108 



JOUENAL OF HOETICULTTJEB AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



[ Angnst 10, 1871. 



annlight from the south-west. These Ennners, and many other 

 plants, will do well with a little extra care it there be an open- 

 ing from east or west, but better still one to the south. If the 

 opening is only to the north, little or nothing could be ex- 

 pected, though even in such cases we have seen fair returns. 

 The great secret of success in the oaee referred to was simply 

 this — after warm days in July, August, and September, as 

 there was plenty of water laid on, he used a syringe, engine, 

 or watering-pot with a fine rose, to wet and partly wash the 

 leaves of the plants. 



For the benefit of all our young readers who, living in towns, 

 mean to try for a prize at a flower show, we would let out the 

 great secret that though soil, and watering at the roots, and 

 general attention are all necessary, the keeping the leaves clean 

 by sprinkling, washing, and sponging is the most important of 

 all. With such care it is rarely that an insect will have the 

 rashness to show itself. Clear water is also the best antidote 

 against a sooty sulphurous atmosphere. Of course a mini- 

 ainm of such attention is required in the clear atmosphere of 

 the country. Our friend in London, however, used to say that 

 after even valuing his odd hours of labour spent on his little 

 garden, he could have small salad. Lettuces, Cabbages, and 

 Scarlet Banners at about half the money he would have had to 

 have paid the greengrocer; but then what was to be bought was 

 aot worth half of that which was fresh gathered or cut just 

 before using. 



Peas proved a poor return in such a close, shaded, sulphurous, 

 and sooty atmosphere. Nothing on the whole paid better than 

 the Scarlet Banners. We well recollect that on the gable of an 

 outhouse they were fully 20 feet in height, and some hoops 

 thrown over the walks in several places put one in mind of 

 Eden's bowers, and caused grimy London to be out of mind for 

 a time. 



It may be here worth noting that our first acquaintance with 

 the Scarlet Ennner when a boy in Scotland, was seeing it treated 

 as a flowering plant by some cottagers, who in matters of 

 taste were far in advance of their fellows. We looked upon the 

 beautifully-marked seed as something wonderful, and we clearly 

 recollect how they sowed two or three seeds in a 7-inch pot 

 in April, kept the pot inside the window until the plants 

 were a foot or more in height, and then turned them outside 

 on the sill, one at each corner, and trained them to a string 

 festened to a few nails up and round the window, and most 

 beautiful they looked with their masses of green leaves and 

 bright flowers. We presume any pods that appeared were 

 plucked ofi, and we question very much if these lovers of the 

 beautif al knew how to use them, if they had permitted them to 

 ■grow. 



No doubt matters have greatly altered sires then in this 

 zespect, but it has often appeared to us somewhat singular 

 that a people, and more especially, perhaps, the peasantry and 

 artisans, should have been so distinguished as the Scotch for 

 rugged moral force and intellectual vigour, and yet have so 

 little love — nay, a sort of contempt, for that which would 

 have so ministered to the variety, and the healthiness, and 

 sconomy of their dining-tables. We can recollect that when a 

 well-to-do weaver grew his fine Lettuces, and used them as an 

 accompaniment for breakfast and tea, and at other times, there 

 was a sort of looking-down upon him as a mean epicure, who 

 wished to imitate " the gentility." The last time we had the 

 chance of looking in on cottage gardens in Scotland there was 

 a great advance in the variety of vegetables grown ; but even 

 then they were not up to the mark of what may every day be 

 seen in the cottage gardens of the south, though the owners of 

 the latter may not be so distinguished as the former for general 

 knowledge and intellectual vigour. We do not see why a certain 

 amount of mental vigour should not be accompanied with that 

 refinement that enables one to enjoy and appreciate the bless- 

 ings that Providence has put within our reach. We do admire 

 the self-restraint in the young, which leads to a stem denial of 

 what otherwise would be pleasing, in order to attain a good 

 definite purpose ; but we have no sympathy with that real or 

 afieeted narrow stoicism, which treats with indifference the 

 blessings and enjoyments that Providence has placed within 

 the reach of honest industrious effort. There can be no doubt 

 that variety of food is not only pleasing, but greatly contributes 

 to health and enduring strength. In contradiction to this, we 

 have been referred to the ploughmen in Scotland, so robust 

 and muscular when young, though the chief items of their 

 living used to be milk and oatmeal ; but in answer we could also 

 have referred to the great number that became prematurely old 

 and enfeebled. 



