April 25, 1872. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



Cabbage tribe it should be mauuied, but it is best at all times 

 to change the crops as far as practicable. If, however, from 

 circumstances of soil or situation it is necessary to plant the 

 same kind of crop repeatedly in the same situation, such parts 

 should have repeated turnings to expose a new surface to the 

 influence of the atmosphere, and frequent applications of fresh 

 maideu loam, a portion of the old soil being removed if neces- 

 sary. A full crop of Red Beet may be sown towards the end 

 of the week. Earth-up Beans, and sow successional crops of 

 both Peas and Beans. Keep the ground well stirred amongst 

 Cauliflowers and Cabbages, and lose no opportunity of destroy- 

 ing slugs. Sow Duarf Kidney Beans on a warm sheltered 

 border, also a few Scarlet Runners, but these succeed so weU 

 transplanted, that it is advisable to provide for contingencies 

 by sowing in pots or boxes and germinating the seeds under 

 glass. When the young plants come up remove them to the 

 open ail', cover them at night, and transplant them in t'jc 

 second week of May ; they will come into bearing more than a 

 week before those sown iu the open ground, and will continue 

 to bear quite as long ; at the same time there is no danger of 

 theii' being nipped by the spiing frosts. Thiu-out the young ad- 

 vancing plants of Lettuces ; if none are wanted for transplant- 

 ing they may be left at the full width at once, and the surface 

 well stii-red about them. Contiuue to earth-up and stake Peas 

 as they advance, taking care to fork or otherwise loosen the 

 gi'ound between the rows after the staking is done. Let this 

 be followed up even if Spinach is growing between the rows, 

 as that will be benefited by having the surface well stirred 

 about it. Keep up successional sowings of Lettuces, Spinach, 

 Radishes, and Salads. 



FKCIT GAEDEN. 



The process of disbudding Peach trees will now be in full 

 operation ; watch the growth well, and remove but a few of the 

 shoots at a time. Endeavour as far as possible to keep before- 

 hand with the growth iu disbudding, and not behind, for iu 

 the latter case one is often tempted to take off more shoots at 

 once than proper, and the check thus given to the flow of the 

 sap has very often the eft'ect of causing the fruit to stop swell- 

 ing and eventually to faU off. Eemove all the foreright shoots 

 from Apricot trees, also a portion of the side shoots, but en- 

 deavour to distiuguish those which are likely to form short 

 fruit-bearing spurs, which must always be left. Keep a good 

 look-out for the Gooseberry caterpillar. Hellebore powder is a 

 good remedy, but haud-picking better, if there are hands to 

 spare. 



FLOWEK GARDEN. 



Attend to the pruning of evergieen shrubs ; remove all dead 

 branches and shoots of last year's growth that have been de- 

 stroyed by the late frosts. Hoe, rake, and stir the surface of 

 flower borders, and remove all decayed leaves and stalks of 

 plants which have done flowering. Thin out early-sown annuals 

 in open borders to from fom' to six plants in each patch- 

 Tliiu out the shoots of Hollyhocks and other herbaceous plants. 

 Give standard and dwarf Eoses another good soaking with 

 manure water, which will excite a vigorous gi-owth and insure 

 an abunda;Ut bloom. Autumnal-flowering Eoses, especially, 

 delight iu such treatment. Polyanthuses will require shading 

 as they flower. If seed has not been already sown, let it be 

 done immediately. Eanunculuses will now be showhig them- 

 tjclves, and seedlings will be rising fast ; in the latter case, should 

 worms appear to thi-ow them out, water with hme water, which 

 will not affect the plants. Tulips must bo especially attended 

 to and preserved from the effects of hail and frost ; if the 

 ))eds have not been carefully gone over and the smface soil 

 broken by liand, it should be done immediately. Pinks and 

 Pansies should be top-dressed with very rotten mauuie, and 

 as soon as the latter make side shoots they may be taken off 

 and struck. Pot off Dahlias as they root. 



GREENHOUSE AND CONSEKVATOKY. 



These will now hu in gieater splendour thau at any other 

 period. There is no occasion here for an oppressive atmo- 

 sphere ; indeed, such woidd defeat the end in view, which 

 should be to prolong the beauties of the gay inmates as much 

 as possible. The forced Pinks, such as Anne Boleyn ; the tree 

 Violets ; the Perpetual, Bourbon, and Tea Eoses ; the -Azaleas, 

 and Ehododendrons, will now please the eye and exhale their 

 delightful fragrance. The Verbenas are charming ornaments 

 here at this period ; propagated in August, planted three in a 

 o-inch pot, and weU established before winter sets in, they 

 bloom abundantly from the middle of March. The syringe 

 will of course be laid aside here ; atmospheric moisture must, 

 however, be secured, slowly but constantly. 



