16 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
January 4,1894 
of glass until the seedlings appear. Two parts good fibrous loam and 
one part leaf soil mixed, and neither too wet nor too dry, but moderately 
moist, forms a good medium for germination and for ramification by 
the young rootlets. It is important that the soil be sweet and fine, and 
the pots efficiently drained ; but the rough parts of the compost 
answer for the smaller pots. Drawing the plants up weakly must be 
prevented by keeping them near to the glass. Most every grower has 
his particular favourite seedling ; those who have not will find the 
following satisfactory :—Scarlet-fleshed : Blenheim Orange and Sion 
House. Green-fleshed : Eastnor Castle and Golden Perfection. White- 
fleshed : The Countess and Hero of Lockinge. Kipe fruit from a sowing 
made at this time may be expected at the close of April or early in 
May; but this is only possible in well heated structures and with 
favourable weather. A temperature of 65° to 70° at night and 70° to 
75° by day is suitable, with 10° rise from sun heat. 
Cucumbers. — Young plants coming into bearing should not be 
overcropped, and they will be assisted by removing staminate as well as 
superfluous flowers as they appear. Plants in bearing will require to be 
examined at least twice a week, removing all weakly and exhausted 
growths, reserving as much of the young growths as there is room for 
them to expand their foliage, overcrowding tending greatly to disaster, 
inasmuch as it must end in denuding the plants of a large extent of 
foliage. Stop the shoots at one or two joints beyond the show of fruit, 
allowing young plants more freedom, yet keeping the trellis evenly 
covered without overcrowding. The temperature at night should be 
65° to 70°, 70° to 75° by day artificially, with a rise of 10° or more from 
sun heat, admitting a little air at 80° if the external air be moderately 
warm and soft, but if cold and sharp it is better to allow the tempera¬ 
ture to advance a little higher than admit too much dry cold air even 
when the sun is powerful. Close early in the afternoon, so as to utilise 
the sun heat, a temperature of 90° to 100° from that source being 
beneficial than otherwise. Root action will be encouraged by light top- 
dressings of turfy loam and sweetened horse droppings in equal parts, 
sprinkling a little superphosphate over it occasionally. Water or liquid 
manure should be supplied as required, but avoid excessive supplies, and 
be moderate in damping down and syringing at this season. Sprinkling 
the floor and other surfaces in the morning and afternoon with light 
syringing on very fine days will be sufficient. 
Where winter Cucumbers are not grown or the supply from April 
forwards is obtained from frames, seed should now be sown for planting 
next month, either in houses or manure-heated pits or frames. The fer¬ 
menting materials for the latter should now be in course of preparation 
for making up the beds. If no convenience exists for raising the plants a 
bed of fermenting materials should be made up forthwith, the seed to be 
sown as soon as the bed affords a suitable temperature of 70° to 75° top 
heat, and 85° bottom heat. Plants from this sowing will be available 
for house planting to afford a supply of fruit from about the middle of 
April through the summer. Telegraph and Cardiff Castle are good 
varieties. 
Strawberries In Pots. —The earliest plants must not be pushed 
too rapidly, especially in severe weather, 50° to 55° at night being 
sufficient for those that were started at the beginning of last month, and 
60° to 65° by day ; but it is better to err on the safe side, therefore 5° 
less in the absence of sun, the weather being cold, is advisable. 
Scrutinise the plants closely, and if any aphides are found fumigate the 
house, so as to destroy the pests before the flowers appear. Mildew 
sometimes fastens on the opening buds ; in that case dust with flowers 
of sulphur. Place more plants on shelves in Peach houses or in vineries 
started about this time. The pots should have the drainage rectified if 
necessary, the surface soil removed or freed of moss or other matter, and 
be washed clean. A top-dressing may be given of rich material—say 
horse droppings rubbed through a half-inch sieve, with a pinch of some 
chemical manure sprinkled on the surface. La Grosse Sucr^e, Vicom- 
tesse H^ricart de Thury, Noble, Auguste Nicaise, and President are 
suitable varieties for introducing now. 
THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Tomatoes. —Those who have healthy plants trained not far from 
the glass ought to take good care of them, as it is from these the earliest 
supplies of fruit can be had. If the leading growths have room to 
extend there will soon be strong bunches of well formed flowers opening 
on these, and a few side shoots being laid in, these also quickly commence 
flowering. More than ordinary care should be taken in pollinating these 
early flowers, transferring the pollen from the stamens to the stigmas being 
perhaps the surest if most tedious process, this being done towards mid¬ 
day. A dry atmosphere is essential to the well doing of Tomatoes. 
Keep enough heat in the hot-water pipes to prevent the thermometer 
falling much below 55°, and give a little air during mild days, a con¬ 
siderable increase in the temperature during the daytime always being 
accompanied by fresh air. If these precautions are taken there will not 
bo much disease to contend with, a moist atmosphere with or without 
much heat being the sure precursor of an attack, while low temperatures 
militate against the quality of the ripening fruit, and are not unfre- 
quently the cause of a total collapse of some of the plants. Any 
planted out in beds or fairly large borders must be sparingly 
watered ; in fact, should not have been given any water for the past 
eight or ten weeks, according to circumstances. Any well rooted in 
pots will naturally require more water, and when swelling crops should 
be fed freely. 
