474 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



t November SO, 1876. 



knowledge of exactly how to proceed in dealing with the 

 foe. Although thia and several such societies do not obtrude 

 thmeselves on the scientific world, they still, besides exer- 

 cising a good effect on the members, often do work of sterling 

 value. — (Nature.) 



DOINGS OF THE LAST AND WORK FOR 

 THE PRESENT WEEK. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



In our light soil scarcely any of the members of the Erassica 

 family succeed well, but we usually have excellent spring 

 Cabbages, and Brussels Sprouts do us good service all through 

 the winter months. The best way of obtaining a continuous 

 supply of sprouts is to clear off all leaves that become yellow 

 during the winter months, and also allow the top to remain. 

 If the sprouts are required early, then it is best to cut the top 

 off, which throws all the strength into the side sprouts. A 

 good supply of this excellent vegetable is very serviceable, 

 especially when Broccoli cannot be had. Broccolis come in 

 very useful in the spring, and they do tolerably well when good- 

 sized plants are planted about the end of July. If planted 

 earlier than this they will frequently club, and the large fine- 

 looking plants will fall over in the winter and be Bpoiled. 



Owing to the scarcity of Apples it will be necessary to make 

 the most of Rhubarb. Some roots of this, as well as of Seakale, 

 will be placed in the earliest vinery to force. Our system of 

 management with small quantities has been frequently de- 

 scribed. It is to lift the roots of the Seakale from the whole 

 quarter, selecting the largest and most likely roots for forcing, 

 and either planting-out those not adapted for this purpose at 

 once, or laying them in in a space of ground until it is con- 

 venient to plant them out in their proper position in the spring. 

 We shall lift a quantity of Asparagus roots, and force them in 

 a dung frame. They can be packed very closely together over 

 the surface of the bed, but there muBt be a sufficient depth of 

 soil under the roots to prevent their being burned with the heat 

 of the manure. In the matter of forcing vegetables, of course 

 much depends upon the time they are wanted. In small estab- 

 lishments a constant supply of Asparagus cannot be kept up 

 from now until green Peas are ready, and it would be best for 

 employers to arrange with their gardeners as to the time forced 

 vegetables would be most acceptable. The late Mr. Robert Fish 

 used frequently to make allusion to this matter, and it is one of 

 considerable importance. Ladies and gentlemen know months 

 before the time when they will be at home to receive visitors ; 

 but if they do not acquaint their gardeners of this in due time, 

 they cannot expect to have proper provision made for the 

 occasion. 



We sowed a row of the new vegetable Witloof in June, the 

 time stated upon the packet of seeds, but the leaves are still 

 quite green ; however, we Bhall lift a portion of the roots, cut 

 the leaves off them, and store in a cool shed to be ready for 

 forcing. The roots will be potted and forced in a dark place, 

 and the growth will be cat when about 6 or 9 inches in length. 

 A good supply of Mustard and Cress can be kept up by sowing 

 the seeds in boxas and placing these in any house where there 

 is a little heat. 



VINERIES. 



The Vines in the earliest house have been started by giving 

 the borders outside and inside the house a good supply of tepid 

 water. The outside borders of all the early houBes are annually 

 covered with fermenting material aB soon as forcing begins ; 

 this retains the heat in the border, which is raised a little by 

 the tepid water ; and although but little heat can be forced into 

 the border by the heat of the material, still it must warm it to 

 the depth of a few inches. In many instances when manure and 

 leaves have been placed over the surface of the border they 

 are left to the effects of cold rain, melted snow, and intense 

 frost. This is often a very great mistake ; the rain ought to 

 be thrown off by wooden or other Bhutters, and these ought 

 to be arranged so that the rain drains quite off the border, for 

 it cannot but be injurious to conduct the rain water to the front 

 of the border where the most useful roots are, and allow it to 

 soak down there and destroy them. Sometimes the inside 

 borders are covered with some heating material. This causes 

 a little extra trouble in turning it over and adding to it to 

 retain the heat, but it is the best treatment for the Vines, and 

 also Baves a considerable sum in fuel ; and another item on the 

 saving side is that not so much use is required for the syringe. 

 The genial moisture from the manure, or, what is better, oak 

 leaves and manure in about equal proportions, dispenses with 

 syringing; still, on the forenoon of any sunny day it is as well 

 to dew the canes over with tepid water. 



As opportunity offers other vineries may be prepared for 

 forcing by thoroughly cleaning the glass and woodwork, as well 

 as washing the canes with soapy water after they have been 

 pruned, and painting over the rods with the usual mixtures. 

 Where Grapes are hanging it is still necessary to be very prompt 



in removing all decaying leaves and berries. When the leaves 

 are removed one principal cause of decay goes with them, as 

 light and air are then much more freely circulated through the 

 house. 



