CARTER AND CO.’S GARDENER’S VADE-MECUM FOR 1862. 
77 
The first week in the month sow Early Dutch Turnips in a frame on a gentle hot bed, and at the end of the month a good 
sowing in drills on a border ; use plenty of seed, and scatter soot and ashes over the bed. Sow Spinach twice this month, and 
keep up successional sowings of Radishes and small Saladings ; prick out early-sown Lettuce, and sow more seed. Plant beds 
of Globe Artichokes in soil well trenched and manured, also of Jerusalem Artichokes; they like freshly broken-up ground. 
Plant bods of Asparagus and Sea Kale, and sow seed for a supply of young plants; also plant Horse-radish in deeply 
trenched soil with manure at the bottom. Make fresh beds of Thyme, Mint, Tarragon, Sage, and other herbs ; seeds of ail 
kinds of herbs shoidd be sown immediately. Sow Bush and Sweet Basil on a goutle heat. Begin early in the month the 
planting of early Potatoes, particularly the sprouted ones, and by the end of the month let all the main crops bo got in ; 
stir up the surface amongst all advancing crops. Plant out Cauliflowers and Cabbages from the Autumn beds, also beds of 
Tripoli Onion from the August sowing. Sow also a bed very thickly of Silver-skinned and Early Nocera Onion for picklers ; 
the latter is for this purpose the best ever introduced. Trench up vacant ground. Earth up and slake Teas us they 
advance. Eork over very lightly the Asparagus beds ; a few Radishes may be sown on the surface. 
Fruit Garden. 
Priming and nailing should now be all finished off, and protection applied to Peaches, Nectarines, and Apricots. A few 
branches of Yew or Spruce Fir fastened over the blooms of choice Pears, if they should expand in sharp weather, will be 
of great service to them. By the end of the month the protection may bo partially removed from Eigs. 
Flower Garden. 
All the Autumn stores of bedding-plants must now be potted off .without delay, and the stock continually increased 
by Spring-struck cuttings. Have some turf-pits in readiness for pricking out, at three inches apart, all the Spring-struck 
Verbenas : these pits must have a moveable waterproof covering ; glass is best, but wooden shutters will do. See that Hardy 
Annuals sown in pots last month are getting hardened olf for planting out. Sow Sweet Peas in pots in a gentle heat, to 
be hardened off quickly and planted out for early flowering ; sow the same in the open border for succession. Prick out 
German Ten-week Stocks, and sow more seed. A general sowing of Hardy Annuals ( vide Catalogue) may bo made at the 
end of the month if the borders are ready. Sow also Lawn grasses in showery weather. Plant out seedling Pansies ; top- 
dress Pinks and Carnations ; stir the soil amongst the Tulip, Hyacinth, and Ranunculus beds, and protect them from snails. 
When digging the borders of herbaceous plants, reduce the si/.o of all overgrown specimens, and fill up vacancies from the 
reserve garden. Finish pruning all Roses, manure them well, and replace rotten stakes. Keep grass and gravel well swept 
and rolled. Plant out bulbs of the beautiful varieties of Gladiolus. Throw up a dung bed the last week, for tender Annuals 
early next month. 
Conservatory. 
There will now be so many plants in bloom from other struct ures, that it will not be very difficult to make frequent changes 
in the arrangement of this house, which, besides increasing the interest and attraction, will be of benefit to many of the plants, 
particularly choice hard-wooded specimens, which ought not to remain long in houses of this description, being often built 
more for ornament than use. Soft-wooded plants may generally remain until they have passed their best; but at all times 
avoid overcrowding, and attend especially to keeping the foliage of all plants very clean and healthy. Camellias, Citrous, 
Oranges, and other permanent plants, being now in active growth, must have an abundant supply of water, and a doso of 
liquid manure occasionally ; oiergrown Camellias should be pruned in as soon as the bloom is over. If the wind is very 
cutting, and tender plants from the Stove or Orchid House are introduced, nail some canvas, Shaw’s Tiffany, or Brown’s 
Floral Shading over such of the ventilators as open on the plants. 
Forcing House. 
This structure will still bo very largely drawn upon for the decoration of the Conservatory and Drawing-room. Bring 
forward a further supply of Azaleas, Roses, Rhododendrons, also Weigela rosea, Deutzia gracilis, Forsythia viridissima, 
and Dielytra spectabilis. Continue to bring in Amaryllids as they show for bloom, which they now do pretty freely, and aro 
so ornamental that no placo should be without a collection. A good supply of hardy Ferns should be kept in pots, and brought 
into this house early this month ; they form very beautiful objects, and are useful both for the Conservatory and Drawing- 
room : introduce a few plants of Otahoito Orange for the same purpose. 
Stove. 
The temperature of this house should now range from 00° by night to 80° by day with solar heat, giving ah- liberally when 
it approaches the latter. Shut up early with solar heat, and give a liberal syringing; take care also to keep up a moist 
atmosphere. The first-started lot of Tydea, Aehimenes, Gesnena, and Gloxinia should now be put into their blooming-pots 
and more started for succession. Pot olf the cuttings of Stove plants struck last month ; more may still be put in ; young 
specimen plants must bo shifted as the pots till with roots. Keep all advancing stock growing briskly, and give the softer- 
wooded varieties an occasional dose of liquid manure. Sow Acacia eoccinea and Ipomaia limbata elegantissima, both of 
which are very beautiful. 
Orchid House. 
Plants now starting into growth must have attention paid to the roofs: 6ucli ns are ready may be shifted; others will 
only require to bo top-dressed with fresh lumps of peat. Blocksand baskets should be put in order, or renewed if necessary. 
Insects must be hunted out and extirpated. Shade during bright sun, und give air in order to avoid slackening the fire too 
much. 
Greenhouse. 
All the young specimen hard-wooded plants shifted last month should now be making active growth both at root and 
branch and must be encouraged by a more liberal supply of water and gentle syringing: stop strong shoots, and train 
the plants into the desired shape at once; no after-care will do it, if neglected now. Large blooming plants must not be 
stopped, but encouraged with plenty of water, frequent changes of position, and an abundance of air ; but still beware of 
cutting winds. Epacris which have now done flowering should be well cut back and placed in some rather close structure 
until they have started, when they may have a sliift, if necessary, and the growth gradually hardened. 
