JOURNAL OF HOETICULTORE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 



[ Jolj I, ua9. 



HAND BOUQUETS.— Xo. 1. 



Amaieuhs are seldom successful in making a good bouquet 

 for the band, as tbere is an amount of skill and patience re- 

 quired which few people are willing, if able, to bestow upon it. 



The shape, according to the exidtini; law of custom, should 

 be circular, the centre slightly raised, with a gentle slope 

 eTenlj kept to the edges. Underneath, the stems must be 

 managed so as to be eafiily held in a lady's hand, and the 

 weight must be light. But to obtain this combination, it is 

 ■ecessary to put the flowers together in an artificial manner. 



JBefore the work is began, care should be taken to hare ready 



defy the assaults of Borea?. Although his soil is a vast im- 

 prorement on that of Kushton, yet there is a certain steeliness 

 about it which, in suoh a season as this has been, tends to 

 make it what farmers call sutly ; his knowledge of its cha- 

 racter and its wants is gradually altering this, but it must 

 take eume time before the neglect of former tenants can be 

 repaired. Then, although situated on the slope of the hill, it 

 is just on the brow, so that the winds have full play on it, and 

 I am not sure whether the wall which he has built may not 

 have aggravated the evil, for it affords a point of resistance to 

 the south-west gales, such as a hedge does not, and sends the 

 wind eddjing round through the garden. Some idea of the 

 force of the wind may be gathered from the fact that his first 

 wall, a y inch one, was blown completely down, and that in 

 protecting his fruit trees he is obliged to use stout canvas, and 

 to fasten it on to the iron rods with copper wire, tarred twine 

 being of no use whatever. The result of all this has been that 

 his Hoses have suffered a good deal ; the wind has bruised the 

 foliage, and so checked the circulation that a Rood deal of 

 orange fungus (a thing almost unknown in good Rose soils, I 

 believe), has made its appearance ; with this he has no mercy, 

 ke cuts out the affected part as soon as it appears, and encou- 

 rages thereby the growth of new shoots. That the wind is the 

 cause of this is proved from the simple fact that in one corner 

 of his garden which is sheltered the plants are iu vigorous and 

 robust health, without a sign of this fungus upon them. i 



I have before mentioned that Mr. Badclyffe is very shy of 

 new sorts, and he is inclined to wait a couple of years before i 

 he introduces them into his garden ; while no amount of his • 

 old favourites seems to satisfy him. Charles Lefebvre. for in- [ 

 stance, meets you in all parts of the garden ; grand blooms, I 

 5 inches across. Duo de Cazes is another great favourite for 

 the brilhancy of its tints. John Hopper and Jules Margottin 

 also occupy a conspicuous place ; while there are some sorts 

 which we generally think highly of which he does not ; for ' 

 example, he has discarded me from his garden, and is inclined 

 to send my daughter after me ; but ho has lost his heart to 

 Marie Baumann. He had some blooms of it out, aud each 

 time that he went round the garden he returned to these again 

 to take another fond gaze at them. It is without doubt a very 

 beautiful Rose. I should just add, before leaving the Hoses, 

 that they were all making vigorous new growth, and would in a 

 short time be full of fresh bloom. 



The wall fruit trees were in wonderfully fine condition as 

 ar as appearances went, not a blistered leaf was to be seen, 

 not an aphis, I btlieve, from beginning to end, and their 

 general aspect was an evidence of how carefully they had been 

 tended, jtruit was, as everywhere this year, verj' scarce ; but 

 when we are told that even glazed walls and orchard houses 

 are no protection this season, it is not to be wondered at that 

 the Peaches and Nectarines are few and far between. Siiice 

 my last visit some standard Cherry trees have been added, and 

 from trees from Sawbridgeworth planted on the 1st of April 

 WB had some delicious Early Lyons for dinner. 



The Strawberries were looking very Cuu, but, as everywhere, 

 late. I could hardly believe that the plants which I saw were 

 those which I had seen as runners last year, but it was so ; 

 Cockscomb, Dr. Hogg, and Lucas were especially fine. Rasp- 

 berries also had a heavy crop ; while Potatoes were lo.kiug 

 remarkably well. We had for dinner R lyal Ashleaf, which has 

 been in use since June 5th, and very excellent they were, far 

 better than those I used to grow at Deal ; so it must have a 

 trial at Westwell. 



