218 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ llarcli 7, 1872. 



cultivation had also tlone its part, for everything was in the 

 test possible condition. There was healthj' foliage, an ab- 

 sence of insects, and all the other requirements that tend to 

 .success. All the contents of the house — Peaches, Figs, and 

 other fi-uits, showed the same masterly care, without which it 

 is hopeless to look for success, even where such an important 

 element towards it as good soO exists. Other things were also 

 good, including some fine specimen plants of the popular 

 show tinds, as weU as Ferns ; tut there was not time to ex- 

 amine all-. In passing we noticed tlie front of Mr. Phipp's 

 cottage, which is conveniently placed in the garden, covered 

 from the ground to the eaves with the flowers of a fine pui-ple 

 Clematis, which formed a perfect sheet of colour, and was so 

 thick that there was scarcely space to lay one's hand. I do not 

 know the variety, but it was either C. Jaekmauii or one re- 

 sembling it. I had never seen so fine a display before, but 

 most, if not all, the plants m the garden presented the same 

 luxuriant growth. Vegetable crops, as well as flower-beds 

 and forest trees, aUke exhibiting that vigour which is the best 

 token that a good and generous soil with skilful cultivation 

 were combined in the result. One of these alone could hardly 

 have accomplished it, and that both were forthcoming at In- 

 gestrie is due to the fortuitous ch'cumstance of Nature supply- 

 ing the one, and to Mr. Phipps's skill furnishing the other. — 



J. ROBSON. 



WOEK FOE THE WEEK. 



KITCHEN G.VEDEN. 



PnocEED with sowing all kinds of seeds as directed last week. 

 The ground is in excellent order for planting and digging, 

 which should be finished ^vithout delay. Top-dress the beds 

 of Anpnriifiiix : take care not to injure the plants with the rake 

 or fork. A little Celery or Letliiee seed may be sown over the 

 beds. New plantations may be made. Ileet may now be sown 

 in diills a foot apart. Sow seed of the Early Cape Broecoli 

 and Cauliflower Broccoli in a frame, to bring them on as much 

 as possible ; also sow some in open rich ground. Plant out the 

 autumn-sown Cahbape ; clear up the leaves, and weed beds left 

 for Coleworts. SowCnjwiiiOH.son a hotbed. Stir the soU round 

 CtiiiUjioieerri under hand-glasses, and earth them up; supply 

 them with manure water. Prepare Carrot, Onion, andParsni]) 

 ground, and sow a good breadth as soon as the soO is quite 

 dry. Chaired materials, or any old compost sown in the di'ills 

 or on the bed, wiU bring the young plants on quicker. Follow 

 up succGSsional sowings of Pi'tis and Beanx. Occasionally 

 water the early slopes of Horn Carrots and Batlishes with tepid 

 water, and cover them up v.'hilc the sun is shiuuig on them be- 

 fore 3 p. jr. Plant the principal early crop of Potatoes while 

 the ground continues in good working order. Place hillocks of 

 old taji over Sea-I;a!e crowns to blanch tlie shoots. 



FEt;iT GAEDES. 



Protect the blossoms of Apricots, Peaches, and Nectarines. 

 Straw ropes, mats, canvas, bunting, fir boughs, and fronds of 

 Ferns are all useful for this purpose. As soon as you have 

 finished nailing the Peach trees mix sulphm- and soap water 

 to the thickness of paint, and di-aw a baud of the mixture 

 between the shoots in aU directions; this once done, and that 

 well, will secure the trees thorougldy from red spider for twelve 

 months. Proceed with grafting, following in the order in 

 which the buds break. Strawbemes may still be moved, if 

 with balls, and well watered in. 



FLOWER GAECEN. 



