August 18, lS-63. 



JOTJENAL OP HOETICULTUKE A:ND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



133 



is only a poor clianoe of a good crop. Onions, keep tlie main 

 erop well turned about to put them as soon as possible in a 

 condition for storing. SphiMch, tlie winter crop to be now 

 sown, if not done already. Tlie Flanders vai-iety is worthy 

 of more general cultivation. Although the sowings above 

 reconunended will not admit of much delay, nevertheless, it 

 will be nearly useless to sow without watering and shading. 

 If such cannot be conveniently done, the vai-ious sowings 

 may remain ovei' till a change of weather takes place. Con- 

 tinue to water all the crojjs that will receive actual injm-y 

 without it. 



FLOWEK GAEDEN. 



Look over rock plants, pruning back any that are over- 

 growing choice ones, in order to give them suiticient time to 

 break again before autumn. Put in cuttings of choice kinds, 

 such as Saponaria ocymoides ; Onosma taui'ica ; Linaria al- 

 pina; Phlox nivalis, setacea, subulata, aristata, amoena; 

 Linum flavum, &c. Plant into borders Diauthus superbus, 

 single Wallflowers, Sweet WiUiams, Canterbury -bells. Mule 

 Pinks, &c. Keep such plants cut back as have a tendency 

 to overgrow Box or other edgings. Tie Dahlias, Sweet Peas. 

 Peg down a few shoots of Chrysanthemums for laying in 

 small pots ; this is better done Jifter the shoot has turned up 

 at the point. Large evergreens intended for autumn removal 

 should be prepared for the purpose. A trench should now be 

 dug round the tree neai-ly to the depth of the lowest roots : 

 the advantages attending an eai-ly preparation of this kind 

 aie manifest. Propagate Hollyhocks by cuttings. Mark good 

 seedlings, digging up all single and semi-double vaiieties. 

 Attend to the destruction of weeds by hoeing and hand-pick- 

 ing. Tie-up climbers. Dress the edges of beds by pegging 

 or tying. The beds and transijlanted things to be UberaUy 

 supplied with water in dry weather. 



FEUIT GAEDEN. 



It is advisable now to go over the trees and to stoi) about 

 half the shoots, beginning, of course, with the strongest ; 

 for a general stopiJing at this time would probably be of 

 little further service than to induce the production of a mass 

 of useless spray, whereas stopping the stronger shoots or 

 those which incline to gi-ossness, wiU divert the sap into 

 the weaker ones, which wOl be strengthened, while the buds 

 on the shoots that have been stopped wiU become full and 

 plump without starting into growth. The only effectual 

 method, however, of curing a gross habit of growth when 

 this is the case in ordinary seasons is root-pruning, or keep- 

 ing the roots within proper limits by means of shallow well- 

 drained borders ; and shoiild it be found that the shoots after 

 stopping incline to start into growth it will be advisable, as 

 soon as the fruit is gathered, to open a trench at a mode- 

 rate distance fi-om the stem of the tree, cutting the strongest 

 roots. This wiU be of the greatest service in checking 

 growth, and will probably do more towards securing ripe 

 wood than anything else that could be adopted. 



QEEENHOUSB AND CONSEEVATOBT. 



Plants that are required to bloom late in the autumn and 

 in winter should be repotted and their growth advanced. 

 Chinese Primroses and Chrysanthemums are of this class. 

 The latter should be stopj)ed and tied out, so that fine bushes 

 may be produced. These are of sterling value in the green- 

 house and conservatoi'y until almost winter, and nothing is 

 so likely to bring them into disrepute as badly-cultivated 

 specimens. Plants for next winter' s forcing should no--7 be 

 seen to. Pinks, Pelargoniums, and similar plants require to 

 be well established before forcing. The roots should quite 

 fm the pots. Look sharply out for mildew on Boronias, 

 Gompholobiums, &c., and where you perceive the slightest 

 speck dust the plants liberally with sulphur. Roses, Lilacs, 

 and other plants for forcing must also be examined, and such 

 as require it should be repotted, afterwards plunging the 

 pots and watering when necessai'y. Continue to look over 

 elimbers, borders, &c. Large specimens which have been 

 placed out of doors to provide room for other plants ^vill 

 soon reqube houseing. This, however, wiU. depend greatly 

 «n the weather. 



PITS AND FRAMES. 



