June 15, 1871. ] 



JOURNAL OF HOETICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GABDENER. 



425. 



on " Ferns ;" followed by Mr. Joseph Hutchinson, " The Prun- 

 ing of Hardy Fruit Trees ; " Mr. Brown, " The Culture of 

 Melons and Mushrooms ; " Mr. Joseph Gore, " The Fuchsia ; " 

 Mr. E. Roberts, "Pruning;" Mr. James Stewart, "Forest 

 Trees ; " Mr. Thomson, " Variegated Pelargoniums ; " and the 

 Vice-President, on " Epiphyllums and the Cactus tribe." 

 Besides these, many other matters of interest have from time 

 to time occupied the attention of the Society, and much profit- 

 able discussion has arisen. 



A Poet's Notion. — All plants are composed of essenti- 

 ally two parts — the leaf and root — one loving the light, the 

 other darkness; one liking to be clean, the other to be dirty ; 

 one liking to grow for the most part up, the other for the most 

 part down ; and each having faculties and purposes of its own. 

 But the pure one, which loves the light, has, above all things, 

 the purpose of being married to another leaf, and having child- 

 leaves, and children's children of leaves, to make the earth fair 

 for ever. And when the leaves marry they put on wedding- 

 robes, and are more glorious than Solomon in all his glory, 

 and they have feasts of honey, and we call them flowers. — 

 {John Ruskin.) 



WOBK FOR THE WEEK. 



KITCHEN QAEDEN. 



Hoeing, forking, and surface-stirring must be diligently per- 

 severed in ; their advantages are that weeds are extirpated, 

 slugs disturbed and destroyed, moisture retained when it is most 

 needed, and healthy root action preserved. Trenching vacant 

 ground must be prosecuted where required, and if manure is 

 wanted on ground about to be planted it is best to lay it 

 upon the soil after it is trenched, and then fork it in. Let all 

 green refuse be removed from every part, and either dug in or 

 taken to the char heap. Be careful not to take too much Aspa- 

 ragus from the main beds ; it is best to have a reserve bed, 

 which, if closely cut, will throw up shoots for a considerable 

 time, and as it will thus be rendered useless, a new bed should 

 be made every year to supply the deficiency. A sowing of 

 Early Mazagan Beans in an exposed situation made now will 

 be useful by-and-by. Plant out the forwardest Bmssels SijroiUs, 

 Bulla Kale, and Green Savoys ; if the weather keep dry the 

 holes had better be puddled. Plant also Cauliflowers for suc- 

 cession. Continue the gradual thinning of Carrots and Onions 

 as they may be required for use, but Parsnips, Red Beet, Sal- 

 safy, and Scorzonera should always be thinned to the proper 

 distance at once. Cueumbers on ridges and banks must have 

 plenty of water, and liquid manure occasionally. A few more 

 Dwarf Kidney Beans may be sown for succession. Sow Knight's 

 Marrow and Early Frame Peas for succession ; these are bene- 

 fited by a slight soaking in water previous to sowing, and also 

 by pouring water upon them after they are laid in the drills, 

 but not after they are covered. Advancing crops will be bene- 

 fited by applications of liquid manure, not too strong, twice 

 a-week. See that the ground is kept well stirred. Scarlet 

 Runners must have the earth well stirred about them. Salad- 

 iny of all sorts is now in great request ; look well to suocessional 

 sowings, and let all have copious supplies of water to induce 

 crispness and coolness. The buds of Sea-kale on the old roots 

 must be thinned out considerably, and, if not already done, 

 dress the beds with strong manure and fork it in. Young 

 seedlings of Ssa-kale must also be thinned, and the thinnings 

 transplanted if required. 



FRUIT GAKDEN. 



If dry weather continue we would recommend that due at- 

 tention be given to the watering of fruit trees, for as the fly and 

 other insects are unusually prevalent, an extra exhaustion will 

 be the consequence. It is impossible to apply tobacco water 

 in extent commensurate with the evil. Clean water can, how- 

 ever, be heavily battered on the infested trees, and in such 

 cases it is well to have some slaked lime at hand to cover the 

 ground at the foot of the trees, for unless something of the 

 kind be done the insects will reascend. To those who are 

 particularly anxious about the future success of their favourite 

 fruits, or who have been planting new kinds, I would recom- 

 mend them to make strenuous efforts during the present period 

 to extirpate insects and to assist weakly trees. Rest assured 

 that no mode of planting, winter pruning, or complicated modes 

 of training, will be of any avail unless the vegetation of the 

 summer's growth be attended to in due time. Gross shoots, or 

 robbers of all kinds, should constantly be stopped when about 

 4 inches long throughout the growing season. A very general 

 mnlchiug should now be given to the finit trees where they 



are properly planted and possess, as they ought to do, abun- 

 dance of surface roots. 



