will be a complete mass of roots, and that 

 is the condition in which to get them if success is 

 looked for. It is advisable now, if possible, to get 

 them into cold frames, where they can be protected 

 from heavy rains and frost, and introduced into 

 the forcing house as required. 



With their introduction into the forcing house 

 begins the need of knowledge and carefulness on 

 the part of the cultivator. Certain principles 

 must be understood, for unless they are, success 



