April 6, 1912.] 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE 



1 



damping altogether as the Grapes approach to 

 ripeness. The roots must still be supplied liber- 

 ally with moisture. Applications of manure 

 may be discontinued gradually as the crop ripens. 

 When the weather is warm, abundance of air 

 should be admitted, opening both top and bot- 

 tom ventilators, and leaving them partly open 

 during the night. Although it is still necessary 

 to keep the water pipes fairly warm during cold 

 and wet weather, fire-heat must not be used to 

 excess, this being prejudicial to the maturation 

 of the Grapes. 



Early Permanent Vines. — Vines affected 

 with mealy bug should be examined with 

 a view to keeping these insects from enter- 

 ing the fruit bunches. At the same time, any 

 bunches which are in need of more thinning may 

 be given attention, but be careful not to make the 

 bunches appear too thin, especially the variety 

 Black Hamburgh. It will greatly assist the 

 swelling and finishing of the berries if the roots 

 are given a good mulching of rich, well-rotted 

 manure, and a thorough application of tepid 

 water directly afterwards. 



THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 



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



Aldenham House, Hertfordshire. 



Potato s.— Between now and the middle of 

 this month, according to the locality, the 

 main crop of Potatos should be planted. Select 

 medium-sized " sets" that have been allowed to 

 sprout naturally in a cool, airy, light shed or 

 house. If the sets are extra large they may be 

 divided, but this should be done ten days or so 

 before planting. The methods of planting vary. 



1 prefer to plant in shallow trenches made with 

 a spade or plough, and, especially on retentive 

 soils, place a layer of long manure or leaf mould 

 on which to drop the tubers, before filling in the 

 trenches. I do not recommend planting with a 

 dibber. Where Potatos do well a distance of 



2 feet 6 inches is not too much space between the 

 rows, allowing 18 or 20 inches between the 

 tubers. 



Potatos in Frames.— The earliest crops of 

 Potatos in frames will need judicious ventilation 

 to prevent the haulm from becoming drawn. If 

 frost threatens, place mats over the glass. Later 

 plants will need the soil drawn up about them, 

 as the shoots elongate. Plants of the earliest 

 batch grown in herring boxes may be transferred 

 to frames and have soil ^aced ove r them : they 

 will then develop their tubers satisfactorily. 



Asparagus.— At the time of writing we have 

 been favoured with several fine days, and 

 advantage has been taken at Aldenham to plant 

 several new Asparagus beds, the site for them 

 having been prepared some time previously. 

 Ine young plants were growing in 3-inch pots 

 and were planted at 15 inches apart in the beds, 

 -the present is a capital time to sow Asparagus 

 seeds to raise plants for planting next spring, 

 bow three or four seeds in a well-drained 60-size 

 Pot and stand the pots closely in an unheated 

 irame. Keep the frame fairly close and afford 

 water as necessary, until the seeds have germi- 

 nated, when air should be admitted on every 

 favourable opportunity until eventually the lights 

 are removed entirely. Afford water as often as is 

 necessary and sprinkle the frame with moisture 

 to encourage a free growth. In the autumn, 

 wnen the growth is ripened, plunge the pots to 

 just above their rims in a bed of cinder ashes, 

 vnen no further attention will be necessary till 



m +kT e * for P lantin S arrives. I prefer this 

 metnod of raising Asparagus seedlings to any 

 other I have practised. Whether planting seed- 

 ings, or, as is often done, older roots, let there 

 p ' n A ° unn ecessary delay, as the roots suffer from 



?^™*\ to * he ? ir - There is y<* time for forc- 

 UtJtu .1 b , atch of AsD aragus in a frame : this 



SS *n h , should furnish a su PP ]v of th * vege- 

 table until the outside crop is available. 



vaSiJ." ?"«*•— Make a sowing of all the 



?^?A7 m o£ Kales l°i winter use - "act, 



S P rt!nff C \ a S ° Uth b ° rder and ° ne that has 



BmafcTi y i 5 ?Gn c r °PP ed ^th anv form of 



cSSiv in c J udl i nB Turnips - Label e * ch variet y 



proWiL P la ~ neta over the seed-bed as a 



lon^ rfL gai ^ birds ' In the event of P™- 

 ^ttfe b * d through a 



Chicory.— Whore a varied supply of winter 

 salads is required, Chicory is almost indispen- 

 sable. Make a sowing of Chicory in ground that 

 has been well worked, and, if a considerable 

 quantity is needed, a further sowing may be made 

 later. Draw drills at distances of 1 foot and thin 

 the plants when large enough to 9 inches or so 

 apart. Beyond preventing weeds and giving an 

 occasional hoeing with the Dutch hoe but little 

 attention will be needed until the crop is cleared. 



