540 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ June S8, 1888. 
sick soil ? Foliage was rampant, was it not 1 The liberation of formerly 
inert elements was too excessive, hence the results. 
I maintain that in ordinary pot culture we can avoid all these 
excesses. Why should we insist on using leaf mould to the extent we 
■do ? If we must add elemenls that are of a manurial nature we should 
see that they are not such as will foul the soil. The most intelligent 
and enterprising gardeners of the present day are more than ever 
convinced of the truth of these assertions. Charcoal and burnt earth 
for giving sweetness and porosity are consequently more than ever in 
demand ; and wliere the need of such elements as phosphates exists 
these elements are supplied in a more natural and a more simple form 
than they were formerly. That fertilising moss is a suitable medium 
for plant eulture has been proved. There is nothing new or uncommon 
in the practice of placing balls of moss round the roots of plants. 
■One of the largest eollcctions of plants in London for open-air bedding 
■and decorative purposes is being so treated this season. That anyone 
should have succeeded in causing moss to take up and retain the more 
frequently required elements for stimulating the growth of plants is a 
fact worth recording. That moss—sphagnum or any other varietj^—has 
■of itself an elasticity’, and that it gives lasting porosity and so affords 
free passage for air and water, is freely admitted by all who have used 
it. Sphagnum moss is expanded by fermentation, and charged when in 
that condition with the alkaline salts and nitrogen matters so neeessary 
as plant stimulants. As an auxiliary to loam, or when used with 
equal proportions of it, it will be found all that is desired.—A. B. W. 
KITCHEN GAEDEN. 
' Cauliflowers Going Blind. —This is a complaint well known to 
all who grow many Cauliflowers. The plants may have a good centre 
when planted out, and shortly afterwards it may be notieed that they 
have no centre, but are only composed of a few outer leaves. They are 
completely blind, and will never become of the slightest use. Many 
plants of Veitch’s Autumn Giant have lately behaved in this way with 
us, while in another quarter of Eclipse very few indeed have been lost. 
“VVe have noticed that when we persisted in dusting the plants fre- 
•quently with lime or soot a blind plant is an exception, and the atten¬ 
tion devoted to them in this way is not labour thrown away, but it 
occurs oftener in the spring and early summer months than now, and 
autumn plants are rarely effected, but should they be so dusting with 
•soot and lime should begin as soon as it is noticed. Look over all 
■quarters now, pull up the plants that have no centre, and place good 
plants in the vacancies. Unless this is done the crop will be very 
patchy and unprofitable. 
Savoys. —We often hear of some being planted to form an early 
supply. This is a mistake. Early Savoys are rarely required and never 
desirable. We have had many of them, but the bulk of them were not 
used. They burst before winter, and now we never make an attempt to 
have early Savoys. They are not palatable until vegetables are 
becoming scarce, but from the middle of November onwards they are 
fit for any table, and it is for a supply beginning at that time that all 
should grow them. If seed is sown now of Little Wonder, the plants 
will head at the season named, and in no case should any be planted in 
their permanent quarters until the middle of July. 
Miniature Drumhead Cabbage. —These are equally as hardy as 
Savoys, and they are certainly more agreeable, as they are of excellent 
flavour in the winter. Some grow the large Drumhead, but it is very 
coarse, not fit for a good table, and the miniature variety possesses all 
its properties except size, which is no recommendation. If these 
little Cabbages are put out at the same time as the Sayoys, their owners 
will appreciate them before midwinter. 
Endive. —We see this in the markets now, but it is not a favourite 
in summer when the Lettuces are good and plentiful, and it only 
becomes a general favourite in the autumn. The Moss-curled is the 
best for autumn, and the Broad-leaved Batavian for winter. Sow a 
little of the former now, but a pinch of seed will produce as many 
plants as are needed at once, as Endive soon runs to seed in the 
■summer months. The seed may be sown in a row or broadcast, covered 
to the depth of half an inch, and plant as soon as the seedlings are 
2 inches high, keeping them 1 foot apart each w'ay. 
Earthing Early Celery. —The first Celery is now about 1 foot 
high. It will be in good order by August. Give it a thorough soaking 
■of liquid manure and then earth it up a little. We break down some of 
the soil on each side of the trench, and then work it round the plants to 
to the depth of I inches. Take a few of the short outer leaves off 
before earthing, and if well watered now it will not require any 
more, as the soil that is put over the roots will prevent their drying 
too much again. Give young late Celery plants abundance of water 
constantly, but do not plant them in trenches until the middle of July 
«r later. 
Large Leek.s. —Those who grow these for show generally have 
them of a fine size by August, but size is nothing unless they are well 
blanched, and to effect this they m.ust be earthed up. The early ones are 
ready for this now, and a good quantity of soil should be put to the 
stems at once. Water freely before earthing, and give them liquid fre¬ 
quently afterwards. They will take any amount of rich feeding. 
