July 25, 1865. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



75 



))nt after somo experience with this netting, with calico, and 

 other materials, we have come to the conclusion that all at- 

 temptcil means of preservation are only so much labour and 

 money thrown awiiy. All such preparations render the mate- 

 ria! more brittle and hable to crack ; and we do believe tliat 

 if kept as it comes from the manufactory, and put away in a 

 nice dry state, it will last longer than when treated with pre- 

 ser\-ing li(puds, ,tc. That is our candid opinion after consider- 

 able experience.] 



MILDEWED SEEDLING TINUSES. 



I nAVK had somo hea\'y losses this year among my seedling 

 Pinuses, from what appears to me to be a kind of fmigus attack- 

 ing the young growth. 1 have tried various means to prevent 

 it, such as keeping dry, giving plenty of air, itc, but to no 

 purpose. Perhaps some of your readers can give me informa- 

 tion how to remedy the ei-il. — T. W. W. 



[Our ad\-ice is to prick them off as soon as they appear above 

 ground, and use piu'e loam that has no streaks of fungus in it. 

 Probably the seedlings, too, are growing rather crowded. Dust- 

 ing them with (lowers of sulphur from a large pepper-box may 

 do good. Your chief remedy will be pricking-off as soon as 

 yon can handle them, and giving plenty of air after they begin 

 to root freely.] 



NEW EARLY PEAS. 



I BEG to give you my experience of one of the new early Peas 

 sent out last spi-iug. I sowed this season Dickson's First and 

 Best, DiUistone's Early, and Sangster's No. 1, and found the 

 first fully nine days oai-her than either of the others ; the 

 quality is excellent, and it is a most prolific bearer, very hardy, 

 a strong grower, and pods from top to bottom. I gathered a 

 much larger crop from Dickson's First and Best than I did 

 from either of the others, and for the future I shall sow only 

 this for my first crop. — W. Kindon, Doicnton Castle Gardens, 

 Ludlow. 



Being much interested in the discussion on early Peas, which 

 has appeared in your columns for the past few weeks, I may, 

 perhaps, be ;illowed to say that I sowed Dickson's Fh'st and Best 

 on the last day in February on a south border, and that I 

 gathered the first dish on the 6th of June, and dishes on every 

 subsequent day during the week. The crop was most prolific, 

 the quaUty excellent, and the period they continued in a bearing 

 state was much longer than any early Pea I have yet grown. 

 I therefore do not hesitate to affirm that it is the earliest 

 and best Pea in cultivation. — E. Eobektsos, Stuke Edith Park, 

 Ledbury. 



Several communications having already appeared in your 

 columns respecting early Peas, and much difference of opinion 

 seeming to exist among gardeners as to what I'ea ought to be 

 styled the earliest, I ventiue to give my experience this season. 



On the 8th of February I sowed Paul's Tom Thumb, which 

 Pea I had hitherto found to be the earliest, on a south border. 

 Dickson's First and Best was sown at the same time on an 

 open flat, and I gathered Peas from that variety on the 3rd of 

 June, Tom Thumb not being ready for several days, although 

 accommodated with so favom-able a situation. I have never 

 gathered so many Peas and so early from a single row as I 

 have done this year, and I can confidently recommend those 

 who have not tried this valuable new Pea to do so, as, in my 

 opinion, it is very properly named the " First and Best." — 

 G. PovEY, Doveridgc Gardens, Uttoxeter. 



TOMATOES. 



A GOOD metlical authority ascribes to the Tomato the follow- 

 ing very important medical quahties : — 



1st, That the Tomato is one of- the most powerful aperients 

 of the hver and other organs ; where calomel is indicated, it is 

 one of the most effective and the least hurtful medical agents 

 kno^Ti to the profession. 



2nd, That a chemical extract wUl be obtained from it that 

 wiU supersede the use of calomel in the cure of disease. 



3rd, That he has successfully treated diarrhcea with this 

 article alone. 



4th, That when used as an article of diet, it is almost sove- 

 reign for dyspepsia and indigestion. 



,')th. That it should be constantly used for daily food ; either 

 cooked or raw, or in the form of catsup, it is the most healthy 

 article now in use. 



