June 28, ;S65. ] 



JOURNAL OF HOKTICULTITKE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



473 



present their getting into a state of entanglement. Cut 

 down Pelargoniums after blooming, and employ the branches 

 for cuttings ; the old stools, after a few weeks' rest, may be 

 tnrned out of their pots, the soil shaken from them, and re- 

 potted in smaller pots. By pinching oif the bloom-buds of 

 the young Pelargoniums a late bloom may be secured. 

 Perpetual and Bourbon Roses which have been forced should 

 be placed in a cool situation with the view of repressing 

 further activity. After a season of rest the soil should be 

 shaken from them, and all decayed roots removed; after 

 which they should be repotted in fresh rich earth, and re- 

 moved to the protection of a cold pit and there plunged. 

 As soon as the Camellias, Azaleas, and other plants shall 

 have been placed in summer quarters out of doors, painting 

 and other repairs required byany of the plaut-houses should 

 be commenced, as they can be more conveniently done then 

 than at any other season. Pay attention to the plants for 

 autumn and early winter decoration : let them have plenty 

 of pot-room, good rich compost to grow in, a moist atmo- 

 sphere, and plenty of space for perfect development. 



STOVE. 



If among these plants there are any sickly or badly-rooted 

 specimens they should be frequently examined for red spider, 

 otherwise they will become a nursery for this pest, and from 

 them it will soon spread to adjoining plants. See that 

 young growing stock is not allowed to suffer for want of pot 

 room. Attend carefully to watering, giving manure water 

 to all plants in vigorous growth. Gardenias and other things 

 that have been in the conservatory wlule in bloom, should 

 be replaced in heat as soon as their beauty is over, in order 

 to allow time for ripening their growth before short days 

 and dull weather arrive. Orchids in a growing state will 

 require encouragement. Shading must be promptly attended 

 to when bright sunshine occurs. — W. Keanb. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST WEEK. 

 Would that we could chronicle a fourth of them in these 

 broiling days, with a bright sun, and the thermometer 

 ranging above 80° at midday, and with myriads of things 

 wanting attention, and last year's drought ever coming before 

 us, when we would attempt to give some things a soaking 

 only once a-week, instead of three times as rightly recom- 

 mended by our friend Mr. Keaue. We presume he has the 

 Water-works Company to depend on. What would our old 

 friend think of covering up his pet plants in a wood for a 

 couple of months, as the only chance left him of keeping 

 them alive ? Gardening under difficulties is not all a loss, if 

 we are thus induced to make the most of our difficulties. In 

 these days a man must be vei-y little, who can feel over-proud 

 of anything he can do. We shall never ''orget meeting an old 

 friend with whom, yeai's before, we had lodged in the suburbs 

 of London, as after the first friendly greetings, he exclaimed 

 at a grand horticultural show. '■ Ah, man ! does not this take 

 the conceit out of us?" And no doubt of it. It does not suit 

 many gentlemen to encourage their gardeners to grow for 

 exhibitions, but they certainly stand in their own light if they 

 do not encourage their gardeners to see some of the best of 

 them, as well as some of the best-managed gardens. The 

 garden must be very small indeed, where something may 

 not be learned even by those most advanced in their prac- 

 tice. The greatest pleasure we have had in penning these 

 random notes, is from the proof we have obtained, that the 

 shortcomings and difficulties stated, have been especially 

 appreciated. As a proof of our gratitude, we would wish to 

 state, that all the letters sent with or without names, on 

 the position and the rights of gardeners, and the simplest 

 and best ways of doing work, shall not be forgotten when 

 we get a little more of the bustle over. Just now when 

 mind and body are exhausted before the day's work is over, 

 there is but little time for discussion. We are, however, so 

 sure of the statements made being correct, especially as to 

 gardeners' rights, that we earnestly hope no brother gar- 

 dener will act in opposition to them. As to the use of tools, 

 if some can manage better with a rake than a hoe, let them 

 nse the bridge that carries them over the stream. One 

 friend tells us he could never remove his large weeds with- 

 out the rake. Our answer would be. Why let them be so 

 Iwge? I 



KITCHEN GAKDEN. 



