50 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ July 17, 1866. 



dwarf, when the tops should be frequently picked out ; but it 

 is always best to stake them, if possible, both for neatness and 

 productiveness. Salads, look well to successions. Tomatoes, 

 keep them well thinned out and constantly nailed. 



FRUIT GARDEN. 



The principal operations here will consist in keeping the 

 young wood of wall fruit trees constantly nailed in. The laterals 

 from the young wood of Peaches and Nectarines may be spurred 

 down to the first joint, which spurs will often produce fruit, 

 but do not trust to these laterals for filling up the walls, as 

 they seldom become sufficiently matured to produce good fruit. 

 As many of our improved Pears for the dessert, as well as 

 some other fruits, cannot be produced in proper flavour with- 

 out an increase of warmth and light, more especially the latter, 

 they will, no doubt, continue to be grown by individuals who 

 esteem horticultural productions not by their mere marketable 

 value irrespective of flavour, but chiefly on account of the 

 latter quality. Limitation at the root, then, we would urge, as 

 we have done before, is the only sure foundation of a dwarfing 

 system, which ought to be, in varied degrees, the guiding prin- 

 ciple in all artificial training. As the weather has now set in 

 extremely hot, and is likely to continue so, we strongly advise 

 that all the superfluous breastwood be removed from Pears, or 

 at least pinched off. When the drought begins to affect the 

 root, and intense sunshine prevails overhead for several suc- 

 cessive days, a new habit becomes speedily induced in most 

 fruit trees — elaboration begins to reach or overtake absorption. 

 If the trees are very gross, we would advise the taking away as 

 many shoots entirely as will permit the solar rays to visit the 

 bud being organised for a future blossom ; the rest may be left 

 as safety valves to decoy away any undue amount of sap in a 

 temporary way, taking care, however, to pinch off their terminal 

 points. The process here recommended is applicable to nearly 

 all our fruit-bearing trees, and is scarcely more difficult than 

 pulling away tall weeds from a bed of Cucumbers, in order to 

 admit the sun's rays to the blossoms, for in such a point of 

 view may the buds of fruit trees in course of organisation be 

 regarded. 



FLOWER GARDEN. 



If the dry and hot weather continue much watering will be 

 necessary here. Even the ordinary herbaceous plants should 

 have a thorough soaking once or twice a-week. Indeed, it is 

 more necessary with these than with mass flowers, which have 

 now, of course, become well established. The amateur's in- 

 terest is kept up by the progressive development of the Carna- 

 tion and Picotee, which now reward all his care and attention 

 by the development of their beauties. The Tulip, Ranun- 

 culus, Auricula, and Polyanthus have passed away for the 

 season, and these especial favourites will for a time fill the 

 void. When the shoots are sufficiently long layering may be 

 commenced ; this is performed by cutting through the second 

 or third joint, and bringing the knife out on the lower side, so 

 as to make " a tongue." The small portion of stem beyond 

 the joint is cut back to it, and when pegged* down in the soil, 

 which should be fine, the layer will there emit roots. The 

 amateur after a few trials will be enabled to perform this ope- 

 ration with facility. 



GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. 



Watering in a frequent and methodical way is now a matter 

 of great importance in these structures ; indeed, without a 

 proper application of this needful element all other appliances 

 will be of little value. It will be necessary to keep pans of 

 water beneath some pot-bound and needy plants. Nerium 

 splendens, when well grown, thrives admirably thus treated. 

 Let all stock for flowering through the dreary winter months 

 receive every attention; grown quickly with frequent stop- 

 pings, it will be necessary to have the plants somewhat pot- 

 bound by the end of August and cooled down for a few weeks. 



COLD PITS. 



The stock here will now be growing freely, and should be 

 frequently examined individually to see that all is going right, 

 for plants when growing rapidly very speedily suffer through 

 any neglect in watering or from the attacks of insects. Ex- 

 amine young specimens that were potted early in the season, 

 and shift at once such as require more pot room, so as to have 

 the pots moderately well filled with roots before winter, in 

 which state they are more easily carried through the winter 

 thaD when either over or under-potted. Leschenaultias should 

 be carefully examined for green fly, and smoked at once if at 

 ail infested, and the flowers should be regularly picked off 



young plants of these as they appear. Chorozemas, Bossiams, 

 &c, must also be frequently examined for red spider, and 

 should be laid on their sides on a clean mat and thoroughly 

 washed with the syringe, repeating this as often as may be 

 necessary to thoroughly eradicate the pest. Young specimens 

 of valuable hardwooded plants should be carefully trained, 

 keeping the shoots nicely tied out or pegged down in order 

 to secure close, compact foundations, upon which future suc- 

 cess very largely depends.— W. Keane. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST WEEK. 



kitchen garden. 



