October 17, 1865. ] 



JOURNAL OF HOBTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENEK. 



338 



tlio week, and have done much not only to moisten the dried 

 soil and invigonito all growing vegetables, but also to produce, 

 for our benefit, a inner and healthier atmos(ihere. A regular 

 dowupouring, as we liad on Tuesday and Wednesday night, 

 combined with a nice bracing breeze, will, we hoj)e, tell on the 

 health of our cattle, as well as ])romote the comforts of the 

 inhabitants in our towns and villages. 



The rains wliich we have already had, and those we may yet 

 hope for, will render the ground very suitable for all alterations 

 in lawns, turflaying, walk-nialdug, and pbuifing and removing 

 all kinds of evergreens. Kven if the gnnind were still dry 

 enough, it would bo of importance to hasten on all such work, 

 thougli watering should have to be resorted to, as the milder 

 and somewhat cloudy condition of the atmosphere will arrest 

 evaporation from the foliage, whilst the heat in the soil will 

 excite the roots to push out fresh fibres at once, and thus 

 establish themselves before the severity of winter. The great 

 advantage of early autumn planting is thus securing fresh 

 roots to the pljint, and lience enabling it to meet the bright 

 sun and the dry air of the next spring without shrinking and 

 shrivelling. Moderate watering, so that all the roots are moist 

 and firmly packed, will be a better plan at this season than 

 soaking and puddling them with water, which places the roots 

 in an unnatural position as respects moisture, and, unless the 

 surface is kept (by, will also make the soil c<jld by the increased 

 evaporation. Such plants, even in the spring, if they need 

 watering, should have it given in moderation. Often we have 

 seen hogsheads lashed on the soil, when a few gallons thrown 

 over the stems and branches, or a little shade, would have been 

 more acceptable to the plant. 



Titrfmi], and other alterations on lawns, can now be done 

 with more ease and comfort than at almost any other season. 

 Furnished with leather knee caps, or a thick pad, the workman, 

 so long as the ground is warm, is not likely to suffer from 

 colds and the attendant rheumatism, and there will be no diffi- 

 culty about making sure of the grass growing well with the 

 smallest modicum of beating and rolling. To do rnuch of such 

 work in winter is often very unsatisfactory to all concerned. 

 When performed late in spring the sun often renders con- 

 siderable labour necessary to keep the turf from gaping, or 

 even drying up ; and, besides, in most gardens now, the spring 

 brings such an amount and variety of extra work, that it is 

 wise and sound poUcy to have as much as possible of all new 

 work, changes, and improvements completed in the autumn. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



Before the rains came we managed to run the hoe through 

 all growing crops, and, in the ease of Ai-tichokes and Asparagus, 

 to remove a few of the weeds. A lot of Chickweed was begin- 

 ning to thrive among the Asparagus, wliich it was not easy to 

 get at, and made the cutting down of the Asparagus very de- 

 sirable, as the seed was ripe enough, but the branches were 

 not so free from green as we would wish to see them. At a 

 late horticiiltural show Asparagus was shown in a collection. 

 We presume it was obtained by cutting the beds down too 

 early. A correspondent informs us this week that his beds 

 becoming very weedy, he mowed them over in September, so 

 as to clear them thoroughly, and now, he s,ays, the fresh shoots 

 are 18 inches long. He fears, as we do, that the beds, which 

 were in good order, will show the effects of this second growth 

 next spring. No doubt the extraordinary, almost tropical, lieat 

 of the season had something to do with it, but it would have 

 been better if the clearing of the beds had been delayed. 



Moved away all the withering and a few of the greenish 

 leaves from Sea-kale in order to arrest growth and prepare 

 for forcing. Where this is used largely during the winter a 

 considerable space will be required for it. This, Rhubarb, 

 Asparagus, Ai-tichokes, Globe and Jerusalem, Horseradish, 

 herbs, and small fruit demand a good space in a small garden ; 

 and yet, though all these are grown, and for forcing too, in an 

 acre of ground, some people think that that acre should never 

 be without the other vegetables that are wanted every day for 

 a large consumption. 



