452 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ June 5, 1884. 
the labour that is really needed. There is no necessity for half 
the plant-sponging now practised in gardens, if only some 
reliable insecticide were judiciously employed. 
There is no insecticide capable of cleaning plants thoroughly 
of scale and bug by one application without injury to the plants, 
not even petroleum, which is the most effectual insect-killer. 
If petroleum be used, say at the rate of 1 oz. to the gallon of 
water, well mixed in the way described so many times in these 
pages, this solution will kill scale and bug if the plants are 
thoroughly syringed. Bug is the most difficult to destroy, because 
whatever solutionis used it runs off the insects, and they can only 
be destroyed by syringing thesolution upon them with force. With 
the greatest care in syringing the plants over a vessel containing 
the wash some will be left, and also the old brown scale that 
forms the covering to the next generation. Suppose the house 
is filled with Gardenias. Every plant must be done, and then the 
house well syi'inged with the same solution or a little stronger. 
After syringing with petroleum and water it is necessary to 
shade the plants from the sun until the oil has evaporated. It 
must be understood that the plants are not to be allowed to be 
badly infested again before they are syringed the second time. 
On the contrary, directly young insects are visible, whether bug 
or scale, they should be thoroughly attended to. This should be 
repeated until the whole are destroyed. It may be necessary to 
syringe the plants half a dozen times at intervals of a few weeks, 
but it is better to do this and have the plants and houses clean 
than to be sponging them for years. If the stove contains a 
mixed collection of plants, the Ferns or any other tender-foliaged 
plants that will not bear such a strong solution should be 
placed by themselves and given a weaker solution, but every 
plant that will bear it should be treated the same as the 
Gardenias. 
To show that the system recommended will prove effectual if 
properly applied and followed up from time to time as the insects 
appear, my method of clearing a vinery from mealy bug may be 
briefly related. After the fruit was cut the Vines were syringed 
with a mixture of petroleum and water, at the rate of 1|- oz. 
of oil to the gallon of water, every part of the house as well as 
the Vines being thoroughly soaked. This operation was re¬ 
peated four times, the last after the Vines were pruned, and 
this season, so far, we have not found a trace of bug. From 
this treatment, however, Orchids must be exempted. 
Petroleum may not prove the safest insecticide in the hands 
of the inexperienced, for if not applied with caution irre- 
parable injury might result. Fir-tree oil is a reliable insecti¬ 
cide, and if used at the rate recommended by the makers it 
will effect the same result as the petroleum. There are other 
good mixtures sold for the purpose which are preferred by some 
people, and if used on the same principle will effect the de¬ 
struction of such pests that infest our plants. 
The softsoap mixture as a preventive against mildew on 
Roses, recommended by me frequently in these pages, is in¬ 
effectual if the plants are allowed to become infested before it 
is applied, but if used when the plants are clean they are 
easily kept clean with fine dark glossy foliage. It is exactly 
the same with stove plants when they are badly infested. They 
require constant attention and strong measures to clean them; 
but when once clean, weak solutions applied occasionally or daily, 
mixed with the water when syringing the plants, will act as a 
good preventive.—N. G. 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
June is generally a satisfactory month in the kitchen garden, as work 
is not very pressing, and valuable returns for winter and spring expendi¬ 
ture are forthcoming in the form of many delicious young vegetables. We 
have now plenty of new Potatoes, Peas, Cabbage, Turnips, Carrots, Globe 
Artichokes. Asparagus, &c., with an abundance of all kinds of salading, and 
these never fail to give satisfaction in the kitchen at this season. The 
supply, however, must not be temporary where the demand is constant, 
and operations of sowing, planting, and cultivating must go on unceasingly. 
Runner Beam .—Earth up those now well above the soil, and then stake 
them. Stakes are not always readily obtained. They ought to be from 
6 feet to 8 feet high, but where such cannot be had shorter ones must do, 
and these may be 3 feet or so. In their case the runners may be topped 
when they reach the proper height, continuing the process as often as is 
needed. Sow another row to succeed those put in some time ago. The 
only way of securing a good supply of pods until November is to sow in 
succession until the end of June. 
Broad Beans .—The earliest of these are now nearly ready, and in 
cases where they are behind the tops should be nipped out of every stem 
above a few of the clusters of flowers. This will make them pod imme¬ 
diately, and any which show a disposition to become too tall or top-heavy 
should be treated in like manner. Sow a succession of any free-bearing 
sort. Strong rich soil is the most suitable for them. 
