July 16, 1886. ] 



JOUUNALi 01'' HOKTICULTURE ANU COTTAGE GAUDKNEll. 



(17 



tliam lUiHO ficraniiim, tlion Fluwm- of tlji' Hiiy (idmiiiuiii. 

 OppiiKild l>(!il : centre, Stella (leraiiiuiii, tlicn l'iii|ile Kiiin ViT- 

 lieim. '.Itlilied: eent.i-e, Cliristiiui {liMiiriiiiiii, then Iv^-leaved 

 While (ienmiuHi. ()l>|lllHiU^ lieil : eentn', ('.niiTiiMtKlei- in-C'liief 

 (ieraiiiuiii, tluM I'urple KinK Verlieiia. Kith IjciI : ceiilre, 'I'lUii 

 Thlinili (ieraniiuii, then I'liriile KiiiK' Verlieiia. OppdHito bed ; 

 contro, Oiiiiiinaiuler-in-Cluef (iiTanimii, then Iwn riiiKH of varie- 

 gated Mint anil blue Iiohelia iilanteil triangularly. AH thi' 

 beilH are chIki'iI with two r\ui!.^ "f (/erastiiini lonientoHUUi. 



The ni'\t ciiinpartnient contains a rihiion hnriler at each siile, 

 planteil with two rown ot Tropn'oluni [.ohhianuni elcKann, then 

 Heliotrope .li^iuiy Lind, I'lnii-li (leraniuni, then white Kcverfew, 

 haekeil with Khriihs. Opponito : an eclginK ot variegated Mint, 

 then I'lirple King Verhena, I'lineh deraninni, yellow (!aleoo. 

 laria, then I'erilla nankinensis, hiu-ked hy shrnbrt. Tho next 

 compartment from the Oak tree is iilanted with Tropaioliim 

 Iiobbi.-inum eh'gans, then scarlet (liTiinimn, backed with Age- 

 rntum. (Ipposite : Kohinson'H lleliMncc Vcrben;! and variegateil 

 Mint alti'rnately, then Stella (ieraninm, Agcratnni, and I'erilla, 

 backed by Aneiihas. Tho next compartment is also planted 

 rihhon-Ktylo with Gazania KidcMidens as edging, then Madame 

 Van<Oior (ioraninm, then Stella (toraiiinm, Hijon (luraninm, 

 and I'erilla. Opposite side : two rows of I'nrjile King Verbena 

 and Mint triangnlarly, thi^n Tom Thiurih (leranimn, tlien 

 T'Mower of the Day Geranium, then Terilia. backed by .shrnbs. 

 Tho last compartment is composed of two rows of variegated 

 Mint and hobelia speciosa triangnlarly, fonr rows ot ChriHtino 

 Geraninm, hai^kod by white Kevorfew. ]''acing tho park is a 

 long ribbon-border, planted with an edging ot variegated Mint, 

 two rows of riir|ilo King Verbena, two rows of ycOlow (.ialei'o- 

 laria, and a row of I'erilla nankinensis, backed by Aucnba ja- 

 ponic^a. It is a splendid ribbon-border, forming a ginitlo slope 

 from the back to the front. 



From Grosvenor Gate to the Marble .\rch is a long piece ot 

 pleasure ground laid out in beds (pairs to match at each side of 

 tho walk), on grass. The lirst is planted with Goleus Vorsehaf- 

 felti, edged with Centaurea canilidissima; (urenlar beds with 

 Christine Geranium alone, also beds ot Madame Vauchcr Gera- 

 nium, then circle beds of Cloth of Gold Geranium, then a pair 

 of heels of (!entanrea candidissinni. 



In the shrubberies north and south in Kensington Gardens 

 arc large iron labels stuck in front of the trees and shrubs, 

 with tho botanic and English names thus : — 



RlllKS H,\N^niINKA, 



A bloo(l-(i()I(mro(l floworcil Currimt. 



A GniHrtuljiriiiccellH Hlo'ul,. 



Kiitivc of Nortli Aiiusricu. 



IntrruluciMl 182(1. 



The late Mr. fjouilon suggosted tlie advantages of naming 

 the trees and shrubs, and also of removing the WfiU on the 

 north boundary of Kensington Gardens. After yc^ars of jierse- 

 verance he lived to see his suggcsstions carried into execution, 

 and to be universally admitteil as imjirovements. To attach 

 labels with the names to the bedded-out plants would be a boon 

 to tho public ; it would also save nurserymi^n from the trouble 

 of guessing the names ot plants described by customers who 

 have seen them in tho parks. Five pounds would cover all the 

 expense of so doing, a very small item out of tho £21,771 

 allowed for St. .lamos's. Green, anil Hyde Tarks, ami K.')'.);')!) for 

 Kensington Gardens. Very great erinlit is due to tlie Hon. \Vm. 

 Cowper, (!hief t!<mnniRsioner of the Woods and borcsts, for the 

 many imjjrovements that have been made in tho |iarks— the 

 people's parks — and for which tho many thousands that enjoy 

 thorn foel grateful. — W. ICeane. 



TIKATl'.I) VINK-li()l!I)i;ilS. 

