270 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
September  20,  19'‘0. 
In  Onliardland. 
Kent  is  a  county  of  many  harvests,  and  the  expression  hardly 
reeds  explaining,  tor  the  farmer  is  also  a  gardener,  in  the  culture  of 
such  h<Tti  ultural  crop't  as  fruit  and  vegetables.  As  long  aao  as  June 
the  first  harvest  began,  when  con8iy;nments  of  green  Gooseb  rti'S 
worked  their  way  from  Kentish  plantations  by  various  stases  to  the 
barrow  of  the  costermonsrer  in  the  str.  ets;  the  fertile  fiilds  of  the 
Isle  ol  Thanet  con'rihuted  A^parag  is  and  early  vegetables  about  the 
sam^‘  time  and  then  the  Strawberry  hirvest  began  in  real  earnest. 
Just  vvhen  the  growers  in  the  S  rawterry  districts  round  Swanley 
were  as  busy  as  bees  desp.tching  their  Paxtoi  s  and  Soverei'.'ns  to 
Lond  m  and  the  North,  the  Cherry  farmers  round  Sittingbourne  and 
Ma  ds  one  began  that  harvest  so  im  oriant  in  K  nt,  b  cause  the 
County  holds  the  monopoly  of  it.  Since  the  summer  fairly  opened 
the  season  seems, to  have  been  a  succession  ,('f  harvests,  on  the  girden 
side  o(  the  holding  the  fruit  and  vegetables,  on  the  farm  portion 
the  hay,  then  the  corn,  and  now  the  Hops,  the  Potatoes,  and  root 
crops. 
The  fruit  grower  is  busy  with  his  final  ingathering,  for  the  ruddy 
tint  on  the  o  chard  trees  is  the  col  ur  of  the  rifiening  Apples,  the 
dense  purple  <n  the  Plums  and  Dain-^ons  sp  aks  volumes  for  the 
heaviiii  ss  ot  the  stone  fruit  crop,  and  Pears  hang  more  thickly  than 
they  have  for  sO'eral  seasoiis.  For  a  long  time  now  there  has 
been  at  xiety  about  the  stone  fru  t,  not  on  the  ground  of  scarcity  but 
atiuiidance.  ‘‘  Will  they  pay  tor  picking?”  has  been  a  que>tion 
much  uebited,  and  though  everyone  hO|es  they  will  I  am  afraid  the 
growers  v\ ill  not  make  a  pile  out  of  their  burdened  trees.  I  wonder 
w heiher  tlie  consumer  will  get  his  Pluins^  and  Damsons  very  much 
cheaper  than  usual  ? 
Speaking  of  Apples,  there  are  two  striking  features  in  the  orchards 
just  now — tiie  laden  state  of  the  branch  s,  and  the  number  of  fruits 
«  n  ti  e  ground.  No,  it  is  r  ot  the  result  of  the  wind,  for  the  fruit 
broiig  t  do  An  by  tne  August  gales  has  bie.i  flicked  up  and  disposed  of 
long  ago;  and  strange  though  the  expression,  may  sound,  I  think  that 
gale  was  som' thing  ot  a  blessing  in  disgui-e,  for  the  benefit  derived 
from  tfiinning  Afiple  cro  s  is  not  yet  filly  realised,  and  the  perf^rmn  g 
of  the  operation  bv  the  wind  has  tended  towards  the  improvement  of 
the  iriiit  wnich  remained. 
You  have  only  to  glance  at  the  fallen  fruits  to  find  out  cause. 
Eaci  specimen  is  firematurely  ripe,  and  the  tell-tale  hofe  at  the  side  is 
lh  woik  of  ihe  codli  moth  caterpillar.  To  use  a  local  term,  they  are 
“  gnib-eaien,”  and  so  far  as  the  majority  of  growers  is  coiicerned,  that 
IS  all  there  is  to  say  about  them.  In  some  seasons  thev  would  have 
piid  w'ell  to  pick  up  and  sen!  to  market,  but  this  year  there  are  too 
many  Apples  f  r  that,  and  tb  ■  grui>-6aten  specimens  become  the 
pr  I  erty  of  the  stieet  hawker  at  hi-,  own  price,  or  rut  on  the  ground 
where  tfiey  tall.  Cider!  d  d  someone  say.  Oh  no;  thesurplus  Apples 
are  uot  use.f  much  for  that  f.urpose,  fiir,  except  in  a  lew  disiricts, 
Kenti  h  f  lks  are  nei'her  cider  tuckers  nor  cider  drinkers.  Perhaps 
they  mi  bt  become  so  it  the  genuine  article  was  more  easy  to  obtain; 
but  most  of  ttie  so-called  Devonshire  cider  which  is  s  Id  in  the  country 
is  sot  ry  stuff. 
