398 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
May 9, 1903. 
WORK OF THE WEEK. 
The Kitchen Garden. 
Celery. —No time should be lost in planting out the earliest 
sowings in trenches which have been previously prepared. The 
soil excavated will have become well pulverised by the influence 
of the changeable weather which we have experienced of late, 
and thus form a suitable medium for the plants in which to 
start away freely. Before planting examine the growth, and 
if infested with green aphis take the necessary steps to destroy 
them. Lift with a good ball of soil and plant very firmly, 
allowing a distance of 12 in. for the dwarfer and smaller kinds 
and from 14 in. to 15 in. for the larger. Prepare other trenches 
for successional planting, which is very much better than leav¬ 
ing them till the time of planting. Pay strict attention to 
these later plants by encouraging them to grow on without a 
check. 
Celeriac or Turnip-rooted Celery. —Plant out immediately ; 
these are large enough, as they require a long season of growth 
to make good-sized roots before the autumn. Afford them a 
light, open position, and the ground should have been heavily 
manured and deeply worked. To ensure good specimens 
plenty of room should be allowed ; a distance of 2 ft, between 
the rows and 18 in. from plant to plant will be none too much, 
and a free, uninterrupted growth encouraged. The surface 
soil should be kept constantly stirred with the hoe, and plenty 
of moisture given both to the roots and foliage in hot weather. 
Frequent slight dressings of a good patent vegetable manure 
and soot should he applied. 
Broccoli and Savoys. —Make another sowing of each of 
these for late requirements in an open position, each of which 
will oftentimes prove to be very serviceable. Model and 
Late Queen are excellent varieties of Broccoli to sow at this 
date and Savoy Early Ulm. Scatter the seed thinly broadcast 
in an open position, on ground which is not too rich; give a 
good surface dressing of burnt garden refuse, and protect 
against birds. 
Carrots. —The earliest of these on warm borders will, now 
need thinning, but these should be left rather thick, as small 
Carrots are generally much in request, when the largest may 
be drawn as required. Dust often with fresh soot, and hoe 
between the rows frequently. Make a. small sowing about once 
a fortnight of the smaller stump-rooted kinds to ensure a con¬ 
stant supply of tender young roots. 
Runner Bears. —By far the safest and best mode of starting 
these is to raise the seed in boxes in a cool house or frame, and 
transplant them about the end of the month, as by so doing 
these are practically safe against the weather and the ravages 
of slugs, and I always find them do much better than when 
sown in the open. The seed should be started at once in ordi¬ 
nary boxes, brought on gently, and thoroughly hardened before 
planting. The trenches, which ought to be prepared in the 
same way as advised for Celery, are best made ready some time 
before putting the plants in them, more especially on stiff, re¬ 
tentive land, as by so doing the soil, being exposed, will break 
down nice and fine. 
Tomatos which are required for outside planting should 
be again potted and grown on in an intermediate temperature; 
these can hardly be too large by the time it is safe to put 
them outside. Late, weak plants seldom do any good, espe¬ 
cially in cold, sunless seasons. Another sowing should be made 
for supplying fruits under glass during autumn. These should 
not be forced too much, and a position should be assigned them 
near the glass after the seed has germinated in a greenhouse 
temperature, as the more sturdy and short-jointed the growth 
the better will the after results be. 
Potatos.- —Many of the early varieties will now be fast push¬ 
ing through the ground. The surface should be kept well 
flat-hoed on fine days. Keep the growths well moulded up, 
and, in case of late frost, do not hesitate to afford them some 
protection, such as long litter or evergreen branches. A very 
little at this season should render them safe. Asparagus suf¬ 
fered considerably during the past unseasonable weather. The 
bed will be much benefited by applying slight dressings 
weekly of a trustworthy artificial manure, choosing showery 
weather as far as possible. 
Sow a small bed of Parsley, also Borage, Knotted Marjoram, 
Sweet Basil, Radishes), and small salad weekly, and use the 
Dutch hoe freely among all garden crops. E. Beckett. 
Aldenham House Gardens, Elstree. 
Fruit under Glass. 
Vine Eyes. —Shift these into larger pots before they receive 
any check, using good fibrous loam, with a dash of bone-meal 
or Thompson’s, potting firm, and keep near the glass roof in a 
night temperature of 65 deg. Keep the canes tied to the wires 
as growth advances, pinching off tendrils and syringing the 
foliage morning and evening on bright days. A bottom heat 
of 70 deg. to 75 deg. will stand them in good stead, and after 
once they get hold of the new soil see the plants do not suffer 
for the want of water at the root, examining them twice or sc 
daily, and affording ventilation at 70 deg., increasing it as the 
sun gains power on the house, 80 deg. to 85 deg. being none too 
high towards the middle of the day, with full ventilation, clos¬ 
ing soon after 3 p.m. 
Earliest Grapes. —These are fast maturing, wdien a somewhat 
drier atmosphere will be beneficial, and a night temperature 
of 60 deg. to 65 deg. will suffice, advancing to 80 deg. with 
sun. Though less moisture is required when Grapes reach this 
stage, it must not be taken that root waterings are not neces¬ 
sary, as to let the borders get any way at all diy may cause 
the berries to shrivel sooner than expectation if the fruit has 
to hang long on the Vine after being ripe. If after clear water 
lias been applied-a mulch of strawy stable manure be laid over 
the border it will greatly lessen the labour of root waterings, 
and a chink of top also front air should be kept on at all times, 
except wet or very cold windy nights. 
Successional. —Attend to the thinning of the berries, stop¬ 
ping all sublaterals at the first leaf, and see that all inside 
borders are not allowed to suffer for water. One cannot lav 
down any fast line in this, respect; each cultivator should know 
whether such is necessary, every three weeks or so, it depend¬ 
ing a good deal upon its composition, size, and position. At 
each watering apply a sprinkling of Thomson’s Le Fruitier, 
or diluted farm or cow-yard drainings, lightly pricking in the 
artificials first, A day temperature of 80 deg. with sun heat, 
and receding to 60 deg. by the morning at 6 a.m., will be suit¬ 
able, except at the flowering stage, wdien another 5 deg. may 
be afforded. Disbud the latest Vines as soon as the best 
bunches can be seen, and stop the laterals at the second leaf 
above the fruit. 
Bananas, growing in tubs, with fruit maturing, must be 
plentifully supplied with manuriai watering up to the time 
ripening begins, when clear water only should be given, and 
less overhead syringing, or the fruit may decay. As soon as 
the fruit is cleared, take out the old plants, partially disroot, 
and place in pots, and afford a bottom heat of 8.0 deg. or 
85 deg., when suckers will soon push up. Detach these as soon 
as fit, placing in smaller pots, and repotting before getting pot-- 
bound eventually back into tubs again, which must be clean 
and w 7 ell drained for the abundance of water necessary for 
these fruits wdien swelling. Good turfy loam, a few fresh horse 
droppings, with a sprinkling of bone-meal and soot, with a 
little charcoal, w ill form a good compost. 
Melons. — As the earliest crop begins to ripen, lessen the 
supply of water at the root, and do not sever from the plant 
until the rind begins to crack a little close up to the stem of 
the fruit. Ripe fruit wdll keep its flavour for several days after 
being cut if placed in a cool fruit-room. Feed succession crops 
every alternate watering, supporting the fruit betimes, and 
keeping superfluous growth pricked or cut out before it has a 
chance of robbing what nourishment should go towards swell¬ 
ing the crop. Sow about every three weeks, and plant out ere 
the plants receive any check. Fumigating in the evening should 
