March 14, 1872. ] 



JOUENAL OF HOETICULTURE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEB. 



239 



frce-fruitiug depend much on firm soil, and .a rather lirra smooth 

 burface. 



lu fine weather mu a hoe or a light pointed fork between 

 the row 5 of vegetables. 



With regard to repotting fruit trees (page 219), the words, 

 " The soil romid the ball cannot be made firm," should be, 

 " cannot be made too firm." 



We have a good piece of Onions planted out in the autumn, 

 and the.se come in well for large early bulbs, though they do 

 not keep hke those that are sown in sprmg. We had a piece 

 of ground ridged and cross-ridged several tiiueB, and then diig 

 level, but rough in order to make it dry. Here we intended to 

 sow, but a drenching rain stopped us. We do not, however, 

 fret at the delay, as even in the case of Onions two or three 

 sowings, with a week or a fortnight between them, are not 

 objectionable. One of the drawbacks of a somewhat stiff soil 

 is, that you can neither work it nor sow it at all times, but 

 when ouce the crop takes hold it gives you Uttle more trouble. 

 Ground for Parsnips, Can-ots, Beet, etc., has been frequently 

 turned and otherwise prepared. 



iit'o-kale. — We have replanted the greater part of tliat wliich 

 v.-e have raised to force. It wUl be veiy good for any pmijose 

 after a second summer. We have often used the finest after 

 one summer's growth, but in general it is better to wait unto 

 the second. As we stated lately, we prefer pieces of the roots 

 to seeiUings, and they give less trouble. Our chief supply 

 now \vill be from plants in the ground covered with G inches 

 of sifted coal ashes, and covered on the surface with Utter. 

 On a lot more we will put pots without any covermg imless 

 frost threaten. As the season is early, this should be done 

 before the Kale shoots much, as after it assumes the uatirral 

 pui-jile tinge it is difficult to get it to become milky white. 

 Sea-kale pots ai'e, on the whole, best for this pm'pose, but 

 common pots, or often even a mound of ashes or peat earth, 

 will answer equally well. If common pots upside down are 

 used, the holes must be securely stopped. We here repeat, that 

 to appreciate the flavomof blanched Sea-kale the heads should 

 be stubby and rather under 6 inches in length. In cooking, a 

 little salt and a pinch of carbonate of soda thi-own in the 

 water will greatly improve it. 



We would advise that Sea-kale bo used without blanching. 

 Expanded flower-heads when not wanted for seed, instead of 

 being taken to the rubbish-heap, may be cooked. They are 

 good, but far inferior to short stubby shoots just showing the 

 young flower-head or truss. These are declared on all hands to 

 be truly delicious, and come in at a season when wo have not a 

 full supply of Cabbages and Cauliflowers. Such stubby shoots 

 with fiower-heads at their points are very frequent on plants 

 which have been two or thi-ee years in the groimd, and, as 

 far as forcing is concemel, are better off. Had we a large 

 gai'den in a cold place, and a large supply of vegetables to find 

 at that particular time, we would have a good piece of Sea-kale, 

 merely for using thus in its natural condition and colour. 

 These flowering shoots sliould be cut whilst they are short and 

 stubby, and before the flowering heads have expanded much, 

 and then boiled with a pinch of carbonate of soda in the water. 

 They turn out with a purj^hsh coloiu', soft as marrow, of a rich 

 peculiar flavom- which even Broccoli does not possess. AMiat 

 we want our readers to see, however, is simply this — that a 

 good piece of Sea-kale is not only useful when forced and 

 blanched, but may be also of good seiwice m its natural con- 

 dition without any forcing or covering whatever. 



FRCIT GAKDEX. 



We have been unable to keep orchard-house trees back as 

 much as v^■e wished, so have been obUged to get the tying done 

 bfcfor,-! it would be dangerous to do so. Placed a lot of Straw- 

 btn-ies in the front of orchard houses, as they come on gradu- 

 ally, and can be moved from thence or fiuited there. We 

 have as yet only gathered Black Prince, but Keens' Seedhng is 

 coming on. We have no great liking for Black Prince, except 

 on account of its earliness and hardiness; in fact, to have it 

 good and pretty well flavoured, it must not have a higher 

 temperature than 60° with fire heat, or, better stiU, from 56° 

 to 60°, with an increase from sunshine. As an early Straw- 

 berry we do not see how we can discard it ; as an open-air 

 fruit, when well ripened and hard it is one of our best for 

 preseiTing, since it stands boiling extremely well. 



OKXAJIESLiL DEl'ArilJIENT. 



There are two general modes of repotting. Fust, when 

 plants are to be replaced in smaller or hke-sized pots. In this 

 case the soil is most easily removed when it is rather thy, 

 and the roots may be soaked in water for five minutes before 



repotting. This is better than wetting the new soil too much 

 at ouce before the roots begin to move. On the other hand, when 

 a plant is transferred from a small pot to a larger one without 

 reducing the ball — at least not more than picking at the sides 

 with tlie fingers or a pointed stick, so that the fibres may pass 

 through into the new soil quickly — then the following simple 

 points should be observed : The old ball must be thoroughly 

 soaked, long enough before to allow the extra moistm-e to drain 

 off, and yet leave the ball moist thi'oughout. Myriads of plants 

 suffer from the neglect of this simple precaution. Then, when 

 quick flowering is the object, the fresh soil should be packed 

 rather firmly, so long as the fibres are not interfered with. 

