January 27, 1912.] 



THE GARD EN Eli S' CNR O NI CLE. 



V 







Ivy. — Ivy on walls should be trimmed just 

 before growth commences in the spring, clipping 

 the leaves and shoots closely. The plants will 

 present a bare appearance after the operation, 

 but new growth develops quickly, giving a fresh 

 crop of green leaves in a few weeks. 



Turfing Operations. 



The mild winter has 



All 



been favourable for the relaying of turf, 

 work of this nature should be completed as 

 speedily as possible to allow the grass to become 

 established before drying winds prevail. When 

 making turf paths, see that the soil is properly 

 drained, as paths need to dry quickly in damp 

 weather. To make them firm and pleasant to 

 walk on, place a thick layer of coarse ashes di- 

 rectly under the turf. A moderate amount of 

 treading is beneficial to newly-laid sods, and 

 when the grass is fairly dry a light roller may be 

 employed with advantage. 



THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 



By Edwin Beckett, Gardener to the Hon. Vicary Gidbs, 



Aldenbam House, Hertfordshire. 



The Weather.— Up till the time of writing 

 the weather has been anything but favourable 

 for all outside operations in connection with the 

 kitchen garden. The rainfall has been unusually 

 heavy, and the prevailing mild weather has 

 delayed the work in this direction, consequently 

 every endeavour should be made to make good 

 the arrears at the earliest possible moment. 



Trenching and Digging. — It is essential 

 for the ultimate success of the various crops 

 that ground operations be completed as speedily 

 as possible, for nothing tends to sweeten and 

 improve the condition of the soil more than the 

 influence of frosty weather, which we may rea- 

 sonably expect during the next two months. At 

 the same time it is unwise (and particularly in 

 the case of retentive soils) to attempt to dig 

 ground when it is in a sodden condition. It 

 will be far better to defer the work until the 

 conditions are favourable, meantime hurrying 

 forward other matters which need to be done 



- 



sooner or later. 



Onions. — Seedling Onions raised from seeds 

 sown in heat either at the end of 1911 or the 

 beginning of the present month should be 

 pricked off into boxes. See that the boxes are 

 well drained, and use a moderately-rich, fibrous 

 compost, in a fairly dry condition, making the 

 soil very firm. After the plants have been 

 watered thoroughly, place them in a house hav- 

 ing a genial temperature, as near to the roof 

 glass as possible : do not hasten the plants un- 

 duly into growth. On bright days the plants 

 should be sprayed two or three times daily. Stir 

 the surface soil frequently with a pointed stick. 

 A further sowing of Onions may be made thinly 

 in moderately shallow boxes. If the seeds are 

 placed regularly, at a sufficient distance apart, 

 the seedlings may remain undisturbed until the 

 time for planting. This sowing should furnish 

 good bulbs, and the plants will be almost sure 

 to escape injury by the Onion fly. 



Autumn-sown Onions.— Should the weather 

 remain open and the ground become suffi- 

 ciently dry, the beds may be prepared and 

 the plants transplanted, allowing distances of 

 15 inches between the rows and 12 inches from 

 plant to plant. By planting at this early date, 

 and especially on light soils, the results will be 

 much better than if the work is left till later. 



Lettuce. 



Cos or Cajbage Lettuces 



If 



„ raised 



from seed sown late in the autumn may be trans- 

 planted into cold frames in a sheltered position. 

 Care should be taken that the soil introduced 

 into the frames does not contain wireworm. 

 the presence of this pest is suspected, traps 

 of some vegetable, preferably Carrot, should be 

 inserted in the soil. Seedling Lettuce raised in 

 heat should be pricked cfT into boxes as soon as 

 they are large enough. Some of the forcing 

 varieties of Lettuce may be grown in a tempera- 

 ture of from 50° to 55°, for furnishing salad, 



much in the same way as Mustard and Cress is 

 grown. 



