460 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ June 12, 1884. 
crops, are watered at all they should receive a thorough 
soaking, as driblets do more harm than good. 
It would appear needless to remark that watering is 
unnecessary during wet weather; but if we wait till the 
ground becomes very dry, this happening in some cases 
directly hot weather sets in, the chances are we shall he too 
late, the ground, especially about gross-feeding plants, having 
become too dry to be easily moistened again. Supply water, 
therefore, before the ground is very dry, especially if liquid 
manure is available, this being best applied during showery 
weather. This watering should be followed by a mulching 
of any available rough litter or manure. 
Owing to the mildness of the winter and accompanying 
heavy and frequent rains the ground is become what is 
expressively termed “unkindly”—that is to say, it does not 
separate so freely as it does after being well pulverised by 
the action of frosts, cold drying winds, and rains. We had 
April weather in March, and that also militated against 
those especially who, like myself, have to manage cold heavy 
land. As a consequence the ground binds and cracks badly 
during hot dry weather, and this must be anticipated both 
by frequent surface-hoeings and where possible by mulchings. 
Manure and litter are not available everywhere; but 
there are substitutes, such as the grass from the mowing 
machine and trimmings, while even a little fine dry soil 
spread over the surface of seed beds after rain will serve to 
check rapid evaporation and consequent cracking. Flower 
beds especially are better for being mulched rather than 
heavily watered almost daily. The soil about the plants 
should be levelled after a heavy rain has fallen or a good 
watering given, and a mulching of leaf soil, cocoa-nut fibre, 
peaty soil, or short grass be given. The beds of Roses also 
should be mulched, nothing being better for the purpose than 
manure from the piggeries, this being faced with straw, or, if 
preferred, covered with a little loose soil. The month of 
May has been unusually hot and dry, and those who have 
already mulched different trees and shrubs newly moved, 
fruit and vegetable crops, may have cause to be thankful for 
their foresight, and will now reap the greatest amount of 
benefit from the refreshing rains.—W. Iggulden. 
CELERY CULTURE. 
It is generally admitted that Celery is one of the most important 
of all our autumn and winter vegetable crops, and to have it in 
sufficient quantity and in perfection should be the desire of every 
cultivator. With some it is a difficult crop to grow well, pithy and 
insect-eaten stems taking the place of sound and clean produce ; but 
in many cases this is the fault of the cultivator, and may generally 
be rectified at the time of preparing the trenches and in after culture. 
I have often had soft Celery, but I was never satisfied with it, and 
now a pithy stick is a rare exception. Different parts of the garden 
were tried, and it is wonderful how well Celery will sometimes do in 
one part and how badly in another, especially when the soil varies in 
character. When, however, unsuitable soil has to be dealt with, the 
best way is not to run the risk of a failure, but prepare it properly 
before planting. Of all soils for Celery I prefer a light one, and the 
quarter occupied with Celery year after year is the lightest part in the 
garden. Except for exciting root-action, rich soil is not wanted for 
Celery. Iudeed I should be fully satisfied had we only a good bed t) 
plant in, and the surroundings sand or ashes ; then insect injuries and 
loss from damp and decay in winter would be reduced to a minimum. 
A rich plot of soil might be thought a capital place for Celery by 
some, but I am only in favour of the poorest, and would never enrich 
any part of it, excepting in the immediate vicinity of the roots. 
This is a seasonable subject, as now is the time to form trenches 
and plant, and a good mode of dealing with both will be briefly 
detailed. Trenches are frequently formed of various depths, some 
being only a few inches, others a foot or more ; but the best of Celery 
may be grown in trenches about 8 inches in depth, and I would 
prefer having the plants on the level ground rather than in very deep 
trenches. 
No manuring of the land should take place until the trenches 
have been dug out and formed. To dig manure in all over the surface 
of the piece and then make the trenches is a waste of manure and 
labour, but where the soil is heavy it is an excellent plan to spread a 
thick coating of ashes, sand, lime rubbish, or road scrapings on the 
surface, digging and mixing them with the soil deeply. Informing 
the trenches afterwards the whole of this material will get well 
incorporated with the soil, and form a composition of the best 
description for earthing up when the time comes to attend to this 
operation. 
