October 1, 1874. ] 



JOUBNAL OF HOKTICULTURS AND OOTTAGE GARDENER. 



303 



in the seed bed, if the weather Bhould prove mild, the coarsest 

 of them will be the better of a little piuching-back ; they will 

 then transplant all the better and flower quite as well. — Thomas 

 Eecokd. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST AND PRESENT WEEKS. 



KITCHEN GAKDEN. 



Digging, trenching, and making alterations. The weather 

 has been very favourable for all these operations, and it is 

 highly important to get all such work done as soon as possible. 

 We have had very little rain during the last four weeks, but 

 sufficient to moisten the ground, and this caused the autumn- 

 sown seeds of Lettuce, Cabbage, Onions, Cauliflowers, itc, to 

 vegetate freely. There are few vegetables more esteemed in 

 the late spring and early summer months than Cauliflowers, 

 and it is very desirable to get them in at as early a date as 

 possible. Our earliest are planted out on a south or east border, 

 or, failing this, in as warm a position as possible; and to insure 

 success, the ground has been trenched and well manured, and 

 the plants are carefully put out with a trowel. A later sowing is 

 pricked-out in boxes, and these are just sheltered by glass lights 

 from severe frosts or heavy pelting rains. At all other times 

 the lii^hts are removed. Spare plants may be pricked-out in a 

 bed of fine, but not rich, soil out of doors, and about the best 

 position for them is under a south wall. Lettuce plants will 

 also be put out on a south border, and in a more exposed position 

 as well. A succession of vegetables may be obtained not only 

 by sowing at different times, but also by planting in different 

 positions. Attention should also be given to securing a northerly 

 aspect; indeed in light shallow soils it is not possible to obtain 

 a supply of crisp wholesome vegetables during the dog-days 

 without being so favoured. Strawberry plants have not grown 

 Eo freely this year. Small-sized plants invariably produce the 

 best and largest fruit. Large plants produce a quantity, but 

 from being more shaded by the leaves are not so good. Ke- 

 moviug superfluous Raspberry canes, as well as those which 

 have borne fruit. It is much better also to tie the canes in a 

 position where they can have the full benefit of light and air. 

 The best way to treat Raspberries is to plant in rows 4 feet apart, 

 and at the distance of 2 or 2^ feet between the plants; the canes 

 to be trained at regular distances to a wire strained horizontally 

 at 3 feet from the surface of the ground. 



FKUIT AND FORCING HOUSES. 



Vineries. — ^We can only reiterate the instructions given in 

 previous numbers about the care requisite to preserve ripe 

 Grapes in late vineries, and also to see that inside borders do 

 not sutler from want of water ; but this ought to have been seen 

 to early in September at the latest, as watering the borders 

 now would be a predisposing cause to damp, and injuriously 

 affect the berries. Black Grapes are not so readily affected by 

 mould as white. There is not much trouble to keep Black 

 Hamburghs, or even Black Muscat of Alexandria, until Christ- 

 mas ; yet Royal Vineyard, Syrian, White Tokay, and others 

 recommended as keepers are constantly having mouldy berries 

 cutout from the bunches. There is not much said about White 

 Lady Downe's, which was stated to keep quite as well if not 

 better than the black variety. It has been pretty generally 

 planted, and must have been sufficiently proved now. 



We are getting compost ready for surface-dressing the borders 

 of the early houses. Where the roots are much restricted it 

 should be rich, and where attention is given to annual dressings 

 a very limited extent of border will suffice to maintain Vines in 

 health for many years; indeed better Grapes are sometimes 

 produced from such borders than from those where the roots 

 have an unlimited range. The dressings used here are pre- 

 pared in the following manner : — Cow and stable manure is 

 collected as it can be obtained, and thrown into a heap to 

 ferment, but not to the extent of drying it. When the violent 

 heat has subsided the manure is mixed with an equal propor- 

 tion of turfy loam, and laid up in a heap, where it will again 

 heat, so that the loam will become incorporated with the am- 

 monia. This mixture is used to dress borders where the roots 

 are not much restricted. In very much confined borders a 

 12-inch potful of guano, or twice the quantity of pigeon dung, 

 ia added to each barrowload of the mixture. 



The extension of borders is required from time to time when 

 young Vines have been planted to allow of it. A range of vineries 

 at Loxford was erected on very unsuitable soil with a wet subsoil. 

 Plenty of drainage was put in; and as the Vines would not 

 have thriven if the roots had got into the natural soil, a 9-inch 

 wall was built in front of the border. This is taken down and 

 rebuilt at a distance of from 4 to 8 feet ; but before adding the 

 material, which had been previously prepared, a foot at least of 

 brickbats should be placed underneath, and over this some 

 turves with the grass side down. After fiUing-in the compost 

 to within a foot or IS inches of the surface some of the roots 

 should be spread out over it, and the remainder a little nearer 

 the surface. Instructions how to prepare the compost have 

 been given in previous numbers. If it is intended to force 



Vines about the middle of November, they should be at once 

 pruned. 



