January 4, 1896. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
287 
VEGETABLE CALENDAR. 
Forcing Potatos in Pots.— With the beginning of 
the new year the forcing of many kinds of vegetables 
becomes necessary. As a rule, little is gained by an 
earlier start, so short and dull are the days, usually, 
in November and December. For a few dishes of 
early Potatos no method of culture is more success¬ 
ful than by growing them in pots. I am aware there 
are some large gardens where plenty of heated pits 
are provided, but these are the exceptions, and 
seldom are frames available during the whole of 
spring for Potatos; but with pots they can be 
placed about in vineries, Peach houses, or any place 
convenient for them. The space taken up is very 
limited, and no loss of time is necessary in covering, 
etc., as if in frames. For a second batch I would, 
however, prefer frames as the days lengthen. 
The first step necessary is the selection of a suit¬ 
able variety, and a short-topped one should be 
selected. Sutton’s Ringleader is one of the very 
best I have tried, being a good cropper, and, in fact, 
an ideal Potato for pots. Carefully select the sets, 
and before planting gently start them into growth, 
and rub off all growths with the exception of the 
strongest on the end ; one is quite sufficient as more 
only cause the growth to become weakened, and the 
crop lacks the necessary size. The soil may consist 
of the ordinary garden character, but it is better to 
prepare fresh material consisting of two parts loam, 
rather fibrous, one part wood ashes, and a little leaf 
mould with a sprinklng of sand to keep the whole 
porous. Pots of 8 in. or 9 in. are quite large 
enough, and when crocked moderately, and the soil 
filled up to the level of the rim, one set should be 
planted in each and gently firmed avoiding making 
the soil too solid. No water will be necessary for a 
time, if the soil in the first place has been sufficiently 
moist, till after growth has well started, when in¬ 
creased quantities will be required. After a time 
the soil will sink down, when the Potatos can be 
earthed up, using similar soil as before recom¬ 
mended. A temperature of from 45 0 to 50° will be 
warm enough for them to start, and a vinery or 
Peach house about to be forced will be suitable for 
them. A cooler temperature will be desirable when 
they are becoming full size, and they can be removed 
to a cold frame to ripen. 
French Beans.— A sowing of French Beans 
should now be made, and similar soil should be 
used as for Potatos, but with an addition of a layer 
of rotten dung over the crocks. About six seeds 
should be planted in each pot after the latter has 
been filled to three parts its depth, and the seed 
should be slightly covered. A temperature of about 
6o° or 65° will suit them, and after they have been 
thinned to four plants in each 8-in. pot they should 
be earthed up to the rim ; not that they root freely 
into this soil, but it helps to steady the plants. 
Staking will be required in due course, and nothing 
is better than the remains of a birch broom, placing 
a few pieces round eaeh pot. They will stand a few 
degrees higher, but greater substance is obtained 
in the produce when not subjected to too high a 
temperature. 
Ne Plus Ultra and Canadian Wonder are good, 
and reliable sorts to grow in pots .—James Gibson, 
Devonhurst, Chiswick. 
--- 
As long as the weather keeps mild and we are spared 
the presence of sharp frosts, the pruning of all kinds 
of hardy fruit trees, except Figs, may be vigorously 
prosecuted. It will not be advisable to prune 
during the presence of very severe frosts when the 
wood is frozen. It will be as well to commence 
with the small fruits first, especially where these are 
grown together in plots; for by pruning now, or as 
soon as time can be spared, it allows of the ground 
being roughly dug over during the season when the 
ordinary routine of work does not call so pressingly 
for immediate attention. 
Gooseberry Bushes. —Not infrequently do we 
find the pruning of these merely scamped, with the 
result that the trees become thick masses of twiggy 
growths, which with their liberal complement ot 
spines are most trying to the temper and damaging 
to the skin of the luckless individual who has to pick 
the fruit, The first consideration, therefore, is to 
clear out of the centre of the bush all such needless 
shoots which will never bear any fruit and will only 
spoil those that do. Any old branches that are 
observed may be also be cut clean out, the aim being 
to secure strong, well-ripened wood of the late 
season’s production. Then a judicious thinning out 
of such growths as remain must be practised ; and 
lastly those that have exceeded the limits of the 
allotted space may be shortened back a few inches, so 
as to secure a fairly regular and even outline. 
Cordon Trees. —This system of training is 
specially adapted for walls, and is pretty generally 
adapted for obtaining late fruit. Here, of course, the 
pruning will consist in spurring back to within 
about an inch of the base. The leaders may be 
shortened back to within 6 in. or 7 in. until the whole 
of the required space is filled. 
Root Pruning. —Where especially fine fruit is 
desired it will be of advantage if the roots are 
examined, and any over-strong and rambling ones 
shortened back, thereby favouring the produc¬ 
tion of fibrous roots close to the stem and near to the 
surface, a much more complete mastery being thus 
obtained over the tree. 
Manure. —Liberal dressings of well-rotted stable 
manure are admirable, forking these in after pruning 
is completed. A spade should not be used for 
obvious reasons. 
Red and White Currants. —The best method 
for growing these, and the one most generally 
adopted, is a tree having a clear stem of some 5 in. or 
6 in. in length and bearing a number of shoots 
arranged hoop fashion, the lateral growths borne by 
these being spurred back in winter very close to the 
base. Even if the spurs are left rather long, nothing 
is gained, as the shoots at a very little distance from 
the base are pithy, which pith usually dies from 
exposure, and is often followed by the remaining 
stump. 
