April 18, ISCT. 1 



jouenaij op iiosticultueb and cottage gaedeneb. 



281 



deBign form an essential element in ita execution. Plants of 

 shrubby growth will require to bo Btopped biiclc, bo as to give 

 stability to the plants as well as form. This will enable the 

 cultivator to dispense with stakes in a great measure, for after 

 all, stakes are unsightly appendages to exotic plants. Cireat 

 care should ever be bestowed on watering pot plants. Too much, 

 too little, or an injudicious mode of application are equally 

 fatal to high cultivation. Very many plants are seriously in- 

 jured at the periods of shifting or " potting off" by improper 

 watering. It has been the fashion to recommend what is 

 termed a thorough soaking to newly-potted stock, and it is to 

 be feared that in this very act the foundation of what is termed 

 sourness is frequently laid. A very line-rosed watering-pot 

 and slight applications of water, at intervals, soon after pot- 

 ting, are the best means as a general rule to penetrate the mass 

 and to cause the particles of soil so to arrange themselves 

 that the atmospheric influences shall be somewhat modified, 

 but by no means intercepted. There is, however, no good 

 reason why all plants should be watered immediately on shift- 

 ing them. When a plant has no ball of earth the water should, 

 of course, be made to penetrate the whole mass in order to 

 prevent desiccation, which would sometimes ensue through ex- 

 treme porosity in the new soil. When, however, the subject 

 is a plant — say a Camellia, with a hard-wedged ball, a steeping 

 overhead in water for an hour is a preferable course. After 

 this, frequent syringings or waterings with a fine rose will be 

 the soundest policy for a week or two afterwards. See that no 

 plant suffers from drought in the conservatory. Those planted 

 out will now require thorough waterings. The larger speci- 

 mens in tubs or pots must also have a most liberal supply, 

 provided the drainage is complete. This is the period for the 

 free use of liquid manure, but take care that it is perfectly 

 clear. Large Orange trees should now receive a copious supply ; 

 where these trees produce gross wood, disbud such or remove 

 it altogether, and let the lower wood take its place ; this will 

 induce fruitfulness. See to the cuttings of Heaths as soon as 

 the wood is in order. Fumigate the moment an insect appears. 

 Some of the hardwooded plants of no particular importance 

 might be removed at this period in order to furnish more room 

 for growing young stock and fine specimens in flower. A slight 

 protection will, however, be necessary. Old lights, or a tar- 

 pauling on poles as a lean-to, the lowest part next a south wall 

 and the fi-ont opening -well to the sun, would do exceedingly 

 well for them. Mats may be hung at the sides at night. 



STOVE. 



Pay due attention to watering, shifting, and stopping stove 

 plants in general. Make cuttings as they can be obtained in a 

 young state, of Geissomeria, Plumbago, Eranthemum, Justicia, 

 Clerodeudron, Vinca, Euphorbia, Brugmansia, Begonia, Thun- 

 bergia, &c., in order to keep up a succession of clean young 

 stock. See that the growing Orchids have abundance of atmo- 

 spheric moisture, with a liberal circulation of air early in the 

 morning, shutting up closely betimes, and taking care to observe 

 moderation in the xise of fire heat, in order that a pure atmo- 

 sphere may be inclosed for the night. Growing Dendrobiums 

 will now require liberal suppUes of water, and Air-plants on 

 blocks frequent syringings. 



PITS AND FRUIES. 



Look to tender annuals and cuttings during dull weather, and 

 see that no damp collects amongst them. If this should 

 make its appearance more air and much less water must be 

 given. This is a good time to take ofi the tops of early-struck 

 cuttings, and to put them into cutting-pots for store; if not 

 wanted for beds, they might be planted out in borders after 

 the beds have been filled. Keep up a gentle heat for tender 

 annuals, and attend to potting-off and shifting as the plants 

 require it. Continue to harden off such plants as have made 

 sufficient growth to prepare them for beds. This is an im- 

 portant point in bedding-out, as sudden exposui'e nearly, if not 

 quite, destroys them. — W. Eeane. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST WEEK. 



KITCHEN GAEDEN. 



