February 19, 1885. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER . 
159 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
The soil for the reception of seeds should now be in good order, as 
sowing time will soon be here. Trenching and rough digging must be 
finished as soon as possible. Manure, wheeling and digging it in can also 
be pushe 1 forward. All vacant space should be prepared for cropping. 
Where winter crops occupy the ground let those quarters remain for late 
crops if possible. When the soil under crops is in good order, the early 
preparation is not important, as it may be turned over the day before 
sowing or planting, and the crops will generally be found to do well. 
For instance, just now we have much ground under winter Spinach 
which wc cannot dispense with yet, but by-and-by it will be dug, and 
Potatoes will be planted. Where kitchen gardens have been well worked 
much may be done in this way. We always find crops succeed in newly 
dug ground, as it is mellow and not beaten down by the weather. Collect 
all old refuse, wood ashes, sand, &c., and keep it under cover to place over 
the seeds. A quantity of soot may be mixed with it, and this will be 
found of much advantage to Carrots, Onions, and all plants liable to be 
destroyed by grubs. 
Parsley. —A little of this should be sown for a first crop. Lime the 
ground first and sow thinly in drills 15 inches apart. A rich soil is 
necessary to produce fine growth. Old Parsley plants are now showing 
signs of failing, but will give a supply until the seedlings come in. 
Remove all decayed leaves, spread some old Mushroom manure about the 
plants as well as a sprinkling of soot, and fork this in. The plants will 
soon renew their growth and be very useful a few weeks hence. 
Horseradish. —Where plantations of this have been in the same 
position for some years the roots will have decreased in size. Lift them 
all. Throw away the smallest, but select the strong pieces and dibble 
them into good fresh soil with a distance of 2 feet from row to row and 
1 foot between the plants. 
Cauliflower Plants. —Those wintered in frames and recently exposed 
to the weather may now be planted out. Give them very rich soil. Form 
trenches 6 inches deep, 2| feet apart, and place the plants in these 
about 18 inches apart. Lift them with good roots, and they will receive 
no check. Sow a pinch of seed in a sheltered spot of Veitch’s Extra 
Early variety, Sutton’s King and Autumn Giant. 
Lettuce. —Plants wintered under protection should be put out. The 
base of a wall is a good position for early ones. In shifting them keep 
the roots from harm and give them good soil. Sow seed of Early Paris 
Market and Jefferies’ Little Queen along with the Cauliflowers named 
above. 
Second Early Peas. —Telegraph, Wordsley Wonder, Gladiator, Strata¬ 
gem, and Paragon may be sown before February is over. Give them good 
soil and a warm situation, as they will come in at a time when Pea3 are 
in great demand. Draw earth up to the sides of those through the 
ground and stake them before they are far advanced, as this will afford 
them very acceptable shelter. 
Sgnnach. —Seed may be sown between the rows of Peas and Rasp¬ 
berries, or in any sheltered position. Open the drills 2 inches deep and 
sow thinly, cover with the mixture spoken of above, and fine tender 
Spinach will be had in quantity before other spring vegetables are in. 
Spring Cabbages. —These are now in very satisfactory condition and 
promise well. Earth up all the rows which have not had this attention. 
Place out more plants from the store bed where the supply is likely to 
be defic'ent, and sow a quantity of seed of the All Heart variety. Last 
year’s plants, which gave a supply of heads, and were left in to produce 
sprout®, are now very useful. The young tops have folded in a little, 
and when boiled are tender and sweet. They should not be thrown 
away until others are in. 
Autumn-sown Onions. —Where these are large and crowded in the 
seed rows thin them, and plant those taken up in good soil 6 inches apart 
in rows 1 foot asunder. A crop of Onions can never have too much 
attention in spring, as when the previous season’s bulbs are over those 
now under notice are mo3t valuable. 
Turnips. —Seed of the Early M lan variety can be sown on a south 
border, but not extensively, as it is rather early to deal with this crop 
successfully. Early Turnips are so very useful that it is always worth 
while risking an early sowing at this time. 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Figs. — Early Trees in Pots. —The fruit will now be approaching the 
most critical stage, when any check given will be likely to cause the fruit 
to fall, hence great care must be exercised in the management of the roo's. 
The roots having taken possession of the fresh compost advised to be 
given in a former calendar, it will be necessary to place rims of zinc or 
lead abont 4 inches deep inside the pots to admit of fresh mulching being 
given and for holding water in sufficient quantity, also affording liberal 
suppbes of lbu : l manure in a tepid state. Syrin£e twice a day when the 
weather is 'Tm, tikin cire t) w.t eve T y part of ihe wood and foliage, 
otherwise red spider may appear after so much sharp firing, and prevention 
is always better than cure. On dull cold days a thorough damping of the 
walls and other available surfaces may be substituted for the afternoon 
syringing, as the foliage should be fairly dry before nightfall. Stop all 
the side shoots and thin useless spray where the trees have attained their 
full size, but allow the terminal shoots to extend if space will admit, 
without producing too much shade or overcrowding. Turn tbe ferment¬ 
ing materials, and add a few fresh leaves to maintain the heat at 75°; but 
iu turning care must be taken not to injure the roots that have found 
their way into the fermenting material. Let the night temperature range 
from 55° to 65°, with an increase of 10° to 15° by day, giving a little air at 
70°, and let 80° to 85° be the maximum from sun heat. 
