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172 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER . [ March 1, 1883. 
the zresting period, and are active before any flowers are 
-expanded. 
1 repot our plants annually, not at any given time, but 
as the bulbs are picked out after resting to be placed in 
heat. Most of the old soil is shaken from the roots and 
the bulbs repotted in 5 and 6-inch pots, according to their 
roots and the size of their bulbs ; these sizes I have found large 
enough for single bulbs. The soil employed is rich fibry loam, 
one-seventh of decayed manure, a little broken charcoal, and 
coarse sand, which is used liberally. The pots are well 
drained, and the soil pressed firmly into them, leaving the 
bulbs when finished well above the soil. 
By the time the plants have finished flowering their roots 
.are extending freely in the new soil, and are ready to develope 
.them growth. They should have an intermediate temperature 
in which to complete their growth, and a position close to the 
glass. The object is to have the foliage dwarf and sturdy, as 
when grown in a close atmosphere a good distance from the 
glass it has not sufficient strength to support itself. When 
the season has advanced a slight shade may with advantage be 
-given at the middle of the day, but light must not be excluded 
-from the plants. After the growth is thoroughly developed 
"they can have cool treatment, a shelf in a cool house being 
.a good position for them, where they can be fully exposed to 
the sun. Thorough ripening after the growth is completed is 
the most essential point in their cultivation. 
While growing liberal supplies of water should be given, 
'which must not be diminished until tire foliage shows signs of 
ripening, and then it must be carefully and gradually withheld, 
or the roots will suffer, and the bulbs in consequence brought 
prematurely to rest. If the supply of water in their last stages 
of growth is properly administered the roots will be ripened 
by the time the bulbs are, and remain healthy and fresh. If 
the water supply is abruptly discontinued the majority of the 
roots will be found dead at starting time, instead of being 
ready to start again into growth as soon as moisture is 
.supplied. 
These plants are subject to thrips and red spider, which can 
be kept down by a free use of the syringe during the growing 
.season.—W. .Bardney. 
ADNITT’S PEA PROTECTORS 
i noticed in the Journal of the loth ult. a correspondent makes 
a suggestion with regard to these Pea protectors, but I do not think 
his plan a good one, for they would be cumbersome and heavy 
to move without any better result. Probably, too, the birds would 
be very likely to eat the peas through the wire netting. I have 
never during my experience found any difficulty in giving head 
space, or of giving air at the bottom, for when the peas reach the 
•glass I draw the earth up to the peas on each side. I do not 
at this stage press the protectors into the soil, but lay them on 
lightly so that air may circulate under them. When first the idea 
occurred to me I thought of top ventilation, and made provision 
for that by making the grooves so that one piece of glass would 
elide over the other ; but I have never yet found it necessary to 
-do so, as sufficient air passes in at the end of each protector and 
the pieces of glass, which need not fit close together. 
About the middle of last December I sowed a row of Peas 
33 yards in length. Thirty yards I protected with my Pea 
guard. Every plant appears to have grown, and they are now 
4 inches in height, strong, with foliage close to the ground. 
Saturday last I removed the protectors to draw earth to the 
Peas. I was very pleased with the appearance of the plants, as 
they are very even and of a healthy colour. I attribute this to 
the glass covering shielding them from the heavy rains, and 
carrying the water to the sides of the protectors, and so leaving 
the row comparatively dry. The soot that I sprinkled on the top 
of the row was nearly dry. 1 find the birds would attack the 
Peas when they are staked, but I adopt the plan that was 
advocated in the Journal fourteen or fifteen years ago—that is, 
to stretch three lines of stout thread saturated in coal tar on each 
row, one on the top and one on each side. The seed that was 
unprotected has not germinated.—S. Adnitt. 
Dressing Chrysanthemum Blooms. —While the above subject is 
being discussed in your columns I wish to ask a few questions. I 
should like to know the points by which the different classes of cut 
blooms are judged, also the means employed to bring the flowers to 
the requisite standard after they are grown. I had, or thought I had, 
a few good flowers (incurved) last autumn, which I ventured to ex¬ 
hibit at a show in the south, and having no cups, as well as being in 
ignorance that cups were necessary, they were staged flat on the 
board. There were nine competitors in the class, and I was left out, 
but I could not see how I was defeated. I asked some exhibitors the 
cause of this, and they stated it was because I had not employed cups. 
