June 16, 1863. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



439 



WOEK FOE THE WEEK. 



KITCHEN' GARDEN. 



Attend to the thinning of the crops, and keep the soil loose 

 where it is possible to do so. Asparagus, now ib a good time to 

 apply salt to the beds, and also to Sea-kale-beds. About 1 lb., 

 to a square yard is sufficient. Ic is a great waste to lay it on after 

 the plants have done growing, particularly when the soil is at all 

 inclined to be cold and stiff. Stimulants applied now will enable 

 the roots to lay up a good store of organised matter for another 

 season, and, therefore, in addition to salt, occasional applications 

 of manure should be given if possible. The effect of this kind 

 of treatment will be perceived in the autumn by the plants re- 

 taining their green colour much longer than others not so treated, 

 and in the spring by increased size and productiveness, evidently 

 showing that the longer the functions of the plants can be pre- 

 served by the application of stimulants, the greater amount of 

 matter is stored up for the ensuing season. Broccoli, the plant- 

 ing-out of these and the Winter Greens, Rales, Cabbages, Cauli- 

 flowers, &c, must be vigorously prosecuted, and every vacant 

 space should now be kept well filled-up. Liquid manure will 

 be in continual request. Celery, the trenches for the main crops 

 should now be prepared. For this purpose the spaces between 

 the rows of Peas are very applicable ; the shade from the Peas will 

 be very useful to the Celery in its earliest stages, and they will 

 be entirely removed by the time they are likely to be injurious. 

 Dwarf Kidney Beans, another sowing may be put in for suc- 

 cession, and advancing crops both of these and Scarlet Runners 

 well thinned out. Eeep the soil about them well forked-up and 

 pulverised. Experience goes far to prove that the fork is the best 

 implement that can be used amongst all wide open crops. Peas, 

 continue to top them, and also the Broad Beans as they advance, 

 and keep them well gathered as they become fit for table. Make 

 another sowing of Peas. The Early Frame is a good sort for 

 this and the next sowing, after which time there will be but little 

 chance of their coming to perfection. Turnips, keep them well 

 thinned out and watered when needful. Make successions! sow- 

 ings. Tomatoes, see that they are kept well thinned out, and 

 nailed to the fence or walls. 



PLOWER GARDEN. 

 The most pressing work at present is that of keeping the 

 place in order. A little pains taken with the walks at this season 

 will be amply repaid by the air of comfort and pleasure which 

 well-kept walks give to any place. Cuttings of Roses may now 

 be taken and planted in a close cold frame in a northern aspect. 

 In about a month they will be callused over, indicating a dis- 

 position to strike root, when they may be taken up carefully, 

 potted, and plunged in a slight bottom heat. Treated thus they 

 will make nice plants in a short time, and if kept under slight 

 protection during winter will fill their pots with roots and be 

 ready for planting out nest May. Remove suckers from Roses, 

 and clear the stems of wild shoots. Strong shoots of Chrysan- 

 themums may now be layered in pots to produce dwarf, compact 

 bushes. Those in pots may soon receive their final shift, and 

 such struck-cuttings as have been planted out in the open ground 

 to be frequently topped until the middle of July, to make bushy 

 plants for taking up and potting in the autumn. Cuttings put 

 in now will also make nice plants by the autumn. Those bulbs 

 which are placed in the borders and which add so much to the 

 beauty and lively appearance of the flower garden and shrubbery 

 during the spring months, should now have some attention. 

 Those that reqtiire it should be taken up. We would not re- 

 commend this to be done annually, but only when necessity 

 requires it. An acquaintance with the different species will 

 direct the cultivator in his operations in this respect. Some 

 species, for instance Crocuses, Tulips, &c, form new bulbs 

 beside the old ones, and in course of time become so crowded as 

 to become weak and cease to flower ; others form their new bulbs 

 under the old ones, and at last get so deep as to produce the 

 same effect. Others, again, form their new bulbs over the old 

 ones, and send them above the surface of the ground, where 

 they are destroyed by the hoe, the rake, or the frost. All those 

 that require taking up should be lifted now and housed till 

 autumn. Decayed patches of bulbs which are required to stand 

 for early-spring flowering, may have Verbenas or other things 

 introduced from pots between them, so as to give gaiety to the 

 places they occupy. Cuttings of PansieB to be put in before the 

 shoots are' too much exhausted. All boundary or other hedges 

 to be clipped forthwith. 



lET/IT GARDEN. 

