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JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



t Angust 16, 1877. 



ii sometimes the greater evil ; for in order to avoid one extreme 

 we are driven to another still greater. To escape the dilemma 

 with anything like success a careful eye should be kept on the 

 progress of root and branch towards maturity. Individual 

 cases must be judged by their respective claims to our know- 

 ledge of their requirements. Healthy progress of root and 

 branch will always go hand in hand. Healthy root-action, 

 properly supplied from healthy sources, is sure to yield a 

 healthy return in well-matured wood and leaves. Overfed or 

 neglected trees are as easily distinguishable to the skilled culti- 

 vator as a declining patient is to a doctor. What we want is 

 a full and natural season of growth; but we want the fruits of 

 that growth properly directed and organised. 



Tines and Peach trees require great supplies of water at certain 

 times, but they also require that great discrimination shall be 

 exercised in its administration. A Vine begins to make roots 

 in earnest when the first tint of autumnal brown Bhows itself 

 at the base of its young growth ; and the supplies of water and 

 other stimulants mnst be measured according to the health 

 and age of the Vines, the condition of their roots, the state of 

 the border they are growing in, &o , atmospheric moisture 

 being supplied in moderate quantities at the same time. 

 Borders are drenched, and Vines grow and swell and finish 

 their crops ; but is the benefit of all the labour entailed properly 

 directed towards concentration, and do we organise all avail- 

 able strength as we should do into the fruiting spurs of another 

 season ? These questions are the great points of vital interest 

 to be considered in preparing both root and branch for forcing. 

 Worn-out Vines are often allowed to ramble as far and how 

 they will in graceful pendant streamers. They have no ten- 

 dency towards rectifying a disordered system or of centralising 

 what little strength is left, nor will it add in any appreciable 

 degree to the rooting power of the Vines for future crops — in 

 fact, the contrary is our own opinion. We regard all growth 

 except for fruiting purposes as superfluous, and superfluous 

 .growth we consider as over-taxation on an already enfeebled 

 system. The Vine, being naturally of a travelling habit, will 

 produce thickets of young wood annually ; hence we see in 

 many cases to what a mischievous extent attempts are made 

 to combine the extension principle with a sort of semi-restric- 

 tive one. Young rods are encouraged to travel along the sur- 

 face of inside borders, down back walls, or any other space at 

 command where a young Bhoot can be encouraged, ostensibly 

 for the best reason in the world — that of promoting vigorous 

 root-action. Is this principle correct or not ? and what facts 

 have we to support it ? Has the idea merely emanated from 

 someone who may have succeeded beyond the region of his 

 compeers, and ascribed bis success to this principle of ex- 

 tension? We think the principle is deserving of no consider- 

 ation whatever : it is mere conjecture, or something akin to it; 

 its virtue is supposed to lie in its power to sustain and make 

 roots. Well, but what about the ripening of them ? We believe 

 in the maturity of roots as well as of branches, and we can 

 hardly strain our mind into the belief that growth made so far 

 away from the influence of sun and light will ever mature 

 roots that could survive the winter ; and growth that is inca- 

 pable of ripening its roots is practically valueless. And is it 

 not also a gain to the Vine if by conserving wasted strength 

 we can establish a more vigorous and fruit-producing power, 

 and a tendency to health and longevity ? 



Our remarks are only intended to apply to certain modes of 

 forcing, and to indicate how far we think certain means tend 

 to recruit the failing power of trees which are supposed to 

 have been reduced by early forcing and cropping. We say the 

 full and natural development of all growth that can be exposed 

 to thorough ripening influences is beneficial, and on the 

 character that that growth may assume depends the future 

 crop. 



After the completion of natural growth the two main in- 

 fluences we have to study during the period of maturation are 

 air and water ; for heat we have the advantage of the all- 

 powerful aid of the sun — a better agent than any artificial one 

 we can employ. 



Next to be considered is the co-operation of these influences ; 

 they must not be separated, but must work together towards 

 one final end. Roots are formed according to the time and 

 quantity of the feeding-power supplied, and if that be given in 

 excess too late in the season the result will be the imperfect 

 ripening of root and branch ; whereas if the former is growing 

 in a healthy border of adequate firmness and substance, and 

 water is gradually withdrawn, a border will be secured of rich 

 fibrous roots thoroughly ripened, which will serve as feeders 



capable of supplying double the nourishment that could be 

 expected from a less carefully prepared system of root-and- 

 branch treatment. — W. Hinds (in The Gardener). 



NOTES on VILLA and SUBURBAN GARDENING. 



