156 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ August 23, 1864. 



refuse to give me your opinion and advice as to the circum- 

 stances I have laid before you. — J. M. 



[Tou seem to have acted very stupidly by so repeatedly 

 leaving the gate open, and very foolishly in leaving a very 

 kind and indulgent master.] 



WOEK FOE THE WEEK. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



Attend to seedling and newly-planted crops with water, 

 and look over our former directions as to bringing up any 

 arrears which, more or less, generally occur at this season. 

 Keep a sharp look-out for the larva? or grubs of a species of 

 cockchafer, which at this season do considerable injury to 

 newly-planted crops by eating off their roots. Carrots and 

 slices of Mangolds may be stuck in the ground, when the 

 insects will attack them and may be destroyed. Cabbages, 

 no further delay should be allowed in sowing for a main 

 crop. Celery, attend to the earthing, and when the attacks 

 of slugs are apprehended, dust in lime about the plants 

 before closing the earth around them. Herbs, collect them 

 for drying, and on no account allow vegetable seeds to re- 

 main exposed after maturity on the parent plant. Lettuce, 

 Brown Cos and hardy Cabbage should be sown for spring 

 use ; prepare a piece of ground in a sheltered situation, 

 and plant out that sown last month. Onions, lay the tops ; 

 in cases where the crop is affected with mildew, ripen the 

 bulbs as soon as possible, and select the worst for early use. 

 Spinach, sow for late winter use. 



FRUIT GARDEN. 



Crevices formed between the soil and walls are the 

 favourite lodgments of numerous insects ; therefore, at this 

 season the soil adjoining walls should be frequently dis- 

 turbed. A shallow trench may be taken out all along, and 

 as this is being proceeded with, the soil adhering to the 

 bricks should be removed with a hard broom. The portion 

 of the wall thus exposecLphould be sprinkled with lime water, 

 to be used the instant it is made. Remove all superfluous 

 shoots from wall trees, and expose the fruit of Peaches and 

 Nectarines ; but this must not be done by cutting off the 

 foliage. If the foliage in any case is overcrowded the remedy 

 must consist in the proper regulation of the shoots. Place 

 dry bean stalks, cut in lengths of about 6 inches, among the 

 branches, and by that means most of the earwigs may be 

 caught before the fruit becomes ripe. Spread short grass 

 or other soft litter beneath Peach and Pear trees to receive 

 chance-falling fruit. Cut out the old wood from Raspberry 

 plants, leaving only about six of the strongest shoots of this 

 year's growth. 



FLOWER GARDEN. 



Look over rock plants, pruning back any that are over- 

 growing choice kinds, in order to give them sufficient time 

 to break before winter. Cuttings of choice plants, such as 

 Saponaria ocymoides, Onosma taurica, Linaria alpina, Phlox 

 setacea, &c, should now be put in for planting out in spring. 

 Keep such plants cut back as have a tendency to overgrow 

 Box or other edgings. Peg down a few shoots of Chrysanthe- 

 mums for layering in small pots. Petunias and other bed- 

 ding plants of gross habit should have pruning betimes to 

 keep them within bounds. Root a good stock of Maurandyas, 

 Lophospermums, Ivy-leaved Geraniums, and other climbers 

 that add so much to the beauty of the flower garden. There 

 is no grower who is in the least degree conversant with the 

 cultivation of the Rose but knows that an abundant supply 

 of stimulating materials should be applied to the autumnal- 

 flowering varieties to have these in perfection during the 

 next two months. Without applying manure water in large 

 quantities there will be nothing but disappointment this 

 season. We would, therefore, urge the necessity of stirring 

 the soil about the roots of the Noisette, China, Tea-scented 

 China, Bourbon, and Perpetual varieties, and when this 

 operation is finished give the trees a good soaking with 

 water strongly impregnated with night soil, or with drain- 

 ings from the dunghill j an abundant, strong, and healthy 

 bloom will be the reward, and the plants themselves will con- 

 tinue for a greater number of years to throw up continually 

 an abundant s upply of blooms. Thanks are due to Mr. Mechi 

 for proving on a large scale the advantages which vegetables 

 derive from the application of manure in a liquid form. 



