310 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ April 28, 1870. 



we have adverted to the fact, that in this hot weather plants 

 would often be more benefited by wetting the foliage and stems, 

 instead of deluging the roots and soaking the surface soil. We 

 received some communications, stating that strong Cauliflower 

 plants were suffering sadly, the foliage shrivelling and curling. 

 We had not examined our most forward plants under hand- 

 lights for several days, but od at once going to them, we found 

 them having a similar unhealthy appearance, many of the 

 large leaves attempting in their distress to double themselves, 

 and taking on what gardeners call a slaty instead of a dark green 

 appearance. On examining the soil, it was at once evident 

 that the roots had enough of moisture, so that a heavy watering 

 was quite unnecessary. About 4 p.m. a slight sprinkling was 

 given over the leaves from the rose of a wateiing-pot, and the 

 tops of the hand-lights put on. On giving air next morning 

 the foliage was much improved, and on a seoond application the 

 plants, as respects their fine healthy foliage, were everything 

 that could be desired. No drenching of the roots merely would 

 have produced this effect. We never saw or noticed a chaDge 

 so sudden as that effected by the surface-sprinkling ; the plants 

 have held their own the last few days, but if not we would 

 have given plenty of air, without taking the tops of the hand- 

 glasses quite off, and we would have laid a branch over the top 

 or sprinkled it with water Blightly whitened, to moderate the 

 force of the sun's rays. We have not found this shading ne- 

 cessary. There was quite enough of moisture at the roots, but 

 the ground being still rather cool, the roots were not able to 

 absorb sufficiently to meet the demands of the sun and the dry 

 air on the foliage. Enabling the leaves to absorb restored the 

 desirable equilibrium. 



We found it necessary to surface- sprinkle some fresh-planted 

 Cauliflower, when merely watering at the roots would have 

 been of little or no benefit. These were also assisted with a 

 twig of Laurel stuck against each plant, which moderated the 

 force of the snn's rays. 



We draw prominent attention to this little matter, because 

 in such cases a pint of water distributed with a fine rose or 

 syringe over the foliage will often do more good than applying 

 a gallon at the roots. The principle does not militate in the 

 least against, our general rule as to watering— namely, " Water 

 so as to moisten every fibre of the plant, and then wait until 

 your services are again required, and afterwards repeat the 

 operation, so as to water thoroughly." In such weather, how- 

 ever, as we have lately had, the roots may have plenty of 

 moisture, and yet be unable to absorb it fast enough to meet 

 the demands made by a fierce sun causing rapid evaporation 

 from the foliage. In such cases a sprinkling overhead, or a 

 little shade, will be better than deluging the roots, and thus 

 less or more cooling the soil. 



We lately mentioned one variety of Cauliflower that the grass 

 mice had not touched during the winter and sprine, but they 

 have managed to cut over ten per cent, of those planted out. 

 We blame the large grass mice, which are very troublesome 

 here. In but few instances do they seem to eat the plants, 

 they merely cut them over and leave them. In the meantime 

 we have run a cordon of tar round the rows freeh made up, but 

 that is unpleasant at this season. We fear that the pepper 

 remedy mentioned by " T. M.," at page 291, would be of little 

 use in this case, but we find that wood pigeons, partridgps, 

 and even pheasants, that would not touch our red-leaded Peas 

 in the ground, are nibbling away at the young shoots, and we 

 will try it upon them, and report the result. All these little 

 matters become of importance where the gardener feels any 

 pride in keeping the kitchen going, and yet must, not do anything 

 to interfere with game. We have not found a single seed, 

 coloured with red lead, meddled with, and not a bird could be 

 injured, because not a seed was touched. We have never heard 

 of nor seen traces of injury to birds that have nibbled the tops 

 of our Peas more than we like, so that those who feared the 

 birds would be poisoned by eating Marrow Peas that bad been 

 coloured before sowing, may throw all such dreads to the windf . 

 We formerly alluded to the wonderful instinct possessed hy 

 animals in this respect. In rows of leaded Peas and Beans, 

 well covered up so as to conceal all traces of the leading, not a 

 single seed was taken, not a single hole in searoh of them was 

 made by mouse, rat, or bird; others sown without leading in 

 the usual way were soon holed and cleared out from end to end. 



Broccoli is now coming in plentifully, no that we shall soon 

 be able to say good-bye to lots of Winter Greens ; but good and 

 fine as it is, we never think that it makes up for the want of 

 rich, crisp, white, early Cauliflower, though both are excellent. 

 We would have watered our Broccoli if we could in this hot 



weather. The late kinds of Broccoli we find as useful as the 

 early ones. A little forking of the ground is one of the best 

 substitutes for watering. It lets the air in a little and keeps 

 the moisture about the roots. 



