May Ifi, 1872. ] 



JOURNAL OF HOETICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



400 



regard to the time when it is desirctl to have the principal dis- 

 play of flowers ; if early, the plants must be placed closer 

 together, and need not be stopped ; if not before a later period 

 in the summer, somewhat thinner, and the flower-buds should be 

 )iinched off as they appear till the plants have filled the beds. 

 There are two objects principally held in view in arranging the 

 plautuig of parterres and flower gardens ; one is to produce a 

 striking effect by employing plants only of a decided colour, 

 principally red, blue, and yellow, using white for separatuig 

 the different divisions. Where the colours are well contrasted 

 this plan is very effective, particularly when viewed from a 

 distance, and is well adapted for situations where the beds are 

 not numerous, and where there is a considerable breadth of 

 either grass or gravel to overpower. A repetition of the same 

 arrangement, however brilliant, is seldom so pleasing on a 

 close exarmnation as where variety both in form and colour 

 has been called in, and where the gradations into which the 

 ]nimary colours run, have been arranged in accordance with 

 the rules governing theu' distribution. There is now no lack 

 of colour to effect this, as nearly every class of bedding-out 

 plants presents sufficient variety for the purpose. In single 

 beds, or in mixed flower gardens, much may be accomplished 

 in this way by using a decided colour for the centre and sur- 

 rounding it with plants of the same kind but of less intense 

 colour, which should gradually diminish from the centre, in a 

 point, to the sides. This, with well-contrasted edgings, prin- 

 cipally for the larger beds, will be found more generally pleasing 

 than where masses of one colour are only employed. Now 

 will be the time for the amateur to make the necessary ad- 

 ditions to his collections of Tuhps, and I would advise all 

 intending purchasers to visit various beds and select for them- 

 selves. It is a much more satisfactory plan than buying them 

 in dry roots, for the Tulip is so sportive that a change of soil 

 and situation will make them assume a wholly different charac- 

 ter the succeeding season. Mark in a book all which are de- 

 fective, particularly those having a stained base or stamens ; 

 an inferior form may be tolerated for a time, but impurity 

 never. Plant out Dahlias, place their supports to them, mulch 

 the surface of the ground, and water regularly when they 

 require it. Hollyhocks, too, may be treated in the same 

 manner. Old plants which are throwing-up four or five stems 

 should be reduced to two or three, and these should be neatly 

 tied-out to short stout stakes, so that each spiko may stand 

 free of its neighbour. Tie-up Piuks and remove the super- 

 fluous shoots. Part Polyanthuses, placing them in a shady 

 cjol spot; when this cannot be secured naturally, artificial 

 shade must be made. 



OBEENHOUSE AND CONSEEVATOET. 



Although slight shading is indispensable on the forenoons of 

 bright warm days, it must be used sparingly when the weather 

 proves unsettled, for withoiit an abundance of light flowers 

 never colour properly, and they soon fade if kept in too shady 

 a position. Air should be admitted freely whenever the weather 

 will admit. When it can be accomplished, watering should be 

 done in the morning, in order that the supei-fluous moisture 

 may dry up before evening, so as to avoid night damps, from 

 which there is some danger during the present state of the 

 weather. The shoots of the New Holland twiners, when flow- 

 ering is over, should be well trimmed-in before growth com- 

 mences, thinning the main branches where necessary by cut- 

 ting out those which are weakly, always having an eye to 

 securing plenty of young wood towards the bottom. 



STOVE. 



Where any considerable number of plants are grown there 

 can be nothing like a set time for repotting them ; in doing 

 this the time at which any particular class of plants are in- 

 tended to flower, and the purpose tor which they are required, 

 nuist be kept in view. Most hkely many stove and softwooded 

 plants will now require a shift to grow them on. In addition, 

 plants intended for blooming in autumn and winter, and which 

 have been chiefly propagated this spring, should now be potted- 

 oft', or any straggling shoots pinched back to form them into 

 compact plants ; after keepmg them close for a week or ten 

 days encourage them to make fresh roots, and gradually aUow 

 more air and hght until they will bear a free exposure to both. 

