October 13, 1663. ] 



JOmRNAL OF HOETICTJLTtrRE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE,. 



297 



them to root before winter. Lawns, to present anything 

 like neatness, will now require daOy sweeping. Well clean 

 gravel walks for the winter, and afterwards let them be well 

 rolled in order that the water may pass freely off the surface. 

 As soon as the bloom is well off the Dahlias they shoxild be 

 cut down, the roots taken up and dried, and put away per- 

 fectly secm-e from frost. Auriculas to be cleaned and put 

 into winter quarters. Take care there is no drip upon them. 

 Prepare the ground for and plant Tulips, Hyacinths, Cro- 

 cus, &c. Hyacinths for forcing to be potted; also, double 

 Tulips, Nai'cissus, Jonquils, Iris, &c. Cuttings of China and 

 other Roses to be potted and put into a cold frame. Chry- 

 santhemums in pots to be removed into the greenhouse. 

 Give abundance of air to keep them from drawing. Tigridia 

 pavonia growing in borders to be taken up. All operations 

 of planting, relaying turf, and border-making to be actively 

 proceeded with. 



FRUIT GAKDEN. 



Peach and Nectaiine trees will now begin to cast their 

 leaves, and it will be an advantage slightly to brash them 

 upwai'ds with a small birch or long whisk to clear the leaves 

 from the branches. Keep them closely nailed to the walls, 

 or they will be liable to be broken by the wind. Gooseberry 

 and CvuTant trees may be pruned when the leaves have 

 fallen. Keep the centre of the trees open for the free ad- 

 mission of sun and air. Fruit trees of aU descriptions to be 

 planted as early as is convenient, to establish them in their 

 new situations before severe weather come. Be careful in 

 collecting the late varieties of Peai-s and Apples, to have 

 them wiped and regulated after sweating. The Medlars and 

 Quinces to be collected in good condition. To select perfect 

 Walnuts for storing it is advisable to immerse them in water 

 after the husks are taken off, and all that are quite perfect 

 at once sink to the bottom, while the imperfect fruit float 

 on the top : even those that have the least deficiency in 

 the kernel wiH float. Those that have sweated should be 

 well cleansed by being placed in a dry sack and shaken from 

 end to end by two persons, the friction will clean them 

 perfectly. 



STOVE. 



Finish repotting ; every plant that requires it should now 

 be shifted. Always use clean pots and plenty of di'ainage. 

 Prune-in all climbing plants. Ferns to be sepai'ated and 

 repotted. Cacti, Euphorbias, and other succulents require 

 less water now. Air to be given in fine weather. A Mttle 

 fire heat wUl be necessary occasionally to expel damps. 



GREENHOUSE AKD CONSEKVATORT. 



Here, also, the potting must be finished as early as possible. 

 Let Azaleas be tied into form as soon as can be done. It may 

 be useful to state that everything in the nature of charcoal, 

 whether wood, weeds, or the clipping of hedges, &.C., vrhich 

 is susceptible of being charred or converted into charcoal, 

 wiU be found of gi-eat benefit in its ai^plication to the soO. 

 It is a substance that has the power of absorbing both 

 moisture and ammonia from the rain and the air, and by 

 that means is enabled to impart amazing vigour to the 

 plants when it is used as drainage or mixed in small quan- 

 tities in the soil. 



PITS AND FRAMES. 



All plants in this department to be put in order for the 

 winter as quickly as possible. Those that are weU established 

 to be placed in their winter quarters at once, giving the 

 most valuable ones the best places ; but those that are not 

 well rooted to be kept close for a few weeks longer. The 

 plants of Neapolitan Violets to be shifted into pots or 

 planted in a weU-raised bed of light sandy soil sheltered 

 from rain. They require plenty of afr, to be kept moderately 

 dry, and just secured fi-om frost. The bed may be made 

 with faggots, and lined round with loose litter, or with half- 

 spent hot dung when the weather gets frosty. 



