526 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
June  23,  1898. 
THE  YOUNG  GARDENERS’  DOMAIN. 
Gladiolus  The  Bride. 
It  will  be  remembered  that  a  few  months  ago  I  contributed  cultural 
notes  on  these  very  desirable  flowers.  I  cannot  let  their  flowering  season 
pass  entirely  without  again  calling  attention  to  them.  I  need  not  say  any 
more  regarding  their  culture,  as  I  presume  the  notes  in  question  were 
read,  and  are  perhaps  remembered  ;  suffice  it  to  say  that  the  method 
advised  has  been  all  that  could  be  desired.  The  plants  were  treated 
precisely  as  I  recommended,  and  brought  into  the  conservatory  as  soon  as 
they  weii«  presentable. 
The  first  pot  to  flower  was  a  32-size,  and  contained  ten  bulbs,  having 
twenty-three  fine  strong  spikes  of  bloom,  the  majority  of  which  needed  no 
support.  Arranged  amongst  Zonal  Pelargoniums,  Calceolarias,  Spirseas, 
and  other  flowering  plants,  they  are  very  charming,  and  for  cutting — 
either  for  the  dinner-table  or  any  other  purpose — are  almost  indispensable. 
One  thing  puzzles  me  about  them,  the  tips  of  some  of  the  leaves  turning 
yellow.  Can  any  young  gardener  tell  us  its  cause  and  prevention  1  We 
have  been  very  careful  in  watering  the  plants,  and  I  do  not  think  they 
have  been  checked  in  any  way.  I  am  of  opinion  that  all  bulbous  plants 
require  perfect  drainage  and  careful  watering,  as  the  least  stagnation  in 
the  soil  very  soon  causes  disease  to  attack  them. — Nil  Desperandum. 
[If  our  correspondent  had  given  the  date  and  page  on  which  his  former 
article  appeared  the  present  one  would  have  been  more  complete.] 
The  Kitchen  Garden. 
I  CANNOT  permit  the  remarks  of  “A  Young  Scot,”  on  page  488, 
June  9th,  to  pass  unheeded.  Ido  not  think  he  has  fairly  grasped  the 
meaning  of  my  article  on  “  The  Kitchen  Garden,”  page  378,  April  28th. 
It  was  not  meant  for  those  who  have  had  practical  training  in  outdoor 
gardening  ;  nor  for  them  to  take  umbrage  at.  It  was  well  meant,  and 
written  in  a  good  spirit,  for  those  young  gardeners  who,  through  perhaps 
no  fault  of  their  own,  have  been  cast  in  a  place  where  the  opportunity 
never  offered  for  them  to  practically  learn  the  routine  of  the  kitchen 
garden,  and^  I  know  only  too  well  there  are  many  such.  I  had  the  hope 
that  my  article  would  be  an  incentive  to  them  to  make  good  use  of  such 
opportunities  as  presented  themselves. 
A  few  words  as  to  my  “  contracted  experience  ”  and  “  intentions  to 
hug  the  glass  houses.”  Now,  “  A  Young  Scot,”  where  can  you  find 
that  I  made  any  reference  to  myself  or  my  capabilities  ?  When  and 
where  have  I  stated  I  have  had  no  practical  experience  in  the  kitchen 
garden  1  What  I  have  so  far  contributed  to  the  “  Domain  ”  has  been  the 
result  of  practical  knowledge.  Perhaps  you  may  doubt  it,  but  it  is  never¬ 
theless  true.  I  am  not  a  believer  in  “  preaching  ’ '  from  theory.  My 
experience  has  so  far  been  under  men  of  “  the  old  school,”  one  of  whom  I 
have  the  pleasure  of  serving  at  present — a  man  who  has  the  interest  of 
his  young  men  thoroughly  at  heart,  and  whose  desire  it  is  to  see  them 
excel  in  “  all  ”  branches  of  their  calling,  not  of  merely  “  hugging  the 
glass  houses.” 
As  for  what  opportunities  have  presented  themselves  to  me,  it  may 
gratify  you  to  know  I  have  learnt  (practically)  both  levelling  and  land 
surveying,  and,  as  you  say,  “Where  there's  a  will  there’s  a  way,”  I  hope 
I  may  one  day  use  them  to  good  stead.  I  have  tried  to  answer  your 
assumption  reasonably.  How  would  the  women  gardeners,  in  whom  your 
strengthened,  relish  a  few  stiff  days’  work  manure 
wheeling^  or  trenching,  with  a  change  to  boiler  cleaning  and  joint  picking 
and  making,  all  of  which  have  fallen  to  the  lot  of — Semper. 
A  Venture. 
