April 1, 1869. ] 



JOURNAL OF HOBTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GAUDENER. 



227 



three weeks, and of Spinach onoe a-fortnight. Sucoessional 

 sowings of all saliKh should be made with strict regularity, 

 and proper attention should be paid to preserving them from, 

 the ravages of birds and insects. It the crops of Onlom, 

 Leeks, Farsniiis, Beet, Salsafy, Scorzonera, and Skirret are not 

 yet sown, no time should be lost, and the latest period for 

 Bowing the main crop of Carrot!: is at hand. A sowing of Ihvarf 

 Kidney Ihans may now be made in early lo.^alities ; the early 

 sowing of this useful vegetable is not unfrtc|uently cut off by 

 late spring frosts, but when this happens the ground should be 

 left undisturbed, as shoots will be produced from beneath the 

 surface. Attend to Veiictahlc Marroiif, Tomatoes, &c., and 

 endeavour to form strong plants, keeping them near ilie glass, 

 and freely exposed to air on fine days ; avoid their becoming 

 drawn by keeping them too close. 



FRUIT GAKDEX. 



Disbud Peach and Nectarine trees as soon as the young 

 shoots will admit of it, but do this carefully at lirst, and in a 

 week or ten days go over them again and again so as to pre- 

 vent a too sudden check to the flow of the sap, and to afford 

 the fruit the protection of the leaves, &c., as lon,"^ as it can be 

 done without injury. Look sharply after green lly, and apply 

 tobacco water the moment it is perceived. On light sandy soils, 

 however, it may be kept in check by frequent washings with 

 the engine. Whatever method is preferred, see that it is ap- 

 plied before such pests become established. The superfluous 

 shoots of Apricots must also soon be removed, and the re- 

 mainder carefully examined in search of a green caterpillar, 

 which not only injures them but also eats holes in the young 

 fruit, thereby causing it to gum, grow deformed, and fall off 

 before it is stoned. Go over Strawberry plantations made late 

 last autumn, and replant places where the plants have failed. 



FLOWER GARDEN. 



Those who force Neapolitan Violets should for the next three 

 weeks or month propagate stock, either by means of cuttings 

 cr runners. Young stock of choice Pausies of last autumn's 

 striking should soon be planted out in the flower-garden beds 

 or borders. If the soil is in any way exhausted, a little fresh 

 material should be put in every hole, such as old rotten loamy 

 turf mixed with well-decayed leaf soil, a little soot, and a little 

 coarse sand. Too much manure may induce larger blooms for 

 a time, but it soon renders the plants unruly. Sow Sweet 

 Peas and Mignonette. If the former are required early, soak 

 them in warm water for several hours previous to sowing. 

 Shrubberies should now be gone over, pruning incroaehing 

 branches, and removing all dead and dying limbs. Dead 

 shrubs, if any, should be removed at once, and replaced by 

 others from the nursery or reserve garden. 



GBEENHODSE AND CONSERVATORY. 



Among winter-blooming plants few are more attractive or use- 

 ful than Gesnera oblongata and Euphorbia jacquiniicflora, both 

 being profuse bloomers and remaining long in beauty. These 

 should be extensively grown where winter flowers are valued, 

 and, therefore, they should be afforded every necessary ac- 

 commodation and attention at the present season, in order to 

 secure good specimens for next winter. Attend also to afford- 

 ing other winter plants sufficient pot room and a growing 

 temperature, so as to induce free growth and have the wood 

 well ripened early in autumn. They will flower well through- 

 out the winter. Chinese Primroses, especially the double 

 varieties, are also deserving of every attention. Sow seed of 

 the fringed and semi-double kinds, and encourage the seedlings 

 with a moist genial atmosphere, shading sUghtly during bright 

 days. Unless there is a good stock of young plants of the 

 best double varieties at hand, the flowers should be picked off 

 the old plants as soon as they show symptoms of weakness, 

 shaking the exhausted soil from their roots, and repotting in 

 light fibrous peat well mixed with sand, keeping the plants 

 well down in the pots, and placing them in a warm shady situ- 

 ation. This will obviate the difficulty which many experience 

 in the management and propagation of those showy winter 

 flowers, for if the plants have not been too much exhausted by 

 blooming, young roots will be freely emitted from every branch, 

 and when this happens the plants should be broken up and re- 

 potted separately, affording them a rather warm and thoroughly 

 moist atmosphere until they become well established, when 

 with ordinary care they will grow and form fine specimens. 

