68 



GARDENERS' MAGAZINE 



the foliage. Cut back cytisus as they pass out of flower, and as new growth 

 appears, repot them if necessary, standing the plants in a warm, shady, and moist 

 position for a few weeks, afterwards, gradually hardening them to more sun and 

 a j r> — Richard Parker, Goodwood Gardens. 



THE FLOWER GARDEN. 



By the time these notes appear the supply of flowers of the violets will 

 have become exhausted, and as soon as possible after the plants should be taken up, 

 divided, and replanted. With most varieties there will be an abundance of 

 runners or young plants already formed for making up the new plantations. Any 

 old plants or surplus young ones not required should be planted out in odd 

 corners, or by the sides of woodland paths, the old Czar variety being one of the 

 best for this purpose. For the new plantations, or beds, from which a supply of 

 fine violet flowers are required, a piece of fresh ground should be annually given 

 that has been previously prepared by deep digging, and the incorporation of a 

 good dressing of thoroughly decomposed manure. If newly dug it should be 

 trodden over and made firm before planting. Put the young plants out about a 

 foot apart each way, and if the weather be dry, an occasional watering, and almost 

 daily sprinkling overhead towards evening should be afforded until they are 

 partially established. A mulch of old mushroom bed manure or leaf mould is of 

 much assistance in dry weather, when red spider is liable to attack the foliage if 

 the surface soil is allowed to remain dry for any length of time. Any spare spots 

 near walls, with a south-west or north aspect should also be utilised in order to 

 forward and prolong the supply of flowers as much as possible. Several fine 

 single varieties have been sent out during the past few years, Princess of Wales 

 is a grand variety, very free and a large flower, with la good stout stalk, a decided 

 acquisition. Amiral Avellon and California are also strong-growing varieties, 

 but, as far as my experience goes, not equal to the first-named variety for free 

 blooming and sweetness combined. Wellsiana and the Czar should also be grown, 

 while Rawson's White is the best single of that colour. The double varieties are 

 not so generally grown and flowered outside, but during the past few winters 

 plants have stood the weather fairly well, and flowered freely. New beds of lily 

 of the valley may yet be made up, the crowns being somewhat late in starting this 

 season. Where these have become thick and matted together, so that small 

 flowers spikes result, they should be lifted, the crowns sorted over, planting the 

 smaller by themselves, if required. The site of the new beds should have been 

 trenched and manured freely, as a frequent renewal is not necessary. The 

 selected crowns should be planted in sloping drills, chopped out with a spade, 

 about four inches apart, allowing about half the space in the row, press the soil 

 firmly against the crowns, which should be kept just under the surface, and after- 

 wards give a slight mulch of old mushroom bed or similar short manure. West 

 and north borders are the best adapted for lily of the valley culture, those on the 

 north aspect forming a succession to the others. 



During this and the coming month the planting of aquatic plants, as water 

 lilies and similar subjects, is best carried out. Considerable attention has been 

 given this style of gardening the past few years, partly caused by the introduction 

 of the fine varieties of nymphiea, by the French raiser, M. Latour Marliac. 

 These are quite hardy, and may be trusted to withstand our most severe winters. 

 With the addition of the bright-coloured ; varieties of this raiser, including purple, 

 rose and pink in various shades, also sulphur yellow, a good choice in colour is 

 now obtain ible, and where the necessary depth of water can be obtained, these 

 may be added at a moderate cost. Where the pond water is from two to four feet 

 deep is a suitable position, with a deposit of mud a few inches in depth. The 

 best method for starting their cultivation is to plant the roots in shallow baskets 

 containing about a bushel or more of soil, consisting of fibrous loam and one 

 third leaf-mould mixed together. The roots may be fastened in with wire or 

 string and before submerging the basket lay a few stones over the surface of the 

 soil. It is almost useless planting where swans are kept, as they pull off the 

 young leaves and otherwise destroy the plants ; water rats are also sometimes 

 troublesome. The pruning and planting of roses and shrubs, should ere now 

 nave been completed, and plants of the former may with advantage be given a 

 mulch of half-rotten manure. The hardening off of bedding stuff should receive 

 due attention. I elargonuims may with safety be transferred to cold pits, or skeleton 

 frames, and be given temporary protection when necessary. Where small plants of 

 golden pyrethrum are required for edging or carpet bedding, seeds should be sown 

 thinly now in frames on a slight hotbed. The planting of the main batch of 

 gladioli should be completed forthwith, the corms deteriorate if kept later out of 

 the ground. Beds or borders filled with carnations may have gladioli planted 

 between them, to flower after the former are out of bloom, they will be of little 



