Jtme J, 18M. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
423 
THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Appabaous. —Cutting ought to cease at once on any bed or beds 
intended to be broken up and forced next winter, the better to enable 
the plants to grow strongly, form extra good basal buds, and to mature 
early. There is little likelihood of ever growing Asparagus too large, 
especially when it is forced, and it is a very short-sighted policy to take 
all possible out of the roots now simply because this is their last season 
in the open. On the contrary, they should be assisted by manuring, 
watering in dry weather, and, as before advised, by being permitted to 
form an early free growth. It is also most unwise to cut very many 
shoots from comparatively young beds, and if it can possibly be managed 
cease cutting from them at once. Because the beds generally were late 
in producing shoots it does not follow that they may safely be cut from 
later than usual. Very many early growths were spoilt by frosts just 
when coming through the ground, and in any case, if many shoots are 
cut after the middle cf June, subsequent growth will be weaker and the 
plants have too little time to recoup their strength. 
Young Aspabagus. —Seed sown moderately early and that self 
sown will have germinated and the seedlings be 4 inches or more in 
height. At that size they transplant readily in showery weather, even 
if little or no soil can be moved with them, and being duly replanted in 
fine, fairly rich ground will, with the assistance of the watering pot, 
thrive equally as well as those undisturbed. In any case it is not advisable 
to leave the seedlings crowded together in rows or in large numbers 
among old plants, and the former should, therefore, be freely thinned 
out, leaving them not less than 6 inches apart, while those on the beds 
ought to be largely or wholly removed. The drought has been very 
prejudicial to newly planted Asparagus, especially where the soil is of 
a heavy nature and rather lumpy at planting time. Should no soaking 
rain have fallen lately give these beds a good watering overnight, and 
the next morning fine down the surface with a rake, this being followed 
with a mulching of short strawy manure. Some seasons slugs are very 
troublesome among young Asparagus plants, and unless the latter are 
protected from them they make but poor progress. A good surfacing 
of soot and lime well stined in with a DutcU hoe will do much towards 
keeping slugs in check, and any that escape should be picked from the 
Asparagus stems either late in the evening or early in the morning, and 
destroyed. 
Seakale. —It is a great mistake to allow either young or old plants 
to form heads of flower. Any that show ought, ere this, to have been 
cut and cooked, unblanched tops with the flower head enclosed forming 
a very excellent dish. All should be gone over now, flower heads being 
cut off close down to the fleshy stem or root with a view to causing 
several leafy growths and crowns in due course to follow. Also thin out 
the young growths on strong cuttings or old roots cut back a short time 
since, two or three strong crowns on the latter, and one or at the most 
two on the former, answering much better than several weakly ones. It 
is not yet too late to make good any blanks by transplanting from where 
they can be spared, or old forced roots may be used afresh. Seedlings 
are liable to be preyed on by the Turnip flea and slugs, and should be 
well coated with soot and lime occasionally. Stir the ground frequently 
between the rows and keep down weeds. If duly thinned out to about 
6 inches apart a useful let of roots for transplanting next spring may be 
had, but seedlings, unlike plants obtained by means of root cuttings, are 
rarely grown to a serviceable size for forcing in one season. 
Tomatoes. —South walls are undoubtedly the best positions for these, 
but seeing that there are not often many suitable spaces between 
fruit trees available, other sites have also to be tried. Those with a 
slight y eastern aspect frequently answer remarkably well, these being 
rather less exposed to rainfall than is the case when south-west aspects 
are chosen. A very rich root run is not desirable, but it pays well to 
substitute fresh loam with a little bone meal added for the stale or 
poordry soil immediately against garden walls. Where there are moderately 
light front walls to forcing and other houses, these also might be utilised 
for Tomato culture. If there is no good soil near these, either remove 
what there is to a depth of 6 inches or rather more, substituting a fresh 
loamy compost, or if there is good head room form a raised border 18 inches 
wide and 12 inches or rather less in depth. Fences or temporary wooden 
screens answer nearly or quite as well as walls, especially if a coping of 
some kind or glazed lights can be placed over the plants in showery 
weather. Keeping the foliage dry is the only preventive of disease. 
Plan's being plentiful dispose them 12 inches apart and confine to a 
single stem, but if somewhat scarce allow more room and lay in as many 
strong side shoots as are needed for thinly furnishing the walls or 
screens. Head room being limited arrange the plants with a view to 
training obliquely, otherwise train uprightly. Tomatoes sometimes 
succeed well in the open borders in front of walls, fences or hedges. In 
this case they may well be planted not less than 2 feet apart each way, 
and should be supported by strong stakes. In each and every case see 
that the balls of soil and roots are thoroughly moist when turned out, 
and also that they be not allowed to become very dry till the roots have 
struck well out into the fresh soil, after which, if a mulching of decaying 
manure and leaves is given the plants, they, as far as the roots are con¬ 
cerned, may safely be left to take care of themselves. 
