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tieularly meant to apply in autumn, that the garden may not become dreary too soon,
and so bring ou winter before its time.
2958. Earthing up ouglit to go hand in hand with stirring in many cases ; hut rarely
in the case of those plants which form their bulbs above the surface, as turnips and
onions. This operation supports the stems of some crops, as the bean, cabbage, &c.,
and encourages the fertility or improves the ([uality of others, as the potato, leek, celery,
&c. In winter also it protects them from the frost, and may then be applied to the
turnip, as no longer in a state of growtii.
2959. Protecting, supporting, and shading. These operations arc too httle attended to,
or attempted in a slovenly manner, by many gardeners. The grand subjects of protection
are fmit tre e s ; and wc havo already (2644, &e.) given an enumeration of the
various modes to which recourse is had. The simplest, and perhaps the best protection
for general purposes, is that of throwing a net, cither an old fishing-nct or one formed
on purpose of woollen yarn, over the wliolc tree, if a stan d a rd ; or placing it against it,
if trained to a wall, before it begins to blossom, and letting it remain there till the frmt
is set. Marshall recommends this mode, justly observing, that after much expense and
trouble to preserve blossoms from inclement weather, the business is often done to no
pm-pose, or a bad one. Nicol’s opinion is not materially ditlcrent. Single plants, as
tho raspberry, are to be supported by sticks or rods ; and rows of climbers, by rods, spray,
or branches, as peas, kidneybeans, &c.
2960. Shading is but little attended to, excepting iu tho case of transplantation ; but
it is of great importance in tho fruiting season to certain plants which naturally grow
in shady situations, as the strawbcn-y and raspberry; and [n-operly applied and accompanied
with watering, tends to swell these fmits and others, as the gooscbciTy; also the
heads and roots of certain vegetables in hot weather, as the caulillowcr, turnip, onion,
rad ish ; or the whole vegetable, as in the case of lettuce and other salads. The advantages
of shading small fruits were pointed out by Haynes (On the Culture o f the Strawberry,
Raspberry, and Gooseberry), and are very strildngly displayed in the gardening of
the south of France and Italy.
S e c t . V II. Watering.
2961. Watering, Marshall observes, “ is a thing of some importance in cultivation,
though not so much as many make it. I t is a moot point, wliether more harm than good
is not on the whole done hy it. In a large garden it is a Ilcrcnlcan labour to watcr
cvery thing, and so tho temptation generally prevails, cither wholly to neglect it, or to
do it irregularly or defectively. To water nothing is erring on the dry s id e ; bnt
watering too much spoils the flavour, and renders esculents less wholesome.” It may he
observed, that the practice of the markct-gardcncrs near London and Paris, anti that
of many private gardeners in the southern counties, is somewhat at vaviancc with tho
opinion of this experienced and very judicious author. The reason may probably be,
that the region of his experience, Northamptonshire, is high and moist. lie adds,
however, that “ strawberries and cauliflowers should generally bo watered in a dry season
; strawben-ies more particularly when in bloom, in order to set tbe fru it; ancl the
cauliflowers when they show fruit, in order to swell the head : in a light soil this ought
never to be omitted. In very dry weather seedlings, asparagus, early turnips, carrots,
radishes, and small salads, will need an evening watering.” He adds, “ water to the
bottom and extent of the roots, as much as may be. The wetting only the surface
of the ground is of little use, and of some certain harm, as it binds the earth, and so
prevents showers, dews, air, and sun, from entering the soil, and benefiting the roots as
they otherwise would do : the ground about plants which arc frequently watered should
be occasionally stirred and raked. Many things are impatient of being kept wet aboiit
the stalks, and therefore watering such plants should be generally at a little distance.”
He recommends “ watering the roots of wall trees in dry weather cflectually; watering
wall trees with an engine in the evening refreshes them much, and helps to rid the trees
and wall of insects and filth. Late in the summer, when tho nights begin to get cold, it
is time to leave off all watering, except things in pots and frames, which should have it
then onlyin the morning. By wotting the surflicc of the ground in a smmmcr’s evening,
a dew is formed, which pervades the leaves, and helps to fill thcii"'exhausted vessels.”
2962. Watering over the leaves o f wall trees and espaliers is essentially necessary, because
these trees by thcir position arc deprived, in a great degree, of the natural showers which
would fall on them, if their branches were freely diverged in the open garden.
29G3. Abei-cronihic, Forsyth, and Nicol strongly recommend watering the leaves of wall-fruit trees in dry
weather, every other day, iu the evening. Forsyth recommends watering infested trees with clear
limewaLer over th e leaves, which, he says, will soon destroy th e r ' ’ - ’ ‘ -............................
Nicol uses water only;
leaves off when the fruit approaches to m atu rity ; and, after it is gat
■ccommences.
