July 27, 1895. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
759 
Parsley.— The latest sowing of this crop should 
now be made, and if space can be afforded it will be 
well to sow in different positions, as very often in 
one aspect the frost may injure the whole sowing, 
when in another the plants may pass through the 
winter comparatively safely. As a general rule, any 
scarcity in this department throughout the winter 
is a source of much trouble and annoyance. 
Broccoli. —In many gardens the planting of 
Broccoli does not receive the strict attention it re¬ 
quires if the plants are to stand the winter. It is next 
to useless to attempt planting them in very rich and 
loose ground, as the growth becomes so succulent 
that nothing short of an extremely mild winter will 
save them. Where the Strawberry crop is finished, 
and it is intended to do away with the plants, this 
is, perhaps, one of the best places to plant Broccoli. 
Simply skim off the old Strawberries and plant the 
crop on the solid ground. They will then grow 
away slowly and sturdily, and will withstand the 
severity of most winters. 
French Beans.— Continue the sowing of French 
Beans ; but it may be well to give them a somewhat 
sheltered position facing south at this date, sowing 
Ne Plus Ultra or Canadian Wonder. 
Peas.—W here Peas have borne a crop and have 
still some vitality left in them, it may be as well not 
to pull them up for a time, as the recent heavy rains 
seem to have given them a new lease of life and have 
started them growing vigorously again. This of 
course was noticeable earlier in the season to some 
extent, but here it seems quite general since the 
change in the weather. 
Tomatos. —These may now be finally stopped 
where grown outside, and all laterals pinched out. 
Thin out all deformed fruit and tie up the trusses to 
expose them as much as possible to the light. Many 
people at this date thin out the foliage, but much 
caution is necessary in doing this, as much better it 
is to tie back the leaves, a method of treatment not 
so unnatural to the plants as stripping them of their 
leaves. 
It will now be necessary to go over all crops and 
stir up the soil well with the hoe where possible, as 
a means not only of keeping down the weeds and 
ensuring cleanliness, but as tending to the preven¬ 
tion of the undue escape of moisture which is easier 
retained when the surface is loose .—James Gibson, 
Devonhu»st, Chiswick. 
* 
Small Fruits.— The month of July is often a trying 
one to fruit growers, for by some unfortunate mis¬ 
understanding St. Swithin’s Day was fixed to come 
about the middle of the month, when fruit picking 
is at its height, and many of the country people, 
who implicitly believe in the truthfulness of the 
proverb attaching to it, are wont to regard it as an 
evil omen should the Saint allow the rain to fall on 
the particular day devoted to his memory. This 
year rain did not fall on St. Swithin’s Day, and we 
have had a most favourable season for the picking of 
small fruits, a blessing for the bestowal of which 
St. Swithin may be credited in some quarters. 
Currants on North Walls, both red and white, 
which it is desired to save for use later on must be 
netted securely without delay, if this precaution has 
not been already taken, for now that the standard 
bushes are in a great measure stripped of their 
fruit the birds will turn their attention to them more 
particularly, and usually with decided results. 
Strawberries. —As the layers become rooted 
they may severed from the parent plant by means of 
a sharp knife, and the layers, if desired, removed 
and stood in batches together in positions most con¬ 
venient for watering, until they have filled their 
pots with roots, when, of course, they will be ready 
for potting up for forcing purposes. Where there 
has not been enough time to layer into pots in 
sufficient quantities plants other than those wanted 
for forcing purposes, by leaving the trimming up of 
the stock plants for a week or two, time will be given 
for the runners to establish themselves. This they 
very quickly do in wet weather, and thus the recent 
rains have just come at the right moment for them. 
New Plantations.— Where fine .large fruit is 
required, too much stress cannot be laid upon the 
importance of having plenty of young plants to 
depend upon, and thus it is advisable to renew at 
least a part of the plantations each year, for after 
the third year's cropping the fruit deteriorates 
greatly, both in size and appearance, and is in fact 
only fit for preserving purposes. The finest and 
best crops of fruit are always picked from plants in 
their second year of growth. Preparations must be 
made, therefore, without any further delay for 
getting the plots of ground that are to be devoted to 
Strawberries in readiness for planting, say at the 
beginning of August, which allows the plants time 
to get a good hold of the soil before winter. The 
soil best adapted to the requirements of the Straw¬ 
berry is a deep strong loam, not clayey be it observed, 
as such soil is so liable to cracking during dry 
weather. If the situation is rather moist so much 
the better, for it stands the plants in good stead in 
the event of a season like 1895 has been. It often 
happens that at this season of the year it is incon¬ 
venient to spend much time upon the future planta¬ 
tion, but in all cases a deep digging or trenching 
should be given with liberal dressing of well-rotted 
stable manure. 
Early Beds.— It is exceedingly convenient and in 
some cases necessary to plant a few runners in warm 
sheltered positions to produce fruit to come in just 
after that obtained from the latest forced plants and 
before that borne by the other plantations. It often 
happens that on positions from which early Potatos 
or Cauliflowers have been taken, a little levelling of 
the soil is all that is required. As early sorts for 
planting in this way Laxton’s Noble and Number 
One will be found to be thoroughly reliable, whilst 
that grand variety, Royal Sovereign, has established 
a name for itself as a very early sort, and one well 
worthy of increased attention and cultivation. 
—~* 9 *-- 
Wasps in Vineries.— As the summer advances 
and these mischievous little insects increase they 
cause a deal of trouble among the ripe fruit in the 
Vineries. Despite all precautions that may be taken 
of spreading fine netting over top and bottom venti¬ 
lators they will get in and do their utmost to spoil 
the shape of the bunches. Traps may therefore be 
set by placing jars or glass vessels here and there 
containing a mixture of sugar and water, or vinegar 
and water, a good many being caught by this means. 
