Jane 10, 1875. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



■150 



crops, and then to leave the surface to be acted upon by the 

 sun; indeed, much injury is done to plants that have just been 

 put out if water is applied with forca from a coarse rose. The 

 surface of the ground, even after the first application, is made 

 impervious to atmospheric influences, and future waterings will 

 make matters worse. In the tir.^t instance the wateriuj^ should 

 be done in a careful manner. If there is but little to do and 

 plenty of time to do it, a fine rose may be U3ed on the water- 

 pot, as the more gently the water falls on the ground the better, 

 but in nine cases out of ten it is necessary to push through the 

 ■work as quickly as possible, and a coarse spreader must be used. 

 The operator ought to keep his hand low. raising the bottom of 

 the pot just above the grouad, which will cause the water to 

 flow gently. Mulching is certainly the bsst preventive of eva- 

 poration. Where this is not possible, the Dutch hoe run through 

 the ground when the surface has partially dried is beneficial. 



Planted-out Brussels Sprouts after watering the ground. It 

 is much better to plant at night, so that the plants are in the 

 ground at least twelve hours before they suffer from the sun ; it 

 is also worth the trouble to sprinkle them overhead two or 

 three times a day. Salad crops, especially L-^ttuce, should he 

 well supplied with water. The hoe ought to be kept at work 

 ■wherever there is any appearance of weeds. It is not possible 

 to use the hoe too much. 



PINERIES. 



Those who were fortunate enough to obtain good suckers last 

 month and potted them as directed, must now see that the 

 plants are kept growing. Pines do not show the effects of bad 

 treatment so soon as many other plants, but they do suffer 

 nevertheless. Very little artificial heat will be required now. 

 The house ought to be shut up at 5 p m., or even before that, much 

 depending upon the position of the house, the construction of 

 it, whether span-roof or lean-to, and other circumstances. It is 

 absolutely impossible to lay down a hard-and-fast rule. Take an 

 illustration: Some houses here have an aspect south-east : these 

 are lean-to's, and the sun is off them before 4 p.m. They may 

 be shut-up at that hour, whereas if they were south-west the 

 sun would act upon them until hik, or a span-roof running north 

 and south would catch the morning sun at 5 .^.ji., and the 

 setting rays at p m. In the last instance a little air should be 

 admitted very early in the morning, and the house ought not to 

 be shut-up altogether until six at night. Pine houses ought to 

 be aired freely during the next three months. "We have not 

 put up any shading yet in the fruiting house, as the plants do 

 not seem to require it. Fruit that is ripening ought to be very 

 slightly protected from the midday sun. Abundant supplies 

 of moisture ought to be kept up by evaporation in the suc- 

 cession houses. 



CUCDMBER .\ND MELON HOUSES. 



Oar Melons are rather late this year; the seeds were sown 

 fcbout the middle of January, and the earliest fruits are now just 

 on the point of ripening. In other seasons we have had the 

 fruit ripe about the third week in May; the same night tempe- 

 rature has been kept up, so that the reason must be found in a 

 lower day temperature. In farcing it matters little how cold 

 the nights are, this can be overcome by using more fuel, but no 

 amount of artificial heat can balance the want of sun. In a 

 clear day the temperature rises in a few minutes 10° or 15', and 

 by judicious air-giving it may be kept up. Red spider, owing to 

 so much artificial heat, has been prevalent, but has been easily 

 kept under by syringing. The only evil that results from the 

 use of the syringe is this — the water runs down to the base of 

 the stem, is conducted there by the main stem itself, and not un- 

 frequently the plants die off at the neck. This does not happen 

 when the plants are put out on a raised mound like a molehill. 

 The fruit is not left on the plants until it is fully ripe, but is cut 

 and removed to a cool fruit room to ripen. 



The Cucumbers up to the end of May have not been so pro- 

 ductive as in previous years. We fancy that the character of 

 the soil used to plant them in had more to do with this than the 

 weather; it was light sandy loam, and what had been used pre- 

 viously was of a more clayey character. The roots speedily 

 exhaust the mould in which they are growing, and must fre- 

 quently be reinvigorated by rich surface-dressings. The plants 

 must also be looked over about once in a week or ten days, and 

 the growths thinned out ; all old growths must be cut out and 

 be replaced with young shoots. Syringe twice a-day, and sprinkle 

 water about frequently. As much air as possible ought also to 

 be admitted, but cutting winds must be avoided. 



Figs in pots require similar treatment until the fruit shows 

 signs of ripening, when the syringing must be discontinued. 

 The pots also require to be surface-dressed with rotted manure 

 and loam in equal proportions. Oranges grown for dessert pur- 

 poses in pots, if the plants were not repotted in the winter, must 

 also be surface-dressed. A mixture has been used here the last 

 two seasons that acts like magic ; it is composed of yellow loam, 

 pounded charcoal, guano, and bone dust in equal proportions. 

 The mixture is spread thinly on tlie surface of the pots, and is 

 washed down by the waterings ; sickly foliage assumes a deep 

 green colour in ten days after the application. The trees are 



now syringed twice daily, the temperature of the house is the 

 same as for Pines. 



plant stove. 

