170 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



I Aagiut 26, 1859. 



now tlipy are in fall flower every care shonld be taken to 

 lencler them as attractive as possible. Go over tbe beds fre- 

 quently, and remedy any defects that may be percoptille ; 

 pegging down plants which have an inclination to grow above 

 the others, and keeping the edges of the mapees well filled 

 up, but not allowing them to become too bulky. Where the 

 plants are pushing freely, some considerable trouble will be in- 

 volved in stopjiing the shoots ; but this operation must be re- 

 peated with sufficient frequency to keep the pinnts within due 

 limits, since nothing looks worse than their running over the 

 edging and encroaching upon the grass. Attend to plants in 

 vases, taking care that they do not suffer from want of water 

 at tbe roots, and thiy may even be benefited by an occasional 

 supply of manure water, provided it is given often and weak ; 

 too strong dofes do more harm than good. All evergreens in 

 nnsuitable situations may now be moved. Whore a general 

 transplantation of evergreens is intended, the middle of next 

 month is a suitable time for the operation. Deciduous trees 

 and shrubs, as a matter of course, should not be transplanted 

 nntii they have shed their leaves. The roots, however, may 

 now or very soon be cut round preparatory to removal. This 

 18 a good time for removing the dead wood from shrubs, and 

 controlling their luxuriant growth by careful pruning. Prepara- 

 tion must be forthwith made for next year's floral display. If 

 • good stock of Scarlet Pelargonium cuttings has not already 

 been put in, let it be done immediately. Proceed afterwards 

 with the general bedding stock. Endeavour annually to get 

 some new plants, and to vary your arrangements, that the 

 scene may not be monotonous. With the exception of propa- 

 gation, all else is mere routine for the present. 



OEEENnOCSE AND CONSEEVATOEY. 



In keeping up a stock of plants there must be, besides those 

 depended on for the principal show of bloom, younger plants 

 coming on to supersede those whieh in consequence of old age 

 or decay have to be consigned to the rubbish heap. I previously 

 adverted to the rapidity with which even diiEcult plants may 

 be grown. Any plants, therefore, in pots which it is desirable 

 should be grown quickly, and to which has been allowed a 

 Blight rest after their spring growth, may now be shifted ac- 

 cording to their habits and condition. It will not, however, be 

 advisable to give them so large a shift at this season as might 

 have been ventured upon in spring, as whatever wood is made 

 after the present shift must be ripened, unless in tho case of 

 such free-flowering plants as bloom on the current year's grow- 

 ing wood. As this shift will have to cany the plant through 

 the winter months, the drainage of the pots should be ample. 

 After a few dajs an open situation should be selected for tho 

 newly potted plants, that the new giowth may be made nnder 

 conditions favourable for its maturation. The greatest care 

 must bo taken where valuable tender-rooted plants arc out of 

 doors lest heavy rains should damage their roots, and no time 

 should be lost in placiog such under tho cover of glass. The 

 hardier plants left out should be examined frequently, to 

 see that tho water passes freely through the pots. Hvac'inths 

 and other Dutch bulbs are now arriving. Those for early 

 forcing should be procured and potted, and even where that is 

 not intended there will be a better chance of obtaining good 

 bnlbs early than late, when all the best are bought up. Van 

 Thol Tulips for forcing may be potted early next month ; place 

 them on coal ashes, and cover them as previously recommended 

 for Hyacinths, removing them early in November into heat ; 

 the bulk need not be potted nntil late in October, and a last 

 batch of Tournesol or Bex Rubrorum towards the end of No- 

 vember. Orange trees in pots, to be forced for wiuter decora- 

 tion, should new be fully exposed in order to well ripen their 

 wood. The Jlnndarin, being a free grower with a dwarf bushy 

 habit, small foliage, and a most abundant bloomer, is probably 

 the best for this purpose ; but any of the varieties flower pro- 

 fusely provided the wood is thoroughly ripened in autumn. 

 These and Daphnes, should be grown largelv where sweet- 

 scented flowers are in demand for winter. Take care also to 

 have plenty of Salvia splendcns, which is an exceedingly gay 

 plant, and very useful for mixing among Chrysanthemums in 

 the show house. 



STOVE. 



A number of Orchids will by this time have made thfir 

 growth, and may be removed gradually to a drier end cooler 

 atmosphere. Those which continue growing must be syringed 

 two or three times a-day, and a humid atmosphere kept up by 

 watering every vacant part of the interior ; at the same time 

 plants on blocks or suspended in baskets should be frequently 



soaked, so as to thoroughly moisten the growing material. — 



W. KEA.NE. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST 'WEEK. 



KITCnES GARDEN. 



