i'ebraarj' 15, 1872. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



Look exit a quautity of the best and strongest plants of 

 herbaceous Calceolarias ; give them a good shift in a mixture 

 of rough fibrous loam and coarse sharp sand. Place them in 

 a genial bottom heat in frames or pits. A batch ol Amaryllis 

 bulbs should now be shaken out and repotted in half-decayed 

 turfy loam, mixed with a small portion of sand. Give ah- 

 freely to plants in store pots, such as Verbenas and Scarlet 

 Geraniums, and carefully remove all decaying leaves. — W. 

 Kkane. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST WEEK. 



KITCHEN G.VEDEN. 



The late fine weather has allowed us to get on with digging 

 and trenching. Cauliflowers are now over, but we are still 

 obliged to protect Snow's and other early Broccoli from the 

 frost. Some Potatoes which had been stai'ted in boxes we 

 transplanted into sUghtly warmed soO, where they seldom fail 

 to do well. 



There are several ways of growing eaa'ly Potatoes — one, by 

 placing the tubers in 3-inch pots, and when they are filled with 

 root-i, turning the plants out; another, by growing them right 

 on in 8 or 12-inch pots, and ear-thing them up by degrees, or 

 starting them as in the former case, and then transplanting into 

 8 or 12-inch pots. Another, and the best plan of all, is to grow 

 them in 6-inch pots in a mild hotbed of about 50', covered with 

 a frame, and to earth-up as the plants increase in size. By this 

 means. Potatoes can be obtained tlu'ee weeks sooner than when 

 treated in the usual way. 



We have sown Radishes and Carrots in mild hotbeds some- 

 what more thickly than is customary, and we shall tliin them 

 out less than others do until we jjull them for use. A bed of 

 Early Horn or Early Dutch Carrots, if left to grow thickly and 

 then thiuned-out as soon as the roots are fit to be used, give 

 the best returns we know of. 



Sea-kale will yield its finest heads in the second year after 

 sowing. It can be reproduced by means of pieces of the roots 

 from the old plants, which should be planted in rows with 

 their tops level with the surface of the soil, and covered with 

 ashes and a little salt. These roots may be taken up and 

 forced in the foUowuig autumn, and will do very well, but if 

 allowed to remain a year longer before being disturbed they 

 will in that case make most superb jilants. I have found that 

 this mode is more satisfactory than using the old crowns, and 

 the plants from it are more forward than the most carefully 

 tended seecUings. 



We grow every year less particular about the materials we 

 use for our Mushroom beds. We have small shallow beds so 

 regulated that the spawned bed coming into bearing is aided 

 by the heat arising from that which is being prepared. We 

 shall, however, lay down no strict rules as to the mode of pro- 

 ceeding, as they can be altered so much according to circum- 

 stances. Rather young Cucumbers in a pit with but little light 

 in winter, allowed to bear heavily from the middle of Novem- 

 ber to the end of January, will become very inferior after this 

 time, and will not, even with coaxing, do so well as young 

 ]ilants. If we want a regular- winter or spring supply we keep 

 tlie plants moderately strong through December, but do not let 

 the fruit swell until the New Year is ijassed. 



ORNAMENTAL DEl'.VKTMENT. 



The weather is splendid for plantuig and transplanting, pro- 

 vided, in the latter case, that the ground is not soaked. The 

 best mode, to our way of thinking, of securing newly-planted 

 trees is by means of three fir poles driven in 6 feet from the 

 base of the tree triangularly, and brought together by a cu-cular 

 baud of straw ropes at 10 feet from the ground. For preventing 

 evaporation from the bark of trees, and also for keeping off the 

 attacks of cattle, straw or hay ropes twisted round the trunks, 

 and then tarred, maybe used. — R. F. 



TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 



H. Cannell, Station Road, AVoolwich, S.Ti.— Illustrated Floral 

 Guide for 1872. 



G. White, 3, Moss Street, Paisley. — Select List of Garden, 

 Flower, and Agricultural Seeds. 



Ellwauger & Barry, Mount Hope Nurseries, Rochester, New 

 York. — Dcscripiive Catalogue of Fruits. — Descriptive Catalogue 

 of Ornartiental Trees, Shrubs, Roses, Flowering Plants, ^c. 



