May 9, 1865. ] 



JOURNAL OP HOKTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAKDENEE. 



ass 



though for three months they scarcely received water in 

 any form. 



Even in cases of mulching in summer to keep the soil moist 

 after it is warm enough, the mulching should never be so thick 

 as to prevent the soil being easily broken by the hoe or fork, 

 as anything like a caked surface would prevent the free action 

 of the atmosphere. Some failures with mulching last season, 

 with an account of which we were privileged, we have no 

 doubt were owing to two causes — mulching too soon and 

 mulching too deeply. One enthusiast covered the surface of 

 the gi'ouud so thickly with cocoa-nut refuse in the middle of 

 May that the ground was like Greenland in August. Another 

 used a good coating of half-decomposed hotbed manure, 

 some 6 inches thick, for Broad Beans and Dwarf Kidney 

 Beans in the middle of June, and the garden Beans did 

 tolerably well, whilst the Dwarf Kidney Beans thus coddled 

 became sickly, and did not do half so well. The want of 

 heat in the soil and keeping heat out was the cause of the 

 failure. An inch or two would have been better than such 

 a dressing. 



Another friend writes, and wishes to know why we do not 

 say a good word for cocoa-nut refuse for mulching, especially 

 in hot dry summers. We have not done so, not because we 

 undervalue the material, but because we have used it but 

 little out of doors, and are old-fashioned enough to believe in 

 just a moiety of the wonders it is said to accomplish. If he 

 would send us a ton or two for larger esrperiments we might 

 be induced to change our opinions. We must say, however, 

 that some correspondents proved its admirable adaptation 

 last summer for keeping their flower and other beds moist 

 with little or no watering. They did not put it on too 

 early, and the thickest we were told of was only from 1 J- to 

 2 inches. 



Sowed Gherkins, Vegetable Marrow, &c., as we prefer the 

 plants should go out without being stunted. Potted Chilis, 

 Tomatoes, &c. Pricked up the surface soil in Cucumber- 

 beds ; made more beds for frames, as detailed the other 

 week. Thinned-out Carrots and Turnips in frames, and ex- 

 posed Potatoes that had been covered with glass to the sun 

 and air during the day, giving them still a little protection 

 at night. Earthed-up some of the most forward Potatoes in 

 the open garden, and in some frosty mornings scattered a 

 little litter over the tops, which kept them all right. 



FRUIT GAEDEN. 



Did a little shortening, nipping, and fastening out of 

 doors, as we have been rather behind this season. Thinned 

 and shortened shoots in orchard-house. Tied-in shoots in 

 Peach-house. Regulated in Fig-pit. Thinned Grapes at all 

 convenient opportunities. Planted-out more Melons, and re- 

 moved exhausted Strawberi'y plants, and replaced with fresh. 

 Potted about a hundred young plants, in case we should 

 run out, and plunged them out of doors in a bed of leaves 

 that will yield a nice regular bottom heat. In about three 

 weeks we expect the pots will be full of fresh roots, and then, 

 if the end of May and the beginning of June should be dull 

 and cold, we may make sure of a continuous supply before 

 we have plenty out of doors. In potting these we used 

 rather stiff loam, and rammed it firmly about the roots with 

 a round blunt-ended stick. Not to speak of very early 

 Strawberries, a good supply in April and May is always very 

 creditable to the gardener. Grapes should be thinned with 

 clean dry hands and a covered head. If the hands are 

 naturally clammy it is best to hold the bunch in position 

 with a small pointed stick, and not to touch it. The ope- 

 rator may be certain he does not touch a bunch with his 

 head, whilst the on-looker is horrified at seeing the bunches 

 driven about as if tossed from side to side with a broom. 



ORNAMENTAL DEPARTMENT. 



Por general matters see previous weeks' notices and 

 Mr. Keane's directions. Our chief work out of doors has 

 been rolling, digging, planting hardy plants. Gladiolus, &c., 

 and mowing where most wanted, the weather being very 

 unsuitable for the scythe, as we have scarcely had any dew 

 for a week. Prepared beds for bedding-ovit plants, but we 

 shall be in no hurry with these, as they are growing where 

 they are, and a few things exposed were injured by the late 

 frosts. We think success is more to be secured by well pre- 

 paring the ground than by too early planting. 



