122 



JOTJENAL OF HOKTICULITJEE AND COTTAGE GAKDENEE. 



[ August 18, 1863. 



have pots proportioned to their size. Eight-inch pots will 

 grow large bushes, that will flower profusely and in suc- 

 cession. It is always preferable to allow the bulbs to 

 show signs of starting in spring before they are either 

 shaken out or started. When they have sprung about half 

 an inch is a good time to shake out and repot them ; and 

 when the soil in which they are put is moderately moist 

 they should not be watered for a week or so alter being 

 potted, but may have a gentle dewing with a tiue-rosed pot 

 or syring3. Their treatment the second year may be pre- 

 cisely that recommended for the young seedling plants. 

 Gloxinias are among the easiest of plants to grow. A moist 

 warm stove and slight shade from the sun while in a grow- 

 ing state, and when in bloom a warm greenhouse of inter- 

 mediate temperature, suit them best. 



Being of easy culture, and many of the varieties of exqui- 

 site beauty, they are among the most useful plants an 

 amateur can grow. They remain in bloom a long time in 

 summer, and in winter they are easily stored away, giving 

 no trouble tUl they show signs of motion in the spring. — 

 D. T. 



GLADIOLUS EEINE VICTORIA. 



I SHOULD be very sorry to mislead any one, but it would 

 appear from your correspondent " G. P. O.'s " letter that 1 

 must be doing so in respect of the above bulb ; and yet I can 

 only say that when M. C. Verdier mentioned three francs 

 as its price, I mentioned it afterwards as a question — " trois 

 francs ? " It may be circumstances have led him to alter 

 with regard to the number of bulbs. 1 stLU must beg leave 

 to doubt whether he has more than a thousa,iid flowering 

 bulbs of it for sale. I may take the opportunity of saying 

 that John Waterer (Souchet) is a fine noble flower of the 

 Linne type, very showy and good. Imperatrice Eugenie 

 has gone ^n-ong with me, and is miserable ; but there is 

 something the matter with the bidb, I think. — -D., Deal. 



CAULIFLOWERS. 



Second only to the Pea in point of excellence and utility, 

 a regular supply of this vegetable is a desideratum. 

 Although its culture is easy and for the most part well 

 understood, yet there may be some who do not know how 

 it happens that his neighbour has Cauliflowers from June 

 1st to January 1st when his own seldom head before July, 

 and the first frost often prevents his having Cauliflowers 

 in October. It is for the information of such persons that 

 I shall make some remarks on the culture of the Caxdi- 

 flower ; and if any know of processes either more speedy or 

 affording better results an account of them will be gladly 

 received, for it is only by the exchange of opinions and ex- 

 perience, collected in a diversity of climate and soU, that 

 we can hope to become enlightened in garden matters, and 

 able to follow our calling under varied circumstances. 



Caidiflowers are in season, under ordinary circumstances, 

 from midsummer until the iu'st severe frost cuts them off. 

 Six degrees of frost will not destroy the heads if not exposed 

 directly to the influence of hot autumn days followed by dew 

 at night. Providing the leaves are tiirned over the heads 

 to keep them white and close and to protect them from 

 white fr-osts. Cauliflowers rarely suffer from October frosts 

 — at least, not oftener than once out of five consecutive sea- 

 sons. NotwithstanfHng that the Cauliflower can neither be 

 had early nor late without artificial protection, I wiO treat 

 of their cultivation both with and -ndthout protection. 



Without Pkotection. — For Caidiflowers the situation 

 cannot be too open, nor the soil too rich and deep. The 

 ground shoidd be dug deeply — trenching is better — and 

 thrown into ridges early in autumn if it is in the least tena- 

 cious. On heavy soil the manure, which must be liberally 

 supplied, is best given in a raw or undecayed state, for it 

 then helps to admit atmospheric afr and to keep the soil 

 open. It is best applied in the autumn. Well-decomposed 

 manure is best for light soils, and that of a cold natiu-e, as 

 cow or pig manure, is to be prefeiTed. Fresh stable, hen, 

 or pigeou manure stimulates the plants too much, causing a 

 superabundance of leaves without giving a correspondingly 

 large compact head. The ground having been ridged in 



autumn should be thrown level in February and manured, 



if that was not done in the autumn. 



