December  26, 1895. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
603 
leaving  sufficient  of  last  season’s  growth  for  bearing,  with  space  between 
them  for  training  in  those  intended  to  displace  them.  Thoroughly  wash 
the  house  and  the  trees  with  soapy  water,  following  with  an  insecticide, 
for  aphides,  red  spider,  thrips  and  scale  lurk  about  the  trees  in  some 
form,  ready  to  become  active  and  multiply  when  forcing  operations  are 
commenced. 
Secure  the  branches  at  once  to  the  trellis,  leaving  sufficient  room  in 
the  respective  ligatures  for  the  swelling  of  the  branches  and  shoots. 
Tight  tying  often  is  a  prolific  source  of  gumming.  Remove  the  loose 
surface  soil  down  to  the  roots  without  disturbing  them,  and  supply  good 
turfy  loam  in  lumps  from  the  size  of  a  nut  to  an  egg,  with  an  admixture 
of  about  one-fifth  of  well  decayed  manure,  not  covering  the  roots  more 
than  2  or  3  inches.  If  the  trees  are  disposed  to  make  long-jointed 
wood  it  is  advisable  to  avoid  nitrogenous  manures,  especially  those  of  a 
quick  acting  nature,  as  nitrate  of  soda  and  sulphate  of  ammonia,  also 
potassic,  such  as  muriate  of  potash,  supplying  bonemeal  or  basic  slag 
phosphate,  which  furnishes  phosphoric  acid  and  lime.  Potash,  if  given 
at  all,  should  be  in  the  form  that  will  hinder  its  softening  tendency,  such 
as  kainit,  using  about  equal  parts  of  dissolved  bone  (or  of  basic  slag 
two  parts)  and  kainit,  and  supplying  4  ozs.  per  square  yard,  pointing  in 
lightly.  It  should  be  supplied  now,  as  neither  contains  anything  (except 
the  superphosphate  a  little  ammonia)  likely  to  be  washed  out  of  the  soil 
or  to  volatilise,  but  to  get  them  ready  for  the  use  of  the  trees  is  a  point 
of  some  consequence. 
On  the  other  hand,  where  trees  make  too  little  wood  and  are  more 
prolific  of  fruit  than  desirable  for  attaining  a  first-class  size,  the  border 
may  be  dressed  with  a  combined  phosphate,  potassic,  and  sulphatic 
manure,  say,  dissolved  bones  two  parts,  nitrate  of  potash  one  part, 
sulphate  of  lime  two  parts,  mixed,  using  half  lb.  per  square  yard.  If  a 
limey  soil,  use  bone  superphosphate  three  and  a  half  parts,  muriate  of 
potash  one  and  a  half  part,  and  nitrate  of  soda  one  and  a  half  part, 
mixed,  but  not  more  than  4  ozs.  per  square  yard,  and  that  when  the 
trees  commence  swelling  the  buds,  washing  in  moderately,  repeating 
when  the  stoning  is  completed.  These  elements  only  benefit  the  trees 
in  the  year  of  application,  therefore  to  be  of  service  they  must  be 
applied  when  they  can  be  appropriated  and  transformed  into  plant- 
constituents.  This  is  when  the  trees  are  in  growth,  and  to  benefit  the 
fruits  the  manure  must  be  available  whilst  they  are  swelling. 
Carefully  examine  inside  borders,  and  supply  a  thorough  watering  if 
•dry,  as  lack  of  moisture  at  the  roots  will  cause  the  buds  to  fall  later  on. 
Keep  the  houses  as  cool  as  possible  so  as  to  insure  complete  rest. 
Cucumbers. — The  time  is  near  when  fruit  is  scarce  and  the  prices 
run  highest.  Winter  fruiters  are  often  planted  so  soon,  and  fruit  so 
■early,  as  to  be  incapable  of  doing  much  when  the  days  turn  in  their 
favour.  Nevertheless,  a  good  plant  is  of  importance,  and  unless  there  is 
command  of  plenty  of  heat  young  plants  have  little  chance  against  those 
that  have  got  a  good  hold  of  the  soil,  and  covered  a  considerable  amount 
of  trellis  before  the  dull  season  commences.  Circumstances  often  make 
all  the  difference  in  culture.  Those  having  light  and  well-heated 
structures  make  little  account  of  the  weather,  and  always  prefer  young 
to  old  plants,  whilst  strugglers  against  frost  and  sunless  sky,  with  barely 
enough  heating  means  for  mild  weather,  and  dark-roofed  structures 
from  small  panes  and  many  laps,  are  ever  on  tbe  tip-toe  of  anxiety,  and 
pin  their  faith  to  old  plants,  which  have  little  “  go  ”  in  them  at  five 
months  from  the  seed. 
