July 17, 1884. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
69 
neat arrangement of Maidenhair Ferns and Orchids, with a few Palms and 
Crotons. Of miscellaneous exhibits Messrs. Dickson & Co., Waterloo Place, 
had a variety of Pinks for cutting, several of these being single. A full and 
good white double variety named Mrs. Welsh was very fine. Some bunches 
of Calendula pluvialis, a peculiar shade of white, is a good single flower, well 
adapted for cutting purposes. From Messrs. Paul & Sons, Paisley, came a 
large number of Pansies and florists’ Pinks, each flower in full dress with a 
vast amount of white collar showing. Messrs. Stuart & Mein among other 
exhibits had some well-grown new Delphiniums. 
The chief prizetakers for plants were Mr. John Patterson, Millbank, whose 
specimens gained for him first prizes for six stove and greenhouse plants, for 
three foliage, for four Capo Heaths, and for Palms ; Mr. Grossart, who in 
addition to the table of plants was also first for six foliage plants in fl-inch 
pots, for Caladiums, and for Dracfenas and Crotons ; Mr. S. Graham, Kil- 
ravorock Lodge, who was successful for Ferns and Lycopods, for Pelargo¬ 
niums, and for one 0 chid ; the first prize for four Orchids going to Mr. A. Gow, 
Woodlands, Perth; and the first prize for two to Mr. A. Low, Murrayfield. 
The chief fruit prizes were awarded as follows :—Foi a collection of eight 
kinds, first to Mr. W. McKelvie, Broxmouth Park, Dunbar, who was the only 
exhibitor, the best Melon also coming from Broxmouth. Mr. Morrison, 
Archerfield, Drem, had the best Pine Apple; Mr. Riddell, Duncombe Park, 
York, being second. For four bunches of Grapes Mr. Boyd, Callender Park, 
Falkirk, was first with two fine bunches of Waltham Cross, one Black Ham¬ 
burgh, and a Madresfield Court; Mr. McKinnon, Melville Castle, being second. 
For two bunches of Black Hamburgh Mr. Johnston, The Gardens, Glamis 
Castle, with very good examples, and Mr. McKinnon was second. Mr. Bo 3 ’d 
also showed well for these. For two black of any other variety Mr. Boyd 
gained the first place with fine Madresfield Court, Mr. Morrison following. 
For two bunches white Mr. Dunlop, Ilddingston, was first with Muscat of 
Alexandria. Mr. A. Bald, Oswald Road, Edinburgh, took the second prize 
w'ith the same variety. The best six Peaches were from Mr. McKinnon, and 
the best six Nectarines and Figs from Mr. Young, Taymouth Castle. 
In the classes for cut Roses the leading prizes were secured by Mr. W. 
Parlane, Roslin, for thirty-six varieties; Mr. Richardson, Tenderghie, Whit¬ 
horn, being second. For twenty-four Mr. A. Kirk, Norwood, Alloa, was first, 
and Mr. Parlane second ; and for twelve blooms Mr. John Kidd, Rothesay, 
was first, and Mr. Cocker, Bonnybridge, second ; Mr. Hill Gray, Dunkeld, 
taking first for twelve Tea Roses. Mr. Hugh Dickson, Belfast, took all the 
first prizes in the nurserymen’s classes except for twelve Gloire de Dijon, 
which Messrs. Cocker of Aberdeen secured, Mr. Smith of Stranraer being a 
very close second. 
LARGE PEACHES. 
Yesteed.4 Y I pulled a very large Peach, I think Noblesse, which I 
carefully weighed, and found it exactly 12^ ozs., the circumference being 
Ilf inches : a second one weighing 10 ozs. As this is the heaviest I have 
ever weighed it may he interesting to your readers, and I shall be pleased 
to hear if any larger weights have ever been recorded. In 1879 I had two 
Peaches from the same tree which weighed 9f and ozs. respectively.— 
Geo. Sctheeland, Gardener to Col. Mahins, M.P\, Botherjield Court, 
Henley. 
WQKK.fo^Ithe WEEK 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Weeds are unprofitable in kitchen gardens at all times, but they are 
more so now than ever, as they grow so fast and seed so freely at this 
season. Hoeing destroys many of them, especially if the operation is 
performed when the surface is dry and the atmosphere warm and sunny; 
but many weeds spring up amongst Potatoes and other crops which cannot 
be hoed, and these must be drawn outAy hand. Now and again we put a 
number of hands on at one end of our kitchen garden with the instructions 
to weed it from end to end, and this is one of our favourite methods of 
making it thoroughly clean. In many of the smaller gardens weeds 
generally become very abundant at this time. In spring when they are dug 
in they are as a rule buried a little below the surface, where they soon 
spring up again and do much harm, as no kind of crop will grow well 
which is smothered with weeds. Whenever a weedy part has to he cleaned, 
no matter what time of the year it may be, the surface should all be hoed, 
the rubbish raked together, and burned. This is one of the best of all 
preliminary cleanings, and the advantage of it is never more visible than 
when the crops are growing. 
Matured Vegetailes. —Throughout July and August all vegetables come 
to maturity very fast. The weather both night and day is most favour¬ 
able to their growth, and when the supply is great and the demand only 
moderate many things will soon be spoiled, A few Cabbages bursting or 
Cauliflower running to flower are not of much consequence, but in the 
case of Peas, Kidney Beans, and Globe Artichokes, allowing the earH- 
formed produce to grow large and old is productive of great harm. For 
instance, a Pea or Bean 6 feet high, and with pods f*rmed from near the 
bottom upwards, will swell up the first formed to perfection ; but if these 
are not taken off they will severely check the growths of the younger ones, 
and many of them at the top will fail to fill or become good. In such 
cases it would be very much better to pick off all the first produce as soon 
as it is of a useable size and throw it away, rather than allow the first to 
cripple the successional lots. If anyone allows a few fruits of a Vegetable 
Marrow to become matured on the ends of the stem next to the main stem 
their supply of young Marrows will soon cease, but by cutting the m oflF 
will be produced until the end of the season. This rule applies to the 
majority of kitchen garden crops. 