The Celery grub greatly disfigures Celery by leaving so many 

 brown lifeless spots on the leaves. Nothing can reach it, 

 secure as it is between the two skins of the leaf, except 

 squeezing or nipping-cfi and burning. The fly that deposits 

 the egg from which the maggot comes is easily kept away, if a 

 little fine soot is dusted over the leaves. Soot-watering is not 

 so effsctual, as the smell does not continue so long. We have 

 reason to think that a few fresh spruce branches stuck among 

 the branches keeps the fly away. We have scarcely been 

 troubled with this maggot annoyance since we gave a slight 

 sprinkling with fine soot once or twice during the summer. 

 JEUIT GiaI)E^'. 



Some Peach trees have suffered so severely that all which re- 

 mains to be done is to take the crop which they yield andTeplant 

 in fresh soU. We have known fine walls that wanted renewing 

 thus three times in something more than thirty years, the 

 trees standing healthy only fourteen or fifteen years after 

 planting, and generally less or more succumbing after a winter 

 more than usuaDy cold. Where only slightly affected, care 

 must be taken to secure healthy growth by removing all un- 

 healthy parts, curled and blotched leaves, stopping any strong 

 shoots that the healthy sap should be more f quaUy diffused, 

 freely using the syringe early in the afternoon after a bright day, 

 and assisting the roots by mulching, and in some cases fresh 

 soil. In most eases where the trees have suffered most this 

 season, the roots had nothing to do with it, the extreme cold 

 with warm intermissions, and then cold again with damp, 

 having injured the wood to the core. In many cases the trees 

 showed little signs of what they had passed through until the 

 blossom began to open, but the channels of communication 

 had been so injured that in many cases small sheots and even 

 branches died-off outright. Such a season shows the import- 

 ance of a glass covering for walls for keeping the trees dry, and 

 a stOl atmosphere around them in the most severe frosts. 



Our Apricot trees suffered a good deal, but more in the wood 

 than in the blossom-buds, as though some gaps have been left, 

 and several branches now are threatening to give way, the 

 crop on the whole is heavy but late. Few Apricots would be 

 gathered ripe in July this year much north of London, at least 

 we should say so, judging from what we have seen. As soon 

 as possible we shaU go over our bush fruit and shorten and 

 thin summer shoots. It is difficult to get done what we wish 

 to do. 



Cut off young Strawberry plants preparatory to placing them 

 in fruiting pots in an exposed place. Oar fruit is getting thin, 

 and when over we shall have the rows and beds cleaned, dressed, 

 and mulched as soon as possible. 



Grapes that are ripe may now have plenty of air and be kept 

 cool. Late Grapes swelling freely, and even beginsing to show 

 signs of colouring, will be all the better of a l;tt:e additional 

 heat in this dull weather. In a bright day it wUl hardly be 

 wanted. Let us bear in mind, that Grapes ripe by the middle 

 of September will be better to eat, and will keep hanging better 

 through the winter, than those we gave fire heat to to ripen 

 later. Singularly enough the red spider is more apt to make 

 its appearance in houses in such a variable season as this, than 

 when the sunshine ia more regular and bright, and that, 

 perhaps, because we are less thoughtful of atmospheric mois- 

 ture than in bright weather. Hence, sulphur on open parts of 

 the wall where sun would strike, or on the heating medium, be 

 it pipe or flue, is of importance for keeping that little .enemy 

 away even in late houses ; but let it be clearly recollected, that 

 in placing sulphur on a heated medium, the heat should not 

 be above 160°, rarely reach 170^. Even when leaves escape, 

 many kinds of Grapes suffer in the berry if the heat is higher 

 than the above temperature, llany plants also suffer, and 

 especially fine Ferns like the various ilaiden-hairs. 



The first part of the season was good for Melons. What we 

 have lately passed through has scarcely been so good. We 

 hope there will be a bright Autumn for the benefit of those who 

 love this rather trying fruit. It is well so to regulate the 

 shoots by disbudding, as not to have too much foliage ex- 

 posed to a declining sun. The Melon shrinks more from the 

 knife than the Cucumber does, and therefore more should be 

 done by disbudding than knifing cr cutting the shoots off. 

 Melons, too, when grown in pits or houses heated by hot water 

 are more sensitive to sulphur fumes than Cucumbers. In such 

 pits, and even frame boxes, it is safest to use it with a little 

 lime to wash the walls inside exposed to the sun's rays, and 

 not to put the sulphur on the heating medium. 



OESAITENTAL DEPiKIltENT. 



Never did the lawns show a richer green, and never could a 



