1-68 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ August 21, 1890. 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Tomatoes. —The season so far has not proved favourable for these 
'in the open air, but they are as good as usual under glass, and as the 
•open air crops will not be a great success extra attention should be 
devoted to those under glass. Plants that have been restricted should 
fee allowed to make afresh leader, and go on for some distance to form 
a few more clusters of fruit for late ripening. If the main stem of any 
is exhausted and shoots are growing from the base, encourage these 
by cutting the old stem down. A second crop will be quickly secured 
in this way. All old plants that have filled their pots, or limits, wijffi 
roots should have a firm top-dressing put to them, consisting of half 
loam and half manure. Cut the fruit as it begins to ripen, as if it is 
allowed to hang on the plants long after it is ripe it will retard the 
swelling of the others. Do not attempt to force the plants by keeping 
dhe house close, as they will make more progress if grown with a free 
circulation of air. 
Winter Spinach. —This is one of the most useful crops anyone 
can grow. It is capable of filling up many gaps in the kitchen, and 
one or more good breadths of it should be grown in all gardens. It 
may be sown at once, and again in September, but the present sowing 
may prove as good as any, and those who can only accommodate one 
crop should sow now. The prickly variety is usually preferred, though 
many gardeners find the broad-leaved variety equally hardy. Both 
may be tried. The crop may follow Potatoes or Peas. The seed should 
be sown in drills 15 inches apart and 1 inch deep. We gather from 
our present sowing in the early winter, and the plants grow luxuriantly 
again for a further supply in the spring. 
The First Mushroom Beds. —We can hardly expect open air 
Mushrooms to be plentiful this autumn, but should they be so the 
supply will not go far into October, and where Mushrooms are required 
then and during the end of the year the first beds must be formed by 
the end of August. It is somewhat difficult to get the most suitable 
materials at present, as most of the horses are on grass, but wherever 
a few barrow or cartloads of horse droppings can be collected a bed 
may be formed. There is little difficulty in preparing the manure now, 
as it will dry sufficiently in a few days if spread in an open shed. 
Turfy loam may be added a few days before the bed is formed, as it 
will absorb the juice of the manure and improve the bed. We make 
the first bed against a wall in a cool shed or outhouse, about 18 inches 
deep at the back and 10 inches in front. If the manure is in good 
order the bed may be made up, spawned and soiled on the one day. 
'The material should be trodden as firmly down as possible, as the firmer 
it is the better does it retain the heat, and this not only produces an 
early crop, but a long continuance of good Mushrooms. 
Autumn Onions. —These are not so large as usual, nor so well ripened, 
but many of them are now beginning to split, and these are useless 
for keeping. All the bu'bs should be drawn and laid in the sun to dry. 
This will prevent their splitting, and they will ripen for storing and for 
use till Christmas. They are especially valuable to those who are 
deficient in spring sown Onions. 
Late Peas. —When records of the Pea crop of 1890 come to be 
written few of them will be couched in glowing terms, as the season 
has been a very indifferent one for Peas, the pods taking so long to fill, 
and the flavour has been generally deficient. Late varieties sown at the 
usual time are very backward, and will require special treatment to 
make them pod freely in October. If they are shaded by other rows of 
Peas or any other tall growing crop, the sooner they are fully exposed 
to the sun the better, and should the weather prove dry they should be 
liberally supplied with guano water. 
Pests. —The Parsley we noted as having failed some weeks ago 
received at that time a heavy watering in which petroleum was 
mixed at the rate of one wineglassful to the gallon. This entirely 
destroyed the grub, and green leaves are now pushing freely. 
The Carrots subjected to the same treatment have not improved, 
as the grubs had buried themselves in the roots beyond the reach of the 
oil, but next year an experiment will be made by sprinkling the surface 
of the soil with the oil before it is forked over for the reception of the 
seed. Caterpillars which may now be appearing on Cauliflower should 
be picked off before they become numerous. The season has been in 
favour of slugs and snails all through, and care must be taken that they 
do not destroy the young crops of Cabbage, Lettuce, Endive, and other 
plants. 
Leeks. —Huge Leeks are very desirable for exhibition, but they are 
not particularly useful for other purposes, and unless they are wanted 
for showing much time need not be devoted to their culture. The large 
plants must, however, be carefully earthed up at the present time. 
They should also receive liberal quantities of strong liquid manure. 
The soil should not be put to them in large quantities, but only a little 
weekly. When it is raised so much that the plants appear to stand on 
ridges, the best place to feed is between them, as if the liquid manure is 
.emptied down amongst the leaves it is apt to do injury. 
