514 



JOURNAL OF HOBTICULTDKE AND COTTAGE GAEDENER. 



[ December 25, 1873. 



PITS AND FRAMES. 



If any dampness is observed among the plants go over them 

 and remove all dead leaves, moss, and everything likely to cause 

 damp. Give water very sparingly. — W. Keane. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST WEEK. 



FBUIT AND KITCHEN GAEDEN. 



Although we have had a few frosty days, the weather, so far, 

 has been mild, and many trees and roots are in a forward state. 



On uncovering a large " clamp " of Potatoes of the Regent 

 second early class, the whole was a mass of growths from 1 to 

 3 inches in length. The crop was extensively diseased at the 

 time of lifting, and it has been sug^jested that this is the cause 

 of such an early growth. Though quite half of them were 

 diseased when the crop was taken up, nearly half of those that 

 remain are also bad, and from accounts sent from Scotland it 

 appears that in many cases quite half of what have been stored 

 by some farmers for the winter are also diseased. Those who 

 have the lari^est portion of their winter supply stored in "clamps" 

 (or pits, as it is called in some parts) should look them over, so 

 that the diseased portions may be removed, and also the growths 

 from those that have sprouted. 



Celery has kept better with us this year than it has usually 

 done ; many sorts have been tried in our kitchen garden. Major 

 Clarke's Solid Red was planted this year for the first time, and 

 seems to be the best keeping red sort. For several years the 

 ridges have been slightly thatched with wheat straw ; this is 

 merely laid on the top of the ridge, and bent down on each side, 

 BO that nearly all the rain that falls on the straw is carried down 

 between the ridges, when the straw can be removed in fine 

 weather to allow the ridges to dry. It is a most efiioient pro- 

 tection both from rain and frost. 



We have had the utmost difficulty to keep the ground free 

 from weeds; Dutch hoeing was of no use whatever, as, instead of 

 destroying, it only transplanted them. Loam which contained 

 grass seeds was used to place round the roots of the young 

 Strawberry plants, and not approving of digging amongst the 

 roots, it was necessary to haudpick the beds ; this was done 

 during mild weather. 



It is highly necessary for those who have the management 

 of gardens to select a time when the weather is most suitable 

 for the different operations. Men wiU make but little progress 

 at hand-weeding or nailing wall trees if the thermometer is not 

 much above the freezing-point. Digging should also be done 

 when the surface is comparatively dry. Trenching may be 

 reserved for a time of frost, or when the ground is too wet for 

 the surface to be dug with advantage. 



We have been digging between the rows of a plantation of 

 Ranpberries. This fruit delights in rich, deep, moist soil. 

 Before planting, the ground should be deeply trenched, working- 

 in a good dressing of farmyard manure ; and when the pl.auts 

 are in full bearing a liberal dressing of manure is essential 

 every year. A plantation, when well managed, will continue 

 in full bearing for very many years. A large proportion of the 

 active rootlets are near the surface, and not far removed from 

 the base of the stool, so that in digging a little manure may be 

 worked-in over the roots by slightly moving the surface, but on 

 no account should the roots be damaged. If stout sticks have 

 been used to support the plants, they must be examined to 

 ascertain if any are unsound, so that they may be replaced. 



Nailing has also been forwarded. This is an operation 

 wherein our amateur friends who manage their own gardens do 

 not excel as a rule, and even in large gardens the young men 

 do not take so much pride in their trees as used to be the case 

 in the old times. But this may be all the better for the trees. 

 We would rather see a shoot not quite straight, than that it and 

 the wall should be damaged to get it into a line. Our rule is to 

 drive as few nails into the wall as possible, and to avoid much 

 sti-ain upon the shreds by pulling the shoots into their place. 

 Supposiug a tree trained on the fan-system has to be nailed to 

 the wall, all the main shoots should be nailed-in first at the 

 proper distances apart, the intermediate spaces to be filled-in 

 with the smaller fruit-bearing wood. The method of training 

 one shoot will suffice for all. Begin at the base of the shoot by 

 doubling a shred round it, and driving the nail so that there 

 will be ample room for the wood to swell. The next shred 

 should be doubled the opposite way, and .so that the shoot is 

 gently pulled into its place. This is continued all through until 

 the tree is in its place. Trees that have been managed as de- 

 scribed in previous "Doings" will require but little pruning. 

 Sliould any growths be too much crowded they may be cut out, 

 it is always better to have too few than too many. All wood 

 that shows traces of gumming should be removed. 



FRUIT ANn FORCINfl HOU.SES. 



