280 



JOUBNAL OF HOBTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEB. 



[ April 14, 1870. 



is done that is required at that time ; a quick, practised eye 

 accustomed to the work will see in a moment what to do, so 

 that there need be no hesitation. If any of the early Plums 

 are expanding their blooms, it would be well if a little protec- 

 tion could be afforded them at night for a short time. 



FLOWEE GARDEN. 



In the following remarks on the most select plants for group- 

 ing, I shall only notice a few, leaving those more commonly 

 grown out of the question. Taking the Phlox, which I would 

 like to see more frequently, Omniflora magna makes a fine 

 white bed, blooming throughout the season ; and from the 

 many varieties raised from Drummondi and the late-blooming 

 herbaceous sorts a selection may be made of some beautiful 

 kinds. Among Salvias, S. patens will be always in request for 

 its decided colour, and S. cterulea compacta, though less showy, 

 is, perhaps, as useful. Most of the varieties of Pentstemon 

 gentianoides are handsome; Buckii, CloweBii, and formosum 

 being especially so, while P. speciosum is a good pale blue 

 species. Cuphea platycentra and strigillosa splendens are neat, 

 compact plants, more adapted for baskets than beds. Euthales 

 microphylla is a useful plant for vases or large baskets, from its 

 diffuse habit. Linum flavum, when properly managed and 

 covered with its golden yellow blossoms, is a fine object. Oxalis 

 floribunda makes a pretty edging or small bed, and 0. Bowiei 

 is very showy throughout the autumn, and easily managed. 

 Snapdragons are now so numerous that names are out of the 

 question ; many of them form showy beds. The same may 

 be said of Alstrcomerias, of which the Ghent seedlings are 

 easily managed, and are distinct and showy. Dianthus f ulgens, 

 a rich crimson, is fine, and there are others equally good, not 

 forgetting D. superbus, which should always be grown for its 

 fragrance. Delphinium Barlowii and grandiflorum, when 

 pegged down closely, make good plants for deep blue beds. 

 Dielytra spectabilis must not be forgotten, for when planted 

 out it is one of the gayest plants grown, blooming freely 

 throughout the season. Kalosanthes coccinea, and others, 

 are unequalled for brilliancy of colour, and are adapted for 

 beds or vases, where they are very striking. Hollyhocks which 

 have been recently planted will require a fair supply of water 

 should the dry weather continue. Cuttings may be taken from 

 old plants ; these strike readily now if inserted firmly in river 

 sand and planted in a shady border. We should allow three 

 shoots to remain for blooming. Auriculas require just now 

 very great attention ; if for exhibition, carefully inspect the 

 growing truss. Some little judgment will be requisite in thin- 

 ning out the pips, so as to retain those which will expand to- 

 gether. Avoid by all means possible the chance of having the 

 stems drawn ; abundant air will be necessary, and an occa- 

 sional watering of very weak liquid manure, made with 6heep's 

 dung, will be found beneficial. Carnations and Picotees being 

 all potted, insert forthwith the sticks to which they are to be 

 attached. 



GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. 



Proceed with the staking and tying-out of plants requiring 

 such assistance ; but if former directions are carried out re- 

 lative to growing plants with short-jointed wood, much in the 

 way of stakes may be dispensed with, although seme will be 

 necessary to give the plant its desired shape, but on no ac- 

 count use more than will effect that purpose. Turn each 

 plant frequently round, that it may not become one-sided. 

 Hardwooded plants should be frequently examined in respect 

 to their drainage. At this season many of them, as most of 

 the New Holland plants, are either in bloom or approaching 

 that state, and will, consequently, require a larger quantity of 

 water, more especially any large specimens not shifted since 

 last season ; it will be obvious that if the drainage is im- 

 perfect, or if the entire mass of roots is not equally moistened, 

 the death of the plant must soon occur : hence the necessity 

 of paying attention to this important point. The more valu- 

 able, because the more delicate, plants are the first to suffer. 



STOVE. 



The greatest care will be requisite to prevent softwooded 

 stove plants from drawing ; as these will now be making rapid 

 growth they should have a large share of light, using shade 

 only in the middle of the day. Some of those potted early 

 may now require a second shift ; in this, however, the culti- 

 vator must be guided by the requirements for which the plant 

 is grown. Take every opportunity of keeping down insects by 

 fumigation and the active use of the syringe, but in this care- 

 fully avoid injuring the newly-formed foliage of large-leaved 

 plants. The cuttings which it was previously advised should be 

 struck for a stock of winter-flowering plants, will now require 



potting-off. As it is not desirable these should be grown to a 

 large size, keep them rather short of pot room. A hot-water 

 pit will answer best for growing these and similar plants. 