Can any of your correspondents give me a few hints on the above 
subject ?— Subscriber. 
GARDENING AND GARDENERS. 
I read with pleasure the article on the above by “ Excelsior,” 
but I cannot allow the letter of “A Young Gardener, G. H.” 
(page 134) to pass unnoticed, in which he says half of our young 
gardeners in bothies are ruined by excessive drinking, &c. This 
I strongly deny, having as a subordinate spent over ten years 
in bothies in England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland ; and I 
can honestly say that during that time it was not my lot to 
meet with companions such as ‘‘ G. II.” would have us believe 
are the young gardeners of the present day. As a rule I have 
found them to compare most favourably, as regards their drink¬ 
ing habits, with any other class of men. Head gardeners of the 
present day would not tolerate drinking habits amongst their 
men. Perhaps “ G. H.” will be surprised to hear that there are 
gardeners who keep a supply of books for the young men ; and 
what is the result, of some of them at least ? In a letter I have 
before me from a nobleman’s gardener and well-known writer he 
says, “ Some of my men have never asked to see a book of those 
I keep for their use, although I have pressed them on them ;” 
and where libraries are not attached to the gardens there are often 
some within easy reach where books may be procured for a small 
sum by those who have the will. Young gardeners have the 
matter in their own hands. Their chief aim at the present time 
is to get into the houses as soon as possible ; after that very few 
take but little interest in outside work. In my own case every¬ 
thing in the kitchen garden is labelled with dates, when sown 
and planted ; but how rare it is to see one of the young men 
taking notes of the cropping. It arises, not from drinking 
habits, but for the want of giving their mind to their profession. 
If men will not try to help themselves they cannot expect their 
employers to do so.— Head Gardener. 
POTATOES FOR TABLE AND MARKET. 
(Continued from page 155.) 
In the following notes the figures 1, 2, and 3 indicate first early, second early, 
and late varieties ; the months the time of planting; and the asterisks those 
varieties that are considered the best for market purposes by the respective 
cultivators. 
Cheshire. —1. March and April. Yeitch’s Improved Ashleaf, 
““Myatt’s Prolific Ashleaf, Rivers’ Royal Ashleaf, and Early Rose. 
Soil.—Light. 2. April. ““Schoolmaster, ““Dalmahoy, International, 
and Snowflake. Soil.—Medium. 3. Early part of May. ““Magnum 
Bonum, *Paterson’s Victoria, ““Champion, and “Regent. Soil.— 
Medium. Manures and Application.—Farmyard manure, moderately 
decayed, applied in garden ground when winter digging.— ROBERT 
Mackellar, Abney Hall Gardens. 
1. February. Myatt’s Prolific Ashleaf, and a variety of the same 
called ““Captain White’s, which is a little earlier, and Beauty of 
Hebron. Soil.—Soil is light, taken generally ; sandy subsoil. 2. 
March. Covent Garden Perfection, ““Snowflake, and Yorkshire Hero. 
Soil.—Light. 3. March, end. *Late Rose, ’“Magnum Bonum, and 
*Scotch Champion. Soil.—Light. Manures and Application.—I 
prefer a3 a manure some well-decomposed stable dung and leaves 
mixed, such as an old hotbed, and prefer cropping the ground with 
some green vegetables previous to planting Potatoes, particularly in 
the case of those of American origin. On some parts of the ground 
this would not apply. Cultural Remarks.—I am of the opinion that 
if cultivators of the Potato were to plant earlier than is the general 
rule with many of them, particularly the latest varieties, it would 
tend to arrest considerably the progress of the disease, as this early 
planting would be conducive to earlier maturation of the growth of 
the same, and would allow of the ingathering of the crop before the 
heavy rains. I am also of the opinion that all persons in giving 
animals the diseased tubers, even in a cooked state, are acting un¬ 
wisely, as the resting spore, even after it has passed through the 
animal, still retains its vitality.— Harry Ward, Oulton Parle 
Gardens , Tarporley. 
Cornwall. —1. Middle of February. Suttons’ Early Ashleaf and 
““Myatt’s Ashleaf. Soil.—Medium. 2. First week in March. ““Rivers’ 
Royal Ashleaf and ““Gloucestershire Kidney. Soil.—Medium. 3. 
Second week in March. ““Scotch Champion and ““Magnum Bonum. 
Soil.—Heavy. Manures and Application.—Stable manure, dug-in 
