84 



XOUBNAL OP HOBTIOULTUBE AND COTTAGE QAJRDENBB. 



I Jaly 29, 1B69. 



but to eonps and stews it f^xen an cxqnisite flavonr. It is like 

 a Carrot in ebupe, aud about Oie cize of a moderate one. Ita 

 seed is remarkably small, aut requires to be Ronn on tine 

 friable or eandy soil. I eow my crop in the middle of June, 

 but it may be sown in July. I do notobferve this kind of Tur- 

 nip in cur English seed lists. It ehould be in every garden. 

 — T. B. 



NEW BOOK. 



A] Hhtonj of OrnamenUil-foUagtd Pelarijonitims, with Practical 



Bints for their Production, Propagation, and Cultivation. By 



Peteb GniEVE. Second edition, enlarged. W. Blackwood 



and Sons, Edinburgh aud London. 



A STRU'EDLEAVED Pclaigocium, probably the same as Miller's 

 Variegated, was introduced from France in the year 1724, but 

 zone-leaved species had beeu cultivated in this country some 

 years previously. Pelargonium zouale was in the garden of 

 the Duchess of Beaufort in 1704, bo was P. peltatnm, the loaves 

 of which have a circular pui-ple blotch in the centre. A third 

 Aitioau species is described by Bay as having silvered leaves, 

 a fourth with a purple zone, and a fifth with golden foliage. 

 He also mentions the Ivy-leaved as being introduced from the 

 Cape of Good Hope, aud flomijbing in the Duchess of Beau- 

 fort's garden in 1701. We merely mention these as evidence 

 that ornamental-foliaged Pelargoniums were known and prized 

 mach earlier than is usually supposed. 



We are pleased to welcome this second edition of Mr. Grieve's 

 book. It is full of instruction relative to its subject ; and as 

 evidence of its praclical character, we will make a short extract 

 from his directions how to raise new varieties. 



*• Let a dozen or more of tbe Guest Green Zonal varieties be ob- 

 tained, and also a like or a smaller namber of tbe finest Gold and Silver 

 Variegated Zonal sorts that are to bo bad. I will suppose them to 

 have been all strufk from cuttings diu-ing the months of August or 

 September, and to be growing in pots, say, about i inches in diameter. 

 They must bo wintered in an ordinary greenhouse, giving the varie- 

 gated varieties the advantage of a shelf near to the glass ; and the 

 temperature of tho bouse must not be allowed to fall much below 45", 

 as a minimum, admittiuj; air, however, freely when tho weather will 

 permit. Under tliis treatment the i>lants. both green 'jluA variolated, 

 will continue to progress slowly during the winter mouths, and will 

 require to bo shifted into their flowering pots about the first week in 

 February. The size of the pots for tho Green Zonal varieties should 

 not exceed (i inches in diameter, and the same, or perhaps a size less, 

 will be suitable for tho variegated sorts ; Imt gi-eat care must be taken 

 that the pots for the latter sorts arc well drained. They will all grow, 

 and produce seed freely, in almost any moderately rich soil, avoiding 

 peat, however ; but I would recommend a soil composed principally of 

 rotted turf, with the addition of a portion of leaf mould or well-rotted 

 manure. It is better to avoid a very rich soil, as great luxuriance is 

 not desirable. 



'■ After they have been repotted, let them bo well watered with a 

 fine rose watering-pot, and replaced as before recommended, giving 

 tbe variegated sorts, as being the most delicate, every possible advap- 

 tage in regard to position, and beeping tlio hoaso rather- close and 

 moist for a week or two, after which abundance of air may bo given 

 when tho weather is favourable ; hut at the same time, so as to avoid 

 anythiuj; like cold draughts. Let the plants have water only when 

 they really require it, and let tbe pots bo frequentlj turned round, so 

 that all parts of tho plant may have equally the advantage of being 

 exposed to the sun and light. 



" Early in the month of May most of tbe plants will be in flower, 

 the vaiiej^ated varieties as well as tbe green-leaved sorts. They may 

 now be placed, in order to be operated upon, in some light and con- 

 venient position, such as tho frout of a greenhouse, or other light 

 structure. Continue to give plenty of top air ; but it will bo advisable 

 to keep the front lights closed, to avoid draughts, and also, to some 

 extent, to cxoludo insects. A day temperature of not less than 70' 

 will be found necessary, or, at least, most conducive to sexual develop- 

 meat; and at this season (June— July), this temperature can gene- 

 rally be maintained without the aid of 'tire beat, while, by closing tho 

 house somewhat early, in accordance mth the state of the weather, 

 the night temperature will seldom fall lower than .50 \ 



" Tho time may now he said to have arrived when tbe intending 

 cross-breeder is called upon to exercise bis judgment in tho selection 

 of the parents of his future seedlings ; and this is perhaps the most 

 important part of tho whole business. 



