January 22, 1898.< 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
327 
tub DicUlfl Brower’s Calendar. 
Overcrowding. —The overcrowding of soft-wooded 
plants is well known to be most injurious, and very 
few succeed where such a state of things exists- 
Orchids for some reason or other are thought by a 
good many to possess the faculty or power to thrive 
and do well if huddled together like a drove of 
sheep. For a time they will certainly withstand 
such treatment, and only because they are slow 
growers in comparison with other plants is it that 
the harm done by not being allowed sufficient 
breathing room is not observed until the plants 
begin to lose their former vigour. Unfortunately 
this state of things prevails in nine cases out of 
every ten in places where the owners are experts 
and fully alive to the advantages derived from plenty 
of fresh air and light. The old saying, "Don’t do 
as I do, but do as I tell you," comes in well here. 
I believe for certain that the plants are found 
growing together in masses, but the trees are no 
doubt far enough apart to admit of a free circulation 
of air amongst them. Besides, do not the plants 
grow near the tops, showing that this position is 
most congenial to them ? Lower down germination 
is retarded, and when it does take place the plants 
become puny, as do the children in our dark, over¬ 
crowded cities. In the last calendar I mentioned 
that plants of imported Odontoglossum crispum may 
for a time stand pot thick, and it was reading it 
over in print that prompted me to write an article on 
overcrowding, in case your readers might take it that 
in all cases this would apply. With imported 
Cattleyas, however, it would be very different, 
because if they have arrived in good condition, as 
we are accustomed to see them now-a-days, with 
plenty of leaves, they would, after the first few weeks, 
require to be stood well apart. This will give the 
young growths plenty of opportunity to come away 
strongly. Another grievous error into which 
amateurs only too often fall is that they fail to see 
that Orchids require to be provided with fresh 
material to root into annually, This arises, perhaps, 
from the notion that is only too prevalent amongst 
beginners, that Orchids can live on what some term 
suction alone. Imported Orchids will grow and do 
well for the first twelve months in crocks only if 
kept well supplied with moisture at the roots. They 
are only drawing, however, on the supply stored up 
in their native habitats, and after that is exhausted 
the plants begin to go back, and once this retrograde 
step commences it is a bad look out. The object, 
then, of every grower is to keep the plants under his 
charge in good condition by adding some fresh food 
when required in the shape of fresh live sphagnum 
moss and good peat. 
Yet another mistake is insufficient piping when 
putting up new structures. Plants, like ourselves, 
object to the harsh heat given off from the pipes 
when made too hot. With a small quantity of piping 
this is bound to happen in very severe weather and 
the plants suffer accordingly. When the temperature 
can be kept up without overtaxing the heating 
apparatus the plants pass through a spell of cold 
weather without the attendant ill effects of hard 
firing.— C. 
KltcHen Garden Calendar. 
French Beans. —Now that the days are getting 
longer these will set more freely, therefore, to keep 
up a supply it will not be necessary to sow quite so 
many at one time. The sowings, however, should 
not be at longer intervals than three weeks from each 
other, or there may be blanks. Where space is 
limited the sowings may be made in pots or boxes, 
as French Beans transplant readily if not allowed to 
get too long before being put in their permanent 
quarters. About five seeds could be. put into a 48 
pot, to be afterwards transferred to those of larger 
size. The most simple mode, however, of growing 
this crop is to sow the seed on slight hot beds, in 
pits that are heated with hot water pipes ; a constant 
and steady heat may then be maintained. When 
these have to be grown in fruit houses, as is some¬ 
times the case, a close watch must be kept for that 
troublesome pest the red spider, and if any are 
observed the leaves of the plants should at once be 
sponged with spidercide, which will soon destroy 
them. There are many varieties of dwarf Beans, but 
some force much better than others. Prolific,Negro, 
Syon House, Early Forcing, and Ne Plus Ultra are 
amongst the best. It should, however, be borne in 
mind that there is nothing gained by attempting to 
grow them too thickly ; ^better err on the side of 
sowing thinly than having the plants over-crowded. 
