August 31, 1871. J 



JOUENAL OP HOBTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



165 



than this they frequently become mouldy and do not keep so 

 well ; let them be spread out in a dry shed till fit for tying in 

 ropes. Earth-np all advancing crops of Winter Greens and 

 Broccoli. Run the hoe between the rows of Winter Spinach as 

 Boon as it is abovegronnd. 



FKtJIT GAEDEN. 



Eemove the runners from Strawberry plants in pots, and set 

 them sufficiently far apart that sun and air may have free 

 access to their foliage. Gather Tomatoes aa they ripen, and 

 when they are backward and at the same time much in demand 

 gather a few of the most forward and hang them in the stove ; 

 or, where there is not this convenience, place them in a frame, 

 where they will soon ripen. 



FLOWEK GAEDEN. 



Besides keeping every part of this department in the neatest 

 order, the propagation of the stock for supplying next season's 

 demand will engross all the time and attention that can be 

 spared. In all cases the number of plants which it will be 

 necessary to provide should be noted down, allowing a wide 

 margin for contingencies, losses, &a. The earlier-struck cut- 

 tings must be potted-off, and after they have become established 

 place them out of doors in an open situation, bearing in mind 

 that all the more delicate bedding Geraniums should well fill 

 their pots with roots before winter, otherwise many will be lost. 

 While propagation is proceeding attention must be turned to 

 the amount of winter accommodation for them, which, whether 

 in the shape of frames, pits, or larger structures, should be got 

 in readiness to receive them before bad weather sets in. Con- 

 tinue to plant out Pinks as they strike root, bearing in mind 

 that those which are put out now in the places where they are 

 to flower next season generally lace much better than those 

 planted in the spring. I would advise the growers to gather 

 Pink seed forthwith, allowing it to remain in the capsule or 

 seed vessel till wanted. Plant oiJset Tulips, and commence 

 arranging the best bed for planting. Of course all careful 

 growers have made the necessary remarks as to the state of the 

 flowers last season, whether too high for their position in the 

 bed, whether stained or out of character, &a. The amateur 

 who is commencing may now have an opportunity of procuring 

 fine sorts at a moderate cost, many extensive growers disposing 

 of their surplus stock at very reasonable rates. I will name a 

 few that are fine and should be grown by everyone, and, though 

 cheap, are indispensable. In Bizarres : Leonidas, Pilot, Charles 

 the Tenth, Captain White, Polyphemus, and Duke of Devon- 

 shire. Byblo3mens : Thalia, Mnsidora, Princess Eoyal, Queen 

 Charlotte, Chellaston Beauty, and Maid of Orleans. Eoses : 

 Heroine, Aglaia, Catherine, Lady Jane Grey, Lavinia, and La, 

 Vandicken. These are most of the fine sorts for exhibition, and 

 when in good character gems in aiiy bed. Give Dahlias liquid 

 manure once or twice a-weeb, and attend to disbudding, &c. 



GEEEJIHOUSE AND COXSEEVATOEY. 



Continue to look over climbers, borders, &o. Large speci- 

 mens which have been placed out of doors to provide room for 

 other things, will soon require housing. This, however, will 

 depend greatly on the weather. The earth worm is a greater 

 enemy to pot plants in general than low temperature ; every 

 precaution must be taken to avoid its depredations. Look well 

 to late-flowering plants. Late Heliotropes, Scarlet Geraniums, 

 Petunias, &o., will now be somewhat potbound, and in that 

 state, with the application of weak liquid manure, they will 

 produce an abundance of blossom on a light shelf until the be- 

 ginning of December. Lachenalias should be potted, and Per- 

 sian Cyclamens, if planted out, will now be fine bushy plants 

 full of young leaves. They shouldbe taken up forthwith with 

 all the soil possible adhering to them, potted carefully, and 

 placed in a close frame or propagating house ; a bottom heat of 

 75° would be an advantage, with a very moderate atmospheric 

 temperature. After three weeks of this treatment they may be 

 introduced to the greenhouse, where they will produce blossom 

 in abundance from November until April. Where Camellias, 

 Chinese Azaleas, and the Hybrid Indian Ehododeudrons were 

 not potted in the spring, and require shifting, the present will 

 be the most favourable time, as the young wood is now be- 

 coming somewhat firm, and the flower-buds are perceptible. 

 As this class of plants require water very liberally during one 

 period of their growth, drain the pots well, and use very turfy 

 peat and sand, adding an equal portion of fibrous loam for the 

 Camellias. 



STOVE. 



