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JOUBNAL OP HORTICULTUBB AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ August 21, 1866. 



from the plants, many will be found eyeless, or blind, and such 

 should be carefully avoided. 



Feur-inch pots are the most suitable size for store plants ; 

 crock in the usual way, half nil them with rotten dung, and 

 then with about three parts finely sifted leaf mould to two 

 parts river sand. Plunge the pots to the rims in leaf mould on 

 an old hotbed, water sparingly through a fine rose, and afford 

 a little shade in bright s.unny weather. I find that Verbena 

 cuttings thus treated strike freely, and can be kept satisfac- 

 torily through the winter.— James'Beid. 



LORD CLYDE STRAWBERRY. 



1 am quite willing to have Lord Clyde Strawberry tested 

 against the Old Chinese, but I must decline accepting the test 

 from plants of Lord Clyde sent by Mr. Gloede. I will either 

 send plants, or have plants sent from some other source, with 

 a guarantee that they are the true Lord Clyde. 



I have been intimately acquainted with Strawberries for 

 nearly thirty years, and, therefore, think I have spent about 

 " half a lifetime " amongst them, as Mr. Gloede says he has. 

 — William Dean, Shipley. 



WORK FOR THE WEEK. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



Continue to plant out winter and spring vegetables wherever 

 there is room. The culture of growing crops should be attended 

 to when the state of the ground and weather will permit. 

 Broccoli, the principal spring crop of Walcheren and of Ciuli- 

 Aowers should be sown. Sow thinly in an open place, and not 

 in too rich soil, otherwise the plants will become gross, and 

 less capable of withstanding the winter. Cabbage, another 

 sowing of the different kinds may be made for spring planting, 

 and likewise of the hardy Cos and Cabbage Lettuces, selecting 

 a similar spot for the seed-beds to that recommended for Cauli- 

 flower. Celery, plant out. Onions, the main crops must now 

 be pulled up and the roots exposed to the sun ; this is the 

 more necessary, because as soon as the bulbs have attained 

 their full growth they will in a very short time begin to decay 

 at the root or else strike root again into the earth, which is 

 injurii us to their keeping. Potatoes, taking up must now be 

 vigorously prosecuted as fast as they become ready. Parsley, 

 thin out and cut down a portion of the spring-sown, that a 

 fresh growth may be made before winter ; a part of the thin- 

 nings should be potted in 12-inch pots for removing to frames 

 la winter. Mushrooms, as soon as a sufficient quantity of 

 droppings is ready proceed to make a bed, if not alreadv done. 

 Tomatoes, to be kept thinned out, the shoots fastened" to the 

 wall, and the fruit well exposed. Turnips, it is not yet too 

 late to sow for winter and spring use, for which purpose the 

 ground where Potatoes have been growing is very suitable. 

 Slutllots, take up, and also Garlic for drying. 



FRUIT GARDEN. 



The value of the Strawberry as a summer fruit renders its 

 successful cultivation a matter of some importance, the more 

 especially as it comes within the reach of the humblest pos- 

 sessor of a garden. The present is the best season for making 

 new beds. Strawberries thrive best 1 in a deep rich loam and 

 in an open situation. The land should have been previously 

 trenched 2 feet deep and well manured, for Strawberry roots 

 penetrate to a great depth. Select runners which have been 

 layered into small pots for the purpose, or the strongest which 

 have taken root from the older beds. If large fruit is an object 

 a good space should bo allowed them, say 2* or 3 feet between 

 the rows for the large-leaved kinds, and IS inches between the 

 plants. A somewhat less distance between the rows will suffice 

 for the dwarfer-growing kinds : and where economy of space 

 is an object see that an open situation is selected, for Straw- 

 berries never do well in close confined places, though there is 

 a general opinion that they will grow anywhere. Water them 

 during dry weather till they become well established. Pears 

 and Apples, both on walls and espaliers, will now require to 

 have the second growth spurred in, and the leaders nailed or 

 tied in, as they require it. Keep the lateral growth of Vines 

 removed, and the shoots spread out as openly as possible; 

 they will need all the influence of the sun to attain anything 

 like maturity. Figs must have the principal shoots nailed in, 

 and the remainder taken off ; suckers of the same must be 

 constantly removed. All stone fruits should be gathered as 



soon as perfectly ripe, as they seldom improve much by being 

 allowed to become too ripe, and they will keep a day or two 

 longer in a cool place than on the walls. 



