•292 



JOUKNAIi OP HORTICULTUBE AKD COTTAGE OABDENEB. 



[ April 17. ISM. 



arc covered with Utter ; in the early one with a thickness of 

 7 or 8 inches, in the late one of 4 or 5 inches. 



Will you give me your opinion in the next Number aa to 

 what is the cause of the hunches rimning to tendrils in this 

 way ; and also what is the cause of the tirst bleeding of the 

 St. Peter's, and the later bleeding of the whole lot ? — E. Yineuy. 



[You have, apparently, acted quite right with the Vines. The 

 cause of the bunches running to tendrils is most likely pre- 

 vious overcropping and the roots being too deep, or having too 

 mnch moisture in this wet season. We have some on two 

 Muscats, though we had lessened the heads considerably ; hnt 

 they had borne immense crops for a number of years, and not 

 received much countervailing nourishment. If the roots are 

 not too deep the Vines will most likely recover themselves in 

 another season. If you think the roots are rather deep, the 

 Vines will require extra firing in the autumn. As to bleeding, 

 we do not think in the case of the West's St. Peter's it was 

 owing to the top of the shoot being bent near the ground. We 

 attribute it and the bleeding in the late house to the mild 

 winter, and the rather active state of the roots in the border. 

 Aa a general rule, the sooner Vines are pruned after the fall of 

 the leaf the better. In the case of verj' late Vines, where we 

 could not prune owing to the Grapes, it is a good plan to cut 

 out all the buds not wanted, before one is able to prune. This 

 matter of bleeding is referred to in " Doings of the Last Week. " j 



WORK FOR THE V\TEK. 



KITCHEN GAKDEN. 



As soon as the principal crops are in the ground, and the 

 supply of dung to serve for the season has been wheeled on 

 the principal quarters, proceed to make good any part of the 

 Box edgings, either by taking the whole up and replanting, or 

 fi l l i n g up such blanks as may have occurred during the past 

 year. Thrift and other similar edgings require taking up and 

 replanting every two or three years. Although Box edging looks 

 neat and helps to set off a kitchen garden, yet on account of its 

 harbouring slugs and the annual repair which, even with the 

 greatest care, it always requires, we prefer stone or earthen- 

 ware for bordering, which though more expensive in the first 

 place, will in a few years repay the additional outlay, besides 

 the appearance of stability which the stone or earthenware 

 edgings give to the walks. After the edgings are put in order, 

 turn over or regravel the walks, and after rain let them be well 

 rolled till they again become firm ; the garden will then present 

 through the season a clean well-regulated appearance. The 

 minor paths or alleys to be kept in an equally tidy state, for 

 which purpose place scrapers at each intersection of the paths 

 or walks, or, in fact, wherever they appear likely to be required. 

 Beans, make a sowing of Taylor's Large Windsor, to succeed 

 those sown in the end of last month. Broccoli, if a sowing of 

 Snow's Winter Wiite, the Walcheren, and Knight's Protecting 

 has not yet beei made, it should be done without delay. 

 Srusteh Sprouts, make a good sowing for winter use. Cabbage, 

 a sowing of the Champion Early Dwarf should now be made 

 to produce plants for winter and spring use. Cardoons, the 

 seed may now be sown in trenches where the plants are to 

 remain. Wlien preparing the ground the manure to be covered 

 with about 3 inches of soU. Place three seeds together, 

 14 inches apart. Only one plant, however, must be allowed to 

 remain at each spot. Cucttmbcrs, keep the shoots well regu- 

 lated, as on this particular their fruitfnlness in a great measure 

 depends. Seed should now be sown to produce plants for 

 ridges, ilxmhrooms, m making beds to produce through the 

 anmmer, a portion of loam should be mixed with the dung to 

 give greater solidity to the bed. NasturtiiLms, sow. The seed 

 if gathered when quite young and pickled in the usual way 

 forms an excellent substitute for capers. Trained against 

 trelliswork the plant is highly ornamental. Potatoes, if the main 

 crops are not yet in, lose no time in planting them. Savoys, 

 another sowing may be made for a late crop. Turnips, make 

 another sowing. 



FBDIT GAKDEN. 



A portion of the protecting material should be removed from 

 Peach, Nectarine, and Apricot trees. Do this gradually, that 

 the bloom may not suffer by a too sudden exposure. 'When 

 canvas screens on rollers are employed, of course they are 

 rolled up by day, and let down each night. If the nights, 

 however, are warm, they need not be lowered quite down, as a 

 little extra air by night will be more beneficial than otherwise 

 to the bloom, ^yhere spray or netting is used, and which could 



not conveniently be removed daily, a part may be taken off at 

 once, only keeping it on hand in case a return uf severe weather 

 should render its use again necessary. 