 Fuchsias intended for winter work must also soon receive at- 

 tention ; when growing freely the atmosphere can hardly be kept 

 too moist, and they will also be benefited by occasional supplies 

 of manure water. Young growing specimens of hardwooded 



greenhouse plants should likewise bo kept as moist and warm 

 as can be done without inducing weakly growth. See that 

 these are properly supplied with water at the roots, and do not 

 allow them to sustain any check from want of pot room. 



STOTK. 



Train shoots of climbers as they advance in growth, also 

 attend to the stopping and training of other plants, and allow 

 free-growing subjects plenty of room. Achimenes and Gloxinias 

 filling their pots with roots will enjoy an occasional watering 

 with weak manure water. Persevere in keeping down insects, 

 which if allowed will soon multiply with great rapidity. Proceed 

 with repotting Orchids as they require it. Do not use the 

 syringe too freely on such as are just started into growth, but 

 keep the atmosphere thoroughly moist. See that specimens 

 on blocks or in baskets are not allowed to suffer from want of 

 water. 



PITS AND FR.iMES. 



The cold which we are experiencing renders the management 

 of bedding plants somewhat difficult. It is yet dangerous 

 without great caution to risk even the hardier kinds from 

 under the protection of glass. All that can safely be done 

 until the weather becomes warmer in the way of hardening 

 stock preparatory to its being planted out, is to give as much 

 air as circumstances will admit without injuring the plants, and 

 to place Calceolarias and the strongest Verbenas in turf pits, 

 where they can be protected. Such plants when removed to 

 cold pits should be planted out in light soil, which will save 

 trouble in watering, and be much better for the plants than 

 keeping them confined in small pots. — W. Keane. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST ^^fEEK. 



Saturday, March iOth, was a day of snow, and after rather 

 a mild week, on Saturday, March ^Tth, there was a morning 

 of severe frost for the season, fully 8' below freezing in a 

 sheltered spot. Seldom do changes come so suddenly at this 

 time of the year, as the preceding evening was mild and warm, 

 and the atmosphere well studded with soft fleecy clouds. The 

 first thing done in the morning was, in addition to the laurel 

 twigs against Apricot and Peach trees, to scatter and fasten 

 among them a little rough hay, as if it remain for two days it 

 will do no harm, as the wind is cold and northerly, and then 

 to scatter a little of the same over Gooseberry and Currant 

 trees, as the Pear, Cherry, and Plum trees did not .seem so for- 

 ward as to be injured, more especially if there should be little 

 or no wet with the frost. A little snow fell about 2 a.m., and 

 afforded some protection. However, covering was made ready, 

 and even cold frames, etc., received a little more, and no un- 

 covering in such a keen day was resorted to until after 9 a.m., 

 and very little air was given to anything under glass during 

 the day, as where the heat was applied the flres were let out, 

 and the heating left to the sun. Many little jobs, as moving 

 plants from frames and pits, had to be given up, and other 

 work, as harrowing, fencing. Sec, resorted to, as nothing could 

 be gained by moving plants from place to place in the open air 

 in such a cutting atmosphere, iloving and regulating, and 

 changing plants in houses from one part to another were quite 

 different affairs, and even the short time that cuttings were 

 exposed was of little moment, as they could be made in-doors, 

 demonstrating, as lately alluded to, the superiority of houses to 

 pits, even if for nothing else than their admitting of work being 

 done in all weathers. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



We considered ourselves fortunate in having had the largest 

 of our spring Cucumber plants planted out in the middle of 

 the week, but as we had in the open air a lot of Sea-kale under 

 pots, with nothing over the pots, we threw some litter over 

 them, as we have had the young shoots frozen under such cir- 

 cumstances before now. i?ine strong Cabbages of the London 

 Market and Enfield varieties were all the better for the earth- 

 ing-up they had recently received, as thus the stems were kept 

 from the frost and cold winds. 



What with wet, cold, and frost, we are becoming reconciled 

 to having as yet sown so few seedi in the kitclicn garden, as 

 with our heavy soil the seeds are safer in their packets. We 

 have a lot of Peas in semicircular drain-tiles in the orchard 

 house, but we would like a change of weather before we plant 

 them out and stake them. Even seeds sown a fortnight or 

 three weeks ago have done little more than swell, without send- 

 ing out their young plumules and rootlets, and they would 

 be safer than those that had, as it were, chipped their shell 