 They can be placed close to the glass, and by a little attention 

 will by the autumn form stout, bushy plants with well-ripened 

 wood, and may then be brought into bloom at pleasure. See 

 that the growing Orchids have abundance of atmospheric 

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

 shutting up closely early in the day, and taking care to use 

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

 sphere may be enclosed for the night. Growing Dendrobiums 

 will now require liberal supplies of water, and air-plants on 

 blocks frequent syringings. — W. Keane. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST WEEK. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



Potatoes. — Planted more as stated last week, and never were 

 they in better order; the bulk of the Potatoes were just be- 

 ginning to move, so we may expect them to come up strongly. 

 The weather has become colder again, and a falling barometer 

 leads us to expect rain ere long. It will be very acceptable for the 

 healthy germination of all seeds, for, though there is plenty of 

 moisture beneath, the surface in many cases is dust-dry. We 

 are sometimes half inclined to envy the farmers, who, in snch 

 fine suitable weather, can put in the bulk of their seed3 whilst 

 gardeners must sow often to have regular successions. 



Peas. — We stated that we lost by mice and rats most of those 

 intended for our first crop out of doors, as we did not red-lead 

 them before sowing. We have a lot in little boxes, which we 

 hope to plant out in the begimiiug of the week and to stake at 

 once. These we shall find useful to come in after those in 

 pots and sown in borders in the orchard house, as the first-sown 

 Peas out of doors this spring are only now becoming visible. 

 Nothing could more truly indicate the coldness of the ground, 

 as we never recollect of seeds remaining under ground so long. 

 They are growing well now. Beans that have been in the 

 ground six weeks have scarcely made any progress except 

 downwards, so we shall transplant some Broad Beans also. 

 With so many enemies, we find there is great trouble and 

 but moderate success with those Beans sown in autumn. 



Dwarf Kidney Beans. — Now is a good time to bow a lot in 

 4 or 5-inch pots where there i3 a little heat, to be turned out 

 afterwards in a sheltered place. These will yield good gather- 

 ings long before those sown in the open ground. It is hardly 

 worth wLile sowing them out of doors until the end of the 

 month, but we have had fine early crops under hand-lights. 



Globe Articliokes. — Bemoved the long litter packed about 

 these, and forked over and manured the ground. The stools 

 are all safe, a matter of importance where Artichokes are much 

 sought for. Good-sized pieces taken off now, and planted in 

 rich, well-stirred soil, will continue the produce fully a month 

 later in the autumn. 



Sea-kale. — A good portion of that which had been taken up 

 to be forced has been again transferred to the soil, and it 

 wrought beautifully in this dry weather. All the tops and 

 crowns that are good are planted by themselves in pieces about 

 G inches long, being set in rows 2 feet apart, and about 6 inches 

 from each other in the rows. All the smaller pieces of roots, 

 and any parts left in the ground, as large as, or even smaller 

 than one's little finger, are also sized and cut into pieces about 

 6 inches long, and firmly planted, leaving the npper end just 

 level with the surface of the ground. Some ashes are then 

 strewed along the rows to keep slags and vermin from the 

 fresh-cut tops. Plenty of buds generally come from the tops of 

 these pieces, which may need a little thinning in summer. 

 Some with fair crowns will make good-sized plants for taking 

 up and forcing after Christmas, and the smallest will do well 

 after they have stood two summers. Every person who can 

 command the ground for summer growth may easily have 

 Sea-kale in winter, and that without purchasing fresh plants, 

 as a great portion of the plants forced will come in useful 

 again when treated as above described. A good succession may 

 also be obtained by sowing a little bed every year, but we know 

 hardly any vegetable so subject to the attacks of the fly when 

 the plants are in the seed leaf, and just a little older. Wood 

 ashes and a thin layer of spruce branches we have found the 

 best means of keeping the fly at bay. When the roots are cut 

 up and planted as above, the fly cannot touch them, and a 

 small cone of ashes keeps the tops sound. Put a number of 

 common pots, 10 or more inches in diameter, over some good 