 Climbers are apt to occupy too much space. When planted out 

 as ours are, they shade the plants too much; and some of them, 

 such as Clerndendron Thomsoniie, shower down withered 

 flowers on the plants beneath, and the decaying flowers cause 

 decay on the leaves of valuable plants. Of course all this is 

 avoided if due attention is given to the plants. Nothing is 

 better than the Clerodendron as a roof plant, it has been the 

 admiration of all visitors on entering the stove; the leaves are 

 also offensive to insect pests. The blooming period is nearly 

 over, when all the old wood will be cut out and be replaced with 

 young growths. With the above may be named Bougainvillea 

 speciosa. Many persons admire the large showy flowers of 

 Allamanda Schottii; it requires plenty of space, and must be 

 syringed to keep down red spider. The plants in pots have re- 

 quired abundant supplies of water and much moisture in the 

 atmosphere to counteract the effects of the drying winds. 



ORCHID HOUSES. 



It has been necessary to open the front sashes on very hot 

 days, as sufficient ventilation has not been obtained from the 

 roof. Draughts are avoided by having permanent canvas 

 shading nailed to the top and bottom plates. In this way all the 

 air that is admitted passes through the canvas. It is not so on 

 the roof ; the canvas there confined the air, and sufficient was not 

 admitted. The lath to which the canvas was attached has been 

 brought down about 9 inches ; this space being left quite open 

 has much improved the atmosphere of the house. 



We have placed PhaUcnopsisgrandiflora and amabilis in fresh 

 baskets. This class of plants require considerable supplies of 

 water, and the sphagnum iu the interior of the baskets is apt to 

 become sour. This can either be removed by carefully picking it 

 from amongst the roots, and replacing with fresh material if 

 new baskets are not required. If it is necessary to use larger 

 baskets the plants must be removed very carefully, and all dead 

 and decaying roots removed; plenty of potsherds must be mixed 

 with the chopped sphagnum used to fill the baskets. The moss 

 ought also to be fresh, as the plants do not succeed well if that is 

 not in a growing state. 



In the cool house many Odontoglossums are starting into 

 growth, and most of them have been repotted. These with 

 Masdevallias and other plants may be syringed overhead if it 

 can be done without injuring the flowers. If the cool Orchid 

 house is exposed to the sun double shading is necessary to keep 

 down the temperature. — J. Douglas. 



TRADE CATALOGUES EECBIVED. 



Messrs. E. G. Henderson & Son, Wellington Boad, St. John's 

 Wood, London. — List of New Plants and General Catalogue. 



William lioUisson & Sons, Tooting.— General Plant Cata- 

 logue. 



Louis Van Houtts, Royal Nurseries, Ghent, Belgium. — Cata- 

 logue of Stour^ Greenhoune, anil Onatneiital Plants. 



HORTIODLTOEAL EXHIBITIONS. 

 Secretaries will obliga us by informing ns of the dates on 

 which exhibitions are to be held. 



BoftToN-UPON-TnENT.— Juno 16th. Mr. Wm. Shave, B 3nd Street, Sec. 

 JeasET.— Rosea June 16th, Autumn October 13th, Chryaanthemums Novem- 

 ber 10th. Major Howell. Spring Grove, St. Lawrence. Hon. Sec. 

 YoKK.— Jane 16th, 17th, and 18th. Mr. Jno. WUsou, 13, New Street, York, 



Sec. 

 OLisoow.— June 15th, September 8lh. Mr. F. G. DougaU, 167, Canning 



Street, Sec. 

 E.iETEB (Ro.se Show).— Juno ISth. Mr. T. W. Gray, Queen Street Chambers, 



Hod. -Sec. 

 PiEEHiM.— June 23rd. Mr. H. Smith, Sec. 



STOwjiiRKET.— Jane 2ttb and 25th. Mr. S. Prentice, Hon.-Seo. 

 Reigate (Rose).— June 26th. Eushby Britten, E^q.. Hon.-Sec. 

 Crystal Palace Company.— Rose Show, June 26th: Autumn Fmifc and 



Flower Show, September 7th to 9th— Sec, F. W. Wilson. Bees and their 



appliances, September 21st to 23rd— Sec, J. Hunter. 

 WlsBEACH.— June 30th. Mr. C. Parker, Hon.-Seo. 

 Maidstone.- (Eosesl, June 30th, at Vmters Park. H. Benstead, Esq., 



Hon. Sec, Rose Club, Mill Street, Maidstone. 

 Norfolk and Norwich Hobticoltobal Sooiexy.-Roso Show, June 30th. 



E. A. Field, Hon. -Sec. 

 Birmingham.— July 1st. 2nd, 3rd, and 5th. Mr. Quilter, Aston Park Sec. 

 Spalding.- July 1st and 2ud. Mr. G. F. Barrell, Hon.-Seo. 

 Brocksam Rose Show. — Jaly3rd. Rev. Alan Cheales and Charles Mortimer, 



Es]., Hon.-Secs. 

 SoUTHOATE.— luly 3rd. John Miles, Esq., Hon.-Sec., 9nnth;;;ate, N. 

 Grantham.— Jul; 6th and 7th. Schedules, &c, from Mr. Lyue, Bookseller. 

 DoBHAM and NoRTHoaBERLAND.— To bo held at Elswiok Park, July 7th 



and 8th. Mr. R. Revely, Sec. 

 WiNTERToN. — July 7th and 8th. Mr. McCallum, Sec. 

 Feohe (Risel.— July 8th. Mr. A. R. Bally, Hon.-Seo. 

 KiLSBV.— July 8th. Sec, Mr. C. E. Bracebridge. 

 RiCHiloND.— July 8th. Mr. A. Chancellor, Hon -Sec. 

 Nottingham.— Rose Show, &c., July 8th, 9th and 10th. Apply to AUred 



Kirk, Municipal Offices, Nottingham. 

 Oxford (Roses).- July 9th. Mr. C. B. Ridley, Hoa.-Seo. _ 