2964. Snbsliiulcs fo r watering can only be found in contrivances to lessen evaporation
from the soil. Muiehing is much used for this purpose in all the departments of the
gardens of Italy and Spain. Even the Pai-is mn-scrymen cover the spaces between
thcir lines of young trees with litter or leaves, as do the orange propagators at Nervi, and
the markct-gardcncrs at Romo and Naples. In this country similar practices are sometimes
tried. Maher, at Anmdcl Castle, during one very hot and di-y summer, “ sowed
his seeds in drille, and covered the intervals between the drills with tiles, letting tho
edges of tho tiles approach within an inch of tho drills, and pressing them close into
the earth. Tho tiles cflectually preserved the roots from the scorching rays of the sun,
and by preventing the evaporation of the moisture under them, aftbrded support as well
as protection.” (Hort. Trans, vol. iv. p. 51.)
S e c t . V III. Vermin, Insects, Diseases, and Accidents.
2965. Such vermin as moles, mice, and birds are to be caught by some of tbe traps or
snares before described (1869. and 1925.). Of all tbe various devices that have been
suggested and practised for keeping under the grub, catei-pillar, and snail, the most
certain is gathering them by hand at thcir first appeai-ancc every season. The grub,
wireworm, and maggot must be sought for by removing the earth from the roots of
tho plants affected. The catei-pillar should be gathered from tlie leaves early in the
season. The best mode of getting rid of catciqnllars is to take off; in the winter season,
when the trees arc being pruned, as many of thcir eggs, which, iu the most common
British species, arc laid in rings round the stems of the trees, as can be observed ; then
watch at the time of thcir hatching in the spring, when the young leaves begin to unfold,
and if any have been missed, destroy them whilst they yet travel in family groups, ¿or,
in a more advanced stage, they separate, and spread over the tree in all directions. The
snail should he [licked from the leaves or stalks of plants ; or, in the case of new-sown
crops, allured by strewing the ground with cabbagc-leavcs, or decaying leaves or haulm
of any sort (the process of decay inducing a degree of sweetness in vegetables) ; the
snails will attach themselves to thcir under surface in the night, and may be picked
off in the morning. Where earth-worms arc too abundant, they may be gathered in
digging ; or thcir casts removed, and the ground watered with clear lime-water. _ E a rwigs,
wood-lice, and similar insects, may be caught in hollow stalks of vegetables, in the
bcetlc-trap, Or in pots turned down over a little hay or moss. Wasps arc best destroyed
by suffocating them in thcir nests ; when this cannot be done, recourse must be had to_
bottles of honied water, or other common modes. Watering is an effectual mode oi
destroying the rcd-spidcr. Fumigation is generally resorted to in the case of the aphis
and thrips ; but in the open garden, watering and rubbing, or bmshing them off, will
effect thcir destruction.
2966. Diseases in the vegetable kingdom ai-c rather to be prevented than cured. A
good soil on a dry subsoil is the grand foundation of health, both in trees and herbaceous
plants ; and on the supposition of proper culture, the judicious nsc of the knife, to tliin
out snpcriliions, diseased, or injured branches, shoots, or leaves ; and that of tlic scraper,
to remove mosses and rough bark already cracked and separating, are all that can be
done to be depended on. Various unctions, oils, washes, compositions,^ and plasters,
have been tried and recommended fur curing the canker, mildew, blight, blotches,
biUTcnncss, gum, &c. ; hut few or none of them can be depended on. For the mildew,
stj-ewing with sulphur is in a few cases considered a specific ; for the canker, &c., the most
cftectual mode of proccdui-c is to correct the faults of the subsoil and soil, renewing the
latter entirely, if necessary ; to cnt out as far as practicable the diseased or wounded pai't ;
and in the case of barrenness, to cut in or shorten even the healthy wood. Whcrcvcr
amputation takes place, the wound will heal, if the air is excluded by prepared chvy or
any adhesive mixture, provided always, that the principle of life exists in tolerable
vigour in the tree. Every thing, indeed, in plants as in animals, depends on the vis
medicatrix naturæ, that is, the healing strength of natm'C.
S e c t . IX. Gathering and Preserving Vegetables and Fruits, and sending them to a
Distance.
2967. Gathering should commence as early and continue as late as possible with all
kitchen crops. A t the same time, no vegetable ought to bo gathered till it has attained
the requisite degree of maturity, or offered for use when it has begun to decay. What
this degree is, often depends on the particuhu- tastes of families, or thcir domestics : thus
cabbages arc most esteemed iu Edinburgh when fully headed and blanched ; while iu
London, they arc prefen-ed open and green, &c. Equal diflcrenccs in taste as to peas,
cclci-y, lettuce, and, indeed, most other kitchen crops, might be noticed. The operations
of gathering kitclicn crops ai’c cither cutting off tho part desired, breaking or pulling it
off, as in tbe case of peas, beans, See., or pulling or rooting up, as in the case of onions,
turnips, potatoes, &c. Each of these operations ought to be performed with due rcgctyd
to the plant, where that is to remain, as in the case of the pea ; and to the adjoining 'id