THE GARDENING WORLD 
10 §' " 
October 1 15, 1898. 
well on the Manettl. Other well-known varieties in 
good form were Caroline Testout, Mrs. John Laing, 
Mrs. W. J. Grant and the richly coloured Sultan of 
Zanzibar. Very floriferous was the Polyantha Rose 
Gloire de Polyantha. a plantation of it being only 
12 in. to 15 in. high. The above are only a few of 
the-varieties taken at random while passing through 
the grounds. 
Vegetables. 
The area under vegetables is considerable, but we 
only touched upon the fringe of the grounds. Most 
attention is given to the various specialities of the 
firm, the plantations being mostly intended for seed. 
A field of Broad Beans was being harvested, the dry 
weather having ripened the pods early. Celery was 
almost ready for gathering, A large plantation of 
Dobbie’s Selected Parsley was rapidly approaching 
maturity. Many of our readers will recollect seeing 
fine samples of this variety exhibited in pots at 
various exhibitions. Such samples were, of course, 
seedlings of one summer’s growth, lifted from the 
open ground. A fine plantation of Onion Eclipse 
was also rapidly maturing a splendid crop of seed. 
Large quantities of the seed of annuals had been 
gathered by the time of our visit and were being 
dried off in the glasshouses. 
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Kitcuen Garden calendar. 
v Week’s Work. 
Owing to the exceptionally dry weather, watering in 
some p^ts of the country has still to be done to 
many of the vegetable crops, such as Spinach, 
Celery, Spring Cabbage, Lettuce and the like, other¬ 
wise .they would fail to ipake satisfactory progress, 
and as the season is now getting far advanced there 
is not much time for growth to be made before win¬ 
ter sets in, therefore, every encouragement should be 
given the plants at this date. There is a vast 
difference between now and early spring, as then 
there is a chance for plants to make up lots of time; 
but at this season of the year,, every week, as the 
temperature is reduced, growth becomes less active. 
Lettuce, Cauliflower and other plants that 
need the protection of a cold frame during winter, 
should now be transferred to these quarters that 
they may get established again before bad weather 
sets in. 
Onions that are required for the first crop should 
be transplanted to their permanent quarters. It is 
astonishing how few people grow such varieties as 
the Queen, for spring use. There is no variety that 
I am acquainted with which turns in so quickly or is 
of such mild flavour. Sowt? about the middle of 
August and transplanted the second week in October, 
the bulbs are ready for use in April and will be lully 
grown by the middle of May, which is about the 
time that other varieties commence to form bulbs. 
For later use the Spanish or Rocca varieties are 
most useful. Ailsa Craig is fast coming to the front 
as an autumn variety, but when sown too early it is 
apt to run to seed. This kind is best sown in a cold 
frame about the middle of October, and transplanted 
in spring. 
The lifting and storing of roots will now 
occupy the attention of those who have large 
supplies t6 maintain ; and no more favourable time 
could be found than the present for getting them 
under cover, that is, such as Beet and Carrots, both 
Parsnips and Turnips being lifted as they are 
required for use. The cooler such roots can be kept 
during the winter the better ; so long as severe frost 
is excluded that is all that is required. 
Asparagus will now have ripened its growth so 
that’this may be removed ; and after the beds have 
been free from Weeds, a liberal dressing of manure 
should be given. To some this may seem a super¬ 
fluity, but it not only helps to enrich the soil, but 
excludes severe frost from heavy soils, and thus 
keeps them warmer. As soon as a portion of 
the foliage of early Rhubarb has died off the roots 
ought to be lifted and exposed to the air. This will 
give them an artificial rest, and cause them to start 
into gro\vth more readily when placed in the forcing 
house. 
