24 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
January 14, 1905. 
The Kitchen Garden. 
Ihe Seed Order. —By the time these lines are in print most 
of the principal seedsmen’s catalogues will have been received. 
These should be carefuly studied and the orders sent in as 
soon as possible. 1, for one, am not. in favour of dealing with 
one linn exclusively, however good a reputation they may 
have, neither do I agree with the cheap collections which are 
offered. Everyone rvho is versed in horticulture at all should 
most certainly be in a position to know his requirements better 
than the salesman. I do not for one moment wish to infer 
that the seeds specified are not worth the money, but in nine 
cases out of ten some varieties which are included are not re¬ 
quired, and those most likely to be in request are omitted, or 
in any case, not sufficient for one’s requirements. When one 
considers the large amount of time and expense that is abso¬ 
lutely necessary to ensure the best types of the various kinds 
of vegetables, it must be patent to anyone that money is wel 1 
spent in securing the very best that can be purchased. Old, 
tried standard varieties should not be lightly discarded, but at 
the same time a few of the novelties which have a good repu¬ 
tation should be purchased from reliable sources. New seeds 
in nearly all cases are much to be preferred to old, as their 
germinating powers are so much superior. Exceptions, how¬ 
ever, may be taken to such as Cucumbers, Marrows, Melons, 
and Celery, as if these have been properly kept equally good 
results will follow for several years, and particularly does this 
lelate to Cucumbers and Melons. The seed drawers or cup¬ 
boards should receive 'a thorough cleansing, and everything 
made ready to place in the year’s supply. On receipt of the 
various seeds the several varieties of each kind should be tied 
together and dated, which will save a vast amount of time and 
trouble when the more busy season comes round for sowing 
them : of course, this applies to all the smaller packets, such 
as Broccoli, Cabbage, Lettuce, and so on. 
Wet days, when little can be satisfactorily done outside, 
should be occupied by making and tying up labels in their 
various sizes, and here let me mention that every enthusiastic 
vegetable cultivator should always legibly label the various 
crops as they are put in, and distinctly write the dates of 
sowing or planting across the bottom for after reference. The 
tool house and tools shonld be thoroughly overhauled, cleansed 
and repaired, and new ones added as required. Each should 
be numbered and the initials of the owner properly 
stamped on them. It is most important, though it may appear 
a small matter, to be a successful kitchen-gardener, that the 
tools should be of the best and kept clean and in good order. 
The Root Stores.— These, particularly at this season of the 
year, should be thoroughly overhauled and all decaying and 
worthless specimens removed, and to ensure their keeping pro¬ 
perties their position, though frost-proof, should be kept as 
cool as possible. 
Seed Sowing.-—There are many subjects which should now 
be sown under glass in small quantities, Onions being one of 
the most important, and especially so when it is one’s ambition 
to produce fine bulbs either for exhibition or home consump¬ 
tion. These should be sown thinly in boxes in a compost of 
three parts fibrous loam, one part finely sifted leaf-soil, one 
part old disused Mushroom-bed manure, to which should he 
added a fair amount of road grit or river sand. Use in a 
moderately dry condition, press down firmly, and cover with 
the finest of the soil to the depth of the seed. Give a thorough 
watering in, and place them in a temperature'of from 45 deg. 
to 50 deg. Reliable varieties for this sowing are Ailsa Craig, 
Cranston’s Excelsior, Webb’s Masterpiece, and Johnston’s The 
Giant. Sow also Cauliflowers, Lettuce, Tomatos and Parsley 
in gentle heat. E. Beckett. 
Aldenham House Gardens, Elstree. 
Fruit Under Glass. 
Strawberries.—The month of December proved conspicuous 
for its many dull days, resulting in the plants making but little 
progress, but with the advent of longer, and, it is to be hoped, 
brighter days .a decided change will have been noted ere these 
lines get into print. With robust crowns, which are essential 
to success, especially when started thus early, there is no need 
to wait until the fruits are set before a weak stimulant is 
applied, once a week sufficing at this .early season, which will 
assist the plants to push up their flower trusses. As stated in 
a previous calendar, the plants should be lightly fumigated 
before the flowers expand, as green aphis usually make their 
appearance on these plants when under glass in a growing tem¬ 
perature of 55 deg., which ought not to be exceeded much until 
the fruits show signs of swelling, except with sun-heat. About 
mid-day lightly touch each expanded flower with a camel-hair 
brush or rabbit's tail to disperse the pollen, maintaining a 
somewhat drier atmosphere until the pollination has been 
carried out each day, when the surroundings may be damped 
with the syringe, but overhead moisture kept at bay until it 
is prudent to apply more heat and the berries show signs of 
increasing in size, when’ an extra 10 or 15 deg. may be given, 
advancing another 10 deg. with sun during the day. Six to 
nine berries of even size should be retained for the crop and 
a weak stimulant applied every other watering, a pinch of 
guano squeezed up in the can being as good as any. Introduce 
a fresh batch every third week, the plants responding more 
kindly from this date onwards. 
Earliest Peaches. —Trees nearing their flowering period 
should be lightly fumigated before they open, as previously 
advised, and while in bloom require the same daily attention as 
do Strawberries as regards pollination of the flowers; in fact, 
these two fruits respond to the same treatment up to a certain 
period and in most gardens are brought on together, removing 
the first-named to warmer structures to swell and ripen if re¬ 
quired earlier than the Peach structure would bring them on. 
A nightly temperature of 55 deg. when mild, 5 deg. less on 
cold nights, advancing to 70 deg. with sun will be safe figures 
to work on for the next few weeks. Syringe the borders, etc., 
also- the trunks of the trees twice daily, and have a chink of 
ventilation constantly at the apex of the house, increasing it 
when the thermometer registers 65 deg. on bright days, while 
a little extra fire-heat may be turned on during wet or dull 
days for a few hours from 10 a.m., so that the pollen may be 
easier distributed. After the trees have passed out of flower 
give the borders a watering heated to about 70 deg., and 
should there be the least sign of aphis the structure should 
be lightly fumigated in the evening and again first thing in 
the morning, and gently dewing the trees overhead with the 
syringe once or twice daily, the weather guiding the man in 
charge. 
Succession Peaches.— Another house should be closed, 
avoiding any fire-heat for two or three weeks, if the weather 
remains as mild as now, the 5th inst. Satisfy yourself that 
the border is all right for moisture, dryness being fatal to 
Peach culture at any season of the year. Allow the day tem¬ 
perature to reach 60 deg. with sun-heat and a free circulation 
of air at the same time, receding to 45 deg. towards morning, 
when towards 9 a.m. syringe the trees, etc., repeating this not 
later than 2.15 p.m. if the trees have dried during the day. 
Keep later houses fully ventilated, and complete the cleaning, 
pruning and training of any not yet attended to, as the fruit- 
buds will soon be swelling up and likely to be knocked off when 
left so late. 
Melons.— Houses for early crops must be put in order with¬ 
out delay if ripe fruits are expected early in May, thoroughly 
washing glass and woodwork, clear ing out all old bottom heat¬ 
ing-material and replacing with new, fresh leaves being suffi¬ 
cient where a flow and return hot-water pipe runs at the 
bottom of the bed. Where this is not the case, one quarter 
may be long stable dung, all thoroughly mixed together in a 
large heap for 10 days before putting in, when tread as firmly 
as possible, the heat then being mote lasting. Tire walls, too, 
