July 81, 1884. J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
105 
September 2nd.—Stratford-on-Avon (two days). 
„ 3rd.—Glasgow. Bath (two days). 
„ .5th.—Crystal Palace Fruit and Dahlias (two days). 
„ 9th.—Royal Horticultural Society, Fruit and Floral Committees. 
„ 11th.—Bury St. Edmunds (two days). Dundee International (three 
days). 
„ 17th.—Edinburgh (two days). 
„ 2Srd.—Roval Horticultural Society, Fruit and Floral Committees; 
Fruit and Vegetable Show. 
KITCHEN GAEDEN. 
The present time is rather a busy period in the kitchen garden. 
There are many crops, such as Peas, Broad Beans, Potatoes, Cauliflower, 
Spinach, Turnips, &c , now over, and a general clearing takes place. 
The Pea stakes are carried direct to the late rows, and put in to support 
them, and all the refuse is taken to the vegetable heap to lie there until 
it has decayed and been converted into vegetable mould. The ground 
cleared of these old crops is not dug or forked as a rule, but only 
deeply hoed ; and afterwards raked to take the rough of the weeds or 
refuse off, then other ci’opis are put in. All kinds of winter greens which 
have been waiting in the nursery beds for space elsewhei’e should be pmt 
into these vacant spaces. Brussels Sprouts will not do much good planted 
out now, it is too late ; but Savoys, Curly Greens, and late Broccoli may 
be planted with every certainty of then- doing well and becoming useful. 
Late Turnips may still be sown, and a good width of Spinach should be 
sown for use in September and October. Eaolishes, Lettuces, Endive, &c., 
may also be sown. The Broad-leaved Batavian is the best of all winter 
Endives, we grow no other. It is massive, high in quality, and bears 
rough weather well. Winter Lettuce should now be sown; give them a 
sunny position and the best of soil. Little patches of each will do, as 
they will all have to be transplanted by-aud-by if produce of the best 
description and very hardy is desired. 
Carrots, W'e hear, have failed in many instances this season. This is 
a pity, as they are indispensable, but there is yet time to produce pflenty 
more. If seed of the Early Horn be sown at once in a favourable posi¬ 
tion the young plants will quickly appear, grow fast, and form tender 
useful roots before November. The drills should be 15 inches apart, and 
sow thinly, as plenty of soil is of the greatest importance in autumn. It 
is veiy seldom that grubs do any harm to Carrots sown at this time, and 
in many gardens where they cannot be made to succeed in the early 
summer months, it is quite the oppjosite in the autumn, when they do 
capitally. We may say again that only the Horn varieties should be 
sown now. If the long ones were p)ut in they would never thicken, and 
be too small and spindly to be of any value. 
Onions are not generally free from maggots this season. We hear many 
complaints of wholesale losses. Ours are perfectly free from all insects ; 
this we attribute to the free use of gas lime from our works, which was 
dug in before sowing. This, however, will benefit no one at the present 
time, but I would like to observe that Onions may be sown now, too, to 
make a useful autumn crop. The fastest-growiog White Spanish kind 
should be sown. Give them a dry w’arm border, and a fine crop of useful 
little bulbs will have appeared by November. 
Mushrooms have been more plentiful in the fields this July than 
we have seen them for some years, and when they can be picked 
up readily we are rather liable to be regardless of our Mushroom beds; 
but the field ones will all have disappeared long before October or 
November, and this is a time when good klushrooms and plenty of them 
begin to be valued, and to have them then it is necessary to collect 
droppings and form beds as soon as possible. Cool sheds are splendid 
places in which to gi’ow late autumn, winter, and spring Mushrooms. 
Now is a good time to order the spawn ; one bushel will do several small 
beds. Nothing but new bricks from some respectable dealer should be 
dealt with. Last year we tried some French spawn for the first and 
last time; it will bear no comparison with the English material. 
Tomato plants on the open walls require very frequent and close 
stopping now, and all fruit should be fully exposed to the sun. 
FRUIT-FOECING. 
Peaches and Nectarines. —In order to maintain a steady supply 
of fruit throughout the season in establishments that do not require more 
than two or three dishes a day, there is no question that houses contain¬ 
ing two or three trees each are likely to maintain the succession un¬ 
broken better than large houses. These remarks more particularly apply 
where early forcing is practised, as houses that are started so that the 
fruit does not ripen before August may be planted with a greater number 
of varieties, so as to afford a succession of fruit over a more extended 
period. The time that any one house ought to be calculated to afford a 
supply of fruit should not exceed six weeks in the early part of the 
season, and the varieties employed should be of proved forcing qualities. 
For forcing early or starting in December early, so as to ripen with cer¬ 
tainty by the beginning of May, we find none to equal Alexander, Hals’s 
Early, Large Early Mignonne, A Bee, and Royal George. These are 
equally suitable for houses to be started in January ; but for starting in 
February Royal George, Grosse Mignonne, Yiolette Hative, and Stirling 
Castle, with Noblesse answer, and all yield fruits of fine size and quality'^ 
For later successional houses those Last named are of course available, 
and to them may be added Bellegardc, Dymond, Barrington, and Wal- 
buiton Admirable. For very late houses we recommend the Walburton 
Admirable, Desse Tardive, Princess of Wales, Lord Palmerston, Golden 
Eagle, and Osprey. We do not wish to disparage the new varieties in 
net including them in the early and midseason varieties, but we wish to 
point out that the tried sorts ought not to be discarded, or the best posi¬ 
tions given to the new, until their good and bad points are tested. 
