April 7, 18G3. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



265 



for succession, but after the early part of the season, Knight's 

 Dwarf Green Marrow should be sown as a delicious sort, but 

 other and quick-bearing sorts may be sown when a large quantity 

 is wanted at each successive gathering. Radislies, keep up a 

 succession by sowing a few once a-fortnight. Sea-kale, remove 

 the covering when the produce is gathered. If there is any yet 

 remaining to be covered let it be dono before it grows much. 

 Turnips, thin out those sown in frames, and give them water 

 when necessary. 



FIOWER GARDEN. 

 Patches of showy hardy annuals should now bo sown in 

 vacant places, which usually are to be found in herbaceous beds 

 and in borders of the Bhrubbery. Double Poppies of various 

 colours, Lupines, Sunflowers, African and French Marigolds, 

 Clarkias, Gilias, Erysimums, Collinsias, Silene, and Nemophila 

 are excel'ent for that purpose. Campanula Btricta appears a 

 desirable plant for flower-garden purposes ; its colour is light 

 blue, height about 6 inches. This, together with Salvia chamce- 

 drioides, as well as the blue Anagallises, should be cultivated 

 in abundance, particularly where beds are encompassed with 

 gravel, and now that the Verbenas produce so many warm- 

 coloured flowers. Cultivate the different sorts of Mimulus ; 

 several of the strong-growing sorts do well for damp situations 

 in the shrubbery, and, from their warmish colour, add apparent 

 depth to the scene. Plant Gladioluses and Ferrarias. Plant 

 evergreen shrubs if you are obliged, and, if so, take care to let 

 •every fibre be carefully preserved ; have large balls of earth, and 

 holes dug much larger than the ball will fit into. Attend well 

 to watering, and lis; the stakes to prevent the injurious effect of 

 the shrubs being wind-waved, 



DOINGS OF THE LAST WEEK. 



THPIT GARDEN. 

 The following is a method of which many may avail them- 

 selves to obtain Grapes nearly equal to those grown in the most 

 approved structures. All that is necessary for the purpose are 

 established Vinss against walls, a common hotbed-frame or two 

 hiving three or four lights, a load or two of dung and leaves, 

 and a few plain tiles. If the Vines are pruned, which they 

 should have been before this time, make a bed of leaves and 

 dung of the Bize of the frame, about 4 or 5 feet high, and 2 feet 

 from the wall ; use the Bhort dung at the top, and pat on the 

 frame immediately. -After the heat is up fork it up a little once 

 or twice ; and if it become dry, water it slightly. After the 

 strong heat has somewhat subsided cut notches in the back of 

 the frames, and bring down the branches of the Vines. A trellis 

 should then be fixed inside at about 6 inches from the glass, to 

 which the Vines must be tied. "When this is completed close 

 the frame, and let it remain unless the bed is very hot, when 

 a little air muBt be given until the buds begin to push ; after 

 which they must have air according to the state of the 

 weather. When the buds are about breaking, the dung should 

 be covered with tiles or slates to keep down excess of heat and 

 steam. When it is necessary to thin the Grapes the lights can 

 be drawn off. 



STOYE. 



If any plants in this structure require propagation seize an 

 early opportunity. Keep a moist atmosphere with a sweet and 

 regular circulation of air, using abundance of water about floors, 

 and syringing frequently air-plants or others suspended. Shut 

 up with a solar heat, if possible, of 80° towards three or four 

 o'clock. 



GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATOHY. 



The regular admission of air, qualified in amount by (he state 

 of the weather and the period of the day, will not only be ad- 

 vantageous to the health but conducive to the preservation of 

 the blossom of the many elegant plants which decorate the con- 

 servatories at this moment. Continue to shift those greenhouse 

 plants which require it. The process of shifting is generally as 

 follows :— A few potsherds to be placed at the bottom of the 

 pot, and then a layer of the rough turfy portions of the soil. 

 When the plant is in hand a portion of the old soil is carefully 

 removed by the fingers, or by gently patting the sides with the 

 band so as to loosen the points of the fibres if they are at all 

 matted. Then place the plant in the pot, so that the top of the 

 M ball of earth may be level with the rim of the pot ; fill-in 

 fith whatever soil is most suitable in a rough state, and gently 

 >ut firmly press it down, finishing-off quite level about half an 

 nch below the riin. Give a moderate watering with a rose to 

 icttle the soil about the roots, and the operation is then finished. 



W. Keane. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



Gave a little manure water to Broccoli beginning to swell. 

