November 18. 1886. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
461 
The most important amongst them were the very handsome plants from 
Mr. Gr. King, gardener to Mrs. Few, Esher, his half dozen specimens each 
4 or 5 feet in diameter, and bearing hundreds of blooms, being worthily 
awarded the premier prize. 
The centre of the hall was devoted to the cut blooms, three tables 
extending nearly the whole length of the building, and upon a third one, 
across near the entrance, were arranged the collections of fruit—Apples 
and^Pears. In the centres of the tables, between the rows of cut bloom 
boxes, were lines of table plants, “berried ” plants, Primulas, &c., the 
first-named being especially useful for relieving the rather flat appearance 
of this part of the Show. 
WOKK jofiTHE WEEK i 
34 
sfiii 
Q 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Sowing Peas. —The practice of sowing Peas in autumn has many 
advocates, and there are some who do not agree with it, but if properly 
done autumn sowing has many advantages, and one of the greatest of 
those is, that when the plants get well up and are not too severely checked 
afterwards they will blossom, pod, and be ready for use earlier in the 
spring than any which can be Bown in the first months of the year. 
Many rows which look well at the new year have almost disappeared by 
March ; but this is no fault of the system, and failure often occurs from 
neglect. Sometimes the seed is sown early in November and the plants 
are upwards of 6 inches high by January, but these early plants suffer 
most, and we would rather have our Peas 2 inches high on New Year's 
Day than double that height. As dwarf stubby plants are not easily 
injured by frost or wind and the present is quite early enough to sow the 
seed ; it should be placed into good soil in the most sheltered and sunny 
part of the garden. A south border is a good position for them, as the 
sun has always much influence here in April and May. Only very early 
sorts should be sowd. Open the drill s to a depth of 5 inches, sow the 
seed rather thickly, cover with the soil, tread it over the seed and finish 
with a layer of ashes. When the plants push through the ashes few snails 
will trouble them, as they cannot travel over a sharp rough surface. 
Broad Beans.—A sowing of these should be made at the same time 
as the Peas. They will succeed in heavier soil than them, but the position 
should be equally sunny, as it is in the spring time, when they are coming 
nto bloom, that they require all the warmth possible. They delight in 
rich s >il, and the ashes must be placed over them too, as the ,y are very 
apt to be eateD, and a sharp look out must be kept that the ps.' ce do not 
destroy the seed, as we have known them clear whole rows in a remarkably 
short time. 
Aspaeagus. —This is one of the most favoured of all vegetables. 
Those who undertake its culture can never have it too fine, and many 
complain that they cannot have it good enough, but liberal cultivation 
will do wonders for it, and the beds or plantations must not be neglected 
in winter. The growths have now withered, and they should all be cut 
over a few inches above the level of the soil. We allow the ends l o pro¬ 
ject (hat it may be seen where the roots are. After cutting the rough 
weeds and refuse are cleaned off, and a quantity of soot and salt are 
mixed together, and a handful of this is sprinkled round each crown. A 
little short manure is then spread on the surface of the soil, and they are 
safe for the winter. Where the manure is scarce a forkful may be placed 
to each crown, but where p'entiful the whole surface may be covered. 
Where the soil is heavy sand mu*t be substituted for the manure, and if 
seaweed can be obtained it should be used in preference. 
Stoeed Potatoes. —All Potatoes will have been stored for some weeks 
now, and it is just after they have been stored about the length of time 
indicated that they are liable r > decay m< st. In fact, after this time 
there is little or no loss, and the whole of the stored tubers should be 
turned over, and all the bad ones removed. They should then be placed 
back and covered again, whe i they will be safe for the winter. 
Endive.— It is now this useful salad is Vecoming fully valued. There 
is nothing better for winter salads than a good supply of Endive. When 
blanched and crisp the inner leaves are excellent, being very tender and 
possessing a distinct and pleasing flavour. For appearance the green or 
moss-curled is perhaps the most ornamental, but our favourite for useful¬ 
ness is the Broad-leaved Batavian. It is the hardiest, and it is large and 
excellent. It will bear much severe weather, but excessive frost and 
damp are apt to make them decay, and the best way is to protect the 
plants for midwinter and spring use. If lifted and placed into any 
rough frame with a glass over them they will be safe. They should be 
lifted with good balls of earth, and be placed in merely to touch each 
other. This should be done before frost injures them, and those for im¬ 
mediate use must be blanched before cutting. We have tried various 
ways of doiDg this, but consider the best to be that of tyiog the leaves 
firmly together at the top. This keeps the interior dark and dry, and 
produces excellent hearts. 
Paesley.— Keep the plants free from dead leaves. Bend some sticks 
over the bed hoop fashion, and throw some protection over these in the 
time of frost or snow. Where there is any danger of the plants being 
injured by severe weather, lift a quantity of them with large balls of soil 
attached, and plant them carefully in a frame. Water immediately after¬ 
wards, and do not put the lights on until frost comes. Parsley is so 
valuable in winter and spring that it must be secured, no matter at what 
trouble. 