Black Currants, on the other hand, need to be 
treated in a totally different manner. Their pruning, 
indeed, is of the simplest possible nature, and only 
consists in the removal of the old and useless wood 
to afford room for the new. A certain amount of 
thinning out of the youDg growths may be practised, 
but those that are left must be allowed to remain 
unshortened throughout their entire length, dis¬ 
tributing these equally over the tree, and thus 
securing a good crop of fine fruit. 
Raspberries. —It is the opinion of some growers 
that the canes are injured if pruned before the 
winter is past, and, as a fact, several inches of the 
growths below the cut do die off during severe 
winters, but this is of but comparatively little 
moment. Two or three of the strongest of the 
young canes must be left, cutting all the others 
right out. Those remaining may then be tied neatly 
to the stakes, tar-twine being as good as anything for 
the purpose. A liberal dressing of manure may 
then be given and the whole of the ground well 
forked over. 
TIE FLOWER GARDEN. 
We have had such a continuance of mild and open 
weather during the first month of winter, as it is 
generally considered, that work in this department 
should now be pretty well forwarded. 
Protecting delicate subjects. —There is always 
more or less of this to do in every garden, for we 
have now a vast amount of plants, which, although 
they are fairly hardy, cannot be said to be absolutely 
so, and thus it is necessary to cover them up each 
winter if we would ensure their safety. Where this 
kind of work has been postponed owing to pressure in 
other directions it should be seen to at once, as very 
often winter does not make its appearance till after 
Christmas has turned. For Magnolias or other 
plants trained to walls a covering of Russian mats is 
a very handy method of giving the required pro¬ 
tection. These can be rolled back during mild 
periods, and the plants thus exposed to the light, a 
great advantage beiDg thus gained over coverings 
composed of boughs of evergreens etc., that are put 
on at the end of autumn and have to stay on till 
winter has passed. Roses on walls as a rule do not 
need much protection in the southern counties, but 
in the northern ones it is necessary to give them 
some kind of covering against the cold. 
Christmas Roses. —Although there are very few 
flowers in the out-door garden now, they are not 
entirely absent, for the Hellebores, or Christmas 
Roses as they are familiarly called, are making their 
appearance. As soon as they are observed coming 
through the ground they should be covered with a 
small frame or handlight, or otherwise in the event 
of heavy rains the flowers will get splashed with mud 
and their beauty spoiled. 
During wet weather when it is not possible to 
work outside, any seeds that have been gathered off 
favourite plants may be cleaned, put into paper bags, 
and properly labelled before they are stored away. 
Dahlias should be looked over occasionally, and any 
portions of the roots that have began to rot cut clean 
out with a sharp knife. 
Tools.— How often do we see the various tools 
that have been used in the flower garden thrown 
carelessly on one side, and allowed to rust and spoil 
during a period of enforced inactivity ! This is most 
decidedly not the right course to pursue. During 
wet days, therefore, a little time may be given with 
advantage to the cleaning of these. Spades, forks, 
iron rakes, shovels, etc., if rubbed over with an oily 
rag now, will work very much better presently than 
they would do if allowed to be eaten up with rust.— 
A.S.G. 
- t - 
Looking Ahead. —Those that grow Orchids exten. 
sively know how important it is to have everything 
to hand when it is required. My advice, then, is, if 
not already done, to get in a good supply of peat, 
and now that the weather is still open a few sacks of 
moss should also be secured, according to require- 
men s, for there is no telling when sharp frost 
might set in, and how long it will last. I have not 
forgotten how late it was before we could make any¬ 
thing like a start last year, owing to the merchant's 
inability to execute orders for sphagnum moss on 
account of the severe weather. 
Moss got in now, and properly taken care of by 
spreading it out thinly in open sheds, will prove 
presently a great boon to those that have to get as 
much as possible of the inside work done when they 
are not able to get on with the outside work, owing 
to insufficient help. Again, it affords work to those 
that would not be quite at home in the houses. 
Picking moss, pulling peat, washing pots and crocks, 
making labels, &c., is here, all left to be done 
when the weather is unfit for outdoor work. A little 
forethought in this direction will save many a man 
from a wet jacket. I regret to say though, that there 
are still some gardeners that have no consideration 
for the men under them. 
Vanda amesiana.— This charming, dwarf-growing 
Orchid, just now in flower, is, indeed, an acquisition 
to our winter-flowering plants. Its sweet perfume 
pervades the house in which it is grown. The fact, 
too, of its being, comparatively speaking, a cool 
house species adds to its value. Anyone that grows 
Cattleyas could do it well, although I am not so 
sure that it would do in a lower temperature. Ours 
are, however, grown in the Cattleya house, and 
have done well suspended in pans. Fine sphagnum 
moss with plenty of drainage (as they require plenty 
of water when growing) is all they want to grow in. 
Calanthe Veitchii.— For winter decoration there 
is no Orchid, to my way of thinking, to equal this. 
Curiously enough you invariably find it done best in 
places where Orchids are not made a speciality,'’and 
for why ? Because they are not coddled, but are 
allowed to take their chance with the ordinary stove 
plants, receiving plenty of heat and moisture (which 
they like), and the usual stimulants that are being 
afforded the other plants. 
Slugs. —I have just been reading that if you 
behead a slug it has the power to form a new head. 
I have heard of this before, but whether it is so I 
cannot say. Anyhow, those that I come in contact 
with in future will have to form a new body and 
tail as well if they are again to trouble us. 
“ Squash 'em, sir," as the man said when asked how 
to eradicate ants.— C. 
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