362 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
been very bad. ‘While this icy wind is blowing-,’said one salesman, 
‘ you can’t get ’em to stand at their doors to look, and however loud you 
may ’oiler they won’t come down to their front-garden gates. Never 
had a much wuss April since I been in the trade.’ That, however, was a 
week or two back. Since then we have had some warm and genial days, 
and the transference from the great market grounds to suburban 
gardens has been enormous.” 
15 WORK forthe WEEKjs 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Beetroot. —An all-the-year-round supply of Beetroot is very de¬ 
sirable in all gardens. It can be used as a salad in winter and spring 
when all others ai - e exhausted. Roots can be drawn up and used as 
soon as large enough to be sliced up, and may be taken from the grow¬ 
ing quarter until November, when, if lifted and stored, they will remain 
sound and good until the new Beet is ready the following season. The 
Turnip-rooted variety is the earliest by several weeks, ancl it is also the 
best for shallow soils. A few rows should be grown, but the main crop 
must consist of Dell’s Crimson or Pragnell’s Exhibition, two excellent 
varieties. Sow very thinly in rows 2 inches deep and 15 inches apart ; 
they do not succeed in very stiff soil, and need an open quarter. Thin 
as soon as they can be handled, and grow them at a distance of 
10 inches or 1 foot apart. It is not advisable to sow the main crop 
before May, as they are apt to become too large and coarse if sown 
very early. 
Earthing Potatoes. —Early Potatoes are now advancing rapidly 
and earthing should have timely attention. This applies to all Potato 
crops. There are some who do not approve of earthing, but it is an 
excellent practice, as when the crop is heavy, and there are many tubers 
formed near the surface, many will push through and expose themselves 
unless the soil is well drawn over them. 
Runner Beans. —These are the best of all Kidney Beans from July 
until November ; and although the Dwarf varieties come into fruit earlier 
and may be grown as a first crop, they are not much valued when the 
Runners are ready. These should be sown now, and again in six weeks 
or two months hence. They are very tender while young, and there is no 
use in sowing them before May. We have tried the plan of raising the 
young plants in pots under glass and planting them out afterwards, but 
they did not fruit many days previously to those sown in the open, and 
we have ceased to practise sowing under glass. They like good rich 
soil, and that where the seed is sown should be well manured. The 
best way is to open a wide drill to the depth of 3 inches, sow thinly, 
and cover with fine soil. As they grow tall they should stand quite 
clear of all other plants by about i feet on each side. Some are deterred 
from growing Beans of the Runner type because they cannot find stakes 
to support them, but it is not absolutely necessary that they should be 
staked, as if they are cut at 2 feet, 3 feet, or 4 feet from the ground 
they will bear heavily. 
Asparagus. —In some seasons we have cut quantities of this in the 
open air early in April, but this year it is late, and we are only just 
beginning. It is of good quality, and promises to be abundant, but now 
is the time to improve weak roots by giving them a good surface- 
dressing of soot and salt or guano. Shake it around and over the 
crowns when it is raining, and it is surprising the good a timely dressing 
will do. Where planting out new roots was deferred owing to the 
lateness of the season, they should be at once planted. Do not keep 
them long out of the ground. Plant in rich, rather light soil, and keep 
the roots about 18 inches' apart each way. Should rain not immediately 
follow planting, give them a good watering, and they will soon begin to 
root afresh and form strong plants during the next four months. We 
lift some hundreds of roots every winter for forcing. A corresponding 
number have to be planted every spring to keep up the supply. We 
have just finished planting, and it has become an annual system with 
us. So has sowing Asparagus seed, and this is another matter that may 
be attended to now. The seeds are almost as large as small shots. They 
germinate well, as a rule, and always produce good plants. The soil 
should be made light and well manured ; open drills, 2 inches deep and 
15 inches apart ; cover as soon as sown, and leave it until the young 
plants appear, when the Dutch hoe may 1x3 run between them. 
Tomatoes. —The early spring-sown plants are ripening their first 
fruits under glass. They are valuable for market, and esteemed as a 
vegetable. They are being grown more and more, and they cannot be 
too extensively cultivated. Give those fruiting plenty of liquid manure, 
that which comes from the farmyard being excellent. Pinch off all 
superfluous shoots frequently. There is always a danger of their carry¬ 
ing too much wood. They fruit best when well restricted. Being root- 
bound does not hurt them, especially if the pot is over 9 inches in 
diameter. Give young plants more root-room. Keep those being trained 
to wires well'tied in. Gut all fruit as soon as it ripens. Plants intended 
[ May B, 1887. 
for open air culture should now be hardened. If they are brought from 
a warm •house place them in a cold frame. Keep the lights on for a few 
days. Admit air gradually until they are quite hardy, and then expose 
them fully. Many plants fail in the open because they are not properly 
hardened. When they are brought from a warm place and planted in 
the open they receive a check from which they do not recover for a long 
time, whereas properly hardened plants ought to grow away from the 
first. Then they fruit early in the season, and are a great success before 
the end of the season. 