We  all  know  there  is  much  to  be  gained  from  the  skilled  pens  of  our 
superiors  if  we  will  but  study  them  with  the  interest  and  attention  they 
demand.^  I^ also  think  that  there  is  much  to  be  gained  if  we  follow 
advice  on  the  kitchen  garden  in  the  issue  of  April  28th. 
My  experience  is  that  many  young  gardeners  do  neglect  this  most 
important  department.  Some  have  thought  it  of  no  consequence  to  study 
and  a  few,  to  speak  plainly,  regard  useful  outdoor  work  as  beneath 
them.  This  a  great  mistake.  If  we  wish  to  rise  in  our  craft  we  must  be 
■practical  men,  and  not  centre  all  our  thought  and  work  on  the  glass 
•department.  The  pleasure  ground  ought  also  to  receive  our  attention  when 
opportunity  allows.  There  is  much  knowledge  to  be  gained  there  on 
hardy  flowering  shrubs  and  plants,  which,  as  my  superior  often  tells  me, 
are  worthy  of  far  more  study  than  a  number  of  our  indoor  plants.  If  we 
entered  in  our  diaries  the  times  of  sowing,  planting,  flowering,  and  using 
different  plants  and  crops,  we  could  not  fail  to  benefit  by  so  doing  in  the 
end.  I  would  advise  all  beginners  who  are  “  roughing  it,”  as  I  did  for 
three  years,  in  the  outside  department,  to  try  and  appreciate  the  privilege 
m  gaining  experience  in  the  foundation  work  of  gardening. — Multum  in 
Parvo. 
[Our  correspondent  has  acted  in  accordance  with  his  signature  in 
crowding  his  writing  into  as  little  space  as  possible.  lie  must  do  the 
reverse  if  he  ventures  again,  and  write  on  every  alternate  line  of  his 
ifoolscap,  or  the  end  of  his  efforts  must  of  necessity  be  the  "Vr.P.B.] 
A  Good  Singer. 
I  HAVE  little  time  for  writing,  but  I  cannot  let  “Young  Scot’s”  contri¬ 
bution  on  page  488  pass  entirely  unnoticed.  He  has  let  us  know  two 
things— (I)  That  he  does  not  lack  modesty,  and  (2)  That  he  is  a  good 
singer  in  praise  of  himself  and  his  countrymen.  I  should  like  to  inform 
him  that  the  reputation  of  “Scotch  gardeners  being  the  best  in  world”  is 
a  thing  of  the  past,  and  I  do  so  without  casting  the  slightest  reproach  on 
the  many  able  men  among  them  who  are  not  given  to  boasting.  I  con¬ 
sider  a  gardener  roust  be  able  to  produce  and  show  on  his  employer’s 
table  : — First,  good  vegetables  and  salads  ;  secondly,  good  fruit  ;  and 
last  but  not  least,  he  must  be  able  to  arrange  gracefully  and  artistically 
cut  flowers  where  and  for  whatever  purpose  they  may  be  required.  I 
think  it  is  a  fact  that  many  Scotch  gardeners  send  South  for  inside  fore¬ 
men,  as  being  better  trained  in  plant  growing  and  decoration  than  their 
own  young  men,  who  are  mostly  brought  up  to  outside  work. — G.  H. 
[If  the  facts  are  as  stated  by  “  G.  H.”  they  must  be  regarded  as 
showing  in  a  practical  way  the  ‘intelligence  and  broadmindedness  of 
Scottish  gardeners.  They  have  high  ideals,  and  why  should  not  they 
employ  young  men  from  the  South  as  well  as  soutliern  gardeners 
employ  helpers  from  the  North  ?  Among  the  very  best  gardeners  of  our 
acquaintance  are  English,  Irish,  Scotch,  and  Welsh,  who  are  not  given  to 
vain  boasting.  A  “Young  Scot”  is  answered,  and  discussion  on  the 
useless  subject  of  estimating  gardeners  on  geographical  principles  ended.] 
FRUIT  FORCING. 
Peaches  and  Nectarines. — Early  Forced  Trees. — The  trees  cleared  of 
their  crops  must  now  have  plenty  of  air,  ventilating  to  the  fullest  extent, 
removing  the  roof-lights  as  soon  after  midsummer  as  the  wood  becomes 
sufficiently  firm.  If  the  lights  aie  not  moveable,  in  addition  to  full 
ventilation,  the  border  should  be  frequently  damped  and  duly  watered,  so 
that  no  check  is  given  likely  to  induce  the  premature  ripening  of  the  wood 
and  foliage. 
