43i 



JOUliNAL Oi" HOBTICULtUKE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ June 3, 1875. 



been able to have given a more accurate detail of the above 

 vegetables. 



At the eame place may also be seen Watercress in pots, and 

 other things in the vegetable and salad way. I hope Mr. 

 Batters will give ns a few remarks on forced vegetables, Ac, 

 some time in the Journal, as it will be very beneficial to those 

 gardeners having but a small amount of labour, and at the 

 same time are expected by their employers to have everything 

 just the same as those who have greater conveniences at their 

 command. — F. H. Fkoch. 



'The vegetables referred to were highly creditable examples 

 of pot-culture. — Eds. , 



NOTES ON- VILLA and SUBURBAN GAEDENING. 



KITCHKS AND FKHIT GARDENS. 



A FEW general remarks at this busy time will doubtless be 

 of some service, and it is well to remind villa gardeners that 

 much of tlieir success depends not only iu insuring comparative 

 tidiness, but in the proper attention to all their crops at this 

 time of the year ; and again, while there is yet time to make up 

 for any main crop of which there is likely to be a deficiency, it 

 will be best to sow again at once. Therefore take care to ex- 

 amine all crops, and judge from their appearance whether more 

 is required ; and further, by hoeing and sth-ring the soil well 

 now it destroys such an extensive progeny of weeds, and benefits 

 the crops also, which greatly lessens the labour during the re- 

 mainder of tue season. If the late crops of Potatoes are not 

 earthed up they should be at once ; delay in this matter often 

 injures them, because the small rootlets run so wide that it is 

 Impossible to mound the earth without checking their growth. 



Early Celery should be earthed a little, previously pulling 

 the suckers off if any are showing. Plant out another row for 

 succession, 'and prepare trenches for the general crop, which 

 ought to be pricked out and growing on a border preparatory to 

 planting out. Plant another row of Scarlet Buuners it room 

 can be found for them, aud earth-up and stake those which are 

 growing fast. This crop thrives best if it is not allowed to suffer 

 from the want of water from tho time it comes up till it has 

 done bearing. It ia one of the most profitable vegetables. 



Cauliflowers just coming in from hand-glasses should be well 

 supplied with water, or tho procfnea'wilf bo small and more 

 quickly run to seed. Sow at onco a small quantity of seed to 

 supply an early autumn crop, and do'not in finally planting out 

 neglect to give thern a rich soil, and yet they had better be in 

 the open garden than on a hot simny border under a wall at this 

 season. Onions — if necessary, prick-out a lot of the best on 

 ground previously prepared, taking care that they are not planted 

 deeper than they were when taken up. Thin out the remainder 

 of the crop before they become too large. 



Sow a good breadth of ground with Turnips for early autumn 

 use ; it will be best, perhaps, to first decide how much ground 

 can be spared for this crop, and then sow a portion now, and again 

 at the end of the month. This will insure a succession which 

 will be useful a considerable time. The seed ought to be sown in 

 a shady place instead of a hot or sunny one. If Parsnips are not 

 thiuned out they should be at once, leaving them about 8 inches 

 apart, and take care that the ground is well stirred between 

 them. It cannot be done after the foliage has covered the space 

 allotted to them. Where Leeks are grown it will be as well 

 to prepare a place on a rich piece of ground, or make small 

 trenches as for Celery, and prick them out at once. Another lot 

 may follow as soon as the ground can be prepared for them. 



I'lant out Brussels Sprouts at once, and also Snow's and other 

 early Broccoli, and then if ground cannot at present be spared 

 prick-out all other successional crops on good soil, to be finally 

 transplanted at a more convenient time. Sow at once all the 

 different sorts of late Greens to fill up spaces that are at present 

 occupied with other crops, but let all the most forward sorts 

 sown in April be planted out at onco. 



Asparagus continues to be plentiful, but it will be best for 

 further supply if it is not cut quite so close as formerly ; this 

 will leave enough growth to keep the roots iu a thriving con- 

 dition, and be an assistance to next year's crop. Beds of this 

 vegetable lately planted must be well supplied with water and 

 kept clear from weeds, to insure the formation of crowns aud 

 more mature growth next year. Of Peas sow more as others 

 appear above ground. Any of the Marrow sorts may be chosen, 

 but if there is any choice do not sow them in tho hottest part of 

 the garden, but the coolest. Very hot spots do not suit Peas 

 for late crops. 



Plant-out the smooth-leaved sort of Cabbages for.an autumn 

 orop, and take care that the Ulm and other Savoys are planted 

 out as soon as ground can be spared for tbcm. But it often 

 happens that in small gardens plots are not to be found for 

 crops of this kind ; therefore, to save time aud insure a regular 

 succession of vegetables, they ought to bo planted between rows 

 of other crops, such as Beans or Potatoes, which are likely to 

 come off soon enough to allow (hem the place to Ibemselves. 



