394 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ Juno 2, 1870. 



peatedly baited and turned round to admire the change of 

 scenery which onr more elevated position commanded. East- 

 ward and westward the prospect became less and less extensive 

 as we were more hemmed in by the mountains, while to the 

 northward, looking over the Abbey Holm l^vel, and far across 

 the Solway to the mountains of Kirkcudbright and Galloway, 

 the eye wandered over a vista charmingly diversified with 

 mountain, wood, and water. Shortly we crossed the summit, 

 and began to descend a ravine, which our guide had proposed 

 that we should examine for Ferns, the more special purpose 

 of our search being to determine whether the Asplenium viride 

 (Green Maidenhair Fern) grew within its precincts. Our in- 

 vestigation may serve as the subject of a future article, my 

 jottings having already extended to the full limits of my present 

 paper.— H. 



NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 



" Nature " believes that the Government will propose to 

 Parliament that the New Natural History Museum shall be 

 built on the site occupied by the Exhibition of 18C2, south 

 of the Royal Horticultural Gardens. 



A Journal of Horticulture has been started in Por- 

 tugal under the title of Journal de Rorticultura Pratica de 

 Portugal, by M. Josfe Marques Loureiro. M. Welwitsch has 

 shown how wide a field for further exploration by botanists 

 still remains in the Portuguese settlements in Africa. 



_ We must make an exception to our usual rale, to 



direct our readers' attention to Messrs. Farebrother, Lye, and 

 Wheeler's advertisement of the Sale of Trot-ical Plants at 

 Sion House, on the 22nd prox. Although the Duke of North- 

 umberland is only selling a portion of his magnificent collection, 

 on account of extensive alterations and new arrangements of 

 the gardens, yet we know in the portion to be sold are many 

 specimens worthy of a place in the finest collections. 



A most curious fact observed by botanists is that some 



plants assume a resemblance to others of totally different 

 genera. So remarkable is this, that they have been designated 

 "mimetic plants." Mr. Wilson Saunders made some remarks 

 upon them at a soiree of the Linnean Society, and this having 

 led to further public notice, he sent the following list to our 

 clever contemporary " Nature." Mr. Saunders states that the 

 plants were none of them grown for the purpose, but simply 

 selected from his greenhouse on the spur of the moment for 

 the purposes of the soiree : — 



Olea europaea Oleaceffl I 



Swammerdamia Antennaria Composita- j 



Kleinia ficoides Composite 1 



Cotyledon tricuspidata CrassulacesB f 



Thujopsis lretevirens Conifene 1 



Selaginella circinata Lycopodiacea? } 



Euphorbia xylophylla Euphorbiaceie 1 



Polygonum platycladon Polygonere J 



Peperomia Bp. Brazil Piperacese ) 



Nematanthus longipes Gesneraceie j 



Haworthia planifolia Liliacea? 1 



Cotyledon (Echeveria) aloides Craseulacese | 



Gymnostachyum Verschaffeltii Acanthaceas 1 



Echites rubro-venosa Apocyneffi f 



Sempervivum arenarium Crassulaceie 1 



Haworthia atrovirens Liliaceffi J 



Echinoceras Blankii Cactese I 



Euphorbia echinata Euphorbiacese f 



Aralia sp. Bahia Axaliacete 1 



Philodendron sp. Trinidad Araceffi } 



Dorstenia sp. (near villosa) Brazil Moreffi 1 



Eranthemum sp. Brazil Acanthacea? j 



Grevillea Bp Proteaceie 1 



Acacia chordophylla Leguminosse j 



Euonymus latifolius Celastraceie 1 



Hedera canarienBis var Araliacese ) 



Ilex Aquifolium var Aquifoliacea; 1 



OsmanthuB Aquifolium var (Jleaceiu f 



"WORK FOR THE WEEK. 



kitchen garden. 

