September 29, 1863. ] JOXJENAIi OF HORTICTJLTTIRE ANB COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



257 



ones under glass, just coming strongly intoljloom. Earthed- 

 up second piece of bed in the Musliroom-house. Nipped-in 

 Cucumbers. Pricked-out more Lettuce and Endive. Thinned 

 Parsley. Cut over a good part to make it stubby before 

 winter. Eegulated herb-beds. Watered Globe Artichokes, 

 the watering with sewage water has given us a fine yield of 

 Scarlet Eunners, though previously from the drought the 

 flowers were dropping oil' without setting. Took up pai-t 

 of Carrots, stringed Onions, &c. 



PEUIT GAKDEN. 



"Was obliged to fill the late vineiy with plants from a 

 house, which, in connection with a Fig-house at one end, we 

 are repaii-ing and elevating, in order to make a fresh aiTange- 

 ment within. The house was so low that, though 11 feet 

 wide, we could only have a platfoi-m on each side and a walk 

 in the middle ; but by raising the roof 18 or 20 inches we 

 shall be able to walk aU round and have a platform in the 

 middle, as well as smaU ones at the sides. In raising the 

 wall opportunity has been taken of leaving spaces there for 

 ventilation back and fi-ont, so as to avoid all necessity for 

 moving the sashes. The wall plate in front was previously 

 about 1 foot above the ground outside, the house, originally 

 a Pine-pit, being sunk inside ; and it would have been 

 better to have had the fi-esh-raised part of glass, but this 

 would have entailed more expense for sills and sashes, and 

 we think we shall have enovigh of light for what we want. 

 The roof has a short hip, and the rafters and plate having 

 been repaired the roof was tied together and raised in a 

 piece. The walls are 9 inches, and the openings admit a 

 wooden box without top or bottom, so as to give a cleai- 

 opening of 13 inches by 9. In the middle of this space 

 a board of the above size, just so much less as to move 

 easily, is hung by two screws as pivots, and about 3i inches 

 from the top of the box, so that the weight of the wider 

 portion below mil always keep it shut, uiless when kept 

 open, which it can easily be from a quarter of an inch to the 

 whole space, when, of course, the ventilator will stand hori- 

 zontally in the opening, and neither inside nor outside will 

 It ever appeal- beyond the face of the wall. We have long 

 found that aH sorts of hinging are a continual annoy- 

 ance, from rusting, breaking, and all the rest of it. Another 

 fact we have found out is that, provided air is given eaiiy 

 or left on all night, there is no necessity for so much air 

 being given during the day. We think, on the other hand, 

 that it is economical policy to make the sun do the work, 

 which used to be done to a great extent by the coal heap. 

 Of course, there must be as much moderation in this 

 as not to scorch or biuoi what is under glass. That, how- 

 ever, is chiefly done not so much by the mere heat as by a 

 confined, close, moist atmosphere, and that is reduced to a 

 minimum by the early au--giving. Gave more air and heat 

 to the late vinery to suit the plants and to prevent the 

 Grapes damping. What are left of the Figs in the Fig- 

 house, wiU now do little more from being exposed, but those 

 out of doors have come in well. Gathered fr'uit as it ripened 

 when dry. Went over Apricots and Peaches out of doors, 

 nipping oif laterals and shortening a few strong shoots to 

 hasten the thorough ripening of the wood. Cleared Straw- 

 berry-beds of runners and litter, and slightly forked the 

 surface to let the rains pass and prevent the frosts entering. 



Now is a good time to make arrangements for fr-esh 

 planting fruit trees, and in stiff or clay soils it is a good 

 plan to plant on raised mounds, even though it be neces- 

 sajry to mulch the surface in dry seasons, which if done in 

 time will prevent the necessity of much watering. After a 

 regular trenching, fresh soil would be desirable for the 

 mounds, if it can be obtained, and these may be 18 inches 

 above the common level. When the ground is not well 

 di'ained, a cartload of rough stones might be placed under 

 each tree, and in as loose a position as possible, the smallest 

 at the top. This, however, will not make up for the presence 

 of stagnant water amongst the stones, the result of deficient 

 drainage. In light soils they cannot be packed or beaten 

 too firmly round the roots of fr-uit trees. 