 In the case of small plants in small pots, when quick growth 

 is the object, this treatment is not requu-ed, as the watering 

 does almost all that is wanted in that way. Then with regard 

 to watering. Wlien a plant is moved from a 4-iuch pot to a 

 5 or 6-inch one water may be given somewhat freely, provided 

 the drainage is all right ; but when, for certain purposes, a 

 plant in a 4-inch pot is transferred to an 8-inch pot, or one still 

 larger, mirch of the success wiU depend on the mode of water- 

 ing. The soil next the pot sides should not be soaked or 

 soui'ed until the roots begin to occupy it, when they will insure 

 its sweetness and health}' condition. Hence the inexperienced 

 win succeed best with small progi'essive shifts. — E. F. 



TKADE CATALOGUES EECEIVED. 



J. Dickson & Sons, 102, and 108, Eastgate Street, and Newton 

 Nui'series, Chester. — Catalogue of Farm Seeds, Inipleitients, 

 dc 



J. A. Brace & Co., Hamilton, Ontario. — Descriptive Catalogue 

 of Agricultural, Garden, and Flower Seeds, Ac. 



F. & A.. Dickson & Sous, lOG, Eastgate Street, and Upton Nur- 

 series, Chester. — Catalogue of Farm Seeds. 



J. Coombs, The Ferns, Enfield, Middlesex. — Catalogue of 

 Cuttings of Geraniums, d-c. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 

 ,*, We request that no one will write privately to any of the 

 correspondents of the " Journal of Horticultme, Cottage 

 Gardener, and Country Gentleman." By so doing they 

 are subjected to unjustifiable trouble and expense. All 

 commimications should therefore be adili'essed solely to 

 The Editors of the Journal of Horticulture, i6c., 171, Fleet 

 Street, London, E.G. 



Books ( W. M. S.). — You can obtain Dr. Hooker's book through any book- 

 sellor. We do not know the price. 



P.4LE Elue Prijitxa (F. S.). — We cannot assign a name without seeinj? a 

 specimen. It is probably either Primula acatilis lilaeina, or P. ei-osa (For- 

 tunei). 



Wild Flois'ers (J. H. FX — We can only reply that wemast continue luitil 

 all the flowering species are portraiteLl, or the work would be imperfect. 



HoTEiA JAPONICA {A. S.]. — .Uthuughvou tei-m yourself " an old foggy " yoa 

 are quite in the sunshine when you identify it as the Spu-iea japouica of the 

 gardeners. Some botanists call it S. bai'bata. 



Pei.argonicm Leaves Spotted (J. LX — The leave,; were spotted in con- 

 sequence of the condensation of water on them, or of v.-aterin:4 or sjTingin.g 

 overhead, and the sun striking on them while wel. The ouly remedy is to 

 keep the atmosphere di-ier, not to let water remain on the foliage, and to give 

 a little an- at night and early in the day. The weather of late has been veiy 

 iiufnvourable to this class of plants, but if you hadafforded a gentle heat so as 

 to have given air more fi-eely the leaves would probably have escaped spotting. 



Shkubs, Ferns, axd AiI'ixes ox Kockwork 1-7. r.|.— Abies CTanbr::- 

 sihana, Berberis Aquifolium, B. empetrifoUa. Coruus caua(lensifi, Cotoneaster 

 microphylla, Cupressus Lawsouiana, Dai>hne Cueoram, Genista prosfratu, 

 G. triquetra, Helianthemum cocciueum, H. rubrum liore-pleno. Hypericimi 

 calycinum, Juniperus communis, J. Sabina, J. prostrata, J. tamaiiscifolia, 

 Lithospei-miun fmticosum, Ptmettya procvunbeus, P. mucronata, Poteu- 

 tilhi tioribtuida, Vinca elegantissima, Vinca minor variegata, and azm'ea 

 flore-pleno ; Erica cai-nea, ciliaxis, ciuerea, hibemica, Tetralix, vagaus, 

 sajpaiia, and vulgaris in varieties. The Ai-aucarias that have lost the leaders 

 of the side branches we should not cut back further than to the iii-st fork 

 or =hoot below the dead part. li you cut to the main stem it is probable no 

 branches will be again produced, and the trees will be bare at the bottom. 

 Leave them as they are, cutting away the dea.! pai'ts only. 



Briaiis Kor. KosE Stocks {P. T. S.).—lt is now late to take up the Briars, 

 but we should nevertheless do so, cutting them ofE about 5 feet in length, and 

 taking them up with a good quantity of loots. Pi-esei-ve about 6 inches 

 of the root-stem, cuttmg that over with o ^iuv. nod iiariii- the cut surface 

 smooth v.ith a sharp knife. It isimmatc-ii il il H ■ l.cd.butuot 



more than 4 inchesof that need beleft. i ' i , or at the 



height v<iu M ibh, and cut in all the eWc h 1 ' .lut a foot 



apart m rows 3 feet from each other. TL_ .. i !y dug and 



enriched with manure. Eeducc the shoots tu t«i, c o cli-U -lock, selecting of 

 com-se the strongest. November and December are the best months to pUmt 

 the stocks. Strong loam cr a clay soil will be the best. 



TtnjEEOSE CciHTRE (TTil/fsAii).— They succeed in a compost of two parts 

 light fibrous loam, one part leaf soil, and one pai-t old cow dung, mtermlsLed 

 with one-siith of sharp sand. 7-iuch pots are sufficiently large, drain them 

 moderatelv, and pot so that the roots will be covered to the neck. The offsets 

 should be removed. It is well to place a little silver sand beneath and round 



