March 8, 1877. 



JOUBNAL OF HORTIODLTUBE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



181 



wbich shonld be sown at once by those requiring plants. The 

 sowing of Stocks, Asters, Zinnias, iSrc, may be deferred, especi- 

 ally by those having limited frame conveniences for growing 

 the plants. A bedding plant that deserves to bs better known 

 and more generally cultivated is Leucophytou Browni — a bright 

 Bilvery.foliaged plant with wiry stems, and growing abuut 

 4 inches high. It is excellent for carpet bedding, and is a tell- 

 ing plant among Alternantheras. I struck my plants last autumn 

 with Verbenas on a spent dung bed, and now I have just potted 

 them from the cutting pots. I shall grow them on as fast as 

 possible in a close frame, and take cuttings from time to time 

 and plant these out also. Pegging down is not needed if the 

 plants are planted closely together and properly grown, but 

 there will be a few shoots rise above the others, which must be 

 out off. As a dwarf-growing silvery-foliaged plant it is worthy 

 of a place in all flower gardens. — Thomas Eecobd. 



DOINGS OP THE LAST AND WOEK FOR 

 THE PRESENT WEEK. 



KITCHEN OAKDEN. 



As soon as the weather permits a sowing of Broad Beans and 

 of Peas will be made. For the largest-growing Beans the dis- 

 tance between the rows ought to be 3 feet, and for those of lesser 

 growth 2 feet G inches. There are some who plant Savoys or 

 Cabbage plants between the Bean rows, in which case they may 

 be i or 5 feet apart. It is a good plan, especially in wet districts, 

 to sow the Beans on turf placed in shiiUow boxes and plant 

 them out after they are started. This system admits of a longer 

 period in which to prepare the ground, but it is certain that 

 they will not do well unless they are grown in a well-ventilated 

 place and near the glass. The boxes should be placed out of 

 doors for a few days before planting-ontthe Beans, which should 

 be done in a careful manner, so that the roots may not be dis- 

 turbed any more than is absolutely necessary. Peas may be 

 treated much in the same manner as Beans. We generally sow 

 the early sorts 'd feet apart, and late sorts 3 feet 6 inches. Peas 

 which were raised under glass may be planted out either next 

 week or the week following, according to their size and the 

 state of the weather. If the soil is wet a little dry loam placed 

 roond the roots will be highly beneficial. 



Wo have pricked out spring-sown Cauliflower plants, Early 

 London and Walcheren. Fer our purpose a largo quantity of 

 plants is not required, hence we find it convenient to grow them 

 in boxes ; but when a large number must be raised the best 

 plan is to prick out the plants on a prepared hotbed, not a steam- 

 ing heat, but just warm enough to start them into free growth. 

 They should be pricked out as soon as the seed leaves are fully 

 developed, and after having grown a little air must be given, 

 increasing it until they cau bear almost full exposure, taking 

 care, however, that growth is not materially checked during the 

 preparing procets. With us spring-sown Cauliflowers are ready 

 for use from the middle to the end of June, those sown in autumn 

 being ready abont three weeks earlier. Another sowing should 

 now be made on a warm border to succeed those sown under 

 glass and brought on by its aid. 



Parsley may be sown to form edgings for borders, and, if a 

 good strain is obtained, the lively green beautifully cut leaves 

 are very ornamental. "When a very large supply is wanted sow 

 in open ground in rows from B inches to a foot apart. No time 

 ought to be lost in sowing Parsnips ; if the ground requires 

 manure it ought to be placed a foot below the surface, for if 

 mixed with the soil the roots are very likely to bo badly forked. 

 We generally sow Spinach between the rows of Peas. Wc 

 have planted out Onions from seeds sown in autumn. Our soil 

 has a tendency to breed maggots, but", the autumn-sown crop 

 never suffers. We generally sow the White Spanish in autumn, 

 and also a few in spring ; but the best to keep are James's 

 Keeping and Brown Globe. O irs are not yet sown, but they 

 will bo at once. We sow in drills a foot apart in preference to 

 beds. As soon as the weather is fine and the ground is in good 

 condition Carrots will also be sown in drills 1 foot apart. All 

 small salads after this may be sown once a-week, such as Cress, 

 Radish, Rape, Mustard, &o. The kitchen garden ought now to 

 be put into first- r-ite order ; all the litter that has been used as 

 protecting material during the winter should be removed, 

 Celery trenches shonld be levelled, and any leaves that may 

 have been left on the ground should be carried to the rubbish 

 heap. The gravel walks have been put in order by being re- 

 gravelled. This was done two months ago; we would rather 

 have done it this month, but it is not possible to crowd such 

 work into March. 



VINEHIES. 



Here wo have plenty of work tying the young growths into 

 position. Wo have frequently said that the liitcral growths 

 should bo stopped two leaves beyond the bunch. This is the 

 rule, but in all vineries there are exceptions, sometimes owing 

 to an occasional spur not starling, or a blank space occurring 

 from any other cause : tho laterals may be allowed to run to 

 the third or fourth leaf beyond the bunch to fill-up the space. 