Vegetable Maekows. —Private growers as a rule plant these on 
large heaps of decaying vegetable matter, with a light surfacing of soil 
only, but though ibis plan answers well when extra early crops are 
desired, it is not the best for the later supplies. Plants that grow and 
spread rapidly and strongly are far from being the mo.st productive, as 
■will be found if a few plants are turned out in the open ground. Very 
little preparation is needed. Either open a few holes 6 inches deep. 
forking some decaying manure freely into the bottom spit and returning 
the soil thrown out on to the top of this, or else adopt the plan of 
preparing shallow ridges for them. The latter consists in opening a 
long trench or trenches 4 feet wide, 6 inches of the best of the top soil 
being thrown out and returned on to the top of about 1 foot of decaying 
manure. Either the seed is sown or plants are turned out direct into 
this, thinning to a distance of or arranging them 3 feet apart, and 
beyond roughly protecting from late frosts very little more trouble is 
taken with them, yet they bear surprisingly well till frosts intervene. 
They succeed best in a sunny sheltered quarter. 
Ridge Cucumbers. —These may be successfully grown very much 
as advised in the case of Vegetable Marrows, but require rather more 
shelter at the outset, and should also be kept pegged down, otherwise 
rough winds greatly harm them. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Poinsettias. —These should have started well into growth by this 
time. The oid soil should be shaken from the roots and the plants 
repotted in the same size pots or smaller. They do well in loam, 
one-seventh of decayed manure, and sand. It is a good plan, after 
repotting, to stand them on the surface of a slight hotbed in a cool 
frame. This gives them a good start, and there is no risk of the plants 
being checked, as they are subjected to cool treatment gradually. 
Wa er carefully at first, and close the frame early after dewing the 
plants over with the syringe. Young plants raised from portions of 
stem should be well rooted and ready for 4 or 6-inch pots. These may 
be placed with the general stock after they are potted and will grow 
together. Give plenty of air during bright warm days to insure firm 
sturdy growth. Shading may be necessary for a few days after the 
plants are first repotted until they have made roots, when it should be 
gradually discontinued and the plants fully exposed to the sun. 
Pvphorbias. —All the cuttings that are necessary to increase the 
stock should be either rooted or inserted by this time. Those rooted may 
be potted singly and started in heat until they are well established. 
Those that are already established in small pots may be placed in frames 
with Poinsettias and given the same treatment. The former require 
smaller pots than the latter. The old stock reserved for cuttings may 
be cut close back ; these soon break into growth in heat, when they may 
be repotted. Care is needed at first in the watering of these plants until 
they are well established. They should be grown throughout the 
summer in cold frames fully exposed to the sun to ripen their wood. If 
this is accomplished they are certain to flower well. 
Jvsticia flavicoma. —If plants have been cared for since they 
flowered good cuttings should now be plentiful. These if inserted singly 
into thumb pots and shaded from the sun will root freely under hand- 
lights in a close warm house. Directly they are rooted place them into 
3-inch pots, and when once established gradually harden them and grow 
them in cold frames. 
Tydesas. —Cuttings of such kinds as Madame Heine should now be 
rooted. It is a good plan to root them singly in small pots, and remove 
the lead as soon as they are rooted. This will induce them to branch 
and make capital plants in 5-inch pots. Cuttings rooted now may be 
stopped twice, and then allowed to grow. The latest of those that make 
underground stems may be potted and started into growth. 
Begonias. —Those of the manicata type that are well rooted may be 
placed into 5-inch pots, gradually hardened, and placed into cold frames. 
These will need keeping close at fiist, and shading from bright sunshine. 
Other autumn and winter flowering kinds may be rooted as cuttings 
can be obtained. 
Clerodendron BalfouHanum. —Cuttings rooted some time ago, and 
growing freely in 4-inch pots, should be placed into others 2 inches 
larger. The plants should be trained under the roof if practicable, so 
that strong thoroughly ripened growth will be made. Tnis plant does 
well, and provides handsome decorative material when grown as bushes 
or small standards. For the first they should be pinched when about 
6 inches high, and this should be practised several times during the 
season. Those for dwarf standards may attain 1 foot or more according 
to taste before they are pinched. When once they are pinched the treat¬ 
ment should be the same as those required for bushes. The plants 
should be grown fully exposed to the sun if they are to flower well 
another season. 
HE BEE-KBEPBR. 
I ■ I. i.T.i.I ■, ■ I ■ I .I'.i.i ■ t-i-r-n - t-!--rrn 
APIARIAN NOTES. 
The Weather and Swarming. 
Notwithstanding the low temperature of the 21st (35° mean) 
I was notified of a swarm on that day, and many others have 
issued since. A few words relative to this subject will perhaps 
be acceptable to beginners. 
Stimulative Feeding. 
This is much dwelt upon by certain persons outside these 
columns. The plan of slow stimulative feeding is easily under- 
