496 



jodbnaij op horticultuee and cottage gaedenee. 



[ December 31, 1868. 



the open air about the beginning o£ April, the others in a cold 

 frame or under hand-glasses : — 



Ten-week Stocks 



East Lothian Intermediate 



Stocks 

 Tagetes signata pamila 

 French Marigold 

 *Na8tartiam [TropflBolum] 

 compactam 

 Nastartiam Tom Thomb 



Nastartiam Crystal Palace Gem 



Petunia, dark 



Nycterinia selagiuoides 

 *Saponaria calabrica 



Kaalfussia amelloidcs 



Brachycome iberidifolia 



JacobsBa, various colours 

 •Sanyitalia procumbens 



Ageratum mexicauum 



With a hotbed, by sowing the seed in February, Lobelia 

 speciosa and Verbena venosa may also be had, but without 

 these the list affords ample materials for making a rich and 

 varied show. Nycterinia selagiuoides is a white-flowfting 

 Verbena-like plant, which continues in bloom for the greater 

 part of the season ; it is of a dense compact habit, and well 

 fitted for making lines in ribbon borders or edging large beds. 

 Tagetes signata makes as fine a yellow bed as the best of our 

 Calceolarias, and it does not go oS as these sometimes do. Its 

 blooming powers are something wonderful. From its seedling 

 state until frost takes it, it continues one flush of yellow. 



While I am fully aware that none of the plants mentioned 

 are qualified to take the places of our idolised Pelargoniums in 

 the flower garden, yet if they are skilfully combined, them- 

 selves and their surroundings well attended to, and especially 

 if they are employed on a somewhat large scale, it will be found 

 that a most imposing display may be had without wintering a 

 single plant under glass. — Aykshibe Gardener. 



FLOWERS OF THE PAST SEASON.— No. 1. 



TnE past season was a very trying one for this beautiful 

 autumn flower, and my notes about it are to be taken with 

 reserve. I was enabled to grow all the best of the new varieties, 

 and here give the result of my observations, remarking that 

 they tally very much with those of my friend Mr. Banks, of 

 Sholden Lodge, Deal, and I believe with those of Mr. Kelway, 

 of Langport, also. 



, I. Bernard de Jussieu. — Violet ground, shaded and tinted 

 with cherry red and purple. The colour is new, but neither 

 the form of the flower nor the disposition of the spike is good, 

 and I should certainly class it as a second-rate flower. 



2. Etendard. — A well-formed flower. Spike long and well- 

 arranged ; white, lightly tinted with lilac. 



3. Eugene Scribe. — Tender rose, flamed with carmine red. 



4. Xa Fiancee. — Beautiful clear white, with small bluish 

 violet spots. 



5. Moliere. — Cherry red, with white spots. A very good 

 exhibition flower. 



0. Mozart. — Lively rose, lightly tinted with violet, flamed 

 with carmine. A very desirable variety. 



7. Princess Alice. — A pretty shade of colour, light lilac ; 

 perhaps a little too washy. 



8. Ilossini. — Dark red amaranth, lined and spotted with white. 



9. Scmiramis. — Of a beautiful colour, but in other respects it 

 has greatly disappointed me ; the form was defective, and the 

 spike lanky. I should be sorry to think that my favourable 

 opinion formed of it was wrong, and hope it may be better 

 next season. 



10. 'Thunberg. — Flowers large, perfect form, reddish orange 

 with white spots. 



H. Uii/sse — This I think the best flower of the season. The 

 flowers are well disposed on the spike ; the colour a clear bright 

 rose, spotted frequently on the lower segments. Very beautiful. 



12. Vranie. — Clear white, largely flamed with lively carmine 

 led. Very fine variety. — D., Deal. 



CUCUMBER CULTURE.— No. 2. 

 Fruiting Bed. — Dung for the fruiting bed must be prepared 

 as for the seed bed. The bed should be made a fortnight or three 

 •weeks after the seed is sown, according to the time ef year, 

 allowing a greater interval early in the year than later. Wben 

 •seed is sown early in February, the fruiting bed should be made 

 twtnty-oi!e days afterwards, or in the third week, so as to be 

 in a fit state for the plants by the end of the month, or at 

 latest by the beginning of Miirch. If seed is sown at the end 

 of February, or beginning of March, the fruiting bed ought lo 

 1)3 made up in ten days or a fortnight, so as to be ready for the 



plants when large enough, which is after they have been 

 stopped, and have made shoots about 2 inches long, always having 

 the fruiting bed ready for the plants by the time the heat in 

 the seed bed is becoming too low for their free healthy growth, 

 for the plants must be kept gently growing, and, if possible, 

 without a check from cold, whilst over-excitement from too 

 great heat is equally, if not more, injurious. 



