Jnly 8, 1875. ] 



JOURNAL OP HOBTIOULTUBB AND COTTAGE GARDENEB. 



33 



handling each plant separately, and keeping the heart np until 

 growth ceases. It ia then earthod-up close, and litter is put 

 on in severe frost. 



By the above method of culture Celery ia obtained from 

 4 to 5 lbs. weight, and of the best quality. I have not found 

 the earthing to check its growth, in fact if well supplied with 

 liquid it will push the soil down from the sides, for its vitality 

 cannot be overcome. — C. Prinsep. 



LOBELIA PUMILA MAGNIFICA. 

 The merits of this fine Lobelia cannot be too widely known. 

 No one who saw the baskets in the exhibition tent at Regent's 

 Park last week could fail to be ttruck with its great superiority. 

 It is a robust form of pnmila, and in habit perfect. The 

 blooms are large, stout, and intensely blue — Lobelia blue — and 

 the white eye is clear without being obtrusive. There is but 

 little doubt that it is the finest Lobelia yet raised, and cannot 

 fail to be invaluable both for pot culture and garden decoration. 

 I direct attention to it because of its sterling worth, and be- 

 cause I am satisfied that it is one of the few plants that can- 

 not disappoint. It is massively rich and charmingly chaste, 

 decorative qualities which but few plants possess in combina- 

 tion. I advise all my gardening friends to possess this fine 

 Lobelia. — J., Battcrsca. 



THE POTATO CUKL. 



There can now be no doubt that the new disease affecting 

 the Potato is the recurrence of an old one known to some of us 

 in our young days as " the Cuil." This appeared towards the 

 end of the last century, and continued with more or less virulence 

 for the first five-and-twenty or thirty years of the present one. 

 We have a perfect recollection of the dread with which it was 

 regarded, and the disastrous results of its attacks. Volumes 

 were written upon it by the most noted agriculturists and gar- 

 deners of the day, from Arthur Young and T. A. Kuight down- 

 wards, and so serious was it that it engaged the attention of the 

 most eminent scientific and practical men of the period. Its 

 origin and its cure alike baffled the ingenuity of all who turned 

 their attention to it till at last it died out, and for forty or 

 more years it has not been heard of, till two years ago it made 

 its appearance in the new seedling varieties of American Pota- 

 toes after they had been grown one season in this country. 



This fact singularly corresponds with what we find in some 

 of the early accounts of the disease. Arthur Young says that 

 of Potatoes raised from seed one plant in thirty will be curled, 

 and if propagated will retain this quality ; and Dr. Anderson, a 

 great authority of the period, states in the Bath papers that a 

 large field planted with Potatoes the third year from seed had 

 more than half the plants curled, while another field near it 

 planted with seta which never, as far as he knew, were produced 

 from seed, had scarcely one plant curled in the whole field. 



There will no doubt be many conjectures as to the origin and 

 cause of this disease, some being the old ones revived ; and 

 there will also be as many suggestions for a cure brought for- 

 ward now as were formerly ; but while others may be inves- 

 tigating and some dreaming as to these, our advice is, to be 

 wise in time, and utterly to destroy every variety and every 

 crop in which it has made its appearance ; for our readers may 

 rest assured it is a far more serious matter than some of 

 our contemporaries who have treated on the subject seem to 

 think of. 



Onion Maggot. — It may now serve some of your numerous 

 readers to inform them that soot prevents the Onion maggot 

 if perseveringly used till the danger is passed. I believe the 

 fly lays the eggs on the manure near the surface. — C. Phincep. 



NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 



To-DAY (Thursday) a Special General Meeting of the Koyal 

 Horticultural Society is to be held, and it is to be hoped that 

 all who look forward to the Society being pulled out of its 

 difiiculties will attend and support any motion that may be 

 brought forward to urge the completion of Lord Bury's resig- 

 nation. 



It is proposed to call a meeting of the leading horticul- 

 turists on Wednesday, the 21st of July next, at six o'clock p.m., 

 at the Criterion Hotel, Piccadilly, to consider the best means 



of carrying out the pledge to hold an Intbrnational Hobti- 

 cnLTURAL ISxuiBiTioN during the year 1877. 



NOTES ON VILLA and SUBURBAN GABDENINO. 



