884 



JOUBNAL OP HOBTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GAEI^ENEB. 



I Har 22, 18K. 



and if the weather were as hot as at Penang I should, as the 

 Chinese say, kick up a bobbery about it, equal to what we do 

 at Penacg aboat the Mangosteen." — T. B. 



rROFIT FROM FORCING PEACHES. 



The erection of orchard-houses has now become so general, 

 that a word in favour of their adoption would be unnecessary; 

 but any facts which tend to illustrate their value must prove 

 acceptable to all interested in the cultivation of fruit trees. 



The rapid mode of transport which has originated within 

 the last quarter of a century, has brought easily within our 

 reach the productions of the gardens of our foreign neigh- 

 bours, and in many cases within a few hours of such being 

 gathered and packed ; yet with all these advantages I am in- 

 clined to assert that the produce furnished by the forcing- 

 houses and gardens of Great Britain has not decreased in value 

 by reason of such competition. 



The following facts will, I tliink, prove this; and similar 

 evidecee I believe is often obtained under similar circum- 

 stances, but passes unrecorded. If a debtor and creditor ac- 

 count of the marketable value of the produce were kept, it 

 would afford evidence that the cultivation of fruit trees under 

 glass is anything but unprofitable ; though it is in many in- 

 stances difficult to convince the grower to the contrary. 



But to proceed. In a lean-to house, S3 feet by 16, we have 

 here planted near the centre — that is, within the fourth of the 

 distance of each end of the house, one Royal George Peach 

 tree and one Nectarine. The two occupy the whole area of the 

 house. The growth of the former exceeds the latter by one- 

 fourth. The Peach tree has been planted twelve years. It 

 was removed from the garden wall, against which it had been 

 for some years previous to its removal. Every precaution has 

 been taken to confine the roots to the border prepared for them 

 inside the house, so that they may be entirely subjected to 

 the heated air. The house is heated by means of three rows 

 of four-inch pipes, one flow in front, and two return midway. 

 The trees have been under my care since the autumn of 1861 ; 

 and as we annually dispose of the fruit, of course a faithful 

 account is kept of the sums obtained. That your readers may 

 form a somewhat accurate idea of the value realised I here 

 subjoin the details. 



Sam received. 

 Year. £ ,. d. 



Va-Z Ripe June 13th Pcaclies 425 dozen 42 10 



18t"S Ripe May 28th „ 43 dozen 48 10 



ISTA Ripe May 1st „ 42 dozen 67 



1865 Ripe April 21st „ 27 dozen 65 



1866 Ripe May 10th , 38 dozen 50 



The Nectarines yield annually about twenty dozen, and the 

 snms obtained average about 15s. per dozen. 



In deducting the expenses of labour and fuel, it should be 

 considered that the house is but one of a range in which 

 Grapes are forced, and that the whole of the compartments 

 are heated by one of Weeks's No. 4 tubular boilers. — JJichael 

 Davls, Gardener, Rochampton Park. 



WORK FOR THE WEEK. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



DnKiKo showery weather, such as we have lately experienced, 

 it is difficult to keep down effectually the seedling weeds ; no 

 sooner does the bright sunshine tempt one to cut them up than 

 down comes a shower, and starts many of them into renewed 

 activity. To remedy this it is advisable, after hoeing through 

 such crops as Onions, Carrots, Parsnips, &c., to choose a fine 

 day soon afterwards, and go over the whole with a long-toothed 

 iron rake. The disturbance is generally effectual in killing the 

 ■weeds, and is, moreover, of great benefit to the crops by scari- 

 fying the surface, and throwing it open to receive the full 

 benefit of atmospheric influences. In deep, retentive, and cold 

 soils it is advisable, in order to attain anything like success, 

 to forward early crops by artificial means, and transplant. 

 This practice is very essential, whatever the nature of the soil 

 may be. One general effect of transplanting is to give the 

 plants a check, which throws them sooner into bearing ; at tho 

 same time, if the ground is in good condition, and weU trenched, 

 they are as productive as if sown in the open ground. Beans, 

 make another sowing of Longpod if they are much in request, 

 and take off the tops of those in blossom. Broccoli, make 

 another sowing of Miller's Dwarf White Russian, these will 

 come into bearing in the end of April and beginning of May. 



