242 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ September 25, 1866. 



cultivated under diminished light, or in darkness, useful vege- 

 tables. 



" All the above tacts are of great interest, as they have an 

 important bearing upon the growth of plants and fruits for the 

 table, as well as in a medicinal and economic point of view. At 

 present, however, much remains to be discovered before we can 

 be said to have anything like a satisfactory explanation of the 

 causes which influence the formation of the secretions of plants ; 

 for it is found that the same plants when grown in different 

 parts of Great Britain, where the climatal differences are not 

 strikingly at variance, or even at the distance of a few miles, 

 or in some cases a few yards, frequently vary much as regards 

 the nature and activity of their peculiar secretions. A striking 

 illustration of this fact is mentioned by Dr. Christison, who 

 found that some Umbelliferous plants, as Cicuta virosa ("Water 

 Hemlock), and CE nan the crocata (Hemlock Water Dropwort), 

 which are poisonous in most-districts of England, were inno- 

 cuous when grown near Edinburgh. The causes which lead to 

 such differences are at present obscure, but the varying con- 

 ditions of soil, moisture, and exposure to air under which such 

 plants are grown, have, doubtless, an important influence upon 

 their secretions. In a pharmaceutical point of view, so far as 

 the active properties of the various medicinal preparations 

 obtained from plants are concerned, this modification in the 

 secretions of plants by such causes is of much interest, and 

 ■would amply repay investigation, for it cannot be doubted but 

 that each plant will only form its proper secretions when grown 

 under those circumstances which are natural to it, and that, 

 consequently any change from such conditions will modify in a 

 corresponding degree the properties of the plant. I cannot 

 but believe that here we have an explanation, to some extent at 

 least, of the cause of the varying strength of medicinal pre- 

 parations obtained from plants grown in different parts of this 

 country, or in different soils, &c." 



The surplus bedding plants of the public parks and of 



Kew Gardens are to be distributed among the poorer inhabi- 

 tants of London. If the clergy, school committees, and others 

 interested in such a distribution will apply to the Superinten- 

 dent of the park nearest to their respective parishes, or to the 

 Director of the Royal Gardens, Kew, they will be informed of 

 the number of plants which can be allotted to each applicant, 

 and when and where they can be received. 



WORK FOR THE "WEEK. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



As soon as the portion of land intended for trenching be- 

 comes vacant let that operation be set about. Stiff, tenacious 

 soils had better be ridged, so that a large surface may be ex- 

 posed to the action of the weather. Artichokes (Globe), cut 

 off the stems as fast as the heads are used. Cabbage, see that 

 the ground is in readiness for transplanting the winter Cab- 

 bage. Remove all dead and decaying leaves from the Erassica 

 tribe in general to some ground under the process of trenching, 

 and keep the earth well stirred about the plants. Endive, 

 plant some of the latest, also hardy Lettuce, in a sheltered 

 corner where the plants can be covered in severe weather with 

 fern, dry litter, or mats. Spinach, pay attention to thinning ; 

 that to stand the winter may be thinned to 6 inches apart. 

 Tomatoes, train and stop, and thin the laterals, but avoid strip- 

 ping off too many leaves. 



FKUIT GARDEN. 



Let no further delay take place if Strawberry planting has 

 been previously neglected. Old beds intended to be left for 

 another season should have the runners and rubbish cleared 

 from them, and be well dressed with rich decomposed manure ; 

 but do not mow off the leaves. The Prolific Hautbois planted 

 now 6 inches apart on well-manured beds will succeed well. 

 Apples and Pears will now require constant watching to catch 

 the favourable time for gathering, which must be as soon as 

 they can be detached from the shoot easily without using force. 

 Those intended for long keeping must be used very carefully, 

 carried in small quantities to the fruit-room, and laid upon 

 the shelves. The plan of laying them in heaps to sweat, as 

 it is called, will uot answer for such as are required to be kept 

 long, as it hastens the ripening process too much, and as a 

 necessary consequence decay will sooner ensue. Keep a look 

 out for tomtits, which are apt to spoil some of the best Pears 

 just at this time. As soon as the last Peach is gathered, those 

 trees which have become infested with the red spider should 

 have a liberal application of sulphur. Uncover Currants, if 

 matted, occasionally during fine days. 



