210 



JOURNAL OF HOETICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GARDENEE. 



[ September 17, 1868. 



BinRled out, and full exposure given to those lemainiug. The 

 treatment of Strawlerries, as of everything else, should be 

 varied according to circumstances and the object aimed at. 

 The mowing-off the leaves will succeed better in light soils and 

 in warm situations than it will do on cold stiff soils ; as in the 

 first case the mowing will be earlier performed, and a succes- 

 Bion of healthy leaves will be produced, but at the expense of 

 the stored-up nourishment existing in the bud. It may also 

 be adopted in those cases where the unworkman-like practice 

 exists of depending chiefly ou the runners of the present sea- 

 son. It is true that an abundance of Strawberries may be 

 procured by such a system, but the results of our practice' and 

 observation seem to show that such fruit is not for a moment 

 to be compared either in quantity or quality with that produced 

 by the plants when their leaves were left unmutilated. Be- 

 sides, this system of cutting off the leaves renders the plants 

 very susceptible of injury from the first keen frosts. The 

 spaces between the rows may now be slightly forked, and a 

 little manure put on at the first opportunity. 



FLOWER GARDEN. 



Where extensive alterations and improvements in pleasure 

 grounds are contemplated after this time, the sooner they are 

 proceeded with the better. There are many advantages in 

 commencing early. In the first place, more work can be done 

 in a given time now that the ground is in a workable condition, 

 than it is possible to perform after the rains of winter have set 

 in, and not only can much more be done, but it can be per- 

 formed in a much more satisfactory manner. Secondly, by 

 commencing early, we have the choice" of the nurseries for such 

 plants as are required, and there is a better chance of the 

 transijJanted shrubs succeeding, because, if the autumn is 

 mild, they will strike root at once, and if it is not mild they 

 will become so firmly fixed in the ground as to receive little I 

 injury. New ground work should, if possible, be completed by 

 Christmas, and all planting by the middle or end of November. 

 Choice evergreens, especially if removed from nursery beds, 

 are transplanted in April, as we have always found them suc- 

 ceed better then than when removed in autumn. The last, 

 and perhaps the greatest advantage of autumn planting is, that 

 it sets the gardener's hands at liberty for spring work, which, 

 if anything like high keeping is desired in the grounds, is 

 essentially necessary. Tulip seed may now be sown in shallow 

 pans or boxes, covering it very slightly. Now is a most ex- 

 cellent time to take off and pot Carnation layers ; and look well 

 after wireworms in the compost. There is nothing like the 

 grower's eye to detect these mischievous depredators. Keep 

 Auriculas from the heavy autumnal rains, but let tkem have 

 all the air possible. 



r.KEEXnorSE and CONSEEVATOr.Y. 



Everything in the conservatory should be clean and sweet, 

 the plants should never be crowded, therefore little air is 

 wanted through the ventilators while the plants are at rest; 

 indeed, letting in strong currents of air after this time does 

 much mischief by drying the soil in the pots too much, and 

 thus rendering large supplies of water necessary, when none 

 at all should be wanted. Plants in sitting-rooms now require 

 a very diiYerent treatment. Housemaids will ventilate their 

 rooms as long and as often as they can, and mske large fires 

 in cold weather, very much to the injury of plants, which 

 must have water freely every day, and should be changed as 

 often as the stock will permit. 



STOVE. 



Plants here, and indeed all house plants, have ripened 

 better this season than they generally do, owing to the hot 

 clear weather in the end of spring and through the summer. 

 This corresponds with the treatment generally recommended 

 for Eoine years past, which is, after vegetation has fairly begun 

 in spring, to increase the temperature of the house, and by 

 way of gentle forcing to assist Nature. Plants thus treated, 

 and stove plants in particular, cannot be too cautiously watered 

 late in the autumn. Nothing is now wanted but to' keep the 

 soil from becoming quite dry. In dull or rainy weather slight 

 fires should be made in the forenoon, not so much for the pur- 

 pose of raising the temperature as for drying the house. 

 Allow a little ventilation, as stoves are generally too much 

 crowded, and so damp that more or less air is always necessary 

 to maintain a healthy atmosphere. 



PITS ANI> FUAMES. 