Sea-kale. — For rather more than a week we have had this 

 very fine out of doors. We have now some splendid rows that 

 were planted with pieces of roots that had been forced last 

 season, and will be first-rate for lifting next winter. We hava 

 finished planting, the pieces of roois, &c, being sufficient to 

 fill as much ground as we lifted. We may here repeat how we 

 had such fine heads out of doors. Common garden-pots are 

 used, say from 8 to 12 or 15 inches in diameter. These pots are 

 filled with rough bay packed towards the sides, leaving a hollow 

 in the middle. The plants or shoots inside, as they rise, are 

 thus well blanched, and without any covering to the pot out- 

 side they are protected from extreme heat by day and extreme 

 cold by night. We have beds which we meant to cover with 

 ashes, and thus do away with pot-covering altogether, but we 

 found we were hard-up for time to wheel the aBhes, and the 

 pots do very well. What we thus cut from potB in the open 

 air, we do not generally take up for forcing the first winter. 



Potatoes are pnshirjg through, and Asparagus has come 

 freely since the 14th of the month, sooner than we expected. 

 Carrots and Onions are coming up strongly and regularly. 

 We must put in successions of these, Peas, and Beans. 



Soil. — Almost everything required in a garden now costs 

 money before it gets there. Frum the drift and clearings by 

 the sides of roads we used to obtain our best helpers for in- 

 door and out-door w rk. We have had many a load of sand 

 washed from the roadway by heavy rain, and when rewashed 

 in a tub we would not have exchanged it fur many purposes 

 with the finest silver sand ; but now all such raked and washed 

 heaps aie only to 1 e obtained by contracting for them at certain 

 prices, and remo\ing them on certain c nditionB. We have 

 frequently advised our cottager and amateur readers to obtain 

 fresh soil for their | lants from the sides of lanes and high- 

 ways. If not strong enough in pocket to take off the turf and 

 keep it for a twelvemonth before using it, it was no difficult 

 matter to obtain a basketful of sweet mellow soil from the 

 stratum immediately beneath the turf. We fear now that 

 what seemed to be set little store on by most people, will in 

 many places not be procurable without leave asked and ob- 

 tained, and paung down something besides. We know of no 

 better mode than the above for obtaining fresh sweet soil. 

 When even such means cannot be resorted to, there need be 

 no difficulty in securing some suitable soil for general purposes, 

 and for potting common plants, wheiev r 'here is enough 

 spare ground in the kitchen garden to be ringed up and exposed 

 to the weather all the winter. In fine days early in spring 

 the surface soil of these ridges will be sweet and flaky, and if 

 scraped off say half an inch deep or so, and laid aside either 

 in basketfuls or barrowloads, there is hardly anything except 

 hair-rooted plants that will not thrive in it. For pot plants, 

 as Fuchsias, Pelargoniums, &c, it will answer admirably, more 

 especially if kept open with a little small charcoal. Oar 

 farming friends need never be at a loi-B for the best of all soil 

 for their plants, covering seeds, &c, as from a field ridged-np 

 in winter it will be easy to obtain loads in spring by a mere 

 scraping-off from the surface. Such sweet well-aired soil, even 

 the finest concocted compost wonld not beat foi Cucumbers, &c. 



FRUIT GARDEN. 



Between the rows of Strawberries out of doors we hoed all 

 the ground to remove incipient weeds. W.i shall also slightly 

 dress the rows, and if rain threatens will du»t tho plants over 

 with lime and soot, which will help to keep slues, &c , at a dis- 

 tance. As yet we do not see that mice, &c, have meddled with 

 the plants, though they made sad havoc with th ,s in pots. In 

 some scores of iustnnces, however, where the bud seemed gone 

 fresh leaves and trusses are now coming from the sides, so that 

 though they will be late, we find that some scores of pot plants 

 will be of more use than throwing them to the rubbish-heap. 

 Those bearing want plenty of water in this weather, and after 

 they are set a syringing in the afternoon does them much good, 

 and keeps them clean. Red si'i.l^r is the great evil to avoid 

 in such weather. Sulphur on the heatiug medium and a free 

 use of the syringe are the best, antidotes. When the fruit is 

 fairly set, and before swelling inuob, syringing with olear soft- 

 soap water is a great preservative from red spider. We have 

 thus syringed our earliest orchard koiisc where a few of the blaok 

 fly had made their appearance, and must be stopped at once, 

 as one fat fly will soon emit a string of young like a rope of 

 Onions. In using soap water, it is well to have it dear asd 



