March 3,1881. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
must only be given a small shift, but healthy plants will need pots 
that will admit of an inch to 2 inches of fresh soil around the balls. 
Young plants should have the flowers removed. Azaleas, such as 
A. Borsig, Narcissiflora, Reine de Portugal, and others that have been 
forced early, should, when the flowering is over, be placed at once 
in a warm moist atmosphere, so as to continue the growth that was 
excited by placing them in heat, and enable them to continue the dis¬ 
position to bloom early, acquired through early forcing. The general 
stock, from being more active at the roots, will require an increased 
supply of water, and by no means allow the atmosphere to become 
too dry. Acacias and other description of New Holland plants will 
show greater need of water, and should have more copious supplies, 
as when flowering or advancing thereto the roots are more or less 
active. Lapagerias requiring more root space should be shifted into 
larger pots, the plants doing well either in turfy loam or fibrous 
peat, it being essential that it be lumpy ; and good drainage must be 
afforded, as very copious supplies of water are necessary. 
Roof climbers, such as Passifloras, should now be spurred well in to 
within an eye or two of the main rods, cutting back extensions to 
well-ripened wood. Tacsonias should only have the growths well 
thinned out, removing the old and weak, encouraging the vigorous 
and young in their places. Assist Habrothamnuses advancing for 
flowering with weak tepid liquid manure, affording similar assistance 
to Roses planted out, mulching with short manure. Clematises 
employed a3 climbers or pillar plants should only have the growths 
thinned out, and, whether grown in pots or planted out, should be 
assisted with liquid manure. Admit air freely upon all favourable 
occasions, commencing at 50°, fully above that temperature, and close 
at the same. Hardwooded plants should have ventilation freely 
above 40°. 
NOTES ON VILLA AND SUBURBAN GARDENING. 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Caulifloioers .—The late severe frosts have in many districts com¬ 
pletely destroyed exposed vegetables, and they are likely to be scarce 
for some time to come. Some preparation should therefore be made 
to forward a few in frames and pits, and also to raise plants to 
replace those that are lost. Broccoli especially is much injured ; 
and as many growers have lost their stock of autumn-sown Cauli¬ 
flower plants, unless some of the early varieties of the latter are 
sown at once the break in the supply will be a lengthened one. Suit¬ 
able varieties are either Carters’Extra Early, Veitch’s Dwarf Eorcing, 
and Dean’s Snowball, and failing these Dwarf Erfurt and Early 
London. Sow the seed thinly either in a pan or box, using fine light 
soil, which should be kept moist, though not saturated, and place in a 
gentle heat. When the seeds have germinated elevate to near the 
glass, and give air as much as circumstances will permit. The seed¬ 
lings when in rough leaf may either be pricked-out in boxes, or be 
potted singly into 4-inch pots, and as the stems are certain to be 
somewhat drawn they should be buried up to the seed leaves. Keep 
the plants growing steadily, hardening-off before they are crowded, 
the aim being to secure sturdy plants to put out on a warm border, 
or at the foot of a south or west wall early in April. If either of 
the new early varieties recommended are grown, the produce will 
be fit for use nearly as early as that of autumn-sown plants usually 
is. To maintain the supply more seed should be sown on a slight 
hotbed with or without glass protection, in the latter case sub¬ 
stituting mats, and the young seedlings may either be transferred 
direct to the ground or be pricked-out in a warm position. Those 
who possess a batch of autumn-sown plants will do well to pot some 
of the strongest into either 4-inch or 5-inch pots, placing them in 
little heat till established, haidening-off and planting out on a warm 
border before they are become rootbound. The remainder of the 
batch will thus receive more space, and later on may be planted out 
in a good open position, protecting when necessary in each instance 
with either branches of evergreens or inverted flower pots. Well- 
hardened Cauliflower plants are proof against a rather severe frost, 
but if planted early and without much hardening are very liable to 
be much injured. 
