JOUKNAL OF HOKTICULTUBE AND COITAGE GABDENER. 



[ January C, U70. 



different firms. I found Nelson's Vanguard and Eugenie both 

 the fame. I intend next summer to male a trial of all the 

 ether, and will then send you my notes, 

 which 1 thiol; will be of interest. — It. I>. 

 Wo think so too.- 1 



1BIAL 01 PEAS, EAST COAST, NEAR St NDERLAND, 186!). 

 Name. In F Giver. Height. Beady. 



Hair.', Dwarf lime 16th .... 3 feet July 2t)in 



eet Inly 11th 



Maj 6th ■■'■'. feet lily llili 



y.nv 6tn "'feet Jnlv 11th 



Haolean'aAdvancer Jane 24th 8 feet July 20th 



set Tulv 18th 



Maclean's Little Gem (2J MaySlst .... lt"l!ft.... Juue 26th 



British t.'ueen :; lane 26th 6 feet Iuly20th 



Prince June 26th .1 feet July 20th 



June 20th .... 2j feit July 20th 



Ohampion of Engl feel — July lGth 



Multuiii May 8th 2 feet July 11th 



May ."1st .... H feet .... Juue 2Gth 



NePlusUltra 7).. Juno 17th 7 feet July 12th 



Laxton's Proline Juno 16th .... 6 feet July 14th 



June 24th St feet July 20th 



Jnne 23rd S feet July 2 th 



i June 2l)th .... 3 feet July 12th 



June 17th 7 feet July Kith 



June 2Srd 6 feet July 20th 



(1) Very cood variety. (6 Very goed early variety. 



best Peas. of the best tall varieties. 



(Sj Good. ! v sood-flavoured variety. 



-rood. (9) Good. 



(5) Very nice variety. (10J Fine useful variety. 



POTTED GLADIOLUSES UNDER GLASS. 



The popularity of this splendid flower is well proved by the 

 fact of its being so generally grown. Limited indeed is the 

 place where a bed or portion of a bed is not assigned it ; and 

 brilliant must be its associates and rivals for pre-eminence, 

 when the Gladiolus only merits marks of second commen- 

 dation. These are its just claims as a bedding plant ; but it is 

 not this, its efficiency for out-door embellishment, I desire to 

 discuss ; I wish to note its usefulness and effectiveness in the 

 conee; vatory, a place in which it is Feldom permitted to figure. 

 No, it is not alone for structures which have been constructed 

 with an eye to the requirements of the plants that I would re- 

 commend the Gladiolus, but likewise for conservatories — plant- 

 slaughter houses I consider the more appropiiate appellation 

 for them, 6eeing their construction usually is calculated rather 

 to kill than maintain the health and bloom of plants. Tbe 

 Gladiolus under such circumstances elongates, yet this hurtful 

 influence is not so telling upon it, as en numerous other plants. 

 While most of these become drawn-up, weak, and 6ickly, and 

 have flowers feeble and imperfect, the Gladiolus never fails in 

 quality of foliage, flowers, or development. No matter how far 

 situated from the glass, how gloomy the house, or subdued the 

 sunlight, these latter conditions only tend to give additional 

 effect to its blossoms, by producing them even more delicate 

 and beautiful. 



Many persons advocate for Gladioluses in pots soil of a some- 

 what light character, and rather poor in organic matter, but as 

 far as my experience goes, I find they do not at all object to 

 richer fare, and succeed admirably in a mixture such as the 

 following: — Two parts light fresh loam, one part weli-deccm- 

 poeed cow manure, and one part equal portions of river sand 

 and leaf mould ; mix these roughly together. The pots should 

 be 7 inches in diameter, and be well washed, and plenty of 

 drainage should be supplied by broken pots and broken bones. 

 Cover the materials used for drainage with a few pieces of 

 turfy lumps; next fill lightly to the pot's rim, completing the 

 potting process by pressing the corm (bulb) 2 inches deep in 

 the soil, and filling up the deficiency made after compressing 

 the soil firmly round the root. We have thus perfect drainage 

 secured, and a good receptacle for the roots as well— most de- 

 sirable objects with plants which do not receive a shift of pots 

 in the course of their growth. Moderately moisten the soil 

 should it be dry to excess ; otherwise stow away without water- 

 ing in a shaded, airy part of the greenhouse, administering 

 only a sprinkling of water if necessary before the foliage appears 

 above the soil, which ought to be the signal to quarter the 

 plants in a more comfortable aspect near the glass. 



