244 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ Mtrcli 21, '.889. 
most serviceable plants when given the same' treatment as has heen 
advised for Ageratums. 
Dianthuses and Phlox Drummondi. — These are of rather slow 
growth, and should therefore be sown earlier than the majority of 
summer flowering annuals. They are amongst the most serviceable 
and attractive border plants that can be grown, the last named also be 
well adapted for filling beds. Sow the seed in pans, placing these mi a 
hotbed till it germinates, and eventually prick off the seedlings into 
large pans or boxes. All may be hardened and finally planted out by 
the middle of May. 
Antirrhinums and Pentstemons. —Seedlings of these raised early and 
given fair play will flower freely late in the summer. Sow on the 
■surface of pans of fine soil, end cover very lightly or not at all, the 
seed being merely pressed into previously moistened spil. Place in heat, 
give the seedlings plenty of light, and eventually prick them out thinly 
in boxes of light soil. They ought to be kept under glass till of good 
size, and be planted out on fairly rich ground late in May. 
Aquilegias. —A packet of seed obtained from a trustworthy source 
ncludes many very beautiful varieties, forming, when grouped together, 
very attractive feature in a flower garden during May and June. 
seed of any varieties is sown now in gentle heat, and the plants grown 
without experiencing a severe check, some of the strongest of them will 
flower this season, and the rest develop into fine plants for flowering 
next year. The seedlings should first be pricked out rather thickly in 
5-inch pots or pans, and returned to a warm frame, being subsequently 
given more room in boxes, or else potted off singly into 3-inch pots, 
in either case being eventually hardened and planted on a warm 
border. Any good loamy compost suits them, and in the open they 
delight in a fairly rich and free working soil. 
Clematises. —Not half enough of this class of hardy climbers are 
grown. They are particularly well adapted for covering archways, 
pillars, and the fronts of houses, and when in good flowering condition, 
which they soon are, are very gorgeous and attractive. The selection 
of varieties suitable for keeping up a long succession of bloom may be 
left to the nurserymen, and, seeing that all are kept in pots, it is not yet 
too late to order and plant. Any moderately light loamy soil will grow 
them, an addition of peat, leaf soil, or even well-decayed manure not 
being wasted in their culture. When received turn them out of the 
pots, carefully loosen some of the roots, and plant rather firmly. 
During the first summer especially they ought to be examined at the 
roots occasionally and given water before they become very dry. Well- 
established plants will be benefited by annual mulchings of manure ; 
but as this would be conspicuous, first remove some of the surface soil 
and return it to the top of the manure. 
Pruning Clematises. —It is very unwise to neglect pruning these. If 
lift to themselves thickets of worthless growth soon form, and the plants 
instead of being ornamental are the opposite. The Florida type, which 
includes Duchess of Edinburgh, Lucie Lemoine, and Countess of Love¬ 
lace, and the Patens type, to which Lady Londesborough, Miss Bateman, 
Albert Victor, Fair Rosamond, Lord Londesborough, and Standishi 
belong, are the first to give a display, the flowers in these cases being 
produced on the young ripened growth formed last summer. This, 
therefore, should only be thinned out where crowded, lightly shortened, 
the dead wood also being cut out, and then be trained in whatever 
direction desired. The most popular type is Jackmanni, in this being 
included Magnifica, Flammula, Alexandra, Rubella, Star of India, Gipsy 
•Queen, Jackmanni alba, and tonbridgensis. These will produce flowers 
on the young growth formed this season, and the ripened growths on 
these ought therefore to be freely shortened now to near where they 
started from, and the strong young shoots resulting may be trained to 
where the bloom will be most effective. Balconies, archways, and walls 
clothed with these Clematises are very attractive, and a mass of bloom 
over a window is most striking. The Viticella type, in which Lady 
Bovill, Thomas Moore, and Mrs. J. Bateman are sometimes included, and 
also the Lanuginosa type, to which Henryi, Madame Van Houtte, Lord 
Neville, Robert Hanbury, Lady C. Neville, and several other beautiful 
varieties belong, produce their flowers principally on young growth, and 
these, therefore should be pruned similarly to Jackmanni. 
Other Climbers. —Climbers and pillar plants of Passion Flowers, 
Wistarias, Loniceras, common Honeysuckle, and those of somewhat 
similar habit, ought now to be rather closely pruned, otherwise much 
■of their beauty is marred. Jasminum nudiflorum and Forsythia viri- 
dissima should be cut back after they have ceased flowering, and all 
straggling growths should be removed from deciduous Magnolias, Pyra- 
canthas, Pyruses, Virginian Creepers, and Ivies, the main branches and 
leaders being properly secured to the walls and trellises at the same 
time. Chimonanthus fragrans and the common white Jessamine ought 
to have all lateral growth cut back to near the main branches. The 
former will produce flowers next winter on the spray formed this 
summer, while the young growth of the Jasmine will flower freely 
■during the summer. 
THE KITCHEM GARDEN. 
