March 17, 1888. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
455 
a yellow tone ; even tlie natural soil of the garden acted 
in a similar manner on things outdoors, particularly 
Cherries and Peaches. We find fruit growers for 
market choosing a site for their operations where the 
staple soil is favourable, especially the Grape growers, as 
it would not pay to be carting loam at so much per ton, 
and going to such an expense for fancy border making. 
Private gardens are not always situated where the 
soil is of a desirable quality, and gardeners in their 
time have some of all sorts to deal with. Some light 
soils are chiefly made up of stones and sand, which is 
just the sort of stuff that you may manure ad lib., 
as the rain soon washes all nutriment down out of the 
reach of the crops. Such soil requires a lot of labour 
in mulching during the summer-time, otherwise the 
crops are small and soon over. Stiff ground may 
be ultimately worked to a better state by throwing it 
up rough in the autumn, so that it can be operated on 
by frost and winds, adding ashes, burnt refuse, sweep¬ 
ings of paths, &c. As to manure, that from the stable 
should be used for stiff soil, and which is much better 
if composed of peat-moss litter or sawdust, that from 
the cow-shed and piggery being better adapted for 
light soil. Stiff soil requires catching at the right 
time for seed sowing— i.e., just after ashower succeeding 
a dry period—for in dry weather the clods are like 
bricks, and similar to clay in wet .—George Potts, Jun. 
-- 
otes from Scotland. 
Roses. — The many applications we have for in¬ 
formation regarding the management of the favoured 
Rose, and the immense increase which has of late years 
taken place in the raising of stock, show that the love 
for the queen of flowers is being disseminated into every 
district and among all classes. The appeals we have 
from new cultivators as to the mode of dealing-with 
mildew indicate difficulty and disappointment. It is 
invariably part of our advice to suggest means of 
averting the cause of mildew ; but the unwelcome 
visitor, especially after dry seasons, often shows its 
destructive appearance in the best of Rose gardens, 
where management and skill are of the highest order. 
AVe know that the following are productive causes of 
mildew, namely, fresh air obstructed by trees, fences, 
or other causes, badly-drained land, shallow and poor 
soils, injudicious -watering by moistening the surface 
and leaving the roots still suffering where they are most 
active, and hard-baked surfaces, which exclude rain 
when it falls, and the healthy admission of air to 
the roots. We always advise, at planting time, to 
thoroughly trench the land, and to plant with kindly 
soil of a root-producing nature next the fibres. Leaf- 
soil and- thoroughly-rotted turf are excellent for the 
purpose. We were told by the late Mr. Bireham, of 
Norfolk, that he depended much on a good start to 
raise free-growing plants for the production of his 
famous exhibition blooms, and he followed the leaf-soil 
and loam practice at planting time. Abundance of 
healthy mulching with rotted cow-manure is of great 
value in growing fine plants and flowers. Pruning is 
done too early by many. The finest Rose-growing we 
ever saw was where that operation was not performed 
before April, and we do not prune much earlier. 
Weather and the Crops.— It is often asserted 
by cultivators that it is labour thrown away, or a case 
of “ more haste than good speed,” to attempt planting 
or sowing very early in the season, when fine spring¬ 
like -weather may tempt one to steal a march on time ; 
and the remarks in a recent leader in The Gardening 
World were very opportune, as we had, during a 
great part of February—in our locality, at least—such 
weather as one could be well satisfied with during May. 
The well-trenched land was dry and friable, which 
tempted us to get in a few early Potatos, Radishes 
between the rows, several pinches of Brassica kinds, 
and a bed of Horn Carrots. Though the weather since 
the end of February till now has been cold in the 
extreme, we have no reason to regret the chance 
sowings indicated. Warm, dry, well-sweetened ground 
has very much to do with success. When a change to 
frost came, dustings of dry fine ashes were spread over 
the soil, warding off the severity of the weather. We 
observe the green tops of the seedlings coming through 
the kindly surfacing of ashes, and they will be nice 
successions to those sown under glass. Small low 
covers of wire netting we find exceedingly useful in 
such cases, and mats can be thrown over them when 
severe weather sets in without injuring the seedlings by 
their weight. From the long course of mild weather 
during the past winter, ground work is well advanced, 
and the soil turned up, though strong and tenacious, is 
more friable than usual. The farmers around us have 
not been so well favoured with weather in the preparation 
of their land for years past. In gardens it may be well 
to let such plants as Curled Kale, Brussels Sprouts, 
Cauliflowers and Cabbage remain in their winter 
quarters, as the rain has lately fallen in torrents, and 
planting in soddened ground is ruinous.— Caledonian. 