ZZT\ CUCe thC ,a u yeriDg ° f the «™*i«s. Bare spots on lawns may be 

 £ dur,D *> bowery weather, by sowing grass seeds in suitable mixiure, 

 adding a little fine soil after, and pressing firm with a moderately heavy roller.— C 

 i lEKRiN, Dropmore Gardens. 



HARDY FRUITS. 



Strang 



soon rEZi f « nec **ary 5 for instance, a shallow soil resting on gravel is so 

 soon drained of moisture that it needs earlier supplies than some think, and in 

 Z« S a PP llca , tlon wo uId prevent loss of fruit by dropping. At the time 



WC ^ SlU1 ^ rainfall, a/d having a thin 



lCi Ii nece . ssar y to g» v * newly-planted trees, under walls with a 



»,«£. P r S l SeVeraI water,n g s 5 these trees were planted late, and we cave 

 3£fS«S: ^r™ 1 the ^ sh »^lling. One thorough waging U better 

 reuin^ he ioiT if » mulch of short manure is given, as this 



by th e S 2SS2?£fS Pr0tnC T neW r00t action - Not onI y do wa » « ees benefit 

 from dZ„' S&T* £ OSC ln the °P en als °. ^ their roots will not then suffer 



from drying winds. „ ls necessary 



•* •/ »~ r aiu uvut nets auituuw to prevent 



, and a mulch now will benefit such. I am not in favour 



season 



the roots going too 



Alter the severe m\+* ^ . ww u,v " c "lmiguou at mis season, 



the su Ppo £ aS S ZoZ S^T* ° f ,atC ' I WiU * neCCSSary t0 aUend l ° 

 opening on wall trees, we ^ r • f° me * e ^ S P revlous to the flowers 



for further protection, but if pruning has been delayed 't ' 

 completed. With an ample supply 0 f young shoots there Ju k t0 ^ the work 

 and it is well to lay in the new wood wherever tvw«m to ° mu ch wood 



growths, which often make many weak shoots that Ih?? 10 ^^ the °H X 

 Some of the loneest and naked branch^ .i,™,^ u. n . at undul y crowd th. 



fruiting shoots, as the leafage is large andThTwood^oon 6 ^! v ^ l T een str «* 

 old trees there will be a need of thinning out some of ? thl f u Shaded w * 

 prevent crowding, as the best fruits will be produced on wellm? W ? k shoots to 

 year and not on the small weak spray growth, Sucker 5 edw °°d of last 

 should be removed, though at times it may be well to sec gt0W at the tase 

 to replace a poor leader. Now is a good time to plant hV fr^ a well 'P Iac «i one 

 such should not (be too forward. Few varieties »~ . ° U 0pen walk . but 

 Marseilles, Brunswick, and Brown Turkey ; many prefer th^wf tbe ^ 

 depends upon the locality. Near the south coast the fig tree dSa a? • mach 

 open, especially the Brunswick, but for walls I find Brown Turk™ g ™- Z m ^ 

 able ; whatever variety is grown, guard against a rich *oil or manures^/ 

 or grossness will result P igs succeed best in chalky soils, and where -ha k c2 

 be given I have found a liberal quantity of old morrar rnKKi^ • j ' , cannot 



C tr„nrr U m onrl a lih^l „,™.iJ„f JUL / Ubble a ^ With fkiriy 



'St ; for enriching 



or clayey well drain the same, but make the portion '^hll'oo^ hJSjS 

 sible to Drevent them soma downward • this run u j™„ t_ .i u«u«,ng§ 



poor 



y 1 7 . ' — <".ica i» agooa com 

 freely in preference to animal manure. 



sible to prevent them going downward ; this can be done by thoiouriifc™™ 

 the materials used for drainage. If the trees have been groK pof \ S ^ 

 necessary to spread the roots out, as with pot trees there is a tendency'for rooLto 

 go downwards, and this must be avoided. Mulch after planting, and give WoU 

 moisture in dry weather.— G. Wythes, Syon Gardens. S P 



Vegetables for e 



RADISHE5. 



