Jnly 24, 1866. J 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



stopping the young shoots of all trained fruit trees, and now 

 make tho final thinning of Peaches and Nectarines, of courso 

 leaving the heaviest crop on the most vigorous trees and 

 strongest branches. As a general rule no two fruit should bo 

 left together. Plums of tho large kinds, as well as tho finer 

 sorts of Pears, should also be thinned if the crop is too heavy. 

 Young Peach and Apricot trees, when making over-vigorous 

 leaders, should have tho points of the branches shortened to 

 BnOOUragB them to make other shoots less vigorous and of a 

 fruitful diameter. This will obviate tho necessity of shorten- 

 ing them back at the winter pruning. Layer the runners of 

 Strawberries intended for pot culture, as well as those required 

 for making new plantations. All spare- runners may be cut 

 away, and keep the plants free from weeds. Thin and stop 

 shoots of Figs as soon as they have mado a growth of about 

 6 inches, and remove all useless shoots from Vines. Keep the 

 iruit close to the wall and shaded by the foliage from the sun. 



FLOWER GARDEN. 



Tho various Roses should now receive constant attention, as 

 to good staking, disbudding stopping, top-dressing or liquid- 

 manuring, and budding. As to the latter operation, the prin- 

 ciple of ripening the wood should be kept in view. The excit- 

 able kinds should be budded directly, and on stocks with a 

 strong root-action, and those buds which push in a month or 

 so after the process should by no means be suffered to bloom, 

 but have their tops pinched off when they have produced four 

 or five good leaves. They wiU then solidify their growth before 

 winter. Proceed with the propagation of favourite sorts which 

 it may be desirable to increase either by budding or cuttings. 

 The Hybrid Perpetuals, Teas, Chinas, and Bourbons are gene- 

 raRy preferred on their own roots, and firm short-jointed shoots 

 of these root freely at this season ; but to insure success they 

 should be afforded a slight bottom heat, be carefully shaded, and 

 not kept too warm until they emit roots. They will, however, 

 root under a hand-glass on a shady border. Remove suckers. 

 Cut back the shoots of the autumn-flowering varieties to the 

 most promising eye as soon as all the bloom buds are expanded 

 and begin to fade. Take up Ranunculuses as soon as the leaves 

 turn yellow, and allow the roots to dry in the shade. Cover 

 the blooms of Carnations and Picotees as they expand, placing 

 cardboard collars beneath them. As soon as the Pink pipings 

 root, prick them out in good soil. Look to Dahlias ; when they 

 have attained a good size they should have tho side shoots 

 properly thinned out, leaving three or four of the best and 

 strongest shoots. Examine the fastenings carefully; if they 

 have become too tight and are cutting the stem, remove and 

 re-tie them with a stronger material, allowing plenty of room 

 to admit of the stem increasing in size. See that the pots on 

 the top of the stakes are gone over every morning, and all the 

 earwigs that are found, destroyed. These insects, in common 

 with others, are very numerous this season, therefore the 

 greater the necessity for lessening their number. 



GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. 



Now that many of the Camellias, Azaleas, and other plants 

 have been removed to their summer quarters out of doors, paint- 

 ing or other repairs required by any of the plant-houses wiR 

 bo more conveniently done than at any other season. When 

 houses are painted sufficiently often to keep the paint always 

 good, which is the cheapest method in the end, there will be 

 no difficulty in getting the wood dry ; but when the wood is 

 aRowed to become nearly bare before repainting is thought of, 

 the house should be kept dry inside, covering the outside with 

 some waterproof material in the case of showers, and allowing 

 a week or ten days of bright warm weather to thoroughly dry 

 the wood before the work is commenced. This is trying 

 weather for hardwooded pot plants, and those who do not' pay 

 strict attention to them now will probably not find it worth 

 their while a few weeks hence. Above all things see that they 

 are not suffering from the wont of water, especially on that 

 side of the pot on which the sun's rays strike, and keep a 

 sharp look-out for insects. The red spider wiU soon play havoc 

 among Chorozetnas if not closely watched, as also the mildew 

 on such plants as C. Henchmanni and angustifolia. To guard 

 against both pests on these and many other plants, it is a good 

 plan to lay them on their sides, and, after giving them a thorough 

 good watering with a syringe and clean water, to dust the under 

 side of the leaves with sulphur. This, after remaining on a 

 week or ten days, may be washed off again, and will generally 

 ckan the mildewed plants for the season. A good watering 

 wiR aUo be beneficial to most pot plants at the present time. 