Light  is  very  important  for  young  plants,  which  from  a  September 
sowing  are  laden  with  fruit  about  the  thickness,  and  half  the  length,  of 
a  single-barrel  gun,  green  as  grass,  and  carrying  a  blue  bloom,  which  are 
all  bespoke  for  Christmas  and  the  new  year  at  exactly  double  the  price 
of  the  older  plants — only  a  month  (August  rearing).  The  glass 
is  clean  both  inside  and  out,  and  coverings  are  used  over  the  roof 
lights  (there  are  no  other)  at  night,  which  saves  25  per  cent,  in 
fuel,  and  the  produce  is  50  per  cent,  better.  Even  mats  are  used 
over  the  doorways  in  cold  weather,  so  as  to  prevent  the  inrush  of  cold 
air  when  the  doors  are  opened.  Feeding  is  practised  on  the  principle  of 
root-production,  earthing  or  eurf«ce  dressing  with  sweet,  warm,  lumpy 
loam,  and  encouraging  with  top-dressings  of  superphosphate  (a  great 
root  multiplier),  and  then  follows  the  potash  and  nitrogen  (muriate  of 
potash  and  nitrate  of  soda,  or  sulphate  of  ammonia,  in  equal  parts),  with 
superphosphate  to  keep  up  the  root  action  and  supply  of  phosphorus  (the 
life  giver).  Fresh  loam,  a  sprinkling  of  superphosphate,  when  roots  are 
plentiful,  a  dusting  of  the  potash  and  nitrate  or  sulphate,  is  the  order  of 
the  day,  and  with  that,  according  to  the  judgment  of  the  grower, 
•Cucumbers  “  come  and  go”  in  from  ten  to  twenty-one  days,  just  as  the 
weather  permits. 
Where  Cucumbers  or  Melons  are  obtained  from  frames  or  pits  heated 
by  fermenting  materials,  some  fresh  Oak  or  Beach  leaves  should  be 
thrown  together,  with  one-third  of  stable  litter,  and  if  necessary 
moistened  so  as  to  induce  fermentation.  The  heap  must  be  turned 
when  warmed  through,  turning  outside  to  inside,  thoroughly  incorporat¬ 
ing,  alike  to  induce  a  genial  warmth  of  the  materials  and  to  sweeten 
them. 
THE  KITCHEN  GARDEN. 
Broccoli. — Owing  to  the  mildness  of  the  autumn  and  early  part  of  the 
winter  Broccoli  have  continued  growing,  and  many  are  in  such  a  soft 
state,  that  an  ordinarily  severe  frost  will  destroy  them  wholesale.  Some¬ 
thing,  therefore,  should  be  done  towards  preventing  the  loss  of  such  an 
important  crop.  What  are  left  of  Veitch’s  Autumn  Protecting  or  other 
early  varieties  ought,  if  the  weather  still  keeps  mild  and  open,  to  be 
lifted  and  replanted  under  glass,  deep  frames,  brick  pits,  and  the  floors 
or  beds  in  late  or  mid-season  vineries  answering  well  for  the  purpose. 
Snow’s  Winter  White  is  fairly  hardy,  but  if  plentiful,  a  portion  of  the 
plants  ought  to  be  placed  where  they  can  be  protected,  this  also  forward¬ 
ing  them  considerably.  Lift  with  a  ball  of  soil  about  the  roots,  remove 
lower  old  leaves,  and  replant  closely  and  firmly  in  rich  moist  soil.  Seeing 
that  small  hearts  are  better  than  no  Broccoli  at  all,  some  of  the  plants  of 
successional  and  late  varieties  ought  likewise  to  be  lifted,  only  in  this 
case  they  should  be  laid  in  on  a  cool  border,  sloping  westward,  burying 
the  whole  of  the  stems,  and  firmly  surround  the  roots  with  manure  and 
soil.  Thus  treated,  the  plants  may  easily  be  further  protected  with 
mats.  It  is  only  on  dry  days  that  such  work  should  be  attempted. 
Xicttuces  for  Cutting. — Just  now  good  salading  is  plentiful 
enough,  but  the  case  may  be  very  different  in  February  and  March.  It 
is  then  when  a  few  boxes  or  pans  of  somewhat  thickly  raised  plants  of 
Lettuces  would  be  found  of  good  service  for  cutting.  Give  the  pre¬ 
ference  to  Green  Cos  varieties  and  new  seed  to  old  seed.  Fill  the  boxes 
or  pans  with  moderately  good  soil  and  sow  the  seeds  rather  more  thickly 
than  is  desirable  when  plants  are  wanted  for  pricking  out.  Place  in 
gentle  heat  to  germinate  and  transfer  to  shelves  and  a  warm  greenhouse 
temperature  before  the  seedlings  become  spindly  and  commence  damp¬ 
ing.  In  this  way  crisp  and  partially  blanched  leaves  can  be  had  early 
for  salad  purposes,  a  succession  being  easily  kept  up  till  such  times  as 
any  Lettuces  grown  in  frames  or  on  warm  borders  arc  ready  to  cut. 
