360 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ May 19, 1870. 



worked both on croquet ground and sloping banks, some of the 

 latter here are almost perpendicular. A email machine has been 

 in use with us from the commencement of the mowing season. 

 I felt uneasy at first as to the extra labour of sweeping, but 

 my mind was soon at rest, for after doing its work admirably 

 in a heavy dew, the sun had destroyed all trace of the cut grass 

 before midday. As the machine is but a small one, it is only 

 used where the tedious scythe was formerly employed, but the 

 men have an idea that one could do all the mowing'in less time 

 than a man and pony, with a boy to lead, can do it with an- 

 other machine of double its size. After the recent rain we 

 may expect the grass to grow much faster than of late, other 

 work will require attention, and, if at all pushed, I intend try- 

 ing its powers in what I term the double length.— G. R. Bakef, 

 Gardener, Caterham Court, Surrey. 



NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 

 Messes. Baku & Sugden, of King Street, Covent Garden, 

 have sent us a number of cut flowers of various kinds of 

 Narcissus, many of them very showy, and others delightfully 

 fragrant. There is much doubt as to what constitute species, 

 what mere varieties in this genus, it being, in fact, in a state 

 of confusion. Among the forms most noteworthy of those 

 received from Messrs. Barr & Sugden were the Hoop Petticoat, 

 Sulphur Plitenix, Orange Phoenix, Narcissus biflorus, N. in- 

 comparabilis albus flore-pleno, that called N. Ajax albicans, 

 and there were several well-known kinds, as the Jonquils, 

 Daffodils, and Narcissus poeticus. 



WORK FOR THE WEEK. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



During showery weather, which we are now likely to experi- 

 ence, it is difficult to keep down effectually the seedling weeds; . 

 no sooner does the bright sunshine tempt one to cut them up 

 than frequently down pours a shower, and starts many of the 

 tenacious-living things into renewed activity. To remedy this, 

 it is an excellent plan, after hoeing through such crops as 

 Carrots, Onions, and Parsnips, to choose a fine bright morning 

 a day or two afterwards, and to go over the whole with a long- 

 toothed iron rake. This disturbance will generally kill the 

 weeds, and is, moreover, of great benefit to the crops by throw- 

 ing the surface open to receive the full benefit of atmospheric 

 influences. Recent plantations of Asparagus and Sea-kale must 

 be kept moist. A slight coating of rotten leaves over the bed 

 will be beneficial to them. Prick out Celery, and keep it well 

 watered. Keep the seed-beds of Cauliflowers and Winter Greens 

 free from weeds, and let the youngplauts be thinned and trans- 

 planted if too thick. Kesp the ground loose and open about 

 young plants. Sow Dwarf Kidney Beans and Scarlet Runners 

 for succession, and transplant those which have been forwarded, 

 if not already done. Sow, also, Jerusalem Kale and the old 

 English Colewort, both very useful for planting after Potatoes. 

 Prick out Cape Broccoli and late Cauliflowers. Make another 

 sowing of Miller's Dwarf White Russian Broccoli ; this will 

 come into bearing at the end of April and the beginning of 

 May. Keep all seedling crops well dusted with quicklime. Let 

 ridge Cucumbers be planted without delay, and shade for a few 

 days. At the same time a few lights may be sown with seeds 

 of Vegetable Marrows and Cucumbers for succession, and for 

 Gherkins. For the latter purpose on warm soils seeds sown in 

 the open border will suffice, but on colder soils it is better to 

 forward plants in pots, and have a sloping bank thrown up 

 facing the south ; plant them near the top and train the stems 

 downwards, stopping them occasionally. Keep up successions 

 of Spinach. Saw another good breadth of Turnips, and thin- 

 out those advancing. Endeavour to keep them in a healthy 

 quiok-growing state, which is one of the best preventives 

 against the early-sown ones running to seed. 



FRUIT GARDEN. 



Peach and Nectarine trees affected with the green fly and 

 curled or blistered leaves, should he well syringed with strong 

 lime water from a garden engine, or for the same purpose a 

 good wash may be made by boiling in water 2 lbs. of tobacco, 

 2 lbs. of soft soap, and 2 lbs. of sulphur ; boil for one hour and 

 strain through a fine sieve, then add sufficient water to make 

 in all twenty gallons, and sprinkle the trees with this in the 

 evening after the sun is off them. Continue to nail-in the 

 young shoots of all kinds of fruit trees as they become suffi- 

 ciently advanced, and keep the finger and thumb at work 

 among superfluous shoots. Give the Strawberry beds a final 



stirring, and have some material at hand for laying about them 

 to prevent tho fruit from getting dirty. Straight wheat straw 

 is often used. Keep a number of figure- 4 traps constantly 

 set about the beds, as there are no greater destroyers of Straw- 

 berries than mice. 



