284 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
f September 27, lac a. 
during bad weather to fertilise the flowers, and if this takes place 
the strain upon the plants is very much increased. 
The soil for winter Cucumbers is important. In the summer 
they are not particular, but in the winter the soil must be of such 
a nature as to avoid a quick soft growth. It should be composed 
chiefly, if not entirely, of good fibry loam. This depends upon its 
fertility. If it is rich it may be used alone ; if not, one-seventh of 
manure may be added. Some loams are poor, and such that we 
are in the habit of getting here must be enriched with manure for 
Cucumbers, both during the summer oi winter. The soil must be 
well warmed before planting ; and here it may be mentioned that 
the structure used must be thoroughly cleaned. This is not only 
necessary at the commencement, but those residing in the neigh¬ 
bourhood of towns will find it requisite to wash the glass outside 
frequently. Winter Cucumbers do not need so much soil as might 
be given with safety during the spring or summer. Two bushels 
for each plant will be ample, with attention to top-dressing them 
from time to time as they need it. Frequent top-dressing is infi¬ 
nitely better for winter Cucumbeis than having to resort to feed¬ 
ing. After the plants commence fruiting a little Clay’s Fertiliser 
sprinkled on the surface of the soil will be found better than 
stimulants in a liquid state. 
The amount of water needed during the winter is considerably 
less than during the more genial months of the year. They must 
be kept as near as possible in an intermediate condition. Great 
care must be exercised in this matter ; too much water is as detri¬ 
mental as too little. Do not supply water at a lower temperature 
than that at which the bottom heat is maintained. The syringe 
may be used freely at first on all fine occasions, but it must be 
gradually discontinued, and may be needed only on bright days 
during the months of November and December. It is not difficult 
to keep plenty of moisture in the atmosphere during these months 
without revetting to the syringe, which one is often tempted to use 
after bright sunshine, but if it is not done early in the day, or is 
followed by sunless weather, the operation does more harm than 
good. The atmosphere can be kept moist by damping available 
spices, but too much moisture in the atmosphere during the winter 
will soon prove as ruinous to the plants as cold. In an atmosphere 
overcharged with moisture the plants soon fail, they give very 
little warning ; first they flag under bright sunshine, and if they 
are examined the tissues will be found to be in a state of decay. 
The house should be liberally ventilated at first to insure a 
sturdy growth, and as the season advances air must be admitted 
with great care and caution. No ventilation would be needed after 
the end of October if it was not for the condensed moisture that 
becomes deposited at night on the glass and wood of the house. 
A “ chink ” of ventilation early in the day quickly dispels the 
moisture that hangs about the woodwork, which is much better for 
the plants than being subjected to a constant drip throughout the 
greater part of the day. If the rafters are grooved, or even have 
a strip of zinc on them, this condensed moisture can be carried 
away without subjecting the plants to a shower bath daily. It 
is a good plan to supply the house with canvas blinds, which keep 
the house many degrees warmer, and prevent to a very large 
extent the condensation of moisture that would otherwise take 
place. 
Telegraph, Cardiff Castle, and All The Year Round are good 
for winter growing. A cross between the first and Paragon results 
in a good useful variety for the winter. It is questionable if any 
surpass Telegraph for this purpose. — Wm. Bardney. 
GLADIOLI NOTES. 
Owing to shows and exhibiting thereat I had no time to note 
results during the past two or three weeks. In the first and second 
weeks of the month seven dozen spikes were cut and exhibited, 
beside quantities for home use. No particular note was made as to 
number of varieties, but the following were all in flower in larger 
or smaller numbers, besides sorts already noted, many of which still 
continue to open blooms, as for instance, Shakespeare, Opale, 
Horace Yernet, Carnation, and many others. One of the finest 
which has bloomed is Enchanteresse, of which I had two spikes 
open at once. This is the best light variety we have yet flowered, 
its only fault being a too close habit, so causing the very large 
flowers to become somewhat jammed on the spike. It is a variety 
requiring time to develope. Grand Rouge has given four fine 
spikes ; this is a good variety. Eugene Souchet, the first only 
opened a most beautiful deep rose and white ; a perfectly formed 
spike. Fra Diavolo is a very fine orange flower with pure yellow 
blotch, and of a lighter shade ; in the same way is Pyramide a very 
good sort. Flamboyant we have fine, a very bright variety, and 
making a telling spike. Africain is a dark slaty crimson, not so 
good as Tamerlane, which has longer spike and larger and brighter 
flowers. Ondine, a white and violet-flamed variety, is very finer 
this season. Orphee has also been good. A variety in the same- 
was as Orphee, but later and just unfolding its blossoms here, is- 
Teresita, a strong growing very good sort. Hesperide and Lady 
Bridport belong to same class, light ground with salmon flake, both 
free, and pretty. 