Ttie  ravages  of  the  caterpillar  do  not  seem  to  be  worrying  growers 
much,  perhaps  because  Afiples  are  plentiful  ;  but  I  am  inclined  to 
think  that  the  pest  i'  on  the  increase.  In  the  opinion  of  many  last 
8' asnn  was  a  reconi  for  grub-eat  n  Apples,  but  I  think  it  is  broken 
this  year;  and  if  the  figures  c  ntld  only  be  got  at  giving  the  tons  of 
otherwise  g  lod  fruit  th^t  wi.l  rot,  useless  and  firofiile>8,  through  this 
pest,  fiey  would  be  astonishing.  With  few  (Xoptio  s  no  very 
8'reniious  effons  are  ma»le  to  fight  the  foe  bv  spraying  or  any  other 
Dieti  oil,  tut  it  m  y  come  in  the  fu’ure.  There  was  a  time  when 
the  vyasliing  of  H  ps  was  unkniiwn,  but  the  spread  of  aphis  pests 
lias  b'ln  so  general  that  hopes  of  a  crop  may  be  abolished  if  the 
operaiion  is  neglec  ed.  The  ab-olute  necessity  of  rigorous  effoits 
to  chei  kmate  th*"  pests  of  the  fruit  crop  will  have  to  be  observed  as 
the  years  roll  on. 
There  IS  a  dishevelled  look  about  the  kitchen  garden  ju-t.  now,  and 
every^evening  ihe  air  is  scented  with  the  smell  of  stick  fires,  which 
ac'ompany  tiie  general  clearing  up  in  the  cottage  plots  all  round.  A 
suiiTiv  S  pleinber  is  an  untold  blessing,  for  the  Potatoes  come  ciut  dry 
ami  clean,  a  id  the  transplanted  Onions  are  ripening  U[i  in  a  manner 
that  spe  ks  well  foi  their  keeping  powers.  ;  We  are  early  in  these 
paits  with  the  h  uvest  of  the  garden.  Our  Po  at  x^s  are  mostly  lifted 
and  sti  red  and  in  spite  of  the  ominous  hkitches  which  appeared  on  the 
leav.  8  when  rains  wt-re  prevalent  in  August  1  have  not  seen  many 
diseased  tubers.  B  it  ilu  ’e  is  a  mvst-ry  about  the  Potatoes  this  year 
which  l  am  nnible  to  fathom,  and  I  invite  the  opinions  of  any  readers 
of  the  Jonrnal  of  Horticulture  wh  i  can  throw  light  on  it.  On  account 
cil  it  rligg^iug  was  uncertain,  and  in  some  cases  disappointing.  Here 
was  a  root  which  turned  out  a  splendid  crop  of  tubers,  and  the  nex"  to 
it  produced  nothing  but  a  few  tiny  useless  specimens.  In  the  case  of 
the  heavily  cropped  roots  there  was  no  trace  of  the  parent  set,  ex  ept 
t'  e  decaying  remains,  but  in  all  instancs  ot  failure  the  planted  sets 
c  m  ‘  cut  as  firm  and  sound  as  when  they  were  put  in.  Tnis  state  of 
attrtirs  is  common  in  the  district,  and  Potato  crops  are  generally  much 
light  r  on  account  of  it.  Wtiy  did  some  of  the  old  tubers  decay  while 
others  remained  whole  :  and  can  any  r  ason  be  given  for  the  latter  not 
having  progeny  ?  A  satisfactory  explanation  would  be  of  interest  to 
many  who  are  puzzled. 
A  gratif.  ing  feature  of  the  vegetable  gtrden  is  the  healthy  look 
about  the  winter  greens.  We  have  no  fears  of  a  dearth  when  the 
drear  season  comes  on,  though  a  close  watch  is  being  kept  on  the 
caterpillars,  which  seem  to  have  a  particular  fancy  fo'-  the  Brussels 
Sprouts.  It  has  been  a  go 'd  season  f.ir  greens,  and  gardens  nre  well 
supplied  where  reasonable  cate  was  taken.  S  mwery  weather 
acco  I  p'nied  the  sowing,  it  was  damp  for  the  planting,  and  the  rains 
which  pertuibed  the  holiday  makers  were  glorious  for  the  green  crops, 
and  we  cannot  afford  to  leave  this  indispensable  commodity  out  of  our 
calculations. 
