Angust 14, 1884. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
153 
Miss Eames, Frome ; Miss Mitford, Fromefield ; Miss Holroyd, Miss Moon, Mr. 
W. E. Stickler, Mr. H. F. Moore, and other ladies and gentlemen were 
deserredlj successful. A grand group of fine-foliaged and flowering plants 
was arranged, but not for competition, by Mr. W. Pratt, gardener to the 
Marquis of Bath. Mr. Browns, nurseryman, Beckington, also sent a con¬ 
siderable number of decorative plants, and J. Baily, Esq., had a supplementary 
gronp of similarly useful conservatory plants. There was but one exhibitor. 
Mr. H. Haley, Frome, for the liberal prizes offered by Miss E. A. Ormerod for 
the best collection of insects destructive to food plants, and this, though 
very instructive, was by no means complete. Mr. W. F. Moore was the 
Honorary Secretary, and to his exertions from the commencement much of 
the success is due. 
WOKK,foi\.the week. ^ 
. J 3 
JJJll 
V_ 
■1 
KITCHEN GAEDEN. 
Glohe ArtichoJtcs. —All the early heads of these are full grown now 
»nd inclined to flower, but it is no advantage to allow them to do this, and 
the most profitable way of treating them is to cut them all, leaving only 
the small heads to come on, taking aw'ay all the dead leaves and giving 
each plant a soaking of clean or liquid manure. This will induce them to 
make fresh growth, and the late heads will soon swell to a useful size. As 
a mie vre cut our earliest Globe Artichokes early in May, and by taking 
them in hand now we manage to keep the supifly up until October at least. 
JWntoe.’t. —Where the stems of early sorts have died the tubers will he 
])erfect]j ripe, and nothing will be gained by allowing them to remain in 
the soil. Advantage should therefore be taken to dig them up when the 
weather is fine and the soil dry, and fill the ground with winter crops. The 
very best- of the tubers should be stored where there is no chance of their 
becoming green, as this spoils their flavour ; but the second-sized ones, 
which are very suitable for seed, may be put to one side for this purpose. 
We always take the precaution to select our seed Potatoes at digging 
time, and find it a much better plan than trusting to make use of what 
may he left over in the general heap in spring for this purpose. Seed 
Potatoes are benefited by being “ greened ” a little before storing, and 
this can easily he accomplished by allowing them to lie on the surface of 
the gTonud a few days after digging. 
A»parnffiis .—The stems of this are now fully grown. We have many 
of them 6 feet high, and where they have grown so w’ell as this they are 
very liable to he severely injured by wind. All the strongest and tallest 
of the stems should be staked aud tied firmly at once. A stake may he 
put to each plant, and the whole of the growths be tied in together to 
this, or the very finest of the growths may have a stake each. We always 
regaiflstaking and tying As^jaragus growths as well-spent labour. 
Sjynng-sown Onions. —These are now bulbing freely, aud promise to 
he a good crop, although not so early as we have had them. As a rule all 
jdaniations are kept well cleared of weeds early in the season, hut the 
same c.annot always be said at this season of the year, although it is a 
gr at mistake to allow the ground between the rows to become very weedy 
.at this time. Indeed, it is just now that the bulbs require most suii, and 
DO weeds or anything else should be allowed to obstimct the sun from them. 
ClesT the Onion quarters at once, and those with very thick sappy necks 
should have them twisted round and pressed down to stop the flow of sap, 
promote development, and induce maturity. Autumn Onions have grown 
splendidly this season, but they are fully grown now, and many of them 
show signs of splitting, but this they should not he allowed to do, as it 
spo'Is them for keeping. The whole of them must he drawn up and laid 
oat in the sun to dry for a week or so before storing away. 
Kwthing vj) Crlory. —The earliest iflantations will now hear earthing 
np, and where quantities of it may he wanted in September and October it 
is fully time to blanch it. Begin by stripping off all the smallest and 
shortest of the outside leaves, then tie the largest and tallest firmly up 
t 'ge her to prevent the soil going into the centre. The soil on each side 
should then be broken very finely and work it in between the plants. We 
generally put it carefully amongst them with a spade, and afterwards press 
it firmly around the plants with the hands. Strong plants may have as 
much as C inches of soil placed to them at once. 
Carrots .—Where these are almost fully grown, hut are now being 
affected by the worm,” lift them, select the best, and store them for 
winter. This is the only vay of saving them. Brussels Sprouts aud all 
khxls of winter greens should now be fully exposed to the sun, as it is 
tlnring ihe next two mouths that their chief progress must be made. All 
plai/ting and sowing must be done on a w.der scale now than during early 
summer. 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Figs. — Farhi-forced Trees. — Early-forced trees from which the second 
crop of fruit lias been gathered will require cool cliy treatment to 
iiirnre the proper ripening of the young shoots ; and when this has been 
-seonreil the roof lights, if moveable, may be taken off for a few weeks, 
>akjng advantage of the opportunity to have them repaired and painted. 
The exposure of the trees to dew and rain will cle.inse the foliage, but it 
wil) not be sufficient to keep down red spider, which must be dislodged 
Jrom every part of the trees, and, if necessary, an insecticide must be 
applied. 
