552 THE GARDENER. [Dec. 



dards may be covered by haybands, or Ferns tied round tliem. Stocks 

 for budding on may be collected, trimmed, and planted in rows. 

 Young green stems for budding on are most desirable. Pinks and 

 Pansies in the open ground may be protected with. Evergreens. Car- 

 nations, Picotees, Auriculas, &c., in frames and pits, require to be kept 

 free from damp, decaying leaves, and unhealthy surfaces of pots. Give 

 air whenever weather will allow. Violets in frames require plenty of 

 air ; healthy moisture may be kept at their roots, but they should not 

 be allowed to become wet. Slugs should be kept out of all structures, 

 and cleanliness should not be neglected wherever plants are growing. 

 Tulips and other bulbs may be protected in severe weather. All bed- 

 ding-plants should be examined occasionally for insects : thrips and 

 greenfly are always ready to prey on such plants as Verbenas. Tobacco- 

 powder dusted among them will put an end to vermin for a time ; dust 

 sulphur wherever mildew appears on any plants. Cinerarias, Cal- 

 ceolarias, and Primulas require plenty of light and air when, it can be 

 allowed ; cutting winds are to be avoided. Geraniums may be kept 

 growing slowly, and water used only when it cannot be wanted. An 

 atmosphere for growing plants should not be allowed to become 

 parched with fire-heat, as it would soon do irreparable injury in a 

 short time, besides wasting fuel. Eire-heat should be always used as 

 a necessary evil ; sun-heat should be harvested by closing structures 

 early ; 40° will suit most greenhouse plants at this season ; 45°, as a 

 rule, should not be exceeded. Bring flowering-shrubs and bulbs on 

 gradually, as formerly advised. M. T. 



OUR CROP OF PEAS DURING THE PAST SEASON". 



This crop with tis during the past season has been a very abundant one. From 

 the locality in which our garden is principally situated, we are rather later than 

 usual in first commencing to gather ; but when we do begin, we apparently have 

 them in abundance, as we are favoured with a good medium for the production 

 of good crops of most vegetables. 



When making out our seed-list early in the year, I thought, from what I had 

 seen formerly, that I could not do better than keep mainly to the good old- 

 established kinds. I selected a quantity to that effect. The ground that we 

 had under Peas was about a quarter of an acre ; and, summing up the varieties, I 

 find I grew between twelve and fifteen kinds. 



Our eai-ly sowing was made up of Sutton's Kingleader and Carter's First Crop. 

 From these we got a good crop for early work, so that it, as it generally is, was 

 very satisfactory to get a good crop for the first. Our second sowing was of the 

 same kinds, which, although good, was scarcely equal to the former, which was 

 no doubt owing to some little difference in the border in which it grew. Our 

 third sowing, which was the first of those sown directly out of doors — the two 

 former ones having been reared in boxes in the houses, and in due time trans- 



