108 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ August 7, 1866. 



against the stems, let it be done right and left with a fork, 

 keeping the work before you to avoid treading on the surface. 

 If there is any spare ground left, plant out the latest sown 

 Miller's Dwarf Russian. It is advisable that Broccolis intended 

 to stand through the winter should never be planted too thickly, 

 as it is apt to make them much more tender than when there 

 is a good circulation of air to render them robust and hardy. 

 Cabbage, there should be no delay in making the main sow- 

 ings for spring supply. Bailey's Improved is an excellent 

 variety, to which may be added the Nonpareil, Yanack, East 

 Ham, and London Market. The first sowings may be pricked 

 out into nursery-beds. It is always better to do so in pre- 

 ference to leaving them in the seed-bed, as it makes them 

 stocky and well-rooted, and consequently better able to bear 

 the winter. Celery, see that the surface soil is well stirred 

 about it, and afford copious applications of liquid manure with 

 a small portion of salt dissolved in it. Lettuce, prepare a piece 

 of ground to be sown immediately with the Bath variety, also 

 for winter Onions and Winter Spinach. Peas, the rows that 

 have had crops planted between them must now be entirely re- 

 moved and the ground well forked up. Liberal waterings twice 

 or thrice a-week in dry weather will be required by Peas, Cauli- 

 flowers, Spinach, Artichokes, Lettuce, &c, rendering them not 

 only better in quality, but making them last longer in per- 

 fection. 



FRUIT GARDEN. 



Follow up the system of stopping and shortening, as recom- 

 mended last week. The shoots of Pears may be headed back 

 to three or four eyes. In regulating shoots, remember tli.it it 

 is important that each should enjoy a due exposure to the in- 

 fluence of the sim. Stop and thin Raspberry suckers, and 

 make new plantations of Strawberries. 



FLOWER GARDEN. 



Let nothing be allowed to grow out of place, but attend to 

 the wants of growing plants by giving them their proper 

 supports and training at this season. The next matter re- 

 quiring consideration will be the propagation of stock for 

 another year. In commencing with Pelargoniums employed 

 for bedding-purposes, raised beds of sandy soil will serve to 

 strike the Scarlets and their allies, while the Fancies and other 

 kinds with a delicate habit, will be better in pots, or, where 

 large quantities are required, in a frame under glass. Under 

 any circumstances they will require protection from heavy 

 rains. There is a class, of which Sidonia is one, which strike's 

 with difficulty by cuttings of the shoots, and is best pro- 

 pagated by root-cuttings. Prepare cuttings of the thickest 

 roots about lj inch in length ; these should be inserted in 

 shallow pans and plunged in a frame. The oldest plants should 

 be selected for the purpose. Herbaceous plants and hardy 

 bulbs, now in full beauty, should be kept in order by tying up 

 loose growths and keeping the ground free from weeds. No- 

 velties should have their colours and time of flowering marked 

 down as a guide for future arrangements. Finish the propaga- 

 tion of any choice plants not yet in. and continue the layering 

 of Cloves, Carnations, mule Pinks, &c, of which there is 'rarely 

 an overstock. The cuttings of Laurels and other loose-grow- 

 ing shrubs should be proceeded with as time permits. Au- 

 tumn-flowering Roses will be much strengthened and flower 

 better during the next two months, if partially pruned and well 

 soaked with manure water. 



GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. 



Camellias in general will now have formed their flower-buds ; 

 when such is the case it is advisable to water them freely with 

 liquid manure. We prefer this period, too, for shifting them, 

 doing so the moment that we can be sure that the blossom-bud 

 is fixed. A very frequent stopping or pinching of the growing 

 shoots of stocks for next year's purposes will now be necessary. 