Succession House. —Trees established in borders started early in 
January will require disbudding and stopping—the side shoots at the fifth 
or sixth joint, tbe leading shoots being allowed to extend to the extremity 
of the trellis without stopping, as these invai-iably give fine highly 
flavoured fruits. These young shoots should not be tied in too clo?ely, as 
Figs when growing in light favourable positions invariably set an abund¬ 
ance of second crop fruits on sliort-jointed wood. Keep the inside borders 
well mulched and watered, having the top-dressing constantly moist to 
encourage surface roots. Syringe twice a day in fine weather, damping 
available surfaces only in dull weather. Allow the night temperature to 
range from 55° to 60°, or a little more on mild nights, 70° to 75° by day 
from fire beat, and 80° to 85° after closing on bright afternoons. 
Late Houses. —Complete the pruning and cleansing without delay. In 
the pruning of late houses, from which only one crop of Figs can be satis¬ 
factorily obtained, a little extra thinning will admit of an even spread of 
foliage without overcrowding or retarding the ripening of the fruit, and 
the young shoots will be firm, short-jointed, and under judicious treatment 
properly ripened before the close of the autumn. 
Peaches and Nectarines. — Earliest House. —Although the weather 
has been milder the temperature has to be kept up by artificial means, 
consequently the fruit is somewhat less advanced than usual. The trees, 
however, are looking well, the roots being established in inside 
borders, and the fruits will advance rapidly when favourable weather 
comes. In the meantime pursue a steady course, maintaining a night 
temperature of 55°, falling 5° on cold nights, 65° by day artificially, and 
10° more from sun heat after closing, a little air being admitted from 65°. 
Disbud according to the growth ; if strong and healthy the whole of the 
foreright shoots may be taken off at once, and many of the side shoots 
on the extensions pinched back to form spurs, especially where there is 
likely to be a scarcity of foliage, always bearing in mind that the last 
break from the base must be retained and have ample room for ex¬ 
tension and full exposure to light. Trees that have started weakly from 
past overcropping or indifferent root-action set freely, in which case no time 
should be lost in the removal of the least promising fruit from the lower 
side of the branches or shoots where the thinning of the blossom has been 
neglected, and to improve the condition of the trees syringe the paths and 
every available surface other than the trees with tepid clear liquid manure 
after the house is closed in the afternoon, which will soon impart colour 
and strength to the foliage. Syringe freely twice a day on fine days with 
water slightly warmer than the house, but avoid having the foliage wet 
at night. It is advisable to give a little air at 60°, gradually increasing it 
as the temperature rises, but guarding carefully against draughts or 
sudden depressions of temperature. Examine inside borders, and water 
freely when necessary with tepid water until it passes through the drainage, 
which should be perfect, as the Peach delights in abundance of water 
provided it be not stagnant. 
Succession Houses. —Follow the u-ual routine, fumigating thoroughly 
before the first flowers open, and draw the hand down the lower side of 
the shoots where the blossoms are too thick. Water inside borders 
thoroughly if at all dry, and cease syringing when the blossoms expand. 
Maintain, however, a moist condition of the atmosphere by damping the 
paths in the morning and afternoon. Fertilise the flowers every day after 
the pollen becomes ripe when the house is dry and warm. 
Late Houses. —Well ventilate by day and night unless the weather is 
severe, and get the borders properly moistened before the buds swell, or 
many of them will drop. Any tying of the trees to the trellis or other 
work in arrears should be forwarded and brought to a close as soon as 
possible. If dressing has to be done be careful not to disturb the buds. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Eucharis amazonica. —Plants that have flowered and will not be 
required to flower again for some time may now be repotted. It is a good 
plan to repot these plants annually, not all together, but in batches. The 
whole of the old soil should be carefully removed from amongst the root3 
and the plants repotted in fresh, care being taken that the compost used 
for them has been well warmed for some days previous to use in the 
house in which the plants are growing. In potting tbe small bulbs 
should be stripped off, and if it is necessary to increase the stock these 
should be potted by themselves. The pots must be liberally drained ; for 
instance, a pot 12 inches in diameter should be nearly half filled with 
drainage, and others, whether large or small, in the same proportion, for 
the Eucharis is not a deep-rooting plant. The soil should be pressed 
firmly into the pots and the bulbs just covered with soil. If the soil 
used is sufficiently moist when the plants are potted no water will be 
needed before root-action has commenced vigorously. The pots must be 
plunged into cocoa-nut fibre refuse. If the surface of the pots are covered 
it is surprising how quickly the plants form roots, especially if a slight 
