138 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ February 18, 1866. 
magenta red. Carmine, rich carmine. Lilac, a pleasing contrast to the 
other double-flowered varieties. Amongst Primulas not yet sent out may 
be mentioned a beautiful pink-flowered variety, as yet unnamed, but well 
worthy of this distinction, which it will undoubtedly get, after undergoing 
the necessary probation, all varieties put into commerce having to come 
up to certain standards of excellence. Another, having a perfect ring of 
pink colour to its beautifully Picotee-edged flowers, a novelty ; and yet 
another good thing in the shape of a beautiful orange scarlet flower 
approaching magenta, its orange centre rendering it very conspicuous 
and striking. A dense Parsley-leaved variety was also very noticeable, 
its double lilac-coloured mottled flowers being quite an attraction, well 
set off by the peculiar bronze foliage. If for no other purpose, these 
Primulas appear to be well worth attention and cultivation for their 
characteristic foliage, which renders them very distinct. 
In passing, we noticed some good Cinerarias and Calceolarias that will 
constitute important features later on. Next to attract attention were 
some finely ripened tubers of Begonias just twelve months old. These 
are a speciality at Reading, as also are the Gloxinias and Amaryllises, which 
are now, like the Begonias, in a resting stage, but from their present 
plump and sound appearance they give promise of a bountiful harvest of 
bloom in the future. We cannot refer in detail to the pits outside full of 
Picotees and Carnations, the useful showy hardy Primula japonica and 
other types, some of which we may hope will be seen at the forthcoming 
Primula Conference, Lobelia eardinalis, Anemones, Tritomas, the beautiful 
Schizostylis coccinea, Geums, herbaceous plants, &c., all at present in 
comfortable quarters, awaiting their removal to beds prepared for their 
annual reception.—B. 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
ONIONS. —Autumn-sown plants which have been disturbed by the 
frost should have attention. When the surface of the ground is open 
and soft sprinkle a little soot all over the plants and then tread the soil 
round them firmly. This will induce them to make strong short new 
roots, and in a fortnight or three weeks they will be in excellent condition 
for transplanting. It is yet too early to think of sowing the main crop of 
spring Onions, but a small quantity of seed may be sown for early use. 
The Queen variety grows fast, and if sown now would have formed good 
bulbs by June. White Spanish is the next quickest. Select a sunny 
spot where the soil is light for the present sowing. We have tried to get 
exhibition “ spring Onions” by sowing at this time or in January,but the 
young plants were so severely checked in March that we found early 
sowing in the open no advantage. Under glass, however, young plants 
may be brought on freely, and if a few old boxes are filled with rich soil 
and the seed sown thinly broadcast on the surface, capital plants may be 
secured for placing out about the first week in April. The seed will 
germinate in a temperature of 65°, and as the plants grow they should be 
gradually withdrawn from the heat until they are in a cold frame. We 
have to-day sown a dozen boxes full of Onion seed, the varieties being 
Giant Zittau, Cranston’s Excelsior, and seed we had from a friend in 
Spain, selected from handsome bulbs 2i lbs. in weight. There is nothing 
like plenty of sun for Onions. 
Parsnips. —Where large roots of these are wanted by August or 
September the seed should be sown now. The Student is the finest in 
quality, but Carter’s Maltese is much larger, and where fine roots are 
wanted for exhibition the latter should be sown. The soil for them 
should be 2 feet deep at least, and it should be very friable and free from 
large stones, clay, or rough manure. Soil which is heavy or too stifi for 
them may be lightened and made suitable by digging a quantity of sand 
or ashes into it. The rows must be from 20 inches to 2 feet apart, and 
the seed be sown very thinly, as ultimately the plants will be thinned to 
1 foot apart. These distances apply more particularly to the production 
of large roots for exhibition, but where the Student is grown for kitchen 
use only 15 inches between the seed rows will be sufficient. 
Lettuce. —Where seed was soon in the autumn and the plants were 
dibbled in close together in a sheltered place in November they ought to 
have kept very well, and will now be healthy little plants. Each one of 
them can be lifted with a ball of soil attached to the roots and be re¬ 
planted 10 inches apart in good soil and in a very sheltered position. 
We put our plants out along the bottom of a wall, and they invariably do 
well. A little seed of the Early Paris Market or some other early variety 
should be sown now. This, too, must be put in a warm corner, and in 
light sandy soil if possible. Lettuces in April and May are as much 
valued as at any other time in the whole year, and to secure a good supply 
then is deserving of a little attention at present. 