Attend to the top-dressmg and pruning of Eoses. Prepare 

 a scheme of planting the beds in the flower garden, and esti- 

 mate the number of plants required, in order to propagate 

 stock without delay. Dress, where biilbs are coming through, 

 with care, and plant out autumn-sown annuals. Those who 

 plant old roots of Dahlias — they are superior to young cuttings 

 for general display, if properly staked out — may put them in 

 shortly, soUiug them over 4 inches deep to secure them from 

 frost. PlantLily of the Valley where requisite. Plant outPan- 

 sies and Carnations, sow Wind Anemone for autumn flowering, 

 and attend carefully to the sowing of showy annuals, placing 

 inverted pots over the patches, if the species or variety is 

 shy or liable to be devoured. Do not forget Mignonette and 

 Sweet Peas. Roll lawns. The pans or boxes in wliich Ranun- 

 culus seed is sown should be protected from excessive rain and 

 frost. A cool frame is the best situation for them until they 

 are well up. The best beds should be planted without delay, 

 taking advantage of the first favourable opportunity ; avoid 

 wet weather. Pinks, when intended to be giown in pots, may 



be put in half-pecks as soon as convenient. I would advise 

 florists generally to give this system a trial ; when intended 

 for exhibition they will be found much more convenient to 

 shade or bring fonvard as circumstances may reqtiire. Should 

 canker appear in the collection of Tulips, immediate attention 

 must be paid to them, removing the soU from the diseased parts, 

 and cutting over as occasion may require. Cover on frosty 

 nights, and if possilde do not let water lodge in the hearts of 

 the plants. Auriculas aud Polyanthuses iu frames \vill require 

 a more regular supply of water. Top-dress with rich soil if 

 not previously done, but liquid manure not too strong wiU be 

 found far better. 



GEEENHOUSE AND COXSERVATORV. 



Pottiug must forthwith conunence, and be continued with 

 scarcely any inten'uption until next October, indeed it may be 

 said never to totally cease. Those who have not secured the 

 necessary compost under cover should do so immediately. Mareli 

 offers many opportunities tor housing turfy or other composts 

 in a meUow state. Remember that there is, and can be, uo 

 period assigned for a general shifting, although such ideas pre- 

 vailed m former days. Forty years ago the man who did not 

 top-dress aU his gi-eenhouse plants in the course of February 

 was considered a gi-eat sloven ; now, however, there is much 

 less of this top-dressing, and plants are shifted by good culti- 

 vators according to their habits and the purpose for which 

 they are intended. Let me here point out what appear to be 

 frequent eiToneous practices — namely, overpotthig, or potting 

 in compost.'i that are too rich, plants wliich naturally ran too 

 much to leaf. It is obvious that such plants as Veronici 

 speciosa wiU not bear the application of such stimulating com- 

 posts as Thunbergia alata, nor should they be suddenly in- 

 dulged with liberal pot room. The plant would indeed be 

 covered with the most luxuriant fohage, but the blossoms 

 would be few, and produced late in the season. For plants of 

 such gross habit simple loamy soils mil in general be found 

 quite rich enough without the addition of vegetable matters. 

 Manures are quite out of the question. The Camellias in- 

 tended for floweiing late in the autumn should now be forced 

 into wood under a temperature of from 60° to 65". Shade is 

 necessary while they are making their young wood. Those 

 exliausted with flowering should be cut back aud removed to a 

 cool greenhouse for three weeks, giving them a little liquid 

 manme. The same practice may be adopted with the Indian 

 Azaleas. If iorced into wood now they ^•ill bloom iu the course 

 of November and December. The Citrus tribe may be pushed 

 forward in bottom heat where size is an object ; if any are 

 sickly and in a bad state at the roots, cut them back, disroot 

 them, washing the roots, and place them in smaller pots, using 

 turfy lo.am, leaf soil, sand, and charcoal, afterwards plunging 

 them iu bottom heat in a moist atmosphere. See to regularlv 

 shiftuig Cinerarias, Pelargouiiuns, Calceolarias, and Fuchsias. 

 Propagate plants for the flower garden. Root-propagation may 

 be resorted to with plants in a dormant state. Sow exotic 

 seeds, and cover each pot with sphagnum. Make cuttings of 

 the various Begonias for flowering during next November and 

 December. Do not forget B. iucamata and B. mauicata. 

 Stop gross and baiTen shoots on the hybrid Eoses in pots. 

 Introduce CameUia stocks into heat, if they are to be grafted 

 or inarched on the new wood when firm. 



STOVE. 



Endeavour to separate the Orchid tribe at this period as 

 much as possible. If there is only one house, keep one end 

 cooler by a free circulation of air, aud by placing such as the 

 La?has and C'attleyas at the cooler end, and the true .\ir plants 

 and Dendrobiums at the warmer end. Stanhopeas, Gongoras, 

 li'C, suspended in baskets should soon have a thorough water- 

 ing. They will bloom safer and later, however, if kept dry 

 another fortnight, maintaining much humiihty iu the atmo- 

 siihcre, whilst circulation of ah- can be obtained. The Hippe- 

 aatruni and AmaiylUs will now be floweriog and will requue 

 rather liberal waterings, and some will soon need shiftuig; see 

 that their leaves are.preserved frominjui-y. The Clerodendrons 

 may be disrooted and plunged ia bottom heat, and all exliausted 

 winter-flowering plants should be seiTed iu a similar way. 



COLD PITS OR FRAMES. 



One of these structures should be fitted-up with sashes for 

 the reception of the tlrinnings of the greenhouse. Many hard- 

 wooded plants may be moved thither, and the lights protected 

 with mats at night. This -n-ill make way for the increasing 

 size and number of the Fuchsias, Cinerarias, Verbenas, and. 