W. Keane. 



DOmGS OF THE LAST WEEE:. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



Earthed-up Celery in the mode detailed, so as to keep 

 a good supply well blanched. As there is now little danger 

 of much dryness, gave the later crops a little earthing-up, 

 with a fair allowance of ashes to keep slugs, &c., at a dis- 



tance. Noticed some half a score of plants with the leaves 

 rather blanched and withered. Were afi-aid it was the gi'ub, 

 so difficult to get rid of when once it takes possession, but 

 found it was the result of using some sewage water rather 

 strong over the leaves. This was entirely owing to the 

 carelessness of the waterers. It is, therefore, a good plan 

 when watering with maniu'e water at the roots, to foUow 

 with clean water overhead. Eoots will stand an amount of 

 strong waterings after racking them through earth, which 

 no foUage could receive for any time and live. Made up a 

 few more blanks in the Cabbage-quarter, and planted-out a 

 few Savoys, which even in a shady place will come on stronger 

 than those planted-out ft-om spring sowings in the best 

 position. Cleared away some more Peas and Bean haulm. 

 Find there are some still very good out of doors. Gathered 

 some of the best Parsley seed, and cleared aU the tops away, 

 being undecided whether to leave a portion of the old roots 

 or not, as the spring-sown is strong enough, and a piece is 

 sown so as to be sheltered fi-om snow and frost. We have 

 had to gather this indispensable from under 2 feet of snow, 

 bvit it is as well to avoid the necessity. Hoed amongst 

 winter Onions. If there is a frame or pit at liberty, it is a 

 good time to lift half-grown Lettuces with balls, and plant 

 them about 10 or 12 inches apart, and being watered now, 

 and the surface soil kept dry aftenvards, the Lettuces will 

 keep and grow aU the winter. These are far before Endive 

 for salads. Covered up more of the latter. Took up part 

 of Can-ots, Salsafy, Beet, &c., as huge roots of the latter, 

 however dark red, are generally objected to. Gathered most 

 of the ripe ChOies and Capsicums, chiefly for Cayenne pepper. 

 The gi-eener ones wiU do for pickling. Will leave some 

 more to ripen. We may learn something fresh every day. 

 We used to think that if the large Capsicums were as hot 

 as the Chilies, they ought, bulk for bulk, to make as good 

 Cayenne pepper, and so they may in the pepper of the shops, 

 where, no doubt, aU is ground down together, and some 

 red colouring matter used. In most gentlemen's houses we 

 find, however, that the outside of the seed-vessels only is 

 used, and that after being much dried : hence the superiority 

 of the Chilies for this purpose. We should think, however, 

 that the seeds wovdd, but for the colour, make as fine pepper 

 as the rind. Gathered the last of the Tomatoes for sauce, 

 and regulated Cucumbers most likely for the last time, as 

 we have given over keeping up a regular winter supply. 



fruit garden. 



Proceeded with fruit-gathei-ing as the weather would per- 

 mit, and as the nights are frosty i:)ulled those Apples and 

 Pears most exposed first, as the less they are fi'osted the 

 better. Will cut the roots of some trees as soon as the 

 fruit is gathered, and wOl mulch others that were so cut 

 last year and are as yet rather weak in the buds. Trans- 

 pls,nting and moving cannot take place too soon now, and 

 ft'esh plantations will thrive all the better the sooner they 

 are made. 



The different modes of planting fruit trees have recently 

 been referred to. The materials sliould also be considered. 

 Pure fresh loam about the roots will ui general answer 

 better than any amount of maniu-ing. Light sandy soil and 

 a little leaf mould close to the roots will encourage fr-esli 

 root-action ; but care should be taken that the leaf mould is 

 well decomposed and has no spawn of fungi imbedded in it, 

 or the advantages may be more than counterbalanced by 

 the disadvantages. In cases where haJf-rotten leaves have 

 been used we have known the roots suffer greatly, in fact 

 to be next to killed, by the spawn of fungi of many kinds. 

 If taken in time fresh lime is a good remedy. We have 

 hardly met any kind of fungus that lUves quicklime. We 

 have known Mushi'oom-beds ruined with a watering of lime 

 water to kill the slugs that attacked the Mushrooms. It 

 would have been better to have trapped them with buttered 

 Cabbage leaves, brewers' grains, or hunted for them at night 

 with a lanthorn. There is no method like the last for catching 

 hxige snails that make nothing of clearing off several large 

 Mushrooms. A dark night and a lanthorn are almost the 

 only means by which these large fellows can be caught. At 

 times they find their way into fruit-rooms, and the same 

 mode of finding them must be resorted to or they wiH do 

 great mischief, and if there is one favoui'ite fr'uit in the- 

 room, that they will seize on as their favourite morsel. 