ELOWBE GAEDEN. 



On light dry soils many things will be greatly benefited by a 

 thorough soaking of water, especially coniferous plants, most 

 of which make but one growth during the season, and should 

 be encouraged at the proper time where rapid growth is wished. 

 This attention will be especially necessary in the case of young 

 specimens growing on lawns. If Stocks, China Asters, &c., 

 are not already planted out where they are to flower, take ad- 

 vantage of the first showery day to do this, and attend to them 

 for a few days with water until they become established. See 

 that Dahlias, Hollyhocks, &c., are properly staked and kept 

 tied up to prevent their being broken by sudden storms. Let 

 the mass flowers have frequent sprinklings, and apply the hoe 

 through them to break the crust. Still keep a watchful eye on 

 blanks about the ornamental department, and let them be 

 instantly filled with some of the reserve stock or with late 

 annuals. Newly-laid turf should receive water, and, if sufier- 

 ing, strew some tan or litter thinly over to break the sun's rays. 

 The Eoses must have some attention. 



GBEENHOUSE AND CONSEKVATORT. 



The beds in the conservatory, if they have been properly 

 made, will now require a large supply of water to keep them 

 in a sufficiently moist state, and the soil should be occasionally 

 examined, especially near strong-growingplants, for the amount 

 of moisture absorbed by these at this season is greater than 

 manypersons imagine. Whenever water is apphed the beds 

 should be thoroughly soaked to the bottom, and where it can be 

 done without annoyance to the family, manure water should be 

 given to such plants as are known to enjoy it. This should be 

 furnished in moderate quantities, after well soaking the soil 

 with clean water, for to give it in large quantities would pro- 

 bably cause it to reach and injure some adjacent plant. If red 

 spider make its appearance upon any of the specimens growing 

 in the borders, the pot plants in flower should be removed as 

 soon as possible, and the infested subjects given a thorough 

 washing with the engine, and this should be repeated at short- 

 intervals until the enemy be thoroughly subdued. Sprinkling 

 the surface of the soil and paths must be often resorted to — ■ 

 during bright weather two or three times a-day ; and by all 

 means let a thin screen of some kind be thrown over the roof, 

 or portions of it, from 10 o'clock until 3 p.m. This will retard 

 the beauties already in blossom, and prevent too great a 

 demand on the energies of the plants. Let the growths of the 

 Azaleas for the next year be encouraged without delay. These 

 should be in a plant-house by themselves, or they may be 

 placed along with young or growing Camellias. Syringe several 

 times a-day, and throw a screen over them whilst making their 

 growth, and stop gross shoots in order to equalise their powers- 

 and to produce symmetry of form. 



STOVE. 



See that the specimens here are afforded plenty of space. 

 The inmates of this house are mostly plants of easy propa- 

 gation and rapid growth, and, consequently, in many cases ad- 

 vantage is taken to grow too many for the accommodation at 

 command, with the result that there is hardly a respectable 

 specimen produced. There can be no doubt that a moderate 

 quantity of well-managed specimens will be more valued than a 

 larger number of half-starved, miserable-looking subjects. At- 

 tend frequently to the growth of climbers, and prevent their 

 getting into a state of entanglement. Aim at securing forOrchid& 

 rapid growth by keeping the house warm and maintaining a 

 regular humid atmosphere, sprinkling the paths, &c., suffi- 

 ciently often on bright days to keep them continually moist, 

 but be careful not to make the plants over-wet at the roots, by 

 using the syringe too freely over the foliage. Let specimens 

 in baskets or on blocks be kept sufficiently moist. These will 

 enjoy a slight bedewing with the syringe morning and evening, 

 whilst in a growing state. 



PITS AND FRAMES. 



Hardwooded plants in these structures will now enjoy a mor& 

 moderate temperature than they probably could obtain in 

 houses, especially in pits turned to the north, which will prove 

 a good place for some of the tribes in very hot weather. — 

 W. Eeane. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST ^^^EK * 



KITCHEN GAEDEN. 



The wind on the 10th still keeps due north, and there have 

 been some very cold mornings during the week, the sky over- 