Parsnips. —We have sown Parsnips in January, February, and 
March, and of all the last named were the ijjost satisfactory. The first 
have sometimes been ready for early shows, but they generally met 
with many drawbacks, and it is only now we sow our main crop for 
general use. They grow fast and gain maturity before the end of the 
season ; indeed, we attribute the half-decayed condition of many 
Parsnips in winter to too early sowing, as they, like other vegetables, 
begin to decay when matured before their time. The Student is not so 
large as some, but its quality is good. If lonjt manure is dug into the 
soil immediately before sowing it will cause the majority of the roots to 
fork and be deformed. They are best on ground that was heavily 
manured for some other crop last year, and where none is required 
this time. Artificial manure is also beneficial, as not offering any 
obstruction to the roots penetrating. The soil should be from 18 inches 
to 2 feet deep, and well stirred, but firm. The seed should be sown in 
drills 2 inches deep and 18 inches apart. Ultimately the plants must 
be thinned to 1 foot asunder, and if we were sowing a large piece to 
economise seed we would only drop in a few every foot. Where the 
soil is so shallow as to prevent the long ones gaining a proper form, the 
Turnip rooted variety should be sown, and 1 foot from row to row and 
9 inches between the plants will suffice for this useful little sort. 
Planting out Cauliflowers.— Where plants have been wintered 
in frames or under handlights many of them will now be exposed and 
hardy, and in favourable districts they may be planted in the open. 
As to secure early heads has been the object of all the care that has 
been taken with them, they should now be placed out on a warm 
sheltered spot. Each one must be lifted with a ball of soil attached to 
the roots and be planted without breaking. We cannot endure to see 
those who plant anything in this condition scratch a little hole and 
push the roots down in such a way as to press away all the soil adhering 
to them. Avoid this always, and make a hole that will readily admit 
them entire. They will grow all the faster afterwards, and head sooner 
by being careful; but these Cauliflowers will not produce such huge 
heads as the later ones grown entirely in the open, and if they are 
planted at a distance of 18 inches apart each way they will not become 
too much crowded. To secure a succession do not transplant them all, 
but thin them and allow a few to remain undisturbed, when they will 
head from a week to a fortnight earlier than those that are moved. 
Planting out Peas. —As hinted a fortnight ago, these may now 
be taken in hand. There are various ways of raising them, such as 
in small pots, in turves, &c., but in all cases the planting out has 
to be done in much the same way, care being taken that they are not 
severely checked. Form some trenches 1 foot wide and 8 inches deep, 
fork some good manure into these, then try and find some old dry soil 
in the sheds, and place a quantity of it into each trench. Plant 
immediately in this, push the dry soil well up to the plants, adding 
some of the surrounding soil afterwards, then draw a ridge up on each 
side of the row and apply some twigs to them, on both sides at once. 
These will soon help to hold them up, but in the meantime they will 
afford much shelter, and it is this they always require at first. When 
twigs cannot be obtained boards about 10 inches wide may be used, and 
these may be kept standing on edge on each side of the rows by the 
support of stakes pushed in on each side of the boards. 
Forcing. —We are still far from securing a supply of spring 
vegetables from the open, and forcing must be followed up. Rhubarb 
and Seakale are now induced to grow freely with the aid of a little 
fermenting material placed over the pots, and the former will soon 
be plentiful in the open. Those who have been reserving their 
Asparagus roots to force them when the time came that they could 
do so with best results should place them in a gentle heat at once. 
At midwinter they require to be forced in a welt heated pit, but now 
a slight hotbed will produce plenty of heads. French Beans sown 
in January are now bearing, but the crop is not so heavy as it promises 
to be in the succession, which should receive plenty of liquid manure 
at the roots, and be kept in the light. From now onwards we regard 
French Beans as profitable, and a good sowing can be made every 
fortnight, as towards the middle or end of April they may be fruited 
in cool places, and it will be a long time before any can be secured 
in the open air. Wood’s Early Frame Radish is ready in the hotbed, and 
seed may be sown in another light or two to precede the open air 
Radishes. 
Ridge Cucumbers and Vegetable Marrows. —Sow seed of 
both these. A dozen plants or so of each are .generally sufficient for 
ordinary-sized gardens, and it is better to grow a few plants well than 
many indifferently. Half fill the desired number of 3-inch pots with a 
mixture of loam and leaf soil, put one seed into each, with a little more 
soil on the top, press it down and place in a temperature of 65° or 70°. 
Do not supply water until the young plants appear, and keep them 
growing afterwards in a gentle heat. If kept dwarf and robust they 
may remain in the seed pots until planted out. Later crops may be 
raised in the open. 
Broccoli and Brussels Sprouts. —Owing to the frost and snow 
there have been some blanks in the supply of Broccoli, but the Brussels 
Sprouts have been uninjured. We have been gathering them clean from 
some quarters to get the old plants cleared off the ground, but where 
they still remain on pieces that are wanted for cropping soon they should 
be lifted with a good ball of soil attached to the roots, and be laid in in 
any corner. If not allowed to become dry they will remain useful for 
another month. The same remarks apply to Broccoli. We try not to 
shift our latest plants, but all to head in April may be moved, and if 
carefully done they will answer as well as if they had been undis¬ 
turbed. Clearing of ground of these late crops is often a great assist¬ 
ance in getting in others in due time. 
A Hint to Growers in Late Districts. — The early part of 
March has been very unfavourable and entirely against sowing or 
rearing Lettuce, 'Cauliflower, and Brussels Sprouts in the open, and 
present prospects indicate a late spring. It would, therefore, be well for 
all who are likely to be behind to form some gentle hotbeds and 
temporary frames, and raise their early vegetables in these. It is much 