Keep  the  trees  free  from  red  spider  by  syringing  occasionally,  and  if 
necessary  apply  an  insecticide,  for  the  foliage  must  be  clean  and  healthy 
to  insure  its  ripening  naturally.  Laterals  encourage  root  action,  but  they 
must  be  stopped  so  as  to  prevent  overcrowding,  otherwise  some  lateral 
extension  is  desirable  as  a  safeguard  against  the  wood  and  foliage 
maturing  too  early. 
All  shoots  that  have  borne  fruit,  and  which  are  not  required  for  exten¬ 
sion,  should  be  cut  away  to  the  growths  originated  from  their  base  for 
next  year’s  bearing,  and  any  superfluous  wood  removed,  alike  to  make 
space  for  growths  which  are  left,  and  to  allow  of  the  free  admission  of 
light  and  air,  also  for  the  free  action  of  water  to  cleanse  the  foliage  from 
insect  pests  and  dust. 
Houses  with  the  Fruit  Ripening. — The  trees  started  early  in  February  have 
the  fruit  advanced  for  ripening,  and  when  this  commences  the  fruit  roust 
be  kept  dry.  With  a  view  to  prolonging  the  season  of  fruit,  fire  heat  may 
be  discontinued,  unless  the  weather  be  unusually  cold,  as  it  has  been 
lately,  admitting  a1r  freely  by  day  and  night. 
Maintain  genial  but  not  excessive  moisture  at  the  roots  to  compensate 
for  the  lessened  amoiii.t  in  the,, atmosphere  consequent  on  the  fruit 
ripening.  Where  it  is  not  wished  to  retard  the  fruit,  maintain  a  night 
temperature  of  60°  to  65°,  and  70°  to  75°  by  day.  Free  ventilation  will 
enable  the  crop  to  swell  freely  and  develop  good  flavoured  fruit,  allowing 
a  rise  of  10°  to  15°  from  sun  heat. 
Keep  water  from  the  fruit,  but  the  floors  and  borders  should  be  damped, 
so  as  to  afford  a  certain  amount  of  moisture  for  the  benefit  of  the  foliage. 
Water  at  the  roots  must  be  supplied  to  both  the  inside  and  outside  border 
as  required,  and  a  light  mulching  of  rather  short  lumpy  material  will 
lessen  the  necessity  for  it,  and  encourage  surface  roots. 
Trees  Swelling  the  Fruit. — In  houses  that  were  started  in  March,  or 
where  the  fruit  is  taking  the  last  swelling  after  stoning,  syringe  vigorously 
to  keep  down  red  spider.  Merely  wetting  the  trees  is  no  use,  as  it  does 
not  dislodge  the  pest,  so  that  the  mites  remain  and  increase  amazingly 
after  the  syringing  is  discontinued  ;  this  seriously  impait-s  the  quality 
of  the  fruit  and  disastrously  affects  the  foliage,  causing  it  to  fall 
prematurely,  whilst  the  buds  for  future  bearing  are  impaired. 
If  the  trees  need  support  supply  liquid  manure,  or  water  through  a 
mulching  of  short  manure,  sprinkling  a  handful  of  fertilisers  to  a  square 
yard  before  watering.  Admit  air  early  and  freely  with  the  rising  tempe¬ 
rature,  and  to  insure  the  fruit  swelling  to  a  large  size  close  early  with 
abundance  of  atmospheric  moisture,  allowing  the  heat  to  rise  to  85°  or  90° 
or  more  afterwards. 
Turn  the  fruit  with  its  apex  to  the  light,  and  draw  the  leaves  aside  or 
shorten  them,  so  as  to  admit  light  and  air  to  the  fruit  and  thereby  secure 
its  even  colouring  and  ripening.  Keep  the  shoots  well  but  not  too  tightly 
tied  clown,  and  pinch  the  laterals  back  to  the  lowest  leaf,  thinning  out  the 
growths  where  crowded,  and  remove  superfluous  shoots. 
Gathering  Peaches. — Great  care  is  necessary  in  removing  the  fruit. 
The  least  pressure  makes  a  mark  and  spoils  its  appearance.  A  piece 
of  wadding  should  be  held  in  the  hand  and  the  fruit  removed  by  gentle 
pressure,  then  laid  carefully  in  a  padded  basket. 
The  fruit  intended  for  packing  should  be  gathered  before  it  is  dead 
ripe,  a  matter  requiring  some  judgment.  If  gathered  too  soon  the  fruit 
shrivels  and  has  a  sour  or  insipid  flavour  ;  therefore  it  must  be  full-sized 
and  coloured  with  the  ripening  tint  to  about  half  the  extent  of  the  fruit, 
then  it  will  be  in  prime  condition  in  from  twenty-four  to  forty-eight 
hours  after  picking.  . 