 Amilst the great pressure of business throughout the spring 

 months, seed sowing is very apt to get in arrear. When such 

 is the case, a fortnight may generally be recovered by having 

 recourse to steeping, in order to hasten germination. There is 

 sometimes sufficient moisture in the ground to induce the first 

 stage of germination, yet by the time that takes place, and 

 before the tender radicle has extended beyond the reach of 



such vicissitudes, drought has overtaken it, and total desicca- 

 tion is the result. Now, in these cases, if the seed is on the 

 eve of germination previous to its being placed in the soil, and 

 if the soil is freshly dug, the young plant will in general establish 

 itself in safety. The plan is to steep the seeds in water a 

 about 80° for six hours or more, according to the character of 

 the seed, and to place the vessel where it will maintain that 

 temperature ; then to strain the water away, and to remove the 

 vessel to a more moderate temperature, say 65°, until the first 

 signs of sprouting, when the seed bed should be instantly pre- 

 pared ; the vessel, however, after pouring the water off, should 

 be covered with a cloth, to prevent the surface seeds from dry- 

 ing up. It is also necessary to turn the seeds once or twice. 

 The Cape, although a small Broccoli, is one of the most useful 

 in the kitchen garden, if a constant succession is required. 

 This is a good time to make a very full sowing to supply the 

 table throughout October and November. It is also a good 

 plan to sow some Cape Broccoli in drills, prepared after the 

 manner of a Celery trench. The seeds should be dropped in 

 patches rather more than a foot apart, to be afterwards thinned 

 to about three in a patch. Sow a little more of Knight's Pro- 

 tecting, and a sprinkling of some very late spring Broccoli ; it 

 may serve to prolong the succession next April and May. 

 Cauliflowers sown now will head in November, and may then 

 be housed in cellars, sheds, or out-houses, and continue in use 

 until past Christmas. Every attention should be paid to Celery 

 plants ; they must have abundance of water in every stage. 

 Those pricked out from the seed bed should have well-prepared 

 beds, the surface of which, for 2 inches deep, should consist of 

 well-rotted manure, soaked with water, and rolled or pressed 

 level previous to pricking-out the plants. If the weather 

 prove sunny they should be shaded with boughs. A few Ice 

 2>lants should now be planted out in a warm border to garnish 

 the autumn desserts. 



fruit garden. 



A thorough picking of grubs or insects from fruit treeB should 

 now take place. Vines on walls or buildiDgs must be attended 

 to, in respect to disbudding and stopping. Apricots should 

 also be well examined for the grub, and Peach trees on walls 

 judiciously thinned of wood and fruit. 

 flower garden. 



The weather has been excessively dry for some time ; we 

 have an unclouded sky and a fervent glare of sunshine. I am 

 afraid this is very general. Much care will now be necessary 

 in watering the flowers recently planted out in masses. Early 

 morning watering may be still adhered to, as in a period like 

 this the dispersion of ground heat is rather a benefit, the 

 nights being mild and conducive to growth. All mass flowers 

 in highly-relieved beds should, when planted out, by all 

 means have a hcllow basin or concave surface reserved around 

 the stem, or rather on the upper side, for a fortnight after 

 planting ; this will serve to retain the water, and cause it to 

 percolate the soil in contact with the roots. If this be not 

 done, the water on raised surfaces runs off, and in doing this 

 produces a glazed or puddled surface, under which no plant 

 will thrive until the crust is broken. Hardy American shrubs, 

 as Azaleas and Rhododendrons, on highly-dressed lawns should 

 at this period have thorough waterings in dry weather. Car- 

 nations must now be strictly attended to. A top-dressing of 

 rich compost will be found highly advantageous. Take care 

 that the ligatures are not too tight on the stems, otherwise 

 they are apt to become distorted. Pinks will be blooming ; 

 they must also receive a due share of attention. Tie some 

 waxed thread round the buds to prevent them bursting. Ln 

 selecting seedlings, do not keep those which have serrated 

 petals. Ranunculuses this warm weather are making rapid 

 progress. Occasionally water between the rows with soft 

 water. A slight awning will be of immense advantage to 

 them. If Dahlias have not already been planted out, this 

 ought to be done immediately ; at the same time their sup- 

 ports should be put in, so that the roots may not be injured, 

 which would probably be the case if staking were delayed to a 

 later period. Water and mulch the surface of the soil round 

 the stems. Pansies may be struck under hand-glasses on a 

 shady border ; let the cuttings be put in as thinly aB possible. 

 Auriculas and Polyanthuses should be carefully tended ; the 

 latter are very apt to suffer from the attacks of red spider 

 during dry weather. Shade is absolutely necessary for their 

 successful cultivation. 



greenhouse and conservatory. 



Continue to clear away exhausted flowers, in order to afford 

 room for fine specimens of Fuchsias, Pelargoniums, Calceo- 