The preparation of spring-flowering bedding plants should 

 now occupy the attention of all who pride themselves on the 

 gayness of their flower beds during the early spring months. 

 Daisies, both the double white and pink varieties, bloom very 

 early. They may be increased by offsets and dividing the roots. 

 We generally divide and plant them at proper distances apart 

 at the time of removing them from the beds in early summer, 

 and they require very little more care than freeing them from 

 weeds and occasionally watering ; but where such has not been 

 done, and they have been merely laid-in in masses, separate 

 them at once and transplant from 4 to 6 inches apart. To per- 

 petuate the different varieties of Pansies and Violas offsets and 

 cuttings must be inserted now in a shady place. These are 

 most useful for giving distinct lines of colour, and are very gay 

 and free-blooming ; but if distinctness is not required any 

 quantity of plants may be raised from seed sown now. That 

 pretty spring-flowering plant Myosotis dissitiflora is best raised 

 annually from Beed. Seedlings of it should now be transplanted, 

 and old plants may also be divided ; they then become sturdy 

 and hardy to withstand the severity of the winter. Polyan- 

 thuses in variety are also very gay, and from a packet of seed 

 an immense number of varieties can be procured. Seedlings of 

 these ought also to be transplanted now. The same remarks 

 apply to Wallflowers, which are among the first plants to bloom 

 in spring, and the perfume wafted in every direction by the 

 wind is most delightful. They should be grown in all gardens 

 and shrubberies. The plants ought now to be of good size, and 

 be planted 9 inches apart in an open situation. The various 

 kinds of Silenes should also be now sown. Beds of this annual 

 when well massed together in the spring have a splendid effect. 

 Silene pendula is the best for large beds, and the dwarf variety 

 of it, S. pendula compacta, for small beds and pots. It is only 

 by sowing early and having the plants strong that they flower 

 sufficiently early to give place to summer bedding plants. The 

 pretty annual Collinsia bicolor and other varieties of Collinsia 

 are very desirable for soring flowering in herbaceous and mixed 

 borders, as also are Neniophila insignis, Saponaria calabrica, 

 and Limnanthes Douglasii. The Saponaria should be sown at 

 once, the others towards the end of the month. The seed 

 Ehould be sown in drills a foot apart, and the seedlings be 

 thinned out as soon as they can be handled. The plants then 

 become sturdy and sufficiently hardy to endure ordinary winters. 

 Golden Feather is sometimes used for colour, but it is not always 

 to be depended on during the winter, though it is occasionally 

 very bright and gay; the best plants are undoubtedly young 

 seedlings. Many of the Sedums and the hardy Sempervivams 

 nsed in summer carpet bedding can be used again in spring, 

 and tasteful designs worked with them and spring-blooming 

 plants. 



Flower beds are now at their best. The carpet designs are 

 well filled. All such that have a tendency to encroach on their 

 neighbours must be pinched-in; bold but clear defined lines 

 are necessary where designs are carried out. Go over beds of 

 Geraniums and other flowers, and remove all faded flowers and 

 set everything that may be out of place in proper trim, for neat- 

 ness and compactness add much to the beauty of the flower 

 garden. 



"I cannot think what can be the matter with my Grapes; 

 they were doing well, and all at once they appear to die off." 

 Such are the expressions which have fallen from several of our 

 amateur friends who have a small house or two and do not keep 

 a gardener, but merely have " help " now and then. Neverthe- 

 less their small vineries afford them much pleasure and healthy 

 exercise. From the description given to us of these Grapes we 

 imagined they were scalded, and on inspection found it to be so. 

 The very hot days we have occasionally had without sufficient 

 air having been given early in the morning is the cause of it. 

 With the houses closed up evaporation condenses on the bunches, 

 and the berries become scalded. The only remedy now is to 

 cut out all such with a pair of Gripe scissors. Regulate the 

 growths in these small houses, and do not let them become over- 

 crowded or the wood will not ripen. 



The work in the kitchen garden will principally be keeping 

 down weeds and taking and storing Potatoes as they ripen, 

 filling all ground as it becomes vacant with Coleworts, or sowing 

 Turnips thereon if required. A sowing of Prickly or Winter 

 Spinach should be made, and if Carrots are short a sowing of 

 Early Horn or James's Intermediate will be found very useful 

 for pulling while young. Celery will require attention ; plenty 

 ot both clear and manure water is beneficial in promoting rapid 

 growth. Some of the earlier-planted rows will require earthing. 

 Tomatoes growing either in open beds or on walls must have the 

 shootB stopped and thinned out. It is surprising how much 

 more readily the fruit sets after all growths above the clusters 



