February 18, 1886.] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
127 
the district from where the turf was obtained. In mixing the soil 
a handful sprinkled on occasionally is all that is required for the 
purpose. The sand used should be coarse and gritty, that which is 
fine and liable to bind together the other materials should, be 
avoided. Clean coarse silver sand is the best. Leaf mould in a 
half-decayed state is an excellent ingredient to add, particularly in 
the case of heavy retentive soils, as it is of great assistance in 
keeping the whole mass porous. 
Having described the materials to be used, let it be understood, 
for the final potting, as in a previous note I indicated the soil best 
adapted for them in the younger stages of growth, I will now give 
as near as I can the quantity of each component part. To be 
precise I purpose taking the two cases in hand—heavy and light 
soils, and give the details required in each composition. Taking 
the former kind first, I would advise as follows:—Three parts of 
fibry loam broken up roughly, the fine soil taken out, retaining 
nothing but the fibrous parts, one part of horse manure, one of half- 
decayed leaves, one part of coarse silver sand, a quarter of a part 
of fine ground bones, and the same quantity of dissolved bones ; 
one part of charcoal and wood ashes, the former to be used in a 
rough state, adding a 6-inch potful of soot to 4 bushels of soil. 
Where the loam is light in texture use four parts as fibry as 
possible ; to this add two parts of horse manure, one part of leaves, 
half a part of coarse silver sand, the same quantity of ground 
oyster shells, half a part each of fine crushed and dissolved bones, 
and the same quantity of soot as advised for the heavier soil, 
thoroughly incorporate all the parts together, using all that can be 
so used in a rough state, as the action of mixing reduces the parts 
considerably, therefore if the turfy loam and other ingredients be 
chopped small at first, the mass becomes too fine through frequent 
turnings. The compost should neither be too wet nor too dry, but 
just a “ happy medium,” for if wet it is liable to run together too 
closely, and if it is too dry it cannot be made sufficiently firm in the 
pots. 
RIGHT AND WRONG METHODS OF POTTING. 
Chrysanthemums must be potted in a proper manner, or it is 
useless to expect flowers of the finest quality, therefore this part 
of their culture should be carefully considered. To the inexpe¬ 
rienced growers potting Chrysanthemums may appear of no greater 
importance than potting any ordinary softwooded plant ; but high- 
class blooms cannot be had from plants with soft sappy stems, 
which are the results often of improperly performing this part of 
their treatment. When they are potted loosely they grow strongly 
and produce large leaves, but are devoid of that solidity which is 
essential to success. The soil should be rammed into the pot very 
firmly with a blunt stick 1 foot long and 1£ inch in diameter at 
one end, the other end being cut wedge-shaped. In soil of a light 
character it is hardly possible to pot too firmly, but it is not so 
necessary with heavier soil, as the water will not percolate so freely, 
and should the drainage become defective trouble may ensue through 
the soil becoming waterlogged. When the plants are potted firmly 
the growth is not so rapid early in the season, but it is rendered 
solid and firm as growth proceeds, and is more likely to mature in 
a wet autumn. Let it be understood that I am now referring to 
the final potting. 
As I stated before, the pots should be perfectly clean ; the 
crocks used for the drainage also must be free from grit. For the 
largest pots 2 inches of drainage is not too much, and it should be 
carefully laid in. The piece placed over the hole in the pot should 
be much larger than the hole and quite hollow, not flat and close- 
fitting. Other pieces coming next should be smaller and properly 
packed around the first piece, finishing off with a layer of smaller 
pieces. Over the drainage place a layer of the roughest parts of 
the compost to prevent the fine soil running down amongst the 
drainage, thus preventing the free egress of water. The best 
material for this purpose is pieces of thin newly cut turf, as this 
does not decay so soon and is not so liable to clog the drainage. 
In the case of the heavy soil sprinkle a few leaves, charcoal, and 
a table-spoonful of soot over the pieces of turf. If the soil is light 
the soot only will be required. The soil should be firmly rammed 
down previous to placing the plant thereon. Do not cover the top 
of the ball of soil attached to the plant too deeply. Give a little to 
cover any surface roots that may have become bare through water¬ 
ing, but leave a depth of about 1 \ inch to allow space for water 
and top dressing at a future opportunity. If the soil is moist no 
water will be required for two or three days ; after this time a 
good soaking may be given.—E. Molyneux. 
(To be continued.) 
GOOSEBERRY AND CURRANT CUTTINGS. 
There are no fruit-bearing bushes or trees easier propagated than 
Gooseberries and Currants. Anyone who possesses the cuttings and a 
piece of garden may accomplbh it. Cuttings should only be taken from 
the best varieties, and the time to select them is at the pruning. Strong 
young shoots from 10 inches to 1 foot in length make the best cuttings. 
