494 



JOUBNAL OF HORTIGULTUBE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEB. 



[ June 18, 1874. 



Better, and after the frnit has swelled a? largo as a duck's egg 

 it would drop off. I fiud the very reverse. I have a three- 

 light frame, not very large, on an ordinary dung hotbed filled 

 with this variety. There are moi'e than twenty fruits swelled- 

 off. More than half are larger than the largest Orange, with 

 several ranch larger than these. I think that it is, root and 

 branch, flower and fruit, all that can possibly be desired of a 

 Melon to its present stage of growth. I cannot say more at 

 present, but of the final result I shall be most happy to inform 

 the readers of the Journal. Perhaps some others will tell ns 

 their experience of this Melon. — James Allan, Gardener, 

 Ashurst Park. 



NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 



At the Speclu. General Meeting of the Royal Hokticul- 

 TCRAL Society on the 11th inst., called for the purpose of 

 authorising the closing of the Society's gardens, except on pay- 

 ment, in the event of an evening fote being given, Mr. Bonamy 

 Dobreo presided. The attendance of Fellows, however, was so 

 scanty, that beyond the Secretary's stating the objects, of the 

 Council in calling the meeting, no steps were taken in the 

 matter. 



The heights of the fine Azaleas shown by Mr. Morse, 



gardener to Proctor Baker, Esq., of Bristol, at the Bath and 

 West of England Show last week, were Etoile de Gand, 7 feet ; 

 Extranei, 6 feet 6 inches; Gledstauesii, 8 feet; Lateritia su- 

 perba, 7 feet ; Criterion, 8 feet. 



The Show of the Bath and West of England So- 

 ciety will be held next year at Croydon. The Steward of 

 Horticulture, who is the Hon. and Bev. J. T. Boscawen, intends 

 that the horticultural department shall be specially devoted 

 to Orchids and Ferns. We hope that he will receive every 

 assistance in making this praiseworthy attempt a perfect 

 success. 



We are pleased to see that Messrs. James Veitch and 



Sons have this year repeated the prizes they offered last year, 

 and that they have arranged with the Council of the Eoyal 

 Horticultural Society for the competition to be held at the 

 gardens. South Kensington, on the 15th of July next. After 

 the result of last year's experiment we are not surprised that 

 Messrs. Veitch should be encouraged to repeat it. The exhi- 

 bitions were most creditable to all concerned, and we commend 

 the pubUc spirit of these gentlemen in the advancement of 

 fruit culture to the consideration of fruit-growers, and hope 

 that there will be an energetic response to their very liberal 

 invitation. 



In " Chambers's Edinburgh Journal," in notes on 



"Transmutation of Species," the following experiment was 

 recorded by Mr. Herbert: — I raised from the natural seed of 

 one umbel of a highly-manured red Cowslip a Primrose, a 

 Cowslip, Oxlips of the usual and other colours, a black Poly- 

 anthus, a Hose-in-Hose Cowslip, and a natural Primrose bear- 

 ing its flower on a Polyanthus stalk. From the seed of that 

 very Hose-in-Hose Cowslip I have since raised a Hose-in-Hose 

 Primrose. 



— ; — We are informed by M. Jean Sisley that the Lyons 

 section of the Internation.il Congress or Rosarians, seeing 

 the difficulty of making an exhibition this year at Geneva, 

 have postponed it till next year, and that on the 3rd, 4th, 

 and 5th of July next an Exhibition will be held at Lyons. 



NOTES ON VILLA and SUBURBAN GARDENING. 



Window Flowers. — When the windows and balconies are filled 

 ■with a selection of plants according to taste, and these are 

 potted into moderately large pots sufficient to last them through 

 the growing season, they will require little other attention be- 

 sides watering, which must be very regularly and constantly 

 done. Plants in this situation, from the position they occupy, 

 are extremely liable to suffer from drought if there is the least 

 neglect in administering their supply of water. This appUes 

 equally to all kinds of plants cultivated in such situations. In 

 order to protect the plants from injury iu consequence of the 

 powerful rays of the sun striking directly on the sides of the 

 pots, often very thin, and forming a mere shell around the roots, 

 it is advantageous to set the pots containing the plants within 

 others just large enough to contain them. The double sides of 

 the pots, together with the small open cavity all round between 

 the two, prevent the evil to a very great extent; and it may be 

 still further prevented by choosing the exterior pot stiil larger, 

 and filling the interval between the two with moss, which is to be 



kept damped. If this plan is objected to it would, perhaps, be 

 possible to form a bed of moss on the window-ledi;6 in which 

 the pots could be plunged, the moss being kept damp. A very 

 pretty selection for a window consists of a scarlet Pelargonium, 

 a yellow shrubby Calceolaria, and one of the deep-coloured 

 small blue Lobelias ; a globe Fuchsia is also a beautiful plant 

 for the situation. It is a very prevailing error to set such plants 

 too thickly ; they should never touch. 



