November 10, 1888.] 



THE GAP DENE PS* C HP ON I CLE. 



539 



country. There can, at any rate, be no doubt that 

 the average produce of the harvest of 1888 is inferior 

 to that of 1887 both in quantity and in quality. But 

 notwithstanding the irregularities and deficiencies 

 which have been referred to, it is certain that in 

 many cases much more than average crops have been 

 obtained. I propose therefore to base my estimate 

 of the produce of the United Kingdom this year on 

 the experimental results without modification, leav- 

 ing it to others, and to the future, to determine 

 whether any deduction from the estimate so arrived 

 at should be made. 



Taking the average population of the United 

 Kingdom for the harvest year, 1888-9, at rather over 

 37;' millions (37,771,175), the estimated requirement 

 for consumption, at 505 bushels per head would be 

 about 20j million quarters (20,075,802). The area 

 under wheat is reported to have been 2,663,430 acres, 

 or nearly 300,000 acres more than last year. This 

 area at 2GJ bushels per acre would yield nearly 9 

 million quarters (8,947,480), and deducting 2 bushels 

 per acre for seed, there would remain rather over 

 8| million quarters (8,281,621 ) available for consump- 

 tion, and there would accordingly be required about 

 18$ million quarters (18,3'J4, - -7i) to be provided 

 from stocks and import. It is admitted that the 

 Wheat crop not only of America, but of some other 

 countries wheuce we derive supplies, will be below 

 the average. But during the last two months of the 

 past harvest year our imports were at the rate of 

 about 21 million quarters per annum, whilst, with 

 our late harvest, and the rise in prices, the supplies 

 have been very liberal since, and there seems no 

 reason to fear that there will be any difficulty in 

 obtaining sufficient supplies to meet such require- 

 ments as the foregoing estimates show to be probable. 

 J. B. Lawcs, Iiothamsled, October 24. 



Plants and Their Culture. 



be repotted as they require it, taking care not to 

 over-pot, for large heads may he produced in very 

 small pots, and 5 or 6-inch pots are convenient sizes. 

 A free, loamy compost suits the Poinsettia ; but in 

 peat the plants are difficult to keep in good condition. 

 Euphorbia Jacquinirejlora. — This pretty winter 

 bloomer flourishes similar to Poinsettia puleheirima, 

 but there is this important difference, that li.Jacquinise- 

 flora gives, when growth is rapid, a succession of 

 flowers, breaking back as the points are removed, but 

 it requires to be kept in a light place, and in a 

 warmth of 00° as a mininmum. F. Boss, Bletchinyley. 



Libonias. — Although these do fairly well when 

 kept in an ordinary greenhouse at a temperature of 

 from 40°— 50°, yet they are much improved, and 

 young stock in particular, by being kept in a tem- 

 perature not exceeding 55°. Here, with due atten- 

 tion to watering and full exposure to light a genial 

 buoyant air about them, they do not so readily shed 

 their leaves— a fatality occurring under lower tem- 

 perature without fail. Kept too warm, the plant 

 makes soft growth and rarely flowers. Sturdy well 

 matured growth is the sort to flower well. Large 

 oil plants of L. floribunda are very useful during tl e 

 early spring months, but penrhosiensis is already 

 showing flower. It is a rather neater subject, and, 

 flowering as it does, so much in advance of flori- 

 bunda, renders it a very desirable plant. 



Solatium capsicastrum. — Outdoor plants have not 

 done so well this year, and the few which have set 

 well are late, but they will still colour well. A few 

 may be hastened by placing them along with the 

 Libonias, guarding against their getting dry at the 

 roots, as they are very impatient and much injured 

 if the soil be kept too dry. 



Cold Pits and Frames. — All plants intended to be 

 wintered in these structures should now be sys- 

 tematically arranged for the winter, in all cases 

 keeping those requiring similar treatment together, 

 as far as practicable. In this way those which 

 require more warmth may be properly protected 

 without having to cover others which are more 

 hardy. It is also good practice to completely plunge 

 the pots, as by doing so there is less fear of breakage, 

 the roots keep uninjured, and watering is much 

 reduced. An important point in the management 

 of this class of structures during winter is to main- 

 tain a sweet, dryish atmosphere in them, as in the 

 majority of cases the losses which occur are due 

 more to dampness than to cold ; therefore, whenever 

 the days are fine, ventilate freely and early when 

 there is no frost, but in dull or rainy weather give 

 little or no air, specially guarding against opening 

 during fogs. These concluding remarks are very 

 applicable to Violets and Auriculas. 



