October 10, 1867. 



JOORNAL OF UORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



381 



eoHvenienco than cold frames or pits to winter their plants in. 

 Early propngation allows of the plants being exposed to the 

 open air, and enables them to becoma thereby robust ; and their 

 growth is thus riiionud or solidified, bo that they are not bo 

 misoeptible of injury from cither damp or cold. They of course 

 become well rooted, which is another requisite to success. 



When it becomes necessary to place the plants in the pits in 

 order to be secure from autumn frosts, the liyhts should be 

 drawn off by day when the weather is dry, not a drop of vjater 

 should be allowed on the leaves, and they should be kept dry 

 to the drooping point. This brin|i3on a state of nuiturity before 

 winter, culculatud to stand a damp, cold, conflued atmosphere 

 and the absence of light with the least possible injury. In 

 placing the plants in tho pit, do not over-crowd them. The 

 pots should be washed cleiui, and where tho leaves of such as 

 Pelargoniums are crowded, thin out some of the largest of them. 



Some dry loose material, such as hay or straw, should be in 

 readiness as wintur approaches for covering up with iu case of 

 severe frost, and .«omo of the same material should be packed 

 round the sides of tho pit ; but for this avoid anything likely 

 to heat and prematurely excite the plants by a rise of tempera- 

 ture. When thick coverings over the glass become necessary, 

 the material should, if pot-sible, bo perfectly dry and shaken ou 

 as loosely as possible, as the more loosely it lies the more air — 

 the best non-conducting medium — it contains. If over the loose 

 dry material some light cuveriug, such as strong oiled calico, 

 can bo thrown, it will ])revent cold winds from penetrating, and 

 keep the bay or straw dry. 



When it becomes necessary from severe and continuous frost 

 to keep the glass covered up for a few weeks at a time, end 

 ■when, perhaps, the thermometer inside tho pit would indicate 

 a few degrees of frost, great caution is necessary in uncovering 

 and exposing tho plants to light and air when the weather 

 changes suddenly to a thaw. To uncover suddenly under such 

 circumstances exposes them t-) such a sudden reaction as will 

 prove far more destructive tlmii a degree or two of frost. Tho 

 covering should not be touched till the temperature inside has 

 risen above freezing a few degrees, and then it should not be re- 

 moved nil nt once, but by degrees. Plants are living things, pos- 

 sessing all the susceptibilities of the mos,t perfect and delicate 

 organism, and areas subject to injury from sudden and extreme 

 changes of light and ho«t as is the human frame, ilany never 

 think of this, or if they do, are apt to forget it ; and so, as soon 

 as it thaws, off goes the covering, and the plants are injuriously 

 affected even by the sudden flood of light, and if lluylmve ueen 

 slightly frozen they are ruptured by a too sudden thaw, and 

 mould anil rottenness follow. Frost should not be allowed to 

 creep in if possible, but if it does it should bo allowed to creep 

 out, not be suddenly expelled. 



The great points, therefore, iu wintering plants where fire 

 heat cann.it be applied are — first, to keep the plants dry, and 

 in as complete a state of rest as possible, all tho latter part of 

 autumn and winter. Secondly, when it becomes necessary to 

 cover up for a length of time from severe frost, the covering 

 material should be dry and loose. Thii'dly, v/hen thaw takes 

 place do not uncover at once, but gradually, and not till tho 

 thaw is complete. 



All winter watering should be avoided beyond what is neces- 

 sary to preserve life, and it is much better to have plants at tho 

 drooping point than tho least over-wet. This is equally appli- 

 cable to plants wintered in spare rooms, and, indeed, even in 

 greenhouses where fire heat can be used. It is astonishing how 

 little water is sutfic eiit in winter for flower-garden plants, and 

 especially Pelargoniums, which are often ruined by late pro- 

 pagation and over-watering in winter. I have frequently had 

 variegated IVlurgouium cuttings in eight-inch pots on shelves 

 go without water for eight and ten week.^i, and look splendid, 

 although so dry that some would think they would be starved. 

 — ^D. Thomson (iu Ganlcjirr). 



"EVERYBODY'S WEATHER GUIDE." 

 This is the title of a nseful little pamphlet by Sir. Steinmetz. 

 The following extracts will give soma idea of its contents : — 



*• 'How lou'^ will (his wOiLtliLT last?' is a common inquiry. The 

 answer depends upon the wind wbich nmkcs it, for cvory wind makes 

 its weiither. Well, there aro only ei^ht points at -which tho wind 

 * hangs,' or has a tendenry to blow steadily for any lenctheued period. 

