April 4, 1865. ] 



JOUENAIi OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



273 



In a small pit, the earth part being about 3 feet in width 

 and 15 inches deep, we have an extraordinary show from 

 Vines that were put out last season and cut down. We 

 know very well if we allow the half or the quarter of the 

 bunches to remain, the Vines will be pretty well exhausted. 

 In the same pit, but in three lights separated by a division, 

 aie old plants of Sweetwater which have borne heavily for 

 a great number of years, and have just the same amount of 

 soil, which we think must now be somewhat exhausted. 

 These also seem a mass of bunches, though not large. 

 Below the soil, among clinkers, are two small pipes for hot 

 water, but we have not top heat enough to bring the 

 Grapes in very early; but when we have it, we have no 

 doubt that, in these six-feet-wide pits, we could have early 

 Grapes very economically, as the glass could be easDy 

 covered at night. These Vines ai-e now somewhat crowded, 

 and we must clear the jjits somewhat to give them room. 

 Fii'st, there was a mixed collection of plants as soon as the 

 Vines were pruned; then, as soon as the Vines began to 

 move, a rough stage was placed across it for Strawberries, 

 and, beneath the stage, seeds of Lobelia, &c., were sown 

 in pots, and covered with squares of glass. The seedlings, 

 when fairly up, were removed to where they could receive 

 more light ; and now we must move a good portion of the 

 Strawberries, to obtain full light and room for the Vines. 

 This is a specimen of the cramming mode which has to be 

 resorted to in many cases, and which, whilst it makes the 

 most of glass space, greatly increases the labour, and keeps 

 the eye and contrivances of the gardener constantly at 

 work. 



We have noticed a few more of the brown beetle on shoots 

 in the Peach-house, and of course did not see them long. 

 Our young man thinks nothing is so effectual as soft soap 

 water, and so long as it is used weak enough not to injure 

 leaves or young fruits we have no objection to its use. It is 

 always a good plan to adopt measures that are even thought 

 to be best, and hence one man will make a mode answer per- 

 fectly when another man entirely fails with it. It is but 

 natural for us to like our own plans best. A man has a 

 peculiar mode of doing a certain job, which he is convinced 

 is the best mode, and at least he does the work well. You 

 may think another mode would be better, and say so, but 

 if you insist on going against the man's conviction you 

 will not be much of a gainer thereby. Every good work- 

 man, be he even a garden labourer, has pet ways and 

 methods of his own, and if these do not go to the extreme 

 of interfering with general order and arrangement it will 

 generally be best to let him work in his own way. Provided 

 we never catch a sight of this ugly brown beetle we shall 

 be very careless as to whether we owe the riddance to soap 

 water, tobacco water, quassia water, or any other water. 

 We fuUy believe that an attentive eye and an active hand 

 are, after all, the great securities against all such pests. 



In the first orchard-house, where an iron stove had been 

 a little used last season, two trees in the centre are coming 

 into bloom notwithstanding all our care with air on, except 

 in severe frost, to keep them back. The other house will 

 not open just yet. As a further security against fly and 

 beetle we purpose syringing aU trees of which the buds are 

 not opened with a liquid consisting of about 1 lb. of Gishurst 

 and IJ- lb. of soft soap, and a little sulphur and lime water, 

 mixed up in thirty gallons of water. We shall also let a 

 little fall on the floor and pots. We should not like to use it 

 stronger at this season, and we will put it on very gently, 

 so as not to displace the painting round the swelling and 

 now opening buds. Last season, though but little troubled, 

 we detected by this time some of these beetles running races 

 on the tops of the pots, so that most likely, in addition to 

 the syringing, we shall paint the parts of the pot above 

 ground with some nasty substance which will not dry fast, 

 such as soft soap. Any little trouble now th.at will keep 

 such enemies from appearing during the summer wUl be 

 advisable. We saw but little of this beetle last summer, 

 and hope to see less this season, but of all pests in a garden 

 it is the very worst — green fly and even red spider are a 

 trifle to it. 



ORNAMENTAL DEPAETMENT. 