FLOWKU bJUlDEN. 



Showery weather should he taken advantage of to complete 

 the pbuitiog of deciduous trees and shrubs without deUy, and 

 likewise of any evergreens left unplanted from the autumn, as 

 from the present time to the end of the month is the most 

 suitable season, next to the autumn, for removing most kinds of 

 evergreens. In planting avoid exposing the roots to the sun or 

 drying winds. Mulch immediately after planting, to prevent 

 undue evaporation from the soil as well as to save watering. 

 A good watering overhead with the garden-engine on the even- 

 ings of bright days wUl prove of great use to newly-planted I 

 evergreens, and when the plants are large, the stem and some 

 of the principal branches should have haybands tied round 

 them, which, being damped once or twice daily, will keep the 

 bark moist and facilitate the How of sap. Proceed with the 

 planting of hardy climbers against walls, trellises, and veran- 

 dahs. Select some of the most showy species, such as Capri- 

 fohum. Wistaria, Bignouia, Clematis, Tecoma, &c., and intro- 

 duce amongst them some of the strong-growing Noisette, 

 evergreen, and hybrid climbing Koses. If it is desirable to 

 hide some disagreeable object from view, we would strongly 

 recommend the following Boses — Rampant, Donna Maria, 

 Triomphe de Bolwyller, Madame d'Arblay, Garland, Queen of 

 the Prairies, and Baltimore Belle ; these are in every respect 

 suitable for this purpose, being rapid and strong growers and 

 abundant bloomers. 



OBEENHODSE AND CONBEBVATORV. 



In watering pot plants, great care should be bestowed, as it 

 is an important process ; too much, too little, or an injudiciotia 

 modeof application being equally fatal to high cultivation. Very 

 many plants are seriously injured at the periods of shifting or 

 potting off, by improper watering. A very fine-rosed water- 

 ing-pot, and slight applications of water, at intervals, soon 

 after potting, constitute the best way, as a general maxim, to 

 penetrate tlje mass, and to cause the particles of soil so to 

 arrange themselves, that the atmospheric influence shall be | 

 somewhat modified, but by no means intercepted. There is, | 

 however, no good reason why all plants should be watered im- 

 mediately on shifting them. When 'a plant has no ball of 

 earth, the water should, of course, be made to penetrate the 

 whole mass, in order to prevent desiccation, which would some- 

 times ensue through extreme porosity in the new soil. 'When, 

 however, the subject is a plant with a hard ball, a steeping 

 overhead in water for an hour is a preferable course. After j 

 this, frequent syringings or waterings with a fine rose will be 

 the soundest policy for a week or two. Proceed at once with 

 the staking and tying-out of plants requiring such assistance. 

 Turn each plant frequently round, that it may not become one- 

 sided. Epacrises and spring-flowering Heaths will bear close 

 pruning after flowering is over. Correas that have been flower- 

 ing during winter should now be rather closely pruned, and 

 kept indoors all summer, when they will take the place ol 

 Fuchsias after September. The cuttings we advised to be 

 struck for a stock of winter-flowering plants will now require 

 potting off. As it is not desirable that those should be grown 

 to a large size, keep them rather short of pot-room, a hot-water 

 pit will answer best for growing these and similar plants. The 

 plants can then be brought close up to the glass, and by a little 

 attention will form stout, bushy subjects, with well-ripened 

 wood by the automu, and they may then be brought into bloom 

 at pleasure. 



STOVB. 



Pay due attention to the watering, shifting, stopping, Sec., of 

 stove plants in general. Make cuitings as they can be obtained 

 in a young state of Geissomeria, Plumbago, Erantbemum, Jna- 

 ticia, Clerodendron, Vinca, Euphorbia, Brugmansia, Begonia, 

 Thunbergia, &c., in order to keep up a succession of clean 

 young stock. Syringe freely in fine weather; shut up early 

 with solar heat, give air freely, and fumigate with tobacco in 

 due time. 



PITS km) FBAMES. 



Cultivate plenty of HeUotropes, Aloysias, and the sweet- j 

 smelling Pelargoniums. Part the roots of (Enothera macro- 

 carpa, or by-andby cuttings of the shoots may be made when 

 about 3 inches long. They soon root if put in a little heat. 

 Increase Gladioluses and Lilies, as they are very useful in re- 

 lieving dark masses of foliage. Cistuses and Helianthemums 

 should also be had in abundance. — W. Keahb. 



