220 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. c September 2 , isso. 
Lettuce and Endive .—The seed for next season’s early supply of 
Lettuce should be sown in an open situation. Stanstead Park is the 
best Cabbage, and Black-seeded Brown the best Cos variety for this 
sowing. As the plants from later summer sowings of Lettuce and 
Endive become ready plant out good breadths in firm soil to induce 
a sturdy growth, as Lettuces in autumn have a tendency to become 
soft, and those grown in firm soil are not so susceptible of injury 
from wet and frost as those in loose rich soil. Take advantage of 
sunny days to tie up such as are fit for blanching, and earth up the 
most forward crops of Celery in favourable weather. Continue to 
sow Radish and Mustard and Cress seed in warm situations. 
Cabbage .—Plants from the July sowing may when ready be placed 
out where they are to remain, selecting rich soil in a sunny situation, 
a distance of 18 inches apart every way being ample for the plants. 
By planting out another batch in a fortnight’s time in an open situa¬ 
tion a good succession of early Cabbages will be ensured. 
HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 
There is still time to plant Strawberries; and if the plants that are 
well rooted in small pots are turned out now, and well attended to with 
water if the weather prove dry, they will afford some fine fruit next 
season. Where it is necessary to defer planting until spring, runners 
may now be pricked-off in nursery beds. Runners planted some time 
ago will be making good progress, and should have the secondary 
runners removed. Older plants should now be cleared of all runners 
and weeds, so as to admit of light and air to mature the crowns. 
Continue to attend to stopping and thinning the growth of fruit trees, 
as, owing to the moisture aud scanty crop, they are making much 
growth, especially bush and pyramid trees, which should now be ex¬ 
amined, and the laterals stopped to one bud, so as to check late growth 
and strengthen the buds for next season. Peaches and Nectarines 
will require attention in stopping laterals and cutting back gross 
growths, as for the wood to ripen properly must be well exposed to 
the sun’s influence. 
FRUIT HOUSES. 
Vines .—Former directions with regard to the starting of late houses 
having been followed the Grapes will be well advanced, and in¬ 
stead of keeping the Vines excited by sharp firing, as is the case with 
houses started late in the spring, atmospheric moisture may now be 
gradually reduced, and well-ripened wood with highly finished fruit 
will be secured by the application of sufficient artificial heat to keep 
up a circulation of warm dry air. The Vines will rest before the long 
damp nights set in, and the bunches will keep satisfactorily in a suit¬ 
able room, and this will admit of the pruning of the Vines and giving 
them a long rest. Vines from which the Grapes have been cut must 
not be neglected, keeping all laterals closely stopped, securing a dry 
warm atmosphere to ensure the complete maturity of the wood. The 
old foliage should be retained as long as possible, keeping it free from 
dust and red spider by an occasional washing with the engine on fine 
evenings. Where early forcing is contemplated the Vines should be 
pruned by the middle of September, the houses cleaned, repaired, and 
painted if necessary ; the borders being cleared of the old mulching 
and loose soil, supplying a dressing of good turfy loam to which a 
twentieth part of half-inch bones has been added. 
Cucumbers .—As the nights are becoming cooler less syringing is 
needed ; it must be done earlier in the afternoon, and the ventilators 
should be closed earlier, but there will not be any necessity for fire 
heat unless the night temperature falls below 65°. Much depends 
upon local circumstances, the size of the house, elevation, and aspect, 
so that the cultivator must be guided by them, it being impossible to 
lay down rules generally applicable. Encourage the plants for 
autumn fruiting, removing the first fruits, also the staminate blossom 8 
and tendrils. A sowing should be made from now to the middle of 
the month to provide plants that will supply fruit at Christmas. 
Telegraph is the most reliable variety. 