In measuring off the trenches they ought to be cut straight, and 
the space left between them should always be a little more than their 
width. I have grown Celery in single rows and up to as many as six 
rows in a trench, but for convenience I prefer having two rows in 
each trench. To admit these the trenches should be from 15 inches 
to 18 inches wide, and the sides should be beaten firmly with jhe 
back of the spade, as it is not beneficial for the soil to be sliding 
down from the sides of the trenches before required for earthing up. 
As soon as the trenches have been finished manuring should begin. 
I would avoid putting a layer of manure 6 inches, 8 inches, or 
10 inches in thickness. Cow and horse manures are both good for 
Celery, and that from earth closets is best of all ; but in each case 
mix them with wood ashes or sand and add 1 bushel of salt or kainit 
and 2 bushels of soot to each cartload of manure. This should then 
be put into the trenches in a layer of about 4 inches in depth, and 
then dig it in deeply. The soil at the bottom of the trenches will 
not appear very rich, but it will be amply so to produce clean crisp 
Celery of the best flavour and keeping qualities. 
The plants should be lifted with as many roots as possible. By 
attending well to this very few will flower prematurely, as Celery is so 
apt to do. They should be let well into the soil, and immediately 
planting is done, if it does not rain, the bottom of the trench should 
be thoroughly watered. I do not approve of constant watering, but 
one or two good waterings given about once a week until the plants 
have rooted in the soil are sufficient. “ Bolting” through dryness at 
the root is an uncommon occurrence, it more often results from care¬ 
less planting and transferring the plants to the trenches without any 
soil to their roots. Then they are a long time in commencing growth, 
and when they do so it is only to flower and become useless. 
As a rule it is a good plan to make two plantations of Celery, one 
early in June and another about the end of July. The first will be 
excellent in autumn and until the new year. Then the late plantation 
will give an ample supply in the spring months. Some of the latter 
planted last July have not shown signs of seeding yet ; it is tough, 
but does very well for seasoning or stewing. Very early Celery, 
such as any which may be 1 foot or more in height by this time, 
will be useful in August and September ; but much of it will be use¬ 
less before the winter comes, and it must not be depended on for that 
season. 
Large quantities of Celery, especially in small gardens, are often 
ruined through want of being earthed. As a rule it is a bad plan to 
allow it to grow to the full size and then give one earthing. It takes 
a long time to blanch in this way, the plants spreading out and 
falling so much apart that they never become compact afterwards. 
It is undoubtedly best to begin earthing when the plants are from 
10 inches to 1 foot high ; then only about 3 inches of soil should be 
placed round them, and as growth advances the same quantity may 
be added every three or four weeks until the greater part of the stem 
has been covered. I may here remark that it is placing the soil 
against the stems that causes the grubs to begin eating them, and 
this must be avoided. Rich soil almost always contains insects, 
hence the objection to it for earthing purposes. With such sand and 
ashes should be mixed liberally, and at each earthing a quantity of 
soot and salt should be mixed together, and the soil about the plants, 
both before and after earthing, freely dusted with it.— J. Muir. 
NOTES ON ORCHIDS. 
Mr. J. T. Peacock’s Orchids. —An exhibition of great 
beauty and interest is now provided at Sudbury House, Ham¬ 
mersmith, the residence of J. T. Peacock, Esq., who with most 
commendable liberality has adopted this attractive means of 
adding to the funds of the West London Hospital. The large 
and handsome Agave house, which is a lofty spa.n-roofed structure 
50 feet high by 18 in width, has been cleared of its usual occu¬ 
pants, and now presents a floral spectacle such as is rarely seen 
in a private garden. About 1000 Orchids have been most 
tastefully arranged with Palms, Ferns, and Selaginellas, a 
centre and two side stages being filled, forming banks of rich 
and delicately coloured flowers mostly on graceful nodding 
racemes. There are probably 20,000 flowers expanded, and the 
effect produced by such a number can readily be imagined. 
Odontoglossum vexillarium predominates, and of this species 
alone in numerous grand varieties there are over 300 plants, all 
in the most robust health, and flowering superbly, some having 
three spikes to a pseudo-bulb. The colours range from pure 
white to the darkest rose, and there is not a poor variety 
amongst them all, every flower being not only of great size, 
but of excellent form also. Odontoglossum Alexandra} is 