Teutschel& Co., Colchester. — hist of Japanese Lilies, Maples, 

 Seeds, <(-c. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 

 N.B. — Many questions must remain unanswered untU next 

 week. 



Books (C. J. IK.).—" The Galleiy of Nature," by the Rov. T. MUner, wUl 

 suit you. It ia a very full and beautiful "pictorial and desuriptivo torn- 

 thi-ough d-eation." Its price ia about 20;*. 



Potatoes Unfit for Table (B. T.) — The tubers ai-c snnill and hard, 

 owing to the luidi-ainod clayey subsoil. Drain it, and if l\v ^uifinr rMiil is 

 also clayey, pare and bum 6 inches deep of it. and iucorpiiviir tli. ,i h. ^ with 

 the remainiug surface soil. Grow Ashleaved Kidneys and l.fip-l Ivi.hii'ys. 



Vines Failino (B. IF.).— Yom- case is not an uncomninii our,,,^ llinc are 

 many such faihu-es. You are now,i however, on a fan- way to success. We 

 should not start the Vines until March, and then give no more than a gentle 

 lii-e heat in cold periods, so as to keep the tempei'atiu-e from falling below 50^ 

 at ni^ht ; in fact, allow the Vines to start natui^ally, and apply heat at a later 

 period to insui-c the thoi'ough ripening of the wood. 



Ehododenduons PnuNiNG {S. E. M. J. IT.).— You may cut them down to 

 about IK mchos from the gi-ouud, when they will shoot again freely, though 

 uHuaUy they do not do much during the first year. ; Cut back about the second 

 week in April, and in showei-y weather if possible. 



Vitality of Seeds ( William Jones). — All the kinds of seeds named will 

 keep good until the second or even third year, and many much longer, but we 

 would not sow any of them after the second yeai-, as then- germinating power 

 is very weak, and they do not afford nearly such good plants as fresh seeds, 

 even if they gi-ow. 



CupitEssus Lawsoniana Seeds Sowing {T. Aahlon). — In March sow them 

 amongst light sandy ;;oil in pans, and place them in a cold frame. Keep them 

 close until they come up, and then admit air freely and expose them fiUIy. 

 In autmim prick them off into store pots, and winter them in a cold frame or 

 house, ailmitting abmidance of ah. In March they may be put out in rows 

 IB inches apart, at a distance of 1 foot from one another. In the course of 

 thi-ee years they will be fine plants, and may be planted out permanently. 

 The less "coddling " they have the better. 



Soil for Potted Palms tC. 7J.).— Use a compost consisting of loam two 

 paais, peat one pai-fc, well-ilirinii]K. ■■ I uiiuiure one part; and a sufficient 

 qiiantity of ahai-p sand must '> j i i i i ■ tuake the whole feel gritty when 

 taken in the hand. For scrllin ~ r ,. i. >oungplanta, however, we have 

 always foimd them grow more ),tipi>ll> ii tlir ipiautities of loam and peat are; 

 reversed; thus, instead of two parts loam, put two parts peat and one only 

 of loam. 



Amaryllis Bulbs Planting (Amart/lllis). — You need be under no appre- 

 hension respecting the covering of yom- bulbs of Amaiylhs; there is no moro 

 fear of then- rotting from that cause than there is with border Hyacinths, 

 Lihums, Tulips, and many other bulbous plants which no one thinks of grow- 

 ing above the soil. 



Tr.nri:r,j.v\ji ]\\rr. ri.r.-rrh I V. .s', r:.). -W, lliinl, I1,;il the roots of 

 111.. :'. .' . .. I .! ; ■ ...•. 1 ...... ! ■,' I . . .'!..' n..,v('r this year, 



th..i.' .. ' :.. N',. .!...■,.,,■ I ■ . . • Id have been 



bi..u. I ii.t 1 til.- i. .11 ■ ..Utii .■ .1 1 1.... II fill i.ii. \\ .. , li' .iil.i keep them in 



a hnusL. wiLii a uiglit tciiiijcnitiuc uf i:_) to 60 . It is necessary that they 

 shoidd make good growth if they are to do well another season. They should 

 be potted at the close of August or eai'ly in September. 