Melons .—The last batch of plants will be making good progress, 
and should not be stopped until the leaders have advanced two-thirds 
up the trellis, removing every alternate lateral directly they can be 
pinched out, maintaining a warm and moist atmosphere until the 
fruit is setting, when less moisture is needed. The latest plants in 
frames have set their fruit well; earthing up the roots must be attended 
to directly the fruits commence swelling, watering copiously in dry 
weather, and keeping a strict watch for canker at the collar, and 
applying quicklime should it appear. Keep the laterals well stopped, 
shading only to prevent flagging. Gradually withhold water at the 
roots, and atmospheric moisture from plants ripening their fruit. 
FLOWER GARDEN. 
The early summer months were not favourable to a development 
of bloom on Pelargoniums and other flowering plants, and the growth 
of K the tender varieties has been greatly retarded; but the better 
weather of late has wrought a change, and flower gardens will be in 
fine condition during the present month. Remove all decayed leaves, 
faded flowers, and seed pods from plants in beds, and in dry weather 
supply water copiously. Although there is a slight departure from 
summer bedding in favour of herbaceous plants, which have been 
unusually attractive this season, carpet bedding has increased in 
popular favour, and deservedly, for when well done it is very beau¬ 
tiful. The propagation of bedding plants must now be pushed 
forward. Cuttings of the common varieties of Pelargoniums may be 
inserted in boxes of sandy soil; if these be placed in a warm situation 
the cuttings will root freely. Choicer varieties may be inserted in pots 
and placed in a frame where they can have protection from heavy 
rain. A few store pots or pans full of Yerbenas, Lobelias, and 
Heliotropes will be sufficient, as they are freely increased in spring. 
Cuttings of Pansies and Yiolas strike freely in a shady border; the 
cuttings should be taken from the base of the plants. 
Herbaceous plants should be examined frequently, removing all 
dead stems or stalks ; others will require staking and tying, such as 
the late-flowering Asters and Chrysanthemums. Seeds of hardy 
annuals should now be sown ; when surviving the winter they make 
a fine display in April and May. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Pelargoniums .—Cut down the latest-flowered plants, placing them 
in a pit or frame. Yery little water is necessary. These first cut- 
down plants will be ready for shaking out, as it is not well to let 
the shoots become much advanced before repotting, or the reduction 
of the roots will cause many to cease growing. Half the roots may 
be cut away from old plants that are as large as required. Turfy 
loam with a sixth of old manure is a suitable compost, adding a 
sprinkling of sand. They should be potted firmly, and placed in a 
light house near to the glass, and damped lightly every afternoon, 
admitting plenty of air. 
Mignonette .—Encourage the plants to make strong growth by keep¬ 
ing them near to the glass and shifting as required. A few plants 
grown well will afford more and finer spikes of bloom than as many 
dozens badly grown. Plants intended to form standards should be 
kept to single stems regularly tied up to stikes, and when of the 
required height they should have to be trained over an umbrella wire 
stand. Green aphides must be destroyed by syringing with tobacco 
water or moderate fumigation. 
j Roses .—Plants in pots that have been well attended during summer 
should now be placed in an open sunny position to ripen the growth ; 
and if there is any trace of mildew promptly apply flowers of sulphur, 
as unless this is destroyed it will give much trouble when the trees 
are under glass. Where potting is necessary it should be done with¬ 
out delay, placing the trees at the back of a wall or fence for a few 
days. Clematises are valuable for decorative purposes, and should 
be placed in a sunny situation similar to the Roses, affording water 
so as not to stop growth all at once, at the same time taking care not 
to allow the soil to become too wet by heavy rains, or the growth will 
not ripen well. 
Plants of Anemone japonica alba lifted before the buds are too 
much advanced, potted, and placed on a north border for a few days 
and kept moist, will make fine specimens for conservatory decoration. 
Dwarf Asters may be taken up from the borders and potted three or 
four together in a 6-inch pot, and if the soil is well soaked to prevent 
the plants flagging they will be found very useful for decorative 
purposes. 
Richardias .—Plants that have been retained in pots will be starting 
into growth and should be potted at once. It is only necessary to 