Prom this date, with the advantage of additional light, air, 

 and heat, the plants will grow rapidly, which growth should be 

 encouraged in girth, as well as height, by adding a little manure 

 to the water given after the roots havereached the lower limit 

 of the soil, but not until this is the case. Provide each pot with 



a well-pointed stake about 2 feet in length, before the stems 

 become top-heavy. This will prevent the mischievous conse- 

 quences of irregular growth, and the head being partially pros- 

 trated from its own weight and other influences. 



Thus nurtured throughout the winter months, the first set 

 of bulbs being potted early in January, where early bloom is 

 wanted, in the commencement of April the plants may be 

 plunged near the glass among coal ashes, in cold frames, and 

 their subsequent management is comprehended in supplying 

 water copiously, and giving air on every favourable occasion. 

 A close atmosphere is most prejudicial to the formation of good 

 spikes, and causes the leaves and stems to be lanky. Protect 

 from frost by covering with a mat when the nights are frosty, 

 never allowing a coveiing unless frost demand it. By the second 

 week of May the plants may be inured to full exposure day and 

 night, at which period the first flower-spikes will begin to exalt 

 their forms above the foliage. In those early spikes we have 

 presented the pioneers of a glorious display of blossom that will 

 charm the senses for the succeeding two months. The plants 

 demand no further labour than a thread of matting to secure 

 the stems as they ascend, and the addition of a pinch of guano 

 to tbe usual manure waterings from the time the flower-spikes 

 emerge from amongst the leaves. 



When a succession is desirable, this may be obtained by 

 potting at the ordinary time (in the first week of March), and 

 plunging the pots overhead in coal ashes in a cold frame or 

 pit, economising sun heat in that month, but by no means to 

 the exclusion of air, and in every other respect treat the second 

 lot as recommended for the first. — A. Kekr. 



GRAPES IN THE OPEN AIR. 



We have to thank " Upwards and Onwards" for reviving 

 the question of open-air Grape-growing, and the Eev. G. Kemp 

 for the very liberal prizes which he has offered, and intends to 

 offer again ; I, too, most heartily agree with your correspon- 

 dent, " Akchambaud," in wishing for many more Bev. G. 

 Kemps. One such in every village would be a great boon to 

 the cottager. If I may be allowed to offer my humble sugges- 

 tion to the Eev. G. Kemp, the prizes that he intends offering 

 another season should be open to cottagers and amateurs only. 

 Let tbe gardener compete in the class where the cottager can- 

 not. I do not wish to be a stumblingblock in the way of the 

 gardener's growing and exhibiting open-air Grapes — far from it ; 

 but I think the little there is to be given should be given where 

 the most beneficial results will be attained. The man with 

 means and acres of glass will never look to open-air Grapes 

 for supplying his dessert, or to fill his decanters. Conse- 

 quently, we must look to the cottager and to men like " Up- 

 wards and Onwards." 



Good Grapes have been and still are grown out of doors, what, 

 (hen, is wanting to make their production the custom rather than 

 the exception ? First, in every village and hamlet some gentle- 

 man should take the matter in hand, and plead for the cottager's 

 Vine. As it is, the agents of landed proprietors are destroy- 

 ing it, on the pretence that it injures the walls and plastering. 

 This I protest against, for on the cottage in which I was born 

 there was a beautiful old Sweetwater Vine, never known to fail 

 to produce an abundant crop of large highly-flavoured Grapes. 

 Now, that Vine had stood for many generations ; during that 

 time not a day's masonry work had been done to the old walls. 

 Alas! at last new windows and a little plastering, too, were 

 needed, and then the poor old Vine was condemned, charged with 

 being the cause of all. To my sorrow, the last time I paid a visit 

 to my native home, near Exeter, not less than from a dozen to a 

 score Vines had succumbed to the sway of the agent; for their old 

 friend, the village doctor, was gone too — Vines that I had very 

 many times pruned when a very yonng pruner. The pleading 

 of the cottagers was of no avail. Let us hope that this tyranny 

 is past, and that some kind friend will distribute suitable Vines 

 amongst cottagers, and tell of the propagating, pruning, and 

 soil best suiting them. 



Gjod Grapes can be grown without all the preparation 

 adopted by " Upwards and Onwards." Of course, the better 

 the soil the better the Grapes. If the Vines have 2 feet deep 

 of good open soil, a top-dressing now and then, with, if at 

 hand, a cesspool from which the roots may help themselves, 

 and, if not, its contents to be carried to them — all tbe better. 

 As to the sorts of Grape, the old Sweetwater does well for the 

 purpose, and I have heard that the Boyal Muscadine is good. 

 I would not recommend any of the Black varieties, they are so 