By the middle of September Violets should be planted out 

 in pits within a few inches of the glass. After they are 

 well watered lay half an inch of very dry soil over the surface. 



in order to keep down the damp until the plants are firmly 

 established and inured to confinement. Pots of Mignonette 

 must also be protected from rain, but they should not be kept 

 close. Heliotropes often become too strong at this time ; if 

 they are in the open air when this happens they never flower 

 so freely in winter ; a sparing allowance of water with some 

 covering will soon check them. China Roses of all classes 

 that have been closely pruned in August should now be en- 

 couraged in pits, and they will soon begin to bloom. Dwarf 

 Neriums that have been hard forced to make young wood after 

 flowering, should be hardened to stand over the winter in cold 

 pits, merely keeping the frost from thtm. In about another 

 fortnight the season for propagating will be over, therefore 

 where sufficient stock is not already in, there is little time to 

 lose. Plants that are standing out to be hardened should be 

 so arranged as to be readily covered in case of frost, which 

 may now be expected, and choice plants in beds, which it is 

 intended to take up and pot, should also be protected during 

 cold nights. — W. Keane. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST WEEK. 



We were very busy in such a week of second summer, which 

 presented so many varied sources of augmenttd interest as 

 greatly to counterbalance all drawbacks and seeming evils. 



EITCHEN OAEDEN. 



In this department we thinned oxit lots of Turnips, which we 

 hope will yet come to something valuable in the autumn, and 

 watered when thinned, as the ground is now becoming dry 

 again, and would in the present weather be nearly aa dry as 

 ever but for the shorter days and the dewy nights. Watered 

 Coleworts that we wish to succeed the Cabbages young and old. 

 The main piece of the old Cabbages planted last autumn offers 

 to do good service for a long time yet. Planted out a nice piece 

 of Cabbages that had previously been pricked out, lifting the 

 plants singly with small balls, and planting with the trowel, as 

 then they are less likely to be cut down by grubs or other 

 enemies; and to counteract the grubs this season, where they 

 have troubled us much, threw some lime over the ground, 

 and turned it over and examined it minutely before planting. 

 Watered Cauliflowers now coming in, and planted out stout 

 plants, hoping they will give us a return late if the weather be 

 mild. Gave also a good watering to Celery tied up and not 

 tied up, as even in beds it was becoming dry again, and but for 

 the watering would have needed shading. 



The i'luns, Kidney and Runners, had also to be watered to 

 keep them in good bearing, and from a piece of Dwarf Kidney 

 Beans had every pod inclined to become old enough picked off, 

 as one pod seeding will do more to exhaust the plant than a 

 dozen pods rather more than half grown, and which,will break 

 as easily as a piece of thin glass. Whenever a pod will not 

 break easily it is of little use in the kitchen, and should be 

 cleared from the plant if continuous bearingis an object. Keep- 

 ing this in view, we have frequently gatheied last from our 

 first sowing— in fact, but for allowing plants to produce seed 

 pods, one sowing of Dwarf Kidney Beans, if well attended to, 

 would just answer as well as several sowings, but in such a. 

 case close picking is the secret of success. Seed-saving must 

 not be thought about, unless, indeed, a few plants are set aside 

 for the purpose. By watering Vegetable Marrows they also 

 continue to yield well. Our out-door Cucumbers were burnt 

 up chiefly from want of clean water to treat the foliage to a 

 shower bath. 



Our chief drawback as to kitchen supply this autumn is the 

 want of fine Peas, to great a treat in September and October 

 for shooting parties. We did give our crops a watering too, 

 hut not what they wauted ; but the parching heat was the great 

 evil, and hence such things are scarce or not to be seen in this 

 district, even in places where water was to be had. The mulch- 

 ing and the watering saved to us our Dwarf Kidney Beans and 

 Runners, but they naturally stand a higher temperature than 

 the Pea ; as with us, with our little water at command, all our 

 mulching, and even partial shading, failed to prevent the Pea 

 coming weak and spindling, and ultimately succumbing alto- 

 gether. 



Celery. — Our most forward Celery is pronounced to be very 

 good and sweet, but smaller than usual ; and that is saying 

 something, as we have given up aiming at having Celery mon- 

 strous in size, and for two reasons — first, that in such large 

 Celery there was not a proportionate amount of material fit to 

 send to table ; and secondly, that when such large heads were 