Remove all dead flower stalks from Globe Arti¬ 
chokes, and clear off any weeds and dead leaves that 
may have accumulated. In some places this vege¬ 
table is held in very high esteem, therefore it is 
necessary to extend the supply over as long a 
period as possible. To do this remove some of the 
suckers with a little of the old root attached, and 
pot them into 6-in. pots. These should afterwards 
be stood in a cold frame and protected from frost 
during the winter. By spring they will be nice strong 
plants ; and if planted out in April they will throw 
up their flower stems much sooner than those which 
have remained in the open ground through the 
winter. Keep up a supply of small Salads by fre¬ 
quent sowings in pans or boxes. Blanch Endive; 
and, should frost be likely to injure the Lettuce, have 
a portion protected with lights or mats .—Kitehen 
Gardener. 
FRUIT UNDER SUSS. 
Chrysanthemums in the Fruit Houses. —The 
housing of the Chrysanthemums always throws the 
fruit houses into some amount of disorder, from the 
fruit man’s point of view. No harm will be done, 
however, if the leaves are not hastily forced off Vines 
and Peaches, and if plenty of air during mild 
weather is given. Happily, the Chrysanthemums 
themselves like cool treatment, and it is only when 
the lights of the houses slide down instead of lift up 
that the houses are apt to become stuffy, through the 
top lights being closed to keep out the rain. 
See that all fruit tree borders are kept regularly 
supplied with water and do not be deceived by the 
appearance of the surface soil, which, particularly at 
this time of year, when every available foot of space 
holds a plant, is liable to be damp and greasy, when 
the lower strata are too dry. 
Grapes Finishing. —In vineries where the Grapes 
are in their last stages of ripening the temperature 
should not be allowed to fall below 6o° by night, 
and if 65°, so much the better. To do this there 
must be a steady heat in the pipes, and this will also 
prevent the condensation of moisture upon the fruit. 
Maintain a nice circulation of air through the house 
by night as well as day. Keep also a sharp lookout 
upon robins and other small birds, which are not at 
all averse to a taste of the fruit. Mealy bug must 
also be kept under, although where the houses are 
worked systematically this does not often prove a 
difficult operation, although it, at all times, requires 
watching. 
Houses with ripe Grapes. —In this case the 
houses should be kept quite cool. A little heat will 
be necessary in the pipes in order to keep the air 
dry and sweet, otherwise moisture will condense 
upon the fruit, and impair its value considerably. 
Pot Vines. —In order to have fruit ripe by the 
end of March or the beginning of April, forcing must 
be commenced by the first week in November. The 
most important point is the selection of sound, well- 
ripened canes, for without these very little can be 
done. The selection should be made at once, so that 
pruning can be seen to. If the latter very neccesary 
operation is left too late, there is danger of bleeding. 
For general purposes Black Hamburgh and Foster’s 
Seedling are the two most useful varieties for pot 
work, although the delicious flavour of the Frontig- 
nan varieties causes them to be grown in this way to 
a considerable extent. 
Late Melons.— The season is now practically 
over as far as these are concerned, and the fruit, if 
it is to have any flavour at all, must be ripened off in 
the course of the next ten days. Keep the plants 
rather drier at the root than formerly, and maintain 
a high temperature, with not too much atmospheric 
moisture. When the fruits are approaching the 
ripening stage, the greater portion of the haulm may 
be removed from the plants, and the border allowed 
to become quite dry. This will greatly accelerate 
the ripening process. As soon as the crack shows 
around the base of the footstalk cut the fruit, and 
transfer it to a dry shelf where the direct rays of the 
sun can reach it. The flavour of these late fruits 
will not be so good as that of the earlier ones, and 
they will naturally be smaller, but they come in very 
handily all the same. 
The house should be cleared at as early a date as 
possible, for it will be wanted for the pot Vines, but 
before it is ready for them it must have a thorough 
cleaning. If it can be managed, a little sulphur 
should be burnt in it, but the doors must be 
securely fastened, and covered with wet sacks or 
mats while this is in progress, in order to prevent 
the escape of the fumes into adjoining houses. Glass 
and woodwork should subsequently be washed, and 
the walls lime-washed, for it [is imperative that a 
clean start should be made. 
