Aagnst 19, 



] 



JOURNAL OF HOBTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GAKDENER. 



145 



elimbiag Aspnragus from bis own garden, and which had been sent 

 borne to him by a collector in his employ some years ago. Mr. Saun- 

 ders stated that the plant grew to an enormons length, and he did not 

 know what to do with it till he hit on the plan of growing it on cords 

 tied to the rafter of the honse, and which it soon runs np. One great 

 advantage of this system of training was, that it desired, the plant 

 could be moved from place to place by taking the cord down, which, 

 with the plant, conld be woond ronnd the arm, bat such was not the 

 case when sticks or wire were employed. Many plants conld be 

 trained on cords ; indeed, this was the best system for soccnlent 

 climbers. Another plant, thongh not exhibited trained as a climber, 

 bnt which in reality was a climbing Lily, being very closely allied to 

 that family, and having been called Lilium gloriosum, was the Gloriosa 

 from Mr. Clews. He thonght all climbing plants should be exhibited 

 trained as climbers ; bat perhaps he ought to make an exception of the 

 Lapageria, of which Mr. Williams had sent a glorious specimen 

 trained on wire, as it attained too large a size for exhibition in any 

 other form. ^__^^_ 



SOIL FOR GRAPES. 

 I WISH to confirm the statement of your correspondent, 

 "G. S.," in your Number of Augasfc 12tli, page 124, by saying 

 that my father possessed several vineyards at Vernone, near 

 Tarin, in Piedmont, planted on very calcareous soil. These 

 vineyards were celebrated in the vicnity for fine crops of 

 Grapes, producing superior wine ; indeed, it commanded a 

 higher price than neighbours around could obtain for their 

 wines. — Leonakd H-irmas, jum. 



FrsSBUBT Park. — We had always supposed that the design 

 of the Fiasbury Park was due to Mr. McKenzie who also designed 

 the Alexandra Parii ; but having seen in the morning papers 

 that Mr. VuUiamy claimed to have been the author of it, we 

 were last week led to repeat his statement to that effect. We 

 are since assured by Mr. MoKenzio that to him alone the design 

 of the park is attributable, and that the lodges, gates, fences, 

 &o., belong to Mr. Vulliamy. 



CUCUMBER CULTURE.— No. 8. 



CoLTURE IN Pots. — A very desirable method of growing 

 Cucumbers for late autumn or early winter fruiting is in pots, 

 as in this case they need no particular spot assigned them, but 

 can be fruited in any house with the proper temperature. In 

 pots, too, the plants generally fruit much earlier than those in 

 borders, but they do not attain the same amount of strength, 

 or continue so long in bearing. In spite of this, however, it 

 is always a consideration to have a few fruits early ; and if 

 plants were not grown in pots they might not be grown at all 

 for early fruiting, owing to want of room. Pot plants are more 

 easy of accommodation than those planted-out, as the latter 

 require both a border and plenty of space for their development. 



Seeds sown in pots about the beginning of September will 

 produce plants which will fruit in November ; and for a suc- 

 cession it is best to sow on the 1st day of the month, and again 

 on the 2l3t. If, however, a sowing was made at the beginning 

 of September for planting-out, the second sowing in pots may 

 be dispensed with, as the plants will bear at the same time ; 

 but if seeds be sown at the above two dates, sowing for plant- 

 ing-out may be deferred until the middle of October and 5th 

 of November. Either of these plans will maintain a succession 

 of fruit throughout the winter, spring, and summer ; thus — 1st 

 of September sowing ior November fruiting ; 2l3t of September 

 for January. Both of these sowings are for culture in pots. 

 The 12th of October sowing is for fruiting about the end of 

 February and on through the summer ; but the early Septem- 

 ber sowing, one lot being potted and the other planted-out, 

 will produce a like result. 



The method of raising plants for pot culture does not differ 

 from that pursued in raising those for plauting-out. As re- 

 gards the size of the pot, in a small pot we often obtain a 

 much less development of foliage along with fruit equal to 

 those produced in larger pots. I like a good-sized pot, and 

 consider one 13 inches in diameter not too large. The drain- 

 age should occupy one-sixth of the depth of the pot, placing 

 merely one crock over the hole, and for the remainder using 

 lumps of charcoal free of dust. Some of the rougher parts of 

 the soil should be placed over the drainage, both together oc- 

 cupying one-third of the depth of the pot. The plant is turned 

 out with the ball entire into the centre of the pot, and the soil 

 gently pressed round, space enough being left for surface-dress- 

 ings. t^If bottom heat can be obtained, let the pots be plunged. 



