74 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ January 22, 189t. 
scrapings, and if not calcareous a similar proportion of old mortar 
Tubbisii. If there is need of manure nothing answers so well as horse 
droppings. The admixture would in that case be four parts loam, one 
part each of horse droppings, road scrapings, and lime rubbish. For 
frame culture seed should be sown early in next month. The bed for 
raising the seedlings should be made forthwith, unless one be made 
for Cucumbers, which will answer for raising Melons. 
Kaising Cucumber Plants in Frames. —Early February is a 
good time to start seeds for raising plants to fruit by Easter. The greatest 
mistake is commencing before the fermenting materials are present in 
■quantity and due preparation to make up and continue the heat in the 
beds by linings, so as to keep the plants in steady progressive growth. 
The material for making up the bed for raising the seedlings being in a 
fit state for turning over and mixing with leaves, so as to induce a sweet 
regular heat, a site for a bed being chosen with a full southern aspect, 
and having shelter to the north, as that of a hedge or wall. If the 
ground be rather higher than the surrounding level all the better. In 
forming the bed beat the sweetened dung and leaves well down with the 
fork as the work proceeds, making the bed about 6 feet high at back 
and 4 feet 6 inches in front, which will allow for settling, as it will do 
about one-third. A few peasticks placed across and along the bed at 
intervals not only prevent overheating, but admit the heat from linings 
being conveyed to the interior of the bed. For early work frames with 
double sides are preferable, half-inch boards 9 inches less in depth at the 
■back and 6 inches less in front than the box, being secured to the inside, 
nailing strips of wood an inch wide and thick vertically to the box, then 
the boards which form an inch cavity all around the inside of the box, 
which is essential to get top heat from the linings. In about a week 
from making up the bed the heat will be up. Level the bed, replace 
the box, apply sufficient manure to raise the inside within 2 or 3 inches 
of the top of the inner frame or cavity, placing sawdust, dry leaf soil, 
or spent tan for plunging the pots in. To raise the plants half fill 
.■3-inch pots with rich light loam, placing one seed in the centre of each 
pot, covering with fine moist soil, so that no water is required for the 
germination of the seed. Space is thus left in the pots for top-dressing, 
which is preferable to potting the plants. Cover the pots with a square 
of glass, which hastens germination, but remove it as soon as the plants 
appear. The plants from a sowing made early in February will be 
ready to plant out early in March. 
In Houses. —a night temperature of 65°, 6° more in mild 
weather, whilst it may be 5° less on cold nights, 70° to 75° by day 
artificially, and 80° to 85° with sun heat. When the external air is mild 
-s, little ventilation may be given at 80°, closing before the temperature 
is reduced below that degree, so as to raise it to 90° or 95°, but if the 
external air is cold, although the sun shines, it is better to allow the 
temperature to advance a little beyond the above limits than to admit 
cold air, which injures the foliage, also causing the fruit to become 
stunted and to curl at the end. Plants in bearing will require to be 
■examined about twice a week, removing all weakly and exhausted 
growths, reserving as much of the young bearing wood as is necessary 
to fill the allotted space, stopping the shoots at one or two joints beyond 
the fruit. Young plants coming into bearing should not be allowed to 
■bear too soon, and by no means be overcropped. They are greatly 
assisted by removing the male flowers, also surplus female blossoms as 
they appear. Let the root and atmospheric moisture be ruled by external 
influences and condition of the soil, avoiding overwatering, and using 
liquid manure where vigour is needed. Except on very fine days 
■syringing should not be practised over the foliage, a light sprinkling on 
fine afternoons being beneficial, damping the floor, &c., moderately at 
about 8 A.M. and 2 P.M. Encourage the roots to spread on the surface 
of the bed by adding a little fresh lumpy loam from time to time, with 
which may be incorporated a little well decomposed cowdung or fresh 
sweetened hi rse droppings. Watch for aphides, and fumigate carefully 
and moderately on two consecutive evenings in preference to once 
severely. Rub quicklime well into parts affected with canker, and if 
mildew appear dust with flowers of sulphur. 
Strawberries in Pots. —Admit air freely when the plants com¬ 
mence flowering, remove the weaker and later blossoms, and when the 
.pollen is ripe brush the flowers over lightly with a feather. After the 
fruit is set thin them to about half a dozen, more or less, according to the 
variety. Whilst the fruit is setting 50° to 55° will be sufficient heat 
.artificially, advancing to 60° to 65° with sun heat, but after the setting is 
effected remove the plants to a house with a temperature of 60° to 65° 
artificially, and 70° to 75° by day, supplying liquid manure until 
'ripening commences, then apply clear water sparingly. See that succes- 
sional plants do not require water, and are not brought on too rapidly in 
the early stages. If there be any trace of aphides fumigate moderately 
but efficiently, so as to have the plants perfectly clean before they come 
into flower, 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
The Weather. —We have had the most severe December and 
January experienced for many years. Our open air vegetable crops are 
holding out better than we anticipated, but they have become so 
thoroughly frozen that additional severe weather does not make any 
impression un them. The thaw will try them, as many are sure to 
become very pulpy soon afterwards. To avert this as much as possible 
do not be in a hurry to remove any protectors that may be used in the 
time of the frost, and give additional protection should frost recur, as it 
is then the harm will be done. Leeks are extremely valuable. The 
winter Broccoli, such as Snow’s, Osborn’s, and some others that were 
about to form heads, have suffered far more than the later sorts. The 
former will not be of much use, but the latter may prove as good as 
ever in April and May. 