Poinsett ias.— These like a position somewhat drier 

 than most winter-flowering subjects, and a good brisk 

 stove temperature is beneficial, care being taken to 

 afford them all the light possible. Under these con- 

 ditions the bracts develope with a firmer texture, and 

 are rendered more lasting when removed to cooler 

 positions. Late struck and successional plants may 



The Flower Garden. 



Beddi.nb Plants : Indoors. — It will be advisable 

 to look over autumn looted Pelargoniums where 

 they are being wintered in badly heated and venti- 

 lated structures, or there will be a large number of 

 the plants die from damping off. Pick off all decay- 

 ing flowers and leaves, but not the leaf-stalks, and 

 in watering keep the soil rather dry than otherwise, 

 affording plenty of ventilation on every favourable 

 occasion. Old plants of Pelargoniums and various 

 other bedding subjects should be cleaned and the 

 soil in the pots slightly stirred with a stick. Fumi- 

 gate to keep down aphis. The above plants 

 should be placed as near the glass as is practicable, 

 and a night temperature of from 45° to 50° in 

 severe weather may be kept up. Iresines, Coleus, 

 Alternantheras, and other tender subjects should 

 have 10° more warmth. Should mildew make its 

 appearance, dust the leaves over slightly with 

 sulphur. 



Frame Ground. — Although comparatively little 

 work will require to be done here for some time 

 nothing must be left to chance, i.e., in the way of 

 covering the frames with mats at night ; it is hardly 

 safe at this time of the year to trust to the favourable 

 appearance of the weather, even for a single occasion, 

 and it is as well to bear that fact in mind in regard 

 to such half-hardy plants a3 some Echeverias, and 

 the shrubby Calceolarias. 



Autumn rooted cuttings in pots of Phlox, Pent- 

 stemon, and young stock of hardy perennials, should 

 be plunged in sifted cinder ashes or cocoa-fibre refuse. 

 Take off the lights on bright days and be careful with 

 the water-can, as over-watering is sure to be produc- 

 tive of a sour soil, clogged-drainage, and consequently 

 sickly-looking plants. Examine the pots occasionally 

 for earthworms, and keep the surface soil free from 

 moss. 



Miscellaneous. — Such work as filling certain beds 

 in the winter garden with Conifers, Aucubas, 

 llerberis aquifolia, See., should be pushed forward 

 without delay. Some very effective arrangements of 

 these subjects may be made with the various tints and 

 forms of the foliage of these plants. If not already 

 done, take upTigridias and Gladiolus, and store away 

 in a cool place safe from frost, neither too damp 

 nor too dry. J. Horsefield Heytcibury. 



water in the Grape-room. This room should be on 

 the noith side of the garden wall or other buildings, 

 should be quite dark, with heat at command, so that 

 a steady temperature of 45° may be ensured. With 

 this degree of warmth, and well-finished fruit, there 

 will be scarcely a bad berry visible during the next 

 three months. Look over all Grapes hanging on the 

 Vines twice or thrice a week, and remove all decay- 

 ing berries. 



Proceed with the preparation of succession-houses, 

 and cover the outside borders with dry leaves as they 

 are collected— this will retain much of the solar 

 heat. Especial care must be taken to cover securely 

 any borders the soil of which has been renewed 

 during the past twelve months, and is lull of young 

 roots. It may be accepted as a fact that if the tem- 

 perature in these borders declines below a certain 

 point every young root will assuredly perish. Pro- 

 ceed with the collection of materials and the forma- 

 tion of new borders or reuovation of old ones during 

 the coming winter and spring. Keep all the mate- 

 rials in as dry a condition as possible, thereby pre- 

 serving all the fertilising properties and securing a 

 more workable state of the material. 



Young Vines which were planted during the past 

 season will require an extra amount of fire-heat to 

 properly ripen the canes, therefore continue to apply 

 artificial heat and veutilation until the foliage has 

 fallen naturally, when the Vines should be cut back 

 to the first wire, and the house thrown open, except 

 during frost. \Ym. M. Baillie, Luton Hoo. 



Fruits Under Glass. 



