Mai-di 21, 1872. ) 



JOUBNAL op HOETICttLTUBE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



259 



Bath Cos, aud varieties of the Green Cos, are better of being 

 trauspjauted. If any of the early -planted Potatoes are peeping 

 out, they had better have a little soil drawn over them, or be 

 otherwise protected. 



FKUIT 0.4.I1DEN. 



Apricot blossom is now fast expanding, and, of course, 

 timely protection must be aflforded. Coverings not intended to 

 be often removed should be hght and airy ; thick heavy ma- 

 terial must be so arranged as to be removed when the weather 

 is favourable ; the former are considered preferable. Straw- 

 berry beds should be dressed ; remove all dead leaves and super- 

 fluous rimners, and stir the surface of the soil. Tie down a good 

 many of the weak and short-jointed branches of Pears and 

 Plums on walls or dwart espaliers. This will be found much 

 better than the old or spurring-back system. In the meantime, 

 cut away all over-luxuriant wood close to the stem. Destroy 

 all insects before the trees bud, clear off all scale, &c., using a 

 wash chiefly composed of clay, water, and sulphur. 



FLOWER OABDEN. 



Mowing aud dressing lawns will now require attention. 

 Lawns or portions of them having a hungry sandy soil, and 

 liable to " burn," should have a slight dressing every spring; 

 even common soil will benefit them, as it causes the production 

 of another tier, if I may use the term, of surface roots, of 

 course increasing their number. However, a dressing of marly 

 or clayey soil in a highly-pulverised state would obviate the 

 tendency to burn. A shght dressing of guano has an excellent 

 effect in such cases. Those who deske to have Moss and 

 Provence Eoses throughout the summer should now cut back a 

 number for that purpose , merely pruning away the parts which 

 have budded. Auriculas and Polyanthuses will now requu'e 

 attention; air must be admitted in abundance daily ; watch the 

 trusses as they appear, and pinch off all the weak ones, for if 

 it be desired to have them strong and in full perfection, only 

 one flower-stem should be allowed to remain. Stir the surface 

 of the Tulip beds, and give occasional waterings with manure 

 water during dry weather. The Tuhp dehghts in abundant 

 waterings, unless the soil is naturally wet and stiff. Stir the 

 surface of Pansy, Pink, and Carnation beds. Keep a good 

 look-out for mice, slugs, and wireworms. 



GEEENHOUSE AND CONSEKVATOEY. 



At no period of the year, perhaps, is caution in the use of 

 fire heat more needed than in March. March winds are pro- 

 verbial, and March suns are at times very bright. Now, as 

 these winds are by no means to be desired in hothouses, the 

 b"?st plan is to keep down fire heat to the lowest possible iiitch 

 all the morning, and, where forcing is gomg on, to have a 

 Uvely fire for a couple of hours in the afternoon, say from 

 3 o'clock until 5 p.m. By these means the necessity of giving 

 much air will in some measure be obviated, and the climate 

 within will be maintained in a more wholesome state as re- 

 gards moisture, etc. At this period frequent attention wUi be 

 necessary both in giving air and taking it away gradually. A 

 smaU reduction should be made soon after noon in forchig- 

 houses, aud the air should be entirely shut off as soon as 

 it is considered safe. Slight shading will soon be of import- 

 ance. Camellias growing should be so placed as to rLCeive 

 more shade and also more atmospheric moisture than the 

 general inmates of the conservatory ; in fact, they are better 

 in a Uttio close house by themselves, which should be kept up 

 to 70° by day and 60° by night, receiving much the same treat- 

 ment as Orchids at this period. Large specimens of Fuchsias 

 should now receive liberal shifts ; with well-regulated potting 

 and thoroHgh drainage they should be fit to place in their final 

 pots or tubs at once. Heaths may now be shifted ; use abun- 

 dance of drainage and sandy heath soil full of fibre ; thrust it 

 in lumps round the ball, now and then forcing down pieces of 

 stone or lumps of charcoal, and finally coat over the surface 

 with some of the finer portions of the soil, which should have 

 a Uberal amount of sand. The ball must be thoroughly moist 

 before shifting, for if quite dry no after-watering can bring it 

 right. Pot Cape and other bulbs as soon as the foUage is 

 becoming strong. Use chiefly loam, leaf soil, and silver sand. 



STOVE. 



