July 27, 1893. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
87 
wineglasaful of petroleum, and apply when cooled to 100° with a 
syringe. Keep the mixture well mixed by alternate squirts into the 
vessel and on the plants, which should be well wetted in every part, 
and if they cannot be laid on their sides and turned over a little dry 
moss may be tied around the stem, and a sort of pyramid placed 
about the plants to prevent the solution soaking into the soil. If the 
wood is badly infested with scale employ a somewhat stiff brush to 
dislodge it whilst wet. Similar means may be pursued with the 
leaves, damaging them as little as possible. In bad cases repeat the 
treatment in a day or two, afterwards syringing thoroughly with tepid 
vyater. The trees will need water only to prevent the foliage becoming 
limp, ventilating to the fullest extent day and night, but protect from 
heavy rains, which has a tendency to keep the trees active instead of 
inducing rest. This is absolutely essential to trees subjected to early 
forcing. For these considerations early forced potted trees should not 
be placed outdoors if there is any doubt about the maturity of the 
wood, and they cannot have complete rest if the weather prove wet. 
If placed outdoors it must be in a sunny position, and the pots stood on 
rough ashes with finer about them. 
Early Forced Planted out Trees. —Admit enough air to ensure a 
circulation constantly, ventilating freely by day. If dull weather 
prevail a gentle heat in the hot-water pipes will favour the ripening of 
the fruit, which is insipid or highly flavoured according to the heat and 
air. Diminish the watering at the root and discontinue syringing over 
the trees, but a moderate air moisture may be secured by damping 
occasionally for the benefit of the foliage. If red spider prove trouble¬ 
some heat the pipes on a calm evening to 170° and paint them with 
sulphur brought to the consistency of cream with skim milk, having the 
house closed, and keeping the pipes hot about an hour, then allow them 
to cool and the temperature to fall to its usual degree. Repeat in the 
course of a week to destroy any pests then emerged from the eggs. As 
soon as the fruit is gathered cleanse thoroughly with the syringe or 
engine, freeing the trees of red spider, and maintain a free circulation 
of rather dry warm air until the foliage begins to fall naturally, but it 
must not be accelerated by allowing the soil to become dust dry at the 
roots of the trees. 
Unheated Fig Houses,— fruit is now well advanced to maturity 
and in some cases ripening. Where it is swelling no pains should be 
spared to keep the foliage clean by syringing in the morning and early 
afternoon. Do not syringe, however, if the day is likely to be dull, or 
in the afternoon if there is a prospect of the foliage not becoming dry 
before night. Under those circumstances damp the border, especially 
in the afternoon. Admit a little air early, increasing it with the sun 
neat, maintaining through the day at 80° to 85° with free ventilation, 
closing early so as to increase the temperature to 90° to 95°, and when 
the sun’s power is declining a little air may be admitted at the top of 
the house, so as to allow the pent-up moisture to escape and the 
temperature to gradually cco’. Supply water or liquid manure to 
the roots according to circumstances, so as to keep the soil in a 
thoroughly moist condition. With the fruit advancing for ripening 
lessen the supply of water and discontinue syringing, securing a circu¬ 
lation of air constantly, and ventilate freely when favourable. Husband 
sun heat, which will not do any harm if the atmosphere is not confined, 
a little ventilation being given to allow of the moisture escaping instead 
of condensing on the fruit and causing it to crack and spot. 
Cucumbers.— Pot the seedlings for autumn fruiting as they become 
ready, placing a stick to each plant intended for trelliswork, and 
pinching out the point of such as are required for growing in frames or 
pits, at the second rough leaf. Prepare fermenting materials to afford 
bottom heat for the latter, and cleanse houses thoroughly, the woodwork 
with hot water, soap, and a brush, the glass with clear water, and lime- 
wash the walls. Remove all the old soil and make everything as clean and 
sweet as possible. Turfy loam stacked until the herbage is dead, a 
tenth of charcoal, and a sixth of old mortar rubbish thoroughly incor¬ 
porated form a suitable compost. If heavy add an equal proportion of 
fibrous sandy peat to the loam. 
If the weather prove cold and sunless it will be necessary to employ 
a little fire heat, as a low temperature induces stunted fruits, canker at 
the collar, and mildew on the foliage. Enough artificial heat should be 
used in such weather to maintain a night temperature of 65° to 70°, and 
70° to 75° by day. Sulphur dusted on the foliage is the best cure for 
mildew, and quicklime rubbed into the affected parts acts well against 
canker. If aphides appear fumigate in a calm evening and repeat early 
the following morning. After a period of dull weather shade on a 
return of bright sun so as to prevent flagging. Keep the growths 
regularly attended to twice a week, remove exhausted growths, and main¬ 
tain a succession of bearing wood by laying in young fruitful growths. 
Close early, running up to 90° to 100°, and ventilate early and 
moderately, keeping up a good moisture by frequently damping available 
surfaces. 
THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Potatoes.— A complete change in the weather would appear to be 
very general, and most probably Potato disease will become prevalent. 
Those who mean trying the effects of the sucrated bouillie bordelaise 
will now have good opportunities for so doing. The first dressing ought 
to have been applied in anticipation of disease, and preferably on a 
<lry day, a second application being advisable about a month later. 
