September 5, 1857. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICDLTUBE AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. 



179 



without pulling. The Flemish Beauty is, however, an excep- 

 tion, and must be gathered whilst it still retains considerable 

 hold, otherwise it becomes dry and musky instead of being 

 melting and sweet. The particular tinge of colour which 

 Peaches and Nectarines acquire when ripe should be observed, 

 in order that they may not be touched till they readily part 

 from the tree, i'unnel-shaped gatherers, lined with velvet, 

 have been recommended, but the hand is preferable if applied 

 so as to grasp the fruit with gentle and equal pressure on five 

 points of contact. In some cases the flavour of these fruits 

 will be improved if they are not used till the day after they are 

 gathered ; but they must be laid softly on cloth or on cotton 

 covered with tissue paper. 



FLOWER GARDEN. 



As the numerous varieties of Verbenas are now in bloom, 

 the best kinds should be selected for bedding-out next year; 

 also the particular habit and colour should be noticed for the 

 better arrangement of them at plantiug-out in the ensuing 

 season. The same observation holds good in regard to the 

 new Petunias, Fuchsias, Pelargoniums, &c. Where there are 

 conveniences for storing them in winter, as many kinds should 

 be grown as possible for planting on rockwork, in borders, and 

 to produce variety ; but in clumps nothing but first-rato kinds 

 should bo planted. It will be well to fill up many blanks in 

 flower-borders, as soon as possible, with plants of a biennial 

 character, such as Wallflowers, Sweet Williams, Campanulas, 

 (Campanula grandis is useful). Hollyhocks, biennial Stocks, 

 and the various Primulas. Most of these will be found very 

 useful next spring, although somewhat old-fashioned. Auriculas 

 must be sheltered from bright sunshine, as well as from ex- 

 cessive rain, keeping the pots free from weeds, and occasionally 

 stirring the surface of the soil with a blunt stick. It is now a 

 good time to procure plants from a distance, that they may bo 

 established before winter. Layers of Carnations and Picotees, 

 where sufficiently rooted, may now be taken oS the stools and 

 potted in pint pots. The soil should be of a sandy texture, 

 without any manure being mixed with it, in order to prevent 

 the plants assuming too gross a habit, which is prejudicial to 

 their health during winter. Pinks should be planted in their 

 blooming-buds without delay. Pansies may now be divided 

 and planted out. Cuttings of the weakest shoots strike root 

 easily, and make better plants than those of more robust habit. 

 Dahlias should have all malformed flowers removed as soon as 

 perceived, and where necessary, some of the branches may be 

 thinned out. Trap earwigs in every possible way, and keep 

 tbe ground clean round the plants. 



GREESnOtrSE -iND COXSERVATOKY. 



Climbers will always require attention to keep the shoots in 

 their proper places. Take care, in training, that the part of the 

 trellis or stakes nearest the bottom does not bucume bare of 

 flowering shoots, as the beauty of climbers depends upon their 

 being clothed with foliage and flowers from the rim of the pot 

 upwards. Pot off seedling Calceolarias into small pots, and keep 

 them close in a frame for a few days. Lilium laucifolium will 

 now be in its beauty ; supply it bountifully with water, and 

 shade the flowers from powerful sunshine to prolong their 

 gaiety. Pay attention now to Chrysanthemums ; they must not 

 be stopped later than this to have fine heads of bloom ; a little 

 liquid manure will assist them ; let it be applied twice a-weck 

 if your desire is fine plants with large flowers. 



STOVE. 



As the nights become cold a little fire heat must be given, 

 not with the intention to promote growth, but to assist in 

 ripening the succulent wood which has been made during the 

 late dark summer. As all liberaliy-potted specimens have 

 made unusual progress, it now becomes a serious matter with 

 the cultivator how to harden their gro'vth sufficiently in order 

 to make it stand the winter. Admit all sunlight, and give air 

 abundantly when the temperature exceeds 80°. The Eranthe- 

 mum pulchellum with the .Justicias, Poinsettias, Euphorbias, 

 Plumbagos, Gesnera zebrina, and Achimenes picta must now 

 Teceive every attention in order to induce them to blossom 

 through November, and even December. Encourage the late 

 growths of Orchids by all possible means — viz., by toppiug-up, 

 beat, atmospheric moisture, and a circulation of fresh and 

 sweet air day and night if possible. Continue to cool down 

 those inclined to rest, and, with a more moderate temperature, 

 let them have plenty of sunhght on the leaves and abundance 

 of air. 