 Great advantage is derived from giving plants some kind of 

 rest after blooming, to restore their exhausted energies, and to 

 enable them to make a vigorous start when the new growth 

 commences. At this season greenhouse plants done blooming 

 should have a comparatively cool temperature, and no structure 

 presents so many advantages for the purpose as a house with 

 a north aspect. We may state further, that for growing 

 delicate-leaved plants through the summer, houses having a 

 north or north-east aspect are preferable, while for the pur- 

 poses of retarding plants or preserving them in bloom they are 

 indispensable. Such plants, therefore, as Epacrises, Lescbe- 

 maultias, Piraeleas, Aphelexis, and others of similar habit, 

 which have been kept for late bloom and are now over, should 

 foe placed in a house of the above description, or in deep frames 

 with the sashes turned towards the north, having first picked 



off the old remaining blooms ; here, by gentle syringing once 

 or twice daily, the plants may remain till a new' growth com- 

 mences, when any pruning they may require maybe performed, 

 and they may afterwards be placed in more favourable posi- 

 tions for ripening their wood. The pot Roses should have all 

 exhausted blossoms cut constantly away, and those for winter 

 blooming should be examined as to whether they require shift- 

 ing. In such cases some of the old balls should be loosened, 

 and the head slightly reduced. The Teas are admirably adapted 

 for pot culture ; and for these we prefer mixing a little heath 

 soil with the compost, which should be exceedingly rich, and 

 consist of nearly one-half of the chopped turf of a rich loam. 

 A good sprinkling of pounded charcoal and sparkling sand 

 should be used. Of Heaths, plants of depressa and other 

 shy-blooming kinds which have made their growth should be 

 placed in the full sun to set the bloom, taking the precaution, 

 however, to protect the roots by double-pottiug the plants. 

 Young stock in pits or frames must be exposed to the dews 

 every evening, and in dull weather they may be exposed 

 throughout the day also. Repot, stake, and stop Chrysanthe- 

 mums and other winter-blooming plants, and look to the Pelar- 

 goniums cut down last week, and also the Calceolarias ; cut 

 down the late-blooming ones if the wood is ripe. Pinks and 

 Violets will require watering in dry weather, and a dusting of 

 sulphur wi'! do the latter no harm. Attention must now be 

 paid to late -/rowing plants in the borders of the conservatory, 

 for while in active growth they require a good deal of water, 

 and insects are more troublesome than in the case of plants at 

 rest. Give Luculias especially plenty of water at the root, 

 and an occasional supply of clear weak manure water to old 

 plants which may not be growing freely, until they have made 

 sufficient wood to ensure a good display of flower. Manure 

 water must not be given to young specimens in vigorous 

 health, as in that case it would only induce too gross a growth 

 — a condition in which they seldom flower profusely. In order 

 to secure fine heads of bloom from this plant it should be 

 allowed a few weeks of comparative rest after the middle of 

 the month, keeping the roots rather dry, and exposing the 

 plants as freely to air as can be done without injury to the 

 foliage or the health of their neighbours. Brugmansia san- 

 guinea is also a useful plant for winter and early-spring flower- 

 ing, when managed so as to have it pruned, rested, and started 

 into growth about this time. Young and vigorous plants, 

 however, frequently require to be watered rather sparingly at 

 this period to prevent their making a second growth. Cine- 

 rarias for early flowering should now be growing freely, and 

 should be shifted when necessary, for if they are to form large 

 specimens for flowering in winter they must not be permitted 

 to sustain any check. Remove suckers whenever they can be 

 obtained, and pot them for spring-flowering. 



STOVE. 



Watch closely for insects in this house, and follow former 

 directions as to moisture and air. Those Ixoras which have 

 done blooming must be cut boldly in, and started gently to 

 make a new growth. Attend closely to the winter-blooming 

 plants, taking care to have such growths matured as require 

 ripening to produce bloom. — W. Keane. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST WEEK. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



On the 28th ult. we had a beautiful rain, repeated again on 

 the 1st of August. These rains have wonderfully changed the 

 appearance of the country, and yet come so gently as to do no 

 injury to the advancing crops in the fields, and but little even 

 in the flower garden, except washing off bushels of Calceolaria 

 blooms, giving that, however, to the plants which would en- 

 courage them to produce multitudes of fresh blossoms. We 

 were fortunate enough to get most of the hard-baked ground 

 stirred amongst the advancing crops, and to water some, such 

 as Peas and Cauliflowers, a few days before the rains, and then, 

 when the dull days and the rains came, the plants seemed to 

 grow before our eyes. 



There has been no little discussion, and many a witty re- 

 mark has been levelled at us, in consequence of our advancing 

 lately the somewhat astounding principle that it is good to 

 water in a dull day, and when plants are very dry it is 

 better still to water before rain was expected. We have not a 

 doubt as to the wisdom of the proceeding ; but in any case, 

 something will be gained if the matter is thought and reasoned 

 out. We want the plants out of doors to have the benefit of the 