But it is outdoors that the real work must be done 
by waging a ruthless war against all nests that are 
discovered not only in the immediate vicinity but 
anywhere, for these insects will fly for miles in 
search for food. Cyanide of potassium is the best 
of all specifics to use, a single teaspoonful poured 
into the mouth of the nest meaning certain death to 
its inmates. It may be necessary, however, to 
repeat the warning that has been sounded often 
enough before—viz., to keep the cyanide in a safe 
place, out of the way of children, otherwise its 
deadly poisonous qualities may be demonstrated in 
an unfortunate and unlooked-for manner. 
Continue to stop laterals by pinching with finger 
and thumb on all Vines that are in full growth as 
occasion requires, and keep a bright look-out for 
mealy bug which must be kept from getting into the 
bunches at all hazards ; for once they effect a lodg¬ 
ment there it is very difficult to dislodge them. 
Ventilate freely and well; for as previously stated a 
good circulation of air is necessary to keep the 
foliage healthy. Water also must be applied with 
no illiberal hand. 
Figs. —Continue to ply the syringe regularly 
among these until the second crop commences to 
ripen off. As the Fig is such a gross growing subject 
it must not be allowed to suffer from lack of water. 
As the first ripe fruits are usually gathered long 
before many of the rest are near maturity the water 
supply must not be curtailed in any way. For a 
change a dressing of Thompson’s may be given the 
borders, forking it slightly into the soil by carefully 
loosening and breaking up the surface, afterwards 
giving a good watering with clear water. 
Cucumbers in Frames.— After plants have 
borne a goodly number of fruits during the previous 
few months, and the foliage has become shabby, 
they may be started into growth again, and given a 
fresh lease of life, if it is not desired to put in young 
plants, by cutting away a large portion of the weak 
and useless growths and shabby leaves. A top 
dressing of light rich soil may then be given, and 
the shoots that are left evenly distributed over the 
surface of the frame, and pegged down in their re¬ 
spective places. A good lining of fresh fermenting 
material should then be placed around the sides of 
the frame, which must be kept rather closer than 
usual for a while. Aided by the use of the syringe 
the old plants will soon start into fresh growth, and 
will produce good Cucumbers in a surprisingly short 
space of time, always supposing that they are 
healthy in the first instance. Much time that 
would be lost by rooting them out and putting in 
young plants is thus saved by this means, while the 
quality of the fruit produced by these old plants is 
quite equal to that borne by the young ones. 
Melons.— In houses where the fruit is ripening 
more air may be given whilst less moisture both at 
the root and in the atmosphere will be necessary. 
Attend to the giving of support to plants whose fruit 
has reached the size of cricket balls. This may be 
afforded as previously stated either by means of flat 
pieces of broad or of pieces of strong netting about 
six inches square suspended at the four corners ; keep 
the syringe well employed morning and afternoon 
right up to the time the fruit commences to ripen. 
4- 
Where the showers have been sufficiently heavy to 
set the grass growing once more after the long period 
of comparative inactivity the mowing machine will 
need to be employed somewhat oftener than it has 
been during the last two months or so. It will be 
important to observe, however, that the cutting 
blades are not set down too low, or the roots of the 
grass, enfeebled as they already are, will receive 
damage. 
Roses.— The exceptionally hot, bright sun has 
shortened the lives of most of the blooms, and their 
ruin has been completed by the heavy storms of rain 
that have lately visited us, and thus for a season the 
garden will be deprived of their bright beauty. The 
bushes may now be gone over and the remnants of 
the departed blooms cut off with scissors or a sharp 
knife. The garden engine should also be keptjwell 
at work among them now, as with comparatively 
few exceptions there will not be many flowers to 
trouble about. A good top dressing of manure may 
be given and gcod soakings of water at intervals as 
required. Proceed with the budding of stocks with 
all speed, taking care that all the buds inserted are 
procured from healthy well-matured shoots. 
Hardy Fernery.— This part of the garden should 
now be looking at its best. Every establishment 
should boast of a corner, even though it be a very 
small one, devoted exclusively to Ferns ; for among 
our hardy kinds are many really fine ones that for 
delicacy of cutting, and real and intrinsic beauty, wil 
vie very favourably with their more favoured rela¬ 
tives from warmer climes. Plenty of water at the 
root is a necessity. A rose should therefore be 
affixed to the hose and the whole given a thoroughly 
good watering overhead, starting operations about 
five o'clock in the afternoon if the day is a bright 
one. 
Perennial Asters.— There can be no question as 
to the importance of the position that these hold 
among the ranks of autumn-flowering plants. As 
they are gross feeders they soon exhaust the natural 
supply of water in their immediate vicinity, and if 
they are to make really good plants this deficiency 
must be made up. Staking as soon the growths have 
become heavy enough to endanger themselves must 
be looked after, as it is much easier to do it now 
before the plants have begun to lop about all over 
the place than it is to wait until the mischief has 
been done. Some of the early dwarf ones, such as 
A. glaucus and A. sibiricus, are usually strong enough 
to stand without artificial support, as they rarely 
exceed a foot or so in height.— A. S. G. 
Chrysanthemums and their Culture. By Edwin 
Molyneux. Eighth Edition. By far the best practical work yet 
written on this subject. Price, is.; post free, is. 2d Publisher, 
Gardening World, i, Clement’s Inn, Strand.London, W.C. 
The National Chrysanthemum Society's Catalogue.— 
Centenary Edition. Containing 1,000 new varieties. All the 
novelties. A historv and complete bibliography of the Chrysan¬ 
themum by Mr. C. Harman Payne. Price, is.; post free, 
is. i£d, Publisher, Gardening World, 1, Clement's Inn, 
Strand, London, W.C, 