PITS AND FRAMES. 



Continue to pot off cuttings as rooted ; place them in a close 



pit or frame for a few days in order that they may become 

 established in the pots, when they should be removed to a 

 sheltered situation to harden. Keep every pit and frame well 

 filled, as no time should be lost in securing a sufficient stock 

 for next year. — W. Keake. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST ^^^2EK. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



The general routine has been much the same as in previous 

 weeks' notices, planting all vacant ground, and but for want of 

 opportunity we might have earthed-up some of the stronger 

 earlier Greens, according to Mr. Keane's advice, but now they 

 are beyond our reach, and it is impossible to go among them 

 without breaking them. Tbe chief use of such earthing-up is 

 to secure the stems from storms and gales of wind. Otherwise 

 the taller the stems of such vegetables as Sprouting Broccoli, 

 Scotch Kale, and Brussels Sprouts, the more the produce ob- 

 tained after the head of the plant is cut off. 



Cucumbers. — Pulled out of our pit our first-planted Cucum- 

 bers, as they were the worse for the heavy crops they had borne 

 in little room. Plants will not last so long in flat, narrow pits, 

 as they will do in small Cucumber-houses, with more eloping 

 roofs, and, therefore, more room and more light. We have 

 planted again with strong healthy plants, which, if we like, will 

 give us a good supply up to about Christmas ; but in all such 

 narrow pits, taking a good crop in autumn and early in winter 

 prevents much fruiting afterwards. Plants intended to fruit 

 after Christmas should be planted forthwith, be kept healthy, 

 but allowed to fruit little until after Christmas. In roomy 

 span-roofed houses, where an abundance of light and jdenty of 

 heat can be given, and the heating medium is a good distance 

 from the plants, such extra care in taking little fruit untU the 

 shortest day is past, when spring supply is chiefly aimed at, is 

 not of quite so much importance as it is in the common, flat, 

 and narrow pits, which used to be devoted to this purpose. One 

 reason why we used to succeed so well in dung-frames with 

 early Cucumbers, was thj ease with which we could elevate 

 our frames behind, so as to give a steep roof instead of a flat 

 one, and thus we obtained more light than in a flat pit. Where 

 a bed was well made, and there was plenty of material to pack 

 up with, and clean protecting material for the glass, plants did 

 well in these old frames, and though there was more labour, 

 the gardener afterwards was tolerably independent of everybody 

 as respects manure for his Cauliflower and Celery. At the 

 present time, even with a fair allowance of fermenting ma- 

 terial, we have not yet planted out all the Celery we intend, be- 

 cause until now we could not obtain rotten dung to help it, and 

 knew right well it was little use planting without that assistant 

 to quick and crispy growth. 



As to Cucumbers, however, wo are sorry to learn from nu- 

 merous quarters, that the disease has been very bad this season. 

 We are very desirous to know what brings it on, or what would 

 take it away. We passed the greater part of our gardening life 

 without ever seeing a trace of spot, or curl of leaf, or suppu- 

 rating fruit, and then for a few years we had less or more ex- 

 perience of all these, and we found to our sorrow that change of 

 seed, change of soil, change of temperature, etc.. had no in- 

 fluence whatever on the disease. Our only remedy on which 

 we could depend, was fresh poor soil, and very frequent sowing. 

 We had little of the enemy last year, and this season we have, 

 as yet, seen nothing of it, but we confess wo are totally ignorant 

 as to the cause of exemption. 



It is very easy to assign reasons for this disease before you 

 actually feel its influences. Lately, in a conclave of gardeners, 

 the subject was mooted, and one person stoutly contended that 

 it was all owing to using too rich a soil. W'ell, wo used all 

 kinds of soil ; turfy loam alone, garden soil alone, peat alone, 

 sandy loam alone, and all conceivable mixtures, and yet the 

 dread disease would appear. Another stated that it was owing 

 to high temperature at the roots, or too high temperature in 

 the atmosphere of the place. Weil, wo had the i)lant3 in all 

 kinds of places, in all kinds of soils, in-doors, out of doors, 

 on ridges with dung beneath, in the open garden with nothing 

 beneath them, and all, in every place, were sooner or later 

 attacked with the malady, and yet all the time neither Melons 

 nor Vegetable Marrows suffered. Another gentleman stoutly 

 contended that the disease was carried constitutionally in the 

 seed, and folks should beware as to whence or how they saved 

 or obtained their seed. We once thought there might be some- 

 thing in this, and procured cur seed from great distances; 