They should be well developed and thoroughly matured ; cut them square, 
or nearly so, at the bottom, and the top should also be taken off with the 
knife, as the terminal bud is not a good one to form a handsome bushy 
top. When it is desired that the bushes should have extra long stems, 
long cuttings must be used. For ordinary dwarf bushes cuttings with 
9 inches of a stem and 3 inches of a head will be found to answer well. 
In this case the whole of the buds, from the bottom upwards for 9 inches, 
must be nipped clean out, and as 3 inches of this will be required to be in¬ 
serted in the soil, each bush will have a clear stem of 6 inches. Taller plants 
may be produced by making the cuttings 16 or 18 inches long, and 
then 3 inches of entire buds at tbe top will be sufficient to leave to form a 
handsome head- We are in favour of bush fruits having long stems, as 
when the branches grow out and incline downwards the fruit is sure to be 
bespattered with mud during wet weather, and we have known large 
quantities ruined in this way. This is the result of having the stems too 
short. 
Many who have been looking forward to increasing their stock this 
spring would select their cuttings when the bushes were pruned, and since 
then they will have been resting with their ends in the soil, but it is not 
safe to leave them longer in this way, as a little mild weather would soon 
induce the buds to swell. They should be placed in rows, allowing 15 or 
18 inches from row to row, and 6 inches between the plants. We have 
begun digging at one end of the piece they were being put into, and each 
row was placed in as the right distance was reached ; but we never do this 
now, and prefer digging tbe piece first and dibble the cuttings in after¬ 
wards. They ought at least to be let 3 inches into the soil, and they should 
be made firm by treading round each one with the feet. They root quickest 
in a light sandy soil, and although a few may fail to grow, the 
majority will become good bushes.— A Kitchen Gardener, 
CULTURE OF PEAS. 
In my notes upon this subject I have now arrived at the time 
when the Peas require examining every day. Pinch off all side 
shoots that may be growing, so that they may not stop the growth 
of the pod, and if the pods do not attain the largest possible size 
they are of little use for exhibition. I employ boxes to pack my 
Peas in, and I generally find the suitable boxes at the grocers or 
the tobacconists. If I am about to show a dish of small-podded 
Peas I find a cigar box is best ; if they are large-podded Peas a box 
which has contained black lead is a useful size. Nothing is better 
for lining the boxes inside than Rhubarb leaves, also to cover the 
Peas with, as the leaves are cool in hot weather. Pack the pods 
in the boxes stalk end upwards, as they will travel very much 
better and show more bloom when taken out, also are better to 
handle than if packed upon their sides. When gathering the Peas 
for exhibition I always have the box with me, clip off the Peas, 
count them as I gather them, touching or handling only the stalk, 
and then I find the Peas come out of the boxes as fresh as though 
they had just been cut off the haulm. 
The last ten days before the show I have found to be rather 
an anxious time, as in some seasons the Peas have been a little too 
forward, and at others I have had the misfortune to have the pods 
bruised with hailstones. Now as a preventive against hailstones 
or very powerful sun I make a stage each side of the row that I 
wish to preserve for exhibition, and I do it in the following simple 
way. Some strong stakes are procured, such as are used for Kidney 
Beans, say about 6 feet high for tall varieties and others in propor¬ 
tion. Point them and place them in the land about 6 feet apart, 
then nail some light stakes upon them from one end of the row 
to the other, and you will have a light stage to cover with 
calico a yard in width along the row. This I find at times to give 
great assistance in keeping my Peas from becoming too old or being 
bruised by hailstones. I may say the calico will last for several 
years. If the Peas were only for profit I should not be at the 
trouble and expense of shading them, but when cultivating them 
for exhibition I think nothing a trouble. 
In these few notes I have indicated the principal part of my 
practice, with the exception of this—when the Pea haulm shows 
five pods set I take off the lead if they are for exhibition.— 
H. Marriott. 
PiEONIA MOUTAN. 
Enormous supplies of flowers either on the plants or in a cut state 
are required in all homes, to meet which the energies of the gardener 
and the resources of the establishment are greatly taxed, as it is not 
enough to have the legitimate occupants of stoves and greenhouses 
giving their wealth of flowers in season, but plants hardy and out of 
season must be pressed into the service in order to maintain an unbroken 
supply of bright aud sweet flowers through the winter and spring. 
Of this no one complains if only the means are equal to the demand, 
but when the means are few and the demand large it would be well 
to consider whether there is not more expected than can well under 