Little fresh can be added here at present. Take every means 

 in due time to harden, or rather ripen, the growth already made. 



Give air very freely indeed at all times, more especially when 

 the warmth of the natural atmosphere ensures safety. Never- 

 theless, shut up abundance of solar heat with a good amount 

 of atmospheric moisture early in the afternoon. Many of the- 

 earliest growths of Orchids showing signs of ripeness in the 

 leaf, and plump pseudo-bulbs, may be removed forthwith from 

 the excitement of the growing house. Any situation where a 

 temperature averaging 60° or 65° by night can be insured, will 

 suit them well ; a very moderate amount of atmospheric mois- 

 ture will suflice. — W. Keane. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST ^VEEK 



KITCHEN GAEDEN. 



The seeds lately sown have come up beautifully, and stanfi 

 the weather well, as there is moisture beneath to keep the 

 young plants growing. The last sowing of Cauliflower may be 

 made at the beginning of September, as there will be no 

 danger of that starting or buttoning too early. We have two 

 sowings earlier. Lettuces, Cabbages, &c., rarely do much good 

 if sown after the end of August, as they do not seem to hav& 

 strength enough to stand the winter, though several times we 

 have sown Lettuces on hard ground in the middle of Septem- 

 ber, and they have stood the winter well, and come in useful 

 in spring. By hard ground we mean ground not dug, but 

 merely loosened a little on the surface, and the seeds raked in 

 or slightly covered. It is well to have the main sowings made- 

 from the 15th to the 25th of August. Between these days is 

 a good time for sowing the main crop of Winter Spinach, as 

 when up the plants grow rapidly in the warm autumn months. 

 We watered Cauliflowers, late Peas, and some fine rows of 

 Scarlet Eunners, which, though yielding well, yet dropped more 

 blooms than we wished to see fall. There was another reason 

 for the dropping — a thick crop of fine Turnips between the 

 rows, all wrong no doubt, but one hardly knows how to find 

 room at times when the demand is large and a kitchen garden 

 small. Let us remind those rather young in gardening that one- 

 pod on Scarlet Eunners left to swell and ripen its seeds will 

 exhaust the plant more than twenty pods gathered in a fresb 

 young state. 



EKUIT GARDEN. 



We gathered a fine lot of Apricots, whilst many are still not- 

 ripe enough, and would not ripen kindly but for the fine 

 weather. We also collected a good portion of a heavy crop of 

 Morello Cherries for brandy, preserving, &c. We used to save 

 these late on the trees for dessert. We question whether it is 

 not better to gather them when ripe, and either brandy or bottle 

 them at once. The Morello is no bad dessert fruit when the 

 fruit is large and fully ripe, as some of ours have been. 

 Grown under glass in an orchard house we have heard it pro- 

 nounced delicious by good judges. 



0KNA3IENTAL DEPAET3IENT. 



Besides moving plants to make way for the changes and fresb 

 arrangements to be effected in the conservatories, corridors, 

 &c., of which, as well as fresh heating, we hope by-and-by to- 

 have something to say, we have been potting plants intended 

 for autumn use, sowing Stocks, Mignonette, &a. ; but the chief 

 work has been an earnest commencing of jjj-q/Mijatijiii Verbenas, 

 Heliotropes, Salvias, Geraniums, &e. Coleus should also be got 

 in and established in small pots. Owing to want of room, we 

 generally put in most of our cuttings in shallow wooden boxee^ 

 say from 1 to IJ inch apart. The boxes are so open that they 

 need no drainage. If we have a little very sweet, well-aired 

 leaf mould without a trace of fungus, we scatter a little along 

 the bottom, then we find nothing better than fresh sandy loam 

 however poor. If too loamy we put a little drift road sand 

 with the loam. This soil is passed through a half or Ihree- 

 quarter-inoh sieve, the rough goes to the bottom of the box, 

 and the finer, mixed with some fine charred refuse, is placed at 

 the top, and a little road drift-sand covers the surface. We 

 scarcely under such treatment have a gouty cutting, or any 

 appearance of fungi, which make such havoc in boxes of cut- 

 tings when the spawn is introduced in half-rotten leaf mould 

 and dung. 



We are compelled to refer to previous numbers for many ami 

 minute definite particulars. — E. P. 



TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 



Sntton & Sons, Eeading. — Catalogue of Bulbous Flower Boots* 

 Plants, Seeds, tUc. 



■Wilham Paul, Waltham Cross, London, N.-^.B«ffi Catalogue, 1871. 



