August 7, 1866. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



109 



water wo are compelled to give to the soil. Wo have no notion 

 of watering the Boil well, if it oan be avoided, in a bright bud, 

 with the certainty that the sun will soon exhale that moisture 

 to soften the atmosphere for the general benefit. If so obliged 

 to water, wo try to keep the water as much as possible to its 

 destined purpose, just on the same principle that wo use 

 dampors for our furnaces, having no BUOh large-hearted bene- 

 volence as would induce us to send all tho possible heat up the 

 chimney to make the air a shade warmer for some surrounding 

 villages. The Celery watered before the rain is also thanking 

 us by its appearance now. The little Dwarf Incomparable 

 seems much greener in colour than the others, though all seem 

 healthy, luxuriant, and firm in texture. We will merely earth- 

 up what wo want early. 



Cabbages. — Sowed on the 29th nit. what wo intend for the 

 main early crop, and will sow again about tho 8th or 10th. 

 Wo were unfortunate in our first lot this season, and had more 

 run heads than in all the years of our practice put together. 

 Fortunately those in the next lot were pretty early, though even 

 they had a few runaways, whilst for years we have had the 

 Matchless and others level all over, and not a bolted plant. What 

 is worst is, that plants of the latter description are of little or 

 no use afterwards. If you cut them over inches from tho 

 ground you will obtain nothing but a fresh crop of bolters. If 

 you cut over close to the ground there is just a chance that 

 you may have several young Cabbages from the base, and only 

 a chance, for most of the young sprouts will come showing the 

 flower-stalk at their points. In fact, when the flower-producing 

 tendency is formed in a Cabbage plant, hardly any manage- 

 ment will alter it so as to produce young Cabbages instead of 

 shoots with flowers. The great advantage of an early unbolted 

 crop of Cabbages is, that when the first Cabbage is cut the 

 same stump will produce several nice crops of young Cabbages 

 afterwards before the end of autumn, and a rare picking of 

 young sprouts throughout the winter. Planted out lots of Cole- 

 worts to succeed those now beginning to heart, giving them 

 about 1 foot square. Such young Coleworts, just when they 

 begin to heart a little, and well boiled, are a dish for a prince. 

 Took the opportunity of further thinning the later Onions, 

 Carrots, and Turnips, and planted out more Endive and Let- 

 tuces. Bright airy weather, we hope, will keep off all traces of 

 the Potato disease. Regulated and thinned Cucumber plants 

 in frames and ridges, and sowed for late crops. 



FKUIT GARDEN. 



Continued much of the work of shortening and pruning re- 

 ferred to iast week, and commenced potting Strawberries for 

 forcing next season. If we have nice plants in small pots or 

 otherwise, we generally transfer them now singly to six-inch 

 pots, what are called 32's. As there are some inquiries about 

 the treatment adopted, we will state the heads of it : — First, 

 A hard bottom full in the sun for the pots to stand on, with just 

 a sprinkling of saud to permit of the pots standing level, and 

 keeping a little moisture about the base of the pots. Secondly, 

 The pots are thoroughly scrubbed inside and outside before using 

 them. (Washing pots and cleaning sheds made the bulk of the 

 work on the wettish day of Wednesday.) Thirdly, The pots 

 are pretty well drained, a little moss hud over the crocks, and 

 a little foot sprinkled on the moss ; the soot and the hard 

 bottom, independently of the nourishment from the former, 

 being chiefly intended for keeping worms at a distance, which 

 result is also assisted by well watering the ground at times 

 with lime water. However we may value the worms in some 

 cases, we have no desire to let them into our Strawberry pots, 

 as there they are sure to do injury by stopping drainage and 

 doing away with the firmness of the soil against the roots. 

 Fourthly, The soil we use is a rather stiff fresh loam with 

 about a sixth part of fine leaf mould and spent Mushroom-bed 

 dung. Such soil, and pressed, is placed deep enough over the 

 drainage for the young plant to stand with the base of its bud 

 about one-quarter of an inch below the rim of the pot, as it 

 will be sure to fink a very little afterwards ; and then, the 

 roots being properly looked after, the soil is packed in and firrnlj- 

 beaten with a stick, so that at the top the soil will be smooth 

 and half an inch below the rim. Fifth, These pot plants are 

 watered with clear water until the roots begin to reach the 

 sides of the pot, are shaded iu bright sun if the leaves offer to 

 flag, for we never like- to see a single leaf distressed, have all 

 the sun possible as soon as they can bear it, frequent manure 

 waterings as they become strong, and less water and all the 

 light possible towards the end of autumn. Of course, all 

 runners should be removed as they appear. Cuthill's Black 

 Prince for early gathering we generally grow in 4J or 5-inch 



pots, commonly called 48's and 4()'s, and we grow a good many 

 plants of Keens' Seedling for early work in tho same size, as 

 the smallnoss of tho pots and the rapidity with which they 

 are filled with roots enable us all tho sooner to have the buds 

 matured and rested beforo starting them into growth. After 

 March and April we take up and forco young plants, which 

 we will now prick out in rich borders, (i or 7 inches apart ; but 

 for all early forcing tho plants must have their pots tilled with 

 roots, .and their buds be well ripened in the previous autumn. 



