September 9, 1880 . ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 243 
masses or lines of yellow, or rather yellow and white, the gay 
Limnanthes Douglassi is suitable, and i3 about as hardy as any 
weed that grows. About the end of August is the time for sowing, 
hut it will do very well sown now. Viscarias are among the most 
attractive of annuals, and sown at the same time flower with the 
Clarkias. Y. oculata is the most constant, but Y. cardinalis is 
richer. Viscarias are seldom destroyed by frost, hut excessive wet 
is sometimes injurious. Collinsias are extemely fine in May onwards. 
They cannot he sown at a better time than the present; if sown 
earlier they make too much growth before winter, and are then apt 
to be injured by severe frosts. The same remark applies to Lark¬ 
spurs and Candytuft. As a dwarf bright blue flower for early 
spring Veronica syriaca is pretty, and the pink and white Virginian 
Stocks are dwarf and cheerful. Other annuals might be named for 
sowing at the present time, but those mentioned will suffice for 
rendering a garden attractive in spring and early summer. 
As to sowing—select an open posiiion, and the further it is from 
old walls, hedges, and such green crops as Broccolis, Seakale, and 
Rhubarb the better, for it is there that slugs hide, and they will 
travel some distance for some of the delicate annuals. The soil 
should not be too rich, and if rather firm so much the better, as the 
object must be to induce a hardy and sturdy, not a free and succu¬ 
lent growth. Sow in drills a foot apart; if the present dry weather 
continues saturate the drills before sowing the seed, which cover 
very slightly with fine soil. The moment the young plants can be 
seen run the hoe through the soil frequently, as this not only pre¬ 
vents the growth of weeds, but is a greater check to slugs than many 
people imagine. Immediately the plants can be handled thin them 
out so that each plant stands singly, and at the least an inch 
from its neighbour. The plants then become hardy, and branch out 
and become vastly superior to those left to crowd and choke each 
other in the seed beds and patches. 
If slugs commence their attacks dust the plants with fresh lime an 
hour after dark when the molluscs are feeding, and more execution 
will be done than by twenty dustings in the daytime after they 
have enjoyed their repast and retired to their haunts.—S pring 
Gardener. 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
The crops of Winter Spinach will by this time require thinning, 
and it should be done before the plants become too large, allowing 
sufficient space between them to prevent damping in bad weather, 
and keep the surface soil between the rows well stirred. The latter 
observation applies to all growing crops at this season, the whole 
surface in the kitchen garden being hoed. Thin out autumn-sown 
Onions to about 3 inches distance apart. Every alternate plant may 
be removed in spring as required. 
Cabbage .—As a spring crop this is one of the most important in 
cultivation. Place plants from the July sowing in their permanent 
quarters without delay ; ground that has been occupied with Onions 
turned over and properly prepared, will be suitable for this crop, 
planting from 15 to 18 inches apart eveiy way. Do not allow the 
plants from the August sowing to stand too thickly in the seed beds, 
but when fit prick off the required number, and thin out the rest. A 
batch of the latest of these plants should be pricked off in beds for 
spring planting. Prepare the ground for the main crop of Cabbages, 
the plants being placed out 18 to 20 inches apart. 
Attend to the requirements of Cauliflower plants from recently 
sown seed and sow again. Take up the main crop of Onions, and let 
them be exposed for a few days before storing them away thinly in a 
dry room on shelves, tying the larger in bunches so that they can be 
removed to a cooler situation in February. Keep up a good supply 
of salading. Select fine dry days for tying up Lettuce and Endive. 
Examine plantations of Globe Artichokes, cutting away useless stems, 
and removing all decayed leaves, so as to admit light and air to ripen 
them at the base. Tomatoes require some attention now ; the leaves 
should be removed where they shade the clusters of fruit in order to 
advance the ripening, also keeping the laterals closely pinched or 
removed. Where means are at command a first sowing of Dwarf 
French Beans should be made in pots, placing them in a house with a 
night temperature of 55° to 60°, and as close to the glass as possible. 
Osborn’s Forcing is the best variety for this purpose. 