Gave plenty of air to young CaiiUflowers intended for the 

 main crop next spring, the plants being still small. Watered 

 with manure water that forming nice heads. Planted out more 

 Lettuces to stand the winter, tied-up others for use ; covered 

 Endive with tiles and boards for blanching, and earthed-np a 

 piece of Celery. Will take up Carrots as soon as the weather 

 is di-ier, the ground is not yet wet at all, though more comfort- 

 able on account of the rain. In rainy days washed pots, made 

 tallies, &c., and collected into a heap a lot of rubbishy brush- 

 wood and weeds to be ready for charring and burning. Such 



things accumulate during the season, and we generally set fire 

 to the heap when there is no one particular about the place, 

 or when tlio wind is in the right direction for taking tlio smoke 

 away. liail wi'eth, as the Bindweed or white Convolvulus, 

 (fee, are generally taken to such a place during the summer, 

 for when charred, or burned, there is no chanci! of their 

 growing. Such weeds, grass, edgings of v.-alks, etc., generally 

 cover the hea)! before any refuse or worthless soil is added, and 

 when all that is possible is charred, the rest is burnt up with 

 such earth and forms a good addition to hea\7 soils. Before 

 making up the heap the best of the rubbish, prunings, &c., is 

 selected fur small haiidfuls of wood for lighting fires, which are 

 generally ke]it under cover. These bad-rooted weeds, and a few 

 that may be showing seed, are, as a general rule, all we care 

 about moving out of the garden. Others, cut up when young, 

 will generally find the sun too much for them. We have proved 

 over and over again, that the troublesome though beautiful 

 white Bindweed, which if left to itself will soon cover a garden 

 with its long white roots, every bit of which will gi'ow, may be 

 thoroughly destroyed if every shoot is cut with the lioe by the 

 time it is 2 or 3 inches long, but the shoots must not be missed 

 or ever allowed to grow. We believe that lots of it sprung up 

 in the garden from some pieces of roots being long ago taken 

 to the general rubbisii heap (of which we are caret lil as manure), 

 and being from thence wheeled back to the garden and dug in 

 for different purposes ; the smallest bit of the white stringy 

 roots is almost sure to grow and increase as rapidly below ground 

 as the top does above it. There is scarcely anything that runs 

 so quickly either above or below the soil. 



Many bad-rooted weeds, such as the Nettle, may also be 

 eradicated by constantly cutting the tops when young. Cut- 

 ting once or twice a-year will not do, though that wiU weaken 

 the roots. Digging the ground to pidl out the roots will be of 

 little use if they are not taken out vei-y clean. The Nettle 

 generally attends the footsteps of man. By the sides of roads, 

 amid the ruins of old buildings, and in neglected wom-out 

 gardens the Nettle has its appropriate home. Wliatever there 

 may be of the cheering about it, as thus associated with man 

 and his doings, is, however, more than counterbalanced by the 

 tale it tells of carelessness and neglect. Some of our vege- 

 tarians have much to say in its favour in a sanitary and a 

 nutritive point of view, and there are worse vegetables than 

 very young Nettles nicely boiled, but, unfortunately, the lovers 

 of the Nettle may find plenty of it without as yet having any 

 necessity for growing it in gardens. Where even the spade and 

 the fork have failed to destroy the intruder, the scythe and the 

 hoe frequently during the summer settled the matter. Many 

 of the worst spreading perennial weeds will in time be de- 

 stroyed below ground if they are allowed no rest or leave to 

 expand above it. In most gardens some of these will escape 

 our notice until the growth above, by reproduction, has in- 

 creased the strength of the roots and stems below. Many of 

 our keen villa and amatem' gardeners could easily amuse them- 

 selves with a spud or a small sharp Dutch hoe where they could 

 not well be expected to labour with a spade or a fork, and 

 these little tools persistently used will do wonders in eradi- 

 cating our worst weeds. The best place for Nettle roots, if dug 

 up, is the charring and burning heap. 



FEUIT G.VBDEN. 



Took the last of the clearings from a piece of Strawberries, 

 to be thrown over the charring rubbish-heap. A good many 

 leaves had become brown from the heat, and if any thrips or red 

 spider should be on them the heated heap will be the best 

 place for them. This season we have noticed lots of the red 

 spider on pastures, and on the trees of young plantations. 

 Moisture and coolness at night we look upon as the great 

 enemies of this little pest imder glass. The coolness at night, 

 so refreshing to many plants, is very detrimental to insect life 

 that rejoices in a high temperature and a di-y atmosphere 

 during the day. Other preventives and deterrents, as sulphur 

 fumes, must also generally be resorted to. 



Went over again all Strawberry plants in pots, removing all 

 runners close home ; but they had been so picked off that there 

 were only comparatively few to remove. The great object now 

 should be to concentrate the strength of the plant into the 

 crowns, and to mature them as much as possible. The weather, 

 until this week, was so hot that a good deal of watering was 

 necessary ; but now if much rain fall the plants would be 

 better to be protected from it, and if other means cannot be 

 resorted to, the pots may be laid on their sides : we shall 

 shortly do so with the earliest that we shall use first. 



WUi gather almost aU but the very latest Apples and Pears 



