48 



JOUKNAL OF HOETICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ July 18, 1867. 



H.E.H. the Prince of Wales, at Sandringbam, and Mr. Blair, 

 gardener to Sir G. Broke Middleton, Bart., of Shrublands Park. 



The Annual Conversazione of the Koyal Horticultural 



Society -will be held on Wednesday, the 24th inst. The Society's 

 next examination of young gardeners will be on the 30th and 

 Slst of December. 



Many will regret to hear, that after a long continuance 



of declining health, caused by paralysis, JUr. George Paul, of 

 the Cheshunt Nursery, died ou the 7th inst., aged 56. 



5In. T. L. Plant has published in the Medical Times 



the following table, from nineteen years observations, showing 

 the earliest and latest dates on which the foliage or blossom of 

 various trees has commenced expanding, compared with the 

 same observations in 1867 : — 



Earliest. Latest. 1867. 



Balsam Poplar [PopiiJus balsami(era) March 6...\pril 19.. April 15 



Lerch (Abies Larix) March 21.. April 14. .April 14 



Horse-chestnut i.Esculus Hippocastanum).. March 17. .April 19. .April 19 



Sycamore (Acer Pseudo-platanus) March 23. .April 23. .April 25 



Damson blossom (Prunus domesticfl) March28..May 13..ApriI17 



Lime (Tilia europfca) .April G,.May 2.. April 30 



Beech (Fagus sylvaticn) April 19.. May 7.. May 1 



Spanish-chestnut (Castanea vesca) April 20. -Hay 20. .May 4 



Oak(Quercusrobur) April 10. .May 26. .May 3 



Ash (Fraxinus excelsior) May 13. . Juue 14. .May 16 



Mulberry (Moras nigra) May 12. .June 23. .May 16 



The Melbourne Botanic Gardens, we learn from the 



Argus, with the adjoining park reserves, comprise an area of 

 about four hundred acres. They are situated on the south 

 banks of the river. Of this area twenty-one acres are devoted 

 to flora! cultivation, eighteen are planted with select specimens 

 of trees and shrubs, eleven are occupied by the lake ; nearly 

 the whole of the remainder is planted with Pines, Cork Oaks, 

 and many other kinds of useful forest trees, besides hedges 

 and copses. The lake contains six artificial islands of picturesque 

 appearance, which are the favourite haunts of large quantities 

 of waterfowl, including Swans, Geese, Pelicans, and many 

 smaller kinds. The gardens include a Palm-house (the largest 

 conservatoi7 in Australia), three smaller greenhouses, a house 

 for the Victoria Eegia, and three forcing-houses. The plants 

 kept in pots vary from 40,000 to 50,000. Nearly 450,000 plants 

 have during the last nine years been sent out from the gar- 

 dens for planting in various public reserves in all parts of 

 the colony, and about 420,000 seed packages have been for- 

 warded either to colonial institutions or abroad for interchanges. 

 About 21,000 trees of the most handsome and useful kinds 

 from all parts of the globe are now growing in the gardens. 

 The length of the various walks is fifteen miles, all of which 

 are planted with trees or ornamental shrubs. The buildings, 

 waterworks, iron fencing, and other works of permanent 

 character are valued at £29,000. The main basis for the opera- 

 tions which have brought the gardens into their present form 

 was laid in 1857, at which time the Government secured the 

 services of Dr. F. Mueller, F.E.S., for their administration. 

 The department of which they form a part also comprises a 

 scientific branch, with Dr. Mueller as Government botanist. 

 The museum of dried plants is by far the largest in the southern 

 hemisphere, and contains about 300,000 specimens. A labora- 

 tory is kept in working order for testing the capabilities of 

 Australian plants for affording useful products, such as tar, 

 vinegar, oils, dyes, paper materials, textile fibres, chemicals, &c. 



WORK FOR THE ^VEEK. 



KITCHEN O.VIU)EN. 



Broccoli, see that the newly-planted crops of this and winter 

 Greens receive a good watering or two to give them a start, pro- 

 vided the weather is bright and dry. Endive, sow another bed 

 forthwith ; this will come in very useful. Celery, follow up 

 planting as spare ground and suitable weather occur, and be 

 stire to water most thoroughly that already planted. People 

 sometimes complain of their Celery plants " running." Celery 

 plants in a gross state need Httle more than drought to bring 

 on flowering. Coleirorts (Winter), prepare a good breadth of 

 ground for a crop, do not be afraid of too much manure for 

 them. Peas, loosen the ground gently near the rows of ad- 

 vancing crops, and water if necessary. 



PRUIT GARDEN. 



