JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND C0TTAG2 GARDENER. 



361 



Aehimenes grown in large seed pans produce a fair effect. Shift 

 frequently those plants required for autumn blooming. — W. 

 Keane. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST WEEK. 



KITCHEN GAEDEN. 



Until the 12!h wo had sharp frost every night, and very 

 changeable days. Owing to the dryness few plants suffered, but 

 growth was at a standstill. Since then we have had some genial 

 showers — on one eight some hours' rain, and most fortunately 

 no frosts with or after it, so that everything looks if freshed. 

 Of course we use the word fortunately in its common ac- 

 ceptation, it being clearly understood all the time that these 

 matters are regulated by an AU-wise Providence. There is 

 much beyond our control — we cannot command the wind or 

 the rain, but still as respects the warmth end the moisture of a 

 district, and the command of water stored up in solitary cases, 

 much is left to man's energy and forethought. Trees not only 

 afford shelter, but they attract moisture, In a clear morning 

 ■we have seen as much c-ndensed moisture from three large ! 

 Beech trees as would soon fill a moderate-sized tank. It has ! 

 been wisely as well as benevolently arranged, that a healthy 

 and a happy existence for man depends on thinking and working. I 



SFaisture for Seeds. — Where ground is scarce much will | 

 depend on succession cropping, so as to have a regular supply I 

 without a glut now and a scarcity afterwords. We have no 

 faith in tiring people of any one thing, nor in haviDg anything 

 in such abundance as to make it appear to be of no value. 

 We never recollect seeds remaining so long in the ground with- 

 out appearing above it, and this made us a little anxious about 

 regular successions of Peas, Beans, and other vegetables. It 

 is seldom that such crops want artificial watering in the early 

 part of the season, there being generally enough of moiBture 

 in the soil to serve all the purposes of germination and early 

 growth. The coldness of the soil and the dry air were the I 

 chief drawbacks. We thought several times of watering on a 

 dull day, but then to do any good we must have moistened ; 

 deeper than the seeds, and in such frosty nights, and yet sunny 

 days, the soil would be made colder than before. The rain, 

 with a cloudy sky and a rising thermometer, saved us all anxiety ■ 

 in the matter. Lately we have several times alluded to the j 

 failure of seeds in beds, pots, <ftc, because, though enough of 

 moisture was given for germination, there was so much dryness j 

 afterwards that th9 vital powers were destroyed after the seeds J 

 were fairly excited into development. Such a result will rarely ■ 

 take place in sowing seeds out of doors in the spring and in 

 the early months of summer. In particular cases the mode 

 adverted to at page 314 may be resorted to, and the small drills 

 watered before sowing. In general, and especially in field 

 practice, the same result will be secured, however dry the sur- I 

 face soil, by going deep enough to place the seeds on the damp ! 

 soil beneath. However dry the mere surface in these early '• 

 months, there will always be found moist soil at no great dis- i 

 tance from that surface. With a dry surface and unimpeded 

 evaporation the sun will bring up moisture from beneath so 

 long as there is any to bring, just as a good pump properly \ 

 worked will discharge water as long as there is a supply of j 

 water in the well. A right understanding of this would lead | 

 to more care iu watering, and also to more care in sowing. 



We have known very patchy, irregular, aud defective gormi- | 

 nation in gardens and fields owing to forgetting simple matters 

 lite those alluded to. For instance, here is ground with the 

 surface very dry to the depth, say, of from 1 to 2 or more 

 inches. Previously to sowing we turn it over to such a depth, 

 and bring up so much moist soil to the surface. In sowing we 

 thus place the seeds in the dry soil. The moist soil on the 

 surface, until thoroughly dried by evaporation, will prevent the 

 dry soil beneath becoming moist by the absorption of moisture 

 from beneath. Need we wonder that the seeds swell irregularly, 

 come up irregularly, and some are so injured as never to come 

 up ? If the dry surface must be interfered with before sowing, 

 it would be in every way better to scuffle it as thinly as possible, 

 and still leave it as the surface, and then by drilling place the 

 seeds at once on the moist soil beneath. When quickly covered 

 with the dry soil it will be long before that moist soil beneath 

 becomes inordinately dry so as to prevent free germination and 

 early growth. Anyone may be convinced that moisture rises 

 freely by placing a large close bell-glass firmly on the surface 

 of dry ground, so that there shall be no inlet to or outlet from 

 the glass. After a bright, sunny, warm day, and a clear cool 

 night, he will find a good deal of moisture from condensed 



vapour inside iu the morning. We have known cases where 

 two men obtained seed's from the same shop, and one was as 

 wroth with tho seedsman as the other was full of his praise. 

