Heptember 19, 1867. I 



JOURNAL OF HOKTICULTORE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



tl9 



blooming irregularly, " breaking blind," blossoms produced 

 without pistils, ifco. Wo recommend at this period the cul- 

 tivator to Ro over all trained trees onco more, and entirely to 

 remove all late growths, except from the lower and inferior 

 shoots. On Peach and Nectarine trees these may be kept grow- 

 ing as late as possible, in order to encourage strength in those 

 parts, and to equalise the sap in the ensuing year, by the en- 

 largement of their capacities for its reception. Pears will be 

 found to benefit much by this mode of procedure ; indeed, the 

 whole of the snags left by shortening back the young spray in 

 June should be totally removed in September. Much earlier 

 than this would not answer, for, although it might not cause 

 the true blossom-buds of next year to push, it would cause 

 them to elongate, thereby producing abortive blossoms, and 

 malformations in the fruit, of which we have had so many and 

 extraordinary examples this spring and summer. Late-growing 

 Vines should also undergo the same process, at the same time 

 removing every lateral that is shading the principal leaves. 

 This treatment should be applied to Vines in-doors as well as 

 OD the open walls. 



FLOWER OAnilKN. 



Every attention should be paid at this season to collecting 

 «ee<h of popular flowers for mixed beds or masses of next 

 year. The seeds of Petunias, Salvia patens, the various Pent- 

 stemons. Calceolarias, Antirrhinums, with a host of annuals, 

 and other things, may be at this period collected. Gardeners, 

 in general, can scarcely be expected to save many seeds, those 

 who have small gardens may, however, do much in this way. 

 Some of the climbers also produce seeds, such as Tropii'olums, 

 the Slaurandyaa, the Lophospermums, Ac. Let the planting 

 of bulbs for early work proceed directly. Borders or beds de- 

 ficient in the Snowdrop, the Crocus, or the Narcissus, should 

 have some introduced. The main planting, however, may be 

 reserved for the early part of November. A few of the earlier 

 sorts of Hyacinths may also be planted, covering them 4 or 

 5 inches in depth, and surrounding the bulb with sand. Ten- 

 week Stocks sown when recommended some time ago, should 

 now be potted off, and placed in a shady situation for a few 

 days, and then exposed until they are stored away for the 

 winter. Cuttings of China Roses that are rooted should be 

 planted out in the reserve garden, or potted off. Gather the 

 cones of Abies and Piceas as they ripen, as a few hot days at 

 this season open them, and the least wind shakes out the seed. 

 Plants in beds that are overgrowing Box or other edgings 

 should be cut hack for cuttings, or taken to the rubbish-yard. 

 Clip and fresh lay Box edjint;. 



OREENIIOrSF. AND CONSERVATORY. 



Greenhouse plants which are in the open ground should 

 still remain as long as the weather continues favourable for 

 maturing their growths. Boronias are much benefited by 

 exposure a short time during autumn, and tliey require and 

 deserve every attention. All the Chinese Azaleas should also 

 be exposed for some weeks ; they will be invigorated and im- 

 proved by this treatment, but they should not be permitted to 

 remain out late in the autumn, as thp cold and wet are apt to 

 make them cast their foliiige. The I'Vancisceus ure very orna- i 

 mental plants, and well adapted for those who have only one 

 house. The F. Hopeana, although an old kind, is still very 

 useful, and. moreover, veiy fragrant. The young rambling 

 shoots should be constantly stopped, this will induce them to 

 blossom freely, and keep tiie plants in a bushy state. Stout 

 young Mignonette plants potted immediately and kept under 

 cutting treatment for a week or so will flower nicely in Novem- 

 ber and December, when every little matter of the kind will be 

 acceptable. The Cyclamen hedcra'folium is a nice little plant 

 grown in pots for those having only limited room ; indeed, the 

 whole family of the Cyclamens is particularly ornamental, and 

 easy of cultivation. The Linum tripynum is a pretty winter 

 flower, one or two should grace every collection. As before ob- 

 served, continue daily to house anything likely to sufl'er by the 

 autumn frosts. The present weather is extremely tempting, 

 and will, we have little doubt, prwve a trap to many. Many of 

 our summer favourites will now be on the eve of departure in 

 the conservatory, if not already gone, and their place supplied 

 with kinds peculiar to the autumn months. Brugmansias and 

 Clerodendrons make an admirable display here at this period. 