Sitting from Birds.- — The other day we had another proof 

 that nets if not perfectly secure are no defence for what is be- 

 neath them, but rather a temptation to the curiosity of tho 

 birds to find out what you have thus protected, and if there.is 

 a possible flaw they will find it out and enter. A piece of a 

 border of Gooseberries had a rough frame thrown over it, 

 and then a net or a series of nets over that, well secured at tho 

 sides, and everywhere as we thought. Next morning, between 

 five and six, on going to the place wo might have fancied our- 

 selves at a large roosting-place for domestic fowls, as more 

 than a score of blackbirds flew and screeched and screamed to 

 get out. Hera is where the blackbird loses his wisdom. Had 

 the birds only kept quiet they might have had it all their own 

 way. With several men round the net and one among the bushes 

 inside, more than half the marauders escaped. It became 

 difficult to find them at last, as they crouched so still and quiet 

 by the stems of the bushes. It was considered very singular 

 that not a single thrush or other bird was in company with 

 the blackbirds. The beautiful cock birds with their greater 

 daring managed to escape. The nets were again carefully 

 gone over, every little hole patched, and the sides thoroughly 

 secured, and for two days no more have found their way inside ; 

 but in the morning and evening, and several times during the 

 day, numbers run up and down outside the netting, fly against 

 it.'act as if they considered themselves very ill-used, and gene- 

 rally go off with such a scream of defiance as seems to say, 

 We will serve you out for keeping us out ! A good many 

 solitary thrushes and blackbirds have hung themselves in nets ; 

 but this is only the third instance that has come under our 

 own observation, that when blackbirds thieve in company they 

 will have no other interlopers to share the booty with them. 

 Have any of our readers observed a similar phenomenon ? 



ORNAMENTAL DEPARTMENT. 



Out of doors we have chiefly been employed in mowing, 

 sweeping, and rolling grass, and regulating beds that were not 

 fastened when planted. Cerastium edgings will also need fresh 

 trimming, as the heat and wet have caused them to grow beyond 

 bounds. In sheds and houses much time has been taken up 

 in potting and cleaning, dipping Stanhopeas to give moisture 

 enough to swell their expanding buds, potting Ferns, top- 

 dressing, and surface-stirring the soil of plants in pots. Roses 

 should now be budded without delay, cuttings inserted, and 

 many out-door plants attended to. Proceeded with collecting 

 seed, making cuttings, drying bulbs, staking Hollyhocks, thin- 

 ning shoots of Dahlias, and general watering ; but all these 

 matters, have been definitely alluded to of late. — R. F. 



COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— August 4 



In addition to former quotations, we may mention that the earlier 

 varieties of Apples and Pears are both coming iuto the market in consi- 

 derable quantities, and find a ready sale ; we have, also, at the auction 

 sales large consignments of the same fruits from France and Spain in 

 tolerably Rood condition. Strawberries arc now nearly over, the only 

 sorts coming in being Mvatt's Eleanor and Elton. Hothouse fruit is 

 quite suflicient for the demand; Peaches and Nectarines are in rather 

 better request ; and of Apricots there is a short supply. 



VEGETABLES. 



Artichokes each 



Asparagus bundle 



Beans, Broad., bushel 



Kidney . . J£ sieve 



Beet, Red doz. 



Broccoli bundle 



Brus. Sprouts 3li sieve 



Cabbage doz. 



Capsicums 100 



Carrots bunch 



Cauliflower doz. 



Celery bundle 



Cucumbers each 



pickling .... doz. 



Endive doz. 



Fennel bunch 



Garlic lb. 



Herbs bunch 



Horseradish . . bundle 



Leeks bunch 



Lettuce per score 



Mushrooms pottle 



Mustd.ii Cress, punnet 

 Onions. . doz. bunches 



Parsley ^ sieve 



Parsnips doz. 



Peas per quart 



Potatoes bushel 



Kidney do. 



Radishes . . doz. hands 



Rhubarb bundle 



Savoys doz. 



Sea-lialo basket 



Shallots lb. 



Spinach bushel 



Tomatoes per doz. 



Turnips bunch 



Vegetable Marrows dz. 