I found our good friend hearty and genial as ever, and Stevie 

 as original. My rosanan friends must congratulate me on my 

 ecclesiastical preferment to the dignity of '-Dean ;" my modesty 

 forbids my assuming the title, however ; for alas ! it only 

 extends to the gardens at OketorJ, where Stevie, hearing me 

 called " D.," had converted it into Dean.— D., Deal. 



a plentiful supply of wet wool, or dried moss well soaked in 

 water, and two sorts of wire, one as fine as horsehair, and the 

 other rather thick and strong ; a bundle of pliable sticks should 

 also be provided. They may about C inches long, and the ttiiok- 

 ness of an ordinary Pelargonium stem. Yonng twigs from a 

 Thorn bush, dried, and left in water for twenty-four hours 

 before they are used, will answer the purpose very well. The 

 stems of all the flowers are to be cut off, leaving only 1) inch 

 to each head. This portion is bound round with a thin strip 

 of wet wool, or a little wet moss, to keep it moist, and to 

 prevent the wire bruising it, and an artificial stalk is then 

 added, placing it close under the calyx of the flower. If the 

 natural stem is soft, or full of sap, one of the prepared sticks 

 will be the best ; but if it is woody and tough, strong wire 

 must be used. To bind on the sticks, fine wire is twined 

 round and round from the bottom of the stick to the head of 

 the flower, and crossed back again, which will render the whole 

 stalk flexible. Wire stalks are twined round in the same man- 

 ner, from the place where the natural stem is joined on. 



The easiest way of making up a bouquet is to begin in the 

 centre, and work round it in circles. This does not necessitate 

 a formal arrangement of the flowers, but will materially help in 

 keeping the shape perfect. To each circle and to each flower 

 must be added sufficient wool or moss (the moss is preferable), 

 to prevent the flowers crushing one another, and to enable them 

 to be spread out at the top, while the stalks underneath are 

 compressed into a small compass. Black thread is the best 

 material with which to bind ail the flowers together. 



If fullblown flowers are used, they will generally require 

 wiring before they are mounted, to keep them from shedding 

 their petals, lioses, C^imellias, Oleanders, &a., are treated in 

 this way. A piece of fine wire is inserted through the calyx 

 of the flower on one side, and brought out through the calyx 

 on the other, onother thread of wire being crossed over in the 

 same manner ; the four ends are then twisted together round 

 the stem. For Pelargoniums aud open flowers, a drop of clear 

 gnm dropped in the centre tbe day before they are wanted, 

 will secure their petals, and will not spoil the look of the 

 flowers. A bouquet well managed ought to look fresh for a 

 week at least. Flowers will last longer if placed in water an 

 hour or two before they are used. — L., Laughton. 



CAULIFLOWER CULTURE. 



The earliest crop of the season is produced from seed sown 

 the previous autumn. The good old rule, " sow and plant 

 often," in order to keep up a regular supply in good condition, 

 does not apply to any vegetable with greater propriety than to 

 that now under consideration. It is well to start with a recog- 

 nition of this rule by sowing twice instead of once in autumn. 

 Tbe first sowing should be made about the middle of August, 

 and the second fourteen days later. In those localities where 

 the checking frosts of autumn set in early, these times may, 

 perhaps, be found late enough, while in other districts I have 

 found the last week of August quite early enough. It will 

 depend entirely on tbe chaiacter of the season which of these 

 two sowings may prove the most desirable from which to 

 choose the main stock of plants for wintering in the best con- 

 dition as to size and hardiness. Sume seasons the earUer 

 sowing may be found too large for wintering in frames, and in 

 such cases the propriety of a second sowing becomes apparent. 



Choice should be made of an open airy situation on which 

 to sow the seed. Tbe soil should, if possible, be moderately 

 light, rich, and well pulverised. The seed should be sown 

 thinly, so that the crop of young plants may not become 

 crowded aud weakly. If thick, and the season prove wet, mil- 

 dew is very apt to destroy them. Should tbe weather and 

 ground be dry, the seed should be steeped in water for twelre 

 hours, and the ground well watered the night before it is sown. 

 This secures a quick and healthy germination without resortiriR 

 to the undesirable practice of watering the soil after the seed 

 is sown. Many objections might be urged against watering 

 seed beds in hot dry weather, with tbe view of promoting ger- 

 mination and healthy growth. The action and reaction caused 

 by such a practice in some cases des'.roys the seed altogether, 

 and the surface of the soil gets consolidated and caked over. 

 By soaking the seeds and bed before sowing, and then shading 

 it from the. hot sun, a healthy germination is promoted with 

 very Utile trouble. 



As has already been remarked, the earliest Cauliflowers of 

 the next season are produced from these autumn sowings; 

 and as soon as they are ready to transplant, a border with a 