Endive. -To maintain a long and regu'ar 

 supply of Endive, a small sowing should be made 

 at once in the soil of a warm border, in shallow 

 drills formed about 18 inches apart. When the 

 plants have attained to a sufficient size thin them, 

 in the case of the curled-leaved variety, to 1 foot 

 apart: the large-leaved or Batavian Endive 

 should be allowed a little more room. Further 

 sowings may be made at intervals of a fortnight 

 or three weeks. 



French Beans.— Where space permits make 

 a sowing of French Beans in 5-inch pots to pro- 

 vide plants for transferring to cold frames. 

 Raise the seeds in a gentle warmth, but inure 

 them to fresh air as soon as they have germinated. 



Onions. — Plants raised from seeds sown 

 early in the New Year having been transplanted 

 into boxes, will need gradual hardening pre- 

 paratory to planting them out-of-doors. The 

 ground will need to be forked over and given a 

 good dressing of soot and wood ashes, preparing 

 as good a tilth as possible before the plants are 

 inserted. In the meantime, keep the plants 

 free from weeds and promote aeration of the 

 soil by stirring it with a pointed stick. When 

 planting, retain as much soil on the roots as 

 possible. Allow a distance of from 15 to 18 inches 

 between the plants in the lines and 18 inches be- 

 tween the rows. 



Leeks. — The finest Leeks are grown in 

 trenches, which should have a depth of 2 feet 

 and a width of 18 inches. Break up the bottom 

 of the trench with the fork, place a layer of 

 well-decayed farmyard manure in the trench and 

 cover this with some of the exaavated soil. 

 Gradually harden the plants in much the same 

 way as advised for Onions. 



THE ORCHID HOUSES. 



By J. Collier, Gardener to Sir Jeremiah Colman, Bart., 



Gatton Park, Surrey. 



Cattleya, L/elia, and L>elio-Cattleya. 



— Plants of Cattleya bicolor, C. Leopoldii, C. 

 velutina, and hybrid Cattleyas, such as C. trig, 

 C. Adula, C. Atalanta, and C. Hopkinsii, also 

 Laelio-Cattleya Nisa, L.-C. callistoglossa, L.-C. 

 bletchleyeiuis, and many others that flower late in 

 autumn and w T inter are becoming active at their 

 roots. Therefore, those that require new rooting 

 material should be attended to in that respect. 

 Healthy plants requiring increased rooting space 

 should be afforded larger receptacles, taking care, 

 if the compost is in a good condition, not to dis- 

 turb or injure the roots more than is unavoidable. 

 Where the roots are clinging so firmly to the 

 sides of the pots that the plants cannot be taken 

 out without damaging the roots, the pot should 

 be broken and removed carefully in pieces. Many 

 of these species and hybrids are of a vigorous 

 habit of growth, and should be afforded more 

 rooting space than less robust kinds. When 

 potting the plants cut away the back leaf- 

 less, pseudo-bulbs, for if these remain they 

 will weaken the plant and necessitate the 

 use of larger pots. Plants that have sufficient 

 pot room and are in a satisfactory condition at 

 the roots may be top-dressed only. Remove some 

 of the old compost from between the roots and 

 substitute fresh material. Plants growing in 

 sour soil, or unhealthy plants, should be 

 taken out of the pots, cutting away all 

 decayed roots and useless pseudo-bulbs. They 

 should be repotted in receptacles only just large 

 enough to hold them, after which they should be 

 placed in a moist, shady position in the house, 

 and watered with great care until they are again 

 well established. Plants with long, heavy 

 pseudo-bulbs should be secured firmljr to neat, 

 strong stakes, for if they become loose in the soil 

 there is a danger of the roots becoming broken. 

