October 15, 1874. ] 



JOURNAL OP HOETICOIiTUBE AND COTTAGE GARDENEB. 



347 



oows, to increase the amonnt of milk they yield. The prickly 

 huBks of the Horse Chestout are also useful for tanning leather. 

 — (From Ca^Kell's Hoit-tehold Guide for October.) 



NOTES ON VILLA and SUBURBAN GARDENING. 



Hyacinths, Tulij>s, and Other Bulbs. — In performing my pro- 

 mise given last week that I would refer to the Hyacinth and a 

 few other sorts of bulbs, I may say that among the many dif- 

 ferent subjects that one might name as suitable for the decora- 

 tion of the window or of the town conservatory none can excel, 

 taking all points into consideration, the Hyacinth, Tulip, Crocus, 

 Snowdrop, Scilla eibirica, and some other bulbs. Their quali- 

 fication of thriving in the smoky atmosphere of large towns and 

 the ease with which they may be cultivated in addition, as well 

 as the certainty with which they flower under ordinary con- 

 ditions — at a time of year, too, when flowers are most appre- 

 ciated, give them a very high position. The Hyacinth and 

 Tulip, as well as the Crocus, may be obtained in very many 

 different colours ; but for general culture I think my readers are 

 likely to prefer the primary or most decided or distinct rather 

 than the intermediate shades, although one's fancy may be in- 

 dulged in if desired, for they are all cheap alike. 



Among Single WhiteKysciuths there are Alba Maxima, Grand 

 Vainqueur, Lord Grey, Queen Victoria, Grand Vidette, and 

 Tubiflora. Double White. — Anna Maria, Triumph Blandina, La 

 Toirr d'Auvergne, Don Gratuit, Sceptre d'Or, and La Virginitc. 

 Single Red. — Amy, L'Ami du Cour, Mars, Robert Steiger, Norma, 

 and Lord Wellington. Double Bed. — Grootvonrst, Waterloo, 

 Regina Victoria, Panorama, Czar Nicholas, and Bouquet Royal. 

 Double Blue. — Bloksberg, Richard Steel, Laurens Koster (a 

 grand colour). Bride of Lammermoor, Albion, and Prince of 

 Sase Weimar. Single Blue. — Charles Dickens, Bleu Mourant, 

 Baron von Tuyll, Couronne de Celle, Emicus, and L'Ami du 

 Cceur. Besides the above, which will do for glasses as well as 

 pots, there are some sorts in yellow or approaching that colour, 

 also lilac, and some very dark, but I have found many of these 

 to be delicate ; and, again, they are more expensive because the 

 colours are more rare. 



Among Tulips there are the single ones, such as the early 

 Duo Van Thol in several colours, and Pottebakker, white and 

 yellow; Vermilion Brillant; Yellow Prince; Due de Brabant, 

 crimson with yellow blotch ; Donna Maria, white feathered with 

 crimson. Do^lble sorts. — Res Rubrorum, red, and a close double 

 sort ; La Candeur, white ; Duo Van Thol, red and yellow ; Duke 

 of York; Tournesol, red and yellow; and Purple Crown. As 

 to Crocuses, Large Dutch, yellow; D.avid Rizzio, pale; Sir 

 Walter Scott, white, blue stripe ; Cloth of Gold, yellow with a 

 black stripe; Queen Victoria, white; and Ne Plus Ultra, blue 

 and white. 



I must not forget the Polyanthus Narcissus, of which there 

 are Grand Monarque, Soleil d'Or, Double Roman, States General, 

 Yellow Prince, and Paper White. Above I mentioned the pretty 

 dwarf-growing Scilla sibirica, R- very bright blue ; then there 

 are several ottiers, such as Scilla amopna, also a blue, and some 

 in other colours. In Snowdrops there is not much variety, 

 there being only a single and double white tipped with green, 

 and very pretty they are. 



Having now given a list of the different bulbs I will make a 

 few remarks upon their cultivation. In the first place, those 

 selected for glasses ought to be put in them immediately, and 

 those for pot culture before the month is out ; for although they 

 may be planted up to as late as Christmas it is much better to 

 have them in early, as such things must first make root before 

 the top begins to grow, and it they are late in being planted 

 very often the leaf shows as soon as the root begins to grow, 

 and they do not when that is the case flower half so well. It is 

 true that when many bulbs are grown it may be advisable, in 

 order to have a succession and late bloom, to pot some portion 

 of them later on. 



Now for the general treatment, taking those for glasses first. 

 Procure rain water it possible, and fill the glasses just so full 

 that when the bulbs are placed on the top of them it but just 

 touches it. The glasses may then be placed away in a dark cup- 

 board or cellar for a few weeks, or until the bulbs begin to grow, 

 then take them out, and gradually let them have the light. 