Jerusalem Artichokes. — If ground Arti- 

 chokes have not been lifted thev should be dug 

 up selecting the largest tubers for consumption 

 and the smaller ones for planting in well- 



manured ground. The white variety is much to 

 be preferred to the purple sort, and, provided 

 the soil is well enriched annually, this crop may 

 be cultivated on the same site for many years in 

 succession. 



Chinese Artichokes. — Stachvs tuberifera 



should be planted during the next three weeks in 

 an open, sunny position. The best medium is a 

 light, open soil : heavy ground should have leaf- 

 soil, fine mortar rubbish, road grit, and burnt 

 garden-refuse incorporated with it. 



Globe Artichokes. — See that the crowns of 

 Globe Artichokes are well protected from the 

 cold. If fine cinder ashes are employed, in ad- 

 dition to straw or long litter, these materials 

 must be removed whenever the weather is 

 favourable. The large, smooth, green variety is 

 the best sort. 



FRUITS UNDER GLAS3. 



By E. Harriss, Fruit Foreman, The Royal Gardens, 



Windsor. 



Fig Trees in Pots. — With the lengthening 

 days, it will be safe to afford the trees which 

 were started in November a slightly-increased 

 temperature ; but no attempt should be made 

 to force them by means of artificial heat. On 

 very cold nights it is better for the temperature 

 to fall to 55° than to be above 60°. The warmth 

 from the sun should be taken full advantage of 

 to maintain the requisite temperature, closing 

 the house early in the afternoon, after spraying 

 the trees with lukewarm water and damping 

 the bare surfaces. The Fig is soibject to 

 attacks of red spider, but this pest may be kept 

 in check by keeping the atmosphere moist and 

 vigorously syringing the trees twice daily. 

 Should the insect appear on the foliage, care- 

 fully sponge the leaves which are infested with 

 a weak solution of soft soap and sulphur. Pinch 

 the shoots at the third or fourth leaf, and, 

 should the trees be crowded with growths, cut 

 out the weak, unfruitful branches. The shoots 

 should then be regulated carefully and secured 

 to neat stakes. Trees that were not repotted 

 last year should be afforded weak liquid manure, 

 and the soil sprinkled occasionally with some 

 fertiliser. Those which were repotted will not 

 require food till the roots are more active. 



Fig Trees in Borders. — The date at 



which Fig trees planted in borders should be 

 started into growth must be regulated by the 

 time when the fruits are required. It must be 

 remembered that the Fig resents hard forcing, 

 and that it is always better to start the trees a 

 little earlier, bringing them on gradually, than 

 to have to hasten them later on. Trees growing 

 in well-drained borders will require copious sup- 

 plies of water at the roots, and when growth is 

 active they will also require plenty of stimu- 

 lants. Syringe the branches thoroughly both 

 morning and afternoon during fine weather, and 

 keep the atmosphere moist by frequently damp- 

 ing the paths and the floor. Admit plenty of 

 fresh air before noon when the weather is favour- 

 able. Stop the shoots at the fourth or fifth leaf, 

 and remove superfluous growths that obstruct 

 the light. Late trees that have not been pruned 

 and cleansed should be attended to at once. At 

 this pruning, the removal of some of the older 

 branches will make room for younger shoots, 

 thus giving a better appearance and furnishing 

 the tree with fruiting wood. It is also some- 

 times an advantage to shorten old branches to 

 encourage young growths to develop nearer to 

 the base of the tree. The branches should be 

 given a thorough cleansing whilst the trees are 

 dormant. The houce and trellis-work should be 

 well scrubbed with strong soapy water. After- 

 wards remove a little of the surface soil of the 

 border, and apply a top-dressing of fresh loam 

 mixed with plenty of old lime rubble. Planting 

 must be no longer delayed. The roots of Fig 

 trees need to be confined inside the house ; 

 should the walls have open arches through which 

 they can grow, these should be built up with 

 bricks. The bottom of the border should be 

 covered with a layer of concrete to prevent the 

 roots from penetrating into the subsoil. For 

 young trees, a border 4 feet wide and 3 feet 

 deep, including 9 inches of drainage materials, 

 will be ample size for several years. Mix plenty 

 of broken bricks and old mortar rubble with the 

 loam, and ram the soil to make it firm. 



