OS 



JOUEN.U, OF HORTICULTUEE AXD COTTAGE GAEDENER. 



[ Febniory 1, 1872. 



lilting for different sorts, and d& not wish to confine myself 

 to one, for though I have known a gardener who could not 

 be induced to grow more than the never-failiug Walcheren, I 

 should be unwilling to resort to the retarding of the plants, 

 &o., needed to keep up a succession between the August-sown 

 and the spring-sown plants. 



Now, at the August 20th sowing I consider it well to sow 

 Eai'ly Dwarf Mammoth, or Frogmore Forcing, and Early 

 London ; the former to be potted early iu October, and grown 

 in a cool house with plenty of air and hght. Place the 

 plants first of all in 3-inch pots, and when these are full of 

 roots, or early in January, shift into G or 7-inch pots. In these 

 they may remain untU March, or if the weather is severe uutU 

 earlj' in April, when they may be turned out ui pits or under hand- 

 glasses, and, if they could have the benefit of a gentle bottom 

 heat, say 2 feet of tree leaves and dung, would produce flue 

 heads iu May or early iu June, according to the weather, 

 succeeding the late Broccoli. Instead of adopting this method, 

 the plants early in October may be pricked off about 3 inches 

 apart in frames or under hand-glasses, and be planted out on a 

 warm exposure in March or April. Whether in frames or 

 under hand-glasses, the jilants cannot have too much air, but 

 must be protected from frost, keeping them close and in the 

 dark while they are frozen. Iu spring those under hand-glasses 

 may be thinned-out to thi-ee or four, and the plants left should 

 be earthed, have the lights or glasses raised on bricks as they 

 grow, and be watered in di-y weather. They will be the first to 

 come in at the beginning of June, and will le followed by those 

 planted out from the frames or hand-glasses. 



At the August sowing sow also Walcheren and Veitch's 

 Autumn Giant, so as to make sure of there being no break 

 in the succession. They should be pricked-oif in frames, and 

 planted out in spring. These will come in at the end of June 

 or early part in July, and with the Autumn Giant will keep up 

 a supply untU those sown iu heat come iu. 



The plants raised in heat iu spring should have a mild hot- 

 bed, be only a few inches from the glass, and be kept cool at 

 their' tops. If at any great distance from the glass and in any 

 great heat, they will all go off at the stem or " blackleg," and 

 they are then useless. Prick them off when they show a pair 

 of rough leaves, either iu the same bed or in one equally cold, 

 and keep them ouly gently growing. They should be planted 

 out when large enough. The heads will come into use about 

 the middle of July, and as we sow early and later kinds a 

 continuous succession will be maiutamed. 



The jjlants of the spring and early summer sowings should 

 be pricked-off about 2 inches apart when large -enough to 

 handle, and be planted out when about 6 inches high, or with 

 half a dozen leaves. It is a good plan to take them up and 

 plant with a trowel, instead of pulling them up and planting 

 with a dibble, as then they do not esperience so great a cheek, 

 and ai'e not so liable to button. In dry weather they should 

 have an abundance of water, and liquid manure should be 

 poured between the rows once or twice a-week. 



Of all the crops that from the May somug is the most impor- 

 tant, as it is that which affords the autumn supply. They should 

 be planted out by the middle of July, and I pu t in a good breadth 

 early ui August to make sure of a late supply until the winter 

 Broccoli comes in. From the first planting the heads are fit 

 for use early in October, and to insure a lengthened supply a^ 

 number of plants with close heads about half developed should 

 be taken uji, laid in earth in a sheltered place, and be covered 

 with straw mats or other covering in severe weather. From 

 the last planting wo obtain heads in November, and later iu 

 mild weather, and the plants taken up and laid-in afford a 

 supply uutU January, or afterwards if protected from frost. An 

 open shed is an excellent place, but they should be covered 

 with straw in severe weather. 



The Cauliflower season may be said to commence early in 

 June, and in the south in May, continuing untU November or 

 frost; and by taking up, laying-in, and affording protection 

 it may be prolonged until January. 



For small gardens,' Early Dwarf Mammoth and Dwarf Erfurt 

 are recommended, with Veitch's Autumn Giant for late use. 

 It deserves a place in all gardens. 



One ounce of seed of four of the kinds named is sufiicient 

 for a garden of two acres, with a packet of Autumn Giant 

 additional ; 2 ozs. for a garden of one acre, and so on in pro- 

 portion downwards. 



BEOCCOLI. 

 Snow's Superb Winter White. — This is a very good sort. 

 Sow at the end of March or early iu April, and again on May 10th. 



The heads fi-om the first sowing will come iuto use in December, 

 and continue so until February ; and the second sowing will be 

 ready in January or Februai-y if the weather be mild. 