Persevere in pruning back, or eradicating, all superfluous 

 breastwood, more especially in trained trees. Complete all 

 summer nailing as soon as possible, remembering that the wood 

 of Peaches, Nectarines, and Apricots is seldom over-ripe in this 

 climate — frequently, indeed, the reverse. Disbud the gross wood 



from Figs, reserving the moderately strong wood, but, above all, 

 that which is short-jointed. When heavy rains have beaten 

 the surface of the ground, the latter will require to be stirred. 

 Fruit trees thrive better in borders that are frequently forked, 

 properly manured, and cropped with Lettuces, or other plants 

 that do not root too deeply, than where the ground is not 

 cropped, and but seldom stirred. It will, therefore, be ad- 

 visable to fork over the borders which have not been recently 

 disturbed, taking care not to injure the roots of the trees 

 by the operation. This had better be performed whilst the 

 ground is sufficiently moist, and if dry weather should set 

 in, copious waterings ought to be given. It is frequently the 

 case, that the surface of a border forming a regular slope is 

 smoothly raked, so that water, from heavy rains more especially, 

 readily glides oiif, and a less beneficial supply from artificial 

 watering must be substituted. Sometimes crops are sown or 

 planted in rows across the borders, and afterwards landed up ; 

 the furrows consequently formed exhibiting a close system of 

 surface drainage, not at all objectionable in the case of a very 

 wet soil and season, but highly so in summer under ordinary 

 circumstances. Proceed with budding Cherries and Apricots, 

 and with other fruit trees, as the buds become in a fit state, 

 which in this season will generally be the case rather later than 

 usual. 



FLOWER GAKHEN. 



Eoses going out of bloom should be constantly gone over, 

 cutting off all dead flowers, &c., and Moss and other varieties 

 should be layered as soon as the young wood is sufficiently ad- 

 vanced in growth. Pinks now out of bloom, from which pipings 

 have been taken, if they have blossomed two years, should be 

 cut off close, or removed, to make room for young plants of 

 this year's striking. Diihlias require constant care in regard to 

 tying up as they advance in growth. Sweet Williams, Wall- 

 flowers, Dianthuses, and other hardy biennials, should be 

 thinned, planting out the thinnings into borders, or into 

 nursery-beds till spring. Lawns should be kept continually 

 mown during showery weather, and edgings of walks clipped. 

 See that strong stakes are afforded to plants of heavy foliage 

 and gross habits, as Dahlias, Delphiniums, Asters, Phloxes, 

 &c. Continue to fill up blanks as they occur, from the reserve 

 ground, and attend to the layering of Carnations. 



GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. 



Follow up shifting with such hardwooded tribes as require 

 it. A turfy compost of three-parts sandy peat soil of a fibrous 

 and lumpy character, and one-part sound loam of a similar 

 texture, will suit the majority. The more tender kinds will 

 require lumps of charcoal, stone, or crocks introduced occasion- 

 ally until near the surface of the pot. Let every attention 

 possible be paid to drainage. This cannot be too complete, 

 taking care especially to use very broken crocks at the bottom, 

 for if these lay too flatly and become closed-up in consequence, 

 it matters httle how much depth of drainage material rests 

 upon them — all will be stagnation. In the mixed greenhouse 

 shifting will be the order of the day. Attend to the principles 

 of thorough drainage as explained above. Now is the time to 

 lay the foundation of a good late display. Cinerarias, Chinese 

 Primroses, the Anne Doleyu Pink, Heliotropes, Fuchsias in 

 succession. Chrysanthemums, and, above all, the Perpetual, 

 Tea, and other Eoses must be well attended to in regard to 

 watering, shifting, &c. Remember that the final shift should 

 be given in good time to those intended to flower in the 

 autumn. Many of the plants which are now growing rapidly 

 should be set in the open air, as those of a soft nature are apt, 

 under good and free cultivation, to become too succulent, and, 

 as in the case of stove plants, they are subject to damp off or 

 mildew under glass. Proceed with the propagation of aU kinds 

 of exotic plants, and especially of Pelargoniums. Expose those 

 to the open sun intended for next season's flowering, to harden 

 and perfectly mature the wood is of paramount importance, 

 more especially for plants intended for exhibition. 



STOVE. 



Admit more air into the house as the season advances, be- 

 cause although this is the period when every advantage ought 

 to be taken of heat and light, still the confinement of a stove 

 is apt to draw the plants, especially if carried out too late in 

 the season. Growth is now required in most kinds of plants, 

 but the great art is to harden or perfectly mature that growth, 

 or the plants will suffer much during winter. Many of the 

 plants in an advanced state may now be placed in the green- 

 house, which should be closed on cold nights. 



PITS AND FRAirES. 



i Put in cuttings of the best kinds of Antirrhinume, Mule 



