November 28, 1885. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
190 
low unpretending pits fine liealthy Spinach, and while 
we were—as we have often been before—much impressed 
with the excellence of the Grapes and the extensive and 
very superior collections of Orchids, we thought how 
many a gardener would save himself trouble with his 
Spinach, so much in request during winter, if the 
means were adopted to protect in such a simple but 
efficient way as noted. Turnips in the ground may be 
kept in sound condition if a little dry soil is placed 
over the roots, enclosing the bulbs entirely. 
Mushrooms are within the reach of every one, and 
can be grown under coverings of litter. Spawn placed 
in a little horse-manure covered with soil, and protected 
by litter, often produces fine Mushrooms freely in 
cellars, which if moderate supplies are wanted, is 
the best position in which to grow Mushrooms. They 
should never be allowed to become dust dry, and much 
damp is to be avoided, except when used to counteract 
artificial heat. The ordinary Mushroom-house, so 
useful for many things, is a valuable adjunct to any 
place, and can be used for starting flowering deciduous 
plants and bulbs, as well as grow Sea Kale, Rhubarb, 
Chicory, &c ,—M. T. 
The Apprentice System. —With your permission, 
Mr. Editor, I should like to add a few observations to 
the remarks of “M. T.,” at p. 166, on the manufacture 
and migration of under-gardeners in Scotland. He has 
written well, but has omitted to refer to an obnoxious 
custom prevalent in a Midland Scottish county in 
which the writer was initiated into the use of the spade. 
It should be borne in mind that the Scotch apprentice 
is a different article to the English garden-boy. The 
apprentice, in a great many cases, has to perform the 
work of a labourer, but is dubbed a gardener, and 
engaged for three years with a starting wage varying 
from 6s. to 8s. per week, with (in most cases) a bothy, 
and with which sum he has to sustain his body and 
appear in respectable attire, minus some 15 percent., 
which gardeners in that locality levy on the young 
man’s earnings, for such he has to be, and no boy. On 
the expiry of his engagement, he is obliged to leave to 
make room for another, as apprentices are so beneficial 
to the proprietor and so profitable to the gardener, who 
politely terms the weekly levy the apprentice-fee. 
Premiums are just and fair enough in first-class estab¬ 
lishments, under good gardeners who take care to grant 
the young men every facility for gaining a superior 
knowledge of their calling ; but under any other con¬ 
ditions, the under-gardener pays much too dearly for 
the knowledge he gains. Too strong an objection 
cannot be urged against such a practice in the poorer 
class of places, in which young men scarcely gain a 
knowledge of the rudiments of gardening, yet are sent 
adrift on the expiry of their term with a first-class paper 
testimonial to the nurserymen. Should the young man 
succeed in securing a situation, his abilities do not bear 
out the statements in his testimonial. Hence arises the 
cry of “Gardeners are degenerating.” In such places 
why not employ youth or other labour without a fixed 
term, leaving the responsibilities as to his future in life 
with himself, instead of cramming all into the gardening 
profession, and so bring about the evil of over-produc¬ 
tion. There are certain inconsistencies existing yet 
with regard to the relations between head-gardeners and 
their men. Some of the head-gardeners never tire of 
ridiculing the rising generation as to their inferior in¬ 
telligence, forgetting how little the majority of them 
have ever done to elevate the under-gardeners as a body, 
taking no practical action in the matter further than 
repeating tales of self-improvement, and talking them 
out of money that might, with good advice, assist them 
much in obtaining the various materials so necessary 
for self-improvement. Such men should remember that 
when they take remuneration for teaching apprentices 
the true art of gardening and yet have not the best of 
abilities themselves, or, may be, have not proper 
facilities, they lower the gardener’s standard and fail to 
fulfil the duties of honourable men.— A. II 
A Haxgixg Gaedex of Sponge is one of the prettiest 
novelties. Take a white sponge of large size and sow 
it full of Rice, Hemp, Canary, Grass, and other seeds, 
then place it in a shallow dish, in which a little water 
is constantly kept, and as the sponge will absorb the 
moisture, the seeds will begin to sprout before many 
days. When this has fairly taken place, by means of 
cords the sponge may be suspended in the window 
where a little sun will enter. It will thus become a 
mass of green foliage, and should be refreshed with 
water daily so as to be kept moist —Indian Gardener. 
