September 8, 1887. ] 
JOURNAT OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTaGE GARDENER. 
215 
Transplanting. —Where it was so dry as to be useless trying to 
transplant autumn Cabbage, Lettuce, and such like crops no time should 
now be lost in getting them in, and if given a good situation and rich 
soil they will soon make headway. In the ordinary way it would be 
altogether too late to plant Broccoli, Savoys, and Brussels Sprouts, but 
during the past few days we have put in large quantities of surplus 
plants, and if they do not attain any great size they may become large 
enough to be useful, and if they should remain small during the autumn 
and winter very probably they may gain size and be valuable in the 
spring. As a rule there is always too little green stuff in gardens in 
winter and spring, and hardly ever too much, especially after a severe 
winter, and garden owners generally would find it an advantage to plant 
every vacant space at this season. Some of the plants that have been 
long in the seed beds may be very long in the stem and not appear very 
promising when put out at first, but a short period of favourable growing 
weather will soon rectify this. In the fore part of the season many of 
our plants lost their centres and became blind, but they were soon 
rooted out and replaced by perfect ones, and the plants in our quarters 
are now all good, but there may probably still be blind ones in the seed 
beds, and they should not be transplanted. 
Endive.— This should now be taken in hand. Plants ready for 
transplanting should be drawn up and dibbled into a south border, 
where they will be exposed fully to the sun, and get sheltered from the 
cold weather, as this batch will be out during November and December, 
or until destroyed by frost. It is a mistake to plant them too closely, 
as when they rest against each other they soon decay in late autumn. 
If planted 15 inches apart each way it is not too much for them. Sow 
another batch of the Improved Broad-leaved Batavian to produce plants 
to put in frames or some other sheltered place in October. 
Harvesting Onions. —Spring sown Onions are below the average in 
size this season. The sun heat suited them admirably, but the moisture 
was deficient. They are well matured, however, and if properly harvested 
will keep well and prove useful. We are not much in favour of large 
Onions for winter use, or as long keepers ; the small or medium 
sized are the best in this respect, and when we select bulbs for the 
latest we invariably pick out the smallest. When several kinds of 
Onions are grown together on one quarter they are not always kept 
separate when harvested, and very often the late keeping sorts—such as 
James s Keeping and Bedfordshire Champion, are mixed up with the 
earlier ; in fact all are put together. But this is a mistake, as the 
latest may be used first, and others which will not keep after February 
are retained until they are useless, and there is a failure to maintain the 
supply. If any are mixed let it be with those of a similar character, 
and always keep the late ones by themselves. In beginning to harvest 
them they may be drawn up and laid on the ground for a few days. 
If wet bring them off the soil and spread out on a walk, but when quite 
dry take them into an airy shed, and keep them there for some weeks. 
Do not attempt to clean them until quite dry, then the stems and loose 
peel may easily be brushed off with the hands without injuring the 
bulb. When once under cover they are safe, and the cleaning may be 
reserved for a rainy day. The evil resulting from allowing Onions to 
remain out after this time is that the wet may induce them to grow 
again, and this will spoil them to a great extent. 
Digging Potatoes. — The Potatoes are giving a good deal of 
anxiety to their owners. Second growth is expected. This may occur 
in the case of late sorts which are still green and growing, but it will be 
the cultivator’s own fault if the early and midseason crops are allowed 
to make second growth, as it may easily be prevented by digging up all 
crops that are matured, or nearly so. Late sorts must take their chance ; 
to dig them in their present unripe condition would spoil them. We 
anticipate second growth in them to a certain extent, but all the others 
should be dug up and stored at once. Dry weather is a great advantage 
in successful storing. Never attempt to take the tubers up when it is 
wet, and avoid handling them when the soil is sticking to them. Those 
who wished to make sure of having the crop in good condition may have 
lifted them before the rain came, but others may have left them with 
the hope that they might still improve. They certainly will not do so 
now, and the sooner they are in the better. 'This applies to all but the 
latest crops. So far disease has not proved troublesome; in fact, we 
have not found an affected tuber in the whole of those we have taken 
up, and they amount to several tons. 
Globe Artichokes. —These were very good the fore part of the 
season, but they soon suffered from the drought, and of late they have 
not furnished any heads for the table. The old ones which were left 
uncut have bloomed, but it is no advantage to allow this to happen, and 
as soon as the globes become too old for the kitchen they should be cut 
off and thrown away. Attend to this at once, and if the stems are cut 
close to the ground the young growths will soon spring up again, and if 
protected with some litter during the winter they will fruit early next 
spring. 
Kidney Beans. —The runners came well into fruit about the end 
of July, and they, have produced very heavy crops, but they have ceased 
to flower or fruit and will not produce many more pods for the kitchen. 
Much later rows will prove very useful, as the rain we are now having 
will cause them to bear freely. They may not prove quite so good as if 
the season all through had been in their favour. It will therefore be 
necessary to see that other means ot keeping up a late supply are not 
neglected. Our latest sowing of Dwarfs will soon be in flower ; they 
will be very useful. Others sown in frames, as directed the other week, 
are growing now, and they may come in at a time when there is none 
in the open. There is yet another way of securing them, and that is to 
sow a quantity of seed now in pots ; grow them in a cool place, and have’ 
them ready when the cold weather comes to place in a gentle heat. 
