212 



JOURNAL OE HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ March 17, 1863. 



WOEK FOE THE WEEK. 



KITCHEN GABDEN. 



A distinGu'ISHing feature in this department is its uniformity ; 

 straight lines and angles meet the eye in every direction) and 

 whatever may be said in favour of a departure from this rule in 

 the disposition of pleasure grounds, it is universally allowed 

 that straight lines are best in the kitchen garden. Straight 

 walks, with their edges neatly kept; seed-beds of a uniform 

 width, with the seeds drilled in at equal distances ; the disposi- 

 tion of plants in rows ; trees all trained with the greatest exact- 

 ness; together with continual surface-stirring, and the conse- 

 quent absence of weeds, are amongst the distinguishing charac- 

 teristics of a well-kept kitchen garden, and the most strenuous 

 exertions should now be made for the attainment of such results. 

 Sowing all kinds of seeds should be proceeded, with as di- 

 rected in our last ; the weather during the week has been so 

 cold that little advance since then has been made. The ground, 

 however, is in excellent order for planting and digging, which 

 Bhould be finished without delay, and groundwork in general 

 completed. Asparagus, top-dress the beds, taking care not to 

 injure the plants with the rake or fork. A little Celery or 

 Lettuce seed may be sown over the beds. Artichokes, Globe, 

 they should now be dressed, superfluous shoots removed, and 

 fresh plantations made if required. As this is generally a per- 

 manent crop, the ground should be well prepared by deep 

 trenching, and a plentiful application of rich manure. Beet, 

 may be sown in drills a foot apart. Broccoli, make a Bowing of 

 Grange's Early White. Cabbage, plant-out autumn-sown, and 

 weed beds left for Coleworts. Capsicums, sow on a hotbed. 

 Cauliflowers, give attention to the plants under hand-lights by 

 surface-stirring and giving air on all suitable occasions ; tilt the 

 glasses on the side away from the wind in cold windy weather, 

 and remove them altogether on the first occurrence of genial 

 showers. Do not let those in frames, or the young seedling 

 plants that are now pricked-out, suffer from exposure to the 

 cutting east or north-east winds, so prevalent at this season of 

 the year. Peas, continue sowing for succession crops ; earth-up 

 and stick those already up as they require it. Potatoes, plant 

 for the principal crop while the ground continues in good work- 

 ing order. Sea-kale, cover-up for a succession ; fermenting 

 substances may soon be dispensed with for this purpose, aB it 

 will merely require to be covered for blanching. Spinach, when 

 picking over the autumn-sown, if they were left standing rather 

 thickly together, it is as well to remove every alternate plant 

 entirely, as it will give a greater facility for stirring the soil, 

 and induce a larger growth in those left standing. Sow Turnips, 

 Carrots, Leeks, Onions, Parsley, Bmall salad, and pot herbs. 



PIOWEB GABDEN. 



The rockery is a beautiful and pleasing addition to this 

 department. Many, even small, places will admit of forming 

 an imitation of rocky surfaces where they can be made to harmo- 

 nise with the surrounding objects ; and if the outline be simple, 

 and the surface not too much broken, the following plants, 

 suitable for such situations, will produce a very good effect : — 

 the different species of Alyssum, Arabis, Astragalus, Iberis, 

 Draba, Saxifraga, Sedum, the dwarf species of Campanula, 

 Dianfhue, Veronica, Saponaria, with Phloxes of dwarf habits. 

 Vacancies should now be filled up in the shrubbery-borders. 

 Plant-out Pentstemons, Phloxes, Lysimachia, Delphiniums, 

 Lupines, Sweet Williams, Antirrhinums, Clove Carnations, 

 Anne Boleyn Pinks, Brompton Stocks, and double Wallflowers. 

 Sow a collection of half-hardy and hardy annuals on a warm 

 border, and sow some Sweet Peas in pots and in the open ground. 



STOVE. 



Complete the shifting of all specimen plants as quickly as 

 possible, and keep a sharp look-out for insects. Let 60° be the 

 minimum temperature for the future, except the weather be very 

 severe. Keep a brisk, growing, moist temperature during the 

 day, and shut-up early. 



GREENHOUSE AND CONSEBYATOBT. 

