Jnly 20, 1876. ] 



JOURNAL OF HOKTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEB. 



59 



serve to put an end to any other pursuit ; while, at some 

 altitudes the work is stoically carried out without any hope 

 whatever of gaining the end in view. 



In the times, happily now gone by, when glass was dear and 

 there was no steam-driven machinery for woodwork, there 

 was less cause to wonder at the persistency with which ugly 

 walls were built and hid out of sight of the mansion as an 

 eyesore, and more as a necessary evil for the purpose of a fence 

 and shelter to tender crops than anything else. What can be 

 uglier in a park landscape, especially if it can be looked down 

 on, than a square piece of land hemmed-in with hideous red 

 brick walls ? It is as complete a blot on any landscape as can 

 be woll imagined ; and in the making of new gardens now 

 there is but little exouse for the erection of walls in localities 

 where the climate is not such as to make them give a fair 

 return in fruit crops. Now that machinery driven by steam 

 has taken the place of the ordinary saw, plane, and mortising 

 chisel in the construction of the woodwork of glass houses, 

 and glass is less than half the price it was at one time, a brick 

 wall should never be thought of in many localities for the 

 growth of certain fruits. The difference between the construc- 

 tion of a 15 or 18-inch brick wall and the erection of span- 

 roofed glass structures is not very great ; and we are certain 

 that we are within the mark when we say that the bearing 

 surface protected with glass would, taking the average run of 

 seasons, yield quite three times as much and finer fruit than 

 the same surface of walls. If this be so, then it is beyond a 

 doubt that the same money expended on glass as is necessary 

 for walls would yield a larger and better return in fruit ; while 

 for the mere purposes of shelter, that can be obtained in 

 a much more ornamental way than by building ugly and un- 

 productive brick fences. 



Of course, in the case of old places where the garden walls 

 already exist, it is easy to cover a portion of them with glass, 

 and on a comparatively small area secure three times the fruit 

 that the whole wall surfaces produce of certain fruits. This is 

 a class of structure now getting to be more appreciated. They 

 are adopted in many instances ; and we never heard of an 

 instance where they have been brought into operation where 

 the doing so has been regretted, but the reverse. And they 

 cannot be too 1 strongly recommended, not only for the certain 

 return of fruit crop, but for the pleasure they yield into the 

 bargain. No doubt some may be prevented from adopting 

 glass instead of bricks and mortar, from the impression that 

 glass houses are very expensive in tear and wear. It should, 

 however, be remembered that glass houses kept cool and airy 

 and comparatively dry require very little paint compared to 

 ordinary plant and forcing houses ; and also that houses as 

 now erected, with a minimum of wood and a maximum of glasB, 

 require not half so much paint as the old style of houses. As 

 a matter of pounds, shillings, and pence, even glass houses 

 will pay better than brick walls in very many localities when 

 devoted to the culture of the fruits named at the commence- 

 ment of these remarks. Besides, such erections can be profit- 

 ably made use of for other purposes besides fruit culture. 



Perhaps some may be inclined to say that we are now merely 

 advocating the orchard-house system — one which is common 

 enough. It is not quite our aim to do this. What we wish to 

 recommend to those who may have new gardens to make in 

 bad climates is, instead of going in so heavily for mere brick 

 and mortar, to invest their money in glass, with the absolute 

 certainty of obtaining regular crops of good fruit instead of 

 running a hundred risks on the bare wall system. Then, as to 

 the furnishing of such erections, some may ask, Are we to cul- 

 tivate in pots or in borders in the usual way ? To the amateur 

 or small grower who would like' a variety of fruits from a small 

 glass house, pots do very well ; but where fruits are wanted of 

 the very best quality, in great quantity, and with least possible 

 labour, we say Plant your trees in well-prepared borders. Mr. 

 Rivers, the populariser and most successful cultivator of fruits 

 in pots under glass, has set this point at rest most clearly, and 

 £0 have others as well. In the Journal of Horticulture some 

 years ago he balanced carefully— to his credit be it told— the 

 pot system of growing bushes of Peaches and other fruit 

 commonly grown on walls and that of trees planted out and 

 trained to trellises, and Bhowed that a fourth more could be 

 produced by the latter system than by the former. 



Moreover, the expense of furnishing a house with trees in 

 pots is much greater than that of furnishing it with trellis- 

 trained trees. The after-labour is also much more, and the 

 ehances of failure are also increased by having recourse to trees 

 in pots. As has already been remarked, the system is only to 



be recommended when a great variety of fruitB in small quan- 

 tity is the object from a small house. And if expense is not 

 an object, pot trees may be had recourse to in the body of any 

 glass house or case till the permanent trees come into bearing 

 and cover the roof. Stone fruits of all sorts and some varieties 

 of Pears do very well in pots; and such Apples as Calville 

 ) Blanche are worthy of a place in such structures, both as per- 

 manent trees and in pots for a while at first. — (The Gardener.) 