They will bloom about the end of October and prove valuable during 
November. Collect material for winter Mushroom beds, plant out more 
Cabbage plants, sow Prickly Spinach, and check weeds that are now 
coming up everywhere. 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Pines. —Young Pine plants always present at this season, under 
liberal and proper treatment, a luxuriant appearance ; this arises from the 
beneficial effects of natural means so important in cultivation. Those 
influences being now on the wane greater care will be necessary in the 
management to prevent the growth becoming soft, and measures should 
be taken to consolidate it by a drier atmosphere and artificial heat. 
Syringing will only be needed occasionally, and it should be done early 
in the afternoon of bright days. Water must only be given when 
absolutely necessary, then afford a plentiful supply of weak liquid 
manure in a tepid state. The bottom heat should be kept steady at 85°, 
or between 80° and 90°, and pay particular attention to the ventilation, 
which is important at this period of the year. Plants in a luxuriant 
condition should haveair at 80°,above which ventilate liberally, especially 
on warm sunny days, and close the house for the day at 80°. The night 
temperature should be maintained at 65°, allowing 70° to 75° by day 
artificially. 
Fruiting plants should be brought together in a structure suitable for 
finishing the fruit well. Plants that are intended for starting into 
fruit early in the year should be selected from those that were started 
last spring, and be arranged not later than the end of this month, 
where they can rest for six weeks. Those on which the fruit is swelling 
should be encouraged with a liberal amount of heat and moisture, 
keeping the night temperature from 70° to 75°, and that in the daytime 
from 80 to 90°, closing the house at 85° with sun heat. 
Strawberries in Pots. —The plants are late. Runners were 
difficult to obtain on account of the drought, and they rooted very 
tardily through the arid state of the atmosphere. The recent change 
in the weather has at last set the plants on then- way, and all things 
considered, are making satisfactory progress. In the earliest plants the 
crowns are becoming plump, sufficiently so, at least, for the detection of 
plants that will not be available for early forcing, and which should be 
removed at once, even those about which there is a suspicion of being 
barren, making good the deficiency from the surplus stock. Worms and 
weeds are troublesome, also runners. Lime water will expel worms, 
and the weeds and runners must be promptly removed. The pots should 
also be wide enough apart to allow of the sun and air having free access 
to the foliage. The crowns, which are numerous in some kinds, parti¬ 
cularly Yicomtesse Hericart de Thury and Sir Charles Napier, should be 
reduced to the centre or strongest one, not deferring it until they have 
attained to a considerable size, but as soon as they can be taken hold of 
with the finger and thumb, and lifted clean out of the socket. This 
will concentrate all the vigour in the main crown; those will afford 
strong flower spikes, and then, by selecting the largest and best-formed 
flowers, a crop of fruit will be insured, large, and creditable to the 
grower. Any late runners may yet be potted, and with good attention 
they will be serviceable for late work in 5-inch pots, and may afford 
very good fruit. 
Vines.— Houses of Ripe Grapes .—Those that contain the thick- 
skinned varieties will require, whether the Grapes are to be kept on the 
Vines or in the Grape-room, liberal ventilation with gentle fire heat for 
the maintenance of a certain circulation of air. With the Grapes ripe 
gradually reduce the strong laterals as the days decline in length, and 
keep the foliage healthy by means of a moderate supply of moisture on 
the walls, paths, and floors sufficiently early in the day to admit of the 
atmosphere becoming light and buoyant before nightfall. Black Ham¬ 
burgh and other thin-skinned kinds are liable to have the colour taken 
out of them by hanging under powerful sun. Some netting should be 
drawn over the lights to prevent it. Hamburghs and Foster’s Seedling 
will bear as much air moisture as the thick-skinned varieties, provided 
it be not stagnant, and it is very necessary for the benefit of the foliage, 
but Madresfield Court does not endure air moisture to anything like the 
same extent as Hamburghs, and must be treated accordingly. It, how¬ 
ever, loses colour quite as badly, and must be shielded from the direct 
rays of the sun. Muscats hanging on Vines with the roots in outside 
borders will keep a long time, protecting the roots from heavy rains, 
which are falling bounteously in different parts of the country. A 
covering of dry Fern, shutters, or tarpaulin answer, but glazed sashes are 
better, placed in a sloping position for throwing off the wet, as they 
admit sun heat and retain it for warming the border. If the foliage is 
not sufficient for the protection of the tender skins of the berries, some 
light shading will be necessary, particularly where the houses are glazed 
with large panes of glass. Hexagon netting answers well, and drawn 
over the ventilators excludes wasps, which have appeared on the scene 
just when we were congratulating ourselves on their absence. We have 
hornets and wasps too plentiful. 
Lifting Vines .—Proceed with this and relaying of the roots of early 
and midseason Vines as they are cleared of their crops. The sooner it 
is done the better. Good loam with some brick and lime rubbish and a 
liberal admixture of charcoal and crushed bones will meet all require¬ 
ments in respect of compost. See to the drainage, make it satisfactory, 
and follow on with turf, grass side downwards, or a 3-inch layer of lime 
rubbish. Keep the roots near to the surface, always bearing in mind 
that a narrow border well filled with roots is preferable to a large mass 
of soil at the onset, as the roots can be more easily excited and fed at 