 Some large specimens should be grown late every season for 

 this very purpose. They do admirably through the summer in 

 any common vinery or Peach-house, provided they are duly 

 supplied with water, and kept free from insects. Let all large 

 Orange trees. Camellias, or other large specimens belonging to 

 such structures be brought under cover betimes. Amongst t 



climbers, the Stephanotis and Pergularia, grown on ornamental 

 trellises, show themselves peculiarly eligible to be introduced 

 here on the decay of other flowers. The Jasminums, especially 

 J. Sambac, are valuable plants thus treated. The principal 

 treatment is stopping every luxuriant ahoot as soon as it is a 

 few joints long. 



SIO\'E. 



Several of the Dendrobiums, Aerides, Sacoolabinms, Vandas, 

 ,tc., will still make considerable growth by the application of a 

 high temperature, with much moisture, taking care to increase 

 the amount of sunlight. Cattleyas should not be encouraged 

 tc grow after this time, if good blooms are required. Young 

 specimens, may, however, be kept growing still, for the sake of 

 size. Stanhopeas which have made robust growth should have 

 a diminished supply of water, as well as a decreased tempe- 

 rature and less shading ; those stUl growing may be watered 

 freely. 



PITS AND FRAMES. 



Take particular care during the present damp weather not to 

 water cuttings too freely, unless they are very dry. Continue 

 potting off the most forward struck cuttings, and fill the pote 

 again with choice or scarce kinds. — W. Keane. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST ^VEEK. 



KITCHEN OAHDEN. 



All our work has been to a considerable extent a repeti- 

 tion of that of the last and some previous weeks, and some 

 time has been taken in keeping icectU dincn. A gentleman 

 has asked us, " if we really do believe that people careless of 

 weeds, can do so much injury to their neighbours as we have 

 said thej' do," and we answer undoubtedly in the affirmative. 

 Only the other day on a close-cut lawn we picked up in a 

 square yard just twenty-seven winged Thistle seeds, a weed 

 which is so difficult to eradicate when once it has taken pos- 

 session of the ground. These downy seeds must have come 

 from a considerable distance, and yet for some thirty yards the 

 down looked on the lawn like a slight fall of snow. A breeze 

 springing up, most of them were wafted away over the park, and 

 into fields, where they would have a better chance of vegetating. 

 As stated lately, we were remedying some defects in the gravel 

 near the mansion, and could not help thinking how many of 

 these Thistle seeds might have alighted among the fre-'h-stirred 

 gravel before the surface had become too consolidated for them, 

 which by this time it nearly is, and we know well how ugly a 

 hole must be made to take a Thistle out of a solid gravel walk. 



Some people do, indeed, contend that they have a right to do 

 what they like with th.;ir own, and if they admire the rough 

 " touch-me-not Thistle," on their lands and hedges, what is 

 that to other people? This much, that the keenest admirer of 

 Scotia's emblem cannot, if he would, keep the Thistle to him- 

 self as his own. Like many other evils it will not be cribbed 

 or confined to the place of its birth. It will exercise a banefnl 

 influence ; and the man who stands on his right to grow, and 

 bloom, and seed the Thistle, should be made to understand 

 that he is not to be at liberty to fill his neighbours' fields with 

 his favourite. It is high time that law should step in and com- 

 pel that to be done, in waysides and hedgerows especially, which 

 common sense and common prudence have yet failed to accom- 

 plish. We have heard it said, that a Scotchman in a fit of 

 national enthusiasm took some heads of Thistles out to Aua- 

 triilia, and the sowing of these is already threatening, by their 

 vast increase, to be a curse to that island-continent. We have 

 seen enough of downy Thistle heads in a single make-believe 

 hedgerow to miike sure of the preservation of the species for 

 many miles round, plough, scarify, weed, and burn, as the 

 farmers may. 



Like most other things, the Thistle may be conquered in 

 spite of its strong and deep roots, by frequent cutting ; that in 

 the end will kill the roots, and the cutting at least will pre- 

 vent the seeding, which soon will increase the evil a thousand 

 fold. The man who docs what he likes with his own Thistles, 

 and thus preserves them, should be treated much in the same 

 way as the man who, asserting the same rights, keeps rabbits and 

 pigs in his dwelling-house, and will have a pestiferous dung- 

 hill close to his door in a thickly populated neighbourhood. 

 Both are nuisances to be got rid of for the general good. 



Weeds have grown as they never have grown before, and 

 when we could not hoe, or keep the ground as clean as we 

 would wish, we went or sent round and puUed or cut up all 

 that were showing signs of seeding. 