Insect Pest and Diseases .—The white fly, or Aleyrodes vaporariorum 
is a terrible pest in many establishments, especially where Tomatoes 
are grown all the year round. A thorough clearance of Tomato plants 
is desirable in extreme cases, though this will not wholly get rid of these 
tenacious insects if there are any other kinds of plants at hand on which 
they can exist for a time. Nothing short of painting the hot-water 
pipes with sulphur mixed with milk and making them as hot as possible 
repeatedly for a fortnight, keeping the house close shut at the time, will 
effectually destroy the pest. The sulphur fumes have apparently no ill 
effects on the plants, but quite spoil any flowers opening or expanded, 
and the remedy should, therefore, be applied as early in the season as 
possible, or be delayed till a good crop is set, the first alternative being 
most commended. It is also worthy of note that the extra heat and 
sulphur fumes are also of service in getting rid of fungoid diseases. 
Sowing Tomato Seeds —If seeds are sown at once and the plants 
are kept growing strongly or without a severe check it ought to be 
possible to have ripe fruit from them in April, or early in May at the 
latest, in close succession to those obtained from the old plants or any 
small plants kept through the winter in small pots, and shifted into 
their fruiting quarters during this month. Pot culture answers best for 
these early crops in most private as well as market gardens, and for this 
purpose Early Ruby and Challenger are admirably adapted. Sow the 
seeds very thinly in well drained pots, pans, or shallow boxes, using 
light sandy soil, and place on a brisk hotbed to germinate. Before the 
seedlings become badly drawn raise them well up to the light, and if 
there are any signs of their being too thick thin out freely. When well 
into rough leaf they may be shaken out, and either placed singly in 
2i-inch pots, or if the heat of the house seldom falls much below 60° 
they may be either placed singly in 5-inch pots, or in pairs in 6-inch 
pots, sinking them to the seed leaves in either case. The sturdiest plants 
are usually obtained when the larger pots are used, the necessity for an 
extra shift being also obviated Give the plants the benefit of a little 
bottom heat after potting, water sparingly at first, and directly they 
recover a fresh green colour raise them to the light once more. If 
clean healthy cuttings can be had, these may be placed singly in small 
pots, and quickly rooted in a brisk bottom heat. Should there be any 
vapour in the frame or handlight used frequently wipe the glass dry or 
leave a chink of air on. At this period of the year plants raised from 
cuttings should be ready for their fruiting quarters considerably earlier 
than any obtained by sowing seed. 
Carrots and Radishes. —Not much is gained by sowing seed of 
these in December, especially when a long spell of frost is experienced in 
January. What both kinds need is a gentle bottom heat and as much 
light as can safely be admitted to them, the start being made now with a 
shallow frame on a hotbed formed with a mixture of fresh leaves and 
stable manure, the latter being required for livening up the leaves as 
well as for keeping them well together. At this early date a depth of 
4 feet at the back and 3 feet at the front is not too much, but if stable 
manure only is used this ought to have been well prepared, by being 
thrown into a heap to ferment, sweeten, and moderate in strength, two 
or three turnings in the course of about a fortnight being given, A 
bed made solely of this material should not be more than 3 feet deep. 
After the frame is placed in position half fill with some of the 
shortest of the heating material, on this placing 6 inches or rather 
more of fine sandy soil, and then cover with glazed lights. When the 
trial sticks show that no risks of overheating will be run the seed should 
be sown. Open shallow drills, with the aid of the edge of a square 
measuring rod, 4 inches asunder. In every second drill sow the Carrot 
seed, in the rest Radish seed, and either level over or cover with a little 
added soil. Should the soil be somewhat dry moisten the drills prior to 
sowing, otherwise no watering will be needed for some time to come. 
Protect frames with mats and litter. Radishes may also be sown in 
drills or broadcast over the borders of houses intended for Tomatoes 
later on, being a fairly profitable “ snap crop.” French Forcing is the 
quickest growing Carrot, Nantes Horn forming a good succession ; while 
of Radishes the first ready for use are Early Scarlet and White Forcing 
Turnip, Wood’s Frame and French Breakfast also being quick growing 
and good. In each case sow seed thinly, or much thinning out will be 
absolutely necessary. 
Pot Culture of Potatoes. —Extra early, if not very heavy crops 
of Potatoes can be had from 9-inch or somewhat larger pots, set on 
shelves at the back and on the beds and front stages of vineries and 
Peach houses being forced. The earliest short-topped varieties are to be 
preferred for this method of culture, and if the favourites Mona’s Pride 
and Old Ashleaf are not available, such varieties as Sharpe’s Victor, 
Early Border, and Early Laxton may be substituted. Fairly strong 
sets, each furnished with the first strong sprouts only, are desirable, these 
having been previously started in moist heat. Old Chrysanthemum soil, 
or failing this a mixture of two parts of light loam to one part of old 
Mushroom-bed manure with a very little soot added, answers well. 
Drain the pots roughly, and plant a single set in each rather deeply, 
good room being allowed for a top-dressing to be given when the shoots 
have extended above the level of the rim of each pot. Water carefully 
at first, only enough being given to keep the soil just moist, and when 
the pots are becoming well filled with roots do not let the soil become 
dry. Fairly deep boxes and large pots may also be utilised for a similar 
purpose, the sets being disposed 6 inches apart each way. 
* 
PLANT HOUSES. 
lioam. —If a large stock has not been wheeled under cover, no time 
should be lost in doing so, to have it in good condition for use when 
