October 11, 1913 



HORTICULTURE 



497 



OUTDOOR VEGETABLES AND FRUIT 



CONDUCTED BY 



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Questions by our readers in line witli any of the topics presented on this page will be cordially received and promptly answered 

 by Mr. Jenkins. Such communications should inTarlably be addressed to the office of HORTICULTURE. 



Cauliflower 



Cauliflower should be carefully gone over and the 

 leaves drawn together and tied to protect the head 

 (flower) from rain and frost as well as to keep it as 

 white as possible. Now that there is danger of rather 

 severe frost it is well to draw the soil well up around the 

 stem and bottom leaves or to pack them well between and 

 around the plants with litter or leaves. This will help 

 to keep them quite late. 



Celery 



The celery that is to be left outdoors for the winter 

 should be earthed up as a protection against frost as well 

 as for blanching and before doing this it is well to tie 

 each head carefully with a little thin raffia. Such stock 

 that is going to be lifted and put in cellars or other 

 frost-proof places are easily protected by boards placed 

 on either side of the rows or by packing clean litter in 

 between the plants. 



Lifting the Various Root Crops 



During favorable weather the crop of carrots, beets, 

 salsify, and some of the jjarsnips, should be lifted and 

 stored away for winter. Do not let these roots lie long 

 on the ground before gathering them up as the quality 

 is impaired by any great amount of drying. They are 

 best kept where the temperature is just above the freez- 

 ing point and an earth floor is more suitable than any 

 thing else. Some parsnips may be left in the ground 

 for the winter and if these are dug soon after frost is 

 out their flavor will be found to be excellent. 



Lifting the Exhibition Roots 



Great care must be taken in this or all the season's 

 work will be thrown away just by some slight accident 

 which might be avoided if the job is done right. It 

 does seem like a lot of work to dig right down to the 

 bottom of a carrot or parsnip which is over three feet 

 long but it is the only way to be sure to get it, for while 

 it is sometimes possible to get hold of tlie top and draw 

 the whole thing out, yet, on the other hand, it may break 

 and then your root is gone and it is almost sure to be 

 one of the best specimens that is ruined. So don't be 

 tempted by "the easiest way" but go right in and dig. 

 Having removed the roots from the ground soak them 

 in a tub of clean cold water and sponge lightly. Then 

 selecting the cleanest, straightest and best colored speci- 

 mens, wrap them in wax paper and lay them in a cool 

 root cellar, covering lightly with damp moss until the 

 day of exhibition, of which "more anon." 



Exhibition Onions 



These should be Ining in an airy loft so that the air 

 can circulate all around them as these highly fed speci- 

 mens are very apt to rot. Those who have not the good 

 loft to hang them in can put their best bulbs in flats on 

 shallow boxes upon a layer of excelsior and turn them 

 over every few days so as to expose every part of them, 

 and while a certain amount of sunshine will do them 

 lots of good I would not expose them to the full sun 

 under glass. Of course, if they are in a frame where 

 the sash can be easily removed the sun will do no harm 

 but in the greenhouse it is well to cover them with tissue 

 paper during the hottest part of the day. 



BRITISH HORTICULTURE. 

 Sweet Pea Trials. 



The Committee of the National 

 Sweet Pea Society have arranged to 

 hold a series of trials next season at 

 the Burhage Esperiment Station Lei- 

 cestershire, under the direction of 

 Major C. C. Hurst. No certificate or 

 award is given by the society for nov- 

 elties unless they aro sent for trial. 

 If desired a test will be made as to the 

 purity of the stock, on the payment 

 of an extra fee. The annual meeting 

 of the National Sweet Pea Society 

 will be held in London, on Oct. 20th, 

 when a satisfactory report will be pre- 

 sented as to the past year's progress. 



Our Loss — America's Gain. 



A well known figure in the horti- 

 cultural world in the person of Mr. J. 

 Harrison Dick, is leaving London to 

 take up his residence in the United 

 States. Ml'. Dick, as the editor of the 

 ij-i'iJournal of Horticulture," has been 

 held in the highest esteem by his col- 

 leagues. This was demonstrated at a 

 gathering in London on Sept. 11th, 

 when he was presented with a gold 

 watch and an illuminated address by 

 his gardening press confreres. He re- 



ceived felicitations on his new sphere 

 of work, and best wishes for continued 

 success. Mr. Dick has rendered val- 

 uable service* to the United Horticul- 

 tural Benefit and Provident Society, 

 the committee of which have given 

 him a gold fountain pen and an il- 

 luminated address, conveying good 

 wishes and high appreciation of Mr. 

 Dick's useful aid. 



Hybrid Orchid Register. 



The orchid committee of the Royal 

 Horticultural Society have recom- 

 mended that a new record, to be 

 called the "Hybrid Orchid Register" 

 should be established. Orchid raisers 

 and growers are to be asked to bring 

 their new plants when in flower for 

 the first time, even although they 

 may not be sufiiciently developed to 

 enter for awards, and to enter the 

 name, parentage, and name of the ex- 

 hibitor, on a registration form, to go 

 before the committee. After testing 

 to prove that the name is in order, it 

 will be entered on the society's "Hy- 

 brid Orchid Register," and, once re- 

 corded, the name must be recognized 

 for all crosses of similar parentage 

 when subsequently shown, unless va- 



lid reason can be produced to prevent 

 it. 



The Dahlia Season. 



The Royal Horticultural Society's 

 show on Sept. 23rd was notable for 

 an interesting display of dahlias. The 

 Cory cup for a group of decorative 

 garden dahlias was won by Carter, 

 Page and Co., London Wall, E. C. In- 

 cluded were Negro and Union Jack 

 (collarettes), Mrs. D. Fleming, Amos 

 Perry and Australian (cactus), Delice 

 and Mdme. Lamiere (decorative). Red 

 Indian and Chieftain (pompons). War- 

 naar & Co., Sassenheim, Holland, had 

 a fine show of imposing paeony-flow- 

 ered varieties. The following new 

 dahlias have received a first-class cer- 

 tificate from the National Dahlia So- 

 ciety: Rosa, a rosy mauve pompon 

 by Keynes, Williams & Co., Salisbury; 

 Wee Gracie, a cream pompon, by J. 

 T. West, Brentwood, Essex; John 

 Green, paeony-flowered, scarlet, with 

 bright yellow centre; Pierrot, pale 

 yellow cactus; Dorothy Hawes, deep 

 rosy-pink cactus, and E. F. Hawes, shell 

 pink cactus, by Stredwick & Son, St. 

 Leonards-on-Sea, Sussex. 



W. H. Adsett. 