 Any of the old psuedo-bulbs that have been taken 

 off may. if they possess sound eyes and a portion 

 of the rhizome*, be employed for purposes of pro- 



nished with crocks and a covering of Sphagnum- 

 mose. Stand them in a moist, shady part of the 

 house and syringe them frequently." After root* 

 and top growth have formed, they* may be potted 

 up and afforded a similar treatment to the 

 established specimens. A suitable rooting 

 medium for these plants consists of equal part* 

 of Al fibre and Osmunda fibre broken up rather 

 roughly, with a small quantity of Sphagnum-moss 

 and a rather liberal amount of crushed crocks 

 added. Pot firmly, and place the compost to with- 

 in about £ inch of the rim of the pot. Plants of 

 Cattleya Trianse and its varieties have passed out 

 of flower, and are starting afresh into growth. 

 Any plants that require attention at the roots- 

 should be dealt with as soon as young roots appear 

 from the base of the new growth. In other 

 respects thev should be treated similarly to the 

 plants already mentioned. 



Shading.— Where lattice blinds only are em 

 ployed for shading Orchid houses these will not 

 afford the necessary protection to such plants 

 as Miltonia, Odontoglossum, Phalaenopsis, 

 Angraecum, Vanda Lowii, V. suavis, V. tricolor, 

 Aerides, and Saceolabium. The glass may be 

 stippled with a mixture of flour and water/ and 

 the work should be done on a fine day so that the 

 coating may dry quickly. The glass should be 

 washed thoroughly and allowed to dry again be- 

 fore applying the stippling. 



Temperatures.— As the days lengthen and-* 

 the sun-heat increases the temperatures of the 

 Orchid houses should be raised both by night and 

 day. This will necessitate an increase of atmo- 

 m heric moisture, therefore the floors and stages, 

 should be damped at least three times each day, 

 and the plants that are not in flower sprayed 

 overhead. This should be done sufficiently early 

 in the day to allow the foliage to become dry 

 before night. 





pagation. 



pot 



THE HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 



By F. Jordan, Gardener to Lady Nunburnholme, 



Warter Priory, Yorkshire. 



Strawberries.— The ground in which Straw- 

 berries are growing, whether of beds or borders, 

 should be forked lightly at least once a year, 

 especially when it is of a heavy texture/ If 

 this work has not been done already, let there 

 be no further delay, as the plants are developing 

 new growths. Apply a dressing of soot and 

 freshly-slaked lime between the rows, after the 

 digging is completed, to destroy slugs, but avoid 

 dusting the plants. In the case of old planta- 

 tions, a dressing of some chemical manure may 

 be applied with beneficial results, using for pre- 

 ference one that contains a large percentage of 

 potash. A mulching of stable litter should be 

 .applied a& soon as the surface has be- 

 come dry. The litter will be washed clean by 

 the rains before the berries are ripe. If pot 

 plants that have been forced are to be 

 planted, let the ground be prepared thor- 

 oughly by deep digging or trenching, and 

 enriching it liberally with manure. In all cases 

 care should be taken to see that the foliage is 

 free from mildew and red spider. Plants of the 

 latest batches that have been forced under rela- 

 tively cool conditions are the most suitable for 

 planting, being stronger and better in every re- 

 spect than those that have been subjected to much 

 fire-heat. Set out the plants at distances of 2 feet 

 apart in rows, allowing 2 feet between the rows. 

 Afterwards apply a mulch of short manure to pre- 

 serve the moisture in the soil and encourage 

 growth. Plantations formed recently should be 

 examined and the soil about the plants made firm 

 by treading, as in many cases the roots have 

 become loosened by frosts. 



Raspberries.— Canes that were planted last 

 autumn and cut down as advised in the Calendar 

 for February 10 should be producing suckers 

 freely from their bases. Select four or five of 

 the stronger growths, removing the weaker ones. 

 Remove also suckers that develop between the 

 row r s of old plantations. Fork the soil 

 and apply a mulch of manure at once. 



General Work. — The mild, rainy weather 

 has favoured the growth of weeds, therefore as 

 soon as the ground is in a suitable condition it 

 should be stirred frequently with the hoe. Con- 

 stantly stirring the surface of the soil at this 

 season is of much value in the fruit quarters ; it is 

 not only beneficial to the growth of the trees, but 

 prevents the seeds of w T eeds from germinating. 



lightlv 





