August 23, 1894. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
187 
in very bright weather, and when the roots have been much interfered 
with. The trees should be continued under glass until the leaves are all 
down, when, placed on and plunged in ashes outdoors, they will not 
tahe any harm, but profit by the cleansing and refreshing autumnal 
■rains, and be in condition for housing early in December, so as to 
•swell their buds gradually and be in flower by the new year or soon 
after. 
If new houses have to be filled, and fruit is wanted next season at an 
early period, plant the trees in late summer or early autumn, as soon as 
the growth is perfected, the foliage and wood being mature. The most 
ruitable trees are those which have been for two or three seasons 
trained under glass or to south walls, and carefully lifted the previous 
autumn to insure a fibrous root formation, and stout, short-jointed, well- 
ripened wood. Even now, if there be any tendency to a late growth, or 
any doubt as to the maturity of the wood, the soil should be taken out 
as deeply as the roots one-third the distance from the stem that the 
branches extend on the trellis or wall, and the trench so made ought to 
remain open for a fortnight or three weeks, when it may be filled again, 
care being taken that the trees have suflBcient water whilst the trench is 
open. All that is necessary, however, is to prevent severe flagging. 
This will effectually check the growth and insure ripening, whilst it will 
materially assist lifting with a ball or mass of fibrous roots. This, and 
the formation of new fibres after planting, are essential to a good 
set and satisfactory stoning of the fruit. Plant the trees for early forcing 
by the end of September, and commence lifting early forced trees as soon 
as the foliage gives indications of falling. It will not matter about a 
few sappy laterals, these will tend to the formation of roots. 
Soil should be obtained in readiness, so that work of this kind can be 
performed with the utmost promptitude ; also provide clean drainage in 
different sizes—rough for the bottom, and smaller for the upper part. 
The soil may consist of any good loam, preferably strong and calcareous, 
nothing being better than the top 3 or 4 inches of an old pasture over- 
lying limestone or chalk, and if intermingled with ferruginous gravel or 
flints all the better. Such will grow Peaches and Nectarines to perfec¬ 
tion without any admixture whatever. If, however, the soil be light it 
will be advisable to add a sixth or more of marly clay as finely divided 
as practicable, preferably dried and pounded. Any deficiency of 
calcareous matter may be overcome by an addition of chalk to light 
soil, and of old mortar rubbish to heavy soil. Ordinary garden soil may 
have a cartload of wood ashes or charred refuse added to every ten, 
always avoiding any uncharred portions, as woody matter in soils fosters 
fungi, which, though generally saprophytic, become parasitic on any 
unhealthy roots, and this may greatly interfere with the success of 
the trees, whilst very heavy soil will be benefited by burning about 
a fourth of it, and mixing all together. 
New borders must have efficient drainage, the bottom of the border 
being concreted if the soil beneath be unfavourable, or better laid with 
bricks on flat and run with cement, the border being enclosed in walls, 
so as to confine the roots. Drains must be provided with proper fall 
and outlet, rubble being placed over them a foot thick, the roughest at 
the bottom and finest at the top, and if covered with a layer 2 or 
3 inches thick of old mortar rubbish, the drainage may be considered 
sound for an indefinite period—indeed, the roots seldom pass the 
calcareous layer, becoming fibrous and matted therein, and the trees can 
be lifted and root-pruned as required without interference with the 
•drainage. A border one-third the width of the trellis will be sufficient 
in the first instance, and 24 inches depth of soil is ample. The compost 
should be made firm, as Peaches and Nectarines are healthy and 
•fruitful in proportion to the compactness of the soil. This has special 
application to soils inclined to be too light and porous. 
Succession Houses .—Trees that ripened their crops in July will have 
1 he buds plumped and the wood sufficiently ripened for the removal of 
the roof lights by the early part of September. This is sometimes 
desirable when the buds become too prominent and tends to counteract 
the tendency to over-maturity of the buds or their premature develop¬ 
ment, alias falling, by affording the trees the benefit of rains and of 
night dews, the borders becoming thoroughly soaked right through to the 
drainage by the autumn rains, which invariably has an invigorating 
tffect on the trees and in the preservation of the buds from dropping, 
'it does not answer, however, to remove the roof lights until the wood 
is well ripened, but over-maturity of the buds is a far greater evil than 
a moderate degree of prominence. 
Trees that ripened their fruit this month should, as soon as the 
fruit is cleared, have the wood that has carried fruit not being extensions 
cut away, and any wood not required for next year’s bearing or for 
the extension of the trees also removed. Weakly and exhausted parts 
•ought, as far as possible, to be cut out and the younger growths given 
advantage of their place. This will keep up a succession of bearing 
■wood capable of producing large fruits, admit of the freer access of 
light and air and of the cleansing of the foliage by water or an insecti¬ 
cide if necessary, it being important that the foliage be continued in a 
healthy state to as late a period as possible for the perfecting of the 
buds and the maturity of the wood. Air should be admitted to the 
fullest possible extent. If, however, the trees are not ripening their 
growths well, keep the house rather close by day and throw it open at 
night, which will check the tendency to late growth and induce 
maturity both of the wood and buds. There must not be any lack 
of moisture at the roots, giving a good watering if necessary, or trees 
that are weakly will be assisted in plumping the buds and storing nutrient 
•matter with liquid manure, not, however, in too powerful doses. 
