280 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



t AprU 9, 1868. 



rating with it as the work proceeds abundance of rich manure. 

 The early varieties, such as the Purple Cape, Grange's White 

 Cape, Waleheren, &c., should be sown from the middle of this 

 month to the middle of May, according to locality ; and a second 

 sowing of similar kinds should be made about a fortnight after 

 the first. These will succeed the Cauliflowers, and will cai'ry 

 the supply on to Christmas. Two or three sowings of Snow's 

 Winter White put in from the beginning of April to the middle 

 of May will keep up the supply until the Sprouting varieties 

 are ready, and these again till the spring kinds come in. Carrots, 

 sow now the Covent Garden Long Surrey, the longest and best 

 for a main crop. Sow in drills 12 or 15 inches apart, covering 

 the seeds evenly to the depth of about half an inch. Cucum- 

 bers (Ridge), sow now in pots or pans filled with light soil, 

 covering the seeds about half an inch, and set in a Cucumber 

 frame or any other place where a moist gentle heat is main- 

 tained. As soon as the plants have made their seed leaves, and 

 before they become drawn, shift them into 5-inch pots, putting 

 two plants in each, and replace them in a warm moist situa- 

 tion. To keep the plants dwarf and stocky place them near 

 the glass, and when they are established and moderately 

 strong gradually admit the air more freely, and endeavour to 

 have them well prepared for planting-out by the middle or end 

 of May. Lettuce, sow for successional crops in beds of well- 

 pulverised soil at intervals of about a fortnight until the end of 

 July. Savoi/s, a succession may now be sown. Turuq)s, sow a 

 small breadth of the American Strap-leaf, a sort superior in 

 flavour and quick in growth. 



rnurr garden. 

 Newly planted trees will require to be well watered in this 

 dry weather, and afterwards mulched. Both Peach and Apricot 

 trees will now require partial disbudding, removing only a few 

 shoots at a time, that the flow of sap may not be checked. 

 Pick out the points of strong shoots, which will ensure healthy 

 bearing wood. 



FLOWEE GiEI>EN. 



The necessity of strict attention to the watering of newly 

 planted trees and shrubs cannot be too much insisted upon ; 

 and the watering should not be a mere wetting of the surface 

 of the soil, but a thorough drenching to the depth of a foot or 

 18 inches. Proceed with the hoeing and raking of borders, and 

 throw a little Mignonette or Sweet Alyssum seed in all bare 

 places. The time will not be uselessly spent in eradicating 

 Plantain and other broad-leaved weeds from the lawn. Attend 

 to mowing and sweeping, and keep every part of the garden 

 clean and neat. In mowing the American garden mulch the 

 beds with short grass ; this not only prevents the parching-up 

 of the soil, but tbe grass, when decayed, is an excellent manure ' 

 for the plants. Put in the seeds of biennials as soon as possible, 

 sowing them in drills inches or a foot apart, and covering 

 them with rich soil. Stocks, &c., in the seed beds are now 

 becoming crowded, therefore take advantage of the fii'st shower 

 to transplant them. Some of the earlier kinds of Tulips are 

 putting up their buds. This is a critical period, for heavy 

 rains are often succeeded by frosts, which congeal the water 

 retained by the leaves, and consequently the future blooms are 

 surrounded by a mass of ice to their certain injury. Some 

 florists di'aw out the water with a syringe, others on hands and 

 knees make the circuit of their beds, blowing it out with their 

 mouths. Whatever means, however, may be adopted, the 

 moisture must be removed. Pinks are on the move, and must 

 be attended to ; these when planted in the spring seldom lace 

 well. 



GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. 



Where the supply of plants in the conservatory is limited, 

 you must make the best of their bloom by slightly shading 

 them in fine days, although doing so is not good for young 

 growths. Have cuttings of Pelargonium Album multiflorum put 

 in now for flowering next November. Fulgoria is the best of all 

 the late Roses for flowering in November and December ; it 

 continues in bloom till the forced ones come in. Now is the 

 time to obtain a reserve stock of Heliotropes for forcing next 

 winter. It is also a good time to put in cuttings of Picotees 

 for forcing after Christmas. If you wish to have a good stock 

 of the plants named you must prepare always six months in 

 advance. The increased heat of the greenhouse is not intended 

 to be by fire heat, but by giving less air, and shutting up the 

 Louse early in the afternoon, when a moderate use of the 

 syringe may safely be practised. Every plant that is intended 

 for a specimen should have the best place iu the house, and 

 should be turned round twice or thrice a-week ; the shoots 

 should be stopped from time to time, and it should have free- 



dom on all sides. Epacrises and early spring Heaths will bear 

 close-pruning after they have done flowering. Correas that 

 have been flowering should now be rather closely pruned and 

 kept in-doors all summer, when they will take the place of 

 Fuchsias after September. Luculias that have been at rest 

 since flowering are now beginning to grow again, and should 

 be kept in a low moist atmosphere till all the eyes break forth. 