 When they are in full growth let them have all the air and sun- 

 light possible without giving them a check by extremes. As 

 the water diminishes fill up the glass to the height at first 

 started upon. They will flower remarkably well either in the 

 window or on the mantelshelf, as well as in the conservatory, 

 though their proper place seems to be in the rooms rather than 

 in the other places. For those grown in pots but a common sort 

 of soil is needed, such as loam of a turfy nature, if possible with 

 sand added, and about one-fourth part rotten manure. I have 

 grown them very fairly for ordinary purposes with loam and 

 sand only, but then they have had a liberal supply of liquid- 

 manure water when growing fast towards flowering. Drain the 

 pots thoroughly, and cover the drainage with some of the rough 

 pieces of soil, to prevent the finer portions from running down 



and stopping the passage of water. The bulbs may be grown 

 in from 5 to 8-inch pots ; if the former one bulb in a pot will 

 suffice, if the latter size three will look better. Each bulb should 

 be placed in the pot so that the top of it can be seen out of the 

 soil ; make tolerably firm about it to keep it in its place, and the 

 soil under the bulb ought not to be pressed too tightly at first, 

 for in time it will become solid of itself. 



The directions as to soil and manner of potting apply to all the 

 sorts of bulbs named above, but of course the Crocuses and other 

 small bulbs may be planted thickly in order to make a better 

 show in each pot. 



After all the bulbs are potted take them to a sheltered place 

 in the garden, place the pots on a bed of coal ashes, or, it not to 

 be obtained, tine stones or gravel; but then as the worms are 

 likely to work up through the stones into the pot, each one 

 ought to stand on a piece of slate or tile to prevent the ingress of 

 such enemies. Afterwards cover the whole of the pots with 

 some sort of fine material; first, however, cover each bulb with a 

 small pot, and plunge the pots deeply enough to cover the whole ; 

 when doing so those wanted out first for forciug should be placed 

 at one end, and their position denoted by a large label; this will 

 save much trouble. Let them remain here for a month or six 

 weeks, protecting against frost if it comes. When taking them 

 out to start into growth they should at first be gradually inured 

 to the light, and be placed in a cool part of the house or frame, 

 and gradually worked into a higher temperature, and as they 

 grow give them a position near the glass, and afford plenty of 

 air; water they must have frequently, their roots are very 

 fleshy, and therefore require to be kept moist, especially when 

 growing so fast. When they reach the blooming stage they 

 will last much longer if taken to a more airy part of the house 

 or room. 



I ought to have said that the situation where the pots are 

 placed should be high and dry, so that the water from the heavy- 

 rains may pass away quickly ; and again, in potting the bulb I 

 generally put some sand around it, which sometimes prevents 

 rotting, when from circumstances there is an inclination that 

 way. From the fact that the bulb when potted is in a dormant 

 state, and about to be plunged in a moist soil out of doors, it 

 must not have any water after potting. I know that has in 

 many cases induced decay in the bulb. — Thomas Recobd. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST AND PRESENT WEEKS. 



HAEDY FKUIT GARDEN. 



Some time has been devoted to making the garden tidy, by 

 weeding walks and clearing off weeds and withered leaves, which 

 latter accumulate on the borders, and are blown by the winds 

 into corners and against the Box edgings. Some of the Cherry 

 trees have become badly gummed, and as it would be of no nse to 

 try any method of cure with trees that are far gone, they have 

 been dug out, and the places will be planted with young trees. 

 Cherry trees as standards or pyramids are beautiful objects when 

 in blossom, but it is a rare sight to see a tree laden with ripe 

 fruit. The Cherry is more attractive to our feathered friends 

 than any other fruit, and the only chance of saving the produce 

 is to net closely. Before planting trees on the same ground it is 

 quite essential to success to trench the ground 2 or 3 feet deep, 

 and if exhausted to incorporate some rotted manure with it ; a 

 barrowload or more of fresh mould should be placed round the 

 roots when planting the trees, not omitting to mulch the surface 

 with rotted manure, which should not be removed in the spring, 

 but allowed to remain until it is washed away by the rains. It 

 it is desirable to secure a north aspect for growing vegetables, it 

 is much more necessary to have such a position for planting such 

 fruits as will succeed there. In the south of England Plums of 

 the better sorts and even Apricots have been obtained from a 

 north wall in dry hot seasons, the main value being that the 

 fruit was ripe when that from a more favoured position was 

 gathered. It ought not to be forgotten that the Morello Cherry 

 succeeds quite as well on a north wall as it does anywhere else. 



By training Red, Black, and White Currants to the walls, the 

 season of these useful fruits is to a great extent prolonged. The 

 Gooseberry season can also be prolonged if the trees are trained 

 to the north walls, or if planted as dwarf bushes on the borders. 

 Mr. Whitton, the clever eardener at Thirlstane Castle, Lauder, 

 N.B., is still gathering Warrington and Hedgehog Gooseberries 

 from trained and dwarf bushes. The trained trees are grown 

 against the north wall in the same manner as Currant trees. 

 Two growths are trained right and left in a horizontal position, 

 and about afoot from the surface of the groimd. From these 

 growths others are trained vertically and equidistant, so that 

 when the wall is covered with bearing wood, as it is in the 

 course of a few years, the wisdom of this method of training is 

 at once apparent. 



Many persons adopt the old method of managing Strawberries 

 — that is, to plant the runners in beds in August 3 or 4 inches 

 apart, and then to plant out in the kitchen-garden quarters in 

 October. The plants should be put out at once, so tliat they may 

 become establinhed before winter. It is not expected that these 