 The two most prevalent winds are S.S.VV. and SV.S.W., tho former 

 invariably brin^inj; raiu, tli.i other generally accompanied by diy 

 weather. Between W. und X.W. there is another point of duiutiou, 

 with fair weather ; another between N. and K., as everjhoJy knows, 



espociaUy in March and May with cold, drj-. ' parching ' weather ; 

 anotlier between K. and S.S.W. in summer when tlie season ia rainy. 

 W'ii have, finally, N., W., and K. winds of pome duration, tho first and 

 lust cold und dry (excepting occasionally in winter), and the W. some- 

 times wot or ' blowy,' when it tends to back to the S.W. or veer to 

 N.W. These uiuku up tho eit^ht points of ivind duration. 



" In spito of the proverbial irregularity and inconstancy of the winds, 

 it may be stated that there is a positive regnlarity iu their succession. 

 l''ach month has its characteristic wind, and consequent weather. 

 Thus, .Januaiy is characterised by winds between \V. and N. ; Febru- 

 ary, between S. and W. ; March, between N. and K. ; April, S.W., 

 N'.E. ; May, N.K., S.W. ; Juni . between W. and N. : after this the class 

 between W. and N. prevails during the summer, and tho class between 

 S. and \V. through the latter four months of tho year. 



*' Bearing this result of tho meteorological registers in mind, w« 

 obviously have a cluo to the wiuds that may be expected m each month, 

 together with their consequent weather. 



" Tho \vind which is to prevail duiiug the summer most frequently 

 sets iu with tho vernal equinox ; therefore, that period should ba 

 observed; for, knowing the wind that is to prerail, we may infer the 

 character of the summer — wet with south-westerly, and dry or average 

 with north-easterly mnds. 



" According to ICirwan: — (1), When no stonn occurs before «r after 

 the vernal equinox, tho ensuing summer is generally dry, at least five 

 times in six. (2), When an easterly storm happens on the 19th, iOth, 

 or 21st of March, the ensuing summer is dry, four times in live. (3), 

 When a storm occurs on the 25th, 2Gth, or 27th of March, and not 

 before, in any point, the following summer is generally drv, live times 

 in six. (1), If there ho a storm from S.W. or W.S.W., on tho 19th, 

 20th, or 22nd of March, the following summer is generally wet, iiva 

 times iu six. 



'■ If the barometer rises after 9 or 10 a.m., fair weather may he ex- 

 pected for tho day. If the barometer falls after 3 or 4 P.M., there is 

 every probability of a wet evcmng. 



" b'or the hours of regular observation, 9 A.M. and 9 p.3i. should !>• 

 selected. 



" In winter, whenever the thermometer stands about 3-4° ("which is 

 neither quite freezing nor yet mild), by ni^lit. and when by day about 

 45^ (which also is a medium between cold and mild), it is a sign of 

 much rain at hand. 



"In summer, when the thermometer rises gradnally with the barometer, 

 it is more certain that it will be line weather than ii the barometer only 

 bo rising. 



" If in summer the thei-mometer stands low, with S. or S.'W. wind, bo 

 sure of much wet ; but if high with those winds, it will soon be clear 

 s1i3' and great beat. 



'* If the thermometer be unusually high during the night in summer, 

 there must bo thunderstorms raging somewhere in England at the time. 



*' If tho thermometer be high during winter nights, be sure of high 

 winds iu a few hours."' 



NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 



The examination of young gardeners at the Royal Horticnl- 

 tutal Society will commence ou the 17th of December, and not 

 on the 31st, as formerly announced. 



The dry earth sewage system suggested by the Eev. 



Henry iloule, has been most successfully introduced iu Hin- 

 dostau, and the Indian Government have presented him with 

 au honorarium of £500. 



WORK FOE THE WEEK. 



KITCUEX GARDEN. 



Aaparapus, let all be cut down as soon as decaying, and the 

 surface of the beds be dragged off with a rough rako or fork 

 into the alleys. The beds may have a slight salting at once, 

 and rotten manure may be wheeled on them and spread aa 

 soon as a good chance occurs. Caulijioiccr, pot and prick 

 out suflicient plants immediately. Endive, all spare frames or 

 pits should be put in requisition. If they have covered Melons 

 or Cucumbers the haulm may be removed and strong plants 

 of Kndive, half blanched, may be planted with good balls of 

 earth us close together as they can stand. Do not, however, 

 water them in ; if the soil is' dry so much the better. Kidney 

 Beans, make provision for protecting those in full bearing on 

 frosty nights ; their season may sometimes be prolonged lor 

 some weeks by averting a single night's frost. Lettuce, con- 

 tinue to secure plenty of the August-sown ; an old frame or 

 pit should be filled with the latest sowing. They may be 

 pricked out as thickly as they can stand, choosing small and 

 compact plants. Let autumn Lettuce be tied up to blanch as 

 soon as ready, and a considerable quantity of Endive should 

 be tied forthwith, iu order to avoid any check to the heart 



