October 20, 1863. ] 



JOUENAL OF HOKTICULTHRE AND COTTAGE GAKDENEE. 



317 



dviring the operation of watering to apply it only to plants 

 that require it. Remove all mouldy and decaying leaves, 

 and keep the interior as dry as possible during dull foggy 

 weather. W. Keane. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST WEEE. 



KITCHEN GAKDEN. 



Weathek generally stormy and wet, and work regulated 

 accordingly. In fine days hoed, cleaned, and stirred; in 

 wet days made bores, tallies, washed pots, mended and 

 made straw covers or hurdles. Tying and roping Onions 

 iu bundles formed also part of our work. Covered a bed of 

 Dwarf Kidney Beans with old sashes, &c., but find they do 

 not swell so fast as we should like. With a few sunny days 

 they would be all right, and would last some time after 

 frost came. Trapi^ed and caught slugs, mice, &c., and 

 pricked-out a few more Cauliflowers and Lettuces. Gathered 

 the rest of the Capsicums, and learned from a chief of the 

 Htchen what we siu-mised last week — that the seeds of the 

 Chilies are as good for Cayenne pepper as the outside of 

 the seed-vessel, but the colour is so wanting in red that 

 gentlemen would not believe it to be Cayenne. We recollect 

 something of the badinage with which a nobleman was 

 assailed for recommending a little cmry powder to the 

 hard-working laboui-er before he went to bed at night, and 

 we have no doubt it was a very good advice. A bit of 

 Capsicum or a little Cayenne in hot water might keep off 

 many an ailment fr'om men who go home wet, and sit in 

 their wet clothes. 



We trust that the much that has been said for the last 

 month on working men's homes wiU not end in mere bene- 

 volent talk. Cottages often, bad as they are, are palaces 

 to the accommodation which many lads put up with at 

 famihoxises. Need we wonder that many of them become 

 old men at thirty, when as horse-boys they frequently wear 

 their wet clothes fr'om one end of the week to the other, and 

 are not permitted a fire either to dry their garments or 

 cook theii' victuals ? There is miich need for such matters 

 being looked into. Only lately we heai-d of a farm under- 

 going alterations and improvements, and the mechanics 

 and labourers were denied the use of a fire and debarred 

 the privilege of hot water. Is it natural to suppose that 

 men would work with energy who, in addition to walking 

 a number of mUes in the morning, must carry with them 

 their tea and coffee in a liquid state in a close vessel, 

 and if they wished it warmed must resort to a heap of lime, 

 intended for mortal-, for the pm-pose ? To their honour be it 

 stated, that proprietors generally have had such matters 

 changed when it came to their knowledge. It is owing to 

 this knowledge, and a detennination that those who work 

 for them shall be comfortable, that gentlemen have swept 

 away many of those filthy holes of bothies in which young 

 gardeners were forced to reside. That there are stUl some 

 remaining that, in point of comfort and healthiness, are far 

 inferior to the pigsties and corn-byres in the home farms 

 is almost entfrely owing to want of inquiry about the subject, 

 and to a want of the matter being courteously placed before 

 them. Head gardeners' houses have partaken of the im- 

 provement. Nothing can be more cheering than the nice 

 commodious homes rising in eveiy direction ; but there are 

 many still needing gi'eat improvement and enlai'gement. 

 Not long ago we saw a miserable back shed in which a large 

 family had been reared that was scarcely large enough for a 

 single man to live in. Gardeners who are privileged them- 

 selves with healthy homes should leave no means untried 

 to obtain a healthy residence for the yoimg men that live 

 on the premises. The rain falling heavily, and the mud- 

 covered rain-draggled state of many young laboiu-ers going 

 home to miserable quarters, must form our apology for the 

 above. We would also observe that all such selfishness as 

 we have refen-ed to will be sure to fail in its aim. To get the 

 most from a man when energy is most needed he must be 

 nsed considerately in unfavourable weather. The days of 

 setting men to nail in keen frosty weather with the falling 

 snow bUnding them, or mowing long after the rain streaming 

 down their backs has gurgled out of their boots and shoes, 

 will be remembered, we trust, as belonging to a rude and 

 barbarous period. We have seen the latter done when 

 four-fifths of those employed, from being in lodgings, had 



no chance of di'ying their clothes unless what could be done 

 by the chance sun of the following day. Capsicums and 

 even a good Onion would be no bad thing under such cir- 

 cumstances. 



