May 10, 1877. J 



JOURNAL OP HORTIODLTDRB AND OOTTAGB GABDENEB. 



343 



several growers of Anrionlas, and I trnst that by attention 

 and watchfalnesB against the first appearances of its insidions 

 attacks it may be prevented getting established so as to be- 

 come dangerous. 



Watch must periodically be kept by turning the plant out of 

 its pot, for the woolly white blanket is apparent enough during 

 the period of the insect's existence, of which I have as yet had 

 experience. — John T. D. Llewelyn. 



KITCHEN GARDEN NOTES. 



Cabrotb and Worms. — The Carrot crop is rendered useless 

 in many gardens by grubs eating into the roots. This takes 

 place in many well-managed garden!, as I saw Mr. Douglas 

 complaining of it the other week. The best remedy that I 

 have tried was to scatter a quantity of soot and lime over the 

 surface of the ground before forking it over for the Carrots. 

 This works it into the ground, and keeps the soil free from all 

 sorts of grubs for the whole season. As many may have their 

 Carrots in before this time, and will, therefore, not be able to 

 adopt this plan, the next best way of applying it is to sow the 

 lime and soot between the rows and hoe it into the ground. 



Eabthinq-dp. — All kinds of Greens and Potatoes are greatly 

 benefited by being earthed-up. Some never think of drawing 

 •the soil to the sterna of any plants until they are beginning to 

 bend over with the weight of the head, but they should be 

 earthed-up long before then, and the earth should not all be 

 drawn to them at one time. Potatoes should be earthed-up 

 when the stems are not more than 3 inches high ; and all kinds 

 of Greens should have a little earth pulled to their stems 

 flhortly after they begin growing in their permanent quarters, 

 and the final earthing-up need not be done until they are con- 

 siderably advanced in growth. 



Planting in Dbills. — As few of the winter greens and the 

 generality of the late antnmn crops of these will not be planted 

 yet, it will be found very advantageous to draw drills about 

 3 inches deep (as if for sowing seed), and plant in these. This 

 plan lets the roots well down into the ground — a great ad- 

 vantage in dry weather. The plants can also be much easier 

 and much better earthed-up when the stems are short, and the 

 leaves near the surface of the soil, than when the plants have 

 ovily a slight hold of the earth. 



Beetroot Culture. — Beet if sown earlier than the last 

 week in AprU, and the summer subsequently prove dry, is in 

 great danger of running to seed, and when this occurs, al- 

 though the roots still retain their original form, they lose their 

 juiciness and flavour. Beetroot may be grown side by side 

 with such crops as Carrots and Parsnips, so far as depth of 

 ■soil is concerned, but the Beetroot delights in a cool, open, 

 moist, not sandy soil. It may be sown on ground that was 

 occupied with Potatoes last year, or if it could be placed exactly 

 over where the last year's Celery bed it would do capitally. In 

 this case it would not be necessary to trench the ground to 

 the depth of 18 inches, but otherwise it should be turned over 

 to this depth ; and the manure which is worked-in with the soil 

 at the same time should be deoayed cow dung and not decayed 

 leaves, as this kind of manure has a tendency to make the 

 roots branch and throw out a number of small fibres, which 

 they should not do, as the best roots are always those which 

 aie as free from roots as a gun barrel. 



When the ground has been turned over roughly do not fork 

 it before sowing the seed, as this would turn up the manure, 

 which should be kept well down. Smooth the surface with a 

 Dutch hoe, but do not do this unless on a fine day, when the 

 soil is dry and powdery, and after breaking the anrfaoe the 

 drills may be drawn at once. They should be from 15 to 

 18 inches apart and about 2 inches deep. One seed every 

 3 inches along the drill will be sufficient. Cover over with the 

 rake and then lightly hoe all the surface over again, and leave 

 it like this until the plants appear in the rows, then run the 

 hoe between them, and as soon as the young plants are about 

 2 inches high they may be thinned out. If a plant has come 

 up from every seed take every alternate one out, and this will 

 leave the crop 6 inches apart, which is a good distance for 

 growing them. 



Hoeing between the rows to keep the surface open and free 

 from weeds is the whole of the attention the crops require 

 from the time of thinning until September, when they will be 

 ready for taking out of the ground, and then they must be 

 dug out whole and not be drawn in two or three pieces, for the 

 roots should never be broken or injured in any way. Cat the 

 top off 3 inches from the oiown. Lay the roots in a shed to 



dry, then store them in a cool shed or cellar amongst dry 

 sand, where they will keep fresh and fit for nse until about 

 the time the next crop comes in the following antnmn. — 



A Kitchen Gardener. 



STIGMAPHYLLON OILIATUM. 

 Old plants as well as new are worthy of having their merits 

 recorded, hence I direct attention to this attractive stove plant. 

 It is only met with occasionally, but its cheerful yellow flowers 

 and pleasing foliage entitle it to a place in our stoves. It is an 

 evergreen perennial, and was introduced from Brazil towards 

 the close of the last century. Its habit is somewhat trailing, 

 hence it requires some training ; but it never looks so well as 

 when growing against a wall and not fastened too closely. 

 In such a position I have seen it much admired during the 

 summer months, its flowers being almost as " bright as a 

 Butteronp." It is easily onltivated, requiring only a mixture 



Fig. 43, — StigmapbyUon ciliatam. 



of loam and peat, and frequent syringings, to prevent red spider 

 attacking it. Cuttings of half-ripe shoots strike tolerably freely 

 if inserted in silver sand and protected with a bell-glass. It 

 is sometimes called Banisteria ciliata. It commences flower- 

 ing in April, and continues growing and flowering for many 

 weeks. Its sprays are pretty for associating with other cut 

 flowers in furnishing vases, but they do not endure long when 

 severed from the plant. It used to be grown in one of the 

 stoves at Wimbledon House, but I am not aware if it still 

 remains in the collection there. Possibly it does, for it is a 

 good old plant, and not likely to be thrown out of a garden 

 where plants are cherished. — J. P. S. 



SEAKALE. 

 Now that the time has come for planting Seakale a few hints 

 as to the successful cultivation of this, one of the most useful 

 of vegetables, may be acceptable. Seakale is not only generally 

 esteemed, but it may be had in use for a long period, say from 

 the end of November till the middle of April. It is, perhaps, 

 more useful in April and early May than in November, for 

 very often vegetables are scarce during the late spring months, 

 especially after a hot and dry summer like the last, when the 

 staple crops for winter and spring use made enoh slow progress, 

 bat Seakale grew satisfactorily. 