FLOWER GARDEN. 



Examine recently-transplanted trees and shrubs frequently, 

 to see that they are progressing favourably. Give a liberal 

 soaking of water where necessary, and stir and mulch the sur- 

 face afterwards. Half-hardy plants now being consigned to 

 their summer places after many months' shelter under glass, 

 and much attention and care, must be duly attended to with 

 water until they lay hold of the soil, and with the present 

 favourable weather and proper attention, they will speedily 

 cover the bed, and will repay all the trouble that has been be- 

 stowed upon them ; but every effort must be UBed to prevent 

 their sustaining any check, for if allowed to full into an un- 

 healthy state at present, there will be great difficulty in induc- 

 ing free growth without much loss of time. Spare hand-glasses 

 will now be used for the propagation of favourite spring-bloom- 

 ing plants — as Pansies, Phloxes, &e. These do best in a shady 

 border. Let what beds yet remain to be filled be prepared with 

 as much expedition as possible for the reception of their 

 summer occupants. All annuals should be thinned out as 

 soon as they are well above ground, for if left to grow too 

 thickly they will spoil one another, and never make half the 

 display plants do that are allowed plenty of space, and which 

 are grown Btrongly from the first. Let the rising shoots of 

 gross herbaceous plants be thinned cut where crowded. Many 

 of these decay prematurely in dry summers through the ex- 

 haustion caused by the plants being overgrown. Thinning 

 Dahlias should be finished. Masses of American plants under 

 or near large trees should have a top-dressing of some kind 

 to keep them cool, and to compensate for the exhaustion oc- 

 casioned by the roots of the trees. A coating of bog earth 

 or half-rotten leaves will be suitable. Conservative walls, 

 trellises, or ornamental arcades should have close attention at 

 this period. The roller and soythe, or mowing machine, will 

 be in frequent request, and much labour is involved in these 

 operations if properly carried out. See that edgings hitherto 

 neglected are put in order for the summer ; do not, however, 

 cut beyond the original boundary, and keep the walks filled 

 with gravel. Let the roller be passed frequently along the 

 edges in order to level down to the walk ; this takes away the 

 harshness of the outline. 



GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. 



Where circumstances admit of it, plants that have been 

 grown in a warm, moist atmosphere, should be removed to an 

 intermediate house about a fortnight previous to their being 

 taken to the conservatory, and gradually inured to a free cir- 

 culation of air. By attention to this, and placing the plants 

 in the warmest corners, Clerodendrons, AUamandas, Achimenes, 

 &c, will continue growing slowly, and bloom for some three 

 months, whereas if this is neglected their beauty may be very 

 short-lived. Aim at maintaining an even temperature in the 

 conservatory after removing to it plants which have been 

 grown in the stove, and avoid allowing the atmosphere to be- 

 come very dry on bright warm days. Also see that every plant 

 is perfectly clean before placing it in this house, and that the 

 creepers, &c, are not infested with insects. Go over the house 

 every morning, and remove decaying flowers and leaves as they 

 make their appearance. Young Btock in pits and frames will 

 soon be making rapid growth, and must be carefully attended 

 to as to watering, stopping, training, &c. Examine Heaths 

 frequently for mildew, and apply sulphur the moment it is ob- 

 served, some of the soft-leaved varieties being very liable to be 

 attacked by that pest at this season. If the permanent occu- 

 pant? of the beds, and the twiners, however, are such as re- 

 quire a free circulation of air, the house must not be kept so 

 close as to injure them, but when Passion-flowers, Ipomseas, 

 Mandevillas, Tecomas, Bignonias, iSrc, are grown for covering 

 the roof, and Orange trees and other things that enjoy a fair 

 amount of warmth and moisture while making their wood, 

 occupy the beds, the hardier stove plants will form the most 

 suitable decoration for the next three months. Go over twiners 

 frequently, and regulate their growth before the shoots beoome 

 entangled, but avoid keeping them tied too closely, for they are 

 never seen to advantage unless they are allowed to hang in a 

 natural and graceful manner. 



STOVE. 



Sustain the humidity of the house, at the same time permit 

 adequate ventilation. Climbers must be attended to frequently, . 