FLOWEB GARDEN. 



If previous directions have been attended to, the propagation 

 of next season's bedding stock will by this time be well ad- 

 vanced, and where from the pressure of other work, or from 

 various causes, this is not the case, every possible dispatch 

 must be used while the weather is favourable for such work. 

 Where cuttings of Verbenas and similar plants have yet to be 

 put in, they should be inserted rather thinly in deep pans or 

 shallow pots in which they can be wintered, as they will become 

 established sooner in this way than would be the case if they 

 were to be potted off before winter. We have frequently 

 found that late cuttings managed in this way have wintered 

 fully as well as stronger plants, and except in the case of plants 

 to furnish cuttings in spring, it is immaterial how small bed- 

 ding plants are before winter, provided they are well rooted 

 without having been grown in a close warm atmosphere, which 

 renders them sappy and tender. Many persons through anxiety 

 to secure large plants, keep bedding-out stock close and moist 

 until late in the autumn, and frequently in frames on dung-beds 

 where size is soon obtaiued, but plants treated in this way are 

 necessarily so soft and tender that it is almost impossible to 

 carry them through the winter without serious loss. Therefore, 

 avoid keeping such plants too warm after this season, and if 

 they are placed in bottom heat give air at night and whenever 

 it can be done without the cuttings flagging, so as to prevent 

 weakly growth. Old plants of Pinks intended to stand over 

 the winter, for the sake of pipings next year, should be ex- 

 amined and straggling shoots cut away, reducing them into 

 a neat and compact form. Offsets of Tulips will be better in 

 the ground than out. 



GREENIIOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. 



Proceed with the housing of tender plants. Many amongst 

 the usual occupants of the conservatory are extremely im- 

 patient of a low degree of heat. Anything that tends to in- 

 terrupt the healthy action of the sap is in fact to be avoided. 

 The advantage of removing them from the influence of the 

 cold, moist, ungenial weather will be, that this continuous and 

 desired action will not be checked. Mildew is the frequent 

 result of cold and damp. Cyclamens will now be in action ; if 

 requisite they should be shifted. Roses which have been pre- 

 pared for early blooming should be housed before frosty weather 

 arrives, and kept at first in a cold frame. If any deficiency 

 exists in the stock of plants for forcing, healthy young stuff 

 should be selected (the Perpetuals or Bourbons are best), and 

 potted. If plunged in a little bottom heat and kept close for a 

 few weeks they will root and be fit for forcing the same season. 

 Heliotropes, Scarlet Pelargoniums, &c, should have a light 

 situation near the glass. The Lachenalia family should now 

 be brought forth and repotted. Such, on a greenhouse shelf, 

 will flower in February. 



STOVE. 



All stove plants which have been removed to the conservatory 

 or other structures, should now be taken back to their per- 

 manent stations without delay, both for their own sakes, and 

 for the sake of the general arrangement in other structures. 

 Give a most liberal ventilation at this time, not forgetting, 

 however, to accompany it with much warmth, for the hardening 

 of growth is not carried out by means of chilling draughts 

 but by high temperatures, accompanied by a free perspiration 

 from the leaves of the plants. Much attention must be given 

 to watering under the above circumstances. The Orchids are 

 scarcely an exception as to the above atmospheric conditions. 

 They, too, must be hardened into ripeness iu the pseudo-bulb. 

 Where newly imported or other plants are growing late, they 

 will require a slight compromise in this course of treatment. 



TITS AND FRAMES. 



The whole winter's arrangement as to the disposal of these 

 structures should be determined on soon, and a regular plan 

 laid down and progressively acted on according to the order of 

 the affair. In an ordinary garden it is sometimes a puzzle 

 with a limited number to apportion them to the purposes re- 

 quired. The half-hardy plants must have a frame or two. 

 Some surplus stock belonging to the greenhouse or conserva- 

 tory, but not quite good enough to be placed there at present, 

 requires wintering. The Endives to be safe want protection, and 

 the Cauliflowers and Lettuces want a frame. The Neapolitan 

 Violets also must be similarly situated, added to which some 

 early Asparagus must, perhaps, be forced, for which, of course, 

 a pit or frame must be reserved. Whore there are not suffi- 

 cient conveniences of this kind, attention should be imme- 

 diately given to the formation of some turf-pits. They should 