On the other hand, if any part of the roof is likely to be over- 

 crowded with leaves the growths may be stopped at one leaf 

 from the bunch. When young rods are being trained-up to 

 take the place of those which have become unsightly with Ion" 

 gnarled spurs, the leaves of the young rods should be well 

 exposed to the light. It is certain that they cannot make good 

 growth underneath the laterals of the old rod. Those who 

 would grow first-cla«3 Grapes must not be afraid to thin-out 

 the lateral growths ; no good Grapes can be produced when the 

 Vines are a thicket of wood and foliage. 



The Vines are in flower in the early house, and increased 

 vigilance is necessary to preserve them from iojury. Cold cut- 

 ting winds are apt, if allowed to blow direct on the bunches to 

 produce rust when the skin is tender. It is necessary to' go 

 over the bunches twice a day and gently shake them when in 

 flower. Some gardeners lower the temperature of their vineries 

 at the time the Vines are in flower and have been successful. 

 We have generally raised it about 5° more than it was previously" 

 and have found this plan to answer. Moisture is also withheld' 

 to a considerable extent. 



Where Vinos are grown in pots for the earliest crop they will 

 now be in full growth and making roots freely. The roots must 

 on no account suffer by want of water, and besides the surface 

 dressing already directed to be given, every alternate watering 

 ought to be with weak manure water. Should red spider appear 

 and it is considered objectionable to syringe, the hot-water 

 pipes ought to be painted with flowers of sulphur formed into a 

 paste by mixing it with soapy water. The pipes require to be 

 heated to a considerable extent to maintain the requisite tem- 

 perature for the remedy to be effectual. 



Many growers are complaining that their earliest Vines are 

 starting very irregularly, and this (s not to be wondered at, 

 especially where the roots have been under water. That was 

 the position of our Vines, and it has only been by fixing power- 

 ful pumps, which are even now constantly kept at work, that 

 the stokeholes have been kept free from water. Tho Muscats 

 did not start well, but the reason was suspected, and the night 

 ternperature was kept down and they are now doing well. When 

 it is observed that Vines will not break regularly they ought 

 not to be pushed, as this only makes matters worse; lower the 

 temperature to say 55°, and when the shoots have grown a little 

 increase it to G5°. 



FLOWEB GAHDEN AND SHRUBBEM. 



By this time all alterations should be completod, such aa 

 forming new shrubbery borders or levelling lawns by cutting 

 the turf, and after making the ground level relaying it. This is 

 a good time to prune the shrubs, especially Portugal and com- 

 mon Laurels. In our light soil, where the ground has been 

 made rich by manuring, common Laurels grow with great 

 vigour, but they do not last long in good condition unless they 

 are periodically pruned; the under branches die aud tho plants 

 are rendered unsightly, whereas if systematically pruned the 

 bushes become regularly furoished with healthy branches. 

 Large hushes which have been allowed to grow wild may be cut 

 back to within a few feet of the cround, and they will start 

 again into free growth from the old wood. Portugal Laurels 

 may be treated in the same manner, but they do not run away 

 into naked wood like the others ; indeed, there are few more 

 noble-looking objects to be seen in the pleasure grounds than 

 large bushes of this shrub, and they may be seen in many 

 places clothed with foliage from base to summit. If there is 

 any planting still to be done it ought to be finished without any 

 delay, and newly planted bushes should be mulched with ma- 

 nure. This is excellent for preventing evaporation and keeping 

 the ground of a more equable temperature. 



If lawns are poor now is a good lime to dress them. An ex- 

 cellent dressing is wood ashes, guano, and fine soil in equal 

 parts. A dressing applied now aud in a month hence will cause 

 a most vigorous growth. The fine weather has made tho grass 

 to grow very strongly, and we have rolled frequautly and run 

 the lawn mower over the grass twice. In a few weeks tho walks 

 will bo regravelled or the old surface will be forked up, raked, 

 aud well rolled down again. 



Although the Roses had made growths 2 or li inches in length 

 we deferred pruning as late as possible owing to the danger to 

 be feared from frosts. We had pruned half of them when frost 

 did set in, Fahrenheit's thermometer registering on one occasion 

 11' of frost— quite enough to blacken all the growths on the uu- 

 pruned plants. Frost suddenly disappeared on the evening of 

 the 1st of March, and rather more than quarter of an inch of 

 rain fell, when the pruning was finished; we then commenced 

 to dig oyer tho borders. 



No time should now be lost in inserting cuttings of bedding 

 plants that are likely to be required. Of many quick-growing 

 plants cuttings struck in spring are more, useful than those pro- 

 pagated inautumn. We shall shortly placo the hardiest plants 

 in a turf pit, which will give us moro room for those which are 

 being grown-on in warm houses. 



IXOBIBT TLOWEBS. 



Tulips start very early into growth, aud owicg to bo laucli 