FLOWER GARDEN. 



Cuttings of choice herbaceous plants, Carnations, Ticotees, 

 etc., put in early should be pricked out or potted immediately 

 they are struck, to become established. Early-struck Pansies 

 may be planted for autumn blooming. Young seedling Wall- 

 flowers, Brompton Stocks, Sweet Williams, and other biennials 

 should either be planted out into reserve-beds or whore they 

 are to flower. This year's beauty should assist to suggest 

 next year's improvement in the distribution of the masses in 

 the flower garden. Attention should be given to the effect, dura- 

 tion of bloom, habit, and colour of the different plants, and 

 another arrangement planned for a future season. The pro- 

 pagation of scarlet Pelargoniums, Verbenas for stock plants, 

 and Calceolarias should commence. China Roses should be 

 put in, and budded Roses examined, bandages removed, and 

 failures replaced. Mark the best Hollyhocks for seed. We 

 are glad to see that this magnificent flower is meeting with the 

 attention its beauty well entitles it to. At this season many 

 florists divide and repot their Auriculas and Polyanthuses. 

 We consider it a good time for the operation, so that both 

 young and old plants may become established before winter. 

 Hollyhocks, Dahlias, and herbaceous plants must be made safe 

 from the effects of high winds by securely fastening them to 

 their supports. The like attention should be paid to climbing 

 plants against walls and trellises, standard Roses, &c. Plants 

 blown about by the wind give an appearance of negligence, 

 which should by all means be avoided. Remove daily dead 

 leaves, decaying blooms, and litter of all sorts, and frequently 

 sweep and mow grass, that all may look clean and well-kept. 

 Gravel walks should be frequently rolled during heavy rains 

 to keep them firm. The general pruning of evergreen shrubs 

 should now take place, reducing straggling growths within 

 proper limits, but to avoid giving them anything of a formal 

 character. The object is to assist, not deform nature. By 

 this the general characteristics of each plant will be as much 

 as possible preserved. 



GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORT. 



Should heavy rains continue to fall it will be necessary to 

 remove to glass shelters of some kind the more delicate-rooted 

 plants, and unless the weather be fine all the more valuable 

 greenhouse plants out of doors will require housing. In our last 

 calendar we advised shading of all kinds to be reduced in order 

 to afford assistance in ripening the summer growth by an 

 increased amount of light. We need scarcely point out that 

 an abundance of air night and day should accompany the 

 above ; and, as an additional means of effecting a slow but 

 progressive and effectual ripening of the summer wood, the 

 atmospheric moisture of plant-houses should be gradually 

 reduced as heat and the length of the days decline, so that 

 an increasing dryness of the atmosphere may coincide with 

 the ripening of the wood. We wish to lay particular stress 

 at this season on the importance of well-matured wood to 

 plants intended to bloom in perfection ; while they will be 

 found to bear the vicissitudes of winter with impunity com- 

 pared with plants whose wood is soft and imperfectly ripened. 

 The supply of water will much depend on the state of growth 

 and habit of the plant. It should, however, be remembered 

 that many plants are now actively forming roots, and will 

 require water liberally, especially when subjected to a some- 

 what drier medium to grow in. The stock of hardy shrubs in 

 pots for next season's foreing, if the growth is perfected, may 

 be laid on their sides facing south, this will assist to ripen 

 their wood and prevent their making autumn shoots. After a 

 short time remove them to the shade of a north wall for the 

 winter. No time should be lost in completing any repairs that 

 may bo required by houses devoted to the growth of plants. 

 Continue to keep the conservatory gay with plants iu bloom. 

 Carefully tie-out the different varieties of Lilium lancifolium 

 before they come into flower ; two other good autumn-flowering 

 plants should likewise have similar attention — viz., Crowea 

 saligna and Plumbago capensis. these are invaluable at this sea- 

 son. Attend to the proper regulation of climbers, and give weak 

 liquid manure to plants in bloom, to maintain them in vigorous 

 health, and to assist the late flower-buds to open. Finish the 

 potting of Chrysanthemums, and stake them securely as they 

 advance. The stock of autumn and winter-flowering plants 

 should not be stopped after this, but have every encourage- 

 ment to ripen their wood early, that no difficulty may arise in. 