Potatoes. —Those in frames and under glass in various positions are 
growing freely, and the secret of having the stems and leaves robust ani 
the produce good and plentiful, is to grow them in the full light and 
admit fresh air to them on all favourable occasions. During frosty nights 
it may be necessary to cover them with mats or straw, but this should 
never remain on in the morning later than is necessary, and although 
some might think they are forcing them by keeping the light close, when 
the sun is shining this only weakens them. Some early tubers may now 
be planted in the open ground. We always plant our first Potatoes out 
of doors along the bottom of a Plum and Peach wall. When the Potato 
growths are coming through the soil in March the trees are being pro¬ 
tected with netting or something of this sort, and the Potatoes also benefit 
by this to such an extent that they require no other protection, and it is 
very gratifying to observe how well they succeed under these conditions. 
The sets are put in about 18 inches apart, and some good material in the 
form of old Mushroom bed manure, leaf soil, &c., is given them as for a 
first crop, and to secure the best results it is impossible to be too kind to 
them. Frame Potatoes are very well, but we never look on them as a 
profitable crop, and in quality they are not to be compared with those we 
dig from the border near the wall. 
Radishes. —Those sown some time ago will now be up and growing 
freely. When under glass they are very apt to run into top growth, and 
when the leaves are very crowded good roots are never formed. Thin 
sowing is a cure for this, but few sow so thinly as they might do, and 
crowding young plants in spring is a daily occurrence, the evils of 
which can only be averted or remedied by timely and liberal thinning of 
the young plants. In the case of frame Radishes this should be done as 
soon as the plants are large enough to handle, and by leaving them just 
clear of each other every one of them will form a useful root. Open air 
sowing may now be practised, but success can only be expected from seed 
sown in a warm place. Of late years we bring this sowing of Radishes 
on by placing four boards on their edge frame fashion on the open 
ground, sow inside these, and then put a glass light over them to rest on 
the boards. This forwards and protects the crop wonderfully, is cheap 
and profitable. 
Shallots, Garlic, &c. —The bulbs of these should be planted out. 
They will succeed in very shallow soil if it is rich and light. The best of 
the bulbs which are left from last year should be used for planting. The 
Shallots may be put in rows, allowing 10 inches between the rows, and 
6 inches from bulb to bulb. The Garlic Bhould have a few inches more 
space between the roots. If the soil in which they are planted has been 
recently dug the surface will be quite friable, and each bulb may be 
pushed into the soil with the hand. The top of the bulb only should just 
be seen above the soil. Potato Onions require the same treatment, but as 
they grow larger and become large clusters it is well to keep the bulbs 
1 foot apart each way. These Potato Onions are much grown by many 
small garden holders, and as they are hardly ever aSected by the grub or 
disease they are very satisfactory. 
Rhubarb.— Where roots of this are scarce and only a few large ones 
exist the stock may soon be increased by digging up the old roots and 
dividing them into several pieces. If planted again at once into deep 
rich soil each one will bear well in early summer. If possible the roots 
ought to have a fresh place to grow in, and high-class produce will only 
be produced in the richest soil. 
Forcing. —As the days lengthen and Kidney Beans and other yonng 
vegetables gain strength, give them more water, and as they begm to 
show fruit use guano water as a stimulant. Sow successional crops of 
every vegetable which is passing. 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Peaches and Nectarines.— Earliest Bouse .—Forcing owing to the 
continued sharp weather has still to be carried on by fire heat, and the 
fruit in consequence are later than usual. The trees, however, look well, 
and the time cannot be distant when we must have a change, and the 
fruit make rapid progress. In the meantime a steady course will be 
found the safest, maintaining a night temperature of 50° to 55°, and 
60° to 65° by day artificially, and 5° to 10° more from sun heat, especially 
after closing, which will keep the trees in steady progress. Disbudding 
must be regulated by the growth. When the growth is btrong the whole 
of the foreright shoots may be taken off at once, and some of the side 
shoots pinched back to form spurs on the extensions but not on shoots 
that will be removed after the fruit is gathered, always bearing in mind 
that the best break from the base must have room for extension and full 
exposure to light, and a shoot must be retained on a level with or above 
the fruit to attract the sap to it. Trees that have started weakly from 
overcropping in previous years, or are not very active at the roots, usually 
set freely, but to ease these no time should be lost in removing the least 
promising fruits from the underside of the trellises, and to help such trees 
supply weak liquid manure, and syringe the border, paths, and walls with 
clear liquid of the same character, which will soon cause an improvement 
in the colour of the foliage and strength of the growths. Syringe in the 
morning and early afternoon with water a few degrees warmer than the 
house, always, however, early enough to allow the foliage becoming dry 
before night. Ventilate a little at 60° and increase it with the rising 
temperature, avoiding cold draughts and sulden depressions of tempera¬ 
ture. Examine inside borders, and give tepid water freely when necessary 
until it passes the drainage. 
Second House .—Trees that were started early in the year will have 
set or be setting the fruit, for which fertilisation must be daily resorted 
to, and when the fruits are all set syringing will need to be resorted to, 
which will soon clear them of the remains of the flowers. The night 
temperature should be kept at 50°; 55° by day, and 5° to 10° rise from 
sun heat. Until the fruit is faiv'v swelling disbudding should be carefully 
