32 



JOUENAL OF HOKTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEK. 



[ JtUy 13, 1871. 



measured 2 feet 10 inches round, and was perfectly sound and 

 fie&h. 



WORK FOR THE WEEK. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



AsPAKAGns beds during the present month can hardly have 

 too much manure water from the stable or farmyard tank. On 

 -dry friab'e soils salt may be applied with advantage, but it 

 should not be used on strong adhesive ground, as it keeps the 

 soil wet in winter and decays the roots. Finish planting out 

 the principal crops of Broccoli and Winter Greens with as little 

 delay as possible. Proceed with planting Celery as ground can 

 be spared, using plenty of manure, and afford a liberal supply 

 of water. Let it not be forgotten that good kinds of Gahhage 

 sown immediately on ground previously saturated with water 

 will produce abundance of nice young Cabbages throughout the 

 ensuing winter. Attend to the staking of late Peas, and keep 

 the ground moist about those in a forward state, giving them a 

 good soaking occasionally. This will be the best preventive of 

 mildew. See to keeping up a supply of Salads, Spinach, &e. 



FEUIT GAEDEN. 



Many inquiries continue to be made by persons occupying 

 small gardens, as to the principles of disbudding and stopping 

 trained trees. Trees thus situated, it may be readily perceived, 

 ■are placed under circumstances of a highly artificial character, 

 and the sure consequences of confining them to a wall or a 

 trellis will be the production of a vast amount of useless spray, 

 and a considerable increase of labour, by which the cost of the 

 ■icxxit is much enhanced, even when success is obtained. How- 

 ever, since many of our improved Pears for the dessert, as well 

 as some other fruits, cannot be produced in proper flavour 

 without an increase of warmth and light, more especially the 

 latter, they will, no doubt, continue to be grown by individuals 

 who esteem horticultural productions, not by their mere mar- 

 ketable value, irrespective of flavour, but chiefly on account of 

 the latter quality. Limitation of the roots, then, I would urge 

 is the only sure foundation of a dwarfing system, which is, or 

 ought to be, in varied degrees, the guiding principle in all aiti- 

 ficial training. If the trees are gross, entirely take away as 

 many shoots as will permit the solar rays to reach the organis- 

 Jng bud for a future blosfom ; the rest may be left as safety 

 valves to decoy any undue amount of sap in a temporary 

 way, taking care, however, to pinch oH their terminal shoots. 

 The process here recommended is applicable to nearly all our 

 fruit-bearing trees. The late showery weather has been very 

 favourable for the growth of Strawberry runners, and a suffi- 

 cient stock for forcing next season should be potted at once and 

 placed in a close shady frame until they become established, 

 which will soon be the ease. Prepare ground for fresh planta- 

 tions by heavy manuring and trenching, or, if ground cannot 

 be obtained, at once select the strongest runners and plant 

 them on a shady border in rich soil, to be transplanted with 

 balls of earth next month. 



ELOWEK GARDEN. 



Go over the beds frequently, and keep the young shoots of 

 Terbenas, &c., neatly regulated and pegged down until the 

 -ground be fairly covered, after which the shoots may be allowed 

 to grow more at liberty. On poor, dry soils two or three appli- 

 cations of weak manure water, given at intervals of a few days, 

 and when the ground is moist, will greatly assist in getting the 

 beds covered without loss of time. See that Dahlias and 

 Hollyhocks are securely staked and kept properly tied as they 

 advance in growth. Kemove dead flowers and seed from Eoses, 

 and give the autumn-flowering varieties plenty of manure 

 water, in order to keep them in vigorous health, and secure 

 plenty of wood for blooming in autumn. Those budded on 

 the Dog Eose must be kept clear of suckers, which, when 

 allowed to grow, weaken the head, besides having an unsightly 

 appearance. Budding should be proceeded with during cloudy 

 weather. Give plants infested with green fly a liberal watering 

 with the engine, or syringe them with tobacco water. Mildew 

 is sometimes very troublesome after this season, and no time 

 should be lost in dusting the infested plant with sulphur, for 

 the enemy will soon spread and destroy the foliage, and ruin 

 the plant for blooming in autumn. Proceed with the propaga- 

 tion of herbaceous plants as expeditiously as possible, in order 

 to have the work out of hand and the glasses, &c., at liberty. 