Chicory. — With  good  Endive  abundant  there  is  not  much  demand 
for  Chicory.  If,  therefore,  roots  of  the  latter  are  none  too  plentiful 
retard  them  as  much  as  possible  with  a  view  to  having  abundance  of 
well  blanched  leaves  for  mixing  with  Lettuce  leaves  or  hearts,  the 
appearance  as  well  as  the  quality  of  the  salad  mixture  being  improved 
thereby,  If  the  roots  are  still  in  the  open  lift,  twist  off  old  leaves,  and 
store  thickly  in  good  soil  in  a  cool  place.  About  a  fortnight  or  so  before 
blanched  produce  is  required  place  a  few  roots  in  pots  filled  with  rich 
soil  and  start  them  in  a  warm  dark  place,  following  with  more  every 
fortnight.  If  kept  properly  moist  at  the  roots  the  growth  will  be  strong, 
and  second  or  even  third  cuttings  of  leaves  may  ce  had  from  them. 
Mustard  and  Cress. — This  ought  to  be  quickly  grown  and  young 
when  sent  to  the  table.  Sowings  should,  therefore,  be  made  frequently, 
or  every  three  or  four  days.  Always  use  fresh  soil,  old  Mushroom  bed 
manure,  and  light  loam  answering  well.  New  seed  is  always  the  best, 
and  this  should  be  sown  thickly  on  the  surface  and  pressed  in.  Place  in 
a  forcing  house,  and  if  the  soil  is  moist  no  water  is  required.  Mat  over 
or  cover  with  brown  paper,  the  seed  germinating  more  quickly  in  the 
dark.  Do  not  expose  to  the  light  till  the  stems  are  1^  inch  to  2  inches 
in  length,  and  then  transfer  to  somewhat  cooler  quarters. 
Preparing  for  Forcing.  —  Where  there  is  much  forcing  of 
vegetables  to  be  done  a  plentiful  supply  of  leaves  will  always  be  found 
of  great  service,  these,  mixed  or  not  with  stable  manure,  keeping  up  a 
gentle  heat  for  several  weeks  together.  Unfortunately  the  autumn  has 
been  unfavourable  to  the  work  of  collecting.  Dry  winds  are  needed,  or 
otherwise  the  more  sodden  leaves  will  soon  become  useless  for  heating 
purposes.  Those  already  collected  should  be  kept  as  dry  as  possible,  or 
fermentation  will  set  up  too  soon,  and  be  so  much  wasted  heat.  If  stable 
manure  is  also  used,  and  there  is  every  likelihood  of  the  leaves  alone 
failing  to  give  much  heat,  this  ought  to  be  sweetened  and  rank  heat  got 
rid  of  prior  to  mixing  with  leaves.  Shake  it  out  and  throw  into  heaps 
to  ferment,  taking  care  to  turn  the  heaps  inside  out  before  the  centres 
become  excessively  hot,  a  “  white  heat  ”  quite  spoiling  the  manure.  Two 
or  three  turnings  will  be  sufficient. 
Carden  Refuse. — Where  Vegetable  Marrows  are  still  grown  on 
heaps  of  decaying  vegetable  refuse — manure,  leaves,  road  trimmings, 
and  such-like — all  that  need  be  done  at  present  is  to  collect  these 
materials  ready  for  mixing  and  making  into  a  square  heap  next  spring. 
In  not  a  few  gardens  the  accumulations  of  decayed  garden  refuse  are 
wheeled  on  to  the  vegetable  quarters,  where  it  proves  an  excellent 
fertiliser.  It  would  in  all  cases  be  considerably  improved  in  value  as  a 
manure  if  either  quick  or  gas  lime  were  added  to  it  at  the  rate  of  one 
cartload  to  five  cartloads  of  the  decaying  refuse.  Frosty  weather  is  the 
best  time  for  wheeling  or  carting  on  to  the  ground,  but  the  heap  ought 
first  to  be  turned,  all  sticks  and  stones  thrown  out,  and  the  lime  be  then 
mixed  with  the  bulk.  Sticks  and  other  rubbish  that  will  burn  should  be 
burnt  in  a  slow  fire  or  “  smother,”  reducing  all  to  “  burn  bake,”  in  which 
form  it  will  be  most  beneficial  when  mixed  with  soil  intended  for  either 
fruit  trees  or  vegetables.  If  gas  lime  is  used  it  ought  not  to  be  dug  in 
for  a  time,  but  be  spread  over  the  surface  and  there  left  for  a  month  or 
six  weeks.  This  will  get  rid  of  any  injurious  properties.  On  no  account 
wheel  over  ground,  especially  that  of  a  clayey  nature,  while  in  a  wet 
state.  Either  do  the  necessary  wheeling  when  the  surface  is  frosted 
over  or  else  wait  for  a  dry  time. 
TRADE  CATALOGUES  RECEIVED, 
Andrews  &  Co.,  21,  Winchcombe  Street,  Cheltenham. — Seed  List. 
H,  Cannell  &  Sons,  Swanley. — Seeds. 
Cooper.  Taber  &  Co,,  Ltd.,  90,  Southwark  Street,  S.E. —  Wholesale 
Seed  Catalogue. 
Dicksons,  Ltd.,  Chester. —  Vegetable  and  Flower  Seeds. 
Dickson  &  Robinson,  Manchester. — Seeds. 
J,  R.  Pearson  &  Sons,  Chester. — Chrysanthemums, 