FRUIT HOUSES. 
Vines .—The earliest forced Vines should now be pruned if the wood 
be brown and hard and the leaves turning yellow. The house and 
Vines should have a thorough cleaning, washing the woodwork with 
soft soap and water, and the glass with clear water, the Vines being 
well brushed over with a solution of soft soap, 1 lb. to a gallon of 
water, removing the loose bark only, and repeating the dressing if 
insects have been troublesome, adding half a gallon of tobacco juice 
to the above mixture, with a small quantity of flowers of sulphur. 
The woodwork should be painted, and the loose surface soil removed, 
supplying fresh turfy loam and a sprinkling of crushed bones. 
Any Vines in an unsatisfactory state may be improved by] partially 
lifting the roots, removing the old soil and carefully laying the roots 
in fresh compost, but this must be done before the fall of the leaf. 
Vines in pots intended to be started in November ought now to be 
fully ripe and at rest. The soil should be kept comparatively dry, but 
must not be allowed to become dust dry, or the plants will be much 
injured at the roots. Later batches of pot Vines should now be 
turned outside, and have the canes secured to walls or other exposed 
situations. Young Vines that have made strong growth will take a 
long time to ripen, and should be aided with fire heat, continuing it 
with a free circulation of air until the wood is brown and hard, dis¬ 
couraging any further growth by removing the laterals as they show. 
Continue fire heat for late Grapes until they are thoroughly ripened, 
ventilating the house top and bottom. The outside border must after 
this be protected from heavy rain by means of shutters, tarpaulin, or 
any similar material, as the Grapes keep much better when the roots 
are not chilled by heavy autumn rains. Ripe Grapes should be 
frequently examined, and all decayed berries removed. 
reaches and Nectarines .—The leaves will be off or nearly so in the 
earliest forced house ; and to induce as complete a rest as possible 
the ventilators should be constantly kept open, and if the lights be 
moveable they may be withdrawn for a time, which will prevent 
undue excitement of the buds and have an invigorating tendency, 
especially as the border will become thoroughly moistened by the 
autumn rains. If the lights cannot be removed see that there is no 
deficiency of water at the roots of the trees, for though the impression 
prevails that dryness at the roots accelerates ripening of the wood, 
it is fatal to the development of the buds. The border should never 
be allowed to become dry at any time, but of course a much lessened 
supply of water will be necessary when at rest than during growth 
When the leaves have fallen the trees may be finally pruned. Only 
the strong growths that have not the points well matured should be 
cut back. In all cases be careful to cut back to a wood bud, not 
being deceived by a triple bud, as these in some instances form triple 
fruit buds, notably Noblesse and Grosse Mignonne. Thoroughly 
cleanse the house ; and if the trees have been infested with red spider 
or other insect pests dress the trees at once with an insecticide, as 
red spider will secrete itself in the rough portion of the bark and in 
the woodwork. Nicotine soap, 8 ozs. to a gallon of water, at a tem¬ 
perature of 100° to 120°, will destroy every kind of insect, it being 
applied thoroughly but carefully with a brush. If the trees are 
badly infested it may be necessary to repeat the dressing before 
they are secured to the trellis. Remove the surface soil of the 
border, and supply fresh loam having an addition of bone dust and 
wood ashes in equal proportions to the extent of about a twentieth 
part. Partial lifting of weak trees and renovating the borders will 
be necessary, which should be done before the leaves have fallen, and 
in the case of trees that do not ripen the wood well the roots should 
be carefully lifted and relaid in fresh compost near the surface, 
ascertaining that the drainage is efficient. Do not neglect tree3 
from which the fruit has been gathered in the succession houses, 
thinning out growths not required for future bearing, removing the 
bearing wood of the current season, ventilating freely, watering 
inside borders as may be necessary, and occasionally syringing the 
foliage. Late trees swelling off fruit will need the borders moist 
and mulched, and those with the roots in outside borders must not 
be neglected should dry weather prevail, and if carrying heavy crops 
weak liquid manure should be supplied. When all the fruit has 