 We do not mean a mere sprinkling, but a thorough good wash- 



ing to each plant separately. On hot dry days give the plants 

 in tho evening a sprinkling, and also the ground on which they 

 stand. Pimolca spectabilis, and other kinds which havo done 

 blooming, must have the branches liberally shortened-in, and 

 be set in a cool, shady place to break, as must also tho different 

 kinds of Polygalas. Aotus gracillima must bo cut down close 

 to tho pot ; and Leschenaultias, which are becoming shabby, 

 must have all the flowers and flower-buds removed, and be 

 placed in a cool place to start again. Take care that they are 

 clear of insects, and sprinkle them once or twice a-day in warm 

 weather. Loso no time in bringing tho potting of specimens 

 to a close, and be careful with tho plants afterwards until they 

 begin to show signs of growth. 



STOVE. 



If there are sickly or bad-rooted specimens hero ^hoy must 

 he frequently examined for red spider, otherwise they will be- 

 come a nursery for this pest, from which it will soon spread to 

 adjoining plants. See that young growing stock is not allowed 

 to suffer for want of pot room, and attend carefully to water- 

 ing, giving manure water to all plants in free growth that enjoy 

 it. Gardenias, &a., which have been removed to the conser- 

 vatory while in bloom, should be replaced in heat as soon as 

 their beauty is over, in order to allow of their growth being 

 ripened before tho dull, cloudy days set in. Encourage the 

 progress of the young stock for winter blooming, maintaining 

 a moist and comparatively high temperature. — W. Keane. 



DOINGS OP THE LAST WEEK. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



Planted out Coleworts and Ulrn Savoy in a dull day. These 

 will do very well 12 or 1-1 inches apart. This little Savoy is 

 useful in the autumn, and takes but little room. Sowed Tur- 

 nips and Radishes in shade, on the north side of banks, anal 

 planted out Lettuces, Endive, &c, and Cauliflower that had 

 been previously pricked out, lifting with balls, and planting in 

 a trench. We were disappointed on examining a piece of Cau- 

 liflowers to-day, which on passing along we had frequently ad- 

 mired on account of their dwarf appearance, the huge leaves 

 resting on [the ground. As some of the leaves had a greyish 

 appearance, we gave the plants a watering from the house- 

 sewage tank, and then we found that our healthy, fine-looking, 

 dwarf specimens might as well have been on the rubbish -heap, 

 as the centres had all been nipped out, either by pheasants, 

 partridges, wood pigeons, or some similar fraternity. This had 

 been done long before the flower had formed, and if the whole 

 piece had been so treated, we should have been at a loss for a 

 succession. 



The chief work in the kitchen garden has been hoeing and 

 loosening the ground among all growing crops ; for the late 

 rains, and the subsequent bright sun had left a hard surface, 

 which would soon have evaporated the moisture, and cracked 

 our stiff soil into fissures. It is amazing where such armies 

 of weeds could come from, for where a fortnight or three weeks 

 ago a smaR one could not be seen, the ground became covered 

 with a mass of rampant intruders, and if let alone would soon 

 have been beyond the reach of the hoe, and weeding by hand 

 must not be thought of in these days, if it can possibly be 

 prevented. 



Gave good waterings to ridge and Gherkin Cucumbers, Ve- 

 getable Marrows, &c, and some sewago water to crops ol 

 Greens, Savoys, &c, and threw a little salt among Sea-kale, 

 and Asparagus rows. Cucumber* in beds that were becoming 

 exhausted, were cleared off, and the places well cleared and sup- 

 plied with fresh soil and fresh plants. We have seen nothing 

 of the Cucumber disease this season, but it is provoking that 

 even now we cannot tell either what brought it, or what took 

 it away. When it does make its appearanco there seems 

 nothing so effectual for keeping it in check as frequent changes 

 of crop and fresh rather poor soil ; but after having been B 

 little troubled with it for years, we are as much in ignorance 

 about it as ever. It seldom made its appearance with us until 

 late in summer, the early Cucumbers being free from it, and 

 just as people with a little box began to have Cucumbers in 

 plenty, with us they began to be scarce. Last season we only 

 had some traces of it late, and we hope this year we shall have 

 none at all ; but it is yet too early to speak with certainty. 

 When once it takes possession of a plant great care may pre- 

 vent its progress, but we never could make such a plant 

 thoroughly healthy again. The best plan is to take what it 

 will give, until you have fresh plants to take its place. 