Salsafy and Scorzonera. —These are most useful in the winter, but 
the seed should not be sown before May, as early plants only seed pre¬ 
maturely. They both succeed in soil which suits Carrots or Beet 
as their roots penetrate in the same way, and they are best when grown 
without being forked. Open the drills 15 inches apart, 2 inches deep, 
and sow very thinly, cover and roll the surface, as they always do best 
in a stiff soil. Mice are particularly fond of these seeds, and care must 
be taken that they do not find and destroy them before they have had 
time to germinate. 
Celery. —Our first crop has just been planted in the trenches, and 
those having early plants may place them out now. Make the trenches 
8 inches deep. If they are intended for one row make them 1 foot wide, if 
for two rows 18 inches wide, and allow 6 inches for every additional 
row. We grow our exhibition Celery in single rows, giving a trench to 
each, as it can be better earthed up than when crowded, but the kitchen 
Celery is planted in trenches at the rate of four or or five rows in each. 
Our cook prefers dwarf Celery of the Sandringham type, and so do we, 
as there is too much waste with large varieties. Manure the trenches 
heavily, and do not plant out until the plants are well hardened. Lift 
them with good balls, plant them without disturbing these, and keep 
constantly watered until well established. Give successional plants more 
room, and sow more seed for a late crop. It will germinate now in a 
cold frame or in a sunny place in the open air. Maintain a constant 
supply of Mustard and Cress, sow more Lettuce seed, place out advanc¬ 
ing plants, do not let the supply of young crisp Radish decrease, and 
Dutch hoe between all young crops. Keep weeds down, and on no account 
allow them to seed. 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Vines. — Early Houses. —Grapes approaching ripening will need a 
circulation of warm rather dry air, but avoid an arid condition of the 
atmosphere, which is sure to induce an attack of red spider, and this 
crippling the foliage will prejudice the maturing of the buds and the 
ripening of the wood. The foliage must be kept clean and healthy to- 
as late a period as possible. Where red spider has obtained a hold prompt 
measures for its destruction must be adopted. Some resort to the 
syringe, which, unless the water be clear and soft, is not to be recom¬ 
mended, as after the Grapes are advanced in colouring the bloom on the 
berries is apt to be more or less damaged by the water, there being little 
that does not leave a sediment. Sponging the leaves is a safe means of 
destroying it, but is a tedious process. Sulphur judiciously applied is 
the most efficacious. It should be mixed with skim milk, and when the 
pipes are heated to over 160° apply the sulphur with a brush, and main¬ 
tain the heat between that and 200° for an hour, and then the heat may 
be allowed to fall to the ordinary temperature. Choose a calm evening, 
and the following night it may be repeated. Where fermenting mate¬ 
rial in outside borders has become cold and wet a portion of it must be 
removed, for nothing is so injurious as a surface excluding atmospheric 
influences. Enough should be left to avoid giving a sudden check. 
Early Grapes that are ripe will only require sufficient fire heat to main¬ 
tain a circulation of dry air, allowing the temperature to. fall to 60° at 
night. 
Keep the soil healthfully moist so as to maintain the foliage in good 
condition, and a moderate amount of air moisture in order to prevent 
the foliage prematurely ripening, and it benefits rather than prejudices 
the keeping of the Grapes. If the Grapes are wanted to hang some 
little time a slight shade will be beneficial in helping to keep colour, 
especially in Black Hamburghs. A double thickness of herring netting, 
or a single thickness of pilchard netting, drawn over the roof lights is 
sufficient. 
Succession Houses .—Thinning both of the bunches and berries must 
be followed up, also disbudding, tying, stopping, and regulating the 
growths. Allow crops proportionate to the vigour of the Vines, and as 
much foliage as can have full exposure to light. Examine the borders 
at least once weekly, and when dry water freely, assisting those in full 
foliage and carrying heavy crops with tepid liquid manure and rich 
surface mulchings, but not thick, 2 or 3 inches of rather lumpy manure, 
and not very much reduced, being best. Inside borders well drained 
will take almost any quantity of water after the Vines are in full foliage, 
and with a full crop of Grapes liquid manure should be given not less 
distantly than at every alternate watering. Outside borders will not 
yet require any water unless they are high and dry, when a copious 
supply of liquid manure at a temperature of 90° will be advantageous. 
Ventilate early, it causes accumulated moisture to disperse, sets in 
motion the organs of assimilation, gives texture to the foliage and 
solidity to the wood, besides securing a full amount of stored up matter, 
and allow a good high day temperature from sun heat, closing early 
alike to push ahead the crop and to store the sun-warmed atmosphere. 
At night a rather low temperature is best, especially to Vines carrying 
heavy crops which require more time than those but lightly cropped. 