The Amateurs’ Garden. 
THE GREENHOUSE. 
Cheysanthemums. —How that most flowers out¬ 
doors are cut off and destroyed, Chrysanthemums seem 
to have a double attraction within, and to prolong their 
beauty to as late a period as possible, the house should 
be kept cool and dry and the plants regularly watered, 
as damp in the atmosphere will soon cause the petals to 
spot and mould, and an insufficiency of water at the 
roots will spoil the whole of the bloom. 
Roof Cumbers. —In cases where these are old, or 
in an unsatisfactory condition, the best way is to destroy 
them and start afresh, as owing to the very rapid 
growth most of them make, they soon get up the pillars 
and re-clothe the roof. The soil that is most suitable 
for starting or planting them in is turfy loam and peat, 
in about equal parts, and this should be chopped up 
and used somewhat rough, as in that state it keeps 
sweet and open, and maintains the health of the 
plants. 
Sorts to Grow. —Among climbers for training and 
depending from the tops of greenhouses and conserva¬ 
tories, few things are more adapted than Tacsonias and 
Passifloras, which are exceedingly graceful in habit and 
foliage, and remarkable for their freedom of bloom. 
The most showy of the first-named are T. Van Volxemii 
and T. exoniensis, the one being a rich crimson and the 
other bright pink, and both have large flowers measuring 
nearly or quite 3 ins. across. The best of the Passion 
Flowers are P. racemosa cserulea, P. Munroi, and P. 
Colvillii; but there are several others nearly as good. 
For running up quick and producing a striking and 
pleasing effect, the Cobiea scandens variegata is quite 
unsurpassed, as besides having beautifully variegated 
creamy white foliage, it produces large brownish 
coloured bell-shaped flowers that make quite a show. 
Roses. —To plant in light, sunny, airy houses some of 
the Roses are charming, the quickest growers and the 
most suitable being Marechal Niel, Gloire de Dijon, 
Celine Forestier, Reve d’Or, and Solfaterre, which not 
only bloom freely but are very sweet-scented. The 
best way to start with any or all of these is to get 
plants in pots, and after preparing a bed to plant them 
in by putting in a barrow-load or so of good fresh loam, 
turn them out, and just spread the roots out that are 
outside the ball, and cover them with some of the fine 
soil, which they will soon lay hold of, and, when spring 
comes, start with great strength. 
Lapagerias. —For draping a shady back wall or 
other similar position, the Lapagerias are unequalled ; 
but to grow them well the border must be specially 
prepared by being well drained and made of good fibry 
peat, mixed with a sprinkling of coarse sand to keep it 
open and porous. 
THE FRUIT GARDEN. 
Raspberries. —These, in a general way, stand on 
the same ground year after year till they become quite 
worn out and exhausted ; but they make as good a 
return, and pay as well for liberal treatment and culti¬ 
vation as anything one grows in a garden, for when in 
a favourable situation, and young and strong, they bear 
heavy crops of very fine fruit. Preparing the Ground : 
To enable them to make a satisfactory return, the 
ground must be prepared, and deeply dug or trenched, 
and while this is being done, plenty of dung or vege¬ 
table refuse should be worked in, and this should be 
kept well down for the roots to feed on when dry weather 
sets in. 
Best Places to Plaxt. —The best place to plant 
and grow Raspberries in is between the rows of tall Apple 
trees, or other similar position where they get a little 
shade, which is natural to them, and when so favoured, 
it is astonishing how prolific they are, and what a long 
succession of fruit they afford as compared with those 
that are planted where they are fully exposed to the 
sun. 
Distaxce at which to Plaxt.—T he distance at 
which the canes should be planted depends a great deal 
on whether they are to be in single rows or not, and 
the room they can be allowed on each side ; but if they 
are to be arranged in beds or plantations, they must be 
allowed a space of 6 ft. and it is a good plan when 
planting to angle them in that the rows may cut straight 
whichever way they are viewed. 