Forked over the ground among Cabbages, Coleworle, and 

 more especially the Cauliflower plants recently turned-out. 

 Watering after planting is a great help until tho plants are 

 established ; yet when rapid and healthy growth among vege- 

 tables is deeirablo, we do not attach sufficient importance to 

 surface-stirring the soil either by hoe or fork — the latter being 

 tho better in all cases where weeds are not troublesome. To 

 Mr. James Barnes, of Bicton, the country is especially in- 

 debted for drawing attention to this work, which was too often 

 sadly neglected. We turned-out a piece of Cauliflower after 

 Peas, Beans, &c., with balls, watering at planting, and on an 

 average each plant showed only one decaying leaf ; we gave 

 tbe plants a little soot water, and that caused them to hold 

 their own, and grow in tho warmest days, though we did not 

 think they were growing fast enough. A few showers had 

 rather crusted the surface of the well-pulverised soil, and the 

 day after the watering the soil between the plants was forked 

 over 2 or 3 inches deep, and tho mere access to air thus given 

 has acted like a charm. For several days you might almost 

 have thought you saw the plants growing. We mention this 

 fact in no spirit of egotism, but merely for impressing on the 

 holders of small gardens the importance of surface-stirring 

 among all growing crops, not only for keeping them clear of 

 weeds, but of greatly adding to rapidity and luxuriance of 

 growth. Some time ago wo mentioned the importar.ce of mulch- 

 ing with short grass, chiifly for keeping excessive heat out 

 and moisture in ; but w^hen the mulching is left on for a 

 long time and is at all thick, it excludes the air too much, and 

 therefore requires to be broken and turned frequently, when 

 the full benefit is obtained. We have often been forced to 

 mulch Peas in a dry hot season, but if such mulching caked on 

 the surface like a drugget, the Peas never su lee-led so well as 

 when it was frequently broken, so that the air could have free 

 entrance whilst the force of the sun's rays was excluded. 



With water at command, and the surface of the stil loose, and 

 frequently stirred, wo would not trouble much with mulching. 

 It is a great help when the other means are limited ; but, 

 like many a good thing, it is often misused — for instance, when 

 applied so early as to keep cut the genial heat of spiiug and 

 early eummar, or allowed to be so close in summer as to keep 

 out free atmospheric influence. Many a time have we seen 

 watering resorted to, when a surface-stirring would have been 

 far more e£Eective. The work, too, is much lighter than 

 watering. 



Took up our earliest Horn Carrots, as they were fall-grown 

 and clean, for it luft longer in the ground they would be apt to 

 throw out roots from the fides, and perhaps worms would dis- 

 figure them. One reason, besides, for hfting them was, that 

 we were much in want of a good piece of ground for sowing 

 winter Onions. Our spring-sown main crops of Onions are 

 still growing so fast that we are averse to disturbing them ae 

 yet. We have no doubt that Carrots often remain too long in 

 the ground, and thus th 'SO otherwise sound are often dis- 

 figured. Hoed the last-sown crop, which is still small. This 

 will keep us in small Carro.ts until we have a supply of the 

 forced Horns .and the small Dutch in spring. Sowed our third 

 piece of winter Spinach, and if the weather be flue we shall 

 sow a few rows in September. Run the hoe between the rows 

 of the first sown. We generally sow these crops rather thinly, 

 as that eaves the trouble of thinning. When the seeds are 

 sown thinly, however, it is advisable to red-lead tbem, as there 

 is no seed to which mice are more partial. lu a seed-room 

 they will make cha£E of Spinach seed before they touch Peas 

 or IJeans. 



Peas. — There is in gardening always something to puzzle 

 even a strict observer. Wo sowed some rows of Dickson's 

 Favourite Pea to come in late. Of these some look most pro- 

 mising, as green and flourishing as possible, and others are 

 already becoming mildewed at the bottom and looking badly. 

 As far as we know, the ground for all was much alike, the 

 treatment aftcrivards much tbe same, and yet the results are 

 to different. There are many simple things that bid defiance 

 to our knowledge to account for them. Why, under similar 

 oiroumstances, should one row of the same kind of Pea be so 

 healthy and another spotted with mildew ? A little sulphur 

 and lime dusted on the mildew will do good, especially if rain, 