Leviathan has been very good, spikes long and flowers large. 
Daubenton is a lively lilac flower, a good variety, and making a 
good spike. Rayon d'Or, straw flaked with carmine, has yielded, 
some good spikes, though rather short. Pactole is a better variety 
with longer sj ike but flowers not so large. Brennus, a bright lake 
with large white blotches, has been rather small ; a very bright 
sort. Amaranth, a flamed variety, has very large flowers, but rather 
dull. Ciceron, rather deeper in the shade but not so good a vaiiety 
as above. Crepuscule, a very soft flamed lilac variety, is very 
good indeed. Macaulay is a very good large sort but rather loose. 
Other varieties are Zenobia, Madame Basseville, Madame Dombrain, 
Penelope, Grand Lilas, Parmentier, Sylvie, Baroness Burdett. 
Coutts (a good deep lilac variety), Victor Jacquemont, Orange, 
spotted, Octavie, Argus, Elvira, &c. 
There are still a good few varieties to open, such as Amit : f r 
Cameleon, Phoenix, Le Yesuve, &c., but even these late varieties 
may be flowered by this date, and earlier by allowing them a. 
longer period under glass before planting out. 
We have experienced since about the 12th of the present 
month a very beneficial change of weather, and the young corms I 
find are swelling up very fast. The earlier sorts will be ready to 
lift in the course of the next ten days, as nothing is gained by 
leaving the corms in the ground after the foliage has yellowed. 
Indeed a change to wet sometimes induces renewed root action in 
these early kinds, which cannot be otherwise than mischievous in. 
its tendency. Careful growers do well to inspect the corms of 
such kinds as Ad. Courbet, Mons. Ad. Brongniart, Shakespeare. 
Horace Vernet, Albion, Opale, and others which have flowered a few 
weeks back, and lift them as soon as root action has ceased. Later 
kinds may be greatly helped by inserting a spade or fork underneath 
the plants, and giving them a slight upward heave. This will help 
the ripening process considerably. Any varieties of value which 
may appear to be too late to open this autumn should have the 
spikes removed in order to induce the plant to swell up the young 
corm instead of wasting its energies on the spike, which may in the 
end be too late to develope for cold.—B. 
NOTES FROM A HERTS GARDEN. 
Vegetable crops in 1888 have been and are plentiful and good. 
There have been as usual various degrees of excellence and imperfec¬ 
tion in the different crops, therefore I shall be equally as careful in 
condemning the unsuccessful or in praising the satisfactory. 
PEAS. 
Early Crops. - Early in December, 1887, a first sowing was made 
of Veitch’s Extra Early and Dickson’s First and Best on a south 
border. The seed was wetted with petroleum just before sowing, the 
seed covered with soil lightly, and then an inch thickness of sifted 
ashes given as a further safeguard against mice and slugs. The soil 
is light and rich from repeated additions of opening material, work¬ 
ing, and manuring. A sunny, sheltered spot had been used for early 
Peas, nobody knew how many years consecutively. The germination 
was not good. Something was wrong with the seed. Something preyed 
on the sprouts. The root stems were rusty, cankered. In result there 
was about half a crop ; in 1887 the crop was little better. Is the soil 
Tea-sick ? The border was sown with Prickly Spinach early in August, 
1887. in rows 18 inches apart, every third row being left out for the 
Peas. The Spinach was all that could be desired, and now, after the 
Peas of this year, there is Snow’s Winter Broccoli as sturdy and as blue- 
green as the most fastidious could desire. 
A sowing made in pots under glass in February of Veitch's Extra 
Early, hardened off and planted out in April on a south-west border, 
staked at once, protected with evergreen boughs on each side the 
rows from cutting winds and frost, afforded a first gathering on June 1 
15th, a full fortnight before those sown outdoors. At the same time 
as those sown in pots William I., William II., and Day’s Sunrise were 
sown on a south border. These were superb. The soil is similar to that 
where the first sowing yielded only half a crop, but it had not known 
Peas for years. There is therefore something after all worth consider¬ 
ing in rotation. Of the three sorts William II. was much the best, and 
only a few days behind William I. It is well worth waiting for. Day’s 
Sunrise is, from filling its pods indifferently, a “ sunset ’’ amongst early 
Peas. 
Second Early ,—The soil where the second-early crop was sown I 
