884 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
f Nove niter I,18S3. 
Mr. Walters, gardener to the Earl of Chesterfield, was second with a 
smaller but clean bright collection, hardly up to the renown of the Holme 
Lacey cordon wall. Specially noticeable were G-en. Todtleben, Flemish 
Beauty (a real beauty), Marie Benoist, and Beurrh Hardy (handsome). Third, 
Rev. E. Stacey, Wessington Court, Ledbury. 
Suffice it to add that the cider and perry fruit classes were well filled, and 
as a useful result of these exhibitions, better filled than previously, with 
recognised varieties from which really good saleable cider and perry will be 
made. Sir Rupert Kettle sent a branch of the long willow-leaved Pear, and 
another full of fine fruit was also sent by Mr. Goodwin of Hampton Bishop. 
It is an interesting curiosity. Its botanical name is Pyrus salicifolia pendula, 
and it is being planted sparingly in the Herefordshire perry orchards to 
supply the tannin and acid which is apt to be deficient in perry Pears. 
The gentlemen who kindly acted as Judges were Mr. Smith Caringcon, 
Worcester; Mr. George Bunyard, Maidstone; and Mr. Lewis Killick, Maid¬ 
stone ; the Rev. C. H. Bulmer, Credenhill Rectory, Hereford, and Mr. G. H. 
Piper, Ledbury, only taking the cider and perry fruit division.— The Here¬ 
fordshire Incumbent. 
BORDER CARNATIONS. 
Carnations are grown in nearly every garden, and I do not intend 
filling your space by making any remarks upon their popularity, useful¬ 
ness, fragrance, or beauty, all of which are well known. These plants 
are perfectly hardy, and will, as far as I know, pass safely through our 
most severe winters. When this is the case why need we lift them at 
this season of the year or a little later, and establish them in pots and 
give them protection in cold frames until planting-out time in spring ? 
Where two or three thousand plants are grown this practice necessitates 
considerable labour, besides occupying frame-room until they are planted 
out, and then, if the weather proves dry, good soakings of water until 
they are established. This potting system I have largely practised, and 
can say it has its advantages as well as its disadvantages. The latter, 
however, outweigh the former, and under these circumstances I do not 
see the utility of treating plants that are perfectly hardy as half-hardy. 
If the plants were layered early they will now be thoroughly roothd, 
and can be lifted and placed at once in the positions they are to occupy 
for flowering next year. If they are well rooted and transplanted at 
once they will get fairly hold of the soil before winter, and do equally as 
well or better than if they had been potted, protected, and planted out 
in spring. When work of this description can be done in autumn it 
should be done, for in the spring so much needs attention. Perhaps the 
greatest disadvantage of autumn planting is the trouble slugs give, for 
they appear rather to appreciate the tender centres of these plants. 
These pests are very numerous in some gardens, but they can be 
destroyed. Before planting give a good dusting of fresh lime and soot 
to the beds and borders, and allow it to remain on for two or three 
days before digging. If this fails to remove the slugs and they attack 
the plants afterwards, select a dull moist morning, when the slugs will 
be out, and apply paraffin and water through a syringe to the whole bed 
on the same principle that has been recommended for miscellaneous plants 
in these pages. It is rare that autumn-planted Carnations do not start 
strongly and vigorously in the spring, and do even better than those that 
have been kept in pots and planted out in spriDg. 
Carnations like a little fresh soil added annually to the beds in 
which they are planted, and for this purpose we use the soil which 
our Cucumbers and Melons have been grown, and in additions this a 
little old Mushroom-bed refuse, but the former is preferable, and the 
plants thrive better in the beds to which the soil is applied than they do 
if only the manure is used. If fresh loam is used be careful that it does 
not contain wireworms, for they are the worst enemy the Carnation has 
to contend against. Whether wireworms like Vine roots or not, they 
are remarkably fond of making their way up the stems of Carnations, 
which, although they retain a fresh hue during the winter, turn yellow in 
spring and eventually die.— Lancastrian. 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Asparagus.— The stems of this are now yellow and mostly withered, 
and as they serve no useful purpose afterwards they may be cut away a 
few inches above the soil, the ground being hoed, cleaned, and then given 
a good top-dressing. Where the roots are growing in beds and rather 
close together the whole of the surface of the soil may be dressed 
with manure, but when the plants are growing 3 feet asunder a 
little mound of manure need only be placed over each root. Roots 
which are intended to be lifted shortly for forcing need not be 
so treated. In lifting roots for forcing we do not take them all 
before us, but simply thin them by taking every alternate root, and as 
they are all young and annually developing, this practice suits them 
admirably. Before cutting down any of the stems we go over the whole 
of the quarters and put a short piece of stake in against each of the 
roots which it would be an advantage to lift for forcing, and by-and-by 
when nothing can be seen above ground these are good guides to lead to 
taking the right ones. The roots should be lifted from the most crowded 
parts, and those which are strong and well developed will give the most 
satisfaction. 