Trimming Box-edgings. — Afew gaps having shown themselves, 

 and some of the higher, straggling twigs being browned by the 

 frost, we had the Box cut and put in good order for the sum- 

 mer. Could we have reckoned on being able to do this a month 

 hence, we would have preferred it, as then the fresh growth 

 would come so quickly that the edgings would present no brown 

 scraggy appearance. If we have mild weather with frectuent 



showers, the edgings will remain green as the shears have left 

 them, but if we have dry frosty winds, we may expect that for 

 a few weeks the edgings will have a Ijrownish look. Hence, 

 when trimmed only once a-year, we prefer doing the work in 

 September as then they continue green all the winter, spring, 

 and summer. When the edgings are above 3 inches in height 

 they look cumbrous and are a harbour for slugs, snails, i-c. We 

 have often done this work with a sharp scythe, but it requires 

 a first-rate scythe-man and a very firm wrist, and even then it is 

 difficult to prevent the point of the scythe dipping in too much 

 at times so as to interfere with a straight line. A good man 

 used to the shears wOl do nearly as much, and the work will be 

 better done. In straight lines a stout line is stretched along the 

 middle of the Box, the two sides clipped, and then the top cut 

 over, the workman needing no guide but his good eye. 



Almost finished Potato-planting, the gi-ound being in good 

 order. Sowed Turnips, Eadishes, and Lettuces, on a raised 

 border. We generally sow Turnips thinly in rows 2 feet apart, 

 and liadishcs in rows between them, the latter being all pulled 

 before the room is needed for the Turnips. The White Turnip- 

 rooted Eadishes are very useful for soups before Turnips come 

 in. Our stored Turnips are keeping badly this season, going 

 at the heart. Those growing out of doors from late autumn 

 sowings are just Turnips to look at, as when the top grows they 

 become hard. A good juicy Turnip from this time cannot be 

 had except by early sowing under glass, and that makes them 

 expensive, until they come in from open-air sowings. 



For general purposes we have long used only three kinds of 

 Eadish — the Short-topped Long Scarlet, and the Eed and White 

 Turnip-rooted. Other sorts, as the Black, Purple, &c., are 

 hardier for winter, but then they are hard too when used. The 

 White Naples looks well on a salad plate, but it, too, is generally 

 more stringy than the common Short-topped. Of Turnips we 

 like the Snowball and the White Dutch for early use, and a 

 green-topped strap-leaved kind is also very early, quite as early 

 as the Early Stone ; but for the general crops we prefer the 

 American Eed-top, which is crisp, rich in flavour, and pure 

 white-fleshed, the latter consideration being as yet too much a 

 matter of importance at most tables. For flavour we prefer 

 some of the yellow kinds, as the Maltese ; and for a wholesome 

 dish to satisfy the appetite with good food, commend us in 

 winter to a well-boiled well-mashed Swede. 



Ean the Dutch hoe among Cabbages and other growing crops, 

 and, if a few dry days continue, will do the same with all parts 

 and crops to which we can have access. 



Peas. — Sowed more Peas and Beans. It is right we should 

 mention here that our first sowing out of doors has not come 

 in so soon as we expected, and on examining into the cause we 

 find they are too deeply covered, and that a few seeds will 

 likely go in consequence. A depth of 2 or 3 inches is quite 

 enough at this season, 2 inches, in fact, being ample ; but we 

 find ours are covered from 8 to 4 inches, from the earth being 

 piled over them. After this we prefer sowing in a rather wide 

 drill, and deep enough, so that when the Peas are covered the 

 opening shall be from 1 to 2 inches below the surrounding 

 level, for then it is much easier watering the Peas if they 

 require it in summer. 



Cleared off the quarter of old Cabbage stumps that stood the 

 winter, laid it out for beds for Celery, 3.J feet wide, with four- 

 feet spaces between. Dug over the four-feet spaces, on which 

 some material from the rubbish-heap had previously been 

 placed. Took a good spit from the trench intended for the 

 Celery, and placed the soil on the space between ; and then on 

 every alternate raised bed we will sow a row of Peas, and then 

 on the other dwarfer Beans, &c., so that we shall have no 

 difficulty in watering the Celery. Growing chiefly dwarf Celery, 

 we have given up deep trenches. When the dung is added 

 and the trench well dug over, the Celery-bed will not be much 

 below the surrounding ridges, and the not sinking it deeper is 

 a safeguard against rotting and damping in winter. When we 

 were obliged to use these Celery-trenches for bedding plants in 

 the first place, we could do no good with Peas between the 

 beds ; but as we think we can dispense with the beds for the 

 above purpose, we will revert to an old favourite plan of ours 

 — namely, cutting out the Celery-beds early, sowing with Peas 

 early on the raised beds, .and then cropping the space intended 

 for Celery with early Potatoes, Lettuces, &c. We never had 

 better Celery, and procured with less trouble, than when the 

 trenches alternated with raised beds, on which were Peas as 

 the main crop, and Eadishes and Spinach at the sides. The 

 Celery in the early part of the season is much benefited by a 

 flickering shade, such as it would obtain naturally in the bottom 



