June 6, 1805. I 



JOtTRNAL OF HOETICULTTJRE AJO) COTTAGE GAEDEXEE. 



435 



GEEENHOUSE AND CONSERVATOET. 



Hardenbergias, Kennedyas, &c., may be sliglitly cut back 

 after blooming to induce a new growth. "Water to be given 

 liberally to plants in the border of the conservatory, ex- 

 cepting, perhaps, plants very recently planted ; shade daily 

 when necessary, and give air in proportion to the state of 

 the external atmosphere. The stock of Balsams and other 

 annuals grown for filling the vacant places in the green- 

 house, &c., should be encouraged by frequent shifts, keep 

 them in bottom heat and near the glass ; piick off the early- 

 formed bloom-buds, as the plants should attain a consider- 

 able size before being allowed to bloom. Continue to train 

 Kalosanthes neatly, and water occasionally with liquid ma- 

 nure. Specimen Scarlet Geraniums shoiild likewise have 

 liberal encouragement to grow them on. Common and Fancy 

 Pelargoniums, for late bloom, will thrive better in a some- 

 what shady situation. Fuchsias, if not in their blooming 

 pots, should be potted forthwith. Train in the desired form, 

 and pinch back weak and straggling shoots. The glass to be 

 taken off Japan LQies, Gladioli, &c., unless very early blooms 

 are desired. Keep a portion in the shade of a north wall 

 for a succession of bloom. The principal part of the green- 

 house plants may now be safely taken out of doors. Select 

 a shady situation open to the east and protected from high 

 winds. Take care that the plants stand on a bottom care- 

 fully prepared to exclude worms from the pots. 



STOVE. 



Continue to shift all such plants as require it. This is a 

 good time to pot Peristeria, Pliajus, Cymbidium, and all 

 other Orchids that are starting into growth. The best time 

 for shifting Saccolabiums, Vandas, Camarotis, Aerides, and 

 all plants of similar habit, is as soon as they have done 

 blooming. In giving them new baskets, afford plenty of 

 room and good open material to grow in. — W. Keane. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST WEEK. 



KITCHEN GAKDEN. 



The chief work has been trenching 'Broccoli ground for 

 Peas, Turnips, late Carrots, Dwarf Kidney Beans, &c, the 

 latter requiring rich soil to produce heavy succulent crops. 

 "Watered Cauliflowers, and staked successional Peas. "We 

 have now no doubt that our early Sebastopol Pea, which 

 has done us good service, is identical with DUlistone's Early, 

 about the earliest we have met with, but no great bearer. 

 Cleared off our Tom Thumbs from orchard-house, where 

 they proved themselves useful. Took up a bank of Scotch 

 Cabbaging Kale, which was just running to bloom, as 

 Cabbages were plentiful. To avoid the trouble of wheeling 

 out, and as we are scarce of manure, will trench them into 

 the soil. This may always be done with all sorts of large 

 loeeds except seed weeds, which should never be buried in 

 the ground. In fact, it is bad policy and in opposition to 

 all economics ever to allow a weed to arrive at the seeding 

 state. "When cut up when an inch in height, the sun does 

 all that is then necessary for their destruction. Groundsel 

 cut up when knotting for bloom in dull weather, contains 

 enough of moist nourishment in it to perfect and sow its 

 seeds. It never can be got rid of in a garden, if it is allowed 

 to arrive at the seeding state. The other Sunday we noticed 

 in a cottage garden, untenanted, one huge heavy crop of 

 Groundsel just seeding. Self-interest should have led 

 neighbom-ing cottagers to clear, and clean, and crop the 

 garden, if they had been permitted, as the seeds will be sure 

 to be wafted to their ground. In the garden itself the 

 seeds will be so numerous that twenty years will scarcely 

 see the last of the produce of this year's seeding. The 

 Dutch hoe is the best tool for all places where it can be 

 used. Cut up the weeds before they become large, and 

 let the sun dispose of them. "Where nicety is required 

 the hoe may be pulled backwards to make all smooth. A 

 rake for such purposes is worse than useless. The raking 

 of weeds always shows bad management, or deficiency of 

 labour power, and the very act of raking increases the evil, 

 from the time it occupies. As for flower-beds, we would as 

 soon see a donkey trampling among them as a rake. It 

 used to be the fashion to rake flower-beds as level and pretty 

 well as hard as a piece of pavement. "We would rather have 

 them loose, and then a back stroke with the rake can do 



everything in the way of neatness. Thinned most of our 

 Onions, Cai-rots. Parsnips, &c., which have come up very 

 thick, and sowed Salsafy and Sc'orzonera to prevent it 

 running. Sowed more of Dwarf ICidney Beans, and the 

 last of Broad Beans, as they seldom do much good if sown 

 later. "Watered Cauliflower with sewage water, and earthed- 

 up some later Potatoes. The Ash-leaved that were pro- 

 tected at first with glass have done vei-y well. Taken all-in- 

 all, we find nothing, that for early purposes, beats the Ash- 

 leaved. In limited room out of doors, the small tops are a 

 great recommendation. 



