August 6, 1891. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
119 
THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Lifting Potatoes. —Potatoes generally have made good progress 
this season, and if disease does not damage them the crops will be excep¬ 
tionally good. Many of the earliest varieties, notably the Ashleafs, 
are in most localities fit to lift and store, it being altogether unnecessary, 
and frequently unwise, to wait till the haulm has died before digging 
the crops. The tubers being fully grown and the skins fairly well set, 
draw the haulm and take the first opportunity of lifting, sorting, and 
storing. Leaving them longer with the haulm intact may be the means 
of the best portion of the crop being spoilt by disease. If the weather 
is unfavourable or much other work pressing, merely draw the haulm 
and wheel away, the feet of the operator being placed on the ridges to 
prevent any tubers being drawn out, completing the lifting any time 
before the tubers are required either for use or planting. Never leave 
newly dug tubers on the ground for several hours, as this, which many 
consider an indispensable proceeding, is a frequent cause of the tubers 
becoming diseased, the moist tender skins offering a good home for the 
disease spores. Nor ought the smallest Potatoes to be saved for planting 
purposes, the proper course to pursue being to save abundance of 
medium sized tubers of good form, storing these thinly at once in cool, 
airy, and light sheds. 
Crops to Succeed Potatoes. —When the ground is duly cleared 
of haulm and rubbish, levelled, and fined, it is in capital condition for 
either Strawberries, Lettuces and Endive, Broccoli, Savoys, Chou de 
Burghley, Winter Spinach, Carrots, or Turnips, and an early clearance of 
Potatoes admits of any or all of these being secured seasonably. A 
good supply of late Lettuces is always serviceable, and if such varieties 
as Golden^Queen, Perfect Gem, All the Year Round, Black Seed, Brown 
Cos, and Paris White Cos are sown at once, a long succession of medium 
sized hearts will most probably be obtained. None of them will attain 
their full size, and the seed may, therefore, be sown thinly in drills 
10 inches apart, thinnings from the same being transplanted elsewhere. 
Endive ought already to have been sown, but if the plants obtained are 
few in number more seed should be sown at once. If the supply must 
be maintained throughout the winter a second sowing ought always to 
be made early in August. When large enough thin freely and dibble 
out the thinnings on good ground. Land newly cleared of Potatoes is 
frequently too loose to grow hardy Broccoli, but much may be done 
towards promoting the requisite sturdy growth by heavily trampling 
the ground prior to planting the Broccoli. Give the latter good room, 
the rows being not less than 30 inches apart, a distance of 2 feet dividing 
the plants in the rows. When put out earlier the distances should have 
been 3 feet and 30 inches respectively. Savoys are very hardy and 
much appreciated, therefore grow as many as possible. Dibble out the 
Tom Thumb and other similarly small varieties 12 inches apart each 
way, 15 inches all round being allowed Early Ulm and Dwarf Green 
Curled, Drumhead being put out 18 inches apart each way. Chou de 
Burghley grown to its full size is coarse and far too large to be appre¬ 
ciated. The most serviceable hearts can be obtained by planting now 
on firm moderately rich ground, allowing the plants not more than 
18 inches each way. 
Young Carrots are always preferable to those fully grown, and a 
supply of these may be had without very much trouble all the year 
Tound. Sow more seed of any of the Horn varieties on a 'warm border 
at once, in well moistened drills drawn 8 inches apart. The roots may 
attain a serviceable size without any protection, but would be more 
likely to do so if afforded shelter later on in the shape of shallow frames 
or boards and pit lights. If young Carrots must be had constantly, then 
sow seed in frames on raised beds of old heating materials, not covering 
these with glass till cold weather sets in. Winter Turnips, of which the 
best are Veitch’s Red Globe, Chirk Castle Black Stone, and Orange 
Jelly, are also indispensable. Seed of those named, or any other varie¬ 
ties, may well be largely sown in succession to second early varieties of 
Potatoes. Draw the drills 15 inches apart, and if at all dry water them 
prior to sowing the seed. The latter being small, and almost certain to 
germinate, is frequently sown too thickly, the plants greatly weakening 
each other before they can be thinned out. Dust over the seedlings 
frequently, and while the dew is on them, with soot and lime in order 
to preserve them from flea, caterpillars, and slugs. It is somewhat late 
now to put out Leeks, but during mild winters they rarely cease growing, 
and a useful crop might result from late planting. They will succeed 
very well after Potatoes, or on any well-manured, deeply dug, and not 
very lumpy ground. Form deep wide holes 12 inches apart each way 
with a blunt dibber, and drop a plant into each, watering them in 
being all the fixing the roots require. The plants will either fill out the 
holes or the soil wili graduaPv close in round them, perfect blanching 
resulting without any further trouble. 
