314 



JOURNAL OF HOETICDLTURE AN© COTTAGE GAEDENEB. 



[ April 2S, 1868. 



Boon increase, and be observed to penetrate the coarse sackcloth 

 and appear outside, and when these are sufficiently vigorous 

 the branch may be cut o& and planted. 



WORK FOR THE WEEK. 



KITCHEK GARDEN. 



Asparaifiii, in cutting this for use see that the weak spindling 

 shoots are cut off at the same time, that they may not hinder 

 the better from coming regularly forward. Broccoli, seed should 

 now be sown for the main supply next winter and spring. The 

 Dwarf and Tall Sprouting are the most economical and useful 

 of all the Cabbage tribe for winter Greens ; if these are sown 

 now, and again at the beginning of May, they will produce 

 tender sprouts from November till this time next year. No 

 cottage garden should be without these varieties, which are 

 far preferable to Borecole. Kidney Beans, plant in boxes to be 

 protected for a time, and in the open ground to take their 

 chance of the season. Peas and Beans, together with Spinach, 

 Turnips, Saladx, and other succession crops, must now be sowia 

 oftener, and in smaller quantities till midsummer, as they will 

 come in faster during hot weather. Sca-l;ale, clear away the 

 litter and pots as the stools get past use. Cut over the shoots 

 level with the ground, and dig over the beds, and if the stoals 

 tiirow up more shoots than can be fully exposed to the sun and 

 -air thin them out. 



FRUIT GARDEN. 



Plum and Pear trees will now be ready to have some of the 

 strongest young shoots stopped. The Apricot, Plum, and 

 Cherry must be carefully looked over to find the mischievous 

 little caterpillar which shuts itself up by twisting the young 

 foliage round its retreat. This caterpillar never occurs in great 

 numbers, and is easily kept under. Now is an anxious time 

 with the gardener while the host of winged insects, cater- 

 pillars, slugs, and worms are busy at their work of destruction, 

 and perpetual war must be maintained against them, to say 

 nothing of the cara and judgment necessary in regulating the 

 young shoots on wall and espalier trees. 



FLOWEn GARDEN. 



Some of the early-sown annuals will now require thinning 

 out, in doing whi h remove all but five or six of the strongest 

 plants, and these, if not very strong, may have the terminal 

 leaf buds removed to make them busby. Stir the ground 

 round the plants deeply with the hoe, and if they are weakly 

 apply a shght dressing of guano, and then give a good soaking 

 of water. Many of the herbaceous plants will now require 

 a little thinning and training, and in regulating them do not 

 bundle them up like so many pea sticks, but tie the branches 

 out separately as you would a prize Pelargonium. Attend 

 to the young growths of climbers before they become crowded, 

 and remove any stray branches which are not likely to pro- 

 duce flowers. The covering from half-hardy plants may 

 now be removed entirely in the daytime ; but it will be well 

 for a fortnight longer to stretch a mat over the tops of the 

 plants for fear of frost. Keep all newly-planted trees well 

 watered, and recently-laid turf should be watered and after- 

 wards covered with old tan to prevent its burning. Examine 

 Eoses to see that the bud-worm is not at work, and dress them, 

 if necessary, with tobacco water and soapsuds to clear them of 

 the green fly. Many of the strong-growing hybrid China and 

 French varieties will be the better of having some of the strong 

 growths thinned-out — indeed, no more branches should be left 

 upon a Rose than can be properly exposed to the sun and air. 

 Remove the strongest branches, which frequently run into 

 gross shoots ; the middle-sized ones generally produce the finest 

 flowers. Auriculas are in most situations fully expanded, with 

 the exception of the northern counties, where they are some- 

 what later. In order to preserve the bloom the pots must be 

 removed to a cold place, having a north aspect. The direct 

 rays of the sun have a prejudicial effect on the colours, causing 

 the dark or body colour to start or difiase itself over the mar- 

 gin. Few spring flowers are so beautiful or more worthy of 

 the trouble requisite to insure their perfection. This dry 

 weather is trying to Polyanthuses, and is favourable to the 

 attacks of red spider. This pest dislikes moisture. Should a 

 plant bo affected (which is soon ascertained by the margin of 

 the leaves turning inwards and assuming a yellow hue), it is 

 fjund that by watering it well and pi icing a common garden 

 pot over it, occasionally discharging some Scotch snu2 on the 

 under sides of the leaves, the insect may be destroyed. The 

 sticks had better be inserted in the blooming pots of Car- 



nations, Picotees, and Pinks, to support some varieties that 

 have a tendency to spindle early, and if delayed longer pushing 

 the sticks down is apt to injure the roots. Keep the pots free 

 from weeds. 



GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. 



Camellias now making their growth require larger portions 

 of water da'ly if the pots are thoroughly drained. Orange 

 trees also require more water for the next month than at any 

 other time. Some of the Passion-flowers, Ipomteas, and other 

 strong-growing climbers should now be close-pruned if yon 

 wish for a late display in autumn. In former years it was a 

 prevalent opinion that Heaths, Epacrises, and similar plants 

 would be ruined if touched with a knife, but now it is proved 

 that no plant bears pruning better, and men in nurseries may 

 be seen cutting off the young tops of these in handfuls after 

 the plants have done flowering. Other free-growing plants 

 have their tops regularly pinched off at every other joint, in 

 order to form them into round bushy specimens. Let the 

 greenhouse be syringed every afternoon, and the house shut up 

 at night till the growth of the principal tribes is nearly finished, 

 when they may be kept more cool and dry to ripen them off 

 si jwly. 



STOVE. 



The plants in general promise to make a healthy and early 

 growth this season, owing to the summer-like weather we have 

 been favoured with ; stimulants may, therefore, be applied 

 earlier than usual to such strong-growing plants as are known 

 to be so benefited. Stove plants at this stage and under strong 

 sun can hardly be kept too hot in the daytime, provided a 

 slight shade is thrown over the glass, the atmosphere being 

 kept moist, and a free supply of air admitted, and under such 

 treatment they can hardly be too cool at night. Young plants 

 of which it is desired to form fine specimens should be watched, 

 and as soon as their roots have reached the sides of the pots 

 they must be fresh potted. Others, again, must be cramped 

 at the roots to induce them to make short flowering spurs. 

 Many of the climbing plants so treated may be made to assume 

 the character of shrubs, to suit particular circumstances and 

 situations. 



PITS AND FRAMES. 



Propagation by cuttings and grafts must be continued till a 

 full stock is reared ; tender annual seeds for late flowering may 

 now be sown. Very many plants that are difficult to strike 

 from cuttings may be easily increased by grafting on the roots 

 of some allied species. All tender seedlings should be potted 

 as soon as they can be handled. The plants are, of course, 

 being removed from these structures to temporary protections 

 as fast as possible. If they are not quite clean give them a 

 good fumigating before they are taken out. Pot-off all recently- 

 propagated plants, and see that you have a sufficient stock of 

 everything to plant your beds properly ; if not, put in some 

 more cuttings without delay, and they will do admirably to fill 

 up gaps in the summer. — W. Keane. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST WEEK. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



Everything out of doors was assuming a rather parched 

 appearance, owing to the dry north and easterly winds. The 

 shower of Friday evening, with the wind inclining more to the 

 south, though often going back to the old quarter, made every- 

 thing look quite different. 



Peas planted-out, that were not so green as we like to see 

 them, had the slightest dusting of soot thrown over them, and 

 were then sprinkled from the rose of a watering pot, to enable 

 them to receive better help from the anticipated shower ; for 

 we do not expect a very heavy rainfall just yet, and except in 

 particular cases, several times referred to, we do not like sprink- 

 ling overhead in bright sunny weather. Onions, too, are now 

 coming up vigorously. Some of our very forward neighbours 

 have had to sow again ; the keen frost was too much for the 

 young Onions, and made them hang their heads, and most of 

 them would never do good afterwards. 



Lettuces coming on were hoed, to let air and moisture among 

 them, and many that had been protected were planted out in 

 rows ; spring-sown ones out of doors have had the litter and 

 branches removed that kept them from the birds, and_ it is 

 amazing what a change a single day has made in their ap- 

 pearance. 



Parsley. — Main crops were sown in rows, and that for use 