Of Nectarines, Hunt’s Tawny is still one of the best for early forcing, 
Lord Napier, Murrey, and Elruge. The latter, Violette Hative, Stanwiclc 
Elruge, and Pine Apple are good for successional houses, and for late 
houses Pine Apple, Albert Victor, and Victoria. 
Although it is still too early to plant fruit trees, it is not too early to 
think about the trees, as those for planting in houses should be the finest 
well-furnished trees of two or three years’ training with well-formed 
heads, not strong and gross, but clean and healthy without a trace of gum, 
having the joints close and the wood firm. It may be necessary to give 
a higher price for such trees, but they will well repay for the outlay and 
come quickly into profit. The trees should be moved to the houses before 
the leaves fall, and if they be properly attended to they will push roots 
freely at once, enabling them to bear gentle forcing the first year in pre¬ 
paration for earlier work in the next, and if the trees are furnished with 
flower buds they will give some fruit the first season. 
In the meantime the houses should be prepared for the reception of 
the trees. Light well-ventilated structures are only available for the 
successful cultivation of Peaches and Nectarines, and the roof lights 
should be moveable, so that they can be taken off for the exposure of the 
trees when considered advisable. For early work the borders are best 
inside, and for those to afford successional supplies it is well to have 
inside as well as outside borders, and the best form of tree is the fan, 
training to a trellis about 11 inches from the glass. The houses ought to 
be well heated, as there is no economy in having a few pipes highly 
heated, and it is prejudicial to the trees. The borders should be about 
30 inches deep, and if the bottom be stiff and wet take the excavation 
6 inches deeper, and put in 6 inches thickness of concrete. The bottom 
should have an incline to a 3-inch tile drain or drains, and they should 
have proper fall and outlet. Put in 9 inches’ thickness of drainage— 
brickbats or similar material, the coarsest at the bottom and the smallest 
at the top, securing with a layer of turves grass side downwards. The 
width of the border need not be more than the width of the trellis when 
the trees are full grown, and a 4-foot width will be ample for the trees 
in the first instance, adding to the width annually, or as the trees give 
evidence of requiring more root space, confining the roots at first to the 
inside border. The soil most suitable is a strong calcareous loam, and if 
deficient of calcareous matter add a tenth of old mortar rubbish or chalk. 
If the soil be light add a sixth of clayey marl, and in all cases have the 
soil in a moderately moist condition only, so that it can be put together 
firmly. Avoid manure, but crushed bones to the extent of a fortieth part 
may be added. 
Vines, — Early House. —Where early-forced Grapes are preferred to 
the thick-skinned varieties that have been kept in the Grape-room, the 
wood will or ought to be getting quite brown and hard, if not quite ripe. 
If the foliage is kept clean and healthy a dry warm atmosphere by day 
with abundance of air by night, will greatly benefit the Vines, and bring 
about a condition of the Vines likely to further the production of compact 
closely set bunches, which generally colour better than those that are 
borne on half-ripened wood. Early Vines that require renovating may 
now be taken in hand. If the roots have the run of inside and outside 
borders, one of them may be taken out and fresh compost supplied 
without running the risk as to the loss of the next year’s crop. It is 
hardly necessary to say that the operation should be quickly and carefully 
performed, and the house kept close and shaded until fresh growth takes 
place, as advised in a former calendar. 
Vines in Pots for Early Forcing. —Those intended for this purpose 
may be removed to a south wall for a time where they can be protected 
from wind ; or in case of their occupying a house with moveable lights, 
these may be drawn down to favour the healthy ripening of the foliage 
and proper maturation of the wood without giving so severe a check as is 
often done by placing them outdoors. 
Young Vines. —Canes planted out this spring should be encouraged 
with heat and moisture until they have filled the space allotted to them, 
a free lateral growth suiting them best, the object the first year being the 
formation of roots and a few well-ripened buds near the base for pruning 
back to, and the laterals from tliese should be kept closely pinched. 
Maintain a good moisture in the house, especially at closing time, which 
should be early, and afterwards admit a little air at the top of the house 
for the night. 
Gragyes Scalding. —Sudden changes of atmospheric conditions from 
dull weather to bright sunshine are very trying to Vines in all stages of 
growth, particularly to Lady Downe’s, Alicantes, and Muscats still liable 
to scald. Maintain a rather warm atmosphere at night, and freely 
ventilate by day until the danger from this source is past. 
Gragjcs Losing Colour. —Bright sunshine is unfavourable to the pre¬ 
servation of ripe Grapes, which soon lose colour when fully exposed. 
Under these conditions, when it is necessary to keep black Grapes for 
any length of time after they are ripe, a little shade drawn over the roof 
on bright days will be of service, provided it be withdrawn when the sun 
is off the house, but when this cannot have such attention a double 
