Ap ril 11, 1805. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
309 
downwards, and mix layers of good stable manure with this, 
chopping all down together as required. At Bromham in Wilts a 
light sandy loam with no fibre in it answers well for Cucumbers, 
and large quantities are sent from there to the markets. 
After being planted in well-warmed soil from a week to a 
fortnight, according to the time of year, roots should begin to 
show, and when they fail to form fresh fibres on or near to 
the surface the plant’s decadence will be rapid. In order to 
keep the roots active frequent top-dressings of fresh compost 
similar to that first used, with perhaps the addition of nitrate 
of soda or fish manure at the rate of a 6-inch potful of the 
former, and an 8-inch potful of the latter to a bushel of soil. A 
heavy dressing should never be given at one time, but only 
enough to just cover the roots. Then if the watering goes 
on before the old soil underneath becomes dangerously dry, the 
new soil does not sour, and the roots are soon in possession. Soot 
is sometimes given as a surfacing, but that is a mistake, as it serves 
to clog the soil. It might be mixed with the soil or used in water 
very frequently. Surfacings of fish manure, kiln dust, and other 
manures strong in ammonia are dangerous. After they have been 
damped, and the house is closed, too much ammonia is given off, 
and the foliage suffers badly. Nitrate of soda dissolved in water 
at the rate of 2 ozs. to 3 gallons of water is a safe and effective 
stimulant, and must be used frequently when the plants are bearing 
freely. 
I have dwelt at length on the treatment of the roots, as it is in 
that direction most mistakes are made, and I will, therefore, only 
touch briefly on other details. Cucumbers for the market are 
principally grown in long, narrow, span-roofed houses, a width of 
12 feet being generally the widest. The central path is sunk, 
and the plants are arranged along each side. A sufficiency of 
the side shoots are laid in on each side to just cover the trellis, and 
a leader is extended till the ridge is reached. The side growths or 
laterals are stopped at the second or third joint, and allowed to 
fruit to their full extent at once. This early and heavy cropping 
of young plants does not greatly check growth of haulm, always 
provided they are liberally treated at the roots, and laying-in and 
stopping goes on, the growths running into each other, though 
not to the extent of undue crowding. From first to last there 
must be no neglect of training and stopping, and no leaving 
the fruits hanging a day after they are large enough to cut. The 
plants, beds, and walls are freely syringed in the morning before 
the houses are very hot, and syringing takes place again on closing. 
Only a very little air is given at the top or at the high end of 
houses on a slope, and the night temperatures are kept at about 
70°, while a thin shading is desirable on clear hot days. Directly 
the plants give signs of having done their best, a fresh stock is 
prepared. They are then cut out, the soil is changed and replant¬ 
ing takes place, three sets of plants being sometimes put out in 
one house during a single season.—W. Iggulden. 
OVERCROWDING PLANTS IN POTS. 
I THiXK there are but few, if any, gardeners who have not 
at various times during their career experienced uncomfortable 
feelings of regret when by the force of circumstances they have 
been compelled to arrange plants far too thinly for their well¬ 
being. Such times do occasionally occur when it is almost 
impossible to follow any other course, but in a great many instances 
I fancy the display of a little ingenuity might end in a vastly 
improved state of affairs. 
Daring the winter months, when many plants are completely 
at rest and others are comparatively dormant, they may be placed 
somewhat closely together without any serious detriment to their 
future welfare ; but as soon as signs of growth are apparent if this 
crowding system is still continued, disastrous results follow. 
Disastrous may seem a somewhat strong expression to use in this 
instance, seeing how seldom it is that plants are killed outright by 
overcrowding; but I maintain that it is nothing short of disastrous 
to see plants which ought to be sturdy and strong from the first 
rendered permanently weak and drawn by this too prevalent practice 
of ovt rcrowding. 
I fancy I can divine the thoughts which will pass in the minds 
of many when reading the foregoing sentence. They will be some¬ 
thing like this : Yes, but what is one to do if one has so many plants 
to grow and only a limited amount of space to grow them in ? My 
answer is. Consider seriously whether or not it would be to your 
advantage to “grow less in number so that each be greater in 
bulk.” If we could all keep this axiom constantly in our minds I 
think we should invariably secure better results. If we take as an 
example bedding Pelargoniums ; a given number conveys a very 
indefinite idea of the space they will cover during a certain time. One 
good plant will cover during the growing season as much space as 
two weak ones, and provide a more satisfactory display into the 
bargain. Then again with plants for decorative purposes ; how 
much easier is the task of forming groups and filling tins and 
jardinettes, when well developed plants in comparatively small pots 
are at command, than when weak and leggy ones, showing in¬ 
different culture, have perforce to be employed. 
