April le, 1874. J 



JOUENAIi OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GABDENEE. 



317 



looking badly in autumn and winter. As soon as they are fairly 

 started into growth the top of each should be uipped-out with 

 the tiuger aud thumb, which will cause several young shoots 

 to spring from the under part of the plant, aud thus form it into 

 a compact bush. This may be repeated two or three limes with 

 advautage in the earlier part of the season, and after the plant 

 is fairly formed should be discontinued. 



The soil for their growth can scarcely be too rich ; about equal 

 parts of loam, dung, leaf mould, and sand make an excellent 

 compost. Manure water is also an excellent material, with which 

 they can be watered twice or thrice a-week during the growing 

 season. 



There is one error in the cultivation of Chrysanthemums into 

 which the inexperienced amateur is apt to be led, and that is 

 neglecting or paying but little attention to his plants after the 

 flowering season is over. They are either allowed to remain in 

 a warm greenhouse aud forced into growth, or they are thrust 

 aside and neglected till late in the summer, when he recollects 

 that they are wanted for winter flowering. 



Take care of your Hyacinths, Tulips, Ranunculuses, and 

 Anemones now, for they will be hastening into bloom. 



Keep the walks rolled, and the grass walks and lawn nicely 

 mowed, and the borders free from weeds and rubbish. 



Those who have no opportunity of procuring plants had better 

 sow in a warm situation a few seeds of Cauliflowers, Broccolis, 

 Brussels Sprouts, Large Green Savoy, and Vanack Cabbage. A 

 sowing of Turnips had better be got in on the first favourable 

 opportuuity. After a shower draw the earth to the stems of 

 Cabb.ige plants which were planted either in autumn or spring. 

 This will guard the stems from the sun and wind, which will dry 

 and harden them. Be careful to destroy slugs and snails, which 

 at this season are invited abroad by gentle showers. — W. Keane. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST AND PRESENT WEEKS. 



FRUIT AND KITCHEN GAKDEN. 



The present is a very anxious time for growers of hardy fruits ; 

 one night of frost may blast our hopes for a whole season. In 

 gardens where the trees are small something may be done in the 

 shape of protecting the blossoms from frost by covering with 

 canvas. A framework made of some light material must be 

 constructed in order to keep the canvas from rubbing against the 

 blossoms, otherwise the material would do more harm than 

 good. Large trees, in the majority of cases, must take their 

 chance, but vei'y large trees ought not to find a place in the 

 kitchen garden. Bush and pyramid-trained trees, kept within 

 bounds by summer pruning, will be the most fruitful as well as 

 most profitable sort to cultivate. There are some gardens where 

 the large standard fruit trees entirely preclude the possibility of 

 good vegetables being grown underneath them, whereas the 

 more dwarf-trained trees, if judiciously planted, shelter the 

 crops but do not overshadow them. Wall trees must be at- 

 tended to on frosty nights. The protecting material should be let 

 down whenever there are signs of frost, aud roUed-up at G a.m. 

 if there was no frost on the previous night ; if there has been 

 a frost, between nine aud ten o'clock will be quite early enough. 

 The Plums on our wall seem to have set well. Pears and Cher- 

 ries are in full blossom. 



Hoeing, earthing-up, and placing sticks to Peas ; digging 

 lightly over any ground that was dug or trenched during the 

 winter ; hoeing borders with the Dutch hoe, and also quarters 

 of Cauliflower plants. Walks are also being regravelled. The 

 surface is first broken-up, and where it has become dirty it is 

 removed. The clean gravel is then laid on the surface, trodden- 

 in, and a heavy roller passed over it two or three times. Thinned 

 the crops of Early Horn Carrot aud Lettuce under ground- vinery 

 lights. French Breakfast Badish, sown between the rows, has 

 been pulled out for use. 



FRUIT AND FORCING HOUSES. 



Vineries. — The Grapes are now colouring in the early houses, 

 ■which necessitates a drier atmosphere and a chink of air to be 

 left on at night; and whatever precautions may have been taken 

 to prevent it, our dreaded enemy red spider invariably puts in 

 an appearance. Painting the hot-water pipes with sulphur is 

 the ouly means that will destroy it, and the fumes must be 

 moderately strong to take effect. There is also some danger 

 from overdoing it, though not so much when the Grapes are 

 near the colouring period as when they are in an early stage of 

 their growth. The borders inside and outside, when the latter 

 are covered with shutters, receive a good soaking of water at 

 this time, and they seldom require any more until the Grapes 

 are thoroughly ripened. Many growers also abstain from syring- 

 ing or watering the paths and borders during the colouring; our 

 borders and paths are sprinkled twice daily in fine weather, 

 aud once in dull cloudy weather. 