Lettuces .—Those who fortunately have a stock of autumn-sown 
177 
plants may soon thin them out freely, planting the thinnings on 
warm borders, and these will succeed those undisturbed in the frames 
or otherwise. The very latest sown plants appear to have been 
most hardy ; and as these are very small, and in some instances are 
standing thickly where sown in the open, it is very advisable to care¬ 
fully lift and prick-out the strongest in a warm position in the open, 
and the weakest into boxes, placing these in a cold frame for a few 
days, small plants being almost invariably destroyed by insects. 
Those who are without plants should sow seed at once, and treat as 
advised in the case of Cauliflowers. Potting-off, however, is unneces¬ 
sary, as Lettuces can be readily moved from boxes or beds. The 
Early Paris Market and Suttons’ Brown Eorcing are quick-growing 
Cabbage varieties, and if seed of All the Year Round Cabbage and 
the Paris White Cos be sown at the same time the supply will be 
maintained. 
Peas .—The earliest sowing of these ought now to be made on the 
first favourable opportunity. Nothing, however, is gained by sowing 
very early this season owing to the saturated state of most soils. In 
very heavy soils if seed must be sown it is advisable to shovel out the 
drill, working in some fine light soil below and above the seeds. 
Those who have the convenience are advised to sow seed of an early 
variety in pots or boxes as recently advised in the pages of this 
Journal, or they may sow in boxes with the fine soil divided with 
strips of brown paper. In four boxes 2 feet long and 18 inches wide 
sufficient Peas may thus be grown to plant a few short rows equal in 
length to about 12 yards. From these rows good early pickings may 
be obtained. The seed of the successional crop to be sown on the 
first favourable opportunity, and if possible near to where those 
raised in a little heat are to be planted. Place the rows of such 
varieties as William I., Ringleader, Sangster’s No. 1, Caractacus, 
Dickson’s First and Best, 3 feet apart, and between these either plant 
single rows of autumn-sown Lettuces or sow rows of Spinach. Stakes 
are not absolutely necessary for Peas, though they are to be preferred 
in small gardens. If they are to be grown without stakes the soil 
should be rather poor and firm, and the seed be sown thinly in drills 
30 inches apart. Any of the above varieties are suitable. 
Broad Beans .—It is also the proper time to sow for an early crop of 
these. The variety recommended is the Early Longpod, and the seed 
of this may be dibbled-in in lines 2 feet apart and 4 inches asunder in 
the lines. 
HOTBEDS AND FRAMES. 
Those who have fermenting material and deep box frames or pits 
suitable for Potatoes should at once commence forcing. The fer¬ 
menting material being well prepared may be made into a bed about 
3 feet deep at the back, with a good slope to the front. Place on 
frame and lights, and if in the course of a few days the heat is found 
to (be moderate—that is to say, if the trial stick inserted when the 
bed was made can be comfortably borne in the hand, the soil, which 
should be light, may be placed on to a depth of about 9 inches. The 
sets are generally sprouted in gentle heat to gain time, and where this 
is done they should not be planted till the soil of the bed is warm_ 
Open good drills up or down the bed about 15 inches apart (usually 
three drills to a light), and Cinches deep. Rub off all side shoots, 
leaving only the strong central sprout of the sets, and press the latter 
into the drills about 8 inches apart. Earth over with the hand to 
preserve the Sprouts, level the surface of the bed, and sow seed of an 
early Radish thinly and rake it in. The frame may be kept close 
till the latter has germinated, when air should be given on all favour¬ 
able occasions more or less according to the external temperature. 
Cover the frames during the night with mats or litter. Suitable 
Potatoes for forcing are Yeitch’s Ashleaf, Mona’s Pride, and the old 
Ashleaf. The Radishes (none being better than Wood’s Early Frame 
and the French Breakfast) will be pulled before much growth has 
been made by the Potatoes, and both crops are profitable. 
Carrots .—A shallow hotbed is sufficient for these, and two lights 
will grow a good quantity of sweet and tender roots. If the frame is 
either deep or shallow it is advisable to firmly fill it to within G inches 
of the top with the heating material, finishing off with fine sandy 
soil. The shallow drills for the seed may be 8 inches apart, and 
between these a row of early Radishes may be sown. One of the 
