242 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ March 25, 1875. 



Sprouts, Ulm Savoy, Couve Tronchuda, Cauliflowers, Enfield 

 Market Cabbage, Paris White Cos Lettuce, Leeks, Kadishes, 

 and small salading. This may be followed up in another fort- 

 night with small sowings of Snow's Winter Broccoli and other 

 winter and spring sorts ; also the autumn sorts, such as the 

 White and Purple Cape, and Veitch's Autumn Giant Cauli- 

 flower, Drumhead Savoys, and several sorts of Kales, such as 

 Scotch Cabbaging, Tall and Dwarf Green-curled, and the Buda 

 Kale, which is a most productive variety. 



Plant out Lettuces that have stood in frames daring winter 

 under a wall or on a border of rich ground. The same may be 

 said of Cauliflowers that have been so preserved, and those 

 under handlights must have the soil stirred among them and be 

 encouraged to grow as fast as possible.— Thomas Record. 



DOINGS or THE LAST AND PEESENT WEEKS. 



HARDY I'-RUIT G.IBDEN. 



Notwithstanding the continued cold weather the flower buds 

 on Apricot and Pear trees are rapidly swelling, and a few mild 

 days will cause the blossoms to burst open. On south walls 

 Apricot blossoms which are already open require to be care- 

 fully sheltered from the biting blast by canvas screens, rolling 

 these up in the middle of the day. 



In our variable climate wall trees require much watchfulness 

 at the time of flowering; keeping the protecting material down 

 when it is not required weakens the trees and is injurious to 

 the blossoms. The enthusiastic amateur or careful gardener 

 will watch for the opportunity to roll-up the canvas and allow 

 the sun to act upon the trees. After a frosty night, some time 

 between the hours of 9 and 10 a m. is early enough to uncover 

 the trees in exceptionally bad weather, such as snow or hail ; 

 indeed, we have sometimes had it so cold in March that the 

 rain drops have frozen on the trees. They ought to be effectually 

 protected. 



We have commenced to run the Dutch hoe through the 

 borders of pyramid and bush trees. The surface had become 

 caked by the rains, and seedling weeds are appearing above 

 ground. If the hoe is kept well at work at this season weeds 

 are effectually destroyed, and require birt little trouble to keep 

 them in check in the summer months. 



Those who are much troubled with the maggot that eats into 

 the centre of the fruits of Apples and Pears, would do well to 

 throw some dry lime over the trees after wetting the branches 

 with soapy water thrown from a syringe or garden engine. 



Pruned Apple trees that were planted in the winter. The 

 best time to prune newly-planted young trees is when the buds 

 begin to move in the spring. If they are wall trees they ought 

 to be nailed at the same time. 



FBUIT AND FORCING HOUSES. 



Vineries. — The inside borders of late houses have been 

 watered now that the buds are starting into growth. The plan 

 always adopted with early houses is to water the borders at the 

 time of starting ; but this is done to warm the soil a little,^ aa if 

 the border is moderately moist, as it ought to be, there is not 

 much to be gained by watering it before the Vine is quickened 

 into action. Vine roots are not like those of Pears and other 

 fruit trees of the same character, which are forming rootlets in 

 fine weather all through the winter months. The Vine does 

 not seem to make any fresh roots until the leaves are formed, 

 the first start being made from the elaborated and stored-up 

 sap of the previous season. 



There is no danger now of the Vines bleeding from late prun- 

 ing. The system of cutting the fruit with the branch attached 

 is not only a convenient one but also commends itself, because it 

 prevents the fruit from exhausting the Vine, which it does by 

 draining the sap from it. The splendid Alicante Grapes that 

 gained the first prize at South Kensington last week had been 

 cut from the Vine for a considerable time, and some of the other 

 exhibits which were in good condition had been cut for more 

 than three months. 



The unfavourable weather, as was to be expected, has brought 

 some signs of red spider into the early vineries. 



In the early stages of the attack the best way to get rid of the 

 spider is to wash the leaves with a sponge and soapy water. 

 This requires much care, as the berries are easily damaged by 

 rubbing the arm against them. Applying sulphur to the hot- 

 water pipes will kill the pest if the pipes are hot enough ; but 

 all tender-skinned Grapes are liable to injury from the fumes, 

 and great care is necessary when it is being applied. Slaking a 

 10-inch potful of lime in the house and throwing a handful or 

 two of sulphur on the smoking mass has also been tried, but 

 this operation is much more hazardous than the other. 



Many gardeners who produce good Grapes syringe the Vines 

 up to the time of colouring. If this is done thoroughly the 

 spider will be destroyed, but the appearance of the Grapes is 

 also spoiled. Tying the shoots and stopping the growths in 

 succession houses and other routine. work has been given in 

 detail in previous numbers. 



