August 11, 1892. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
183 
hot-water heated pits should have a gentle warmth in the pipes on cold 
nights and on dull wet days ; this affords facilities for ventilation, and 
a little ought to be given to prevent the deposition of moisture on the 
flowers. When the fruit is set the plants may be sprinkled early in the 
afternoon of fine days, avoiding the collar of the plants. Close by or 
before the temperature has receded to 80° or 85°, and so as to raise the 
temperature to 90° or 95°. Admit a little air at 75°, increase it with the 
advancing temperature to 85° or 90°, which maintain through the day 
from sun heat. Attend to frames for linings with sweetened fermenting 
njaterials as the nights become cold, so as to prevent the temperature 
falling below 65° in the morning. Place mats over the lights after the 
sun leaves the frames in the evening, and remove them shortly after 
the sun has risen. This will cause the fruit to attain to greater per¬ 
fection than is usually the case with late Melons in frames. 
Melons in Houses .—Fire heat will be necessary to maintain a night 
temperature of 65° to 70°, and 75° in the daytime. Afford sufficient 
water to keep the soil moist whilst the fruit is swelling, but after it is 
full-sized no more should be given at the roots than is necessary to keep 
the foliage healthy till the fruit is perfected. A too dry atmosphere 
whilst the crop is swelling keeps the fruit constantly evaporating and 
hardens the rind, causing it to crack if the weather prove moist when it 
is ripening. Moisture with judicious ventilation keeps the fruit in 
steady progress. Stop the laterals to one joint, and rub off all superfluous 
shoots as they show, allowing nothing to interfere with the principal 
leaves, or to retard the swelling of the fruit. Plants with the fruit 
advanced for ripening should be kept rather dry at the roots and have 
air liberally, with an advance of temperature, avoiding a close atmo¬ 
sphere at night, which after a spell of bright weather causes the fruit to 
crack and militates against the quality of the Melons. 
Late Melons in Houses .—The plants will be put out and growing 
freely. The leader ought not to be pinched until it reaches the trellis, 
when it may have its point taken out if more than one leader is required, 
or if only one leader is wanted it may be allowed to advance two-thirds 
up the trellis and then be stopped, removing every alternate lateral on 
opposite sides of the stem directly they can be handled. Maintain a 
moist atmosphere and keep the roots well but not excessively supplied 
with water. Provide a temperature of 70° to 75° by artificial means, 
falling to 65° at night, and keep the bottom heat steady at 80° to 85°. 
Canker at the collar is often troublesome ; it is mainly due to excessive 
moisture there and on the stem, and once established is difficult to 
subdue, but it may be held in check by rubbing quicklime into the 
affected parts, repeating as necessary. 
THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Celery. —Allowing the plants to attain a great size where they are 
pricked out is certain to weaken them considerably, much-drawn plants 
flagging badly when moved. All ought now to be in the trenches and 
growing strongly. Easterly winds and bright sunshine cause a rapid 
evaporation and loss of moisture, and Celery ought to be watered very 
freely and often, especially when the trenches are full of hungry roots, 
liquid manure also doing good. The evening is the best time to 
water, and there should be no stint about it, even those that are about 
half moulded up requiring abundance of water far more often than they 
get it. Soot freely dusted among the plants and washed in is both a 
good fertiliser and preventive of slug attacks, while good dustings, 
applied when the dew is on the leaves, will keep away the Celery fly, 
few or no leaf-mining maggots being seen accordingly. 
Blanching- Celery. —Celery required for the early shows will have 
been already either earthed up or bandaged round with several folds of 
brown paper—the latter being the surest way to obtain clean yet perfectly 
blanched stalks. For ordinary purposes papering round is also to be 
commended, though not if extra large quantities are required. Celery 
that is to be ready fur use from a month to six weeks hence ought now 
to be well advanced in growth and partially moulded up, taking care 
that this process is not much in advance of the heart development, or 
bulging and splitting will result, successional rows to have the lower 
small leaves, suckers, and weeds cleared away, and after a liberal 
dressing of soot has been given this should be followed by a good 
soaking of water. Next day briDg the outer leaves lightly up together, 
and chop down 2 inches or rather more of soil about them, this serving 
to prevent the plants opening out too much, also as a mulch, and gives 
something for the surface roots to lay hold of. Neglect this precaution, 
and the chances are the leafstalks will become set in a somewhat 
horizontal position, and split when drawn up together later on. 
Celerlac.— Seedlings being first pricked out similarly to the ordinary 
Celery ought ere this to have been transplanted to a good open well 
manured plot of ground, or they may be planted in close succession to 
early Cauliflowers. Seeing that they are grown for their Turnip-like 
roots, the system of culture adopted should be of a character to promote 
such root-growth rather than the formation of extra strong leaves. No 
mistake will be made by planting very firmly on the level, 18 inches 
apart each way in the case of the old form, and 3 inches le3s when the 
Apple-rooted large Prague or other continental varieties have rightly 
been preferred to the former. Subsequent culture merely consists of 
watering freely during dry weather and surface hoeing of the ground. 