CUCUMBER HOUSE. 



This demands daily attention to keep up the requisite degree 

 of heat by night and by day, and to admit of a change of air by 

 opening' the ventilators a little about the middle of the day on 

 every favourable opportunity. The Bhoots must not be trained 

 in too closely to each other, as every leaf ought to be freely ex- 

 posed to the light, and be close to the glass without coming into 

 contact with it. There is so much condensed moisture continu- 

 ally running down the inBide of the glass, and most on frosty 

 nights, that any leaves in contact with it are speedily destroyed. 

 Much good results from adding a very little surface-dreBsing 

 to the border at intervals through the winter, which entices 

 the roots to the surface, and causes the leaves to become of a 

 deeper green than they would be without it. We are cutting 

 excellent examples of Tender-and-True, Kelway's Conqueror, and 

 another sort by the same raiser, the New Winter Cucumber. 



PLANT STOVE ANB OECHIB HOUSES. 



We are glad of any flowers at this period of the year to en- 

 liven the houses. Many species of the Orchid family do good 

 service at this season, and now when their wants are better un- 

 derstood it is found that many which were formerly considered 

 difficult subjects to deal with flourish well with the treatment 

 given to ordinary stove plants. No Orchids are more useful or 

 more easily managed than Dendrobium nobile ; a plant of it at 

 Loxford cannot now have less than five hundred fully expanded 

 flowers upon it. They laBt in perfection for three weeks in a 

 temperature at night of 55°. The Calanthes are in full beauty, 

 and they may be said to be amongBt the easiest cultivated of 

 Orchids ; from three to six Btrong Bpikes are produced from three 

 bulbs in a 6 inch pot. Some persons grow a score or two of 

 bulbs in a large pan, but the smaller number in 5 or 6-inch pots 

 work-in better with the ordinary occupants of the stove. The 

 pots require to be concealed by the foliage of other plants. 

 Calanthe Veitchii throws up magnificent spikes, and the darkest- 

 coloured varieties of it are truly grand. Some varieties are very 

 pale, and the amateur who has a particular taste to gratify ought 

 to see his plant in flower before purchasing it, as the colours of 

 the flowers range from pale pink to reddish crimson. 



PasBing from Orchids the Eucharis amazonica is now becom- 

 ing a common flower, but it will always be valuable for cutting 

 for any purpose for which choice white flowers are required. It 

 is of easy culture, but requires a temperature of 65° to bring it 

 to perfection. The two beBt Bouvardias are B. Vreelandii and 

 B.Hogarth; B. jasminiflora and others of that type are very 

 beautiful, and some of them are of the purest white, but they 

 are not well adapted for cutting. 



FLOWER GAEBEN. 



Now that the leaves have fallen from the trees it is deBirable 

 to have them cleared from the shrubberies and flower garden. 

 The lawn should be swept clean, and everything made neat and 

 enjoyable. The surface soil of the beds of spring plants should 

 be stirred in fine weather, and weeds as well as withered leaves 

 should be removed. The soil also requires to be pressed round 

 the stems of some plants, as frost after rain is apt to throw them 

 out of the ground. Pinks suffer most from this cause, but the 

 ardent amateur will be constantly looking over his choice plants 

 and will notice at once if anything is wrong. The leather-coated 

 grub is a dangerous enemy to choice Pinks. We had about half 

 a dozen of the grubs in our bed this year, and they did some 

 damage before they were noticed. The grub eats the centre 

 leaves first, then down to the heart of the plant, and when a 

 plant is observed eaten in this manner the grub will in all pro- 

 bability be found buried in the ground to the depth of an inch 

 or more close to the plant. It may be found just below the 

 surface by scratching carefully with the fingers. 



Carnations and Picotees are now safe in frames, and the pots 

 plunged in cocoa-nut fibre refuse for the winter. Owing to the 

 mild weather in October the plants have grown rather too 

 much, but every means have been used to prevent their fur- 

 ther growth ; the lights are removed except during frost or wet 

 weather. If the leaves become wet with rain at this seaBon 

 they are liable to spot, and the plants suffer more from this 

 cause than from any amount of frost. 



Auriculas are now parting with their superfluous leaves, and 

 if they are not removed every few days they cause mould to 

 settle around the necks of the plants; this mould if not removed 

 before it penetrates under the outer covering of the Btems de- 

 stroys the plants altogether. It is of the utmoBt importance to 

 destroy green fly on Carnations, Picotees, and Auriculas. — 

 J. Douglas, 



TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 



James Dickson & Sons, Newton Nurseries, Chester. — Cata- 

 logue of Forest Trees, Shrubs, Evergreens, &c. 