 The nailing of the young wood of wall trees to be continu- 

 ally followed up. Strawberries will now require timely applica- 

 tions of water according to the state of the weather, and the 

 fruit to be protected from birds. Thin-out the young canes of 

 Raspberries. Pinch-out the tops of the young shoots of Figs, 

 and thin the fruit if too thick. As soon as the Grapes on the 

 open walls are set they should be well thinned, it amply repays 

 the extra trouble. 



GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATOR!. 

 Eemave to houaeB with a north aspect or under the shade of 

 a north wall any plants whose period of blooming it may be 

 desirable to prolong. Seedling Chinese Primroses, Cinerarias, 

 and other plants required to furnish the winter supply of bloom 

 should now be forwarded by shifting into small pots ; keep them 

 in a cold frame where a slight shade can be given them in hot 

 weather ; or, what is better, turn the frame to the north. By 

 pinehing-out the blossom-buds of the young Pelargoniums a 

 late bloom may be secured. The Perpetual and Bourbon Roses 

 which have been forced to be placed in a cool situation with the 

 object of repressing further activity. After a season of rest the 

 soil to be shaken from them, and all decayed roots removed, after 

 which to be potted in fresh rich soil, and removed to the pro- 

 tection of a cold pit, and there plunged. Let shading be used 

 with caution at all times whenever the weather is in any way 

 dull. As plants will soon be ripening their young wood, they 

 want as much light and even moderate sunshine as possible. 



STOTE. 

 As light has now reached the maximum point, and solar heat 

 nearly so, fires may be dispensed with here, except, perhaps, on 

 the evenings of wet days, when a little fire will be necessary to 

 allow of admitting air early in the morning. Propagate Luculia 

 gratissima by cuttings. Gesnera zebriua may still be potted for 

 late blooming. The Achimenes and Begonias for succession to 

 be repotted progressively. Gardenias and other things that 

 have been in the conservatory while in bloom to be replaced in 

 heat as soon as their beauty is over, in order to allow time for 

 their growth being ripened before short days and dull weather 

 shall have arrived. Look well about the stands of Stanhopeas 

 and Oncidiums now about blooming, that no snails are concealed. 



WINDOW FLOWERS. 

 A few words on this subject may be useful. When the windows 

 and balconies are filled with a selection of plants according to 

 taste, and these are potted into moderately large pots sufficient 

 to last them through the growing season, they will require little 

 other attention besides watering, which must be very regularly 

 and constantly done. Plants in this situation, from the position 

 they occupy, are extremely liable to suffer from drought if there 

 is the least neglect in administering their supply of water. 

 This applies equally to all kinds of plants cultivated in these 

 situations. In order to protect the plants from injury in conse- 

 quence of the powerful rays of the sun striking directly on the 

 side of the pots, often very thin, and forming a mere shell 

 around the roots, it is advantageous to set the pots containing 

 the plants within others just large enough to contain them ; the 

 double sides of the pots, together with the small open cavity all 

 around between the two, prevent the evil to a very great extent, 

 and it may be still further prevented by choosing the exterior 

 pot still larger, and filling the cavity between the two with moss, 

 which is to be kept damped. Where moss is easily procured a 

 bed of it may be formed on the window-ledge, in which the pots 

 could be plunged, the moss being kept damp. W. BIeam. 



DOLNGS OF THE LAST "WEEK. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 

 A Globiots rain since our last, and continued warm, sunny 

 showers, have given a fresh aspect to garden and field, and 

 cheered the heart of the cultivator, bringing to his lips the 

 words of out-spoken gratitude. Though planting was tempting, 

 yet several times the men were sent to sheds, to stick-pointing, 

 and pot-washing, as the sweet pearly drops of rain would do 

 more good in the ground than upon their backs. When we 

 look back to the times when it was common for men to nail with 

 the trees covered with snow, and to mow with the water running 

 down their limbs, and gurgling up over their shoes, we for one 

 have no faith in the old adage, that " the former times are better 

 than these." Few even of the disciplinarians would have the 