Potato Onionn, Garlic, and Shallots. —These should all he taken up 
when dry and he spread out on a gravel walk or any dry surface in the 
sun to mature and dry. Here they may remain for a few weeks, and then 
store them in a dry shed or loft for the winter. 
Cabbage seed should now be sown to produce plants for placing out in 
September and to come in for use in the kitchen early next summer. 
Webb’s Emperor is an excellent variety for sowing now. It is a spFndid 
sort. Before sowing the ground should be well manured and deeply dug, 
as free-growing luxuriant plants are the best. The seed may he sown 
broadcast or in rows 10 inches apart. Good plants may he produced 
both ways, and thin sowing should be practised in all cases, as when the 
iflants come up in a crowd and have a struggle for existence long spindly 
stems will be the result, and these will never stand the winter. Dwarf 
plants which have had plenty of space for robust development from their 
youth upwards are the kind we like to deal with. Cabbages for autumn 
use may still be transplanted. When put into rich ground and well grown 
they are as acceptable in October and November as in A 2 )ril and May. 
Leehs. —Where these are grown for exhibition the earliest will he of 
good size by this time, but where a batch is only grown for everyday use 
in the kitchen after the new year most suitable produce may be grown on 
any ordinary ground, and now is the time to begin taking them from the 
seed quarters. We are filling a large piece from which we have recently 
secured a fine crop of the Gloucestershire Kidney Potato. The ground is 
fairly rich and has neither been dug nor manured for the Leeks, but they 
are simply dibbled w'ell down into large holes, where they have xfienty of 
space to develope. They are put in rows about 1 foot between each, and 
8 inches from plant to plant. 
Berhs. —Large quantities of Mint, Sage, Thyme, and such like should 
now he cut, dried, and stored away for winter use. They should be taken 
in when quite dry ; and although some dry their herbs in the sun we do 
not approve of this plan, as the sun takes too much of the sub-tance out 
of them and shrivels them. An airy shed is undoubtedly the best place 
in which to dry herbs. 
FRUIT-FORCING. 
Vines. — Early Bouses. —The present time is the best for lifting and 
replanting in early houses Vines that have become enfeebled by forcing 
annually over a series of years, and where the roots have the run of both 
inside borders one part may be lifted one year and the other the next, or 
where the roots are confined to inside borders the roots may be lifted and 
laid in fresh soil without loss of crop, providing it be done early and with 
care. The house, before commencing operations, should be well shaded 
with mats and closed, syringing the Vines and walls, so as to lessen 
evaporation to the fullest extent, repeating this two or three times through 
the daj’, and have everything in readiness, so that the operation can be 
proceeded with quickly. Remove all the loose surface soil down to the 
roots, and commence at the point most distant from the Vines to remove 
the soil from amongst the roots and proceed inwards towards the stems. 
As the roots are bared lay them on one side, and cover carefully with mats 
in a wet state to prevent the roots becoming dried. Be careful to preserve 
all the small roots that proceed from near the collar, and after seeing 
that the drainage is in good condition put in a layer of fresh compost and 
proceed to spread out the roots evenly over the surface, and so follow on 
layer by layer until the whole of the roots are laid in the fresh material, 
and none deeper than 12 to 15 inches, seeking to keep the smallest roots 
within 6 inches, and if the majority of the smaller fibres are covered with 
3 or 4 inches of soil all the better. Disperse the roots evenly through 
the soil in a single layer, and work the soil well into the angles with the 
hand.®. Press the compost moderately firm about the roots, and when the 
work is complete give a good watering with tepid water and mulch the 
surface 2 or 3 inches thick with short manure. Syringe the house and 
Vines two or three times a day, and shade so as to keep down the tem¬ 
perature, ventilating only to prevent the temperature rising much above 
90°. The mulching must be kept moist, and in the course of a few days it 
will be seen by the growth in the laterals that the roots are taking to the 
fresh compost, when ventilation must be given more freely and the 
shading withdrawn by degrees, employing it only to prevent flagging. 
When the lifting is recovered return to the same course of treatment as 
obtained prior thereto, and after allowing a moderate extension of the 
laterals to stimulate r ot-action, gradually check them by judicious 
stopping. Carefully lifted and treated the Vines will be in capital order 
for forcing when the time arrives. 
Planting Young Canes. —In the case of Vines that have been cleared 
of their crops and which are to be removed, young canes being {)ut in 
their place, it should be set about with dispatch. Good drainage to 
carry off superfluous moisture is essential, and good loam of a {)orona and 
calcareous nature is the best, adding a tenth of old mortar rubbish, a 
similar quantity of charcoal, and a bushel of crushed bones to every 
thirty of the other ingredients. Mix all well together, and do not make a 
wide border; to begin with, one of 6 feet in width is ample, and where it 
is intended to give the roots both inside and outside borders they should 
be made to fill the inside portion first. Always plant inside when prac¬ 
ticable. The canes struck from eyes of the current year are best, and 
grown in turf preferably to jrots. If the latter, the roots must be loosened 
and spread out to prevent their taking a circular direction after pi inting 
Settle the soil about the roots by watering with tepid water, and if they 
show signs of suffering close early with sun heat; shade from bright sun, 
and abundance of atmospheric moisture with a low night temperature 
will soon secure their establishment. 