Forcing. —Where means are at command this must be carried on 
vigorously. The demand everywhere for forced produce in the spring 
will be large. Every surplus Seakale, Rhubarb, and Asparagus root 
should be forced, and as there are still three months before open-air 
vegetables will be available the roots must be introduced to the forcing 
house in such quantities as will insure a good succession. Continue 
to sow abundance of Kidney Beans as previously advised, and force on 
plants in leaf as fast as is consistent with retaining a fruitful habit. 
Parsley. —There is a general deficiency of Parsley this winter. 
Much of it was completely destroyed by the grub last summer. The 
frost has been much against all exposed plants, and it is only our crop 
under frames that is still luxuriant. The Parsley seed sown in the open 
in the spring does not come rapidly forward. The leaves from the first 
sowing in February or March are rarely ready for gathering until May 
or June. This will not suit where the supply is deficient at present, and 
all who can should make up a hotbed. Place a frame on, and place 
from 9 inches to 1 foot of rich loamy soil on top ; sow the Parsley rfeed 
broadcast on this, cover with 2 inches of soil, and treat as if the frame 
contained some early vegetable that was being hurried on for use. 
Hotbeds. —These will now be largely in demand. Secure as much 
good material as possible to make them. There is nothing better than 
Beech, Oak and other tree leaves mixed with long littery manure from 
the stable. Mix these together in about equal parts a fortnight before 
the bed is required, turning it three or four times weekly. None of the 
materials should be old or half decayed. Only fresh leaves and manure 
generate and retain the heat ; many cartloads must be mixed together, 
as it is usually easy to find a site for a hotbed, and there cannot be too 
many of them. 
Crops for Hotbeds. —The chief of these are Potatoes, Carrots and 
Radishes. Some of all of these may be planted or sown now. It is too 
early for the main forcing crops, but a frame full of each may safely 
be placed in, only a dwarf early Potato should be planted. The hotbed 
must be ample in depth and well placed together. There should be 
about 1 foot of moderately rich soil placed on the surface, and the 
tubers planted in this at a distance of 9 inches apart. Radishes may 
be grown in 4 inches of soil, but it must be very firm and poor, as in 
loose, rich soil they run to leaf. Carrots also require a substantial hot¬ 
bed, as they will be growing for three months, and a deficiency of heat 
in a few weeks’ time would check them and probably cause a failure. 
We have ceased growing the French Horn as being too short, but grow 
the English Short Horn as the better of the two. The soil for the 
Carrots must consist of fine loam, half-decayed horse droppings, and a 
liberal dash of river or sea sand. The latter is preferable, as it contains 
much salt and is a preventive of grub. Tread the soil firmly down on 
the manure, otherwise they will show the same tendency as the 
Radishes. The general treatment of crops being forced on hotbeds is 
to provide a little ventilation at the top of the lights on all fine days to 
allow the steam to escape. Keep the frames constantly closed in bad 
weather, give ample protection during cold nights, and water very 
sparingly until growth is luxuriant and the weather genial. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Fuchsias. —Plants started some time ago are only just commencing 
grewth. Shake the old soil away from their roots, and place them into 
smaller pots in a compost of loam, leaf mould, sand, and one-seventh of 
manure. These must be watered carefully ; in fact if damped with the 
syringe once or twice daily little water will be needed at the roots until 
they are growing freely. Prune some more plants, and introduce them 
into a vinery or Peach house jusc started. Young plants that have been 
kept growing in small pots may be transferred into 4-inch pots, allowing 
them a temperature of 50°. 
Heliotropes. —Young plants in 2^ or 3-inch pots may be placed into 
others 2 inches larger, and allowed a temperature of 55° to 60°. In sharp 
weather do not place them too close to the glass unless the temperature 
advised can be maintained with certainty. 
Zonal Pelargoniums. —Pelargoniums rooted in autumn and now in 
small pots may be transferred into 4 and 5-inch pots, and placed into 
gentle heat; they will soon commence growth, and will not be long 
before they produce bold trusses of flower. Old plants of Vesuvius and 
Wonderful that flowered early in the winter and have since been kept 
in good condition, will flower fi’eely again if placed into heat where the 
atmosphere can be kept moderately dry. Small plants of Ivy-leaved 
varieties may also be potted. 
Primulas. —Those raised from seed sown late and now in small pots 
may be placed into 60’s. They will flower profusely about the end of 
April, and prove invaluable for the conservatory. 
Cinerarias. —Young plants in small pots not showing flower stems 
may be shifted into larger. Late plants of these are always useful 
when bulbs and other spring flowering plants are past their best. 
Give those in various stages that have their pots well filled with roots 
weak stimulants ; soot water in a clear state is very beneficial, and acts 
upon them quickly. 
Hydrangeas. —Where some were rooted with flower buds, and have 
enjoyed a good season of rest, they may be placed into 4 or 5-inch pots. 
They will be at home in a vinery or Peach house until they start into 