Special attention should be paid to this when they are 
grown in heated pits. 
Potatos, growing either on dung-beds or in pits 
heated with hot-water, must have sufficient air 
admitted on all favourable occasions to keep the 
foliage sturdy. Sets for succession may be selected, 
choosing those of medium size ; these could be 
started in small boxes, and gradually brought forward 
till such times as the beds can be got ready for 
them. It is not well to start these in too high a tem¬ 
perature, as they only become drawn up and spindly, 
and suffer afterwards. Any that are forward 
enough to require earthing ought to have attention 
that the haulm may not get injured in the process. 
As cold frames are emptied of Strawberry plants 
some of these may be planted with Potatos. If the 
sets are placed a foot apart in the row and a dis¬ 
tance of 18 in. is allowed between the rows fine crops 
may be had. A sprinkling of Radish seed may be 
put in between the rows. All early varieties should 
now be stood with the eyes upwards in a light, airy 
place, but, unless required for planting in frames, 
they should be kept as cool as possible, simply ex¬ 
cluding the frost. Sets so treated will make short 
stout growths that will not easily break off at the 
time of planting. 
Asparagus.— Another batch of roots should be in¬ 
troduced as soon as that growing on hot beds shows 
signs of exhaustion, in order that the young growths 
may be ready for use by the time the other fails to 
send up a supply. If such beds receive a slight 
dressing of sulphate of potash or kainit, to be after¬ 
wards washed into the soil with luke warm water, or 
a little sulphate of ammonia dissolved in the water 
before watering, this will assist the plants in prolong¬ 
ing the supply. 
General Work. —Make small sowings of Mustard 
and Cress, and continue to introduce Endive, 
Chicory, and the like for blanching in small quan¬ 
tities to suit the requirements of the establishment. 
There is much work that can be pressed forward at 
this time of the year that will greatly assist the 
kitchen garden operations later on when work of 
other kind needs attention. For example, all Pea 
and Bean stakes should be procured and sharpened, 
labels should be made, any gravelling needed ought 
to be done, that when the soil is in a workable con¬ 
dition there is no hindrance to preparing it to receive 
the various crops. A sowing of Broad Beans should 
now be made, and those who neglected doing this in 
November should lose no time in planting a few in 
boxes to be brought forward under glass, and after¬ 
wards transplanted in the open. Pay strict attention 
to Lettuce and Cauliflower plants in frames, and as 
soon as any leaves show signs of decay remove them 
that the air may circulate more freely amongst those 
left. All such plants should be kept as hardy as 
possible by a free circulation of air whenever the 
weather is favourable .—Kitchen Gardener. 
Melons.—A sowing of seed should be made at once 
to provide for an early crop. Sow the seeds singly 
in 3 in. pots, using a compost of two-thirds loam to 
one of leaf soil. These seed pots should be plunged 
in a frame having a bottom heat of not less than 70 9 
Fahr., in order to insure speedy germination. By 
thus placing only one seed in a pot the young plants 
do not receive any check, for by the time they have 
filled their pots with roots and have made their first 
rough leaves they are ready for planting out. 
Meanwhile a house should be prepared for them. 
A lean-to or three-quarter span pit facing to the 
south is the most suitable for early work, and if the 
floor of this is sunk for 2 or 3 ft. below the level of 
the surrounding ground so much the better, as these 
sunk houses are more economic of heat than others 
not thus built, and, bearing in mind that a high 
temperature is required for the plants throughout, 
this is a matter of some importance. After the beds 
have been cleared of the whole material the house 
itself should receive a thorough cleansing, first of all 
by means of fumigation with flowers of sulphur, 
and subsequently by the washing of glass and wood¬ 
work. All the walls should also be whitewashed. 