Prick-out the Capo Broccoli and CauHJlowers. and keep all 

 seedling crops of this kind well dusted with quicklime, other- 

 wise you will have to repine over the loss of moat of them from 

 snails and slugs. Dwarf Kidiwy Beans, sow tho dwarf sorts for 

 succession, also Scarht Uunners, and transplant those which 

 have been forwarded, if not already done. Sow also Jerusalem 

 Kale, and tho old English Colewort, buth are very useful for 

 planting after Potatoes. Peas, sow in smaller quantities for a 

 succession ; the north side of sloping banks is well adapted for 

 these sowings, being generally cooler and more retentive of 

 moisture. Keep the surface well loosened amongst Peas juBt 

 coming up, and earth-up and stake othei-s as they become 

 ready. Spinach, keep up successions. Turnips, sow another 

 good breadth, and thin-out those advancing ; endeavour to keep 

 them in a healthy growing state, which is one of the best pre- 

 ventives against the curly- sown ones running to seed. 



FRUIT GARDEN. 



Poach and Nectarine trees infested with green fly, and having 

 curled or blistered leaves, should be well syringed with strong 

 lime water from a garden engine. Continue to nail-in the 

 young shoots of all kinds of fruit trees as they become suffi- 

 ciently advanced, and keep the finger and thumb at work 

 amongst superfluous shoots. Give the Strawberry-beds a final 

 stirring, and have some available material at hand for laying 

 about tho plants, to prevent the fruit from becoming dirty. 

 Keep a number of figure-1 traps constantly set about the beds, 

 as there are no greater destroyers of Strawberries than mice. 



FLOWEE GARDEN. 



Eecently-transplantcd trees and shrubs must be carefully 

 attended to with water until fairly established. It is frequently 

 the case, however, that too much water is given at the root, 

 thereby souring the soil, and rendering it uncongenial to the 

 young rootlets and the after-growth of the plants. The soil 

 should be kept moist, but not to the extent of saturation, and 

 the plants should be watered overhead with the engine on the 

 evenings of bright days, which will be of more service in re- 

 pairing the loss sustained by evaporation than if given in 

 excess to the soil while there is a di-ficiency of active rootlets 

 to absorb it. When Eosesare infested with the grub, it will be 

 necessary to go over the plants frequently to destroy this pest. 

 Green fly is also sometimes very troublesome at this season ; a 

 good washing with the garden engine on two or three successive 

 evenings will greatly assist in exterminating it. With the 

 wind east, and a fair prospect of a sharp frost any night, there 

 is no great inducement to commence bedding-out in earnest. 

 It is to be hoped, however, that we shall have experienced a 

 favourable change before the appearance of this notice, and 

 that the planting of all properly-prepared stock may be proceed- 

 ing under favourable auspices. Begin with Calceolarias, Ver- 

 benas, and Scarlet Geraniums, leaving Heliotropes, Lantanaa, 

 Anagallis, and such things as are easily injured by frost, until 

 planting the more hardy shall have been completed. Branches 

 of evergreens are easily enough obtained in most places, and 

 a sprinkling of these stuck into the beds after planting will be 

 of great service in protecting the plants from the drying effects 

 of bright sunshine, and will also ward off a degree of frost 

 which to unprotected plants would be destructive. All shoots 

 which are long enough to be injured through being blown about 

 by the wind, should be pegged down immediately on planting 

 out, and a good watering should be given to settle the soil about 

 the roots. This, however, will be better done early in the 

 morning, if there is any reason to fear frost. Auriculas should 

 now be pliiceil on a north border, the seed will ripen there very 

 well ; if the pots are well drained, and placed on a layer of ashes 

 to prevent the ingress of wonus, the plants will sustain no 

 injury from exposure. Polyanthuses require more shading 

 than tho Auricula, otherwise they are liable to the attacks of 

 red spider. Carnations and Picotees are growing fast, so are 

 weeds, which must be taken from the pots as they appear. Cut 

 over those which are spindling without showing increase. Do 

 not delay putting down the sticks to wliich they are to be at- 

 tached. Pansies may be shaded, and not too many pods of seed 

 allowed to ripen. Tie up Pinks as they spindle. 



GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. 



Somelof the earlier-flowering New Holland and other green- 

 house plants will soon be past their best, and a judicious 

 amount of foresight and care will be necessary to avoid being 

 I short of specimens in bloom with which to supply their places. 

 Many subjects in the stove, as Achimenes, Gloxinias, Sco., 

 \ should now be in a forward state, but these must be carefullj 

 I prepared for removal to the cooler and drier atmosphere of the 



