M«y 30, 1887. 1 



JOURNAL OP HORTIOULTUEE AND COTTAGE QABDENER. 



877 



and one out of doors at 22°. Even on the top of the Melon 

 lights there was ice as thick as a twopenny-piece. The frost 

 has quite killed Kidney Beans and Dahlias, blackened Potato 

 tops, Ivy, Laurel, and the young growth of shrubs and trees. 

 It has done much damage to bedding plants in several places 

 round here. It was so severe as even to catch Pelargoniums 

 covered with mats. I had two beds of Calceolarias out, and it 

 has turned some of the leaves quite black. 



Norwich. — A thermometer placed 34 feet from the ground, 

 facing west, registered 



On May 22nd, 8 p.m. .32°, lowest point 28° 

 „ 23rd „ 33° „ 26° 



„ 24th, 10 P.M. 28° „ 23° 



„ 25th „ 40° 



„ 26th „ 45° 



Showing 17° difference between Friday and Saturday nights. 

 Bedding plants are much injured, and in some instances killed, 

 Bo are Kidney Beans, Potatoes, and Strawberries, the bloom of 

 the latter being black inside. Wmd N. to N.E.— F. A. S. 



[We have similar reports from many other localities ; but 

 the untoward severity is not confined to Europe. In North 

 America it has been so general and persevering, as to rouse 

 even the rustic poets, and this is an extract from one of their 

 outpourings : — 



" WeU, Sprinp, youv cum at last, hev yon ? 

 The poit Bez youv bin a sittin in Old Winter's 

 Lap — now, aint you ashamed of yourself ? 

 I spoBf the old feller's bin a bussin you ; 

 I should think he had from your breth 

 A bein so cold— but that's the way them 

 Old fellers hev a doin. 



" But now youv cum ! 

 We feel your cheering prcsenz wen we 

 Git round onto the south side ov the bam I 

 We bear the hens a kaldin when they've 

 Laid a eg 1 We see the Horseradish 

 A starting up along side the garding 

 Pens ! "The wommin is a lukin into 

 The old tepot after garden sedesl 

 And all these things make me think youv cum ! 



" Ef so be I've riled 

 Ye, Spring, a showing up of yer short cummins, 

 Jes set it down to havin a poits lisens, 

 (Tho I haint taken wun out yet, I 'low to).'* 



—Eds.] 



\VHAT IS meant; 



A PARAGKAPn is worded thus in a prize schedule — " For the 

 best 12 specimen plants of anj' kind in 12 varieties." Would 

 the Show and Spotted Pelargoniums be admissible as two 

 ■varieties, the silver and golden-edged Zonal Pelargoniums as 

 two varieties, and the Nosegay and Zonal green-leaved as two 

 varieties ? — An Amateur. 



[Interpreting the clause strictly, twelve Pelargoniums if all 

 of different varieties would comply with the wording ; but we 

 think that the Committee of the Society could not have so in- 

 tended. They probably meant twelve different species. Why 

 not ask the Committee for an explanation ?] 



POOLEY'S GROUND TOBACCO. 



Now that the Board of Customs has remitted the duty on 

 ground tobacco, mixed in bond with other ingredients to pre- 

 vent its being smoked or snuffed by human beings, we shall 

 no longer be at the mercy of clouds of insects, so destructive to 

 vegetation at this season. 



About ten days since I selected for the application of the 

 above powder a Mirabelle Plum, which had not borne a crop for 

 many years, the leaves having always been destroyed by 

 aphides early in the season. The powder ought to have been 

 applied before the dew was on the leaves and insects, and, if 

 possible, when the air was still. I waited for neither, as I was 

 afraid another day would put an end to all hopes of a crop. 

 However, the tree is now healthy, and the fruit as numerous as 

 well can be. I applied the tobacco dust by placing it in an 

 old worsted stocking, tied to the end of a pole. This dusted 

 every leaf, at the expense of a halfpennyworth of tobacco 

 powder. The same effect was produced on a dozen Kose trees. 

 The powder, unUke others that have been brought out, can be 

 either washed perfectly clean oS the leaves or left on, as it is 

 quite harmless. It is applied to the Hop plant when the dew 

 is on at the rate of ten acres a-day, with the apparatus which 

 is used for sulphuring Hops ; 1 cwt. per acre being sufficient, 

 at a cost of £2 2s.— Obberveh. 



NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 



We are glad to observe that the Boyal Horticultural Society, 

 following the example set by the International Horticultural 

 Exhibition of last year, announce that their Great Fete, com- 

 mencing June 4th, will remain open for five days, and we under- 

 stand it is intended to admit the public on the Thursday and 

 Friday for Is. The policy of giving the million a chance of see- 

 ing such a grand Exhibition will, doubtless, prove successful. 



We hope that there will be a very good attendance at 



the anniversary dinner of the Gardeners' Boyal Benevolent 

 Institution on the 27th of June. Sir Robert Peel will preside, 

 and there is a goodly array of Stewards. 



WORK FOE THE WEEK. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



Attend to hoeing and otherwise stirring the ground. Weed 

 and thin crops. Caulifloivers, Celery, and Lettuces, plant out ; 

 also Capsicums, in a warm situation. Endive, let a sowing be 

 made directly. Throw in a sprinkling of Early Dutch Turnip 

 on a cool border, neither digging nor using manure. It is a 

 mistaken notion to persist in digging ground for Turnips in 

 kitchen gardens, so full of old manures, the Turnip being 

 naturally too gross there, under any circumstances. We always 

 choose the poorest and hardest ground we can find, and merely 

 hoe the seed in, by these means we have always procured good 

 Turnips. Nothing is better than well-burnt ashes of any vege- 

 table refuse for the Turnip. Kidney Beans, let full crops be 

 planted forthwith, and a row of Knight's Marrow Fcas, or the 

 British Queen. The row should be prepared after the manner 

 of a Celery-drill, and the manure completely saturated with 

 moisture. Potatoes, earth-up. Onions, sow a few for drawing 

 young. 



riiUIT GAEDEN. 



The leading shoots of Peach, Nectarine, and Apricot trees 

 will require to be tacked-in, taking care to allow plenty of room 

 in the shreds. In thinning-out superfluous shoots, it is neces- 

 sary to foresee ;what portions of wood will require to be re- 

 moved at the ensuing winter pruning, and the most appro- 

 priate shoots must be accordingly reserved for succession and 

 encouraged throughout the summer. ,If any shoots laid-in for 

 bearing have failed to produce, they may be gradually removed, 

 in order to afford more space for successional young shoots. 

 In regulating the vegetation of these trees, commence at the 

 base and proceed successively along each branch, but do not 

 dress the lower part of the tree and leave the upper untouched 

 even till nest day. Whilst the trees are being gone oyer insects 

 must not be overlooked. The aphis seems to delight in healthy 

 foliage, but the red spider prefers that which is less thriving, 

 particularly from dryness at the root. It has been stated of 

 this pest, that water is its certain destruction, the water, how- 

 ever, requires to be applied at the roets as well as the tops. 

 Examine grafts and re.clay if necessary. Strawberries in blossom 

 must be well watered. Eemove some of the watery shoots from 

 the Currant bushes, and thin the Raspberry suckers. 



FLOWER GAEDEN. 



The different kinds of climbing Roses must be carefully tied 

 or nailed to prevent their being injured by ■wind. Plant out 

 DahUas, Salvias, Ten-week Stocks, Asters, Convolvuluses, No- 

 lanas, Campanulas, Kaulfussias, Nemophilas, Indian Pinks, ifec., 

 in borders or flower-beds, likewise a few on rockwork. Pot a 

 portion for planting out into beds later in the season, to replace 

 such as have gone out of bloom. Hoe and rake borders, and cut 

 off dead flowers as they appear. Divide Campanula carpatica, 

 and plant it for edgings or in borders of herbaceous plants. 

 Eemove any shading from plants recently planted out, and if 

 thfe weather again set in hot, shade for a few days. TuUp roots 

 should be taken out of the ground when the foliage assumes a 

 yellow, withered appearance. In the present season in particular, 

 from the damaged state of many collections, this should be 

 carefully attended to. Should the bulbs be in a decaying state 

 their exterior coverings or skins should be removed, which will 

 bring many from a flowering state to mere offsets. The buds 

 of Pinks may now be thinned out, and where intended for 

 exhibition they should be reduced to two at most. The 

 laterals may also be removed. Watering once a-week with 

 liquid manure will now be requisite. Carnations and Picotees 

 are, generally speaking, suffering this season, and, on the 

 average, are not looking so well as usual. Attend to the clean- 

 liness of the plants and keep down green fly, giving water and 