Watered some trees and shi-ubs that were lately planted, - 



and syringed the tops in hot days. The duller weather will 

 give them a great advantage, as the bright sun was rather 

 trying for them. Mere deluging at the roots with cold water 

 does little good, or rather harm. A syringing of the tops 

 and a little shading would often be more effectual. 



Calceolarias. — Ours this season are later than usual, and, 

 the cause of which we cannot explain, are lighter in colour 

 than usual, though they have never had an insect on them, 

 and the roots have been aU right. They were shut up a 

 long time in winter, and perhaps they may have had too 

 bright sun when exposed. Even now, though greatly im- 

 proved in the earth pits where they are growing, there are 

 a number of plants not quite so green as we wish to see 

 them, but they seem rooting into nice balls. 



Potting. — A great deal has been done with the later bed- 

 ding plants, and also with ornamental-foliaged plants, as 

 Begonias, Coleus, Hydrangea variegata, for the conservatory 

 in the warm months ; and as soon as possible we shall over- 

 haul Perns, &c., in pots. Meanwhile we shall conclude with 

 three notes to oblige inquu'ers. 



1. A slight liothed in which at once to insert cuttings of iedding 

 plants. — The depth of the bed should be proportioned to the 

 time of the spring. This is how our last was made. One 

 foot of long litter mixed with some horse-droppings, so as to 

 raise a little heat, 9 inches of rather warm tree leaves, all 

 trodden, then 3 inches of rotten tree leaves beaten level, then 

 fi'om 3 to 3 inches of sandy loam, and a little leaf moidd 

 passed through a half-inch sieve, the riddlings being placed 

 over the rough leaf mould. This sandy soil was beaten 

 gently and watered with warm water, and when set on the 

 surface from a quarter to a half inch of road-drift sand was 

 placed over it, and Verbena and other cuttings were dibbled 

 in at about 3 inches apart. In from a fortnight to three weeks 

 they were all struck, and when properly hardened by giving 

 more and more air and then removing the glass altogether, 

 the plants will rise with nice little balls, the rootlets keep- 

 ing fast hold of the leaf mould at bottom. 



2. Balsams. — " Many of these after I have grown them to 

 a, large size come single. I have but little room. I should 

 like to have only good double ones." Prove them thus 

 before you grow them so large : Pot off aU your seedlings in 

 three or four-inch pots. Keep them in these pots, giving 

 them, when the pot is full of roots, a little manure water 

 until they show a bloom or two. Set aside all those that 

 show single flowers, throwing them away, or plant them out 

 of doors ; take all the flower-buds off the double ones, give 

 them successional potting, and grow as large as you like, and 

 when you let them bloom you wUl be sure to have flowers 

 like the first specimens. 



3. CocJ<scomis. — "After careful culture many combs are 

 not regular in their growth." To have only good ones in 

 large pots, proceed ranch the same as with Balsams. Either 

 prick out the Cockscombs 3 or 3 inches apart in shallow pans, 

 or pot them separately in three-inch pots. Keep them in 

 either case until the combs show. If only half an inch in 

 size, you will be able to judge at once of what their shape 

 will be. Then carefully select those with well-shapen combs, 

 shift and reshift and grow on, giving them bottom heat and 

 plenty of top heat and air, until the combs are about large 

 enough to please you. Hardly a comb will disappoint you 

 if you thus start fair. We think they may be had larger 

 by continuous growing without this check at first, but you 

 cannot be so sure of the quality. — R. F. 



BiBMiNGHAK Rose Show. — This great Midland Exhibition 

 of the " queen of flowers " is fixed to take place on Thursday 

 and Friday, July 6th and 7th. Several new features are 

 included in it. 



To Horticulturists.— The frvMs of breaking a pane of 

 glass are mostly currents of air. 



TEADE CATAXOGUE EECEIVED. 

 B. S. Williams, Paradise and Victoria Nurseries, HoIIo- 

 way, London. — Spring Catalogue of New, Choice, and Bare 

 Plants. 