Earthing-up Celery .—Where the early plants are growing fast and 
assuming large proportions they should be earthed-up. This operation 
cannot be too carefully performed. If the soil is allowed to go into the 
centres of the plants at the first earthing they will be spoiled. To begin 
with, the smallest of the outside leaves which cluster round the bottom 
of each plant should be drawn off, then a piece of matting tied round each 
plant will hold it together until the soil is put round, when the tie can be 
taken off again. The earth should not be thrown roughly against the 
plants, but broken up very fine, pressing it against the plants with the 
hands. A depth of 4 inches is generally enough to place against them at 
one time. Sow a pinch of Celery seed in a favourable spot in the open to 
supply plants for a late batch. Water all Celery copiously in very dry 
weather. 
Radish .—Sow in the coolest corner of the garden. Too thick sowing 
is a great and common mistake with Radishes. When the plants are so 
close to each other three parts of them have no room to develope, and they 
are consequently lost. Avoid this. 
Spring Cabbages which have been cut may be treated in two ways. 
One is to allow them to remain, and in six weeks or two months they will 
have formed many useful side heads ; the other is to pull the stumps up 
and occupy the ground with another crop. Both ways are good, and we 
leave cultivators to choose between them. 
Onions. —Autumn-sown Tripolis and others which are showing flower 
stems should have these pinched off. They will then bulb more freely, and 
although they may not become so large as those which have not “ bolted ” 
they will prove useful, and should be pulled up first, leaving the best 
plants to make large bulbs. Where spring-sown Onions have failed here 
and there in the rows thin them out from the parts where they are growing 
close, and make up the blanks in the rows. If this is done when the soil 
is wet or on a wet day there is no danger of any failing to grow. Last 
year some of our best bulbs in the autumn were the produce of plants 
dibbled in during the latter part of May and early in June. 
Globe Artichokes .—As the heads of these become large enough for use 
cut them at once, as they lose their value when old, and, worse still, they 
hinder the young heads from swelling so freely as they would do if not 
checked. 
Tomatoes recently planted in the open should have plenty of clean 
water when the weather is dry. Stop all side shoots, and keep the main 
stem constantly secured to the wall or trellis. 
When rain occurs take the favourable opportunity of planting out 
Broccoli, Savoys, Brussels Sprouts, &c. Throughout the season look out 
for any vegetable showing a distinct type and improved form. Mark it 
and save for seed. Hand-weed between and amongst close-growing 
seedlings and hoe the open spaces. 
ERUIT FORCING. 
Vines. —Early Forced House .—When the early Vines have been 
cleared of the fruit afford a thorough supply of tepid liquid manure to the 
inside borders, and syringe daily thoroughly until the foliage is cleansed 
from all accumulations of dust and insects. The ventilators may remain 
constantly open. When the Vines commence making fresh laterals main¬ 
tain an even growth by pinching out the points of those laterals that grow 
too vigorously, and so prevent their depriving the weak parts of the 
nutriment essential to the proper development of the buds that are to 
give next year’s crop. 
Houses Kith Ripe Fruit .—Keep cool, ventilating freely, and a double 
thickness of herring nets placed over the roof lights will do much to keep 
Hamburghs from losing colour, as they often do when exposed to powerful 
sun over a lengthened period. Keep the laterals closely pinched, not 
allowing them to crowd the principal foliage, which it is important to keep 
clean and healthy to the last. A moderate amount of moisture in the house 
will not injure the Grapes at this season, and is absolutely essential for the 
benefit of the foliage; hence the borders and other available surfaces may 
be sprinkled in the morning of fine days, and with proper ventilation there 
will not be any damage from the moisture to the Grapes. 
Houses with the Grapes Ripening .—When the Grapes commence 
colouring, both the outside and inside borders should be given a thorough 
soaking with tepid liquid manure, then mulched with short manure, and 
this will be sufficient in most instances to carry the fruit to maturity. If 
the weather be wet it will not, of course, be necessary to water the outside 
border. Keep a good moisture in the house by damping available surfaces 
in the morning, and again in the afternoon if the weather be bright, as the 
Grapes swell considerably in ripening, and keep a gentle warmth in the 
pipes so as to admit of a circulation of air constantly. A temperature of 
80° to 85° should be secured during the day with sun, and 70° to 75° 
without, allowing the temperature to fall to 65° (or even to 60° if the Vines 
are carrying heavy crops) through the night. As the Grapes advance in 
ripening lessen the atmospheric moisture, but avoid a parchingly dry atmo¬ 
sphere, or the foliage will be seriously damaged to the prejudice of next 
year’s crop. 
Vines Smelling oft their Crops .—Allow as much extension of the 
laterals as the space admits without crowding the principal foliage, and 
