Anguat 11, 1870. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



107 



these — The fruit is bent at the neck and drops its head a little ; 

 there is a large drop of juioe at the eye, like a great tear ; the 

 sides are eraoked lengthwise, and the juice is seen exuding a 

 little and standing on the surface like great dewdrops on the 

 petals of a Rose. That fruit is in a condition fit to eat, 

 and its appearance does not belie its quality. With some 

 varieties, such as the White Ischia, Black Provence, &c, and 

 in warmer, drier climates, the fruits dry up a little and assume 

 somewhat the character of a sweetmeat. These are simply de- 

 licious. 



The engraving here given (Jig. 12), represents the mode of 

 production of the second crop of fruit in the axils of the leaves 

 on the wood of the current year's formation, as stated in my 

 second paper (vol. xviii., page 162), to which it should be re- 

 ferred.— A. B. C. 



TO PREVENT CHASSELAS MUSQUE GRAPE 

 FROM CRACKING. 



Evert gardener who has grown the Chasselas Musqu6 Vine 

 knows how prone its fruit is to crack, and one of the finest 

 Grapes in cultivation is rendered useless, if not worthless, by 

 this unfortunate habit. An effectual method of preventing this 

 has been discovered, and for some time successfully practised, 

 by Mr. Speed, the talented gardener to the Duke of Devonshire, 

 at Chatsworth. It consists in simply making a sloping cut half 

 through the stalk of the bunch, not sufficient to weaken it for 

 the work it has to do, but enough to check the flow of too much 

 sap, which is evidently the oause of the fruit cracking. This 

 cut is very much Buch an one as is used in " tongueing " when 

 plants are layered. 



LOOKER'S PLANT COVERS. 



We have no doubt that these are good plant protectors ; their 

 sides, being of earthenware, retain the heat accumulated within 



them, and exolude cold ; but Mr. Looker is quite mistaken 

 when he says they " generate " heat. Their ventilation is 

 good, they are easily shaded and protected, and are very 

 cheap. 



WORK FOR THE "WEEK. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



All vacant ground haviDg been duly filled with crops of the 

 Cabbage tribe, attention should be instantly given to Celery. 

 The late crops of this should be planted forthwith, and tne 

 early crops carefully earthed-up. The following must be sown 

 directly — viz., Cabbage for the main crops of next summer; 

 Prickly-seeded Spinach for supplying the table from November 

 to May ; of Onions, the Welsh and Deptford for drawing young 

 during the winter, also for transplanting in March for bulbing ; 

 Radishes and the various Cresses for autumn use ; a little Corn 

 Salad, and a little Chervil. Continue to plant Endive on ele- 

 vated beds well manured ; some of these should be so con- 

 trived as to admit of being covered with hoops and mats or 

 other protection in winter. Let all forward Onions be laid im- 

 mediately, in order to get them soon off the ground, which 

 Bhould then be manured and planted with Coleworts in rows 

 15 inches apart, allowing 10 inches between the plants. Let 

 the Marrow Peas have the best of sticks, and be sure to top 



them when they reach the height of the sticks. If any of the 

 Parsley is becoming too gross and forward, let a portion be 

 mowed down at once ; this is an old but a very excellent plan. 

 A top-dressing of soot and dry soil, ashes, or sawdust, may be 

 immediately applied. In this way fine young Parsley for gar- 

 nishing will be produced by Ootober. Dress Tomatoes, and see 

 that all herbs are housed and the Camomile flowers picked 

 when perfectly dry. 



FRUIT GARDEN. 



Proceed with thinning and nailing-in young shoots of all 

 wall trees, if any remain unfinished. Peach trees, in particular, 

 should now be kept closely nailed, in order that the wood may 

 be ripened, and to admit air and light to the fruit. Remove a 

 portion of the leaves where the fruit is too much shaded, and 

 at the same time remove any nails with which it is likely to 

 come in contact. If the weather is dry before the crop ripens, 

 give the borders a good watering. Wash the trees occasionally, 

 and trap earwigs ; perhaps the easiest way is to place short 

 pieces of beanstalks or other hollow stems in different parts of 

 the trees, and look them over every second day, blowing the 

 contents into a bottle and replacing the tubes as before. Pro- 

 tect with nets or canvas all ripe fruit intended for use late in 

 the season, and net-np Currants and Gooseberries for late use. 

 As soon as the crop of Strawberries is gathered, go over the 

 beds and out off all runners ; fork the soil about the plants to 

 encourage them to make a good growth before the growing 

 season is past. Layer runners for new plantations. Use the 

 garden engine occasionally in warm weather to prevent red 

 spider. 



FLOWER GARDEN. 



Propagation by cuttings is now a most important business 

 in this department. If time can possibly be spared, let there 

 be no delay in this respect ; not only mass flowers, but many 

 in the mixed beds and borders, require to be annually propa- 

 gated in order to insure their oontinuance. Such are some- 

 times termed imperfect perennials ; as instances of these may 

 be adduced such plants as Pentstemon campanulatum and 

 its varieties, Chelone barbata, Antirrhinums in great variety, 

 Coreopsis lanceolata, C. auriculata, and, better still, C. grandi- 

 flora. Mimulus atrorosens also requires looking after, and 

 deserves it. Many of theBe are old plants, but they are still 

 useful in contributing to the general effeot at least. Cuttings 

 of Pentstemon gentianoides should be struck early ; if well- 

 established they will flower sooner than seedlings. The half- 

 shrubby Calceolarias must be thought of, and such climbers 

 as the Maurandyas, the Lophospermums, and Rhodochiton 

 Bhould be well established in their store pots before winter. 

 Intermediate Stocks may be sown for pots, and a little Mig- 

 Donette in potB every week until the end of August. Let 

 Rose-budding proceed, and for common purposes the old Crim- 

 son Perpetual, the Bourbon Queen, Phoenix, Armosa, Lafayette, 

 Aimfie Vibert, &c, are recommended. These, although not 

 of the exhibition class, are nevertheless most useful about the 

 pleasure grounds of a country seat. All the early layers of 

 Carnations and Picotees will now be ready to take off. They 

 may be potted singly in pint pots, and gently watered to settle 

 the soil. When dry they should be put in a close cold frame for 

 three or four days, till they have emitted fresh roots, when they 

 may be gradually inured to the air. After the layers have 

 taken root the pots should not be allowed to be drenched with 

 wet, though they should be exposed to the air as much as 

 possible. A good plan is to remove the pots, when ready, from 

 the frame, placing them on a layer of coal ashes to prevent the 

 ingreBS of worms, &c, and throwing a covering of calico over 

 them when the weather is too hot, or during heavy rain. By 

 these means they will be well established and hardened pre- 

 vious to being removed to their winter quarters. Continue to 

 plant out Pink pipings when well rooted, shading and watering 

 as occasion requires. Look well to the seed, which, with that 

 of Carnations and Picotees, promises to be abundant. New 

 or scarce sorts of Dahlias may be propagated by cuttings in a 

 brisk heat. TheBe make good pot roots. Trap earwigs by 

 placing small pots half filled with dry moss on the tops of the 

 sticks, and remove all imperfect buds as they appear. Attend 

 to the preparation of the offset bed of Tulips, and regulate all 

 small bulbs for planting. 



GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. 



No time should now be lost in putting all houses, pits, &c, 

 in thorough repair. The glazing should be well seen to, and 

 painting where needed. With regard to the interior of houses, 

 the painting must ever depend on the crops. Whitewashing, 

 however, can be managed at all times. The lime should have 