In early vineries, owing to the mild weather, we have been 

 enabled to maintain a sufficiently high temperature without 

 much artificial heat. Keeping-up a plentiful supply of moisture 

 in the atmosphere is necessary to cause the Vines to break 

 regularly. A bed of leaves in the house throws out a steady 



moist heat, which is wholesome to tender plants. Stable ma- 

 nure heats more violently, and will throw-out steam which will 

 be injurious to the leaves of plants. This may be avoided by 

 mixing it with old manure. Roses, Lily of the Valley, or, in- 

 deed, all sorts of early-flowering shrubs and roots may be forced 

 on such beds. The bottom heat promotes root action, and the 

 gradually increasing temperature requisite for the Vines suits 

 them well. In the late vineries all the leaves have been re- 

 moved so that the Grapes will keep better. We do not remem- 

 ber a worse season for them than this has been ; all that can be 

 done is to have good fires in the day, and ventilate whenever 

 the weather is fine. The bunches require looking over twice 

 a-week. Removed another batch of Black Prince Strawberries 

 to the forcing house. Those so far advanced that the trusses 

 can be readily observed, are removed to a temperature of about 

 60" at night, or 65° in fine weather. Abundant syringing and 

 copious supphes of water are necessary to vigorous development. 

 The batch which has been removed from a cold pit has been 

 placed in a house where there is very little artificial heat. 



The orchard house has been cleared-out for the reception of 

 trees in pots. Strawl)erries have been removed from cold 

 frames to shelves near the glass in the same structure. Straw- 

 berries in pots plunged in cold frames do not succeed nearly so 

 well as they do in an airy house, but damp is so destructive to- 

 the Chrysanthemum blooms that it is not desirable to have 

 more pots to water than absolutely necessary. 



The recent dense fogs have been most destructive to flowers 

 and fruit, and owing to the filth which was held in suspen- 

 sion for three or four days, the roofs of our glass houses are 

 covered with a black substance resembling a mixture of soot 

 and grease. This has been washed-off Cucumber houses and 

 places where much light is necessary. Our country friends 

 have no such infliction as this to deal with. 



STOVE AND GREENHOUSE. 



It was curious to notice the effect of the fogs on all delicate 

 hothouse flowers, such as the different species of Orchids. We 

 have usually during the winter months had Phalwnopsis grandi- 

 flora in flower. There were two spikes of P. amabiUs with 

 flowers wholly and partially expanded. As the fog increased 

 the sepals collapsed as if the flowers had been impregmated, and 

 before the fog cleared-off all the flowers were shrivelled-up. 

 The same effect was produced on LseUa autumnalis in > cool 

 house. 



In the greenhouse department the seeds of mould have been 

 sown, so that Cyclamens and other subjects that are densely 

 covered with flowers and foliage has been carefully examined 

 and all decaying parts removed. 



FLOWER GARDEN .\ND bHIlUBBEKV. 



The weather has been suitable both for digging herbaceons 

 borders and amongst shrubs, and advantage was taken of it to 

 have soma of the work forwarded in this department. In 

 digging herbaceous borders great care is necessary in order that 

 none of the more delicate species which are as yet underground 

 may be injured by the digging-fork — a spade shoidd not be used. 

 All labels that have the writing defaced should be replaced with 

 new ones. We find wooden labels which have been covei'ed 

 with two coats of white paint the best for our purpose. Terra- 

 cotta was tried, but the paint peeled-off the first year, and many 

 of the labels are broken and useless. — J. Douglas. 



TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 



James Vick, Rochester, New York.— Vick's Floral Guide for 

 1874. 



F. C. Heiuemann, Erfurt, Prussia. — Special Trade List of 

 Flower Seeds. 



W. Barron & Son, Elvaston Nurseries, Borrowash, near Derby. 

 — Gatalorjue of Ornamental Plants, Fruit Trees, dc. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



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

 week. 



Books iW. B. D.).—" The Amateur's Eosarium," by the Bov. R. W. Thom- 

 son. It is an excellent book, too little known, pnblifihed in London by- 

 Hamilton, Adams, i Co. " The Canary," by Brent, which you can bare free 

 by post from our office it you enclose Is. 7d. in postage stamps with your 

 address. {J. S.).—" Pearson on the Vine " will suit you. It may be had free 

 by post from our office if you enclose Is. Id. with your address. 



Grapes SuRn-ELLiNG {O. B. U.).— The portion of a bunch of Mrs. Pinoe 

 Grape was smashed tlat in coming through the post, but there were a few 

 berries left to show how good the sample is. We do not detect any shrivel- 

 Ung, and we doubt much if there is any. Is it not that they are withering 

 through want of moisture? as being planted Inside a house "on a high 

 position and abundantly drained," they may recittire water. Frttit will "flag," 

 as well as leaves, through a lack of moisture. 



Calasthe VEiTcun (JJfi.ts C. TTin^o/c).— Your Uowcr is a garden hybrid 

 Orchid, for which plant-growers have to thank Mr. Dorainy. It is undoubtedly 

 one of the very finest of winter-blooming plants, added to which its cultiva- 

 tion is of the simplest. It enjoyB a good heat when growing, but when ut rest 

 may without injury be placed in the drawing-room. In potting drain well 