CUCUMUEB AND MELON HOUSES. 



Some growers of Cucumbers recommend at this season a 

 minimum temperature of from 60° to OJ', but one of from 70° 

 to 7-5° is much preferable, as if the fruit is not grown quickly 

 it is sometimes bitter. Jn our houses there are sufficient 

 hot-water pipes to maintain a minimum of 75° even in cold 

 weather. 



The same plants continue in bearing for a long period by 

 periodically cutting-out the old exhausted wood and renewing 

 with the young growths. During the winter season once in ten 

 days is often enough to go over the plants ; in summer they 

 require attention every week. When the plants are not growing 

 freely they have a tendency to produce a very large number of 

 male blossoms, and as these still further tend to check the 

 growths they must at once be pinched-off. 



Preparing plants for planting-out in frames is not included 

 in our "Doings," as the house is much more convenient. There 

 is not much to bo gained by planting in frames too early in the 

 season ; but if good sturdy plants could be put out now and the 

 frames double-matted at night, the plants would start fairly into 

 growth. The fermenting material of which the beds are com- 

 posed should be well prepared. Stable manure and leaves in 

 equal proportions make a lasting bed. 



Melons are making good growth, but the plants are not grown 

 enough to require stopping. This is done when they have 

 grown-up to about half the length of the trellis. A watchful 

 eye is kept for spider, which soon makes sad havoc with the 

 plants. Syringing it off is the best treatment. 



Figs. — These, being grown in pots, are moved from the house 

 where they are started to the back stages in the Cucumber 

 house. When the trees are dormant at midwinter it would not 

 be judicious treatment to introduce them to a temperature of 

 05° or 7.5° all at once, but they are started with the Vines and 

 are removed from the house before they receive injury from the 

 shade of the Vine leaves. It has been said that Figs will do 

 well under the shade of Vines ; they may do so if the roof is 

 not well covered, but when the Vine trellis overhead is covered 

 as it ought to be, any Figs that may be produced underneath 

 are not worth the trouble of growing. . 



Tomatoes have been potted-on into 9-inch pots, and it la 

 always worth while to devote some space in the forcing houses 

 to them. Excellent fruit is produced in May and June by 

 sowing a pinch of seed with the Melons in January. The 

 plants should be stopped when they have grown about a foot 

 high, and no more stopping is required. 



GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. 



Insect pests seem to increase so much more rapidly during 

 the prevalence of east wind that some persons have concluded 

 that they come with it, and not a few have been driven to the 

 theory of spontaneous generation ; but all observant gardeners 

 know well that anything which causes the growth to receive a 

 check is the means of introducing aphis more rapidly to the 

 plants. Fumigating with tobacco smoke is the most effectual 

 preventive as well as remedy. 



The Hyacinths are now in great beauty, and with the gorgeous 

 early-flowering Tulips serve to make the houses very gay. To 

 grow Hyacinths and Tulips well they ought to be placed in a 

 house near the glass until the flowers are nearly open ; this 

 causes the spike to stand up boldly above the foliage. Neat sup- 

 ports made of wire and paiHted green are the best means of 

 supporting the spikes. The wires should be bent at the end 

 that is thrust in the mould to preserve the bulbs from injury. 



Stage Pelargoniums must also be attended to now by being 

 kept quite free from green flv, and the plants must also be quite 

 close to the glass if the finest health and quality are desired. 

 Specimen plants must be tied-out carefully. It the shoots aro 

 strong they readily [snap-off at the base. It is best to bring 

 them down a little at a time, and rather go over the plants more 

 frequently. 



Primula amcena and) the white and Ulac varieties should be 

 grown more frequently for the greenhouse. The white variety 

 is now in flower, and the others wUl soon be in. It is a plant 

 requiring but little attention. At or before the flowering period 

 the leaves are frequently attacked by red spider, and if this is 

 not kept off untU the crowns ripen a good bloom cannot be ex- 

 pected the following season. The shadings have been put up, as 

 the sun had begun to act with considerable force on the glass. 



FLOWER GARDEN. 



Boiled the lawn with a heavy roller, and as soon as possible 

 will run the lawn mower over it. The grass is always rough 

 and uneven before it is mown for the first time. , , ,, , 



Have put up a turf pit for the bedding plants, and shall lose 

 no time in getting them into it, as the late vineries now require 

 a little heat and the house to be shut-up early, which is 

 quite the opposite treatment to that required for the bedding 



Potting of Coleus, Alternantheras, and other half- stove plants. 

 Indeed, it is best if the more tender of the above are not placed 

 in the cool house until May, and then only if the weather is 

 fine. Moved bedding Calceolarias from a cold frame to the 