The season is now arrived for those who have a greenhouse, 

 frame, or a convenient pit for growing a few select plants, to 

 take particular notice, while thev are in full bloom, of those 

 which are most suitable for such purposes, au opportunity of 

 inspecting them being furnished at the various exhibitions, 

 or of selecting from the accounts given from various localities 

 through the columns of this Journal. Select only those that 

 possess the best properties. Rhododendrons, Kalmias, Roses, 

 Pinks, Picotees, Carnations, tVc, may also be selected for the 

 flower garden. Fuchsias, Pelargoniums, Cinerarias, &c., should 

 be chosen while iu bloom, or from memoranda duly taken 

 of really worthy varieties, and nothing else. Some of the 

 early-flowering Pelargoniums should now be headed-down, and 

 cuttings of such as are required for young stock at once put in. 

 These will readily strike on any well-sweetened pulverised 

 ground quite exposed, without either bottom heat or the assist- 

 ance of glass. It is an improvement to surface the soil as they 

 are bedded-out, and previous to watering, with sharp clean sand 

 and charcoal dust. Pinks should now be piped, and the young 

 Wallflowers already struck should be at ouce put out. Those 

 who have Tulips should now watch their ripening, and take the 

 bulbs up carefully in due season. See thatDtihUas are staked 

 properly if not already done, and keep them tied, all superfluous 

 shoots being taken off previous to their robbing the main plant. 



Pay particular attention to the Grape Vine in stopping, tack- 

 ing-in, and pulling-out the side shoots. All other trained fruit 

 trees should come in at this season for due attention as regards 

 thinning and training, and keeping them clear of vermin by 

 frequent washings. 



Look well to the friiif garden. The Gooseberry caterpillar is 

 troublesome in some districts at this season, and causes great 

 destruction and disappointment, not only in the loss of the 

 foliage and fruit to a serious extent, but also in i:)roducing weak- 

 ness and immaturity of bud for the following season. By laying 

 a piece of cloth or canvas under the trees, and shaking them, a 

 large quantity may be taken and thrown into a bucket of water 

 for security, and those that will not shake off should be hand- 

 picked and destroyed at ouce. Currant, Cherry, Pear, Nectarine, 

 or indeed any other kind of trees that may be infested with the 

 green fly, may be cleaned with good washings with soot water 

 clear, or soapsuds, both capital things for routing-out vermin, 

 and good fertilisers. Much benefit may also be derived by those 

 who have a few Apple trees infested with blight from washing 

 them with the above materials, and cau-ing all the smother with 

 smoke from charring refuse they possibly can at this season. 

 Currant and Gooseberry trees may be greatly assisted by thin- 

 ning and stopping back all superfluous young shoots ; besides, 

 the size and other qualities of the fruit are much improved. The 

 young shoots of Raspberries, or superfluous suckers, should be 

 thinned, and nothing more allowed to remain than is actually 

 required for fruit-bearing and filling-up spaces another year. 

 Where it can be done all fruit trees should now be mulched. 

 Those who possess a Fig tree should pinch out the points of the 

 shoots when they have attained the length of four or five joints 

 if they wish for short-jointednesj and truitfuluess in succeeding 

 years, and they should also curve all strong-growing shoots. 



Flower Borders. — Much benefit may be derived from thinning 

 the shoots of many plants at this season, staking, tying, thinning 

 buds, and the timely applicatiou of water aud liquid manure to 

 such subjects as Pinks, Carnations, and Dahlias. The bulbs of 

 the TuUp may be much improved by an application or two of 

 liquid manure as soon as they have done blossoming. Bulbs of 

 Hyacinths should be taken up and properly stored. 



In the kitchen garden assistance should now be given to the 

 growing crops of Onions, Parsnips, Carrots, &c., by frequent sur- 

 lace-stirriug, never allowing weeds to be seen ; otherwise they 

 are sure to be robbed of part of their produce, both in quality 

 and quantity. Apply food in the way of liquid manure to Scarlet 

 Runners, Cabbages, aud Beans. This may be effected by saving 

 the soapsuds aud other slops, and diluting according to the 

 strength and luxuriance of the crops. 



When rain occurs, which is much needed, the opportunity of 

 plantiugout the various Broccolies, Kales, Coleworts, Savoys, 

 etc., should be taken without loss of time. Due attention must 

 be given to hoeing and scarifying the soil about them, and 

 making-up vacancies that may occur among them. The early 

 Celery should get good attention. Clear any superfluous side 

 shoots or suckers, and frequently stir the surface aud apply 

 liquid manure. Good sowings of Coleworts should now be 

 made for filling all vacant spots as they become clear, for a 

 supply of youn;^ Cabbages through autumn, winter, and spring. 

 The smallest kind of Cabbages are the best to be sown for this 