 Forcing the Luculia at this stage, or even eucoiiraging it to 

 make an early growth, was the principal cause of its failure on 

 its first introduction. 



STOVE. 



Now that the plants are taking hold of the fresh soil more 

 air may be allowed them, but shut up early in the afternoon, 

 and when the watering is finished give them a good syringing 

 overhead. Be sparing of fire heat after this time, even although 

 the thermometer is down to 55° in the morning. The fine 

 weather we have experienced, hot dry days and cool mornings, 

 ought to teach us how to regulate the temperature for oxir 

 house plants. The last portion of the Gesneras and Achimenes 

 should now be potted, as they can hardly be safe any longer 

 in their dry state ; but to have them late in September and 

 October they must be kept back till about the end of May in a 

 cold pit, allowing them no more water than will keep the soil 

 from being quite dry. There is more merit in retarding plants 

 properly than there is in forcing them into early bloom. 



FORCING riT. 



Hedychiums to flower late in the summer may now be 

 started, and another batch of Tuberoses put in for succession. 

 Primula sinensis for flowering from September should now be 

 little stocliy plants fit to be placed out in cold close frames by 

 the middle of May, and more seeds of it should now be sown. 

 Gesnera zebrina and longifoUa, both tall flowers, should now 

 be pushed on by all the heat and moisture at command. 



PITS AND FRAMES. 



The most forward of the Hydrangeas now in bloom must be 

 hardened off preparatory to being bedded-out; and Stocks and 

 other plants blooming in pots may now be removed to the 

 flower garden, taking care to have mats at hand to cover them 

 in case of severe frost. Most of the plants for bedding-out 

 may now be removed to temporary pits, or placed in sheltered 

 situations ; and if the pots are wanted a number of the more 

 hardy may be plunged in light sandy soil. Now is a good time 

 to divide the stools of Chrysanthemums, and cuttings should 

 be put in of those that are scarce. — W. Keane. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST WEEK. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



Such a week of scorching days and clear cold frosty nights. 

 The lawns and pastures have scarcely made any progress for 

 ten days. In the belief that changes were approaching, oppor- 

 tunity was taken of the open dry weather to forward some kinds 

 of work. 



First of all, a regular hoeing and stirring was given among 

 all young growing crops ; Cauliflowers and forward Cabbages 

 were assisted with some manure water, and, the former espe- 

 cially, mulched with rotten dung. Peas were sown and Broad 

 Beans planted, and Lettuces hardened-off for planting, as when 

 very small they are so apt to be carried off by the birds. 

 Potatoes were planted to succeed those in frames and earth 

 beds. Spinach was sown for succession. Dwarf Kidney Beatts 

 were sown in pots to be partly transferred to other pots, and a 

 few to a sheltered place in a few weeks, as at the foot of a wall. 

 What with damp and vermin we did not save a seed last sea- 

 son, and good seed of many sorts is scarce this season. For 

 general cropping iu-doors and out we prefer the China Dwarf, 

 or the Robin's Egg ; but we must do without it this season. 

 The creams and the yellows produce fine pods. There is a 

 prejudice against those whose pods are mottled and speckled ; 

 but we never found anything the matter with the flavour of 

 them. The Newington Wonder is very good when the small 

 pods are gathered young and cooked whole. Sowed Scarlet 

 Runners in some leaf mould, where they cau have protection. 

 The ground being dry, rolled that on which Onions and Carrots 

 had been sown, so as to give a firm surface. A skiff on the 

 surface with a Dutch hoe when the seedlings are aU up will 

 prevent cracking and gaping in our stiffsoil. 



Pricked-out, or rather planted, a bed of Celery under glass 

 that had been previously pricked-out. This will come in early 

 when transplanted into trenches. Would have pricked-out lots 

 of Celery, Cauliflower, Cabbage, &c. ; but the weather was very 