 If not already completed proceed vigorously with the shifting 

 of plants, and if r hey are well rooted and in good health do not 

 be afraid of giving them a liberal shift. See that Ericas and 

 Epacrises do not suffer for want of water. While the variable 

 weather which usually characterises March continues, attention 

 must be directed to the conservatory, that a uniform and mode- 

 rate temperature may be preserved. The violent showers and 

 boisterous gales, which frequently occur at this season, succeeded 



by intervals of mild weather and bright sunshine, render some 

 management necessary. Eires should be dispensed with as 

 much as possible, and air admitted on all favourable occasions. 

 On still nights the house may be damped and the syringe used, 

 and as the plants exhibit vigour atmospheric moisture may be 

 increased generally. 



EOBCING-PIT. 



Introduce fresh plants for succession as fast as others are 

 removed to the conservatory. Pinks which have trussed-up 

 will be better in a mild heat, and Lily of the Valley should be 

 removed to a lower temperature as soon as the first flowers are 

 open. Keep a brisk growing temperature, with plenty of air 

 and moisture in clear weather, and avoid crowding the plants 

 as much as possible. Stop the barren shoots of Perpetual Roses; 

 these rob the blossom-buds. Take care that no plants suffer 

 for want of water. 



PITS AND PBAMES. 



Keep a nice growing heat in the cutting-frame ; if the linings 

 are becoming cold turn them to the bottom, and add some well- 

 fermented dung. There will now be some empty frames to 

 dispose of. Make up some beds of well-fermented leaves a foot 

 longer and broader than the frameB, and place these upon the 

 beefs when finished. They will be required for the reception of 

 potted-off cuttings. Take those outtings out of the cutting- 

 frame that are well rooted, and place them in a cooler atmo- 

 sphere to harden-off. Continue to put in cuttings of those plants 

 previously reoommended. W. Keame. 



DOINGS OP THE LAST WEEK. 



KITCHEN GABDEN. 



The change in the weather has come quite opportunely, as it 

 will help to keep many things back that otherwise would have 

 been injured by a slight frost. Used frosty mornings for wheel- 

 ing, and during the day turned over soil intended for Parsnips, 

 Onions, &c. Dug and trenched over empty ground. Dug 

 ground intended for general seed-bed, so as to sow Greens, 

 Savoys, &c, about the end of the month. Planted out succession 

 Cabbages, and a row or two of Red for pickling, and continued 

 the routine much the same as last week ; sticking a small hand- 

 ful of dry hay into the heart of the Broccoli just coming in ; 

 protecting Radishes, &o. ; planting out forced Sea-kale ; putting a 

 few warm leaves over that out of doors, and some hand-lights 

 over Rhubarb. 



EBtriT GAEDEN. 



Proceeded with planting, root-pruning a few Plums that were 

 making too strong wood, and looked out for protecting material 

 tor Peaches and Apricots, if the frost should prove too severe. 

 Had, also, some large boughs of evergreens in readiness to place 

 round forward Pears, if the frost Bhould be more Bevere. Pro- 

 ceeded in fine days with nailing and tying. Grafting should also 

 be proceeded with as the sap moves. In the case of Vines, all 

 grafting should take place before the sap moves at all. If not 

 done then, the operator should wait until the foliage is expanded, 

 and then either cut down and graft with an unstarted Boion, or 

 bring a growing plant and inarch on a young shoot. The modes 

 were fully detailed some time ago. The chief point in all such 

 matters is to unite the inner bark of the stock and the scion, the 

 modes of doing so are of less importance. This is about the 

 best time of the year for grafting all sorts of trees to be grown 

 in the liliputian form ; and if the stocks have been previously 

 established in pots, and these when grafted are Bet in a mild hot- 

 bed, the union will be all the sooner effected. Put up beds for 

 Melons ; will in the meantime fill them with cuttings of various 

 things. Shut up orchard-houses in these cold nights, but opened 

 them early, not only to give abundance of air, but to keep back 

 as much as possible, though some of the trees are in full bloom. 

 Trees on the walls left unnailed, and hanging from the wall, will, 

 aB yet, be in no danger. At this season much of the success will 

 consist in retarding, rather than accelerating, before the trees 

 come into blossom. After that the more sun we can give the 

 better it will be on ordinary occasions. 



Some correspondents cannot see through this so as to use 

 their protecting mediums to the best advantage. Our practice 

 would depend entirely on the simple principle that the later 

 that such trees — as Peaches, Apricots, Cherries, Plums, Pears, 

 &c, bloomed in our variable climate, the more likely are we to 

 have a regular crop ; as many of these when they bloom early 

 and even set well, have the fruit destroyed in the young Btatej 