Cabbage. —If the first sowing has not been a success, another 
ought always to be made directly it is seen that such is the case. There 
is also a possibility of the sowing made about the middle of July or 
following week being too early, and more seed should be sown during 
either the first or second week in August. It is a mistake to sow either 
in a very sheltered spot or very thickly, the aim being to raise abundance 
of sturdy plants that will not require to be first pricked out into nursery 
beds. Pricked out plants never move so well as do those drawn from a 
seed bed, after the latter has been moistened thoroughly either by 
watering or rains, and replanted with a dibber. It is better, however, to 
temporarily prick out a good portion of early raised plants than allow 
them to spoil each other in the seed beds. Seeing that pricked out 
plants must be moved with a ball of soil and roots they ought to have 
the benefit of fine freely worked soil, anything that is haul or lumpy 
not answering. 
Onions. —Tripoli?, autumn sown, are now nearly fully grown, and 
in many cases would be improved in appearance and mature more 
quickly by having their necks boldly twisted down. Directly they come 
away freely from the ground, the roots having then done their duty, 
the bulbs are better off the ground than on, too much moisture causing 
them to root afresh, thereby greatly impairing their keeping properties. 
Harvest them well on dry walks, boards, or shutters prior to storing. 
The ground they come off to be suiface-hoed, and at once planted with 
Coleworts, or quickly hearting small Cabbage, put out 1 foot apart each 
way. Spring-sown Onions ought now to be thickening at the base 
rapidly. If somewhat crowded, draw out any that do not promise to 
bulb well for present use ; also remove any badly mildewed or grub- 
eaten, burning these, the rest of the crop being freely dusted over with 
a mixture of soot and newly slaked lime. The more advanced in 
growth, with their stems still erect and stiff, may well have these twisted 
down, the best roots and the quickest to mature being those that have 
small necks. 
Garlic, Shallots, and Underground Onions. —Directly the 
tops of these have died down lift and harvest the roots. Neglect this 
precaution, and they will root afresh, and not keep well. Ihese also 
may be followed by Coleworts, and in warm lccalicies Savoys may yet 
be planted instead of Coleworts. 
Potatoes. —All the early varieties ought now to be quite fit for 
lifting and storing. There is no necessity to wait till the tops are dead 
or the skins quite hard set, and clearing them off early may be the 
means of saving them from the disease. At present there are no signs 
of the latter, but it may put in an aopearance after a few dull rainy 
days. Ashleafs ought certainly to be lifted, and abundance of medium- 
sized tubers saved for planting next season. Tnere should be no attempt 
at greening seed tubers, exposure to light and air not unfrequently 
resulting in their becoming diseased. Store them thinly in a cool light 
shed, while those to be eaten should be placed in heaps and kept dark 
and cool. Potatoes maturing rather earlier than usual will afford good 
opportunities for close successional cropping. The ground should be 
well forked over during the process of lifting, all lumps being broken 
down, levelling and clearing it of rubbish, completing all the prepara¬ 
tion needed for Winter Turnips, Strawberries, Endive, Spinach, Leeks, 
or even late-raised Broccoli, Savoys, and such like. 
Winter Spinach. —Now is a good time to make a fairly large 
sowing of winter Spinach, more seed being sown a fortnight hence. 
This important crop requires and ou^ht to have a well prepared site, 
anything in the shape of poor lumpy ground not suiting it. Stir s >ot freely 
into the surface, at the same time reducing the soil to a good depth to a 
thoroughly finely divided state. Sow Victoria in drills drawn 15 inches 
apart, 3 inches less space usually being sufficient for the smaller-leaved 
prickly seeded and round-seeded varieties, both of which are suitable 
for present sowing. 
APIARIAN NOTES. 
Faulty Comb Foundation. 
“ R. M.” sends me a sample of comb foundation with the name 
and address of the dealer, wishing me to expose him in the Journal of 
Horticulture. The proper course is for purchasers to buy from 
dealers or firms of good reputation or on terms that would prevent 
purchasers being imposed upon. The foundation is principally 
composed of tallow, resin and a small prrtionof mineral or vege¬ 
table wax. One of the objects of bee societies should be to protect 
bee-keepers from fraudulent dealers. 
Old Ideas and New Notions. 
I am pleased to see Mr. Meadows appearing in a friendly 
attitude. I am quite aware that it is unfair to conceal anything of 
benefit to the public, but the frames in question were sent out by 
me by the thousand thirty years ago, and that is not concealment. 
I give the readers of the Journal the benefit of all useful things 
I possess and conceal nothing. I made an extractor different from 
any others, but used it so little that I destroyed it. 
Feeders. 
Some recent introductions are not so new as modern apiarians 
imagine. I have one I should say lhO years old made on the same 
principle as some of the so-called new ones, and others exactly 
similar to the so-called “ Rapid Feeders,” and have used them for 