Cabbage Plants. —These may soon have to bear severe weather, 
and as it is always an advantage when they suffer as little as possible 
from it. The whole of them should be well earthed up, as they suffer much 
less when the soil is drawn close up to the stems than when these are ex¬ 
posed. A slight sprinkling of soot or lime thrown over them is also 
beneficial. 
White Tuenips. —Where these are nearly of full size the frost will 
injure them quickly, and they should be lifted and stored. Those only 
half grown or in a small state suffer less, and may be left in the 
ground. 
plant,;houses. 
Bouvardias .—Where these have been kept cool up to the present time 
they should be removed at once to a light structure where the temperature 
will not fall below 50° at night. The flowers do not open well and freely 
under cool treatment, but by the aid of gentle warmth they yield a long 
supply of useful flowers for cutting. The latest of the stock may be kept 
where the temperature will not fall below 45° for the purpose of forming 
a succession. 
Primulas .—If extra sized plants are required for flowering in the 
spring select from the general stock as they are removed from cold frames 
a number of dwarf sturdy plants that have not shown flowers. If these 
are transferred from 5 to 7-inch pots they will continue growing, and in 
the spring will repay the trouble of potting and a little extra care during 
the winter. After potting give them a light position close to the glass and 
water them carefully. 
Freesias .—Imported bulbs of these are much cheaper than formerly, 
and they deserve to be more generally grown, for they are very useful for 
cutting, especially F. refracta alba. The bulbs can now be obtained, and 
should be potted up at once. About six bulbs should be placed in each 
4-inch pot in a compost of good loam, to which is added one-third of leaf 
mould and a liberal dash of coarse sand. The bulbs should be first 
covered with soil and the pots plunged in a cold frame, covering the sur¬ 
face of the soil with a little cocoa-nut fibre refuse. They should remain 
in this position until they commence growing, when the material covering 
the surface of the pots should be removed, the pots remaining plunged. 
Cool airy treatment should be continued, merely protecting them from 
frost, fur heat or a close confined atmosphere is certain to ruin them, and 
has been the cause of innumerable failures in the past. 
Vallota purpurea .—These may be stored away for the winter, but 
they must not be dried off, for they are evergreen. Many mistakes are 
made by keeping these plants too dry during the short days of winter. 
They should occupy some position where they will enjoy an average 
amount of light and where water can be supplied to them in sufficient 
quantities to keep their foliage fresh. A vinery or Peach house at rest, 
or a shady corner in the greenhouse, will suit them admirably—in fact, 
any position where frost can be kept from them. 
Zonal Pelargoniums .—The atmosphere must be kept comparatively 
dry in which these are flowering, for a few days’ sunless weather and a 
moist atmospere will cause the pips to damp. The plants should be ex¬ 
amined every morning and supplied with water if they need it, and then 
a little extra heat turned on to evaporate up the damp. This will not be 
needed on bright sunny days. Old and decaying pips must be removed 
at once, or they quickly destroy the whole truss at this season of the 
year. The whole of the plants flowering now will have their pots full of 
roots, and will be much benefited by an application of artificial manure 
applied to the surface of the soil. Young stock, whether singles or doubles, 
and now in 3-inch pots, should have their shoots pinched if they have 
extended beyond 3 or 4 inches in length. These, if kept close to the 
glass in a temperature that does not fall below 45° at night, will be in 
good condition for placing in larger pots in six weeks or two months 
time. No attempt should be made to push these into growth, and no 
more water should be given them than sufficient to keep their roots and 
foliage in a healthy condition. This treatment will insure these plants 
remaining in good condition until they are repotted and the days com¬ 
mence lengthening, when they will grow vigorously. 
French and Fancies .—Plants intended for early flowering in 5-inch 
pots may have any shoots that are taking the lead pinched for the last 
time. These will break again into growth by the time they are ready for 
the size pots named if they are not already in them. This is entirely a 
question of space, and where this is limited the plants will be in 3-inch 
pots, and if their shoots are pinched without delay they will have started 
again into growth by the end of the year, and may then be potted and 
encouraged to lengthen their shoots for flowering. Water these and later 
batches with care, for if they are kept too wet at their roots s ft growth 
will be made, and their foliage become spotted. No more water should 
be given than is just sufficient to keep them growing. 
Heliotropes —In order to keep these flowering through the whole or 
greater portion of the winter they should occupy some structure where the 
temperature at night will range from 55° to 60°. It they are to continue 
flowering the plants must be kept growing slowly, or else they will sonn 
fail. Where these temperatures cannot be maintained, and the plants 
fail to bloom, they should not be thrown away, but kept in a temperature 
of 50°, and they will commence fresh growth early in the year, and flower 
again profusely. When reserved for this purpose they should not be 