 Take advantage of showery weather to give the walks and 

 lawns a good rolling, and endeavour to keep the grass short 

 and neatly mown, for nothing looks worse than badly-kept 

 grass. The amateur's interest is kept up by the progressive 



development of the Carnation and Picotee, which will speedily 

 reward all his care and attention by the development of their 

 beauties ; the Tulip, Eanunculus, Auricula, and Polyanthus 

 have passed away for the season, and the especial favourites 

 previously named will for a time fill the void. Take care that 

 the ligatures are occasionally eased, or the stem in its growth 

 is apt to become contracted and deformed : the buds, also, if 

 perfect flowers are desired, must be carefully bound round. 

 Some florists tie with shreds of matting, others recommend 

 indiarubber bands, but hitherto I have found nothing better 

 than thread rubbed with bees' wax. When the shoots are suffi- 

 ciently long, layering may be commenced ; this is performed 

 by cutting through the second or third joint, bringing the 

 knife out on the lower side, making a " tongue ;" the small 

 portion of stem beyond the joint is cut back to it, and when 

 pegged down in the soil, which should be fine and friable, it 

 will there emit roots. The amateur, after a few trials, will be 

 enabled to perform this operation with facUity. Seedling 

 Polyanthuses should bo carefully shaded from the sun's rays 

 and watered with a fine rose. This will prevent the ravages of 

 the red spider. Eanunculuses will be better out of the ground 

 as soon as the foliage is withered ; they must be gradually 

 dried ; when this is done too rapidly it is detrimental to those 

 which happen to be in a weak state. 



GEEENHOnSB AND CONSERVATORY. 



Shading should be used sparingly here except on bright 

 days, for during unsettled weather plants require all the light 

 afforded by conservatories, the roofs of which are partially 

 shaded by twiners, and are greatly benefited by an occasional 

 gleam of sunshine. The beauty of most softwooded plants 

 will be considerably prolonged by the use of weak manure 

 water, which should be given frequently. Indeed, such plants 

 as Achimenes, Glerodendrons, &c., may be had in full beauty 

 from June to October through being liberally supplied with 

 manure water, but this must not be given too strong at first. 

 Keep the atmosphere as moist as can bo done, but avoid damp 

 or cold nights, by leaving sufficient air to cause a gentle cir- 

 culation, and spare no attention to keep the plants clear of 

 insects. Stock for autumn and winter flowering will require 

 careful attention to bring it sufficiently forward, for, so far, 

 the season has been unusually cold, with comparatively little 

 sunshine. Chinese Primroses, especially the double varieties, 

 if at all backward, should be placed in a cold frame and shaded 

 from the sun, where they will make rapid progress, particu- 

 larly if the pots stand on a slight bottom heat. Cinerarias 

 for early flowering should also be potted and started at once, 

 choosing the strongest suckers and placing them in a close 

 shady frame till rooted. These are sometimes very subject to 

 the attacks of thrips at this season ; but if they are kept cool 

 and moist, and smoked occasionally, there is no danger of 

 their not being clean and growing vigorously. 



COLD PITS. 



The stock here will be growing freely, and should be fre- 

 quently examined individually to see that all is going right ; 

 for plants when growing rapidly very speedily suffer through 

 any neglect in watering, or from the attacks of insects. Ex- 

 amine young specimens which were potted early in the season, 

 and shift at once such as require more pot room, so as to havo 

 the pots moderately well filled with roots before winter, in 

 whioh state they are much more easily carried over the winter 

 than when either over or under-potted. Leschenaultias should 

 be carefully examined for green fly, and smoked at once if at 

 all infested, and the flowers should be regularly picked off 

 young plants of these as they appear. Chorozomas, Boseiajas, 

 &c., must also be frequently examined for red spider, and should 

 be laid on their sides on a clean mat and thoroughly washed 

 with the syringe, repeating this as often as may be necessary 

 to thoroughly eradicate the insect. Young specimens of valuable 

 hardwooded plants should be carefully trained, keeping the 

 shoots neatly tied-oat or pegged down, in order to secure close 

 compact foundations, upon whioh the future success very 

 largely depends. — W. Keane. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST WEEK 

 A VERY trying week for those who had hay cut and almost 

 made, and yet not in, owing to the frequent and heavy showers. 

 The 7th was one of the best drying days of the season, but the 

 8th has brought a falling barometer and frequent showers. 

 Never did Turnips look better, and where thinned early they 

 are not likely to suffer from mildew as those unthinnedand 