Utrawherry Plants for Forcing.—Vrnm the time these are cut 

 from the parent plant until they are taken under glass, the pots 

 always stand in an open position fully exposed to the sun. This 

 year the crowns are already very prominent. It is sometimes 

 necessary to place the plants in an unsuitable position, and also 

 to crowd them too closely together. If this is the case the plants 

 would be much benefited by being placed on an open spot in 

 the kitchen garden from which auy crops have been removed. 

 We do not water so freely now, only plants that are really dry 

 are watered. The plants of Black Priuce intended for early 

 forcing should be on a south border, or where they can at least 

 have the full benefit of the sun. 



PLANT STOVE. 



In our house there is a mixed collection of plants of oppo- 

 site character and requirements — PhaL-enopsids and Nepenthes 

 needing deep shade; and Palms, as well as hardwooded plants 

 requiring all the sunshine that can be obtained. Then we 

 have of Ferns, Adiantums such as A. trapeziforme, macro- 

 phyllum, cuneatum, &c., which require to be screened from the 

 sun for an hour or two in the middle of the day in hot summer 

 weather, and to have no shade after September. A. farleyense, 

 Sanct;B-Citherin;c, the Gold and Silver Gymnogrammas, and 

 many others, suffer severely from even moderate sunshine. This 

 is very often the way that many gardeners are situated, but we 

 must make the best we can of our difficulties. All plants re- 

 quiring shade must be placed in one part of the house, and those 

 requii-ing sunshine at the side where they can have the full 

 benefit of it. Amongst the Orchid family, the Moth Orchid, 

 Cypripediums, and a few of the more delicate-leaved Odouto- 

 glossums, require shade. Vandas and Saccolabiums are not yet 

 able to stand the full exposure. Cattleyas, Aijrides, aud_ Den- 

 drobiums should stand or be hung up close to the glass in the 

 full sun. 



All plants that require repotting should be attended to at once, 

 as only a very few of the fastest-growing hardy plants should be 

 potted after this time. 



Orchids from the cool regions of New Grenada, of which so 

 many beautiful species are now in cultivation, such as Masde- 

 vallias, Odontoglossum ciispum, 0. triumphans, &c., have been 

 removed from the cold frame under the north wall to a heated 

 span-roofed structure, where they will stand during winter and 

 spring. At no season is a high temperature necessary. A mini- 

 mum of 45° is the best for the next six months. One oftener 

 sees these flue Orchids grown in a too high than in a too low 

 temperature. Many persons fancy that because they are Orchids 

 that they must be grown in a high temperature. Nothing ia 

 more erroneous : a high temperature in winter will ruin the con- 

 stitution of such plants. Poiusettia pulcherrima, which has 

 been until now grown in a greenhouse temperature, with air on 

 night and day, is now in a stove temperature, and a little weak 

 manure water, or surface-dressing with some rich compost, 

 causes the leaves to retain a green colour. One often see this 

 fine plant disfigured by the loss of three parts of its leaves, a few 

 sickly specimens alone remaining at the top of the growth when 

 the rich crimson-coloured floral bracts appear. — J. Dobglas. 



TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 



J. C. Wheeler & Son, Gloucester, and .59, Mark Lane, London, 

 E.G. — Descriptive List of Hi/arinllis, Tulips, Narcissus, <C-c. 



Heatherside Nurseries Company (Limited), Bagshot, Surrey, 

 and Queen Victoria Street, London, B.C. — The Heatherside 

 Manual of Hardy Trees and SJtrubs. 



J. Linden, 52, Rue du Chaume, Ghent, Belgium. — Special 

 Catalogue of Azaleas, Camellias, Rhododendrons, <ic. 



J. B. Guillot, fils, Ghemin des Pius, 27, Lyon-Guillotiere 

 (Rhone). — Catalogue General et Prix Courant des Hosiers. 



E. Dean, Raneiagh Road, Ealing, London, W., and Bedfont. — 

 Catalogue of Primroses, Polyantliuses, Daisies, Bedding Pansies, 

 Violas, Buibs, d-c. 



Butler & McCuUoch, South Row, Covent Garden Market, 

 London. — Autumn Catalogue of Dutch and Cape Bulbs. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



*,* It is particularly requested that no communication be 

 addressed privately to either of the Editors of this 

 Journal. All correspondence should be directed either to 

 " The Editors," or to " The Publisher." Letters ad- 

 dressed to Mr. Johnson or Dr. Hogg often remain unopened 

 unavoidably. 



Books iT. D.). — The "Cottage Gardeners' Dictionary" may be obtained 

 at our office for 6s. Bd.. or free by post 7s. 2d. Lindley's "Guide to the 

 Orchard and Kitchen Garden" we think is out of print; it and Loudon's 

 " Hortiis Britannicus " were published by Messrs. Longman. We do not 

 know at what price you can obtain them second-hand. 



SAL4BIES [Beta).— The parties are cjuite capable of taking care ol their own 

 interests. 