Tnis season, owing to the forwardness of the crops, early lifting would 
have been found the best prerentive of disease. Once more it may be 
pointed out that there is no necessity to wait for the haulm to die 
down before lifting and storing commences. Once tuber growth has 
ceased and the skins are set, nothing further will be gained, and much 
may be lost by leaving them in the ground. Should it be inconvenient 
to lift the crops just now, be content to draw the haulm and wheel 
this away. In most fairly warm districts the early and the bulk of 
second early varieties are quite fit for lifting. Unfortunately, the 
drought has checked the progress of late varieties in all cases where the 
soil was poor and non-retentive of moisture, and this will most probably 
be followed by pro-tuberation. There is no help for this, unless, 
indeed, the first-formed crop happens to be large enough for lifting. 
Many of the second earlies will also grow out; but this should be 
prevented by either lifting or haulm-drawing. 
Turnips. —It is not often that there are too many of these grown 
for winter use, and this season better opportunities than usual will be 
afforded for growing extra large breadths. Some portions of the ground 
cleared of second early Potatoes should be devoted to Turnips, the 
earliest opportunity of sowing the seed of the latter in quantity being 
taken. As the Potatoes are lifted the whole of the ground should be 
forked over, levelled, and all lumps broken down. If this is delayed for 
a few days the soil will not work so well, and seed sowing be a more 
difficult operation. Some of the best Turnips for present sowing are 
Snowball, Veitch’s Red Globe, Orange Jelly, and Chirk Castle Black 
Stone. For the three first named the drills may well be drawn 15 inches 
apart, 12 inches being ample for the latter. As far as hardiness is 
concerned Chirk Castle Black Stone is the best, the quality also being 
superior. If the drills are at all dry moisten prior to sowing, and in any 
case distribute the seed thinly, or much extra thinning out will be 
necessary. If birds commence drawing the seedlings just as they are 
coming through the soil dust the latter over with soot and lime while 
the dew is on them. 
Endive. —Very early raised Endive is not to be depended upon, the 
bulk of it running to seed prematurely. About the middle of July is a 
good time to sow, the plants thus obtained attaining their full size 
before wintry weather sets in, and keeping well when stored. Good 
forms or selections of Green Curled and the Broad-leaved Batavian are 
the best that can be grown. Supposing a wall border or sunny plot of 
rather high ground has been duly cleared of early Potatoes, this should 
be prepared as advised in the case of Turnips. It is the least trouble to 
sow the seed thinly where the plants are to remain, the drills being 
drawn 12 inches apart. Space not being available for this, sow the seed 
in drills 6 inches asunder, and eventually transplant the greater part of 
the seedlings, leaving the rest to grow to their full size where they are. 
Early Endive can also be had by sowing the seed broadcast in beds, and 
the seedlings being thinned to about 6 inches apart each way, they soon 
press against each other and are self-blanching accordingly. 
liOttuce. —It is yet somewhat early to sow Lettuce seed in quantity 
with a view to having abundance in the autumn and early winter, but 
should the next two or three months prove as wet and dull as predicted, 
then it might happen that the July-raised plants will be extra service¬ 
able. Anyway, there should be no cessation of the pains taken in 
keeping up a good supply of Lettuce, fortnightly sowings being none too 
often. With each selection of varieties the Black-seeded Brown Cos 
ought always to be sown, this variety if well grown being one of the 
best. These may well follow Potatoes, the plants being raised where 
they are to remain. Sow the seed thinly in drills 10 inches or 12 inches 
asunder. 
Cabbage. —Coleworts or small quick-hearting Cabbages ought to be 
already in rough leaf, though if other winter vegetables are scarce more 
seed should be sown. If these late-raised plants fail to heart in where 
they are planted thickly the tops may yet prove very acceptable. Seed 
may be sown thinly in drills 12 inches apart, and the plants allowed to 
remain where they come up. Now is also the best time for sowing seed 
of Ellam’s Dwarf Spring, Wheeler’s Imperial, Little Pixie, Hill’s Incom¬ 
parable, and other favourite neat growing varieties. The plants resulting 
should be ready to form a close succession to spring sown Onions. The 
more vigorous varieties should be sown a fortnight or three weeks later, 
as plants of these when raised early are apt to bolt. 
Iiate Peas. —Now that there has been a welcome change in the 
weather there is a better prospect of the late-sown Ne Plus Ultra Peas 
and such like growing more strongly than was the case during the very 
hot and dry weather. There is, however, no certainty about their holding 
out till frost intervenes, and if extra late Peas must be had more seed 
ought to be sown. This time the preference should be given to this 
season’s seed of Exonian, William L, Daisy, Chelsea Gem, English 
Wonder, or any other good first or second early varieties. New seed 
germinates the most strongly, the plants throughout being more vigorous 
than those resulting from old seed. The centres of wide spaces between 
Celery trenches answer for a single row, or the seed may be sown on 
other rather high ground, early frosts being most felt in the lower part 
of many gardens. Moisten the rather deep drills if at all dry, covering 
the seed with about 3 inches of soil. Surface mulchings and waterings 
in dry weather are considered of much importance. 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
W. Cuthbush & Sons, Highgate, 'S.—Hyacinths, Taligys, and oiho 
Eulbojis Roots, 
W. & C. Gowie, Grahamstown, Cape Colony.— Seeds and Plants. 
