19^ 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ August 27, 1874. 



Wheu the caltiuga have made good roots, say au inch or more 

 in length, they will be fit to be transferred to pots or pans, and 

 if more convenient, shallow boxes will answer as well. Which- 

 ever vessels are used they should be well drained, and the 

 drainage covered with rough material so as to prevent the finer 

 soil from washing-down aud choking-up the outlets. Fill the 

 vessels with a soil composed of two-thirds rich loam and the 

 remainder well-rotted frame manure and sand thoroughly mixed. 

 Put the plants about 2 inches apart aud water well, aud theu 

 take them to a cool frame, and set them on a bed of ashes ; keep 

 Ihem a little close for a few days, aud after that gradually let 

 them have air, and they will become sturdy, strong plants ; but 

 as they grow, the strongest and most uneven growth should be 

 repeatedly stopped, and all bloom-buds picked oil. 



Now, a word as to the selection of cuttings. Always look out 

 for those shoots that have not flowered, not those even that are 

 nearly approaching that period, for they are generally hard aud 

 wiry in the stem, and seldom root freely or ever make a plant 

 worthy of the name under the best of treatment. The young 

 tender-growing shoots are the very ones to seek for, aud they 

 are generally to be found about the heart or body of the plant. 

 Each cutting should have at least two joints, and the lower 

 leaves of one should be removed aud inserted into the soil as 

 above directed. Most of these softwooded bedding plants will 

 root freely without a joint being left at the end ; but if inserted 

 so, the next joint above the end must be placed so that it comes 

 in contact with the surface soil, and it invariably throws-out 

 roots. This system is very useful when cuttings of a plant are 

 scarce, aud it is necessary to make every joint tell, but the 

 plants require a little more care to establish, which few of 

 those for whom I write are likely to have the convenience 

 for. Moreover, I beUeve the plan is most suitable and would 

 prove more successful for spring propagation, when the early 

 spring mouths induce a more luxuriant growth in the plants 

 that root quickly, and being assisted by increasing light and 

 heat, such as that season would bring, plants would be more 

 successfully reared. 



The system of propagation above described would answer for 

 nearly all bedding plants but Pelargoniums. Of these the varie- 

 gated sorts should be propagated first, being more delicate, of 

 weaker growth, and consequently longer in making a plaut. 

 They may be rooted either in or out of pots, the same as for 

 Verbenas, but there is no need of making-up a bed for them. 

 Place a few hand-glasses together upon a bed of coal ashes or 

 any other bottom which worms are uot likely to penetrate, if 

 they are to bo put in pots, otherwise a fiuely-sifted soil at least 

 from i to li inches in thickness in the place of it, and the cut- 

 lings dibbled into it. I recommend, however, rooting them in 

 pots filled with quite two-thirds coarse sand, such as washes 

 dowu by the side of a road, adding a sprinkling of leaf mould 

 and loam, to help to sustain a little vigour in the plants wheu 

 rooted. Press them into the pots firmly and water well, place 

 them under the hand-glasses, and allow them plenty of air at all 

 times, but keep the tops of the lights on so as to shelter them 

 from heavy rains. The sun will not hurt them ; there is suffi- 

 cient sustaining power in a cutting of this sort to carry it suc- 

 cessfully through the ordeal of propagation, and it is the better 

 for it, as it is hardier aud able to staud the winter better. 

 Shading plants that will do without it makes them weakly aud 

 tender, more susceptible of injury from the sudden changes of 

 temperature aud situation. While cuttings treated in this way 

 are rooting many dead leaves will appear. Now, my plan is to 

 let these remain, for by pulling them off there is a risk of 

 loosening the cuttings in the soil, which endangers them so 

 much as to cause them to die-off in quantities. Touch them 

 not until they are growing, and then the leaves may be pioked- 

 off in safety. 



The next class I think about is the commoner sorts of Gera- 

 niums, such as Tom Thumb and other coarse-growing scarlet- 

 flowering sorts. These will root very readily if dibbled into a 

 bed of prepared soil on a border in the open ground, or under a 

 wall perhaps would be better, where they might have protection 

 afforded them if needed ; but by rooting them in this way there 

 is the double work of potting them into convenient pots and 

 establishiu" them, whereas if they were rooted in pots this 

 work would be spared and the cuttings do just as well. The 

 latter for an amateur would be the more desirable plan, especi- 

 ally as with limited means for winter storing they would go 

 into closer quarters aud be moved about more conveniently 

 when found necessary. In selecting cuttings for Geraniums, 

 whether variegated or otherwise, the same rule must guide the 

 propagator in his choice as for those of Verbenas aud other 

 tender subjects named above. — Thomas Record. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST AND PRESENT WEEKS. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



