JOURNAL OF HORTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ September 18. 1873. 



very frequently in place-names in tlie nortli, as in Eastern 

 and Western Bo, Lingambo, Delnabo, Lochnabo. The word 

 bowvmn has originated myths in other parts of the country 

 also, as, for instance, in the case of the Bowman's Road, on 

 the shoulder of the Knock Hill in Banffshire, a road along 

 which the myth-making faculty has made the bowmen of a 

 defeated army retreat. 



Mar and the Garioch (pronounced Ciry) are two districts of 

 Aberdeenshire, separated from each other in part by the hill 

 range of Bennachie, with its lofty and picturesque pinnacles 

 of rock. 



I would, therefore, interpret the rhyme as follows : — There 

 was a time when the guU- was prevalent in the Garioch, but 

 had not yet spread into Mar. The agricultural mind of the 

 latter district was alive to the fact and the danger, and used 

 every means to prevent its encroaching. The representative 

 bowman, armed with full powers, stood, as it were, on Ben- 

 nachie, on the march of his own territory, to meet and drive 

 back the insidious attacks of the enemy, but in vain — the gule 

 won the war. — (Notes arid Queries.) 



WORK FOR THE WEEK. 



KITCHEN GABDEN. 



Eaeth-cp Broccoli plants as they advance, this greatly pro- 

 motes their growth ; also earth-up other plants that require it. 

 Keep a watchful eye for the caterpillars ; as soon as they are 

 observed have them gathered-off by hand, this being the only 

 sure means of extirpation. The main spring crop of Cabbage 

 may now be planted, the small dwarf sorts at 18 inches row from 

 row, and 15 inches apart in the row ; the larger at 2 feet row 

 'from row, and 20 inches apart in the row. A double quantity 

 may be planted in the rows so as to admit of thinning-out every 

 alternate one in the spring. Prepare ground for Cauliflowers 

 to be protected with hand-glasses ; the soil should be rich and 

 if possible under a south wall. Nine plants may be planted 

 under a good-sized glass, and in the spring five or six of them 

 may be taken up and planted elsewhere. The first earthing-up 

 •of Celerij should not take place until the plants have made con- 

 siderable progress ; by commencing too early they are drawn-up 

 weakly. The earth should be closed round the stalks with the 

 liand. The heat of the Cucumber beds containing bearing 

 plants must not be allowed to decline or they will not continue 

 productive, whereas by proper attention they will produce fruit 

 till Chi-istmas. Dung should now be procured and prepared for 

 beds next month. Tie-up Endive tor blanching when the plants 

 are quite dry, and lay a tile upon each plant. Another planta- 

 tion may also be made. If a supply of Dwarf Kidney Beans is 

 trequired through the winter, a sowing should now be made in 

 pots half-filled with soil, which allows of the plants being 

 earthed-up. The beds of Mushrooms recently made must be 

 spawned immediately the heat has become moderate. When 

 ■earthed they should be well beaten down, as solidity is one of 

 the principal causes of productiveness. When the haulm of 

 Fotatoes is ripe they must be taken up, as they are likely to grow 

 ■again if showery -n'eather occurs, which greatly deteriorates their 

 flavour. Salading should now be raised under a hand-glass or 

 dn boxes placed in a forcing house. To keep-up a constant suc- 

 ■cession a sowing should be made about three times a-fortnight. 



FKUIT GAKDEN. 



In paying attention to the fruit at this season do not let the 

 trees be forgotten, but take every opportunity for hastening the 

 maturation of the wood. The points of the shoots might now 

 be shortened, and the large leaves on strong shoots cut through 

 the middle. The shortening the shoots will cause the buds left 

 to swell better, and unless the trees receive too much moisture 

 at the roots there will be no danger of the buds then bursting. In 

 extreme cases of luxuriance the stronger roots might be pruned 

 with advantage. 



FLOWER GARDEN. 



The sowing of annuals to stand the winter must not be de- 

 layed. A light free soil is the most suitable, but it is not desir- 

 able to have them in a very sheltered situation. We find them 

 stand better when the seeds are scattered over the rockwork. 

 We have few finer plants for bedding-out in the summer season 

 than the Petunia, and few genera in which a greater improve- 

 ment has been effected as to the quality of the flowers. One of 

 the finest varieties of the purple class for forming groups un- 

 doubtedly is Violacea superba, a kind sent out some years back 

 hy the Horticultural Society, and which has the property of 

 holding its colours until the flowers are quite withered. Prince 

 Albert is another variety possessing nearly the same properties 

 with a little improvement in form. Those desirous of having 

 Carnalion layers which will healthily pass through the winter, 

 will do well to pot them off as soon as rooted, and where ne-n-and 

 fresh varieties are required, the best plan is to see them taken oft. 