Peas. —We gathered our first Peas from plants raised and grown in 
the open on June 15th. Should the weather become dry thorough 
watering will be needed. Mulching is also beneficial, the material being 
spread along each side of the rows, and almost anything will do, as the 
object is to retain the moisture at the roots. The mowings of grass if a 
i ittle decayed answer capitally. All Peas should be staked before they 
all to one side ; and .although Peas may be grown without the aid of 
stakes and by allowing them to rest on the ground, the pods are not so 
fine nor the crop so abundant in this way as when staked. Sow more 
seed to produce a supply about the middle of September, and in all 
cases practise the trench system so often advocated in this column. 
Kidney Beans. —Eunners are sometimes grown without stakes, but 
it is not so profitable as when stakes are employed. If the stakes cannot 
bo had from G feet to 8 feet high, use them 3 feet or 4 feet, go as to give 
them a little support at first. Very cheap and good stakes may often 
be had from odds and ends about saw mills. Eunner Beans do not 
suffer so much as Peas from drought, but watering in dry weather 
benefits them, and if time and water can be spared they may have this 
attention. As a rule Eunner Beans are sown too much together and too 
early, as the Beans are generally plentiful .and good in August and 
September, but by October they are mostly over; but by sowing in 
July tender pods may be secured as late as October, or indeed sometimes 
in November. Dwarf Beans are the first to bear, and the whole of 
these should now have a quantity of earth drawn to the stems in the 
form of an earthing up. Immediately after this operation we have seen 
the plants turn a dark green colour from a previous pale yellow hue. 
Planting Brussels Sprouts and Broccoli. —These two useful 
winter and spring vegetables should be planted out as soon as possible. 
Broccoli may do a few weeks after this, but late-planted Sprouts never 
gain a useful size, and they should all be planted by the end of 
■I une. 
Early Potatoes. —We are now digging very good Ashleafs from 
the open border, and where space is wanted urgently for other crops 
Potato digging should begin as soon as they are ready. They are so 
acceptable at this time that if not quite matured they will be very 
superior to the old tubers. 
FEUIT FOEOING. 
Vines. —Early Vines .—Those from which the fruit has been cut 
must be well syringed every evening to preserve the old foliage as long 
as possible in a healthy condition, for when the foliage dies early from 
red spider or other cause second growth not unfrequently sets in when 
they ought to be going to rest. Admit air to the fullest possible extent, 
and maintain a moderate degree of moisture in the border, particu¬ 
larly at the surface, so as to keep the roots there instead of allowing it to 
become dry, and so causing them to descend in quest of moisture. A 
moderate extension of the laterals will not do any harm, but irregulari¬ 
ties of growth, and particularly gross ones, should be checked by pinching 
or entirely removed. 
Grapes Swelling .—Afford every encouragement; nothing helps so 
much as a genial condition of the atmosphere, which should be secured 
by a gentle warmth in the pipes, and sprinkling .available surfaces in the 
morning and afternoon, particul.arly the latter, the border being mulched 
with short rather fresh lumpy stable manure, additions being made 
from time to time so as to insure a supply of ammonia to the atmo¬ 
sphere and organic matter for washing into the soil each time water is 
required. The mulching should be kept moist. Avoid a close vitiated 
atmosphere, particularly in close dull weather. A little ventilation, 
almost constantly at the top of the house will make .all safe, but it is 
desirable to close the house in the afternoon, well damping at the same 
time, allowing the temperature to rise to 90° or 95°, and after the sun 
passes the west, or at six o'clock, provide a little ventilation at the top 
of the house. It will allow of a change of air taking place, prevent ex¬ 
cessive deposition of moisture through the night, and the folLage will 
not be so nearly liable to be scorched should the sun act powerfully on 
it before the ventilation is increased, which it ought as soon as its rays 
act on the structure sufficiently to raise the temperature. The great 
cause of scorching is inattention to early morning ventilation. It will 
be sufficient to ensure a night temperature of 65°, and a day temperature 
of 70° to 75°, having recourse to artificial means if necessary. Com¬ 
mence increasing the ventilation between 70° and 75°, allowing it to 
advance to 80° or 85°, between which keep through the day, and close 
so as to rise as before stated to 90° to 95°. Allow a steady growth 
of the laterals, it keeps the roots active, but avoid overcrowding, not 
allowing the Laterals on any account to interfere with the free access of 
light and air to the leaves that are elaborating and storing food in the 
buds at their base, those being the pruning buds. Afford full supplies 
of water or liquid manure as required. The outside borders should not 
be neglected where the rainfall is insufficient, and a mulching of fresh 
lumpy stable manure will lessen evaporation without depriving the soil 
of the beneficial action of air, warmth, and the moisture of dew and 
rain. 
Grapes Eipcning .—Still continue a fair amount of atmospheric 
moisture, and give the inside borders, and outside as well if the weather 
be dry, a good soaking of tepid water or liquid manure, and mulch at 
once with some rather dry litter but short, 2 or 3 inches thick. This 
will mostly be sufficient for perfecting the Grapes. Directly they begin 