Keep up a lively growing temperature during the day, and 

 do not stint moisture in the atmosphere. Syringe aud shut 

 up early at a temperature of 80° or 90°, but let it faU to 05° or 

 60° before the following morning. This is the season of pro- 

 g.res3 in plant culture, therefore proceed vigorously with the 

 shifting of plants in the stove. Growing Orchids will now 

 require slight shading for a couple of hours during bright sun- 



shine, for fear of too copious a perspiration, also in order to 

 retard Dendrobiums, &c., in blossom ; the latter, however, 

 will do extremely well in a di-y warm parlour or drawing-room, 

 only they wUl occasionally require a good watering at the root. 

 A moderate amount of atmospheric moisture will suffice for 

 these plants when in flower ; the growing specimens must at 

 this period have a considerable increase. Now is a good time 

 to sow imported or home-saved seeds of tropical plants. Half 

 fill the pots with drainage, use peat, loam, and silver sand in 

 equal parts. Water thoroughly but slowly with a fine-rosed 

 pot, and cover the surface with a good coat of sphagnum. 

 They may be placed on a warm shelf in a shady part of the 

 house. 



riTS AND FRAMES. 



The light and heat of the sun which we have been favoured 

 with lately begin to effect a change amongst the plants ; the 

 blanched appearance which the foliage has shown lately is 

 givmg place to a lively and healthy green. Pay due attention 

 to au'-giving and watering. A little manure water once or 

 twice a-week will be beneficial. Let the strong-growing varie- 

 ties of Verbenas which may be affected with mildew have a 

 good dusting with sulphur vivum. Those Eoses which are 

 kept in pots for plunging into the turf to bloom during sum- 

 mer and autumn, should now be looked over, if necessary 

 the whole of the soil shaken from the roots, and the plants 

 repotted in a rich compost. Plants of Maurandya, Bhodo- 

 chiton, Lophospermum, and other flower-garden climbers 

 should now be selected and shifted into larger pots. Let every 

 encouragement be given them that they may attain a good size 

 before June. Keep the plants free from vermin and insects. 

 If there are any signs of green fly fumigate immediately. Con- 

 tinue pottmg-off stock for the flower garden, also making 

 cuttings of Verbenas, Fuchsias, Petunias, Dahlias, Geraniums, 

 etc. They will all be wanted. Shade newly-potted Stocks, 

 and more especially cuttings. The leaf should not be first 

 allowed to flag, and then an attempt be made to restore it by 

 abundance of water ; it must never be allowed to droop. Cut 

 down and place in a cold frame the most choice kinds of 

 Cinerarias for suckers after they have done flowering, and put 

 in a stock of Chrysanthemum cuttings for autumn display. — 

 W. Keane. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST WEEK. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



Sowed good breadths of Onions, Carrots, Parsnips, and 

 successions of Peas and Beans in ground which had been weU 

 stirred and well sweetened by aeration. In rather stiff loam, 

 however, we rarely omit in garden sowing to have some finely- 

 riddled compost, as the refuse from potting benches, with dusty 

 charcoal, thrown over the rows of all our smaller seeds, aud if 

 the soil is damp enough beneath, the seedlings come through 

 stronger aud healthier. Although we often sow rather thinly, 

 we rarely fail to obtain a thick-enough crop of young seedlings, 

 as we thus give them the most favourable condition for healthy 

 germination. 



Put in a good lot of Potatoes, the ground which had been 

 well turned previously working beautifully. See what was 

 lately said about plautmg sets of this vegetable. All sorts of 

 Cabbage Sprouts, Borecoles, etc., are very abundant now, and 

 the more that is taken from them the better will they yield, 

 and the more tender will they cook. This more particularly 

 applies to that delicious vegetable, Asparagus Kale. 



Soiciiii] Peas. — It is better to sow in a trench of from 9 to 

 12 inches wide, aud 2 inches deep, in preference to a drill drawn 

 out by the hoe. After the ground is prepared it is well to run 

 the foot along this narrow trench, so as to firm it a little before 

 scattering the Peas 2 or 3 inches apart over the bottom, in 

 which position they generally grow better than if put in more 

 thickly. It is as well to have this drUl so wide as to admit of 

 the seeds beuig gently patted down by the back of a spade 

 before covering them over from 1 to li inch; for early work 

 we generally use, as in the case of small seeds, some fine rich 

 compost. If ever it should be necessary to water such Peas 

 the shallow trench presents a great advantage. 



Pu'd-leadhifi Seech. — As regards the amount of water that 

 should be used for this purpose, we would recommend as much 

 as -will damp all the seeds, and no more. As much lead as 

 can be easily held between the thumb and two fingers will be 

 sufficient for a quart of Peas, and should be stirred amongst 

 them with a stick, and not the fingers, until every Pea is 

 coloured. A small trowel, also, should be used for sowing with, 

 lu'the case of small seeds, as Turnips, Lettuces, do not colour 