If the house is part of a range the greatest care 
must be exercised during the burning of the sulphur 
to see that none of the fumes escape into the houses 
containing plants. It will be advisable to hang wet 
sacks and mats against the partition or partitions to 
make assurance doubly sure. The fermenting 
material for making up the beds, which should con¬ 
sist of two-thirds leaves, and one-third stable litter 
will have received a couple of turnings previous to 
this date. A third turning should be given before it 
is used. In making up the bed the litter must be 
trodden down very firmly so as to obviate as far as 
possible the skrinkage caused by decomposition. 
The soil should consist of good mellow loam. This 
may be placed in a single ridge along the front of the 
bed near to the sides of the house if a single row of 
plants only is to be put in ; in a double ridge if two 
rows are projected. 
Cucumbers. —These may be associated with the 
Melons in the same house if it is desired to econo¬ 
mise space. Three-quarter span-roofed pits of the 
kind described have usually a narrow bed on the 
north side of the central pathway, and in this the 
Cucumbers may be placed. The two subjects may 
be treated the same for heat, airing, watering, etc., 
but as the season wears on the Cucumbers will re¬ 
quire shade, and the Melons will not. 
Strawberries.— A constant succession of these 
must be introduced to heat in order to keep up the 
supply The size of each batch must, of course, de¬ 
pend upon the individual requirements of each 
establishment. The stock of plants should have 
been plunged at the beginning of the winter in ashes 
in cold frames, in order to prevent them from be¬ 
coming too sodden During the first stage of forcing 
a minimum temperature of 4s 9 Fahr. by night will 
be quite high enough. If any of the deep brick pits 
are available these make capital forwarding places 
for Strawberries, if filled with leaves to afford 
facilities for plunging. Keep the plants well sup¬ 
plied with clear water, and syringe well daily to 
keep down red spider. 
Strawberries in Flower. —As soon as the 
blooms expand they should be gone over in the 
middle of the day with a camel’s hair brush in order 
to assure the setting of the fruit. The flowers that 
open first are invariably the strongest and give the 
best fruit. Once about nine fruits are set to each 
plant the remainder of the flowers may be picked off. 
A healthy plant should ripen nine good fruits, but if 
more are left on, the fruits will be rather undersized, 
save in exceptional cases. Up to this stage clear 
water has been sufficient for the needs of the plants, 
but now assistance in the way of manurial stimulant 
should be given. There is nothing better than liquid 
farmyard manure if it can only be obtained fresh. 
Keep the syringe well to work, and maintain a tem¬ 
perature of between 60 9 and 65°. 
Varieties. —Royal Sovereign is, perhaps, the best 
all-round variety for forcing, but Laxton’s Noble 
makes a fane early variety. The flavour is not so 
good as that of Royal Sovereign, but the plants crop 
and do well, and the fruit colours finely and has a 
taking appearance. Not a few growers stick to Vi- 
comtesse Hericart deThury, also a good forcer ; and 
Keen's Seidling, August Nicaise, and La Grosse 
Sucree are still favourites. That splendidly flavoured 
form British Queen forces fairly well, but must not 
be hurried too much. It comes in well after Royal 
Sovereign, and just before the earliest plants from 
the open ground. All it needs is to be forwarded 
along gently, introducing the plants into a Peach Or 
Orchard house about the beginning of March. 
Pot Vines in Flower. —The vines started at the 
end of November are now in flower, and a rather 
drier atmosphere must exist in the house. The tem¬ 
perature should range between 65° and 70° by night 
with a proportionate rise by day. Go over the canes 
in the middle of the day, and give each of them a 
gentle tap with the hand to facilitate the dispersal of 
the pollen. Stop each shoot from two to three joints 
beyond the bunch, and cut off any superfluous 
bunches that may be shown. Great caution must be 
exercised in admitting air, for a check now would 
have serious results Hitherto we have had very 
little frost or cold winds, and there has been no 
difficulty in keeping up the temperature with a 
moderate use of fire heat.— A. S. G. 
