September 16. 186D. , JOURNAL OF HOKTICULTURB AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



231 



when the eubjecl; of our notice was constrained to remove from 

 the parent establishmout. An opportunity offered which, with 

 his keen perception, ho saw opened a field for his energy and 

 enterprise, which the narrow hmits of a country nursery did 

 not ailord, and accordingly in April, 1853, he left Exeter and 

 came to Loudon. 



For a loQ^ series of years the Exotic Nursery of Joseph 

 Knight, of Chelsea, carried the swsy as the centre of attraction 

 for new and rare plants ; but at the period about which we are 

 now writing it had fallen much into decay, and required new 

 life and energy to resuscitate it. Tiiere was none better quali- 

 fied for such a task than Mr. Veitcb, who in April, 1853, be- 

 came the purchaser and sole proprietor, though the designation 

 of the firm was " Veitch & Sou, of Chelsea and Exeter ;" the 

 same accord continuing between the two establishments, al- 

 though in reality separate and distinct. The history of this 

 establishment has been the history of English horticulture 

 for the last sixteen yeors. The collectors who were sent out 

 and the plants which were sent home all added fresh lustre 

 to a nursery which bad at its head more fire and energy, 

 coupled with keen perception and sound judgtnent, than perhaps 

 fell to the lot of any other in the kingdom. Among these 

 collectors let us not forget to mention his own son Mr. John 

 Gould Veitch, who in his one journey to Japan and tlie East, 

 and his other to Australia and the South Pacitic Archipelago, 

 added numerous treasures to the botanical and horticultural 

 wealth of this country. 



In sixteen years, through the exertions of this one man, and 

 yet ably seconded by two sons, who.«e devotion has been only 

 second to that of their father, the Exotic Nursery at Chelsea, 

 ■with its extensive adjuncts of Coombe Wood and Fulham, has 

 risen to be the largest and most prosperous in England. May 

 we not say in Europe? 



And now his labours are ended, the work he had to do has 

 been accomplished, and ho has retired to his rest, leaving be- 

 hind him those who are fully qualified by their knowledge and 

 experience, and devotedness to their pursuit, to maintain the 

 position and reputation their father has built up. 



The disease from which Mr. Ytitch suffered was an affection 

 of the heart. For nearly twelve months he has not taken an 

 active part in busines?, the whole management having devolved 

 on his sons. Yet there were no symptoms which gave rise to 

 any immediate appreheusion of danger. Three days before his 

 death he deliberately walked up to Brompton Cemetery, which 

 is close by, and without the knowledge of any of his family 

 selected the spot for a family grave. He could not be assured 

 as to the depth which he required being attained, and left the 

 completion of the purchase till that could be decided ; but 

 with all his business habits to the last, ho stood by till the 

 attendant with a spade marked out the space, so that, as he 

 expressed it, " If anybody should want it, it belongs to me." 

 The day previous to his death ho received a visit from his old 

 collector, Mr. Thomas Lobb, and whether the excitement con- 

 sequent on the pleasure he derived from seeing his old friend, 

 or that nature itself was exhausted, is not known, but on the 

 following morning at a little after three o'clock, he felt an op- 

 pression in breathing, and with all his faculties about him, and 

 surrounded by the members of his family, he breathed his last. 

 We understand that the business of the Rjyal Exotic Nur- 

 sery will be continued as usual in its integrity. No change 

 will take place either in the organisation or in the working, 

 but all will be conducted as it has hitherto been with that care 

 and energy which havealready secured for it so high a position. 



WORK FOR THE WEEK. 



KITCHEN OAKDEN. 



The weather being favourable, proceed with work which can 

 be most advantageously done when the soil is in good condi- 

 tion. It is advisable to adopt precautions at this moment, to 

 avert the effects of early frosts from the last crops of Kidney 

 Beam and other tender vegetables. If Globe Artichokes are 

 desired at an early period of the year, some strong suckers 

 should now be selected and potted ; if protected by being placed 

 in a cold pit throughout the winter, and planted out early in 

 the spring, they will bear at least a fortnight sooner than the 

 old plants. Prick out an adequate supply of young Cabbage 

 plants. A good store of Lettuces should bo planted in a posi- 

 tion where they can be protected from heavy rains. The 

 general crop of Onions will be fit for housing by this time ; see 

 that no decayed bulbs are stored with the rest. The ground 

 they have occupied should be dug on their removal. Cabbages 



would be a good successional crop. Lights from the Melon 

 pits, sloped against the wall, will both protect the Tu}natocs and 

 hasten the progress of their fruit. Thin young crops of 

 Spinach, Turnips, &c., before they become weakly and drawn 

 through standing too closely together. Slir the surface of the 

 soil deeply among growing crops, to admit air to the roots and 

 keep down weeds. Manure spare ground, and dig or trench it 

 for another crop whenever time eau be spared. 