Svccession Houses. —Trees ripening their second crops will require 
careful treatment as the days decrease in length and the nights become 
cold and damp. The fruit as it approaches ripeness will be improved in 
colour and quality by full exposure to the light and a free circulation of 
dry warm air by day and night; but anything approaching to a sudden 
check must be avoided by keeping the roots regularly supplied with tepid 
water, applying it on bright mornings, as the liberal admission of air 
will then carry off superfluous moisture, which would otherwise condense 
and injure the fruit. As growths which have reached the extremities of 
the trellis become cleared of fruit and successionals require more room, 
the former may be cut away to let in air and light, but nothing will be 
gained by tying them down too closely, as an upward tendency favours 
the ripening of the points of the growth, and care should be taken not to 
have the growths too thick. 
Vines. — Early Houses — Lifting. — If the lifting or partially lifting 
and relaying the roots in fresh material have not been carried out, no 
time should be lost in having it effected, as success greatly depends on 
the formation of new roots before the leaves fall. 'Where this operation 
was performed at the close of July aud the Vines have been carefully 
syringed and shaded, the crisp appearance of the lateral growth will show 
that the roots are taking freely to the fresh compost, and, one or other 
of the borders only having been disturbed, the ventilators may be thrown 
open in order to assist in hardening or ripening the wood. Where the 
Vines have been wholly lifted it may be necessary to keep them rather 
close some time longer. It is well to encourage lateral growth, con¬ 
sequently root-action, by an occasional syringing on fine evenings, allow¬ 
ing the laterals to spread until the middle of September, when growth 
should be checked by shortening back preparatory to the autumn 
pruning. 
Homes Cleared of Fruit. —Shorten back all semi-extension and lateral 
growths from Vines devoid of fruit, carefully preserving the old leaves as 
the work is carried on, aud water thoroughly on fine evenings with water 
from the garden engine to cleanse the foliage from dust and insects. Let 
inside borders have sufficient water to keep the soil moist in every part 
quite down to the drainage, and protect the outside border surface roots 
with a top-dressing of fresh loam and crushed bones. 
Youny Vines for Forcing. —Young Vines that were started early may 
soon be divested of all laterals to induce rest. Syringe occasionally to 
keep the old foliage healthy and clean, closing with a dry sun heat every 
afternoon, and throw the ventilators open through the night. 
3Iuscats and Late Grapes. —Those now ripening will require more 
light and air, hut if red spider has injured any of the first leaves a cover¬ 
ing of laterals should he retained for protecting the hunches from the 
direct rays of the sun. Black Grapes as a rule colour best with a fair 
spread of foliage above them, hut white Grapes, and especially Muscats, 
will gain more colour and higher flavour when having as much sun as they 
will bear without scorching. 
Late Hamlurglis. —-These will soon he colouring, and if there he any 
necessity for water it should he given thoroughly—a good soaking in the 
early part of the day, and where the Vines are carrying a heavy crop 
some tepid liquid will help them, Only check lateral growth to prevent 
overcrowding and too dense shade, and admit air freely on fine days. 
Houses of Ripe Hamlruryhs. —Where it is necessary to keep ripe 
Hamburghs for any length of time they will i-equire shading during the 
day with all the air that can he given, and atmospheric moisture obtained 
by damping the floors in the morning in hot dry weather in order to keep 
the foliage in good condition. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Roses. —Hybrid Perpetuals that were forced into bloom early in the 
season and have been standing or plunged outside should now he repotted. 
It is a great mistake to leave them in the same pots year after year, or 
growing amongst the same soil, and rely upon feeding, for the purpose of 
supporting or sustaining the plants in health and vigour. This operation 
should be done at once, and not deferred until late in the season, when 
the plants afterwards have not time to become thoroughly established 
before the winter. If they are repotted now large quantities of roots will 
be made in the new soil ; in fact large numbers of roots will have 
reached the sides of the pots before winter, and the plants be in a suitable 
condition for starting freely and early into growth when required to do 
so. The plants should be turned out of their pots and the old exhausted 
soil worked carefully from amongst the roots, destroying as few fibres 
as possible, until the ball is reduced to half its original size. The 
plants should be again potted in the same, larger, or a smaller pot, 
according to the health and strength of the plants. When potting, the 
soil must be in a proper state for moisture, neither wet nor dry, and must 
be worked amongst the roots, not merely crammed into the pots, as too 
often is the case. The pots should be liberally drained, as Roses require 
abundant supplies of water during active growth. Roses do not require 
large pots, and no greater evil exists than that of placing large quantities 
of soil about the roots of these plants that will not be occupied during the 
season. Pots of moderate size only should be used, and the soil pressed 
into them as firmly as possible, so as to induce the formation of fibry roots 
and sturdy growth. Roses in pots seldom do well when potted lightly, 
for they are always either saturated with water or they are dry, two con¬ 
ditions that should never exist, for they cause spring mildew and other 
diseases. Use a compost of rich fibry loam, a seventh of decayed manure, 
and a little sand if the loam is of a heavy nature, and a 6-inch potful of 
bonemeal and the same quantity of soot to each barrowful of soil. After 
the plants are potted they should, if possible, be plunged outside in coal 
ashes or any similar material, entirely covering the pots an inch or two 