The heavy rains had beaten the ground like iron among crops 

 newly sown and planted, and much time has been taken up 

 in forking and hoeing the ground, to let the air in, and to pre- 

 vent cracking. A few weeks ago we adverted to the importance 

 of a rather firm surface, in order that the ground might become 

 well heated by the sun's rays ; but now there is no lack of heat 

 in the soil, and a loose surface is best in every way for the 

 generality of plants, admitting more air to the roots, and keep- 

 ing out the excessive heat. The drenching rains brought with 

 them whole armies of slugs and snails, that did not show their 

 presence in the dry weather, and dusting with soot, lime, and 

 wood ashes became the order of the day ; and not second in im- 

 portance was a stirring of the surface, first because the slug 

 does not like to be disturbed, and, secondly, because no lady in 

 silk slippers loves more than he a smooth surface. We found 

 the leaves in a piece of fresh-planted Cauliflower well perforated 

 afresh every morning, and yet at our ordinary time of rising 

 (from five to six o'clock) we could not find a trace of a single 

 slug, though the slimy marks of where they had been were con- 

 spicuous enough. The ground had been beaten so hard and 

 smooth by the rains, that they had managed to hide themselves 

 beneath the clods of the nearest rough ground before the sun 

 had gained much power. The running the hoe and the points 

 of a fork through such baked ground, aud a dusting of soot 

 and lime, make their journeyings anything but pleasant. But- 

 tered or greased young Cabbage leaves, or better still, where 

 they can be obtained, a handful of brewers' grains are great 

 attractions ; but considerable experience leads us to the opinion, 

 that if the ground be well stirred and kept rough at the surface 

 all such troublesome fellows will in dug ground bid you good- 

 bye. The most troublesome of all when they take possession 

 are those with longish bodies, black on the top, and yellowish 

 beneath. Soot, lime, ashes, or anything but salt, seems thrown 

 away on their tough skins ; but fortunately they have great 

 love for a smooth surface, and after heavy dews or warrn rains 

 if found anywhere they will be most plentiful on smooth gravel 

 walks, and the best plan is to pick them up, and put them in a 

 pot in powdered salt. That soon settles them. 



Sowed main crops of late Lettuce, Cauliflower, a little Cab- 

 bage, and a good piece of Endive, and planted out from previous 

 sowings, choosing chiefly shady positions at present. The 

 north side of a bank is also a good place for sowing Turnips at 

 present. They feel the effects of the heats of autumn less, 

 and eat milder than when fully exposed to the sun. There 

 are many fine Turnips, and some yellow ones, as the Maltese, 

 that can scarcely be surpassed for flavour ; but of all Turnips 

 for main table supply commend us to the American Stone or 

 American Red-top. This Turnip is of a purplish colour at top, 

 the lower part is white ; but it is all white inside, and so firm, 

 juicy, and sweet, that every cook we know prefers it when it 

 can be obtained to anything else. We have eaten a bit raw 

 with our knife, aud thought it much sweeter than many a 

 Melon we have tasted when judging, that looked well and sent 

 out a rich odour, but of which the taste was such that some- 

 thing in the liquid way was sadly wanted to take it away. 

 Wherever many Melons have to be tasted there ought to be a 

 bottle of wine near at hand. For the main features of the 

 kitchen garden, see notices of previous weeks. 



One thing we ought to mention, as a mere act of justice to 

 ourselves and others. We have stated the difficulties we have 

 had to surmount with game, and the attendant evils in the 

 shape of out-of-the-way armies of birds of all kinds ; these we 

 would find little or no fault with in moderation, as indepen- 

 dently of their beauty, their harmony, &c, we do believe that 

 they do us good when they are kept within their proper limits, 

 but they become little better than a plague when they would 

 clear off all the produce, and look for more. We are not the 

 less obliged to the correspondent who uses red lead mixed witli 