FKUIT GARDEN. 



Remove rubliih of all descriptions from fruit-tree borders. 

 No obstacles should prevent the roots having the full advantage 

 of favourable weather. Gather carefully the various Pears and 

 A <ples as they arrive at their full growth. Discard at once 

 bruised fruit, it entails ultimate trouble. 



FLOWEI; GAKDEN. 



Should the Verbenas or other mass flowers show signs of ex- 

 haustion, manure water will be found a useful stimulant ; it is 

 advisable to induce a vigorous growth in Verbenas at this 

 period, and so manage to repress the mildew. See that faded 

 blossoms and seeds are regularly removed from beds, other 

 blossoms will be thus encouraged ; much of the vital energy 

 of a plant is expended in the perfection of its seeds. As soon 

 as the beds can be spared they should be prepared for the re- 

 ception of bulbs. Where many cut flowers are required, it is 

 of great advantage to possess a flower border near any large 

 building, for the heat thrown off by the latter at night is suffi- 

 cient to prevent injury from early frosts, or a little covering at 

 night secures their safety. In other cases certain beds should 

 be selected and regularly matted at night. Use the present 

 opportunity of effecting a complete clearance of weeds from 

 walks and borders. As has been often recommended, give care- 

 ful attention to young stock, and recollect that sturdy, well- 

 rooted plants are much easier to winter than large plants with 

 long-jointed soft wood. With good convenience, late-rooted 

 cuttings may still be potted-off, but unless they are very close 

 together in the cutling-pots, it is better to winter them in 

 these rather than shift at this season, for they occupy much 

 less space in the cutting-pots, and having more room for 

 their roots, they are frequently more healthy, and require less 

 attention in winter than those which are potted singly. Square 

 pans, 12 inches wide f.nd 5 inches deep, are very suitable for 

 wintering cuttings of Verbenas, Lobelias, and other plants 

 which can be kept in a small state. One of these will hold 

 twenty good plants, and with care, to prevent their being in- 

 jured by damp, they may ba wintered quite as well treated in 

 this manner, as if potted singly in 4-inch pots, and a vast 

 number may be stored in a small space. Where cuttings of 

 such plants have to be kept in cold frames or pits, the plants 

 should be potted singly, as they would be very liable to damp- 

 off, notwithstanding every care, if placed thickly together in 

 pans, and put where it may be impossible to give sir for weeks 

 together. The practice of wintering bedding stock in unsuit- 

 able places, is generally adopted from some mistaken notion of 

 economy ; but if a fair calculation of the time required to 

 attend to plants wintered in this way could be made, and all 

 the losses taken into account, it would be found to greatly 

 overbalance the trifling cost of putting up a proper heating 

 apparatus, and consuming a few bushels of coke or coal an- 

 nually. 



GEEENHODSE AND CONSERVATOET. 



In the management of the majority of plants in these struc- 

 tures, it is very desirable to produce a robust hardy growth, 

 and afterwards to lessen the activity of vegetation, that they 

 may gradra'ly accommodate themselves to the changing cir- 

 cumstances of the season. Ventilation judiciously managed 

 will assist in accomplishing the desired result, and water will be 

 required in less quantities both for the roots and foliage. Be 

 prepared with specimen plants in flower to supply the place of 

 those going out of bloom. If early Camellias are wanted, let 

 some of the most forward be placed in a rather close house to 

 induce them to open their buds, giving them a regular supply of 

 manure water. Some of the earliest Epacrises may be placed 

 in a close part of the greenhouse, where they will soon open their 

 blossoms ; also Daphnes and many other plants, provided their 

 flowering buds are prominent. Aim at keeping the atmosphere 

 of the house rather dry, using just enough fire heat in damp 

 cold nights to allow of giving suflicient air to keep the atmo- 

 sphere in motion, so as to prevent damp from being injurious. 

 Shake out and repot Pelargoniums which are sufficiently ad- 

 vanced after having been cut back, keeping them rather close 

 and moist until they strike into the fresh soil. Plants, how- 



