132 



JOURNAL OF HOETICULTUKE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



r August 15, 1865. 



WORK FOR THE WEEK. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



Cleaeing off all crops as soon as they are exhausted, and 

 the destruction of weeds, tend not only to improve the appear- 

 ance of the garden but are actually, vrith reference to the soil, 

 of economical importance. Broccoli, the latest crops should 

 now be planted out, if not yet done. Cahhane, another sowing 

 may be made in the end of the week to remain in the seed-bed 

 during the winter. A late sowing sometimes comes in rery 

 useful ; also, make a sowing of Eed Dutch for summer use. 

 Caulijioicci; make a sowing in the end of the week, for plants 

 to stand the winter. The Asiatic is a large and excellent sort 

 for this purpose. Celery, previous to earthiug-up the first time 

 give the trenches a thorough watering, as the plants v,-iU not 

 receive much benefit from waterings afterwards. The earth- 

 ing-up should be carefully done, the whole of the leaves being 

 kept close together at the time. Cticumhcr^. the lights may be 

 drawn off those that are in frames during gentle showers of 

 rain, but not when it is sufficiently heavy to injm-e the leaves. 

 Gather Gherkins for pickling. Dwarf Ki,hic:/ Beaux, keep the 

 crop closely gathered, for if allowed to remain until they are 

 too old for use they cease to bear as they otherwise would do. 

 Lettuce, sow largely for standing thi-ough the winter. The 

 Brown Cos, Black-seeded Bath Cos, and Hardy Hammer- 

 smith, and Bro-rni Dutch are the best sorts for sowing at this 

 season. Plant out from the late sowings for autumn use. As 

 regards prescribed periods of sowing, it is advisable to study 

 both the soil and locality of a garden, that its advantages and 

 disadvantages may be imderstood. There are locaUties where 

 it is necessary to deviate considerably from ordinary practice 

 to meet peculiarities. Onions, pull up and house tliose that 

 have done gi-owing. If the main crops have long necks the 

 tops may be broken down ; if not, there is no advantage in 

 doing so. LadisJies, make another sowing of Black and \ATute 

 Spanish, and also of the Turnip-rooted sorts. Tomatoes, let 

 the most forward of the fruit be fully exposed to the sun. 

 Eemove some of the leaves which shade it. Keep all the shoots 

 Stopped immediately there is sufficient voung fruit on the 

 plants. 



FKUIT GARDES. 



The preservation of waD friut from birds and insects should 

 receive attention. The bean-stalk eamng-traps should be fre- 

 quently examined. Worsted or other small-meshed netting 

 may be employed with advantage to protect Green Gage or 

 other Plums. Look carefully over Peach and Nectarine trees, 

 and remove nails that are too close to the swelling fruit. In 

 Stopping and arranging the wood let only as much as can be 

 conveniently laid in be allowed to remain, "and the quantity laid 

 in should also be gr-eatly regulated by due consideration for 

 the perfection of the fruit and the proper ripening of the wood, 

 which only the influences of sim and air can accomplish. It is 

 also an error in another respect to i-etain a large amount of 

 wood to be removed in the winter pruning, as imdue excite- 

 ment and extension is given to the roots, which, with a super- 

 abundant supply of sap, induces in the spring the growth of 

 rank and unmanageable wood. Pear shoots which have been 

 left or only partially shortened, should now be pruned back to 

 three or four eyes. Proceed with Strawberry planting. Eemove 

 rnimers from established plants to relieve and strengthen them. 



FLOWER GARDEN. 



Hollyhocks, Dahlias, and herbaceous jilants must be made 

 safe from the effects of high winds, by secru'ely fastening them 

 to their supports. The like attention should be paid to climb- 

 ing plants against walls and trellises, standard Eoses, &c. 

 There is an appearance of negligence when plants are blown 

 about by the w-ind, which should by all means be avoided. 

 Eemove daily dead leaves, bloom, and litter of all kinds, and 

 frequently sweep and mow grass to give a clean well-kept ap- 

 pearance. Gravel walks should be frequently rolled dm-ing 

 heavy rains to keep them finu. The general pruning of ever- 

 green shr-ubs should now take place, reducing straggling growths 

 within proper limits, biit avoiding giiiug them anvthing of a 

 formal character. The object is to assist, not deform, natm-e. 

 By this the general characteristics of each plant will be as much 

 as possible preserved. The case is different in pnming shrubs 

 used as architectural embelhshmeuts, which will require trim- 

 ming into the precise figure wanted. Cutting hedges should 

 now be finished, using the knife for large-leaved plants. Keep 

 the shi-ubbery borders clean by frequent dressings. 



GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. 



Should the weather continue unsettled it will be an advantage 



to many dehcate plants to introduce them early into the 

 greenhouse. It is better always to anticipate an evil by pre- 

 caution, than to supinely await its arrival. We shall soon have 

 short, sunless, damp days, and long nights, therefore look over 

 the stock of pot-plants, and see that none of them are suffering 

 for want of pot-room, or other attention necessarj' to assist 

 them to make young wood for flowering next season ; also see 

 that proper care is afforded any late-gi-owing plants in the 

 borders, for while in active gi-owth much more water will be 

 necessary. Large old specimens of CamelUas should not be 

 allowed to become too dry- at the root after they have set their 

 buds, for this is what generally causes them to di'op theii- buds 

 — a som-ce of frequent complaint. Yoimg vigorous plants, how- 

 ever, frequently require to be watered rather sparingly at this 

 period, to prevent then- making a second growth. Cinerarias 

 for early flowering should now be growing freely ; attend to 

 these with shifting, &c. 



STOVE. 



Many of the hardwooded spring-flowering specimens, when 

 kept growing late in the autimin, when there is not sufficient 

 simshine to properly ripen the wood, seldom flower strongly ; 

 therefore give every encom-agement to such as have not made 

 their growth, and use the shading very sparingly after this 

 time. The twiners here will now be in their glory. Keep 

 them weU supplied with water at the root, and give frequent 

 attention to regulating the shoots and disposing the blooms in 

 the most effective manner. Allamandas are fine plants for 

 pot culture, but to have them in perfection they must be 

 planted out in the border of the stove, and ti-aiued to the 

 pillars or back wall, where they flower magnificently during 

 a great part of the year. The briUiant Clerodendi'on splendens, 

 the Combretums, Echites suberecta and splendens, Stephanotis 

 floribunda, and many other first-rate plants, do splendidly when 

 treated in the same manner, and trained near the glass. 



PITS AND FRAMES. 



Propagation of stock for next season must be commenced 

 and carried on with expedition, so as to secure well-est.iblished 

 plants before winter, and without the necessity of keeping 

 them so close or warm as to induce weakly growth. It cannot 

 be too often repeated that, to be able to winter bedding stock 

 safely with ordinary care, the cuttings should be put in suffi- 

 ciently early in the autumn to allow of their being well esta- 

 blished, and fit to be exposed to the open air by the end of 

 next mouth. Begin with variegated Geraniums, and such 

 plants as are found to be most tedious to propagate and pre- 

 pare for winter. — W. Keane. 



DOIXGS OF THE LAST "WTSEK. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



Have been busy taking up Potatoes, and jjutting in strong 

 plants of winter greens in their place. The Potatoes in open 

 ground, and imtrodden on in secui'iug plants between the rows, 

 have been an extraordinary crop, literally covering the ground 

 with tubers. W^e have tried nearly all plans with Potatoes 

 and winter greens, and now chiefly approve of the system of 

 pricking out the greens in an intermediate-bed. and taking up 

 the Potatoes before cropping the ground. When gi-eens of 

 any sort are planted between the rows the ground is trodden 

 in planting and watering, and it is rarely that the crop comes 

 so nice and regular afterwards as it does on cleai'ed groimd. Of 

 course such observations do not apply to those large gardens 

 where gardeners can keep quarters in fallow until they turn out 

 their winter vegetables. In few gentlemen's gardens can this 

 be done, the demand being so much gi'eater than the groimd 

 allotted for the supply ; iu no cottager's garden would it be 

 ad^dsable to pursue the fallowing system. Treat the ground 

 Idndly. Stir it well. Give the crops when growing all diluted 

 slops and sewage, and it v,-ili scarcely ever say, " Hold, 

 enough." In market gardens it is generally most profitable to 

 have quick-rotation crops, and only one crop on the ground at 

 a time ; but then a piece can there be cleared at once and sent 

 off to market. The gardener, on the other hand, must have 

 a regular daUy supply. A cartload, or even a barrowload, of 

 any one vegetable at one time is rather a misfortune than 

 otherwise, imless the establishment is so large as to need it all 

 on one day, or the material wiD kec]) like Potatoes or Carrots. 

 One of tlie best growers of Broccoli in this neighbourhood, 

 and who fiuds that its culture pays liim well, gives each 

 plant a yard of gi-ound — that is, they stand a yard apart each 

 way, and little else is taken from the ground for the season. 