" I have before observed that although tbe varieties of Variegated 

 Zonal i'elaj-goninms already in the country are exceedingly numerous, 

 yet comparatively few of them will, I suspect, be found to bo eligible 

 as bedding plants, on account of their delicaey of constitution or defi- 

 ciency of vital or growing power. Perhaps tho principal cause of this, 

 in addition to tho admitted debilitating influence of v.lriegation itself, 

 is the practice of selecting variegated varieties for tho seed-hearing 

 parent, using the green-leaved varieties only as pollen parents. With- 

 out wishing altogether to condemn this practice, 1 would, nevertheless, 



in most InHtances, recommend a contrary procedure — tik,, to make the 

 grcan-luaved variety the seed- hearing parent, and to use the )>ollen of 

 tho variegated sorts, my conviction being that in tho vegetable aa in 

 tho animal kingdom, tho male is (generally the most actiro in stamping 

 the leading chamcteristics or peculiaritiefi of its nature upon the pro- 

 geny, wbilo the constitution of the female is generally, to flome extent, 

 inherited by the offspring." 



LAXTON'S SUPREME PEA. 



Thouoii the varieties of Peas are numerous, yot many ara bo 

 little distinct that I am convinced several names arc often 

 attached to a variety. Probably a selection of eight good kinds 

 is BufTicient to ensure suooessional crops throu;;bcut the season. 

 Laxton's Supreme should not be omitted, for I am of opinion 

 that its qualities are all that can be des-ired. I have now 

 several rows in full bearing, and nothing, as a Pea, can possibly 

 be stronger, healthier, aud more handsome. These were Bown 

 in trenches, as prepared for Celery, with nn ample supplyof 

 manure from an old Melon bed, only coveiing the manure with 

 4 inches of soil to sow the seeds in. 1 presume the plants have 

 overgrown themselves this season, measuring C feet in height. 

 They bear in profusion large fine pods containing from seren 

 to nine I'eaa in a pod, these being of a dark green colour, and 

 of excellent flivour. — Henky C. OfiLE, JVeluryn. 



TREES INJURED BY THE WE.VTHEE— 



POTATOES. 



Mr- Leach, Lord Portman's gardener, called to-day (July 20th), 

 to see the Boscs, Strawberries, frnit trees, and Potatoes. He 

 gives much tho same account as Mr. Eobson (page 42). He 

 says the magnificent Plane trees at Bryanstone are much in- 

 jured, and have hardly a leaf loft. Two flue Beech trees have 

 died, and the Beeches generally, besides other trees, are in a 

 sad plight. Hs has raised a splendid second-early Potato, 

 called the Bryanstone Kidney, which he is going to give me. 

 I showed him the American Potatoes ; he admired their hanbn 

 and foliage. I also dng him up a tnber each of the Early Bose, 

 Brezee'a No. 4, and Climax. We thought Climax the best- 

 looking. When it came it was the worst-looking of all the 

 Americans. I tasted the Early Bose the same day, and 

 Brezee's No. 4. They are exceedingly white in flesh, and I 

 think will be good Potatoes, being very delicate in flavour, far 

 more so than the English Potatoes, but they are not so rich 

 as our Kidney Potatoes. Being hardly ripe, I cannot yet tell 

 their merits.— W. F. Eadcltffb. 



CUCUMBER CULTURE.— No. 7. 



The seed to raise nlants for winter fruiting ought to he sown 

 in the first week iu September. The plants from this sowing 

 will be strong and in full bearing by January or early in Febru- 

 ary, but a little fruit may be obtained long before this. The 

 plants may be raised on a dung hotbed in a house having the 

 proper temperature, or iu the house in which they are to be 

 grown. As tho general treatment has been described in pre- 

 vious articles, it is unnecessary to repeat it here, but there 

 are some points in which it differs. The plants must be potted 

 singlyin 3-inch pots when showing their rough leaves, and 

 when tho pots are full of roots shift the plants into 6-inch 

 pots, which are sufficiently large till the time for planting-out. 

 This should be done before the roots become very closely 

 matted round the sides. If tho plants cannot be turned out, 

 they should bo shifted into larger-sized pots as soon as their 

 present ones become full of roots, but the sooner they are 

 planted-out after they begin to grow freely the better. 



It is a practice with many, indeed most, cultivators not to 

 stop the plants until the original shoot or runner is long enough 

 to reach the trellis. I think this gives a very slender weak 

 stem, and as a preventive I take out the point of the shoot at 

 the second joint, or immediately above the first rough leaf. 

 This gives a strong shoot, and if more shoots show, they are 

 picked out with the point of a thirp knife when little larger 

 thau a pin's head. A stick long enough to reach from the 

 surface of the soil in the pot to the trellis is placed to eaoh 

 plant, and to this the runner is lightly tied, and not again 

 stopped until it has grown two joints beyond tbe trellis ; its 

 point is then taken out. The shoots showing in the joints of 

 the future stem are taken out with the point of a knife as soon 

 as they appear, but allowing the leaves to remain for some time 