To Preserve Tomatoes. — Professor Mapes says : — "If Toma- 

 toes are slightly scalded and skinned, and put into bottles, and 

 those set in ln'iiling water for a few minutes, and corked and 

 sealed, the fruit will keep as long as desired, and if eaten when 

 first opened will have the same taste as when just picked from 

 the \-ines." 



Probably a better way ia to peel the Tomatoes and hoil 

 slightly so as to expel the air, then put in heated bottles and 

 cork at once. All depends on the exclusion of the air. The 

 more perfectly this is done the longer fruit may be preserved. 



WORK FOR THE ^^'EEK. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



ER.iDiCATE all weeds before they shed their seed ; puU them 

 up by hand, as cutting them up with tlie hoe and allowing 

 them to remain on the ground is nearly as bad as letting 

 them stand ; for although the seed may not be ripe at the time, 

 the sun will soon ripen it. We allude particularly to Groundsel, 

 Shepherd's-piu-se, and Sow Thistle. Cauliflowers, the main 

 crop for autumn use should be immediately planted on a rich 

 piece of ground. This vegetable, when planted at this season, 

 becomes very useful after the Peas are over. Cucumbers, if they 

 are required through the winter, seed should be sown, so as to 

 have strong plants by the beginning of September. Carefully 

 attend to those in frames, remove decayed leaves from the 

 plants, and about twice a-week, in warm weather, give them a 

 liberal supply of water. Herb-beds, where new ones are required 

 may now be "made ; the groimd to be previously manured and 

 dug, sUps of some sorts and rooted plants of others should 

 be immethately planted in them. Lettuce, thin and transplant 

 a sufficient quantity for use ; keep them watered during the 

 continuance of dry 'weather. Onions, the early-planted ones 

 from the autumn sowing will probably be fit to pull up ; if the 

 weather is fine let them he on the ground a day or two before 

 they are housed, but if showery, they had better be laid in an 

 open shed. Parsley, let a sowing be made immediately, if it 

 was not done at the beginning of the month. If any has_ been 

 left for seed let it be gathered as it ripens, or the best of it will 

 be lost. Peas, earth-up and stick the advancing crops ; the 

 sticks from the early crops will now be out of use. Potatoes, 

 plant some that have been saved from last year to produce new 

 ones in the autiunn ; the rows may be closer together than for 

 spring planting. Radishes, the Black and White Spanish should 

 now be sown for winter use ; also sow the common kinds_ for 

 successional crops. Spinach, continue to keep up a succession, 

 a larger space of groimd may now be devoted to it, as it will 

 not now so soon rim to seed. 



FKUIT GAKDEN. 



A systematic application of the principles of pruning should 

 be continued to fruit trees diu-ing the summer months. The 

 tendency to excessive luxuriance fi-equently exhibited by espa- 

 lier trees renders the operation of disbudding, stopping, and 

 shortening shoots more particularly essential. The whole 

 principle of pinching is merely this — in the first place, to pinch 

 all young shoots not necessary for the framework of the tree ; 

 secondly, to stop those shoots which threaten to overgi-ow their 

 neighbours, by which means a due equilibrium of the branches 

 wiU be maintained ; and finally, having commenced a system 

 of repression, to continue it in regard to lateral shoots which 

 are developed by this system of stopping. Keep the Vines 

 carefully tacked in, and the laterals constantly stopped ; both 

 branch and stem will be benefited by sharing abundantly the 

 advantages of a free exposiu-e. Let the free-gi-owing shoots of 

 Plums be regularly laid in, as they are apt to become awkward 

 in training if left too long. The sooner the gi-ound is prepared 

 for Strawberries the better, let it be weU maum-ed and trenched 

 to the depth of 3 feet. 



FLOWER GARDEN. 



Cuttings of Roses may now be taken and planted in a close 

 frame in a northern aspect. In about a month they will have 

 shown a disposition to strike root, when they may be taken up 

 carefully, potted and plunged in a sUght bottom lieat. Treated 

 thus they will make nice plants in a short time, and if kept 

 under a slight protection during winter wiU fill their pots with 