Winter Spinach. —This crop is of such primary importance that it 
well merits a separate paragraph. Spinach proved of great value last 
winter, good gatherings frequently being available when no other green 
vegetable could be had from the open garden. What it requires is a 
free'y manured well pulverised root-run, the preference being given to 
rather high and not very heavy ground. In many gardens it is absolutely 
necessary to commence preparing the site for Winter Spinach early in 
the summer, frequently forking and surface hoeing, adding soot and 
lime dressings, if the latter has not been used lately, towards sowing 
time. This extra trouble, in addition to well sweetening the ground, 
also gets rid of many troublesome insect pests, one very frequent cause 
of failure being thereby obviated. Either the round-seeded Summer 
or prickly-seeded Winter Spinach may be sown ; both, however, being 
much inferior to the Victoria and Monstrous Viroplay for present sow« 
ing, the two latter giving the finest leaves, and holding out much 
longer than the others; the seed being sown not later than the first 
week in August. Arrange the drills 15 inches apart, 12 inches apart 
being sufficient for later sowings, and which may well be made once or 
twice during the month. Sow the seed thinly in well-moistened drills, 
and cover with fine soil. 
Hardiest Broccoli. The hardiest Broccoli can be had by plantin'* 
on a newly cleared Strawberry bed, this not being dug. Put out with 
either a dibber or crowbar, and well fixed at the roots, the solid, yet rich 
root-run, is bound to promote a sturdy growth, and it is only the short¬ 
stemmed plants on somewhat high ground that survive severe winters. 
Those planted on looser rich ground should be arranged in rows 3 feet 
apart, and not less than 30 inches asunder in the rows. The stem bein'* 
the most vital part of the plants, those much drawn up among Potatoes 
should have their stems heavily earthed, this being better done directly 
the Potatoes are dug rather than attempting it later on. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Tree Carnations. —All the earliest rooted Carnations are growing 
rapidly and fast filling their pots with roots. They must have weak 
stimulants every time they need water, clear soot water, or that made 
from cow manure being good for them; or, better still, artificial manure 
applied to the surface of the soil at intervals of two or three weeks. If 
neglected in this respect growth comes to a standstill, and flower spikes 
appear before they are wanted. Plants that are allowed to become root- 
bound early in the season are almost certain to come into flower in early 
autumn long before they are wanted. We have found it a good plan to 
place into larger pot3 any that are likely to become root-bound too 
early. Every care is needed afterwards for a time in watering until the 
roots are working freely. amoDgst the fresh soil. Later plants may be 
placed into their largest size, those 6 inches in diameter being suitable. 
Such varieties as Gloire de Nancy, Souvenir de la Malmaison, and others 
that are intended for flowering early indoors in 6-incli pots next season 
should be rooted at once, either by layering or by taking off the cuttings 
and insert them singly in small pots, placing them under handlights 
in a cool shady position. The former is the more certain method, and 
the one we generally adopt, except the plants from which the cuttings 
are to be obtained are in pots ; then they are rooted under handlights. 
Plant3 of these varieties that flowered in 6-inch pots and have been 
well cared for since are now in 8-inch pots, and may be transferred into 
others 2 inches larger. In this size they will make grand plants, and 
produce six to eight flower stems each, that will prove either useful for 
cutting or be objects of beauty in the conservatory. If given green¬ 
house treatment during the winter they will commence producing their 
flower stems early, and will be in full flower towards the end of 
April and throughout the following month without unduly forcing 
them. 
French and Fancy Pelargoniums. —Young plants raised from cuttings 
that were pinched and hardened to cool frame treatment directly they 
were rooted may now be placed in 5-inch pots. The soil, which should 
consist of good loam and one-seventh of manure, should be pressed 
firmly into the pots to insure a firm sturdy growth. These plants may 
be kept clo3e for ten days or a fortnight, and afterwards grown perfectly 
cool in frames with the lights off. Pinch the shoots when they have 
made two or three leaves to ensure their remaining dwarf. The shoots 
should be pinched when they need it until the last week in August or 
the first week of the following month, but not afterwards. By this 
treatment they will have broken into growth again by the time they are 
in their winter quarters. Old plants that were pruned back early and 
started again into growth in a frame may now have the old soil 
shaken from their roots and the plants repotted in fresh soil, 
placing them in much smaller pots, repotting them as growth extends. 
These must be kept close for a time until they are rooting freely 
in the new soil, when they may be hardened and grown under airy 
treatment. Prune plants that have been well ripened, and start them 
in a frame until they break into growth. Those that are now going out 
of flower must be stood for two or three weeks in a sunny position to 
ripen them before they are pruned back. Harden all young plants 
raised from cuttings, and then grow them in a cool house, but fully 
exposed to the sun. Good cuttings may still be rooted, and for this 
purpose it is better to top the earliest plants than to insert old flower 
stems. 
Zonal Pelargoniums. —Those for autumn and winter flowering need 
liberal supplies of water at their roots, and liquid manure two or three 
times weekly, or every time water is needed, according to the condition 
of their roots. The pots in every case should be well crammed, the 
wood short-jointed and firm. Decaying leaves and flowers as they 
appear should be removed. Plants that have grown tall may be cut 
close back, and a good batch of cuttiogs inserted for early spring 
flowering. Double varieties should also be inserted for the same 
purpose, and for yielding a good supply of trusses for cuttings daring 
next May, June, and July, or longer if needed. Insert them singly into 
3-inch pots, in which they will pass the winter safely. Cuttings at this 
season root well either outside or in a cold frame. 
Adiantum cuneatum. —Where these are grown expressly for cutting 
they must not be in a close atmosphere, or they will wither directly 
they have been severed from the plants or exposed to more air con¬ 
ditions. A deep green colour of the fronds indicates too much shade 
and heat, and will not last. The young fronds on plants well prepared 