Vines. — The Vines in the early house must now 

 be pruned, dressed, and cleaned, the ventilators 

 being closed at night, and everything got in readiness 

 for a start about the middle of the month : the night 

 temperature may be kept steadily at f>0° on cold 

 nights, but on mild ones it may run up to 55°. On 

 dull days raise the heat to 00°, syringe the Vines 

 frequently with tepid water, and if a bed of warm 

 tree leaves be placed within the Vinery, and a portion 

 be forked overevery morning, it will aid in maintain- 

 ing an atmosphere genial to the breaking the Vines. 

 The best mode of" securing the earliest supply of 

 Grapes without weakening the permanent Vines is. 

 unquestionably, from well-ripened pot Vines. If 

 these be plunged in a bed of leaves having a tempe- 

 rature of 75° to 8:>°, and be frequently syringed with 

 tepid water, thev will break much easier than Vines 

 with their roots in the soil of a border; and if these 

 pot Vines be not cropped too heavily, they will pro- 

 duce a respectable crop of good fruit. Let the 

 temperature for starting be 50°, gradually increasing 

 it to 55° by the end of the month. It is November 

 when the leaves fall from the Vine, and it is perhaps 

 the worst month in the year for keeping hanging 

 Grapes ; therefore, where the leaves are falling it is 

 better to cut the bunches, leaving 7 or 8 inches of 

 shoot to the bunch, and insert them in bottles of 



The Kitchen Garden. 



Protection of Broccoli. — Protecting materials 

 will be necessary, the luxuriant growth of the 

 plants this season making them very susceptible to 

 frost. As the most tender part of the plant is the 

 soft portion of the stem, from whence the leaves 

 spring, and this gets much exposed when snow or 

 severe frost causes the leaves to droop; the aim 

 should be to protect this part. In places that are well 

 sheltered or naturally warm, a covering of dry bracken 

 put over the plant in frosty weather will often prove 

 effectual in averting loss; and if the heads are 

 formed, as will be the case with some early varieties, 

 tving the leaves together at the top with matting 

 will help to save the heads ; or, better still, such 

 plants may be lifted and placed in a shed or green- 

 house with a little damp soil around their roots. 

 This practice of lilting reduces the size of the hears 

 to a certain extent, but that does not matter much, 

 small heads being required as well as large ones. 

 If any Autumn Giant Cauliflowers remain until now, 

 nndVeitch's Self-protecting Autumn Broccoli is corn- 

 in"' in, these should both be lifted, and in the case of 

 the latter as soon as the heads are formed. It will 

 be advisable this year to lay all the late Broecolis, 

 taking out a portion of soil behind, and some iu 

 front of each plant, and then pressingthe latter down, 

 cover the stem with the soil taken from the next 

 plant, as the work proceeds. When treated in this 

 way, the heads of the plants should lie towards the 

 south, as when laid the other way the sun is apt to draw 

 the leaves of the later varieties up again before the 

 winter is over, and expose the head. Broccoli treated 

 in this way are, comparatively speaking, safe from 

 frost, as the leaves cannot drop down and expose 

 the stem ; but to make them as secure as possible, 

 they can easily be covered over with bracken or diy 

 litter when severe frost is expected. 



Asparagus beds should now be cleared of wei (Is 

 and rubbish, and advantage taken of the first hai d 

 frost to get a quantity of decomposed manure spread 

 over them ; and where beds are old, and produce 

 onlv weak shoots, the roots may be lifted in a fort- 

 night's time, and afterwards as required for forcing. 



Endive and Chicory, cj'c, will be useful for salads 

 now that Lettuces are scarcer ; a very quick and dean 

 way of blanching them for use is to take up the roots 

 as "required about a fortnight before they are wanted, 

 and put them in a Mushroom-house or a similarly 

 dark and warm place. Endive may also be well 

 blanched by being covered with pieces of slate or 

 tiles, )ust leaving bevond the cover a fringe of leaves, 

 litter'being placed over the plants in frosty weather. 



White Turnips should be stored now before they 

 get damaged by severe frost, and be placed in a cool 

 cellar after the tops are removed ; but the roots are 

 best when placed in small heaps and covered with 

 soil. The variety, Chirk Castle, keeps plump and 

 firm longer than anv other. W. H. Diners, Ketton Hall, 

 Stamford. 