Chiefly potting, making use of stokeholes with sheds over 

 them for the purpose. The potting was chiefly confined to 

 Gloxinias, Gesneras, Caladiums, &c., and to potting and 



turfing faggots of bedding Geraniums. The fine-foUaged 

 Begonias, Gloxinias, &.C., were set on a stage, where they 

 would be well shaded by the Vines. It is better, however, 

 when they are not placed there until after the Vines are 

 done flowering, as the smallest particle of extraneovis matter, 

 be it the flowers of the Grape or a bit of decayed leaf, rest- 

 ing on the leaves of these fine-foliaged Begonias for a few 

 hours, or even less, is sure to make a hole in the fine leaf; 

 they do best, therefore, in the shade where nouuing can drop 

 on them. As to the faggots of Geraniums, we described 

 how they were closely packed in 10 and 12-iacU pots in the 

 end of autumn. We have just now filled four lights of a 

 six-feet-wide pit with plants in CO-sized pots, taken from 

 some dozens of pots of 10 inches in diameter, stuffed with 

 Bijou. Hardly one had failed out of very nearly four 

 hundred. These did not require a tithe of the attention 

 during winter that small fresh-struck plants did. We like 

 in general to pot or turf the variegated ones, though Bijou 

 and Alma lift very well from an intermediate bed of rougt 

 earth and leaf mould. These old plants are rather top- 

 heavy for the turfing process. We resort to it because 

 scarce of pots, and also for saving labour afterwards. For 

 small plants struck late in autumn from 3 to 3i inches 

 square of turf and from 2i to 3 inches thick will be quite 

 sufficient. The tougher the turf is the better. If we take it 

 up 12 inches wide, it is cut on the bench into square pieces 

 with a sharp hand-bill, and then the earth part being placed 

 uppermost, a hole is scooped out nearly to the grass with a 

 knife, and about as quick as pots can be brought and drained. 

 A little nice light soil is put m the hole with the young 

 plant, and if a little bottom heat can be given the roots 

 will soon be hanging like hairs round the sides of the pieces 

 of turf. When turned out in beds the turf goes along with 

 them, and this is found to be an advantage if you wish to 

 lift with anything like a ball in autumn. Without any 

 bottom heat, those who are afraid to plant out of earth-pits 

 at once, or who cannot afford time to water pots, may try 

 the turf system, placing the bits close together on the 

 bottom of a pit or frame, or on the fioor of a late vinery or 

 Peaeh-house. 



Proceeded also with cuttings of Verbenas, and whatever 

 else was likely to be wanted. To oblige some inquirers we 

 will here shortly allude to a few matters very simple but 

 very important to success. 



1st. All cuttings of such plants strike most speedily in 

 sweet bottom heat — that is, if placed on a sweet hotbed, 

 though Geraniums and many other plants will strike as well 

 on a shelf as anywhere. 



2nd. All cuttings wUl strike quicker if there is the begin- 

 ning of spring growth on them before they are taken off. 



3rd. The cuttings should never flag or be wetted before 

 they are inserted ; and as soon as inserted they should be 

 taken at once to their position, so as to prevent any flagging 

 afterwards. 



4th. The success as above will greatly depend on keeping 

 the cutting that has commenced to grow on the parent 

 plant still growing slowly, as when separated from it ; and 

 the best securities for this are additional heat, a close moist 

 atmosphere, a little air at night, and just as much sunlight 

 as the cuttings wUl bear without flinching, and then, if the 

 sun distresses them, a little shade or a skiff from the syringe. 



5th. Bear in mind that shade is a necessary evil, tending 

 to weaken and enervate plants and cuttings, causing the 

 latter to elongate upwards instead of rooting downwards, 

 and thus wasting the stored-up supplies instead of supplying 

 the plant with new sources of vigour. As little shade as 

 possible should be given, removing it, not at the approach 

 of night but as soon as the sun is clouded. 



6th. As giving ease every way, the propagating of all 

 bedding plants at this season will be best effected if the 

 cuttings are placed about 20 or 24 inches from the glass. 

 With the use of the syringe in sunny days little shading 

 will be needed unless in very bright sun, as the force of 

 the rays is broken before they reach the cuttings. 



7th. Light sandy soil with abundant drainage is best for 

 striking. A very little very rotten leaf mould, or heath 

 soO, may be added, but leaf soil at all rough and fresh is 

 apt to produce damp and mouldiness. 



8th. These things kept in mind, it matters not a pin what 

 the vessels for cuttings are, whether pots or pa^s, soft or 



