368 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ M..y 3, 1838. 
bition purposes, but this is now perhaps superseded by Laxton’s Girt- 
ford Giant and The Czar, the latter being white-seeded ; Veitch’s 
Mammoth Scarlet and Carter’s Jubilee, all of which can be made 
produce very fine pods. Ne Plus Ultra, however, surpasses all of 
them, and if it can be obtained true to name will delight the 
grower, as it produces long, broad, and straight p ds, beautifully 
green in colour, or such as judges are bound to take note of. 
—ExiiiniTOR. 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Rain Crop Carrots. —These should now be sown. They are an 
important crop, as they keep up the supply of roots all the winter 
and until the young Carrots come again. We have still many of our 
main crop Carrots of 1887 in store, and when they are grown and stored 
to last until now or later they give much satisfaction in the kitchen. 
All who have professional cooks to supply would do well to note this. 
The Intermediate is the best variety for the main crop. The long ones 
do^ not suit the majority of soils, but the intermediate is shorter, very 
thick, and of first-rate quality. Any soil a foot in depth will grow it 
well. We never fail to take the precaution to fork a little lime or 
plenty of soot into our soil before sowing Carrot seed. This invariably 
prevents the roots being injured by grubs. The rows should be from 
15 inches to 18 inches apart, and the drills 2 inches deep. Sow good 
seed thinly, .-.read over the drills, then rake the surface, and finally 
give the whole a firm rolling. 
Kidney Beans in the Open. —We regard Kidney Beans as the 
most tender of all vegetables. If the seed is sown too early it will 
perish without germinating. If it germinates and the young plants are 
caught by the slightest frost the leaves will be blackened, and the plants, 
if not killed, severely injured. It is this that makes us delay sowing 
Kidney Bean seed until the last week in April. It is, however, safe to 
sow now, and a few rows of Dwarfs and one row of Runners may be put 
in as a first crop. The Dwarfs, especially Cooling’s Ne Plus Ultra, fruit 
some weeks earlier than the Runners, and as it is very desirable to have 
Kidney Beans as early as possible a few Dwarfs should always be sown. 
They must have the most sheltered and sunny position in the garden. 
Along the bottom of a south wall is a good place for the first row. A 
south border is also well adapted for them. The soil must be rather 
rich and not too heavy. Sow the seed .3 inches deep and not too close. 
Where the Dwarfs are grown there will be no particular hurry in getting 
the Runners into fruit. They may therefore be sown in any ordinary 
quarter of the garden. Make a trench about 15 inches deep, place some 
good manure at the bottom, fork it well into the soil, sow the seed on 
this, and cover with 3 inches of soil. The young plants will have a 
little shelter at first in the trench, and as the hot dry weather comes on 
they will not suffer so much as if sown on the level. Laxton’s White 
Czar is one of the best Runner Reans. 
Beetroot. —The whole may be sown at once. The Turnip-rooted 
Variety gains a suitable size sooner than the long varieties, and a few 
short rows of this may be sown for early use. Dell’s Crimson is the 
best of the long-rooted varieties. It does not grow too large, and the 
tops are very compact. We have often grown quantities of culinary 
roots of this variety in the flower beds, but there is no difficultv in 
growing Beet in any garden. The Turnip-rooted may be grown in 
the shallowest soils. The others will do in soil that suits Carrots, 
Parsnips, or any penetrating roots. Sow thinly in drills 15 inches 
apai t, and see that mice do not destroy the seed. 
Tomatoes. —These are gaining favour annually ; amateurs are taking 
to them, and find them interesting to grow and highly agreeable on the 
table. They cannot be grown in too many gardens. Plants intended 
for placing in the open air in May or June should not be kept too long 
in a hothouse, but place them in a cool frame and induce them to make 
a sturdy growth. These will go on without receiving a check, and they 
will fruit early. Some may think that if they can only obtain large 
plants they will be sure to have early fruits, but mere size does not mean 
fruitfulness. We have had plants bearing fruit 6 inches from the ground 
that were more prolific than others 4 feet high. The secret of success is 
transferring them to the open without giving the slightest check. Early 
Tomato plants under glass are now fruiting freely. Webb’s Sensation 
is large and fine. There is nothing equals the single stem system for 
early fruit and plenty of it, indeed it is a good plan at all times, and 
the side shoots should be constantly removed. Do not allow many of 
them to form and then cut them all off together. This would ruin any 
plant, but if removed as they form, the whole strength of the plant will 
be thrown into the main stem. Plants that have been recently placed 
out in pits for summer fruiting should be confined to one stem from 
the first. Avoid supplying much water until they are well rooted, then 
give plenty, but do not use liquid manure until the fruit is abundant. 
Early plants in full crop may receive it three times weekly with 
advantage. 