•Backhouse's Winter White Protecting. — Heads largc^ 

 white, and compact. It is earher, hardier, and more self-pro- 

 tecting than Snow's, and is a most desirable kind. Sow it in 

 the second or third week of March for heading in December,, 

 and again in the second week of April for heading in January- 

 and successionally. 



Malta. — A dwarf-growing kind; heads medium-sized, com- 

 pact, and white. Sow April 10th. It is in use early in March. 



*Veitch's Spring White. — Dwarf and compact-gi'owiug,. 

 heads medium-sized, close, and white. Sow April 10th. It. 

 heads early in March. 



Dilcock's Bribe. — Of dwarf, compact growth; heads large, 

 compact, and white. Sow April 10th. It heads at the eud of 

 March or begiuning of AprU. 



*Elletson's Surprise. — Of dwarf, compact growth, with 

 large, close heads. Sow April 10th. It is in use iu April and- 

 May. 



D.u,MENY Park May. — Dwarf, hardy ; heads, large, close, anS 

 white. Sow April 10th. It comes in during May. 



•Lauder's Superb Late Goscben. — Habit dwarf; heads, 

 large, close, and excellent. Sow April 10th. It comes into use 

 about the middle of May, and heads until June. 



I have omitted the Cape, Purine, &c., as I have found 

 that with a supply of CauUflowers iu summer and autumn, 

 and good close heads of Broccoli in winter, spring, and early 

 in summer, they are not cared for, and, indeed, they only take 

 up the room wanted for subjects in greater demand. 



Half an ounce of each of the four kinds marked with art 

 asterisk (*) are sufficient for a garden of two acres, and half 

 that quantity for a garden of one acre ; but to insure a supply 

 it is necessary to grow the four kinds. 



The soU for Broccolis should be in good heart, the situation 

 open, and the distance between the plants ought not to be- 

 less than 2 feet, more if the land has been enriched with fresh 

 dung. Tiiey should be jjlanted out early in July, and, with 

 the exception of the early-heading kinds, laid in or down at 

 the end of October or beginning of November. — G. Abbev. 



GLEICHENIA BUPESTRIS CULTURE. 



A leisure half-horn', what shall I write about ? I have so 

 many favourites that I scarcely know which to select — I will 

 decide to wi-ite a few lines on the successful growth of that 

 beautiful Fern Gleichenia rupestris. 



In taking a walk round the fernery just now my eyes lighted 

 on my favourite, and the thought struck me that no lover of 

 plants could look upon it without admu-iug it — not that it is a 

 gigantic plant (it is 4 feet in diameter, by 2 feet high), but be- 

 cause of its perfect health and its exquisite foUoge and growth. 

 It forms a mass of beautiful light green fronds, hanging grace- 

 fully down over the pot in which it is growing. 



The thought struck me when looking at and admu-ing this 

 beautiful plant, How is it that we so rarely see Gleichenia 

 rupestris exhibited by amateurs ? Is it because of its costliness ? 

 No. What, then ? Because of unsuccessful treatment and failm-e 

 in its culture. For my own part I have never bad the least 

 difficulty in growing this beautiful Fern, as I have had before 

 several plants as good as that referred to, and much larger 

 specimens of some of the other species. Shall I say it is difficult 

 to grow? No, quite the reverse; it grows, in common phrase, Uke 

 a weed, and yet we do not see it generally exhibited or grown, 

 I have no hesitation in saying that it is more through ignorance 

 of its proper treatment than o^\'ing to the expense of the plant 

 that we do not frequently see it grown and exhibited. I will state- 

 as plainly as I can my mode of treatment, and if it is rustru- 

 mental iu helping to success any fellow plant-lover who may 

 have failed in gro-wing this beautiful Fern, I shall feel myself 

 amply repaid for my leisure half-hour's -m-iting. 



We] will suppose that we have just T^urchased a healthy 

 young plant from the nursery ; to shift it at once would perhaps 

 be hardly advisable, at least I should prefer to let it alone for 

 a week or two after having it home, uutU it showed signs of 

 fresh growth. Then prepare the soU ; I have always found the- 

 following the best : two-thirds good fibrous peat, and one-thml 

 good, turfy, half rotted yellow loam, with a free admixtirre of 

 sUver sand, and small lumps of charcoal the size of a walnut, 

 mixed well together. Prep;u-e the pot by fiUhig one-tlurd of 

 its depth with crocks, putting the larger crocks underneath, 

 and a good quantity of small ones on the top ; put over these 

 a layer of sphagnum moss, or if this is not at hand a layer of 

 the roughest of the soU ; fiU up -with the compost, and place 