It is very desirable, where there is an abundance of leaves, to 

 mix a quantity with the dung. They prevent the heat becom- 

 ing too violent at the commencement, and render it more 

 lasting. The leaves should be equal in quantity to the dung, 

 and should be moist, and, if possible, well mixed with the 

 dung before the bed is made up. Horse or stable dung alone 

 is apt to become very hot, often producing a heat of 160°, or 

 more, but by mixing with leaves or half-spent dung the heat 

 will be moderated. Fresh cowdung mixed with stable dung 

 only renders the heating more violent. The bed should be 

 carefully made np, well mixing all the parts, shaking them 

 out evenly and regularly, and beating them well with a fork, 

 finishing off the bed with the finer materials. 



If the bed is made at the end of February, it should be 4 feet 

 high in front, and 44 feet at back ; if early in March, 6 inches 

 less in height ; if at the end of March or beginning of April, a 

 foot less than in February, whilst 2 feet 6 inches will serve very 

 well for May. The bed being made, put on the frame and 

 lights, and keep the latter close until the heat rises, then fork 

 over the surface to the depth of about 9 inches, which will 

 allow of the heat rising to the surface by keeping the material 

 light, and permit the rank steam to escape, the lights being 

 left open about an inch for that purpose. In about a week it 

 will be seen whether the heat is likely to become too violent, a 

 thermometer being plunged for that purpose in the dung to 

 the depth of 9 or 12 inches ; and by noticing its readings for 

 two or three days it will be seen by the rapid i-ise or steady 

 temperature, whether the heat is likely to be too violent or not. 

 If too hot the fermentation must be checked, removing the 

 upper part of the bed for about a foot in depth, and watering 

 the part beneath, but not so as to chill the bed ; yet give 

 enough water to check the fermentation, and prevent the bed 

 heating itself dry. Foiking over the surface of the bed every 

 second or third day, will not only sooner fit it for the reception of 

 the plants, by preventing too violent a heat, but tend to render 

 it sweeter, the rank steam being as injurious to the plants as 

 too much or too little heat. Taking proper means to prevent 

 the generation of too much heat after the plants are put in, is 

 an important part in Cucumber culture. 



If the materials are properly prepared, and the surface of 

 the bed turned over as above described, there will be little to 

 apprehend on account of rank steam. When the temperature 

 of the bed at 6 inches from the surface does not exceed 90° 

 after the bed has been made a week, or from that to ten days, 

 it will not be liable to rise higher ; but though that heat is too 

 high for Cucumbers, we must bear in mind that the fermenting 

 materials instead of increasing decline in temperature, there- 

 fore it is desirable to commence with the heat rather too high, 

 taking the necessary precautions to prevent injury to the plants. 

 When soil is placed in the frame, and raised in the centre of 

 each light in the form of a cone, the soil at the base of the cone 

 may have a temperature too high for the roots of the plants, 

 but higher up it may not be warmer than is needful. 



When the temperature of the bed is reduced to 90', at the 

 depth above indicated, and is not likely to rise higher, prepare 

 the bed for soil. I take oS the lights and frame, and rectify 

 any irregularities resulting from the heating or settling of the 

 materials, filling up the hollows with fresh but properly pre- 

 pared hot dung, and making the surface quite even and firm 

 by beating with the fork. I then replace the frame and lights, 

 and under each light put a barrowful of soil, taking care to 

 have it moist, especially eavly in the seafon, but more in- 

 clining to be dry than wet. It will absorb mui^ture in addition 

 to heat from the bed, and if used wet becomts too much so, 

 and the plants will grow too succulent and tender, and be ill- 

 adapted for withstarjding powerful sun and air, which latter 

 at an early season is not always so warm as desirable. The 

 soil is placed all over the surface of the bed, allomiiig a barrow- 

 ful to each light or space G feet by 3 feet, audiafter being in the 

 fiame twenty-four hours, the lights being kept close, draw the 

 si>il into hilliiclis exactly under the centre of each light, which 

 will leave a little soil over the dung, and prove advantageous 

 in keeping down the steam, but the thickness of soil lefi; 

 ought not to exceed 1 inch. The hills should be raised so that 

 ■.heir tops will be precisely C inches frrm the glass. Next day 