Some of the first-struck cuttings will now be fit for pot- 

 ting-off ; place th^m in a pit or frame, shade and keep them 

 cloFe nntU they are rooted, when they should be set out to 

 haid*! previous to being stored up for winter. Continue to 



put in cuttings, more especially the best kinds of bedding 

 Pelargoniums, which ought to be struck as soon as possible. 



W. Keane. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST "WEEK. 



KITCHEN GAEDEX. 



ImpoHance of Clean ^Vaterfor Labourers' Homes. — We havp 

 here a continual sti-uggle with diynoss, and are now pretty 

 weU at our wit's end to keep things alive. Shaded Celei-y 

 with laurel boughs; must do so with Cauliflower, or the 

 paa-lour table must suffer. This hot searclung weather, bad 

 as it is for our vegetables, in apite of sm-face-movings and 

 all the rest of it, is stiU much worse for the cottagers m 

 many places, who are so destitute of good water as to be 

 obliged to buy what little clear water they can. "We are not 

 soriy, from the mass of correspondence sent us on the sub- 

 ject, that the worse than carelessness of building cottages 

 for the working people, and providing no means of pure 

 water for them^ is beginning to be looked at as it ought to 

 be. "What we have witnessed this summer makes us feel 

 anxious that such ti-ue noblemen as our Shaftesburys, and 

 those who may worthily wear the mantle of the late bene- 

 volent Lord Herbert of Lea, would try and do something 

 to insure that those who secure the rents of cottage pro- 

 perty should be constrained to provide them with the means 

 of health and cleanliness in the shape of pm-e water. _ "We 

 are well aware that in such a peculiar season ordmary 

 means may break down, and a kind proprietor may be much 

 vexed at witnessing what he cannot remedy. But what 

 are we to think of the selfishness that builds cottage pro- 

 perty and takes high rents for it without the slightest pro- 

 vision for water of any kind, leaving the tenant to do the 

 best he can with the pools and puddles that in a moist 

 season wiU collect by the sides of the highway :-' The pro- 

 prietors of this serial have done much to encourage garden- 

 ing, cleanliness, home comforts, temperance, and industry 

 amongst the working classes. Let them add to the boon 

 by agitating, in unison with their coadjutors, the import- 

 ance of a fair allowance of pure water for every cottage 

 home. 



Sowed Lettuces for standing the winter, and just a pinch 

 of Cauliflowers. Defer sowing the main lot of the latter 

 unta the end of August and the first week or ten days in 

 September. If the plants ai-e large they are apt to bolt and 

 button during the winter. "Watered Cabbages almost fit 

 for putting-out, or at least pricking-out. ■V\'ill sow a few 

 more Cabbages, Savoys, Eed Cabbage, &c., to stand the 

 winter and come in early in the summer, to be planted in 

 sijring. After the end of the month and in September pref<ei- 

 sowing Lettuces on a hard surface and merely covering the 

 seed— they vnil stand the vrinter all the better. Onions a,re 

 just coming up. "WiU sow a few more, chiefly Tripoli and 

 Silver-skinned— the latter makes a nice Onion in spring. 

 "Went over Eidney Beans, cleared ofl' all those under pro- 

 tection as fii-st crops, gathered others close for pickling, and 

 removed eviry pod on the general crop that was swelling- 

 hard for seed, as one such pod with the seeds formed and 

 sweUing to ripening-point wiQ exhaust the plant more than 

 a dozen pods fit for pai-lour or kitchen use. No pod ought 

 ever to be cut for use if it will not break across readily. It 

 it hangs in the breaking process we may rest assui-ed it mil 

 never eat criso and nice. It is best to err on the safe side, 

 and never allow one such to bo in the dish. Thinned and 

 regulated Tomatoes, Vegetable Marrows, and Cucumbers. 

 Took up early Potatoes as stated the other week. Took up 

 large Onions, laid over the necks of others with a rake, and 

 would have watered many crops, as Peas, but could not 

 obtain water to do so. '^^' 



PE0IT GAEDEN. 



"Watered as we could, so as to prevent flagging. Vines. 

 Figs, Peaches, Nectarines. Pricked out runners of Straw- 

 berries ; watered those potted with dung-water. Find tjjftt. 

 though rather late the roots are tilling the pots Jast. 

 Owing to scai-city of water, slightly shaded orchard-hiJUBes 

 with a little chalk and water thro-mi on with the syrmge» 

 the water being merely whitened. "Was obUged to fintV 

 water for smafl pots of Plums, ic, after having top- 

 dressed them with rough material to keep the moistui-e in . 