FoK work in this department twenty-four hours' steady rain 

 would be acceptable, as in the dusty dry soil seeds cannot vege- 

 tate freely. Though most of the grain crops have been harvested, 



large fields of Potatoes are all around us, and should a wet period 

 occur, the disease, which in many instances has been detected, 

 would doubtless assume a virulent character. It is of no use to 

 come with the advice "Lift and store them;" eighty acres of 

 Potatoes cannot be lifted and stored. A lengthened experience 

 has taught the farmers that whether the market returns are 

 high or low, it is tbe best policy to continue steadily lifting 

 them, and send to market at once. There is also considerable 

 loss with Potatoes stored in "clamps," or what in some districts 

 are called "pits." What with loss in weight, storing, and weigh- 

 ing them up again, the cost is not less than 20v. per ton. Early 

 Don (white) and the West Lothian Dalmahoy are most liable to 

 the disease, and what is not required of tbese two sorts for 

 plants next year will soon be all sent to market. Those who 

 grow Potatoes for market would do well to try some of the new 

 American sorts, not the reds, which partake of the character of 

 Sutton's Flourball; these are too large and excessively ugly 

 when grown in good soil. Springfield White, au enormous 

 cropper, also ugly in shape, may do for cattle, but should bo 

 avoided as a field, garden, or market Potato. It is yet early to 

 speak of the recent variety Snowflake, as it has only been proved 

 during the present season in England ; but Bresee's Climax has 

 all the qualities of a first-rate market variety. In flavour it can- 

 not quite come up to the best of the Regents, but it surpasses 

 them iu appearance, being round, and not having such promi- 

 nent eyes ; it is early, aud an enormous cropper. Extra Early 

 Vermont is also very early; 1 lb. weight planted in the garden, 

 though the young growths were much checked by the frost, pro- 

 duced 80 lbs., and these contained a very large proportion of 

 " ware." 



Lifting the Onions. The surface of the ground is very dry, 

 and no better manner of treatment can be suggested than to 

 pull them up, lay them in rows on the surface of the ground, 

 and when they are sufficiently dried store them away for the 

 winter. An airy loft where they would be kept dry is a good 

 place ; there they should be spread out thinly on the floor, and 

 if there is not accommodation of this kind, they may be strung 

 up on ropes. Preparing the ground for the autumn-sown crop. 

 It is well to sow now and also iu spring. This year the spring- 

 sown crop was the best ; another season, owing to the maggot at 

 the roots, the spring-sown crop may be a failure. Autumn-sown 

 Onions do not suffer from the attack of the maggot ; but as a rule 

 the spring-sown stock do not start into growth so early iu the 

 spring as the others. Medium sized specimens keep better than 

 very large examples. The Deptford is considered to be the 

 best Onion for present sowing. We should also have made a 

 sowing of Turnips iu the garden, but that a large breadth has 

 beeu sown in the field. A crop of Turnips after Potatoes is con- 

 sidered a paying crop by those who grow for market. Sprouting 

 Broccoli and Coleworts also come in well. Sowed Parsley, and 

 cut off the leaves from a portion of the old plants ; these will 

 form a fresh crop before winter, which will be much better for 

 kitchen purposes than those which would be produced from 

 plants not so treated. 



FRUIT AND FORCING HOUSES. 



Finuries. — There are few gardeners having the charge of Pine 

 houses who have not also the laudable desire to produce very 

 large fruit. The plants are grown in large pots, and allowed 

 plenty of space to develope, and with judicious treatment and 

 well-directed energy no doubt success would be ensured. On 

 the other hand, if one large plaut has occupied the space that 

 would otherwise have accommodated three smaller ones, and 

 produced, after two years' growth, one fruit weighing, say 9 lbs., 

 and the three plants would produce in from twelve to eighteen 

 months three fruits to weigh i lbs. each on an average, then if 

 such is the case, as no doubt it is sometimes, the large specimen 

 has been obtained at too great a sacrifice. In most families fruit 

 weighing -1 lbs. are more useful than large ones, while those who 

 grow for market find that medium-sized fruit command the 

 readiest sale, and are also more remunerative. All suckers that 

 were potted six weeks ago should be examined. It is a serious 

 mistake to allow them to become root-bound ; when such is the 

 case, the fruit ofttimes starts up prematurely. During the 

 operation of potting it is well to be careful that uo check is 

 received ; if the roots are iu good condition aud not matted, the 

 ball ought not to be disturbed, but placed in the centre of the 

 fruiting pot a little deeper than it was before, and the fresh com- 

 post rammed-in firmly around it. Old plauts, from which the 

 fruit has been cut when no suckers are wanted from them, are 

 carried out to the rubbish heap at once, as if any insect pests 

 are in the house, they are always more likely to be on the oldest 

 plants. 



OBCHAKD HOOSE. 



Nearly all the midseason fruit has beeu gathered, and upon 

 the whole Peaches and Nectarines have been satisfactory; thougli 

 the fruit has not beeu large the flavour has been good, and the 

 latter quality is more important than the other. Plums and 

 Pears grown in pots under glass and well exposed to the sun are 

 fine, but they ought to have a house to themselves, and ought 

 not to be with Peaches and Nectarines. The Peach deUghts in 