The late houses now claim a considerable share of attention in 

 tying and stopping the lateral growths. To the inexperienced 

 cultivator a few words of caution may be useful. In the early 

 stages of their growth the shoots on healthy Vines make rapid 

 progress, and are therefore extremely brittle, so that in bending 



them down suddenly towards the wires many of them snap off, 

 either at the connection with the old wood or about the middle 

 of the growth. It will be seen from this that extreme caution 

 is necessary. The shoots must be brought down gradually, and 

 stopped two eyes beyond the bunch. Where houses are so far 

 advanced that the Vines are in flower, maintain a temperature 

 of 70", and in the case of shy-setting sorts, such as Eoyal Vine- 

 yard and Gros GuiUaume (although we have never had any 

 trouble with the latter), shake the bunches gently at 10 a.m. and 

 2 r,M. while they are in flower. A Vine trained on a rafter 

 18 or 20 feet long will require attention for eight or ten days. 

 In the case of Royal Vineyard a globule of moisture may be 

 observed on the stigma ; it is best to draw the hand over the 

 bunch to disperse the moisture, or use a soft brush. The above 

 will be an answer to " H. S. J.," who finds a difiiculty in setting 

 Barbarossa. This and Mrs. Pince's Muscat set at Loxford as 

 freely as Black Hamburgh, and the means used are as detailed 

 above. 



Peach Souse. — The instructions given two weeks ago still 

 apply to this structure. No red spider will show itself on the 

 leaves if the house is thoroughly syringed twice a-day. The 

 aphis that infests the Peach is not so easily dislodged, but clings 

 firmly to the points of the growing shoots and stops their 

 growth ; the leaves also curl-up and further shelter them. 

 Fumigating the house with tobacco smoke is by far the best 

 method of destroying this pest. Brown scale never ought to be 

 allowed to increase ; hand-washing is the best way to get rid of 

 this. Remove the scale with a small label, and wash the place 

 with strong soft-soap water. 



plant stove. 

 Stephanofis floribnnda and Hoya carnosa are studded with 

 clusters of half -opened flowers ; and though the greatest care had 

 been taken to destroy bug by hand-washing during the winter, 

 this troublesome parasite had established itself amongst the 

 flowers, and to remove them from their retreat is a work o£' 

 extreme difficulty. Indeed, where the trusses are much infested 

 the best way is to cut them bodily off, aud convey them at once 

 to the stokehole fire. 



Hot/a bella and H. Paxioni are also very desirable stove 

 plants to cultivate. Hoya bella is the best of the species, and 

 has been long an esteemed plant in our stoves. It will, if well 

 cared for, continue in flower for two months, and form a very 

 pretty decorative plant. The flowers are also, notwithstanding 

 their slightly glutinous character, very useful for working into 

 bouquets, for filling small vases, wreaths, and other purposes to 

 which the finer exotic flowers are applied. This species, as 

 indeed are all the Hoyas, is readily propagated from cuttings, 

 and is amongst the easiest cultivated of stove plants. Light 

 turfy loam, with a little sand and a few lumps of charcoal added 

 to it, is a good potting material. The plant does not make a 

 very large proportion of roots, and should not receive large 

 shifts ; indeed, it is better to propagate a few plants annually or 

 biennially, limit the size of the pots in which they are grown 

 to 6 or 8 inches in diameter, and throw the old plants away 

 when they become leggy. 



Potted Caladlums. The markings on the foliage of some of the 

 newer varieties of these are very beautiful, and are generally 

 admired ; but to have them at their best they require liberal 

 treatment, to be placed near the glass, shaded from bright sun, 

 and after the foliage is pretty well developed, to have rather 

 more air than would be suitable for many other stove plants. 

 About one-fifth part of rotted manure should be added to the 

 turfy loam used in potting. Some of the best varieties are 

 Chantinii, Chelsonii, E. G. Henderson, Argyrites, BeUeymei, 

 Max Kolb, and Brongniarti. 



Repotted different species of Odontoglossum. O. crispum 

 (Alexandrfp) seems not to have any period of rest. The plants 

 make new roots at any season, and may be potted when they 

 require it ; but it is generally desirable to have a stated period, 

 for potting, in order to save time; and April is as suitable a 

 month as any. Many of the species require large supplies of 

 water, and are best grown in pots that would be thought small 

 for the size of the plant. Fill the pots rather more than half 

 full of drainage, and pot in a compost of equal parts of tough 

 fibrous peat, sphagnum moss, and potsherds. Encourage sphag- 

 num to grow on the surface of the pots. The beautiful Mas- 

 devallia Harryana is now throwing-up its flowers, which are 

 liable to be attacked by green fly ; these ought either to be re- 

 moved with a small brush or a sponge dipped in water. Fumi- 

 gating with tobacco smoke is injurious to many Orchids. 



The temperature of the stove should now be maintained at 

 65" or 70" at night, with a rise of from 5° to 10° by day ; shade 

 from bright sunshine, but do not allow the shading to be down 

 if the day becomes cloudy. The cool Orchid house should have 

 similar treatment, with a night temperature of from 50^ to 55'^. 

 — J. Douglas. 



TKADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 



John Harrison, Darlington. — Descriptive Catalogue o f Nets 

 Hoses, Hollyhocks, Dahlias, <£c. 