Storing Roots. —All roots of any value should now be under protection. 
Beetroot, if not already in, should be lifted and stored as directed some 
weeks ago. Carrots, which are a most important crop, as they must be 
kept sound and be plentiful for daily use until new Carrots are grown 
again in spring, should have every attention given them at this time. 
They are very hardy and will bear without injury a few degrees of frost, 
but they are better without this, and the best way of managing them is- 
to take them all up now and store them in a cool shed or pit. In any 
case they must be kept in the dark quite dry. If allowed to lie exposed 
in a shed many of them will soon shrivel and become flavourless and 
colourless, but when packed in moderately dry soil, sand, or decayed leaf 
soil, or stored in a pit like Potatoes, they will keep excellently. 
Stored Roots. —Potatoes and Onions which have been stored for some 
time should be examined now with the object of removing any that are 
decayed or wasting. Picking out one in time now may save nine in a 
case like this, and those which are quite sound will be likely to remain 
so for a long time to come, as any which are inclined to decay generally 
do so immediately after storing. Work of this kind should always be 
done on wet days. 
Globe Artichokes. —In cold districts early frosts may injure these £ 
not protected, and in all cases will now be benefited by being protected. 
They do not require very much, as it is sufficient to pack a quantity;)f 
decayed manure round the collar of each, and then put a little long litter 
or fresh-gathered leaves over this to protect the young leaves and crowns. 
The severe winters have sometimes injured them, but they always 
succeed best afterwards if a few of the leaves can be preserved throughout 
the winter. 
Manure. —Wherever high-class vegetables are desired manure must 
always be the chief agent used in their production, and there are no¬ 
kinds of artificial mixtures which can take the place of animal droppings. 
Cowshed manure is undoubtedly the best of all for the majority of 
gardens, and then comes that from stables and piggeries. Stable manure 
is not of much worth except for lightening heavy soils in a vegetable 
garden, especially when, as in our case, all the droppings are taken 
out for Mushroom-growing, the remainder being little better than 
straw. In all cases where at all available let a large quantity of 
cow manure be stored from now on during the winter, as it will be 
required from time to time onwards. We do not approve of having 
manure for growing vegetables stored for twelve months or more before 
using, as when only laid up for two or three months it may be used with 
the greatest advantage. 
Vegetable Refuse. —In all gardens there is now plenty of various kinds 
of refuse, such as fallen leaves and tops, stems, and decayed leaves from 
many kinds of vegetables ; every particle of this should be collected in a 
large heap, adding any old potting-shed soil and slops from the house as- 
well as loose straw from the stable, and in fact everything capable of 
making manure, and as soon as a quantity has been gathered mix it well 
together by turning. In the spring this will be excellent for digging into 
Potato land or any portion of the kitchen garden. 
Mushrooms. —Through the aid of Mr. J. Wright’s excellent book the 
culture of these is rapidly extending, and many are induced to try 
Mushroom-growing now who considered themselves and their appliances 
quite incapable before. Let us ask those who do not succeed so well as 
they could wish with them in the open air to try a few small beds in any 
cool shed. We have a heated Mushroom house, but have ceased using it, 
and make up the whole of our beds in sheds. Any corner will do. They 
come freely in the potting shed, in the barrow shed, and in the tool shed, 
and being grown quite on the “ cool system ” they become fine in size 
and splendid in flavour. Sometimes we make a bed with one cartload 
of manure, and others have two or three in them. They are always 
spawned and covered before the heat becomes too low, and the surface is 
constantly protected with a thin coating of dry hay. When the bed has 
been soiled in the ordinary way it is a great benefit to the Mushrooms 
when they do appear to shake a little sand all over the bed and beat it 
gently in. This is one of the best means which can be employed to 
prevent the yoimg Mushrooms from decaying prematurely. Beds made 
up now should be in full bearing by Christmas. 
FRUIT-FORCING. 
Figs. — Early Trees in Pots. —Those from which the fruit is to be 
ripe by the close of April or early in May will need immediate 
attention in order to have everything ready for a start by the middle 
of this month. Potting or top-dressing having been performed in 
September, the house should be thoroughly cleansed, well washing 
the woodwork with soap and water, the walls being scalded with 
boiling water and afterwards limewashed, employing three parts quick¬ 
lime to one of sulphur, and the house in other respects put into 
thorough going order. The Fig being much subject to attack from 
red spider and scale during the ripening process, the trees should 
be thoroughly cleansed, beiDg careful not to injure the buds on the 
points of the shoots and spurs in first dressing them with a strong 
solution of softsoap (8 ozs. to a gallon of water) and afterwards 
with an insecticide. In washing, a hard brush may be used for the 
old wood, but the wood of the current year will need to be mors 
carefully treated. 
Succession Houses. —Houses in which the trees are planted out should 
be kept dry and cool for some time to come, but if these have been 
infested with red spider or other insects, pruning and dressing should 
WOKK.fosithe WEEK.. 