 In the one ease the seeds had justice ; in the other they were 

 dried up, and, if they came up at all, came up irregularly. 



Earthed-up succession Cabbages to keep them firmer, and 

 sowed successions of various crops, adopting the good old plan, 

 in the case of Peas, B*a::s, Turnips, Radibhes, small salading, 

 &c, of sowing again as soon as the previous sowing was above 

 ground. There are three matters which we must note. 



First, Asparagus Kale, as a spring vegetable, is not grown so 

 mnch as it ought to be. We know no green in spring that will 

 compare with it for delicacy of flavour. 



Secondly, We have recommended the flower heads of Sea-kale 

 to he used, and they are very good, but if they are cut when 

 close and firm, like little heads of Sprouting Broccoli, they are 

 far better. We would prefer them even to the finest shoots of 

 blanched Sea-kale. They have the sea flavour, and are very 

 excellent. Except when seed is wanted, the sooner such flower 

 heads are removed the better it will be for tho plants and the 

 bud3 for next season. Owing to the dryness, our plants are 

 throwing up more flowering shoots than usual. We have seen 

 barrowloads of such flower shoots taken to the rubbish heap. 

 If they are cut when young, compact, and close, those who try 

 them will find they are at least equal, we think far superior, to 

 the finest Sprouting Broccoli. 



Thirdly, Peoplo should not too soon despair of Mushroom 

 beds. We generally put up three pieces in succession in an 

 open shed in summer, tho first of which will soon be ready for 

 spawning. The latest put up last season gave us gatherings 

 in October and the beginning of November. After that, the 

 weather being cold and the house beds coming in, it was left 

 to itself all the winter, with a sprinkling of litter over it ; too 

 little to encourage any Mushrooms appearing, not quite enough 

 to keep out frost. About a month or six weeks ago the bed was 

 well watered with manure water at from 90° to 100°, and more 

 litter put on to keep in the heat ; for some weeks the bed was, 

 and it is even now, covered with fine fleshy Mushrooms. We 

 find watering has always most effect when the material of the 

 bed is rather long and fresh, instead of more compact and rotten 

 when used. 



FBUTT DEPAET5IENT. 



Some of our Cherry trees on the wall that seemed to be set- 

 ting freely, have had the young fruit nipped off as soon as the 

 blossom had fallen. As yet we do not know what to blame, 

 but there are fine trusses of stalks left, and the point or the 

 fruit gone. We can understand all this perfectly when the 

 fruit is ripening, but what could be the enticement to thus 

 clear off the newly-formed fruit ? Though we have watched, we 

 have hitherto failed to detect who or what is the thief. Have 

 any of our readers noticed anything similar ? We know that 

 tomtits will make holes in fruit when it is less than half 

 grown, but hitherto we have not known them nip off Cherries 

 so thoroughly just when formed. The tits are now so busy 

 looking after insects, that we should not like to blame them 

 without proof. 



Wasps. — We have already seen some half a dozen wasps, 

 notwithstanding the cold nights, and succeeded in catching 

 them. If many more appear we shall place bottles containing 

 something sweet to entice them, as every wasp taken or de- 

 stroyed now will bo a nest less in summer and autumn. 



As so far confirmatory of what we have said of moisture be- 

 neath, and what was stated lately of moisture in dry weather to 

 foliage, when not needed at the roots, we may mention, though 

 without at all approving of the practice, that some Peach and 

 Cherry trees planted about the third week in April are seem- 

 ingly doing well. They had stood thickly together some time 

 previously with the roots merely covered with earth, technically, 

 "put in by the heels." On planting in fresh soil, after carefully 

 packing the fibres and firming moderately, a good fair watering 

 was given with water at from 80° to 90°, so as to warm the soil 

 about and near the roots. The drier soil was then placed on 

 the surface, a small basin formed, and the top mulched with 

 dark-coloured rotten dung. Though the surface soil became 

 dry no more water was given, as we knew there was moisture 

 enough beneath, but a few branches of spruce fir that had lost 

 all the foliage were placed in front and round them, just to 

 break a little the force of the sun's rays, and in very sunny 

 days the trees were sprinkled overhead once or twice with the 

 syringe. 



Every contemporary is now dwelling on the importance of 

 thinning the shoots of wall trees. We were so afraid of the 