 Sowed succession Peas and Beans, also Spinach. Regulated and 

 made up herb-beds. Planted new beds of Mint, as on cold 

 stiff soils it is apt to give way if not frequently renewed, and a 

 gardener might as well be without Parsley as without Mint. 

 Sowed the main crop of Parsley. Planted-out Peas from boxes, 

 and staked as proceeded. Watered Cauliflower out of doors and 

 in hand-lights, that in the latter growing fast, and almost threaten- 

 ing to be in as soon as some of the Broccoli. Planted a small 

 bit more of Potatoes under cover; have still a few late ones to 

 plant out. Pricked-out Cauliflower and Lettuces from a Carrot- 

 bed under glass, which will enable us to keep this Becond Carrot- 

 bed closer to get them in sooner. Planted the Lettuce at the 

 foot of a wall, so as to succeed the winter ones, now very nice. 

 Planted-out a piece of Fraser's Batavian Endive to obtain a 

 little seed; this being the very best among the broad-leaved En- 

 dives for compactness and hardiness— in fact, for sweetness, 

 crispness, and hardiness it beats all other Endives hollow. "We 

 have had it in April and May on a north border looking like 

 huge pats of yellow butter, and almost as sweet, by merely 

 placing a 24-sized pot over each plant, and stuffing the hole 

 with a wedge of moss. On applying to Mr. Veitch for a pinch, 

 he replies, "Sold out," but that is just a reason why amateurs 

 who grow little, and like to make sure of a Balad in winter with 

 but little trouble, should try and obtain a little pinch. It is 

 sure to be scarce for a time, though it is now a number of years 

 since our good neighbour distributed it. If any one should 

 save a few plants for seed they will be sure to be disappointed 

 if they do not net shortly after the plants show flower, if there 

 are such things as birds near them. Two years ago the rascals 

 got under our net, and ate up almost every seed in the milky 

 state. Let them alone for finding a good thing ! A few Lettuce 

 stalks that we cared nothing about were untouched— we say cared 

 nothing about advisedly, because in most small gai'dens it is 

 cheaper every way to buy seeds that can be depended on from a 

 seedsman, instead of bothering and saving your own. We have 

 often seen plant-houses and fruit-houses a perfect mess for 

 months from seeds drying and perfecting in them, and a few 

 shillings, less after all than the worth of the labour involved, 

 would have bought all that was wanted. Of course, if there is a 

 must be it must be ; but in these days of the division of labour, 

 seedsmen by trade can save good seed cheaper than the man 

 who has myriads of other things to attend to. In rather new- 

 varieties or where it is doubtful if the real Simon Pure can be 

 obtained, there may well be exceptions ; but all our great seeds- 

 men, even as a matter of trade, are as anxious to send out only 

 the best articles, as their customers are to receive such. 



This blanching of Endive has reminded us of the Sea-kale 

 we mentioned the other week, placing rather large common pots 

 over some in the open air, with a little earth round the bottom 

 of the pot, and turf across the top. Well, on looking at it 

 yesterday to see how it would come in to succeed some under 

 litter, we found it was from 2 to 3 inches high, and would be 

 long enough in another week ; but it was coming neither white 

 nor green, but a sort of go-between purplish, and all from a 

 very simple cause which we never thought about. The heat of 

 the sun had dried and shrunk the turf, and thus a little light 

 reached the Sea-kale, which prevented thorough blanching. 

 Had we stuffed a plug of litter or moss in the hole we should 

 have had it white enough. Pots of any size being now wanted 

 for potting, for sowing seed, and for pricking-out seedlings, 

 we managed to obtain a few small oyster-barrels instead, which 

 will do better than pots, especially with a turf on the top 

 of them, and hanging over all like the large blue bonnet of a 

 Highlandman, so as to prevent the sun shrinking the staves, for 

 that would let the light in. Covered up, also, several rows, 

 showing fine heads, with a ridge of ashes 6 inches deep, and a 

 little dry earth from between the rows over it ; and in this case, 

 as soon as the smallest bit of Kale appears, the head will be in 

 prime case to cut. There is nothing better for obtaining delicious 

 Sea-kale than a covering of 8 inches of bog earth, and cutting 

 when 6 inches long, which can be easily known by Beeing the 

 little hillocks made by the growing Kale. Sowed a lot of Sea- 

 kale seed in rows 18 inches apart. This, when thinned out, is a 

 more profitable way of growing it than in beds. In good light 

 soil it will be good stuff for forcing the first winter. In cold soil 

 on a north exposure it will require two summers. 



Dug ground for sowing more Asparagus, as, when much is 