STOVE. 



It is now time to warn aU those who desire to have their 

 houses well decorated during this year's winter, that the only 

 sure foundation of success must be laid at the present period. 

 The flowers most eligible for this purpose are certainly not of 

 the most recent introduction ; some of them are of very long 

 standing in our hothouses. They must not, however, be lost 

 in the crowd ; they will be very acceptable during the dull 

 months of December and January if properly cultivated. Of 

 this character are Gesnera elongata, some of the Begonias ; 

 Phajus grandifohus, several of the Bletias, Cymbidium sinense, 

 and Cypripedimns among Orchids ; Linum trigynum, Euphor- 

 bia jacquiniseflora and splendens, possess capabilities of the 

 kind. The Correas, the Polygalas, and some of the Acacias 

 are eligible, also the Hybrid Perpetual Eoses, retarded Scarlet 

 Pelargoniums, Anne Boleyn Pinks, Neapolitan Violets, Cine- 

 raiias, Chinese Primroses, iS.'c. I will endeavour to offer advice 

 on these plants occasionally as to theh winter-floweiing pro- 

 perties, and iu the meantime I would merely say that the 

 mainspring of success is early cultivation, and a comparative 

 degree of rest, or rather freedom from over-excitement during 

 July and August. This course induces the flowering habit iu 

 au eminent degree afterwards ; a moderate amount of stimulus 

 produces the desucd efi'ect. The Gongoras, Zygopetalums, 

 Peristerias, Brassias, some of the Dendrobiums, Cattleyas, 

 Sobralias, Phajus, &c., will now be gi'owing with rapidity. 

 Look well after insects ; this is the most dangerous period. 

 Be very attentive to the state of the atmosphere, and secure a 

 considerable amount of atmospheric moisture, taking care at 

 all times that it exists iu a due ratio to the heat. Keep up a 

 slight circulation or motion iu the an- day and night. 



PITS AND FRAMES. 



The propagation of plants for the summer and autumn 

 decoration of the flower garden should be brought to a close 

 as soon as cu-cumstances will permit ; cuttings may still bo 

 put in this week, but not later. I am fully aware that m'lch 

 depends on taking off, making, and putting in cuttings ; b;il, 

 on the other hand, I am confident that paying attention to 

 these points will not ensure success if they are not carefully 

 attended to iu the cutting-pit as regards hght, heat, aud 

 moisture. Now is the best time of the year to increase choice 

 collections of Phloxes by cuttings ; take off the young shoots 

 when .3 or 4 inches in length. Choice Alpine plants should be 

 taken out of theh' winter quarters and fully exposed to the 

 weather. Large specimens of early-flowering species should 

 be removed to the flower garden and placed in vases or rustic 

 baskets. Clear out some of the hardier bedding-out plants 

 which have been under glass during the winter ; place them 

 in some sheltered position, where they can be readily pro- 

 tected iu case of frost. Put a stop to the ravages of mUdew 

 by dusting the plants with sulphur. — W. Keane. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST WEEK. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



Sow early if you can, aud run -the risk of failure, but if you 

 value the seed wait a httle longer. We are almost sorry that 

 we raised the note of alarm some weeks ago, but we thought 

 our readers would be rewarded for the loss of a few pence in 

 seeds by the profit made upon the early jjioduce. The ciitii-al 

 time with seedlings is when germination is just taking place. 

 Then excess of hea' , cold, or dryness is very likely to kill them. 

 Our earUest sowings of Onions, Carrots, &c., are coming on 

 beautifully. Oiu- ad\ice to people with limited space is " Sow 

 often." If we wanted a beautiful young Carrot we would keep 

 on sowing from March to July. There is no comparison as 

 respects sweetness between such young produce aud the one 

 sowing which satisfies most people. Never depend on one 

 sowing. 



We generally sow so that each kind of seed will distinguish 

 itself ; thus Broccoli being parted by Borecoles, Cauliflower by 

 Brussels Sprouts, so that if sown close there is no necessary 

 mixing at planting time. These matters are of httle moment 

 iu large gardens, but they are important where ground is 

 scarce, and where a seed bed, therefore, should take up httle 

 room. WeU, the seeds being scattered evenly over the aUotted 

 space — and the very colour of red-leaded seeds affords a good 

 criterion of the even hand of the sower — the next thing is just 

 to pat the seeds gently down, and then scatter a shght cover- 

 ing of Ught soil all over, which generally receives another 

 gentle pat. 



Here let us add that iu such uncertain seasons as the pre- 