The difference between a properly and badly grown radish {Rap/nmus 

 sativus) is most apparent. When radishes are well cultivated and 

 brought to the table at the right time they are generally liked, while they 

 make a wholesome and refreshing salad during spring and summer. On 

 the contrary, radishes that are produced on poor soil are a long time 

 growing, and so become indigestible and scarcely fit for human food. To 

 produce radishes of the best quality at all times the ground should be 

 moderately rich, deeply dug or trenched ; that which has been manured 

 heavily the previous season is best, and the crop at no time should be 

 allowed to suffer for want of water. The earliest supplies should be pro- 

 duced on gentle hotbeds when a constant supply is required, and should 

 be sown in small quantities about every ten days ; we practise sowing 

 some each time when planting potatos or sowing carrots in pits and 

 frames, scattering the seed thinly broadcast after the potatos are planted, 

 and in the case of carrots drilling between the rows. These will lie 

 ready before the potatos require to be earthed up, and do no harm to the 

 carrots. For a succession, turf pits, skeleton or cold frames, where they 

 can be easily protected against frost, are suitable, after which warm, 

 snug parts of the garden will suffice. It is surprising what large 

 quantities are cultivated by our market gardeners and the ready sale 

 they find for them, especially when produced early in the season, when 

 they are most remunerative. I am well acquainted with one man who 

 depends chiefly on this crop for a living, and he is generally first in one of 

 our large markets ; he commences to sow as early in the year as the 

 weather will permit, protecting the seed with straw until the young 

 seedlings are above the ground, after which, in the event of a sharp spefl 

 of frosty weather, pea-sticks are laid over them, and a thin layer of straw 

 on these, the whole being carefully removed on all favourable occasions, 

 and only very rarely are these early sowings a failure. 



During the hottest part of the summer, when radishes are often wanted, 

 some little difficulty will be experienced in producing them fresh »» 

 good unless grown in a shadv cool part of the garden. A north oi ^nonn- 

 east border is a capital site 'for growing them during July and Augusj 

 If sown about every ten days through the spring and summer, and wjj 

 well supplied with water, little trouble will be found in keeping up* 

 constant supply. The seed may either be sown broadcast oi dniieu- - 

 former I prefer. The seed in either case should not be sown jJjKJJg 

 not only is this a waste of seed, but good radishes cannot be grown •< 

 overcrowded. Small beds should be marked out, and the tm ■ £ 

 buried with the rake, and protected thoroughly against birds, w ^ 

 now many excellent kinds in the market, including long w 

 turnip-shaped varieties well adapted either for Arcing or c« ^ 

 cultivation. But the two kinds I recommend for general cu mai 

 Wood's Frame for early use, and French Breakfast for later sun— 

 both old but first-rate varieties. .. J. ^fokei 



what are thus benefited • hk™?^ and rain water ' M there are { ™ fruits but '"T? Z qU ' te , y ° Ung > and f °?" ? 

 time. I am adverse to 



. 'nis with a mulch now keeps matters right for a long ana .t'ea up neatly, the long kinds 



some short strawy manure whi^ .^quantities of material over the roots, but t " rn ,'P , sorts » round bunches ; abot 



a pleasing feature. At all times and for all purposes radisn i 

 pul ed when quite young, and for exhibition should be thoroug 

 and tied up neatlv. the lnno kinds in fan-shaped_ ana u . 



washed 



3 



strawy man« 



sandy soils SwrrTanureflf^ partiall' v T Tf*^ 

 it greatly. »- «• ■ ' partially dried, is an t 



In heavy lands such aids 

 ay be used for surface dresTbgV 



Trees on sloping banks 



'» and in 

 trees like 



turnip sorts in round bunches ; about twel 

 of the latter make suitable-sized bunches, 

 in pieces of damp muslin during transit. 



For winter use 



ptbj 

 van*? 



posu 

 nei 



necessity 



ghboarhood we have had no fi^TZ? laSt . autumn 



^ early* 

 jbe 



August in drills one foot apart, and thinned toeight inuies^ ^ ^ 

 i° U _ ld , be taken . U P early in November and . ttored^sax 



can 



king for these, but personally I do 



House 



