142 
THE FLOEIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[ Septembee, 
roscBflonm, rose; and megcfpotamicmn varie- 
gatum, are about tlie best that can be had 
for greenhouse growth. Some plants of 
Aga 2 '>ant}ms innbeUatus have done well, and 
now they are carrying good heads of bloom, 
come in very useful to furnish the stone steps 
leading to the front door. Fuchsias are also 
in fine condition. Some standard plants of an 
old Venus tie Medici subjects; they have 
big heads, and being pot-bound, are flowering 
with great freedom. They need to be kept well 
supplied with water, and a little of Clay’s Ferti¬ 
liser put on the surface-soil once or twice a week 
is of gi’eat advantage. It is when Fuchsias be¬ 
come pot-bound that they bloom with so much 
freedom, and then it is of the greatest import¬ 
ance they be not stinted of water. Owing to 
the dull, moist weather, the Zonal Pelar¬ 
goniums are very brilliant in colour ; the crim¬ 
sons and scarlets particularly bright; the pinks 
rich and unusually deep in colour. Now they 
are somewhat pot-bound, they want plenty of 
water and drying weather, and a little stimulus. 
We can find nothing better than Olay’s Fertil¬ 
iser, and we commend it to villa-gardeners as 
a safe and efBcient manure. Balsams and 
Mwiulits are now in good condition, and 
both require that the pots be turned round 
occasionally, so as to expose all sides of 
the plant to the light,—in fact, the sym¬ 
metrical appearance of plants is greatly helped 
by keeping them turned round. By keeping 
pots clean, picking off decaying leaves, and 
dying flowers, and other ways, the appearance 
of a greenhouse is greatly enhanced, and the 
contents better appreciated. 
Cold Frames, —The value of these at this 
season of the year consists in being able to 
stow away in them many plants that have 
gone to rest. The lights can be taken off in 
wet weather, as with a -well-drained bottom 
no harm can come to the subjects when the 
sun comes out bright. Some shading should 
be put on, as it saves labour in the matter of 
watering. Chrijsarithemums will now do best 
in an open spot, but must be kept well 
watered. A dressing of soot on the surface is 
of great assistance to the plants, keeping the 
foliage green and healthy. Plants of hardy 
Pi-imtdas, such as P. denticulata, pia^ntrea, 
rosea,, intermedia, nivalis, &c., should now be 
divided and repotted for spring blooming. 
They may have plenty of rain on them, with¬ 
out doing harm. 
Flower Garden, —All tall-growing plants, 
such as Delphiniums, Ilollghoclcs, Dahlias, 
Phloxes, &c., are making an unusual growth, 
and as rough winds are apt to come in stormy 
times, they should be secured to stakes. 
Pentstemons, Antirrhinums, iMarigolds, and 
others of shorter growth, need such attention 
also ; they are now blooming freely, and in 
the absence of life and expression in many of 
the ordinary bedding plants, their flowers are 
all the more acceptable. No time should be 
lost in getting Wallfowers, Sweet Williams, 
Canterhurij Bells, Browpton Stocks, Foxgloves, 
&c., planted out, to bloom next spring, as the 
weather is so favourable to their getting hold 
of the ground. Some of the most useful plants 
in the Flower Garden this summer are 
Dianthvs Heddeivigii and its varieties, and 
the single and double Indian Pinks, Asters 
and Zinnias come on into flower very 
slowly, but Petunias and Phlox Drummondii 
are very bright and effective. All bedding 
plants are making a vigorous growth, and 
spoiling the gardener’s pet arrangements in 
many instances, but this is an inevitable result 
of a wet season. 
Kitchen Garden. —The Potato disease is 
showing itself badly, and as the haulm is 
decaying with great rapidity, it will be well 
to lift all crops without delay, and store 
them away thinly in a dry open space. A 
few Radishes and Turnips may be sown, as 
soon as the potato-ground is cleared. The 
Onion crop is veiy late t’nis year, but it will 
be wise to harvest the crop as soon as they 
are at all fit, turning them over occasionally as 
they lie on the ground before storing them away. 
It is not too late to sow Lisbon and Tripoli 
Onions for spring use. When drying weather 
comes after rain, the ground soon becomes 
hard, and the hoe should be freely used when 
opportunity offers. 
Fridt Garden, — Peaches, Nectarines, and 
Apricots have made strong growths, and it is 
necessary to keep these cut out, so as not to 
impoverish the fruit-bearing shoots. These 
should be thinned-out, and those that remain 
nailed-in close to the wall, so that the sun can 
ripen the wood. Standard and pyramid Frxdt- 
trees are making an enormous growtli, and we 
hear that American-blight is appearing in 
many places, while the black-fly is affecting 
the points of the shoots. Apples and Pears 
appear to swell off very slowly indeed, and 
they cannot be of any great size, whilst gener¬ 
ally there is but very few of them. Planta¬ 
tions of Strawberries may now be made, put¬ 
ting the plants into well-trenched and heavily- 
manured soil. They will soon start into 
growth, and make good plants for next summer. 
-SUBUEBANUS. 
GAKDEN GOSSIP. 
E find in the Gardeners' Chronicle for 
August 9 th, the usual Eepoet on the 
Feuit-Ceops of 1879, which has 
■been designated as -“tlie most wretched season on 
record.” Prevalent bad weather, diminished and 
retarded crops, and postponed exhibitions all point 
to an adverse state of things, which has probably 
never been equalled ; and to crown all, in the western 
suburbs of the Metropolitan district, on the night of 