At the present season of the year, when the majority of plants 
are making active growth, and when the pressure on space under 
glass is so great, it is especially necessary to bear in mind the evils 
of overcrowding, as thousands of plants, which in the spring time 
are in a young state, are annually spoilt, from a cultural point of 
view, through being placed closely together for a few weeks. Much 
can frequently be done to avoid these mistakes by constructing 
temporary frames, in which bedding plants can be placed till they 
are secure from frosts in the open air. This will allow a general 
thinning and re-arrangement of plants in houses and pits to be 
made, so that all may have room for abundance of air to circulate 
between them. 
All good plant growers know and act on the important fact 
that in order to secure a sturdy habit of growth in plants of nearly 
all descriptions they must not only be arranged thinly enough for 
the foliage to stand clear of each other, but also sufficiently wide 
apart for the air to play freely around them after a considerable 
amount of growth has taken place. A point often lost sight of is 
that the wider the stage or bed on which plants are stood the more 
thinly should they be disposed, because the volume of light which 
reaches them on either side when placed on a narrow stage becomes 
less in proportion when wide breadths are arranged. This principle 
is easily demonstrated by plants on shelves, or isolated ones 
raised on inverted pots ; in either instance more uniformity and 
sturdiness of growth is obtained. 
A severe winter and so far uncertain spring has rendered over¬ 
crowding to a certain extent most difficult to avoid. Now, how¬ 
ever, that a slight improvement in the weather seems slowly taking 
place, more than usual pains should be taken to rectify past errors 
and steer clear of committing them in the future,—D. W. C. 
BORDER CARNATIONS. 
The winter just past has proved one of the worst in its effects 
for Carnations, the mild weather up to Christmas last year laying 
the foundation stone of the mischief. Many plants, indeed, were 
then growing, a condition most inimical to the well-being of 
Carnations, and when frost came the stems became softened and 
drooped. 
While some varieties of French extraction have suffered, the 
greater number are in excellent health. These comprise English 
and German varieties, which, though less abundantly floriferous, are 
not so liable to damage. Examples of those that are perfectly firm 
and plump are Raby Castle, White Lady, Germania, Foxhall Beauty, 
Jessica, Midas, Mrs. Muir, and Alene Neumann. Last year layers 
rooted so slowly that not quite half the stock of flowering plants 
was put out in the open. Instead, they were planted in cold 
frames in a very sandy and light compost. No water has been 
given them, and on examination the plants are found to have made 
many roots, and all near the surface. It is now, of course, quite 
time that they should be planted, but the ground is not yet dry, 
and, indeed, nothing can be done in the garden. It is, on some 
accounts, preferable to bed out plants in soil in frames rather than 
to winter them in pots. For ease of transit, pot culture is, of 
course, the better, but when the plants are to be removed a few 
yards only, the system of dispensing with pots is, I am sure, 
preferable, Some that were not ready in the autumn I have lately 
potted, and it is impossible, from their appearance, to say which of 
the plants were potted now and which in autumn. There will, 
however, be a slight difference between the two sets in their time 
of flowering, the autumn plants being the earlier. 
It must be pointed out with regard to spring planting that 
sparsely rooted plants inserted in September would succeed, while 
if set out now they will almost certainly fail. They may not even 
take a grip of the soil ; but should they do so, the plants grow so 
weakly that they prove miserable failures. This, no doubt, is 
largely the reason not only for so many blanks, but also for the 
want of vigorous layers to carry forward the stock. Another cause 
of failure is to be found in the system of providing a too liberal 
treatment. The loss of plants from the attacks of eelworm is 
appalling, and this invariably follows what is called “ high 
cultivation.” If any manure is provided, it ought to be decayed, 
and only used lightly. However, it is better to plant in ground 
that has been enriched for a crop preceding Carnations than to 
apply it for these flowers directly. When planting I have some 
sandy compost mixed with the soil round each plant, and in the 
case of yellow and yellow ground varieties the whole surface of 