Much as last week. Have planted little except ®elery, 

 and that we shaded. Will allow Cauliflower to remain a 

 little longer. The chief work has been watering Peas, 

 Cauliflowers, &c., and mulchhig them well with short grass 

 and litter as soon as watered. Without the mulching water- 

 ing did but little good. We have great faith in deep-stirred 

 soil in securing good crops either in wet or dry weather, and 

 more especially if in continued hot weather the surface 

 be roughly mulched. Last season, though for nearly two 

 months Cauliflowers had no water, they were very good 

 indeed, but they were deeply, some 8 inches, mulched with 

 litter, and even that was several times shaken up, so that 

 air should have access to the roots whilst the hot rays of 

 the sun were thrown back from the surface. Lettuces coming 

 in for use were watered and deeply mulched — some were 

 transplanted under shade, but, as stated last week, the best 

 plan is to sow often thinly in rows, and let them stand 

 where sown. They will not run so fast as those trans- 

 planted. Gathered a large dish of Broad Beans of the Long- 

 pod kind on the 8th inst., and have had plenty since. This 

 is the earliest period at which we have gathered them here 

 out of doors. They, as well as many other things, wiU re- 

 quire mulching if this weather last. We have never pleased 

 ourselves with the garden Bean under glass. At one time 

 circumstances made us anxious to have it as early as Peaa, 

 but we did not succeed. We had flowers early enough, but 

 they did not set, with the aid of abundance of air, and even 

 of bees to help them. Have any of our readers done much 

 in the way of forcing them ? We have fallen back chiefly on 

 the old plan of sowing in boxes and turves, and transplant- 

 ing out of doors in March. 



Run the Dutch hoe through the whole of the kitchen gar- 

 den where there was room for the hoe to enter ; surface- 

 stirring, weed or no weed ; and set a careful man to do the 

 same among the Onions, as a careless worker would do more 

 harm with his legs and hoe-handle than he would do good 

 with surface-stiiTing and cutting up any weeds that might 

 appear. We sowed our Beet this year in the garden and 

 covered with a net, but even now the birds have beaten us, 

 and the plantation will be patchy and need filling up. We 

 shall henceforth make a virtue of necessity and sow in a 

 little bed, and transplant when 3 or 4 inches in height, after 

 whic'n the bii-ds let them alone. Just for trial we sowed 

 also Prince's Feather and Love-lies-bleeding, and run threads 

 over the rows ; but we might as well have let the birds have 

 them without let or hindrance. Two or three squai-e feet 

 under protection would give enough of plants for beds or 

 borders. The birds have never interfered with a deep purple 

 Spinach, but the above flowers and the Beet are seized upon 

 as soon as they appear above ground. Is such a fancy among 

 our feathered neighbours at all a common one ? 



Cucumier IHsease. — We said a good deal on this subject 

 last season. In a two-light box, which had borne heavily, a 

 slight trace appeared last week, and as we had plenty more 

 the plants were at once taken out, the frame cleared, fresh 

 earth given, and fresh plants turned out. Wherever gum or 

 spot makes its appearance, whatever palliatives may be re- 

 sorted tOj hardly anything will make a cure, and after much 

 experience and inquiry we can say no more on the subject 

 than was stated last season. The best preventives are fresh 

 soil, suitable temperature, and plenty of pure air ; and the 

 best remedy is destroying the plants and planting fresh ones. 



FEUIT GARDEN. 



A busy time with keeping off interlopers from ripening 

 fruit. Were obliged to run netting over the openings in 

 our orchard-house to keep the larger birds from the tempt- 

 ing Cherries. The other morning we counted eighty black- 

 birds and thrushes pecking wherever they could through the 

 meshes of a net over a piece of early Strawberries. Where 

 such numbers abound there is no security except netting, 

 and doing it securely, and keeping the netting considerably 

 above the foliage, otherwise they will sit on the netting 

 and not become entangled in the least. It is when they 

 get under the netting that they become entangled, when 

 scared and they attempt to escape in a hurry. Had they 

 the sense quietly to return to the hole by which they 

 entered they would seldom injure themselves in the attempt 

 to escape. A net merely spread over a place is their delight ; 

 they are sure, from the promptings of ouriosity, to get below 



