508 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
April 10, 1886. 
useful owing to the long period during which it con¬ 
tinues in bloom. We are cutting from our plants all 
the year round, as by a succession of batches it is not 
difficult to have some in flower at all seasons. The 
plants are grown in the warmest part of the stove, and 
are liberally supplied with water and liquid manure. 
We grow them in peat, loam, and leaf-soil, and have 
the pots well drained. — TV. S. 
Potato Planting. — The severe weather has 
delayed planting of all kinds, but it is quite soon 
enough for putting in the out-door varieties now, and 
probably in some districts the soil is scarcely in its best 
condition yet. For the earliest crops, gardeners have 
to depend upon those grown in frames, and very accept¬ 
able are a few dishes of a good early variety, obtained 
by the protection of frames. We are just commencing 
to plant now, and for the earliest crops we rely upon 
Yeitch’s Improved Ashleaf, with Myatt’s Prolific, but 
the former is preferred by employers, though the latter 
is more productive. For second early, we grow Covent 
Garden Perfection amongst the kidney varieties, and 
Sutton’s Early Regent in the rounds, both of which 
have given satisfaction with me, on a good medium 
texture soil. The best main crop Potatos with us, are 
Paterson’s Victoria and Reading Russet, with a few of 
Vicar of Laleham and Dunbar Regent to fill up ; 
Victoria does not succeed with all, but we have it pro¬ 
lific, and of good quality. — £?., Surrey. 
- -- 
LETTUCES. 
We are now at the season for sowing Lettuces in the 
open air, and it may be safely assumed that protected 
from birds it is perfectly safe to sow in the open thinly, 
if in shallow drills all the better, and in thinning out the 
plants leave them to turn in without further moving. 
There can be little doubt but that we neglect the cul¬ 
tivation of Lettuces appreciably for summer use. 
Almost always it is possible to purchase freely in the 
market up to midsummer, but after that time good 
Lettuces fall off materially, yet it seems as if just as the 
hot weather begins the supply of Lettuces fall off, al¬ 
though salading and Lettuces are amongst the very best 
of salads, they seem the more acceptable when theweather 
is hot than at other times. Oddly enough, English 
people seem to prefer feeding on meats, and other heat¬ 
ing diets during hot weather, rather than upon salads 
and fruits with an abundance of fresh vegetables, 
probably because habit is stronger than hygenic wis¬ 
dom. It is true that something must be said on behalf 
of the exceeding changeableness of our climate, which 
renders any rigid adherence to one particular form of 
food difficult, but as a rule we rarely permit ourselves 
to be driven to the consumption of more cooling diet 
until some exceeding stress of heat has made the par¬ 
taking of ordinary food insupportable. 
The chief objection to the wide culture of Lettuces 
in hot weather lies in the general tendency the plant 
shows to bolt off to seed prematurely, and thus render 
a large breadth useless, and the loss considerable. The 
best correctives of that tendency are to be found in the 
selection of good average standing kinds, and sowing 
where the plants are to stand, and turn in without 
further disturbance. Perhaps much may also be due 
to depth and quality of soil, but then it is assumed that 
all who grow Lettuces for market, or even for home 
consumption largely, thoroughly realise the importance 
of sowing only where the soil is capable of carrying out 
the crop fully even when ordinary summer heat and 
drought prevails. In one respect there is no reason for 
lack of edible Lettuce. We have an ample stock of kinds 
suitable for all seasons and purposes ; indeed, the 
common complaint is that we have far too many, and 
yet it will probably be found that there is hardly a 
kind in trade that is not favoured by someone in excess 
of others, so that one person’s selection will assuredly 
differ from that of some other grower, and it is hardly 
probable that these diverse selections result from ar¬ 
bitrary caprice, but much more likely arise from diverse 
soils, and positions suiting some sorts of Lettuce better 
than others. If there are any who still think we have 
too many kinds they may take comfort from the fact 
that not a few are diverse only in name, the old Paris 
White Cos, especially, having many appellations. 
Of kinds for present sowing naturally the white Cos 
must figure prominently, because the very best summer 
Lettuce we have. There was formerly a strain of this 
sort known as the Alexandra, that stood longer during 
hot weather before bolting than any other, and I 
believe it was pretty much the same as the Kingsholm, 
assuming that these sorts really are diverse stocks 
from the Paris White Cos. Certainly the Alexandra 
strain which I grew was so. Then a very fine crisp 
tender Lettuce in the summer is the old Nonsuch, 
sometimes met with under other designations. It is a 
long-leaved spreading Lettuce, but as it approaches 
maturity the leaves gather up in an interesting and 
compact way, and very fine close heads are formed. 
Those who want specially fine samples for exhibition 
will find this kind worthy of attention. The. best 
summer Cabbage Lettuces are the White Chauvigny, 
a large firm white kind that stands long before running 
to seed ; the early and somewhat erect Longstander ; 
and the large purplish coloured kind, Model. These 
give bulk, crisp quality, and good keeping properties 
in greater excellence than most others. 
Of winter kinds and the White Cos strains need for 
that season some protection—the best are Hardy White 
Cos, Hardy Acme Green Cos, and the black-seeded 
Bath Cos, three first-rate sorts that can hardly be 
excelled for winter culture. The best hardy winter 
Cabbage kinds are Hammersmith, All the Year Round, 
and Grand Admiral. These latter sorts should be 
grown upon either rounded beds or sloping ones, for 
those lying flat are too retentive of moisture, and ex¬ 
cessive moisture about the plants seems more productive 
of harm than even severe dry frost. In enclosed gardens 
where there are walls and warm borders, and dry deeply 
moved soil, there should be no difficulty whatever in 
having a plentiful supply of Lettuces through the 
winter, but the production of good crops through the 
winter in open fields is far more difficult, and severely 
tests the capacity of the grower during hard seasons.—- 
A. D. 
■ -- 
The Gardeners’ Calendar. 