Flower Garden and Suuuiuskhy. — All sorts of bedding plants 

 will have become tairly estalilibhed by this time, and they must 

 of necessity have considerable attention. The beds must be 

 well hoed and cleaned, and the plants be induced to cover the 

 space desired as soon as ponsible either by tying them out or 

 neatly pegging them down. These are such as Verbenas of sorts, 

 Nierembergias, Heliotropes, and other dwarf growing or trailing 

 plants. Then there are many plants which must be staked in 

 time, as Hollyhocks, Dahlias, and Salvias. These are much 

 reduced in beauty if allowed to go too long unsupported ; for the 

 wind once blowing them about prevents the plants being put 

 into proper order again. As I have hinted once or twice be- 

 fore, both pegs and stakes should be prepared in times of leisure 

 so that the work may now be done more expeditiously. Dahliaa 

 will be the better if a mulching of rotten manure be applied to 

 the roots, so that when water is given the plants will receive 

 extra benefit, and fine flowers is the general reward. Put stakes 

 to Gladiolus, and secure the plants to them by one tie at present, 

 and that must be rather low than otherwise, which allows of a 

 freer growth and the bloom spike to come up without any 

 obstruction. 



Roses have been objects of great interest so far, and about; 

 here the flowers have been very fine. I hope when it is intended 

 to increase the stock by budding that a Eelection of those best 

 suited to the soil has been made, because budding should not be 

 delayed any longer if the bark rises freely and the sap is flowing 

 well from where the buds are taken. This should always be 

 noted as important in the success of budding; and again the 

 bud must be nicely and firmly fastened to the place in which its 

 is inserted, and the stock itself be made secure agaiust the wind. 

 It is a practice in some localities to shorten the young shoots of 

 the Briars by more than one-half at the time of budding, but I 

 prefer leaving it the entire height till the bud has taken, be- 

 cause if the weather has been previously dry, or should set in 

 dry immediately after budding, the shortening of the shoot 

 causes a check to the flow of sap, and the bud suffers just at 

 the time it most requires support. 



Prick-out Brompton Stocks and Wallflowers into beds of good 

 open soil, and encourage them to advance in growth. Violets 

 that have been divided and planted out will likewise need 

 encouragement, and they must not suffer from the want of 

 water. The better crowns they form the more bloom will they 

 afford when planted in the frame in autumn. 



The shrubbery will require looking over — that is, all coarse 

 growths that are rising up to the detriment of the lower growth 

 and the shape of the plant, must be cut out. An unequal growth 

 is particularly objectionable in a young hedge of almost any 

 sort, and often ruins it. Yews and Laurel hedges that are in- 

 tended to be ornamental and tidy may be now clipped, or rather 

 cut, for the knife ia better for the purpose than the mora 

 ordinary shears; the knife hides the cuts, but the shears cuts 

 the leaves in two, which ia very objectionable. 



Go over Rhododendrons that have done flowering, and pick 

 off all the seed vessels, which not only makes the plants look 

 neat, but allows the growth a free course, as it starts just at the 

 point where the bloom rests. Look over the shrubbery gene- 

 rally, and see that no choice plant is being overgrown by ita 

 coarse-growing neighbour. Have all grass frequently cut and 

 the edgings neatly kept, and walks rolled after rain, which by 

 frequent use and a period of dry weather the surface of them ia 

 apt to work up in a rough state and become unpleasant to walk 

 upon. Put in cuttings of Pinks, and layer Carnations and 

 Picotees as soon as their growth ia sufficiently advanced. — 

 TncMAS Record. 



DOINGS OP THE LAST AND WORK FOE THE 



PRESENT WEEK. 



kitchen garden. 

 There are two important crops that ought to be attended to 

 this week — late Peas and late Cauliflowers. The gardeners in 

 the north of England and in Scotland have the advantage over 

 the southern growers in respect of these crops. In favourable 

 localities with deep and moderately heavy or heavy soils decent 

 crops may sometimes be produced, but in light and shallow soils 

 it is labour in vain to grow these crops late in the autumn. 

 Mildew and thripa are also very troublesome pests to deal with 

 on the late Pea crops. It is now time to sow the Peas, and the 

 late rains have made the ground in condition to receive the 

 seeds. The ground ought also to have been prepared by being 

 manured and deeply trenched. Were we sowing Peas this week 

 the sorts would be Laxton's Alpha and Fillbasket : the last- 

 named is not a Marrow Pea but a hardy sort, and ia wonderfully 

 prolific. It may be necessary to water this crop after it is up, 

 and they may be syringed with soot water. 