PErriT GAEDEN. 



For want of time we have not yet turned out many of our 

 forced Strawierries, but will do so as soon as possible, and 

 would like to give a good watering to those out of doors, 

 and then cover the spaces between with long litter from the 

 stables. Clean straw, where it can be obtained, is best; but 

 a good shower of rain will render the litter clean before the 

 Strawberries are ripe. Long grass is also good, as it becomes 

 hay before the Strawberries rest upon it. Short grass, also, 

 is not to be despised where nothing else can be had ; but it 

 brings lots of weeds, and in heavy rains it is knocked into 

 the interstices of the fruit. All sorts of tiles are apt, from 

 scorching, to do as much harm as good. "Where none of the 

 above coverings can be easily obtained, no better plan can 

 be adopted than running a string on each side of the row, 

 supported by stout little rough sticks. "We saw some fine 

 Straivberries last year so dirtied and smeared that they had 

 to be washed before using them. What a fine taste they 

 must have had. It would have shown more of the " vaunted- 

 geuteel" to have made no attempt at Strawberries, instead 

 of breaking down at the point of protecting them from soil 

 and mud. We are now thinning them out of houses and 

 pits, and as yet we have not been troubled with spider, or 

 anything else. Early in the season we saw some green fly 

 on a few flower-stalks, but the finger and thumb did for 

 them, and we have seen none since. We have more faith in 

 a quick eye and nimble fingers than in all washings and 

 smokings put together. If this should catch the eye of 

 Mr. Donaldson, we should like to hear how his very strong 

 plants succeeded last season. Some half a dozen of failures, 

 we have no doubt, were owing to luxuriant growth, late 

 potting, and large pots. He seemed to be taking extra care 

 that his plants should be well matured, and of course that 

 secured, extra strength should yield extra crops. 



Went over Apricots and Peaches out of doors, thinning 

 shoots and fruit, and giving them a good lashing with clear 

 soot water from the garden engine, as much in precaution 

 as otherwise. The nice rain alluded to last week "broke huge 

 boughs fi-om forest trees, and also broke down Gooseberry 

 and Currant bushes heavily laden. Some that had four 

 stakes and rough wooden hoop round them were safe enough. 

 We never knew rain hang so heavily on trees for such a 

 short continuance. The high winds of Monday also did 

 damage to trees and bushes. Strawberries in the orchard- 

 house are sweUing fast. WUl top-dress with horse-droppings 

 and soil the fruit trees in pots, as that will not only give 

 nom-ishment, but will also, as mulching, save waterings. 

 We did not care about doing this sooner, as we wished the 

 soil in the pots to be well heated. Sent thinnings of fruit 

 of Peaches for tarts. Can find no use of that kind for the 

 extra supply of ISTectarines. When bruised and soaked in 

 hot water they make a strong tea that no insects like, and 

 when used fresh the scent is very pleasant, but very un- 

 pleasant when kept for several days. Tied-in shoots against 

 wall, and kept nipping, with the finger and thumb, the 

 points of shoots of trees in pots. Caterpillars have needed 

 hunting after, especially on Plums. They show where 

 they nestle by the roUed-up leaf. S"othingbut crushing 

 wiU destroy these pests, as the curled-up leaf defends 

 them from all attack, and what would make the leaves 

 unpalateable would also be apt to injure them. Noticed 

 one Cherry tree with scalded and blotched leaves, owing 

 to scars in the glass, and daubed a little paint on the 

 spots. They were rubbed over with soft putty last season, 

 but it had come away, and hence the burning. Three years 

 ago the bottom of a tree was thus blotched day after day, 

 and at last we discovered a scar not larger than the lines of 

 ordinary writing, but it did all the mischief. We advised a 

 lady lately, who had been recommended to have lid. a-foot 



