268 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION, July 28, 1857. 
NOTES FOR AUGUST. 
The experience of every season, more particularly of the 
present, ought to convince every person of the advantages of 
trenching , or deep digging, and of mulching the ground to 
prevent evaporation. Wherever such advantages have been 
overlooked the watering-pots during this dry season have 
been almost in constant use, and watering, unless it is per¬ 
severed in and supplied in abundance, does but little good, 
the ground being so hot that the water soon evaporates. 
A sowing of Shilling's Queen, Sprotborough, or any other 
good Cabbage, for standing over the winter in nursery beds, 
to be made about the middle of the month. At this period 
the Winter or Prickly, or, what is best, the Flanders Spinach , 
to be sown in a deeply-trenched, manured, and well-drained 
soil. Lettuces for standing over the winter to be sown 
about the same time; the Hammersmith, Black seeded Brown 
Cos , and Hardy Green are good sorts for the purpose. 
Onions for spring use, or for an early crop next season, to be 
sown about the middle of the month—the Tripoli is a good 
sort for the purpose; and a sowing to be made of Cauliflower 
seed for handlights, or for keeping through the winter in 
frames. 
Cabbage plants intended for spring use to be pricked out 
into nursery beds, that they may get stocky previous to their 
final planting. Plantations of Brussels Sprouts, Coleworts, 
Cabbages, Savoys , and Endive to be made as fast as the 
ground becomes vacant, either by the clearance of the Pea, 
Bean, Spinach, or early Potato crops; the Endive to be 
planted on raised beds four feet wide, to protect them from 
the injurious effects of a soil saturated by autumn and 
winter rains, to be hooped over in October, and protected by 
mats from frosts. 
Celery to be liberally supplied with water during dry 
weather. A bed of Early Horn Carrot , sown now, will be 
useful by and by. If the weather is dry watering and sur¬ 
face stirring must be followed up amongst Cauliflowers and 
Broccoli for autumn use. A good forking of the ground five 
or six inches deep and a soaking of water between the rows 
of growing crops will excite them into rapid growth, when 
the ground will be soon covered with foliage, and excessive 
evaporation prevented. Scarlet Runners to be topped, and 
every seed-pod picked off, to produce a succession of gather¬ 
ings. 
The removal of all superfluous shoots from wall trees to 
be continued, and dry bean-stalks, cut in six-inch lengths, 
placed amongst the branches of Peach and Nectarine trees 
to trap earwigs. To check the gross habit of growth in any 
fruit tree it is advisable, when the fruit is gathered, to open 
a trench at a moderate distance from the tree, and to cut the 
strongest roots ; it is the most effectual method of checking 
over-luxuriance where proper attention has not been given 
to obviate the necessity by means of shallow, well-drained 
borders. The plantations of Strawberries intended to stand 
for next season to be trimmed as soon as convenient; all 
runners and weeds to be trimmed and cleared away, to admit 
to the leaves and soil the beneficial influences of light and 
air. Fresh plantations may yet be made, and such runners 
as are in pots and intended for forcing to be well supplied 
j with water. 
As Peaches and Nectarines now begin to ripen, it will be 
necessary to fix nets or mats to catch the falling fruit, to be 
placed so loosely at the bottom of the trees as to form open 
bags. In these may be laid loosely a little moss, hay, or 
any other soft material, as after the most careful attention to 
gather by hand, which is the safest and best, some will fall, 
and if there is no means used to catch them they will be 
bruised and unfit for table. 
The propagation of a stock of plants for the flower garden 
next season to be commenced immediately, that they may 
be well established in pots and exposed to the ripening 
influence of the open air before they are housed for the 
winter. By the late propagation of such plants there is 
generally a necessity of keeping them so close and warm as 
to induce a succulent and weakly growth. The propagation 
of Calceolarias may be postponed for a month or six weeks 
longer. Memoranda can now be more easily made of the 
stock that will be required for another season, with an 
increase or reduction of such sorts as the experience of the 
present season may suggest. The early part of the season 
has been so unfavourable for bedding-out plants, that it is 
only now we begin to enjoy the beauties of the garden, 
which will make it comparatively but a short season; there¬ 
fore every means should be used to keep them as gay as 
possible by going over the beds frequently, pegging down 
where necessary, removing decayed flowers, and by cutting 
back all shoots that encroach upon the edgings of the beds. 