NOTES on VILLA and SUBUKBAN GARDENING. 



Kitchen Gabden. — The weather having set in so dry with 

 intense heat many crops muBt have special attention to carry 

 them to perfection. For instance, Scarlet Runner Beans will 

 need a heavy mulching for some distance on each side of the 

 rows, and by first stirring the soil and then afterwards giving a 

 thorough soaking, the water will wash some of the nourishing 

 properties out of the manure and carry it into the soil, much to 

 the benefit of the crop. Dwarf Kidney Beans, too, must be 

 similarly treated, or the blooms will not set their pods. 



Peas that have been sown in trenches are standing the drought 

 much better than others sown on the level, though they are all 

 stopped in their growth more or less. James's Prolific Marrow 

 is a splendid Pea and delicious in flavour. With me it is better 

 than G. F. Wilson so far as cropping goes, but about the same 

 time in coming in ; they are both Peas of the highest merit. 

 Mr. C. Tamer's Dr. Maclean is a marvellous Pea; the growth 

 is very vigorous and the pods large ; the peas are also large, and 

 from eight to ten in a pod. These dwarf Marrow PeaB, such as 

 the above, are to be recommended in preference to the tall Peas 

 for villa gardens. They may not crop so successively as the tall 

 Marrows, but by sowing a little oftener it is eaBy to keep up the 

 succession. Most of these dwarf Peas make their growth first, 

 and when the crop is fit for use they cease growing, while the 

 others grow and produce pods at the same time. This is the 

 only advantage of tall-growing Peas. 



Let newly planted Celery be shaded for a time and be well 

 watered in the evenings. There are many complaints about the 

 maggot in the leaf ; this must be picked off immediately it is 

 seen, and be either smashed or burnt. In such weather as we 

 are having is the time when its ravages are most severe. 



Break up a piece of ground and make it rich, and put out a 

 bed of Parsley from the seed sown in spring. This is the only 

 way to produce a supply for winter. Plants thus grown produce 

 large leaves, whereas plantB left in the seed bed dwindle away 

 towards winter and often fail when Parsley is in particular 

 requeBt. 



Let all Broccolis, Savoys, and Coleworts lately put out be well 

 supplied with water, and if possible let the soil be well hoed. 

 It is most difficult in such trying weather to get Endive, Lettuce, 

 and all small crops established ; but if the ground is well 

 worked and the plants are watered-in they will partly establish 

 themselves, so as to grow freely when showery weather comes. 



If Tomatoes have been attended to they will be coming into 

 flower now, and must be regularly Btopped above each bunch 

 of bloom and the shoota well thinned out. No neglect must 

 be permitted in watering and mulching to keep them growing 

 during the short time there is for them to do their work. 



Everyone must keep a watchful eye over the Potato crop. 

 About here the early sorts are ripening and will soon require to 

 be taken up. The tubers are very small. The coarse-growing 

 sorts will be the best this year, but even many of them are 

 showing signs of ripening ; and if rain should come before long 

 it may save them, but if not the tubers so far ripen off as to 

 begin growing again immediately enough rain comes to reach 

 them they will be spoiled. When it comes to such a crisis as 

 that I would advise the crop being taken up immediately. 



Cauliflowers are feeling the effects of the drought and turn in 

 small. Veitch's Autumn Giant is the only sort that endures the 

 heat well : even these will not produce very large headB if dry 

 weather continues. Prepare a piece of ground and enrich it, 

 and as soon as showers come and a dull day or two put out a 

 good breadth of plants for autumn use, when they will keep up 

 a supply along with the White Cape Broccoli. 



It will be as well to sow a good piece of ground with Dwarf 

 Kidney Beans; they often do better than the earliest crops, and 

 are always in request. Outdoor Cucumbers are doing better 

 than usual; by this time last year several of my plants had 

 died off. 



Turnips for an autumn crop must be considered. It is very 

 little use sowing while the weather is so hot, but the ground 

 may be had in readiness, and immediately rain comes the seed 

 may be sown, and it being seed which very soon germinates, no 

 time would be lost by waiting for rain. Two or three ounces of 

 Beed will produce sufficient Turnips for the supply of an ordinary 

 family. 



Onions that are bulbing fast and with their tops vigorous 

 ought to be laid down in a gentle manner. Some people do not 

 hold with that plan, but would prefer " blading " them, or in 