THE FRENCH GARDEN. 



By Pau-l Aquatias. 



Hotbeds. — The making of the hotbeds for 

 the frames is nearing completion. Paths, 9 inches 

 wide, are provided between the frames, and the 

 paths are filled with very dry manure, which 

 has been previously broken up with the fork. 

 No fresh manure is used in the alleys, as it 

 would probably cause too great a fermentation of 

 the bed, to the detriment of the Lettuces and 

 other seedlings. Short manure is preferable for 

 the outside paths, as short manure helps in the 

 building of strong and firm linings. Seeds of 

 Radish and Carrot will be sown as soon as the 

 beds are completed, and before the lights are 

 placed on the frames. When fermentation has 

 provided suitable heat, the Lettuces will be 

 planted ; they should not be set deeply to facili- 

 tate the removal of decaying leaves. The hot- 

 beds on which cloches are placed will be started 

 as soon as some of the latter are available. Beds 

 9 inches in thickness are suitable. The materials 

 for fermentation should consist of three parts of 

 dry and one part of fresh manure. The hardier 

 the Cos Lettuces are grown the better will be 

 the results. Where available, a good layer of 

 black soil should be placed on the manure. The 

 soil should be levelled and raked over before the 

 cloches are placed in position, three rows on 

 each bed. Plant three batches of Cos Lettuces 

 on every bed : one under the cloches, the second 

 in the spaces between the glasses on the south 

 side, and the third in the spaces on the north 

 side, making nine rows in all. We shall not 

 plant the third batch here, as the Cos Lettuces 

 grown on unheated beds under cloches will be 

 ready at the same time as these. Instead, we 

 shall make a thin sowing of " Chantenay " Car- 

 rots, a variety much in demand in the north. 



Crops in Unheated Frames.— The plant- 

 ing of crops in unheated frames should be done 

 without further delay, if the work has not been 

 done alreadv. The best kinds for a succession 

 are Lettuces Little Gott (white seed), and Pas- 

 sion, planting 30 and 25 plants respectively in 

 each light. The paths between the range of 

 frames should be rilled with dry manure when 

 possible. Cloches may also be used. They are 

 set in three rows, allowing a 10-inch path after 

 every three rows. Either Carrots or Radishes 

 may be sown as an intercrop. Each cloche may 

 cover (a) one Cos Lettuce and two Passion Let- 

 tuces, or (b) one Cauliflower and two Passion 

 Lettuces. 



Strawberries. — The plants intended for 

 forcing should have dead leaves removed, the 

 top soil stirred, and the pots filled up with some 

 fresh compost mixed with bonemeal. 



Nursery Beds. — Lettuces 



cold 



sown in 



frames in December are ready to be transplanted 

 under cloches. Mats should be employed to cover 

 the cloches at night till the plants are well 

 established. A hotbed to accommodate a frame 

 of three lights will be prepared for the first 

 sowing of Cauliflower intended for planting in 

 April and May. Cabbage Early Etampes is 

 sown as a succession to those planted in the 

 autumn. 



General Work. — The wet weather has 

 caused a delay in tillage operations, but the beds 

 intended for the first batch of Lettuces and Cos 

 Lettuces must be prepared at once, digging the 

 ground deeply and manuring it freely. Should 

 the soil be very friable, the ground may be 

 simply raked over and seeds of either Radish 

 or Spinach sown broadcast and covered with a 



layer of black soil. 



. Forestry and the Development Grant. 



The Development Commissioners have made the 

 following grants for forestry to the University of 

 Edinburgh and the East of Scotland Agricul- 

 tural College. To the University, a contribution 

 of £4, SCO for building purposes ; £2,000 for 

 equipment of museums and laboratories ; £500 a 

 year for five years to provide for increase of 

 teaching staff. An annual subsidy is also pro- 

 mised to the above-mentioned institutions as & 

 contribution toward the establishment and main- 

 tenance of a forest garden and experimental 

 plantations. 