Tobacco Culture in the North. —Some very 
interesting experiments have been carried out this last 
season in the growing of the Tobacco plant, by Mr. 
Barron, gardener to R. C. Urquhart, Esq., of Meldruin, 
Aberdeenshire. There were planted about four poles of 
garden ground, having a south-westerly exposure ; the 
drills 3 ft. apart, and the plants every 18 ins. in the 
drills (though it is thought 3 ft. each way would have 
resulted in a thicker leaf). The manure used was :— 
On one portion of the ground, farmyard, along with 
artificial—rich in potash ; on a second portion, artificial 
manure alone ; and on a third place, farmyard manure 
by itself. The results given by the various manures 
stand in the order given above, the most satisfactory 
result coming from the mixture of farmyard and artificial 
manure. The Virginian variety of Tobacco was that 
experimented with. An exceedingly satisfactory crop 
was the result, the weight in the green state being 
estimated at between five and six tons. Of course, in 
the drying process the crop loses about 75 per cent, of 
its green weight. Mr. Barron had some of the leaf 
manufactured, which is said to be of a fair average 
qualitjq and of the flavour of Turkish. The experiment 
may be said to be successful in showing that good 
useful Tobacco can be grown at home, and only requires 
that a taste be created for it, and the growth encouraged 
by some consideration in the duty. The experiments 
as carried out by Mr. Barron confirms the results 
obtained by Mr. Thomas Jameson (Lecturer in Agricul¬ 
ture, Aberdeen University) at the experimental farm at 
Glasterberry, near Aberdeen, who found that in certain 
kinds of Tobacco, with an ordinary measure of care and 
attention to the cultivation, a product of moderately 
good quality could be obtained. The leaf when cured 
was perhaps, rather dark, and it may be that the 
flavour was rather stronger than the foreign manu¬ 
factured article, but possibly with special precautions 
in the drying and preparation of the leaf, some of these 
drawbacks might be overcome.— Cor. 
-~>rs<-- 
The Am ateurs’ Garden. 
Gardening Hints for March. —What a volume of 
details of work appears to be spread before the gardener 
during the month of March ! It is one of the busiest 
periods of the year, and the gardener must be in 
thorough earnest, for the season will not wait for him. 
Sowing must now be general. Weeding and stirring 
the surface between growing crops (the latter is a great 
help to them in the spring season), hoeing, earthing- 
up, &c., are all occupations demanding attention. 
Those who grow Pinks and Pansies in beds should now 
stir the surface soil, doing it to the depth of 1 in. or so, 
and then adding a good top-dressing of well-decomposed 
manure, which will prove of great value in securing a 
fine development of bloom. 
Planting Trees, &c. 
Above everything let all necessary planting, and 
especially of deciduous subjects, be finished at once. 
There are persons who drive this off late, and if a dry 
season follow quickly upon the planting they suffer if 
they are not carefully attended to. A neighbour of 
mine is just on the point of planting his garden with' 
fruit trees. Directly the trees reach him from the 
nursery they will be promptly and carefully placed in 
the soil, and some fine specially prepared compost will 
be deposited about the fibrous roots to induce them to 
put forth rootlets quickly, while the surface soil will 
be carefully mulched. Some hay will be bound round 
the stems of the wall trees, and every helpful con¬ 
trivance resorted to, so that they may start into growth 
without receiving a check. This is “Howto doit,” 
and it is the only way that one can overcome the 
difficulties that beset late planting. 
Pruning. 
Pruning of every kind should be completed, and wall 
trees have their branches nailed securely where they 
have become loose. Happily, owing to the cold and 
retarding month of February, fruit trees are not nearly 
so forward as they are in some seasons. Now that it 
is milder things come on apace. I think that so far as 
the promise of bloom is yet revealed we may reasonably 
expect a good fruit season, but so much depends upon 
the weather in the month of May. It is between the 
12th and 26th of May that the nipping frosts come, 
blighting the hopes of many a fruit cultivator. 