I  am  almost  persuaded  to  pursue  mv  harvest  notes  into  the  flower 
garden,  for  there  is  an  overflowi  g  fulness  there.  But  my  space  is 
filled,  and  there  is  nothing  new  to  tell.  Ruthless  knifes  are  hacking 
the  “  Geraniums  ”  on  the  beds  for  next  season’s  cutting  supply,  so 
their  harvest  is  here;  the  borders  are  bright  with  a  wealth  of  Dahlias 
and  autumn  Cbrysantheraums,  and  this  morning  1  picked  a  Camille 
de  Rohan  Rose,  full  and  [lerfect  as  any  which  came  in  June,  and 
glistening  with  the  diamond  dewdrops  on  the  petals.  It  was  a  pleasant 
surprise,  but  then  the  garden  is  lull  of  them  in  the  golden  month  of 
the  harvest  moon.— G.  H.  H. 
Keeping  Grapes  in  Antumn. 
As  soon  as  Grapes  approach  maturity  and  become  thoroughly  ripe 
the  berries  are  liable  to  d.tmp  and  decay,  especially  in  damp  weather 
in  autumn,  and  when  hanging  in  positions  where  it  is  possible  for 
drip  Imm  the  roof  to  reach  them.  Dampness  arising  in  the  huu  e  from 
any  cause  will,  unless  dissipated,  prove  injurious  to  the  rather  delicate 
skins  of  many  varieties  of  Grapes.  A  certain  amount  of  damp  and 
stagnant  m  iis'ure  will  most  assuredly  collect  in  any  structure  during 
the  autumn  montbs  of  October  and  November,  and  it  is  difficult  to 
prevent  it  entirely.  The  best  n.eans  of  avoiding  its  had  effects  is  by 
judicious  ventilation,  the  employment,  of  fire  heat  to  set  the  air  in 
motion  and  create  a  buoyant  atmosphere,  as  well  as  avoiding  every¬ 
thing  which  tenOs  to  prod  ce  superfluous  moisture. 
During  these  months  the  air  is  laden  with  moisture  from  the  warm 
damp  ground  and  the  tailing  leaves.  After  November  is  over  drier 
conditions  prevail,  the  air  is  sharper  and  colder,  and  moisture  less 
readily  deposited.  This  is  apparent  in  the  better  keeping  of  Grapes 
when  hanging  on  the  Vines,  but  whether  it  is  owing  to  the  crier 
conditions  which  prevail  nr  the  tougher  skins  of  the  Grapes  is  a  moot 
question.  P.  rhaps  both  these  facts  com in  bringing  about  the 
re-ult.  Until,  however,  that  time  comes  great  care  is  neces-ary,  or 
rather  const  mt  attention  is  demanded  in  cutting  out  every  inju  ed 
berry  as  soon  as  seen.  Dec  jmposition  on  one  berry  will  soon  spread 
to  the  adjoining  berrie'J,  and  if  allowed  to  remain,  the  whole  bunch 
may  rapid  y  bee  ime  infected. 
Grapes  which  have  to  hang  late  ought  to  be  well  thinned  in  the 
first  instance,  so  that  the  autumn  air  can  c  rcuiate  freely  about  them, 
thus  rapidly  dispelling  the  accuinulatii  g  moisture  with  the  aid  of  a 
little  fire  heat  aid  ve otilatton.  Judgment  must  be  exercised  in 
employing  artificial  heat.  A  very  dry  heat  mty  cause  shrivelling, 
which  certainly  deteriorates  the  bunches.  T  ie  drier  the  house  can  be 
kefit  without  a  y  heat  at  all  the  belter.  Keeping  t  e  house  clo-ied 
when  fire  heat  is  used,  with  the  idea  of  econumis  hg  heat,  is  not  the 
best  way,  but  give  free  ventilation  and  heat  together. 
In  very  heavy  dull  weather,  and  when  fogs  prevail,  the  ventilators 
may  be  closed,  employing  little  or  no  heat  for  a  short  time.  The 
lemperature  ot  the  structure  should  be  kept  as  equal  as  possible.  In 
frosty  weather  tl«*i  best  temperature  for  the  Grapes  is  40’  at  night,  and 
45“  by  diy.  Accommoiate  as  few  plants  as  possible  where  ripe 
Grapes  are  hanging.  Tney  must  be  w  itered,  and  the  watering  causes 
damp;  but  if  this  is  not  practicable,  the  best  must  be  made  of  it  by 
careful  vent  lation  and  firing.  Collect  and  remove  all  the  leaves  from 
the  Vines  as  they  lab  or  turn  yellow,  but,  this  does  not  hajtpen  in  late 
vineries  until  November.  If  any  water  is  spilt  about  the  bouse,  dry 
it  up  as  soon  as  possible. — B.  H, 
