30 THE GARDENER. [Jan. 



HINTS FOR AMATEURS.— JANUARY. 



At this season of tlie year, perhaps more than at any other, garden 

 operations depend on the state of the weather ; and when there is frost 

 and snow, work under cover should be found. There is much can be 

 done now which would be of advantage if completed before the busy 

 season arrives. Some of the more important work is preparing and 

 harvesting soil ; if under cover, so much the better, but if ex- 

 posed, thatching it after laying the whole on a ridge would keep 

 the rain from washing its virtues out. Where nothing better can be 

 had for potting plants, the surface of some of the best garden-soil can 

 be taken in when frozen, which will be tolerably pure and free from 

 insects : and when dry, and mixed with a little sand, it will be useful 

 for many purposes. Washing pots, and "sizing" them for the various 

 plants to be potted ere long, may be seen to — the keeping of each size 

 of pots by themselves prevents breakage and saves extra trouble : 

 break up old broken pots for drainage, keeping out the dust, and plac- 

 ing the sizes by themselves ; the smaller are useful for surfacing extra 

 drainage in large pots. Perfect drainage is one of the agents of suc- 

 cess with all kinds of plants. Wash, repair, and paint glass lights, 

 clean plant or fruit structures, whitewash walls and everything to 

 destroy the nests of insects, &c. A cleanly appearance is one of 

 the pleasures in connection with every branch of gardening. Mats, 

 if used, should have the loose ends tied securely ; stakes may be 

 made, or fresh pointed ; roots and tubers of all kinds in store may be 

 looked over, decaying fruits picked out, seed cleaned (if any have 

 been saved), tying them up in dry bags and kept free from damp, 

 frost, and heat ; the leaves of plants sponged to cleanse them, care- 

 fully removing scale or mealy bug. Any plants which are soft in the 

 foliage require to be handled carefully. The "hints" given last 

 month by W^. P. A. should be kept in view by all who are anxious to 

 have healthy and vigorous plants in their structures. 



All pruning, except Peaches and Nectarines, should be finished as 

 early as circumstances will allow, keeping in mind the " hints " pre- 

 viously given. The renewing of trees and bushes, by yearly supplies 

 of young wood being left to take the place of what old branches may 

 be taken out, keeps up health, vigour, appearance, and finer supplies 

 of large fruit. The neglect of this is often the cause of premature 

 decay ; and while we advocate lifting and judicious pruning of rank 

 roots to stop watery growth and cause fruitfulness, we also recom- 

 mend the use of good rotten manure over the surfaces of roots, where 

 growth is deficient and exhausted soil is apparent. Rasps and Black 

 Currants especially require liberal supplies, but the collars of bushes 