Grow only the Best. 
Now here is a good rule for gardeners of all classes: 
Whatever you grow, grow the best. In my own 
district, where there are a large number of allotment 
gardeners, and the competition at the local flower shows 
is afways keen, I find the men who invariably come 
out best are those who endeavour to grow good things, 
and do not mind paying little higher prices for what 
they are certain will prove of advantage to them. 
Who, for instance, would grow the common Long-pod 
Bean when the Seville and Leviathan varieties, which 
are so much superior, can be had ? It is the same with 
Peas, Onions, Carrots, Lettuce, &c. Our seed growers 
make fine selections of certain things, and they are to 
be preferred for exhibition purposes. Therefore, I say, 
never grow a bad variety of anything, for, as George 
Glenny used to remark, “ it takes the same room and 
wants the 3ame attention as a good one.” Then they 
should have the very best cultivation possible. I find 
the most successful cottage gardeners are those -who 
cultivate well—who are in their gardens at all odd 
moments, and give their crops frequent small attentions. 
A cottage gardener who desires to excel with Peas and 
Beans not only grows good sorts in good ground, but he 
also sows the seeds thinly, in order that they may have 
ample space in which to grow. Let anyone experiment 
in this way with Peas and Beans and he will be sur¬ 
prised at the results. He will hoe the soil between the 
rows, keep it clear of weeds, and in every way assist 
the development of his crops. A thoughtful gardener 
does not, unless compelled to do so, grow the same 
crop twice on the same spot, without having a crop of 
another character the alternate year. If the same 
crop be grown in the same piece of ground successively 
for a time, some degeneracy may reasonably be expected 
to follow. 
Perhaps many who profess to be gardeners are 
unaware how much development in a plant, whether 
slow or rapid, will affect its quality. An old gardener 
has said, “Rapid growth makes a mild flavour, slow 
growth a strong one, therefore grow vegetables quickly, 
and fruit moderately.” As a matter of course this 
remark applies to all cases where productions are 
required for average purposes. If very large size is 
wanted it is sometimes gained at the expense of quality, 
but the rule just laid down is a good one for general 
application. 
Do not Pot with AVet Soil. 
Here is a caution that should be noted by amateur 
gardeners, and I can best introduce it to their notice 
in this way. I received the other day an invitation to 
inspect some plants in pots that were not doing well, 
and which had been recently potted. When I 
them I at once suspected the cause of their decline— 
they had been potted in a cold clammy soil that was 
remained in. lumps about the roots. The latter did not 
appear to be happy in it, and I did not wonder it was 
so. I am certain that many amateurs pot their plants 
in too wet a soil, and then water them directly after, 
with the result that the roots rot, because in a state 
of activity. There was already more than enough 
moisture in the soil, and yet more was given ! Now, 
it is a great deal better to pot plants in a soil that is 
nicely moist without being sticky, and then place them 
in a shady position where they can be screened from 
the sun until they have re-established themselves. 
They will do without water for four or five days, and 
even if the weather should prove hot and drying it 
will be better to syringe the plants overhead rather 
than give them water at the roots, provided they are 
of a character that will admit of this being done. It 
is a great mistake to suppose that plants want water 
immediately after they are potted. It is scarcely 
necessary to dwell upon the importance of cleanliness 
in plants. If dust and dirt gather upon them the 
plants become unhealthy, and then they either lose 
their leaves, or their foliage becomes so disfigured as to 
render them almost worthless for ornamental purposes ; 
and unless the soil in the pots be of an open character 
—that is to say, water will pass through it freely—it 
should be frequently stirred upon the surface to admit 
air, and prevent it from becoming sour. In potting 
plants too little rather than too much drainage is given, 
and imperfect drainage means becoming soddened and 
sour, and the plants do not make healthy progress. 
The pots should be kept clean also, for there is always 
a tendency on their part to become covered with a green 
slime, and then they are not seen to advantage in a 
greenhouse or window. I never see more healthy 
plants than in some country villages where the cottagers, 
take great care of the pots, and keep them very 
bright, even colouring them with red-ochre. Plants in 
windows brighten the appearance of a village greatly ; 
and with the culture of plants I invariably associate 
sobriety, carefulness and thrift—virtues that a;e of 
great importance in a rural population. — IF. E. 