FBUIT GARDEN. 



Gathered most of the Apples and Pears, except a few late 

 ones of the latter against walls, as Easter Beurre and BeiuTe 

 Eance. Forked among Strawbemes as the gi-ound was 

 becoming hard on the surface ft-om the rains. Pricked out 

 runners thickly in case they should be needed. Pruned and 

 thiimed Easpben-y plants, which ought to have been done 

 earlier. Swept the leaves gently off Peaches and Apricots 

 that the wood may be more indurated. Did the same with 

 Figs, and wOl slightly protect the latter out of doors. 

 Eough-pmned Currants and GoosebeiTies so as to let more 

 light into what was left, and will do the same with Apples 

 and Pears as soon as we can get at them. Kept a little fire 

 in \Tneries to dispel damp, leaving afr on as yet night and 

 day at the back of the house ; but unless in a very fine 

 sunny day gave no front air — in fact, have given little front 

 air all the season, and find, that as a general rule, early 

 afr-giving renders a great amount of air needless, especially 

 when yoiu- fuel is a matter of consideration. The heat in 

 the pipes and flues during the day in some places, would 

 lead one to imagine that the gardener was running a race 

 of heat against the sun, and was determined to beat liim. 



Our Melons are aboiit over, as they would require more 

 heat than we can well give them to impart flavour, and most 

 people are aft-aid of such fruit so late in the season. 'Where 

 Vines are started early they should have a low temperature 

 at first — from 50° to G0°, and plenty of moistui'e in the air 

 until all the buds ai-e broken. Pines intended to show fruit 

 from Chiistmas to March should now be kept moderately 

 dry at the roots and in a drier atmosphere, but not much 

 reduced in temperature — say fr-om 60° to 65°. Those ripen- 

 ing should also be kept drier, and those sweUing should have 

 a damper atmosphere, especially in sunny days. Plants 

 grown in dung-pits should have the linings well raised about 

 the pits, so that heat may be thrown into the walls without 

 moisture from the dung. The diier the atmosphere in dung- 

 pits in winter the better, as there will be siire to be enough 

 of moisture if dung alone is used as a heating medium. No 

 doubt hot-water pipes are the most economical and cleanliest 

 mode of heating, merely as regards heating, but many of us 

 find that when we give up clung for heating, we have a diffi- 

 culty of getting dung at all; and these beds and linings 

 were grand heaps to go to for all the general crops of the 



OKNAMENTAi GABDENING. 



Much the same as last week. Stove climbers should now 

 be cut pai-tly back to give more light. We must except 

 such as Bignonia venusta and Combretum pui-pureum now 

 in bloom, but all other Bignonias, Passifloras, &c., may 

 be pretty freely dealt with. It is safest to do this work at 

 twice and thrice, and the roots get more used to it, and are 

 not checked so much as if it is done at once. Did the same 

 with conservatory climbers, and will do more by the end of 

 the month. We have, as yet, taken up no more plants from 

 the flower garden, as it is stiU passable ; but whenever there 

 is a sign of fr'ost will lift what we want, place them in sheds, 

 and treat as we wish afterwards. Gave plenty of air to all 

 bedding-plant cuttings. The Calceolarias after being in- 

 serted in a cold pit and watered, have had nothing done to 

 them since, but afr is given at night, and shut out next day 

 at 9 A.M., if sunny, and left on if shady. Swept and roUed 

 lawns, as worai-heaps are now becoming unsightly, and will 

 continue until we have a frost. Dahlias still good. — E. F. 



Method of Killing Slugs. — Some time ago M. Comman- 

 deur. of Paris, accidentally left in his garden a pot, in which 

 he had been making experiments with starch and iodine, 

 which pot, imperfectly covered with a piece of board, re- 

 mained exposed to the heat and i-ain for three weeks, wh in 

 on looking one morning into it, he was surprised to find it 

 tenanted by scores of snails and slugs that had congregated 

 in it fr'om every part of the garden. He repeated the experi- 

 ment several times, and ascertained that the emanations 

 from iodine will attract these creatures from a considerable 

 distance, when they may be killed by hundi-eds. 