Planting and Heading Down.—T he way to plant 
is to take a single cane with plenty of fibrous roots, 
which most of the young suckers growing at a distance 
from the old stools have, and after a suitable sized hole 
has been dug, the roots should be carefully spread out, 
and then covered with soil, continuing the same on to 
the end, after which, the next thing is to tread them in 
firm, head down the plants, and make the ground level 
and smooth. 
Cropring the Beds.—As there will be no Rasp¬ 
berries the first year after planting, the vacant parts 
between the rows may be profitably utilised for growing 
Onions, Lettuces, or some dwarf crops of that kind, 
which, in such deeply stirred and prepared land, are 
sure to do well. 
Managing Old Plantations. —Plantations now 
established will need going over and having all stray 
suckers dug or pulled up, and others that are weak cut 
out, leaving from three to five of the strongest and best 
situated for bearing, which should be shortened accord¬ 
ing to the height of the stakes or other supports they 
are to be tied or trained to. 
Dressing and Manuring. —One great mistake most 
people make who grow Raspberries is digging over the 
beds, which, as the plants have many surface-roots, 
does much injury, and instead of digging or disturbing 
the soil, all that should be done is just to clear it from 
weeds, and then) mulch over with half-rotten manure, 
which is a help in the summer during dry weather, and 
enables the plants to swell of their fruit. 
THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. 
Digging and Trenching. —The chief thing to be 
done in this department of the garden is the breaking 
up or trenching of any spare ground, which is a most 
important matter, especially in cases where the soil is 
inclined to be stiff, when it is necessary to cast it up 
rough so as to expose it to the action of frost and air, 
which disintegrates it and renders it sweet and mellow, 
and thus brings it into a condition fit for the plants. 
Light lands are also greatly improved by being subjected 
to the same influences, and both are benefited by being 
freed to a large extent from grubs and insects, which 
sharp frosts kill or birds find and devour. 
Peas and Broad Beans.. —Ho sooner are these over 
than it is time to be sowing again for another year, but 
it is useless doing this in gardens where there are many 
slugs, as they feed on them all the winter, and the 
chances of a crop under such unfavourable circumstances 
are very poor indeed, as the Peas would be eaten up by 
the spring. 
Best Places to Sow or Plant. —To get Peas early, 
it is necessary to sow on a warm sheltered border, or 
another position away from keen cutting winds, and 
the soil must be light and dry, or the seed will rot in 
the ground ; but to prevent this, it is a good plan to 
cast along the rows a few ashes, which will absorb any 
excess of moisture, and keep the Peas sound. 
Sorts to Grow. —One of the best kinds to grow is 
the little American Wonder, which is a very dwarf sort, 
growing only 9 ins. or 1 ft. high, and bearing a profusion 
of well-filled pods, the peas in which are of excellent 
flavour when cooked. Another kind that has now 
become a general favourite is William the First, a 
variety that attains to a height of 3 ft. or more, and is 
very prolific, yielding peas of a deep green colour that 
are tender and good. 
Distance at which to Sow. —The first-mentioned 
being so short in the haulm may be sown in shallow 
drills, drawn about 18 ins. apart, but the William the 
First should have plenty of room, a fair distance for the 
rows being 6 ft. apart, which admits of the sides getting 
full light and air. 
Broad Beans. —These being more hardy than Peas 
may be sown or planted anywhere in the open quarters, 
but there is one sort quite deserving of a border, which 
is Beck’s Gem, a kind that branches very freely and 
grows 1 ft. high, but the best for general purposes is 
the Seville Long-pod, which is earlier than the Maza- 
gan, and bears much finer beans. 
Sowing under Glass. —Those who have birds, mice, 
and insects to contend with, will find the better plan is 
to sow in pans or boxes and place the same in a frame 
for the winter, when, after the turn of the year the 
Peas or Beans begin to grow they may be planted out, 
and they will then soon get away high enough to be 
out of reach of their enemies. 