Trees ripening their fruit will need water at the roots, and moisture 
must not be withheld from the atmosphere; an occasional damping 
of available surfaces, especially on fine days, being necessary for the 
maintenance of the foliage in health. If the weather be cold and 
wet a genial warmth in the pipes, especially by day, so as to 
admit of a circulation of air, will be necessary for the satisfactory 
ripening of the fruit. A temperature of 60° to 65° at night will be 
sufficient, and 70° to 75° by day, artificially, in order to a steady progress 
of the fruit in ripening, air being afforded more or less constantly. If the 
fruit ripens too rapidly, as may be the case if the weather proves very 
bright, a shading over the roof lights of a single thickness of pilchard 
net, or a double one of herring net, will break the fierce rays of the sun, 
and not only retard the ripening but insure the fruit finishing more 
satisfactorily than when exposed to the direct rays of the sun. 
THE KITCHEN GABDEN. 
Cauliflowers. —If either caterpillars or much daylight are allowed 
to reach the hearts of these they are soon disfigured and rendered 
useless. Hand-picking is the remedy for the former, and it does not 
occupy very much time to keep them in check. The older leaves may 
either be tied over the hearts or some of the leaves from plants already 
cut from may be tucked over them, the aim being to keep them as white, 
clean, and close as possible. Those persons who would have extra fine 
plants should give occasional thorough soakings of liquid manure. In 
the midland and more northern districts seeds should now be sown with 
a view to having abundance of plants to stand through the winter ready 
for planting out early in the spring. The end of the month or first week 
in September is soon enough to sow in the more southern localities. 
Selections of varieties should always include Veitch’s Autumn Giant, as 
autumn-raised plants duly planted on good loam produce extra fine 
hearts in August. So also would Veitch’s Autumn Protecting Broccoli 
under similar treatment, a close succession of extra fine exhibition 
produce being had in that way. The seed bed may well be formed 
where frames could be placed over the plants before severe frosts injure 
them, or the seeds might be sown on raised beds in frames and not be 
coveied with glass till absolutely necessary. This obviates the necessity 
for pricking out, and in addition it will be found that plants move more 
readily from seed beds in the spring than they do after having been once 
moved. If the ground is at all dry, moisten prior to sowing the seed 
thinly and broadcast upon the surface, and cover with fine sifted soil. 
Keep a sharp look-out for such enemies as birds, slugs, and Turnip fly. 
Netting over is the best preventive of the former, and resort to occasional 
dustings over with soot and lime for the two latter. 
Xettuce. —The weather hitherto has been very favourable to trans¬ 
planting Lettuces, but not to the preservation and good progress of the 
latest raised plants. Every care should be taken of all the small plants 
in the seed beds or rows, as it is these that would most probably prove 
of value for storing in the autumn. Should dry weather set in water 
the plants, also the drills to which they are to be transplanted. A few 
hours later they will draw readily, and can then be dibbled out where 
they are to attain a serviceable size. None of them will grow to a great 
size, and if room is scarce the rows of Cos varieties may be disposed 
10 inches apart and the Cabbage kinds 9 inches asunder. Well fix the soil 
about the roots, and water occasionally till established. Not a plant of 
the valuable All the Year Round should be wasted—that is to say, all 
the thinnings ought to be transplanted. Late sown Early Paris Market 
and Golden Queen sometimes heart in before severe frosts are experi¬ 
enced, and in warm districts some seeds of one or both of these varieties 
might yet be sown where they could be covered with hand-lights or 
shallow frames. Seeds of Brown Cos, Hammersmith, All the Year 
Round, and other hardy varieties ought also to be sown thinly on borders 
where some of the plants are to remain during the winter, the rest being 
pricked out in frames or hand-lights. 
Celery. —A showery time has suited Celery well, and good progress 
has been made by all the plants. Too much dependence ought not to 
be placed on the rainfall, as it is surprising how quickly the hungry 
roots absorb the moisture in a trench. Therefore examine the soil, 
probing deeply occasionally, and if found approaching dryness give a 
good soaking of water, or, better still, liquid manure of some kind. 
When the soil is in a semi-moist state and the weather is dull and 
showery is really the best time to apply liquid manure freely. Driblets 
are of no avail. The rows should have a second watering following 
closely on the first if need be, and watering should not cease after 
moulding up commences, or otherwise the chances are much of the 
Celery will bolt prematurely. Celery ought not to be allowed to open 
out badly before any soil is placed in the trenches, as should the leaves 
once become set in an horizontal direction they will split and crack 
when brought up together. First remove all weeds from the trench and 
then pull away the lower small leaves and any suckers there may be, 
afterwards giving a good watering. Then if slugs are apt to be trouble¬ 
some dust soot very freely about the stems and soil in the trenches. The 
leafstalks to be well brought up together, so as to effectually enclose 
and protect the hearts, and kept so either with a pair of bands or a raffia 
tie, the latter to be loosened again after soiling up has taken place. 
Avoid making heavy additions of soil at one time, as should the heart 
be unduly confined bulging and splitting will take place. 
According as the growth advances more soil may be added in about 
three times, sufficient being banked around the stems, always taking the 
precaution previously advised. When several rows of Celery are planted 
in wide beds extra care must be taken with the moulding up, boards 
placed across between the rows, admitting of the soil being added 
without any of it reaching the heaits of the plants, drawing these out as 