Now, also, is a good time to cut the roots of trees becom- 

 ing too luxuriant, or if young to take them up and replant 

 them as soon as the frniit is gathered. With this proviso as to 

 the fruit, if it is intended to lift Vines, the sooner it is done 

 after this the better, as the ground is still warm, and if a 

 few leaves keep green even for a short time, the roots will im- 



mediately begin to work, and will keep on less or more all the 

 winter, if cold and excessive wet is excluded. As we may 

 also now expect heavy rains, the outside borders of early 

 vineries should be protected from wet to keep them at rest, 

 and those of late vineries to keep the roots moderately dry 

 and warm. There are many modes of doing this, perhaps 

 none better than wooden covers or shutters, as these keep 

 all below them diy. However, we cannot all have such nice 

 materials to work with. Many employers are quick enough 

 in speaking of some extraordinary resiilt, but they turn their 

 heads when some of the means come to be referred to. We 

 have just done something, as in former years, to prevent 

 oui- borders being soaked. A little cowdung is spread 

 thinly over them, and then a very tlun layer of tar over the 

 cowdimg, some eighteenpence worth at a penny a-gallon 

 covering a large border, and on that is thrown a lot of road 

 drift or sawdust, so as to make a crust and keep down the 

 odour of the tar. Now this is all very well as respects mere 

 dryness, but then it does little to retain wai-mth, as even 

 if we put litter on, if we cannot keep it dry, v.'e do little in 

 the way of securing warmth, except v/e rough-thaioh or do 

 something of that kind. Now, we have proved that a border 

 rather di'y, covered in the end of September with a foot of 

 dry litter, and then covered with tai-red wooden shutters, 

 would be pretty well warm enough for moderately early 

 forcing, without any artificial heat being given. 



OKNAMENTAL DEPARTMENT. 



It is now time to take all greenhouse plants under cover. 

 Excessive wet and a very cold or frosty night, vrill spoil the 

 blooming of Camellias and Azaleas for the following year. 

 Tied-up large plants of Chi-ysanthemums, Salvias, &c. 

 Thinned creepers and climbers in conservatory. Kept stove 

 plants di-ier to ripen the wood. Placed Gloxirlias, Achi- 

 menes, &c., done flowering in a di'y place beneath the stage 

 in a vinery to ripen thefr tubers ; ditto with Gesneras past 

 their best. Gave moistiu-e and heat to those gi-owing and 

 flowering. Lessened water to large plants of good-foliaged 

 Begonias to get them gradually in a state of rest, when 

 thej' may be kept in a small space, in a low temperature, and 

 be potted and gi-own on next sirring for the conservatory. 

 Looked after mildew and red spider on Violets. Smoked some 

 Cinerarias that seemed to have a little fly. Potted Chinese 

 Primulas into 40 and 32-sized pots, using fresh loam and a 

 little leaf mould. Put in lots of cuttings, that wiU go under 

 frames, of almost everything for beds, as we want them 

 just to throw out their first rootlets about November, so 

 as to be small aU the winter. It is very well to talk of 

 pottiug cuttings off. If we did so we should have no place 

 for them all the winter. We like them better the smaller they 

 are until January, and then we let a few of them grow larger. 

 WiU prepare a pit for Calceolarias by the end of the week, 

 so as to begin with a few of the scarcest next week. We 

 win select side pieces for cuttings from 2 to 2i inches in 

 length, leave about thi'ee joints altogether, cut across at 

 the lowest, and insert in sandy fr'esh loam, with a quarter 

 of an inch of sand on the surface, and the cuttings li inch 

 in the row, IJ inch fr-om row to row, and about 15 or 18 

 inches fr-om the glass. These, put in in the end of October, 

 we will not expect to be much rooted until January; and 

 the latest put in, if they have not been fr-osted, we wiU 

 expect to be the best. Skimmed a part of lawn with the 

 scythe, in order that we might pull up plantains, &c., before 

 sweeping and rolling. The dry summer did not give us the 

 chance before of weeding lawns. .Switched the sides of the 

 walks to remove tiny heaps collected by the rains, and 

 roUed them. Just looked over Dahlias, Phloxes, &c., which 

 may be good for some time if the weather hold fine. One 

 piece of Dahlias was so dried that the flowers aj-e not worth 

 looking at even now. — E. F. 



COVENT GAUDEN MAEKET.— Sept. 26. 



The supply of fruit and vegetables continues ample : there is an increase 

 of importations from abroacl, and a fair average amount of business is done. 

 The importation of Oranges is fur the present suspended, and Lemons have 

 fallen in price in consequence of a further supply having been received. 

 Pines and Grapes are quite sutScient for the demand. In Pears Marie 

 Louise, Louise Bonne of Jersey, and Williams' Eon Chretien afiord the 

 principal supply. Brown Beurre and Gansel'a Bergamot are also coming 

 in very good. In Apples Kibston Pippins are the most in reqaest at this 

 season. Cobnuts are bringing liom 55s. to 705. per 100 lbs. Of Potatoes 