 Should layers come from a distance, examine that part of the 

 stem which communicated with the parent plant, it will some- 



times have a cankered or decayed appearance, this must be care- 

 fully removed with a sharp knife, and the stem cut back to 

 where it is healthy. Should there be no appearance of decay 

 the stem must be cut across at the joint, which -will frequently 

 emit fresh roots. As the layers are taken off, the compost 

 in which they have been grown may be turned into the Tulip- 

 bed, either as a substitute for that which previously formed the 

 bed or to ameliorate that which is already there. It is a good 

 time to plant out those Pinks intended for blooming in true 

 character next year. By putting them out at this season there 

 is a much greater certainty of their blooming in true character 

 next season. Take care to have the frames intended for the 

 reception of Auriculas properly cleaned, and the broken squares 

 of glass repaired. Prepare a bed for offset Tulips ; these ought 

 to be in the ground a month before the main bulbs are planted. 

 Continue to turn the soil of the bed at intervals, giving it the 

 benefit of sun and air. Where bulbs are required for the flower 

 garden in the spring, no time should be lost in making a selec- 

 tion of them, and it is worth remarking that good bulbs, though 

 they may cost a Httle more, are preferable to going to a cheap 

 market and getting indifferent kinds. 



GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. 



Plants in the conservatory, the greatest portion of which are 

 expected to be in flower, may be kept as still as if they were 

 kept in a Ward's case from this time to the beginning of the 

 growing season, merely giving air to keep down sun heat. There 

 is no plant, however hardy it may be, that will endure with im- 

 punity the drenching rains of autumn, if confined in a pot. A 

 forest tree might thus be injured in wet seasons ; how much, 

 then, inust half-hardy plants endure if exposed in this way ! and 

 yet it is no less injurious to them to be housed early — that is, 

 after they have passed the nursery stages. All young and de- 

 licate plants, such as Heaths, &c., should now be put into frames, 

 not through fear of cold, but to guard them from the rains and 

 heavy dews ; and all large and more hardy sorts should be 

 placed in the fuU sun on the south side of hedges, walks, or the 

 like, aud some means of throwing off the wet should be devised. 

 Cinerarias, Chinese Primroses, Calceolarias, and the like, when 

 they have been grown on north or shady aspects, should now be 

 changed to face the south. Suificient qu.antitie8 of peat, loam, 

 sand, and leaf mould, in a dry state, for winter and early spring 

 potting, should be put under cover at any time when they are in 

 a dry state. Our success or failure depends on the condition of 

 the compost more than many are aware of. 



STOVE. 



After the stove has been kept dry for some time as is always 

 done more or less from the end of August, the red spider makes 

 its appearance in some collections in greater numbers than at 

 other times. This is the worst time in the year to permit the 

 ravages of this insect, as if the foliage is now disfigured it must 

 remain an eyesore till next season's growth ; therefore, on the 

 first appearance of the evil apply sulphur to the pipes, itc., 

 and any plants more liable to the attack may now have their 

 winter pruning rather than be a harbour for the red spider. — 

 W. Ke.ine. 



DOINGS OP THE LAST WEEK. 



PRUIT AND KITCHEN G.UIDEN. 



There is now plenty of work in this department. Apples and 

 Pears are being gathered as they become fit, aud we never had 

 a better crop or of better quality. The Apple maggot has been 

 a plague to us in previous years ; before the fruit was half- 

 grown it would mature and drop off through this pest boring 

 into the core. We used to look over the trees weekly and pick 

 all fruit that had been attacked, also picking-up and destroying 

 all that fell on the ground. This prevented the maggot from 

 increasing, and has allowed us to secure a crop tolerably free 

 from it this year. Gathering Apples and Pears requires con- 

 siderable judgment. The fruit ought to be handled very care- 

 fully so as not to bruise it, and it ought to be picked at the 

 right time ; if taken from the trees too early it will shrivel, 

 if allowed to remain too long the flavour of many of the 

 varieties will be impaired, and should a high wind arise 

 much of the best will be scattered on the ground. The in- 

 experienced may ascertain if the fruit is ripe in two ways — by 

 cutting a specimen in halves, if the pips are just changing to a 

 brown colour, it will be ready to gather; or by taking the fruit 

 in the hand, if, when the stalk is bent upwards it is not diffi- 

 cult to detach it, the fruit may be picked. We noticed a pecu- 

 liarity in some of the Pears this year. Some varieties always 

 crack with us, and this season has not been an exception, but 

 on the east side of the trees the fruit was very badly cracked, 

 on the west side it was but little damaged. A tree of Beurre 

 d'Amaulis was most noticeable. All the Pears without an ex- 

 ception on the east side of the tree were badly cracked, thickly 

 covered with russet, and of very small size, while those on the 

 other side were of good size and scarcely any of them cracked. 

 We have looked over all the pyramid trees and cut-back all 

 young wood; this should have been done three or four weeks 