Ridge Cdcumbeus and Vegetable Marrows. —Where seeds of 
these were sown together in a 6-inch pot turn the plants out of the pot 
when 6 inches or 8 inches high. Break the ball carefully, and remove 
each plant with as many roots as can be secured, then place them singl}' 
in a 3-inch pot. Griw them in a little heat and keep them close until 
they are advancing freely, when they may have more air and be 
gradually hardened to plant out about the middle of May. If the 
plants are large enough now to place out make up a little hotbed, place 
a mound of soil on the top of it, plant in this, and cover with a hand¬ 
glass or some other protector. Seeds may now be sown in mounds of 
this kind, especially in cases where there are no means of rearing young 
plants under glass. — 
FRUIT FORGING. 
Vines. —Early Houses. —Forcing has had to be carried out almost 
exclusively by the aid of artificial heat, it being equally as necessary 
to maintain the day as the night temperature. Red spider has not 
increased this season as it does in bright and dry weather, for then the 
atmospherie moisture and water at the roots are not proportionate to the 
demands of evaporation, but lately, owing to the dull weather, evapora¬ 
tion has not been considerable. Where red spider has obtained a hold 
prompt measures for its destruction must be adopted. Some resort to 
the syringe, but this is not to be recommended, as after the Grapes are 
advanced in colouring the bloom on the berries is liable to be more or 
less damaged by the water. Sponging the leaves, though a good means 
of preventing the spre.ad of the pest, and if taken in time effectual, yet 
is in most cases resorted to so late as to render it but a partial remedy by 
a tedious operation. The judicious application of sulphur to the hot-water 
pipes is the most effectual preventive. Flowers of sulphur should be mixed 
with skim milk, and when the pipes are heated to between 180° and 200 
apply the sulphur with a brush and maintain the pipes at the tempera¬ 
ture named for about an hour, and then the heat may be allowed to fall 
to the ordinary degree. A .calm evening should be chosen, and the 
following evening repeat the process. Take care not to overheat the 
pipes, nor to give an overdo.se, or the skins of such varieties as Frontignans 
and Muscats will be seriously affected, especially those but partially 
ripened. Where fermenting material on outside borders has become 
cold and heavy a portion should now be removed, but leave sufficient to 
avoid giving a sudden check. Early Grapes that are ripe will only 
require enough fire heat to maintain a circulation of dry air, allowing 
the temperature to fall to 60° at night. 
Second Early Houses. —Vines that were started with the new year 
are now commencing to colour. The inside borders must have due sup¬ 
plies of water or liquid manure in a tepid state, the quantity being such 
as to thoroughly moisten the border to its depth, and give a mulch of 
short material, but no great means should as yet be employed to produce 
a dry condition of the atmosphere, as the Grapes swell considerably in 
ripening. A good moisture must therefore be maintained in the early 
stages of colouring, sprinkling the house in the early part of the day, 
and at closing time provide a little ventilation constantly to induce a 
change of air and prevent the deposition of moisture on the berries. A 
warm genial condition of the atmosphere with a circulation of air is essen¬ 
tial to ensuring thoroughly swelled berries. Maintain the temperature at 
70° to 75° by day from artificial means, and 80° to 85° through the day 
from sun heat, advancing in the early afternoon to 90° or 95°, falling 
with the declining sun or light to a night temperature of 60° to 65°, 5° 
more both d.ay and night being necessary for Muscats. As the fruit ad¬ 
vances in colouring the moisture should be gradually reduced and the 
ventilation increased, but there must not be any diminution of the 
temperature until the Grapes are thoroughly ripe. Grapes that are 
liable to crack, suchas Madresfield Court, may, when ripening commences, 
have the needful supplies of water or liquid manure, and then have the 
inside border mulched with 4 to 6 inches thickness of dry material, 
which, wdth early ventilation, insures this remarkably fine Grape arriving 
at perfection. 
Succession Houses. —The remarks as to thinning, disbudding, 
stopping, and tying given in former calendars still apply ; especially 
let all superfluous bunches be removed so soon as the number to be left 
on a Vine is decided. Examine the borders of all succession houses at 
least once a week, and when dry supply water freely. Inside borders 
will take almost any quantity of W'ater after the Vines are in full 
foliage, and with a full crop of Grapes liquid manure should be applied 
at every alternate watering. Outside borders will not as yet require 
water. 
Late Houses. —Late Vines making rapid progress must be tied out 
and stopped as soon as they have made sufficient growth to cover the 
trellis with foliage. The- weather has not been without its effect upon 
the foliage of the Vines, for the leaves are somewhat pale in colour and 
thin in texture, greatly needing sun to give them a healthy green colour 
and air to improve their texture. Every advantage, therefore, should 
be taken of sun heat to increase the ventilation early in the day, but 
close early, excessive fire heat being injurious. 
Keicdy Planted Vines. —With advancing growth—an evidence that 
the roots are active—close attention will need to be given to the roots to 
see that they do not suffer from over-dryness. Allow all the wood to 
remain that can be exposed to light, but supernumeraries intended for 
fruiting next year should be confined to one rod or cane, and the 
laterals pinched at the first joint. 
Vines in Greenhouses and Unheated Houses. —The Vines are making 
rapid progress, and in many instances the growths will require dis- 
' budding, stopping, and tying. One shoot is sufficient to each spuj 