From a long experience on a small scale, but with the ad- 

 vantage of a much wider range of subjects, we can con- 

 fidently affirm that he is right. When once the sewage 

 water of towns can be brought economically to the surround- 

 ing lands and market gardens, a great improvement both in 

 the quantity and quality of vegetables will be insured. 



GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. 



The time has now arrived when plants intended to afford 

 a floral display under glass during autumn and winter must 

 have attention. Let Begonias have another shift, if not already • 

 in pots sufficiently large. Keep the plants thin that their 

 foliage may be preserved from injury. Crowea saligna and 

 Plumbago capensis are both valuable autumn-blooming 

 plants, and the latter furnishes large supplies of cut flowers. 

 Attend, to Chrysanthemums, water freely with liquid manure. 

 The earliest winter-flowering Heaths and Epacrises must 

 soon be placed under glass, as it will forward their blooming. 

 Where Camellias, Chinese Azaleas and the hybrid Indian 

 Rhododendrons were not potted in the spring, and require 

 shifting, the present will be the most favourable time, as the 

 young wood is now becoming somewhat firm, and the flower- 

 buds are perceptible. As this class of plants require water 

 very liberally during their period of growth, drain the pots 

 well, and use very turfy peat and sand, adding an equal 

 portion of fibrous loam for the Camellias. Plants of Brug- 

 mansia, whose period of blossoming has passed, may be 

 closely pruned. If drenching rains occur, any tender plants 

 which are likely to suffer damage should be taken in-doors 

 again ; there is no occasion to house the whole stock at once. 

 Plants impatient of moisture should not be kept out too long, 

 the solar heat will soon become much diminished and the 

 nightB are lengthening, and, of course, evaporation will pro- 

 ceed at a slower pace. 



STOVE. 



Plenty of moisture to the atmosphere, and plenty of air 

 are still the essentials, increasing the ventilation progres- 

 sively as the plants approach towards the next period, and 

 inuring them to much more sunlight in a similar ratio, at 

 least those which have made a strong and early growth; 

 shading will, of course, be dispensed with, except in case of 

 bright sunshine during the middle of the day. Pay every 

 attention to such superior stove plants as AHamandas, Dipla- 

 denias, Stephanotis, Echites, Euphorbias, Luculia, &c. 



PITS AND FRAMES. 



Some of the first-struck cuttings will now be fit for pot- 

 ting-off; place them in a pit or frame, shade and keep them 

 close until they are well rooted, when they should be set out 

 to harden previous to being stored for the winter. Continue 

 to put in cuttings, more particularly the best kinds of bed- 

 ding Pelargoniums, which ought to be struck as soon as 

 possible. W. Keane. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST WEEK. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



Still a burning sun and no water ; and we have, therefore, 

 been obliged to suspend all planting operations. Left yellow- 

 haulmed Peas full of produce, that they might shade Cauli- 

 flowers and other crops. Shaded slightly what little we 

 attempted to plant or sow, and worked a Dutch hoe over 

 the whole surface of the ground, alike to cut up incipient 

 weeds and keep moisture from evaporating. Gave a little 

 water, and only a little, to beds of Endive, Lettuces, Cab- 

 bages, Chicory, &c. If this weather continue we expect we 

 must fall back on Chicory and Dandelions for winter salad. 

 We have put down in our memory some outlying comers by 

 the sides of roads where the Dandelion is plentiful, in case 

 it might be needed. With earth like kiln-dried dust, and 

 water driven a long distance for the supply of cattle, it is 

 vain to expect any for the kitchen garden. We fear that pot 

 plants will also have to go to the wall. 



FRUIT GARDEN. 



General operations much the same as the last. Wasps are 

 now exceedingly troublesome, clearing off netted pieces of 

 Gooseberries, and attacking Peaches, Nectarines, Plums, 

 &c, in the orchard-house. They have come in on us sud- 

 denly like a flood, and are much smaller in size than we ever 

 recollect seeing them before. In the spring of this year we 

 never saw so many, so strong, and so wild, the wildness pre- 