or if there is a border let them stand on that rather than on a 

 shelf or stage. Their position must be well exposed to the 

 light, and they should be trained as near as possible to tha 

 glass, but without touching it. As the object is early fruiting, the 

 plant should be stopped at least twice previous to being placed 

 in the fruiting pot. It will show fruit before it has made a very 

 long shoot, when it should be stopped one joint beyond the 

 fruit. When there are two or three fruits, it will be well to 

 keep each growth closely stopped to one joint, so as to have 

 most of the foliage above the fruit. It is, however, desirable 

 to retain a shoot near the base of the plant, so that when the 

 fruits are out from the upper part, the latter can be cut off 

 down to the shoot at the base, which can be trained in its place, 

 and will fruit even more freely than its predecessor. 



As the plant advances it will put out roots near the surface, 

 but should none appear after three weeks, I add about an inch 

 of fresh soil every week until the pot be filled to the rim, and 

 this will be sufficient to enable the plant to bear fruit large enough 

 for cutliag. The length is not a matter of so much conse- 

 quence as the fruit being grown in a short time, and therefore 

 crisp and free from bitterness ; indeed. Cucumbers which are 

 not of great length are generally the best in these respects. 



When the first fruits are cut, some wait for the small ones to 

 swell, which they often do, having a long shank-like neck, with 

 a knob at the end, like a club. As these are worthless, I cut 

 off the old foliage, and encourage the young shoot from the 

 base. As we thus destroy the balance between the shoots or 

 foliage and the roots, gangrene might ensue; but we remove the 

 surface soil, picking out with a piece of wood as mueh as we can 

 from amongst the roots and around the sides of the pot, and 

 replace it with fresh. The soil is kept no more than moist 

 until the foUage has progressed, and there is a greater demand 

 for water ; then all goes on as before. As we cannot top-dress 

 without raising the soil above the rim of the pot, the latter is 

 encircled with a rim of zinc, but I prefer myself one of turf, 

 cut about 2 inches thick, and about 2i or 3 inches broad. The 

 roots thrive in this, and rapidly pervade the soil, which is put 

 on between the stem and lim of turf, becoming at length 

 closely matted in the turf. This should be placed grass side 

 downwards, and is in proper condition when it has lain until 

 the grass is dead, the fibres being then in a nicely decomposed 

 state, which, with air, is very beneficial to Caeumb'?r roots. 

 This top-dressing may be repeated as often as required, to se- 

 cure the swelling of any fruit that may be upon the plant, but 

 it may be discontinued after two or three have been swelled off, 

 when the best plan is to start the plant ngain, cutting it down 

 nearly to the base, and training young shoots in place of those 

 cut away. The old top-dressing should be removed to the rim 

 of the pot, and replaced with fresh, according to the growth. 

 In this way the plants will continue in bearing fir a long time, 

 and in summer may be grown in houses, which can be kept 

 sufficiently close and moist without injury to the other occu- 

 pants ; indeed, they will thiive in a cool house from May to 

 October, and give liner fruit than in a heated structure it theiff 

 is an abundance of light, and sun heat is husbanded by tha 

 early opeuiug and closing cf the house. A few plants may 

 also be grown in a vinery when it is not convenient to devote a 

 pit or house to their exclusive cultivation for the time. It is 

 not necessary to employ the size of pot named, smaller will do. 

 I have fruited Cucumbers in 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, and 18-inch pots; 

 but for general purposes I like the 13-iuch pot best — in fact, 

 such a size of pot will afford nutriment for the swelling of two, 

 three, or even more fruit per plant. I do not like to take 

 more before cutting down or discarding the plants, as I advise 

 when fruit can be obtained from those planted out in beds or 

 borders. 



When Cucumbers are grown in pots, the supply of water 

 should be copious, not giving it in such quantity as to convert 

 the soil into a saturated mass ; do not let the soil become so 

 dry as to cause the leaves to flag, but when water is required 

 give enough to thoroughly moisten the soil. When it is neces- 

 sary to increase the vigour of the plants or to swell the fruit, 

 hquid manure may be given at every alternate watering. 



For furnishing fruit in autumn and early winter it was for- 

 merly a practice to have the plants raised from cuttings in the 

 last week of September or first week of October, and in the 

 pots they are to be fruited in. For these 9-inch pots answer 

 tolerably well, whilst 11-iueh pots are equivalent to 13-inoh 

 pots for seedlings, as the cuttings do not grow so vigorously as 

 plants from seeds. The pot may be prepared as described for 

 the seedlings, and the cuttings inserted in the centre. Select 

 for cuttings the growing points or tops of vigorous shoots ; cut 



