July 23, 1885. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
59 
23 
th 
2* 
F 
25 
S 
Darlington (Roses). 
26 
SUN 
Eighth Sunday after Trinity. 
27 
M 
Ludlow. fPiootee Show. 
28 
TU 
Royal Horticultural Society—Committees at 11 A.M.; Carnation and 
29 
W 
WAITING FOE EAIN. 
»N this part of the country we have long waited 
anxiously for rain, but up till to-day, July lGth, 
nothing but disappointment has resulted, and we 
have decided to go to work on the supposition 
that the dry and very hot weather will not yet 
he broken. As far as the flower garden is 
concerned it does not matter much, as the 
brightest of all summer plants—viz , Zonal 
Pelargoniums, seem to revel in the weather we 
are experiencing, and other kinds are doing fairly well. It is 
in the kitchen garden where the mischief is being worked, 
notably among small fruits generally, Potatoes, and winter 
vegetables. The two former must take their chance, but not 
the latter, as if Potatoes are to be small, or what is more 
likely to happen, be of bad quality owing to the formation of 
a second crop directly we get a soaking rain, there will be all 
the more need for us to strive to have green winter vegetables 
in greater abundance. But if we wait too long for rain the 
plants will be spoilt in the seed beds and a good part of 
the growing season lost. Undoubtedly when we do get a 
“ soaker ” the plants, owing to the warmth of the ground, 
will grow as if they were in a hotbed, too strongly perhaps, 
but while we are waiting for this change in the weather the 
seedlings are fast becoming wretched objects, and certainly 
not calculated to grow into those sturdy plants that we think 
so desirable for standing a severe frost. 
Many sow the principal portion of the seed of Broccolis, 
Kales, and Savoys in March or early in April, and these, in 
numerous cases, are yet in the seed beds. We were design¬ 
edly later than usual in sowing all but Brussels Sprouts, 
autumn Cauliflowers, and Yeitch’s Autumn Broccoli, the 
first week in May being the time when Broccolis, including 
Snow’s, Veiteh’s Broccoli and Cauliflowers (second sowings), 
midseason and late Broccoli, all sorts of Savoys, including 
Gilbert’s Universal, Chou de Burghley, and Kales were sown. 
These have become rather large and crowded, and are now 
being put out as fast as we can plant them; and although it 
most probably will entail much extra labour in keeping them 
growing as it did in getting the ground ready for them, I 
prefer this to spoiling the plants, as many are doing, in the 
seed beds. 
In some places we are following Peas without digging the 
ground, in others Potatoes; but the worst quarters, as far as 
the working of the ground is concerned, are those necessarily 
summer-dug. In each case drills were drawn with heavy 
hoes, all hard clods, and they were very hard, being broken 
down, and then a soaking of water was given, this admitting of 
deep planting with dibbles. The seed beds were also soaked 
with water, and as then it was still impossible to preserve 
many roots or soil about them, a puddle was formed and all 
had their roots well coated with the muddy moisture, with the 
results of the plants being l6ss liable to completely collapse. 
It is useless to put out plants in very hot weather unless the 
soil is made very firm and moist about the roots, planting 
with the trowel being as a consequence less safe than is the 
No. 265. —Vol, XI., Third Series. 
case when a dibble is used. The majority of our newly put 
out plants certainly look unsatisfactory, but they will soon 
recover, and when a soaking rain comes they will be quite 
ready to profit by it. 
In many gardens very little space can be afforded 
the seed beds, and the seedlings, instead of being about 
12 inches or 14 inches high when planted out, are nearly 
double that height. If I had such unpromising plants to 
deal with they would not be planted with either trowel, 
dibble, or crow-bar, but the spade would be the implement 
preferred. To bury the stems deeply in order to materially 
reduce the length exposed above ground would not do, in cold 
soils especially, and the plants would not make satisfactory 
progress, but if sloping trenches were cut with the spade, 
the plants laid in and firmly covered so as to completely 
cover the stems only, they would soon right themselves. 
Thus treated they, as I have proved several times, will 
succeed surprisingly well, especially if a little good manure is 
distributed in the trenches, the roots soon taking hold of this, 
and a good start is made. This plan is to be commended 
for late-planted Broccoli especially, and I have known a 
breadth of plants thus treated be the only survivors after a 
severe frost, and though comparatively small produced very 
good heads. Late sowing and late planting on a high and 
rather exposed position will insure a late supply of Broccoli, 
and that, too, with varieties not generally considered late. 
Chou de Burghley I hold to be of little value when sown 
and planted very early, as in this case they become much too 
large and blanched to be either hardy or acceptable in the 
kitchen. Sown early in May and planted out about 18 inches 
apart in the rows, and about 2 feet from row to row, they 
will yield a good cutting in midwinter; at least, this is as far 
as my experience will go, as we have yet to prove that it will 
stand an extra severe frost. We have just planted a good 
breadth of it, and also the Universal Savoy, and trust the 
latter will develope all the good qualities it is said to possess. 
—W. Iggulden. 
HYBKID POTENTILLAS. 
Among really good hardy summer-flowering perennials 
there are few, if any, calculated to produce a more lengthened 
display of flowers than the single and double forms of these 
Potentillas. They in consequence deservedly hold a position 
second to none among hardy florists’ flowers—are, in fact, one 
of the most beautiful, interesting, and valuable groups of 
perennials. Whether required for the mixed border, the rockery, 
or in beds by themselves, they in all cases make a most 
effective display with their diversely coloured flowers. These 
are abundantly produced from the middle of June to the 
middle of August, the colours ranging from rich velvety and 
brilliant crimson to maroon, scarlet, together with rich orange 
and golden and canary yellow. Then we have many pleasing 
and varying shades, and sometimes the flowers are distinctly 
spotted, margined, or marbled. Particularly effective are the 
yellow seifs and which are almost unique in their way at this 
time, for yellow flowers are not particularly abundant when 
these are giving their flowers in plenty. 
In common with several other fine groups of summer 
flowers, Potentillas have been much improved in form a,nd 
size of flowers during recent years, improvements, too, which 
in a great measure owe their origin to the enterprising florists 
across the Channel. The substance of the flowers generally 
is much superior to the original single forms, which, together 
with the increased number of petals, makes the flowers, either 
on or off the plants, much more durable ; but it will be well 
to remark that they are not really good in a cut state, while 
as decorative border plants they are among the best. 
The soil which suits them best is a deep rich loam, the 
deeper the better—that is, if large handsome flowers are ex¬ 
pected. Nearly all ordinary soils which are fairly rich will 
grow them well, but to bring them to perfection there is 
nothing like a rich and deep loam. Therefore the ground 
No. 1921.— Vol. LXXIII., Old Series. 