Herbaceous plants to be tied up neatly, and the flower- 
stems of such as are unsightly to be cut off. 
The seeds of bulbous-rooted plants, such as Lilies, Tulips, 
Irises, Narcissi, &c., to be sown as soon as they are ripe. They 
will succeed either-sown in the open ground, covered lightly 
with fine soil, and left undisturbed during the winter, or 
sown in large pots and placed in a cold frame, where they 
will germinate in the spring. Advantage to be taken of 
showery weather for transplanting seedling Wallflowers, 
Sweet Williams, Scarlet Lychnis, Antirrhinums, Foxgloves, 
Rockets, Columbines, Picotees, &c., into the shrubbery 
borders, where they will produce a succession of flowers, 
if cut blooms are wanted, both useful and ornamental. 
Also to bud Roses, and if any had been budded the early 
part of last month to have their ties loosened, and to be 
well watered at the roots in dry weather. 
The crust formed on flower-beds by frequent waterings to 
be loosened up. The pipings of Pinks to .be planted six 
inches apart in beds of rich soil; the ground, if light, to be 
well trodden down before planting, as they succeed best on j 
a firm bottom; water to be given after planting, and 
occasionally during hot weather afterwards, and a slight 
shade given by sticking branches in the beds. Advantage j 
to be taken of showery weather for parting, by carefully 
pulling the roots asunder, and planting Polyanthuses; for I 
pricking out seedling Pansies, and for planting out struck ; 
cuttings for next year’s bloom ; also for potting or planting ! 
out some of the earliest Carnation and Picotce layers: if ' 
potted to be placed in a frame for a few days, and, when ; 
watered, to avoid wetting the foliage. Any Auriculas that j 
require it to be fresh potted and shaded. 
The growth of greenhouse plants, and, indeed, of all trees, 
shrubs, and plants during summer, should be encouraged 
by all means, that as the autumn approaches the young 
wood may be gradually hardened oft 1 and ripened pre- j 
paratory to the approach of winter. The young stock of 
Fuchsias, scarlet and other Geraniums, Achimenes, Verbenas, 
&c., by careful attention to their wants now, will produce a ‘ 
lively display for a few months. During the continuance of 
heavy rains it is advisable to take under shelter any of the 
more tender sorts of greenhouse plants, and to return them ' 
to the open ground, when a spell of hot weather sets in, to 
mature their wood. 
To bloom Mignonette in winter it is recommended to sow 
the seed in the beginning of the month in 48-sized pots, in ; 
a soil composed of good loam, moderately enriched with 
rotten dung, with any rough drainage at the bottom, watered, 
and placed in a frame or pit, and to be protected from heavy 
rains. The plants to be thinned to four or five in each pot, | 
and any premature flowers to be pinched off; when removed 
to their winter quarters to be set in an airy situation near 
the glass. Sometimes small seedlings taken up from the 
open ground towards the end of the month, shaded for a few 
days, and treated as recommended above, succeed very well. 
To produce a succession from the same sowing by placing a 
few in a pit or frame, or in any situation warmer than a 
greenhouse, they will come into bloom a little earlier than 
the rest. 
Cinerarias for early blooming should now be growing 
freely, to be shifted when necessary, for if they are intended 
to form large specimens for flowering in winter they must 
not be allowed to sustain a check after this time. Prepara¬ 
tions should be made for the housing of the principal plants 
in September that are now in the open ground; the shelves 
to be well scrubbed and washed; all crevices and corners to 
be cleaned out, to destroy all kinds of insects; and if the 
greenhouse wants painting, the sooner it is done the better, 
that the smell from white lead and turpentine, which is in¬ 
jurious to plants, may have evaporated before the lights are 
put on again. 
Towards the end of the month a few of the most showy 
annuals, such as Nemophila insignis, Collinsia bicolor, 
Clarkia pulchella, Erysimum Perofskianum, &c., sown in pots 