Early in April prepare a bed of rich pulverised soil, level- 

 ing it and making fine. On that sow thinly Frogmore 

 Early at one end and Dwarf Erfurt Mammoth at the other, 

 and cover lightly with fine soU. If the ground is tfry the 

 bed must be watered in the morning. A few spruce branches 

 that have cast their leaves laid over the bed will answer the 

 twofold object of affording a little protection from sharp 

 frosts and keeping linnets, chafiinches, &c., which are very 

 partial to Brassica seeds, from pulling the seedlings up as 

 fast as they appear. When the plants have two rough leaves 

 prick them out to gain strength and to cause them to bear 

 transplanting better ; and if they be properly supplied with 

 water they will be ready to plant out in three weeks after 

 pricking-out. 



In planting out stretch aUne along the plot to be planted, 

 a foot from the outside, and with a hoe di'aw a doej) drill. 

 Then with a trowel cut round each plant, by which means 

 you wiU be enabled to lift them with a nice ball. Plant with 

 the trowel, putting the plants in the drill quite up to the 

 lowest leaves, and 2 feet apart and the same distance be- 

 tween the rows. Water immediately after planting and 

 the plants will never di'oop, whereas, if they are pulled up 

 and planted with a dibble fully a fortnight is lost ; and ii 

 dry weather ensue after planting they are sure to head 

 prematurely, often occasioning the loss of the crop. The 

 less the plants flag the better will they root : therefore, 

 copious waterings should be given until they become estab- 

 lished, and even afterwards they ought never to become dry 

 at the root ; but in hot weather, after the plants are earthed, 

 the drainage of the dunghill and slops of any kind may be 

 given between the rows, which is far better than applying 

 such manure close to the stems, the spongioles of the roots 

 being actually at some distance off. A good soaking be- 

 tween the rows, say twice a-week, is sure to reach the 

 majority of the roots and prove very beneficial. Where 

 other liquid manure cannot be had, two ounces of guano to 

 a gallon of water makes a good substitute, and is very 

 favourable to the development of most crops when luxu- 

 riance is the object. 



Hoeing between the rows should be frequently practised, 

 drawing a little soil towards the stem of the plants each 

 time until the leaves nearly meet, when the final earthing- 

 up must be given. The Cauliflower emits fibrous roots 

 from the stem, and earthing-up materially aids in inducing 

 the plants to do so, iu addition to keeping them from rocking 

 in a gale. It is necessary to frequently stir the ground 

 between growing crops to prevent the surface cracking in 

 (fry weather, wliich it will do after heavy rains, and we all 

 know that rain runs off instead of entering a di-y, baked 

 surface. We must, therefore, have the soU in such condition 

 that a shower will be made the most of, and be readily 

 absorbed, instead of running off by the surface. 



Without surface-stirring and frequent watering, unless 

 the weather be wet, Cauliflowers cannot be otherwise than 

 open-headed and seedy, if half the crop does not head pre- 

 matui'ely. 



Success in Cauliflower-culture depends on — 1st, Having 

 the plants pricked-out before they become drawn in the 

 seed-bod ; 2nd, Keeping them gi-owing freely, shading and 

 watering well after pricking-out ; 3rd, Planting them with 

 a ball, or injuring the roots as little as possible ; and 4th, 

 Keeping them iu free growth at all stages, by copious 

 waterings and surface-stiiTiug. Attention to these points 

 and those already adverted to, as well as the hints to follow, 

 cannot faU to result in large, firm, close, weU-flavoured 

 Cauliflowers. 



When the head fah-ly shows itself, bring a few of the 

 lowest leaves over it from opposite points ; and to cause 

 them to remain in the position most likely to shut out th« 

 rain and exclude sun, break the midi'ib ol the leaf at one- 

 thh'd of its length from the bottom. This is done to make 

 the head as white as snow and delicate in flavour, and 

 unless the leaves are thus turned over the head is sure to b« 

 yeUow, open, as strong as a Turnip in flavoui', and emitting 

 a smell anything but agi'eeable. 



In unprotected gai'dens three sowings are enough — viz., in 

 the beginning, and again in the end of April, and on or about 

 the 24th of May. The first sowing will produce heads in 