Large Spring Onions. —These are very backward this season, as 
plenty of sunshine is essential to their development. To aid them in swell¬ 
ing and ripening we find it a good plan to draw the soil away from the 
bulbs and leave each resting in a hollow. The sun has a most beneficial 
influence over them then, and when liquid manure is given it is an 
easy matter to fill the vacancy around each bulb. 
PLA.NT HOUSES. 
Gardenias .—Cuttings of soft-growing shoots should be inserted 
singly in small pots, well watered, and p’aced in the propagating frame 
until they are rooted. When inserted thickly together they should be 
potted singly directly they are rooted. When well established in small 
pots, pinch out the leader to induce them to branch. Young plants 
always produce the finest flowers, and if kept growing from the time 
they are rooted without a check they are not difficult to keep free from 
insects, and by the following autumn will be fully 2 feet through. 
Clerodendron Halfourianum .—Plants grown as bushes, flowered 
early in the year, and confined at their roots, will have thoroughly 
ripened their wood and rested in an intermediate temperature. If the 
shoots are partially pruned back and the plants placed in brisk heat 
they will break into fresh growth and produce a second crop of flowers. 
Push plants into growth that have only just flowered, and fully expose 
them to the sun. Wood made in a moist shady atmosphere is difficult 
to ripen thoroughly in autumn. Feed with weak stimulants plants that 
are lengthening out their growths. 
Tydceas. —Evergreen varieties such as Madame Heine should be 
placed in 5-inch pots and grown in an intermediate temperature. Admit 
air freely when the weather is favourable, and close the frame early in 
the afternoon. Shade the plants from bright sunshine, but be careful 
not to allow water to fall on their foliage, or it will be browned and dis¬ 
figured. The same care is necessary with those that make tubers. These 
kinds will be growing rapidly, and may need a few light stakes to sup¬ 
port them. The frames in which they are grown will need fire heat if 
the weather continues cold. Nothing is gained by starving them. They 
must be kept growing after they are started, or they will not attain 
their full size and give satisfaction. 
Gloxinias. —Place seedlings in their flowering pots, 4 or 5-inch, ac¬ 
cording to their size. Allow the young plants to come forward gradually, 
and in due time they will push up fine flowers. These plants do well in 
loam with one-third leaf mould and one-seventh manure and sand. 
Shade from the sun, and water carefully until they are rooting freely. 
Gesneras. —Place these in from 5 to 7-inch pots according to the 
variety and the number of plants in each pot. To grow these well they 
must have a warm moist atmosphere where they can be shaded from 
the sun. No water must be allowed to fall upon their beautifully 
marked foliage. If possible stand them on a bed of moisture-holding 
material. Give water carefully at first, but do not allow them to become 
dry. They will do well in the soil advised for Gloxinias, but add more sand. 
Justicia flavicoma. —This plant is useful for any position, but 
stands longer when in bloom in the conservatory and intermediate 
temperatures than in the stove. Feed all the earliest plants with weak 
stimulants, shade from the brightest sun only, and keep the plants 
moderately close in cold frames. Those in a more backward condition 
should be pushed forward for a time in brisk heat. Cuttings that 
were rooted late will only need 4-inch pots, and should be grown with¬ 
out pinching. 
Plumbago rosea. —The shoots of these should be allowed to extend. 
Do not hurry them, or they will soon run up tall and fail to flower as 
profusely as those that are grown under cooler and more airy conditions. 
Watch for thrips, which is very liable to trouble these plants, and is best 
destroyed by dipping in or syringing with a weak solution of tobacco 
water. 
Pandanns Veitehi. —Suckers from plants that are throwing them up 
freely near the base may be carefully taken off and inserted in small 
pots. They will root quickly in sandy soil if placed under haadlights 
and kept close. When well rooted they should be placed into larger 
pots, and if grown in a close moist atmosphere, and fully exposed to the 
sun. they will grow rapidly and be well coloured. It is only when 
grown in the shade that this useful decorative plant fails to colour and 
turns green. 
FOUL BROOD. 
It is to be regretted that this disease is spreading widely in a 
most virulent form, and at a time which makes it most difficult to 
combat owing to the scarcity of honey. These two evils combined 
are almost enough to induce many to relinquish bee-keeping as 
unprofitable and annoying. One of the most extensive apiaries in 
Scotland has been attacked with the most virulent form of foul 
brood, and a number of others are victims also. The owners have 
traced its introduction to imported queens. At all events the 
disease in every instance has had its rise in hives that were per¬ 
fectly healthy previous to their introduction. It is a pity there is 
not some means of preventing queens being sent from infected 
stocks. If that were so it would be better for all concerned, and 
bee-keeping would be less of a lottery and more remunerative than 
it is at present. 
Can the Disease be Cured ? 
This is an oft-repeated query, to which we answer, “ No ; not 
to pay.” The “ purgatorial process,” as given first in this 