THE PLANT HOUSES. 
The occupants of the stove should now all have made 
a good start, and will consequently need more space, or 
distorted foliage will result. Young plants required for 
table decoration—Draecenas and the like—if to be well 
furnished must now bo looked to ; place an inverted 
pot on the stage amongst the other plants, and upon 
this let such plants be placed, so that they may be above 
the rest, and if, as they should be, nicely furnished, 
they will add to rather than detract from the effect ; 
and also by getting more light, as in the case of Crotons 
they will become much brighter in colour. Look well 
after insect pests, and see that they do not become 
established upon any favourite plant, which is very apt 
to be the case now that work is so pressing all round. 
Do not be afraid of the syringe, but ply it freely, but 
not through too coarse a spray, and damp down very 
frequently ; front air will be hardly necessary in this 
structure yet—a light shading is far preferable. 
Where Campanula calycantheina is grown in pots 
(and it ought to be grown everywhere for greenhouse 
staging) it will be necessary to give them their final 
shift into 32 s, as with warmer weather they are freely- 
growing ; if this operation is longer delayed the flower- 
spike is stunted, and it does not branch so freely, and 
consequently there is far less bloom than there should 
be. Staged with Balsams, Pelargoniums, and such like, 
they add greatly to the effect, and, better than all, they 
are grand for cutting, and being inside, flower well in 
advance of those outside. It will be well now to look 
to the stock of pot Carnations, neat stakes will be re¬ 
quired to be placed to the weaker-growing kinds, which 
will be throwing up their spikes, or they are apt to be 
broken and spoiled ; take off the “grass ” for propaga¬ 
ting as soon as firm enough, so as to get the young 
plants as strong as possible before autumn. Where 
pinks are used for forcing, “grass ” should be put in at 
once. Look well to the stock of tuberous Begonias, and 
let them all be brought from under the stages; those 
that are started should be potted before they become too 
far advanced, and the same remark applies to Cala- 
diums. 
THE FORCING HOUSES. 
It will be advisable to give the vineries all round a 
thorough good soaking of water ; let that given to the 
early and succession houses be much warmer than is 
given to the late houses, and according to the growth 
so may be given artificial manure, according to fancy— 
we prefer to use guano. The Lady Downe’s vinerv 
should now be closed and treated as others were ; 
syringe the rods two or three times a day, and if cold 
winds prevail, have the pipes warmed in the morning ; 
of course with the advent of April the vines must be 
expected to start, and if not properly attended to many 
of the clusters of bloom will be injured, and the crop to 
a great extent spoiled. Let the looping down of the 
succession houses be carried on till completed, when let 
all remain until the fruit is set, when the laterals may 
be tied into position as thinning of the crop goes on. 
The Muscats are now needing attention in the way of 
disbudding and stopping, which must be done at once ; 
syringing of the vines will also be discontinued, damp¬ 
ing down being sufficient. 
Keep the wood in the early Peach-house tied-in, and 
the laterals pinched to a pair of leaves. Syringe the 
trees freely twice a day, making the most of sun-heat 
by closing the house early in the afternoon. Look out 
for green or black fly, and fumigate immediately or it 
will spread very rapidly ; if not effectual at once, repeat 
on alternate nights until there is no trace ; generally 
the third dose is quite enough for even black fly. 
Melons are now making a free growth, and must have 
daily attention to keep them in order. Cucumbers will 
now require much harder stopping, so as to get as many 
fruits as possible down ; if they are allowed to grow too 
freely they soon become over-run. 
Let the stock of Tomatos be looked to, and see that 
sufficient are potted off. When well established, remove 
all those required for planting out of doors to the cold 
frames. 
THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 
The weather still remains unsettled, so that we have 
not made as much progress as we desired with planting 
of Potatos ; however, with a little patience, we hope to 
be in time yet. To-day (5th) we are busy both with 
the Potatos and autumn-sown Onions, which have, 
within the past few days, quite recovered from the 
effects of the easterly winds. We grow the White, 
Italian and Brown Globe varieties. Asparagus beds 
have been raked down and put straight, and now we 
hope soon to see the “grass” make its appearance. 
Should any of the small seeds fail, lose no time in 
making another sowing. 
Autumn-sown Cauliflower will now be better planted 
out. If the alleys between the Asparagus were well 
manured this will be a good place for them, as they 
will be sheltered from the winds, and soon make a 
start. Make suecessional sowings of Spinach according 
to demand ; our winter bed is now giving us some good 
dishes, which are much relished. Our square of late 
Broccoli is also giving some very nice heads, particularly 
the Leamington. If, by any means, the Sea Kale is 
not yet planted, lose no time in getting it in. Endeavour 
as speedily as possible to dig all vacant plots, so that 
all may be tidy and clean. The ground allotted to 
Celery should now be marked out and the trenches 
prepared, at least for the early crop, remembering that 
to grow it well it must be liberally treated. The early 
Peas should now have the soil drawn to them and be 
staked, which will afford shelter from the winds.— 
Walter Child, Croome Court. 