 As stove plants advance allow them plenty of room, particu- 

 lai-ly fine-foliaged plants. The syringe must be in constant 

 use to keep down insects, assisted by fumigation where thrips 

 is likely to become established. The white and brown scale 

 are best kojit under by carefully handwashing the plants with 

 a strong lather of brown soap and water. For this purpose 



soft brushes or pieces of sponge should only be used, that no 

 injury may be done to the leaves. Achimenes should now bo 

 placed where more air can be given ; stake them out neatly as 

 the plants advance. Gloxinias also requhe a partially shaded 

 situation and moist heat. Gesneras may be treated in the 

 same way, with the addition of more light. Amaryllises, etc., 

 should be removed to the conservatory or show house for 

 blooming, where they are a great acquisition. Mark any very 

 strUdng varieties for seeding ; after blooming plunge them in 

 a little bottom heat in a frame near the glass to perfect their 

 growth. Fues to the stoves and Orchid houses will still bo 

 necessary. — W. Keane. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST WEEK. 



KITCHEN OAEDEN. 



As we rather expected, our first sowing of Carrots has come 

 up rather patchy. We are quite satisfied that the seeds were 

 good, as the second sowing is coming up weU. We have sown 

 over again pieces of the first-sown ground by drawing drills in 

 the vacancies, and that will make a third time of drawing. 

 We took care not to injure a plant of the first sowing, as they 

 win come in early to succeed others in frames and under pro- 

 tection. We believe our Carrot seed suffered from the snow 

 and frost just when the seeds had germinated freely. 



Put in a succession of crops as previously detailed, and when 

 the ground was at aU dry ran the hoe among young crops of 

 Parsnips, Onions, Carrots, etc. The Onions do not appear to 

 have suffered from the frost, though sown early. The scuffle 

 \vith the Dutch hoe is the best of aU means for keeping crop- 

 ping gi'ound free of trrerl.-i. Weeding and carrying off weeds, 

 or burying them in heaps, are almost out of the question 

 in these days. The use of the Dutch hoe before the weeds 

 are 2 inches in height leaves an open surface instead of a con- 

 soUdated one behind the workman, and the sun soon puts the 

 weeds out of sight. If hea%'y rains come immediately after 

 such hoeing, it may be necessary to hoe again before long, to 

 prevent the weeds taking fresh hold. In all such cases of 

 early hoeing on cultivated ground a rake is quite unnecessary. 

 On the eontrai'y, now, in the case of a gravel walk overrun 

 with small weeds, a good raking is important after hoeing. 

 Repeat the raking several times on a sunny day, in order that 

 the smallest weeds may be killed. In such a case it is also 

 important that the smaU weeds should be cut up before the 

 seed is formed or approaching maturity, otherwise there will 

 soon be a batch of seedlings. Hence, where there are only a 

 few weeds on walks, it will be found the most economical plan 

 to pull them up and at once carry them away in baskets. 



It is astonishing what an effect constant cutting at the sur- 

 face will have in the destruction of som5 of the worst root- 

 weeds, as the white-flowered Convolvulus, the greatest annoy- 

 ance when it establishes itself in a garden. Perseverance 

 in cutting the young shoots when 2 or 3 inches in height will 

 at last exhaust and kill the white fleshy roots ; but the best 

 remedy we ever found, where such a plan could be adopted on 

 fallow ground, is to cut the tops with a hoe, and then cover 

 all over with 4 inches of short grass from the mowings of 

 lawns. No shoot coming through this mat, the large roots 

 will perish. 



Asparagus is a regular teU-weather plant. Ten days ago we 

 had it in great abundance. For four days, since the weather 

 has become colder, we can scarcely get it long enough for use 

 without cutting it beneath the surface, which we do not prac- 

 tise generally. It wUl further prolong the Asparagus season. 

 We generally give a sprinlding of salt before the heads begin 

 to appear ; not so much m order to increase the size of the 

 shoots as to keep the ground free from weeds. This season 

 we have neglected doing so, but the salt will have a greater 

 effect when applied after the plants are allowed to grow freely. 

 With a porous bottom, so that water may not stand within 

 3 feet of the surface, almost .auythmg may be done with Aspa- 

 ragus if we can sprinkle salt on the ground several times from 

 .lune to September, and give manure waterings if the weather 

 is at all dry. 



To Cahbages, CauUflnwers, and late BroccoUvm gave a good 

 watering of house sewage, and for days afterwards we could 

 fancy we saw them growing. 



Sowed ISasU, Marjnnuii, if-c, under glass to be pricked-out. 

 Pricked-out Celery plants, and as we are late this sea'^on we 

 shall keep them under glass in heat imtU they are strong, and 

 then harden them off by degrees before full exposure. We have 

 sown at Christmas and li;ul no more bolted heads than when 