 The question of heated Vine-borders has lately often been 

 discuBHod in my hearing, and I liavc taken every op|)ortunity 

 of forming a correct opinion on the subject, except building a 

 vinery with borders artilicially warmed. Where tho subsoil i-i 

 cold and wet it is easy to see the advantage of an open chamber 

 under a Vine-border, whether heated or not ; hut on warm and 

 dry soils it is not so easy to perceive tlie advantage. Tho 

 expense of making a chamber and putting pipes under it is 

 oouHidcralde, and wo ought to be quite sure of the advantage 

 to be gained before sucli exiiense is incurred. I have soeu 

 magnificent crops ot Grapes on Vines grown in warm borders, 

 and I think quite as good on those growing in unhealed ones; 

 tho bitter I have f.anciod were betti-r llavoureil and less inclined 

 to turn into raisins. This may only be a fancy of mine, but 



we want to hear frcmi those who h»\i' tridi both plans. Tho 

 cpu'stion ap|iears tn mc> to be this — on a warui dry soil docH n 

 Vine-border covered with litter early in autunjn get so cidd 

 during winter and early spring as to be unlit to alToi'd nourish- 

 nient to growing ViiU'S? If this can be proved to be gemniUy 

 the case, which I much duid>t, I would jiut another i|Uestiou- — 

 Is the heating by artilitMal means of a soil intended to grow 

 X'iiies the best anil cheapest mode of keeping such a soil at a 

 proper temperature'.' Before answ<'ring this question I think 

 the elTect prodnc'oil by (uivering a largo surfiu^e of ground 

 with glass ought to be investigated. 1 hav(^ a bouse, lIH) feot 

 by 'il, ke|it warm all suunuer and most of the winter for tho 

 growth ot Vines in pots; under tho (loor of this house is a 

 large soft-water cistern, and though of course the rain cjuiglit 

 during winter and melted snow are cold enough, I believo 

 water was nevi'r pnmpeil out for use during the coldest weather 

 at h^ss than 7(1". How can a large surface of land covered by 

 a liothi>uso get cold? Sujijiosi^ vineries were built !ill feet wide 

 and the trees planted inside, w<Hild tluir roitts not be warm 

 eninigb V A housi' for trees as Inishes nuiy be too wide, bocauHO 

 if they are planted thickly they shade each other, but for VinOH 

 trained under the roof this is no objection. The best flavoured 

 bl;u!k Grajies I tasteil last season were so grown in a houHO 

 without tire heat.^J. K. I'eahkon, Chilwdl, A'iiH.<. 



CUCUMREllS OUT OF DOOllS. 



Wk believe in warm situations the best plan to grow Cu- 

 cumbers out of diHU-s is to sow them in the cqien ground 

 about tho end of May, and then thin out as you would a 

 row of Turnips, leaving (1 or 7 feot from row to row. The hugo 

 baskets of short Cucumbers and (therkins that lind their way 

 from Sandy and liiggleswado to tho London inarket, are thus 

 managed. The ]ilants receive one or two Htojipings, and somo- 

 tinu.'s none at all, and the gathering ciuitiniUH until the cold 

 nights conm in the autumn. Though tho C'ucumbers look some- 

 what rough and gnarly, they ari! very swi^et ami crisp when cut 

 young, when so numaged. In sucli circumstances the plantH 

 do nnich better to be sown wliere they are to grow, than when 

 raised in heat, hardened off, and then transidanted, as they 

 are apt to show the effects of the coddling. 



The next best plan, and necessary in cold idaces, is to mako 

 a slight hotbed, hy nniking a hole suliicient to hold two or three 

 barrowloads of hot dung, [ilacing the earth <m it in a mound, 

 bevelled down, and then Kowing half a dozen Heeds on each 

 mound close together, ami thinning out to three or four plants 

 afterwards. If these Ciin have a hand-light placeil over thorn 

 it will bo all tho better, giving air as soon as the plants ai'o up ; 

 and as soon as tho plants are largo enough to nni beyond tho 

 glass, tilt the glass up (Ui four bricks, four jiieces of turf, or 

 foin- lumps of soil, 'i'lji! glass will keep tlie collars of the plant 

 fri>m heavy rains, and thus save them from gangrene. Many 

 dispense with tho glasses altogether after June, but in wet 

 districts wo deem them useful for tho above purpose. In all 

 such cases, the Cucumbers will thrive better if tho vinos are 

 Bto)i|ied, and tlio laterals stopped hack, and not too many fruit 

 allowed to remain, just as tluiso in frames are generally ma- 

 naged. Where grown on a large scali^ in a Held, tho constant 

 gathering rendeis sucli care h:n» necessary, as llu^ gathering 

 every other morning or so prevents the plants being exhausted 

 prematurely. 



Even in cold places wo have fjrown CueumbcrH very huccobs- 

 fully, and long kinds, too, by training tliem to a couplo of 

 stems against a wall or paling facing tlie K(uitli. In this caHO 

 a hole was dug, a lilllo )u>t manure given, and fresh rich soil 

 added to the natural soil ; good strong plants wcmv linmght fnmi 

 a cold pit. These jilants had the point nijiped (uit at the third 

 rough leaf. Two slioots were- allowed to come, all otliers wore 

 nippc.l out, and these shoots were trained up the fence about 

 ■.: feet apart, and were not stojiped until they were from .') to 4 feot 

 ,u length, or sometimes longer, the object being to have a strong 

 plant before tho CucuniherH aiijieared. After Htojiping almoBt 

 every side shoot woubl tlien fruit at the second and third joint, 

 these side shoots were stojiped the joint beyond the fruit, and 

 thinning tho fruit and this slopping was almost all that was re- 

 quired, with good warm waterings in hot weather, to insure 

 continuous hearing until the weatiier got too cold. I'roteetod 

 thus by a fence the plants will hear long(!r than when on tho 

 ground in tho oiien air. This will bo Esjiecially the case if a 

 niat or a piece of calico is suspended over the plants during a cold 

 night. Beds in the open air will also continue bearing longer 