Painting Stove axd Greenhouse (Id-:in). — As the houses are cleai-ed of 



the plants till II i- Inn ; inprevent your having them thoroughly cleaned 



and ijainti'il 1 1 I'm plants in again until the paint is dried, which 



can be facili! i nir freely, and keeping up a good heat. There is 



no need to ii-i .m ii : luki- away the smell of the panit, but ah should be 



admitted ratlier n i i .. i. i 1 i; • .iltir the plants are put back again., 



to keep them front n i . I . iln pamt. Thoroughly clean the* 



woodwork with simp ''' ' ' ' i. ... | t nig ; also clean the glass with 



pure water, taking eiti. t.. i . . p i ii. ■ . ip;. ■v.itir from it. 



Potatoes Sprouted t/;;ttora(»H.s).— Remove the Early Rose with shoots 

 3 inches long, and place them thinly in a warm position (50'), so that 

 they may sprout again slowly. It is well, however, not to remove the first 

 shoots of early kunls, as some are vei7 deficient of eyes, ami not uufro'iuently 

 put out asecond tune very weakly shoots or ni-ue lit all. i)iii~ Imvi. )iiit. forth 

 shoots about half an inch long, and are on lath ii. 1 . m n : !i ir-.re- 

 ceivhig air daily, and protected from frost. ^N'ith ih. pn .m in.l l.ni.iiiild 

 weather it is difficult to keep the eaiiy sorts froiu -.j iliii.; ti.i iiniili. 



Planting Quicks (A Subscriber).— Wg consider one row of Quicks pre- 

 ferable to two, for the simple reason that it is much more quickly and cheapl.v 

 cleaned, whicli is the grand secret of getting a hedge to grow. If your 

 gr.mii.l is poor add inaimie libeiallv, and iHl- deeplv. IMimt the Quicks i to 



4'. ill. . Ill , 1. I «hi II fi .111 'i 1.1 .J! 1. .1 lii.li. 1 1.. IK- a II, I Thorn make 



a\'... .i ■ ■ n .... . n. ; 1, 11 1... 1 . ■ ■ . 1 .. .... irrable. The 



otii. r 1 (... :.. .n. . i . ; ,. N..v. i- ■ , ■ , ,. . ■ 1 ' .Ihrsl to 2 feet 



hinjitl.il lia.,|. 1.1. II 1 Iiliv tiaii,plaii'i I, ll.illn . ivj I.i lic lifted with 



good n Hits, and til secure these frequent trausplnnting is necessary. If you 

 have Holly and Thorn, five Thorns and one HoUy per yard will be needed. 



Chuvsanthemums not Flowering {Smith). — The cause ia probably stop 

 plug the plants too late, and the buds consequently not having foi-med until 

 November or later. We have some similarly iiffri-tnl. It is owing to the cold 

 and wet of last season, for the year In [. ni., by tin same means, we had in 

 Januarj' and Febniai-y fine bloom from iilitiits ^tiqqied cai-ly m August. We 

 presume youis were treated for a late bloom, wliich at the best is hazardous, 

 but well worth eudeavom-ing to secm-e. The weather may be more favourable 

 this year. 



Carrots and Parsnips for Exhibition {A Subscriber) — To make holes 

 at eveiy 9 inches m the rows and fill them with sand is good, but though we 

 should make them 16 inches deep if the soil were stiff, we would not fill them 

 with sand alone, but with fine sandy soil, then sow three or four seeds over 

 eaiih, and single out to one plant in each hole. If the ground is well pul- 

 verised to the depth of 18 inches or 2 feet, hght, sandy, and rich, the holes 

 are imnecessary. 



Onions for Exhibition (Idem). — New Giant Rocca, Danvers' Yellow, 

 Naseby Mammoth, and BedfordsMi-e Champion. Of Tripolis, Giant White, 

 Large Itahau Red, and Red Mammoth. 



Twelve Haudv Grasses {Idem). — Agi-ostis nobulosa, hardy annual; Carex 

 lepoi-ina, hardy perennial; Eleusino distans, annual; Hordoimi jubatum, 

 annual; Stipa clegantissima, perennial; Pennisetum sctosum, annual; Pas- 