Cucumbers. —The plants intended for winter 
fruiting have now got a good hold of the trellis, and 
are giving good promise of capital crops. It will 
not be found necessary to cut so much out of these 
as is usual in the case of the spring and summer 
plants, for they will not grow so strongly ; indeed, 
in the vicinity of large towns, more particularly 
London, there will be not a few growers lamenting 
the fact that they will not do at all. The fogs 
exercise a most prejudicial effect upon the leaves, and 
seem to nearly cripple the plants. See that the 
temperature of the house does not decline below 6c° 
Fahr. by night, and give a good rise during the day. 
A great deal of air will not be required now, but 
sufficient should be given to prevent the house from 
becoming stuffy. The bottom ventilators are usually 
sufficient for this purpose. Syringing overhead may 
be continued regularly until the end of the month, 
when it should only be performed in the mornings of 
bright days during mild weather. A few more seeds 
should be sown now to furnish plants for succession. 
The best plan is to put only one seed in a small 
thumb pot, for then the shifts may be given with the 
minimum of disturbance. A temperature of yo° 
Fahr. will be necessary to ensure speedy germina¬ 
tion.— A. S. G. 
-- 
HARDY FRUIT DARDEN. 
Gathering Fruit. —The gathering in of the crops 
of the later Apples and Pears must be carried on so 
that they may all be placed safely under cover as 
soon as possible. Of course, it is advisable to allow 
the fruit time to finish, but birds are a great plague 
just now, and are spoiling a lot of fruit, except 
where nets are employed. A little round hole is 
pecked in the finest fruits, which, with very few 
exceptions, then become useless for keeping. I have 
known instances, however, where late Pears, which 
have been very hard at the time the birds tackled 
them, to recover, the wound becoming callused over 
sufficiently to prevent rot commencing. Keep the 
fruit-room well aired for a few days after the fruit 
has first been placed on the shelves, for both Apples 
and Pears “ sweat " a good deal immediately after 
picking. 
Watering Fruit Trees. —The long continued 
drought is having a most serious effect upon fruit 
trees of all descriptions. In many cases the leaves, 
if they have not dropped prematurely, are only 
hanging as dead things upon the trees, and the effect 
of this cutting short of the work of the trees must 
be patent to all. Heavy waterings have minimised 
the evil to some extent, but on establishments where 
there is a lot of fruit it is impossible to thoroughly 
make good the failure of the clouds. Still a good deal 
may be done even now by keeping the hoses hard at 
work. Liquid farmyard manure and sewage, as well 
as clear water, may be employed with beneficial 
results upon those trees which are not yet very far 
gone. A few doses will do much towards plumping 
up the fruit buds, which at present are rather atten¬ 
uated in appearance, and will thus exercise a deal of 
of influence upon next year's fruit crops. This will 
apply not only to Apples and Pears, but to Cherries, 
Peaches, Nectarines, Plums and Apricots, as well as 
to the humbler, but not less necessary, small fruits. 
The latter are too often neglected in this respect, 
and it must be admitted that they shift for them¬ 
selves much better than most other things. 
Where the ground is hard from being trampled 
upon it will be necessary to break up the surface 
with a stout digging fork, otherwise the water, 
instead of soaking through to the roots, will run off 
from the drier central area occupied by the ball of 
the tree and the roots that it is desired to save will 
perish. 
Late Peaches on Walls.— Where Peaches and 
Nectarines on outside walls are just finishing it 
will be advisable to have some covering in readi¬ 
ness for protecting them during cold nights. The 
frosts that we have had up to the present have not 
been sharp enough to do any damage, but we may 
not be able to say this for many more nights, for 
October does not usually get very far advanced be¬ 
fore we get enough frost to cut down all tender things. 
Late Plums. —Such varieties as Coe’s Golden 
Drop and Ickworth Imperatrice keep well if removed 
from the trees when they are quite dry, wrapped in 
soft tissue paper, and packed in single layers in 
shallow wooden trays, the latter being stored in a 
cool room. The flavour of these late fruits is usually 
very good.— A. S. G. 