Strawberries appear to bo setting freely, but they must have 

 plenty of water if the weather should prove dry before they 

 approach ripeness. The ground between the rows should bo 

 covered with grass or clean straw to keep the fruit clean when 

 heavy rains fall, and as a mulching to prevent a rapid eva- 

 poration after watering. 



Vines on walls wiU now need attention, for even if disbudding 

 has been done the shoots remaining will need stopping a joint 

 or two beyond the bunch, excepting those needed to fill up 

 vacant spaces, which must be laid in all their length, and all 

 shoots should be fastened to the wall. Continue the thinning of 

 fruit on wall trees, and go on with the naiUng of all shoots that 

 are likely to be battered about by the wind, and on trees with 

 green fly apply a frequent syringing with weak tobacco water. — 

 'Thomas Eecokd. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST AND WOEK FOR THE 

 PRESENT WEEK, 



HARDY FKUIT GARDEN. 



Beds of Strawberries require M the attention we can afford 

 them ; the fruit has set abundantly and well, and ought now to 

 be thinned out. First in importance is giving the plants an 

 abundant supply of water, and as soon as the water is appUed to 

 mulch the ground with short manure. We have given each 

 plant about two gallons of water, and the mulching will retain 

 the moisture. We shall, when the fruit has swelled a little 

 more, support the trusses with sprays or small branchlets of 

 elm and hornbeam that were prepared in the winter. This, ia 

 the best way to keep the fruit clean, aud it aDowa it to ripen 

 better by allowing the sun and air to play freely around it. 

 Those who cannot obtain these sprays will find a row of ordinary 

 bricks either laid on edge or flat to be a good plan to preserve 

 the fruit. It will lay ou the bricks or hang over the sides. The 

 porous material absorbs the heat, and gives it out slowly at 

 night. Clean wheat straw laid between the rows answers very 

 well, especially in dry seasons ; but if it should be a wet season 

 the fruit soon decays if not gathered as soon as it is ripe. The 

 mowings from the lawn, tan, and cocoa-nut fibre refuse have 

 all been recommended to bo placed between the rows to preserve 

 the fruit. Tan is tho best of the three, but in some cases it 

 would be better to allow the fruit to rest ou the ground than to 

 use either of them. The particles stick to the fruit, and cannot 

 be removed without bruising it. All the runners will not be 

 required for the purpose of increasing stock or for pot plants ; 

 when this is so only the runners required should be retained. 



Newly-planted trees ought to be watered, and the ground over 

 the roots mulched. If they have not started, freely syringing 

 them night and morning wiU still cause some of the backward 

 growths to push. Those who have had experience in planting 

 fruit trees wUl have observed the buds start freely enough at 

 first, and after a while they stop growing ; this is the time to 

 apply water to the trees from a syringe, and also to the roots if 

 required. Mulching with rotted manure is also indispensable to 

 keeping a moist equable temperature at the roots. The trees 

 should also be securely staked. 



Vines are not generally grown as wall fruit, but many amateurs 

 and cottage gardeners have them on low walls. Sometimes 

 they are well managed, at other places badly. In the south of 

 England very good Grapes can be grown on walls facing south, 

 south-west, or even on west aspects ; but they always give the 

 greatest satisfaction if plenty of young wood is trained up to 

 supply the place of the old stems. The best system of culture 

 is to train a rod horizontally right and left from the main stem 

 about 9 inches or a foot above the surface of the ground. 

 From these horizontal branches the young rods must be grown 

 annually, providing the walls are low (good Grapes can be grown 

 on walls 6 feet high) ; but on lofty walls it is not necessary or 

 even desirable to renew the rods every year; but they may be 

 renewed every third or fourth year, gradually laying in young 

 shoots and taking out old wood, so that a steady renewal is con- 

 stantly going on. The best Grape for open wall culture is the 

 Eoyal Muscadine, but iu favourable positions Black Hamburgh 

 ripens, and even tolerably good Lady Downe's and Muscat of 

 Alexandria have been produced. The Vine on the open walls 

 is generally free from insect pests ; but red spider will do mis- 

 chief in hot dry seasons, and must be remo\ed by syringing. 



The larva of the lackey moth is now busy on the fruit trees ; 

 the webs forming the tent in which they lodge at night or in 

 inclement weather are easily discerned. The pest ought to be 

 destroyed when they are all clustering together. AVe have also 

 noticed the Apple-boring maggot at work on the fruit that has 

 just formed. If practicable the fruits attacked ought to be de- 

 stroyed at once. The crop of fruit is so abtmdant that two- 

 thirds might be removed. The Plum trees are free from aphis, 

 and have a good crop of fruit; in all other respects all the trees 

 are healthy. • ' • 



%T[NEKrES. 



When the fruit is ripe the object of the gardener is to preserve 

 it in good condition. If the weather ia hot and dry tho berries 



