JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
June 15, 1882.] 
499 
and placed in the greenhouse, and an intermediate pit will suit 
them in long periods of cold or wet weather in the winter time. 
Salvia patens has bright blue flowers, and is often seen in the 
open borders, but it is also excellent for pot culture ; and although 
it may not come in during winter, it may be had in bloom early 
in spring and late in autumn. Some tubers which were potted 
in January have lately been flowering well, but the flower spikes 
are now all cut and leaf growths are springing up anew. These 
will be allowed to develope in a cold frame, and another batch 
of flowers will be the result in October. 
Much more could be said in favour of Salvias, but if what I 
have written will only induce some growers to take a few of them 
in hand I shall be satisfied. Beginners, or indeed all Salvia growers, 
will find S. splendens with its numerous spikes of intense scarlet 
flowers, and S. involucrata with its tall pink stems, of the greatest 
merit, and two or three dozen good plants of each will be of 
more service during the winter than any other kind of softwooded 
plants.—M. M. 
WORKjwheWEEK. ' 
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KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Cutting Asparagus should not be prolonged longer than is abso¬ 
lutely necessary, as it is very important that the plants have suffi¬ 
cient time to develope a good growth, in order that the buds for 
another season’s supply may be matured. In exposed situations it is 
advisable to secure the stems from being broken by means of stakes, 
or by placing these at distances apart and running string from one to 
the other, to which they can be secured. Copious supplies of liquid 
manure or sewage may be given with advantage up to September. 
In the production of high-class vegetables plentiful supplies of 
water are necessary in dry weather, even in well-enriched soils, and to 
render the watering more effective the surface of the ground about 
such crops as Peas, Beans, Scarlet Runners, Dwarf Kidney Beans, 
Cauliflowers, and Globe Artichokes should be mulched with partially 
decayed manure, which will prolong the supply considerably. Where 
the soil is light and shallow the above is not only needed, but abun¬ 
dance of liquid manure is essential to a full and successional supply of 
vegetables during the hot summer months. 
Attend to advancing crops of Peas, staking in good time, and when 
the plants in later rows are too thickly placed thin them to about 
2 inches apart. Plentifully supply water to the roots of Celery in all 
stages of growth ; earth up that which was planted out early ; plant 
out for succession ; and prick out from outside seed beds for late sup¬ 
plies. Prepare trenches for these, and the space between them can 
be occupied with Lettuces or Endive, or a row of Spinach may be 
grown. Maintain the successional supplies of those, also Turnips and 
Radishes, by occasional sowings as required, and to insure fine quality 
water must be given abundantly when necessary. Take advantage 
as ground becomes vacant and the weather is favourable to plant 
out successional crops of Cauliflowers, Savoys, Cabbage, Broccoli, and 
Winter Greens. Where the ground is rich Brassicas that have to 
stand the winter are best planted in firm ground, so that a sturdier 
growth may be made and the plants be better able to withstand severe 
weather. Rosette Coleworts should be grown where a supply of 
Cabbages for soups or other purposes is required through the winter 
months. The seed should be sown now, pricking out the plants as 
soon as they are sufficiently advanced to secure sturdiness in habit, 
afterwards transplanting them 15 inches apart every way. 
Attend with regularity to the requirements of Ridge Cucumbers 
and Yegetable Marrows which are planted out in handlights, and as 
soon as they begin to run elevate the handlight to allow them to pass 
out, pegging the shoots equidistant over the surface of the ground. 
Complete at the earliest opportunity the potting of Capsicums and 
Egg Plants, placing them in pits or frames. Attend to the require¬ 
ments of Tomatoes trained to walls, keeping the plants confined to 
one stem by removing the laterals. 
FRUIT HOUSES. 
Vines. —Thinning late Grapes should be concluded as soon as pos¬ 
sible, and every encouragement may be given to the Yines to swell 
their crops by plentiful supplies of water at the roots, and the main¬ 
tenance of a genial atmosphere by damping available surfaces in the 
house whenever they become dry, closing early with a good sun heat, 
a moist atmosphere being generated by damping available surfaces- 
When watering a little guano sprinkled on the border previously 
will prove of great service. Outside borders must not be neglected, 
but have a thorough watering when the weather is dry. A mulching 
of manure after a good watering will help to keep the surface moist 
and encourage roots there, as well as prevent the necessity for a 
repetition of it for some time. The Vine is a gross feeder when 
growing, and if the surface soil is allowed to become dry the roots 
strike deep into the border in quest of moisture, which in a cold wet 
season causes shanking as well as sappy growths that do not ripen 
well; hence crops of fruit are produced loose in bunch, uneven in 
berry, and defective in colour and finish. The cold weather still 
necessitates the use of fires to maintain a night temperature of 65°, 
and 70° to 75 s in the daytime, but they should be stopped early on 
fine mornings, when ventilation will require careful attention. Do 
not neglect the borders of Yines bearing ripe Grapes or those from 
which the Grapes have been cut, but if at all dry water so as to 
keep the foliage in good condition that it may aid the development 
of the fruiting buds for another season. In houses where the Grapes 
are ripe keep the Yines free from lateral growths, the atmosphere 
cool and airy, and as dry as is consistent with the health of the 
foliage. Yines in pots should have the leading shoots pinched when 
about 8 feet long, and the laterals and sub-laterals stopped at one 
joint as produced, which applies more especially to those intended 
for fruiting next season. Those for planting only are better to have 
the laterals longer or not be pinched at all, if to be cut back to three 
or four eyes at planting time. Newly planted Yines which have 
taken freely to the fresh soil must be encouraged as much as pos¬ 
sible by closing early with sun heat and copious syringings on fine 
afternoons. 
Melons .—Further sowings may still be made according to the wants 
of the establishment. For those with no better appliances than 
dung-heated pits and frames the last sowing should be made at once, 
the plants from which in ordinarily favourable weather produce a 
supply of fruit at the close of September. Where there is light, 
properly heated, and well-ventilated structures further sowings may 
be made up to the middle or close of July, and the plants from this 
sowing will continue the supply of fruit to November. A good 
bottom heat should still be secured to young plants, and if had from 
fermenting materials it will lessen the necessity for fire heat, which 
will only be now necessary on cold nights and in cold sunless 
weather to maintain the temperature at 70° to 75°. Fertilise all 
pistillate flowers as they appear on later plants. Shade only at mid¬ 
day for an hour or two. Remove laterals freely where the fruits are 
fast swelling, and support those fruits which are becoming heavy. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Stove .—The old Euphorbia splendens is one of the most useful 
plants where button-hole flowers are constantly in request. Its 
culture is easy, and does not need a large amount of root room, doing 
well in fibrous loam with a little leaf soil and an admixture of sand, 
with pieces of crocks and charcoal to keep the soil open. Small 
plants well grown soon become useful, flowering continuously whilst 
any growth is being made. It requires plenty of light, and is not 
subject to attacks of insects. 
Gesneras of the zebrina, cinnabarina, and exoniensis types should 
now be encouraged to make stout sturdy growth, keeping them near 
the glass, similar remarks applying to all winter-flowering plants, 
which must not be crowded or be kept in the shade of other plants. 
They should occupy a place near the glass, and only be shaded to 
prevent scorching. 
Rondeletia speciosa and var. major are desirable summer and 
autumn-flowering plants, blooming freely and lasting a considerable 
time. They grow well in fibrous loam with about a sixth of sand. 
Plants started early will now be showing flower, and must not be 
allowed to want for water. After the flowers fade the trusses should 
be removed, and the plants will break directly and bloom a second 
