370 



JOUBNAL OF HOBTICULTUKE AND COTTAGE OAEDENER. 



[ NoTember 14, 1867. 



may be. It is considered that 18 inches of sound soil are 

 sufficient for the average of fruit trees, better than a greater 

 depth, provided top-dressings a>re made use of in very dry and 

 hot periods. Vt'e will now enumerate a few of the most useful 

 fruit trees, according to our experience, and which ought to find 

 a place in small as well as large gardens, merely premising that 

 the list is not to be considered complete in itself, but merely as 

 furnishing a few hints. Of Pears, procure the Jargonelle, Dun- 

 more, Marie Louise, Aston Town, Althorp Crasanne, Fondante 

 d'Automne, Passe Colmar, Winter Nelis, Glou Morijeau, No 

 Plus Meuris, and Beurre de Eance. P,'aches — Early Purple, 

 Eoyal George, Noblesse, Bellegarde, and Late Admit able. Xec- 

 tirincs — Elrnge, Violette Hsitive, and Old Newington. Apri- 

 cots — Breda. Eoyal, Shipley's, and Moorpark. Plums — Precoce 

 de Tours, Orleans, Purple Gage. Washington, and Ickworth 

 Imperatrice. Cherries — May Duke, Downton, Elton, Bigarreau, 

 Late Duke, and Morello. These stand nearly or quite in the 

 order of their ripening. In addition to these, of Apples, pro- 

 cure the Early Harvest, Kerry Pippin, Early Nonpareil, Kibston 

 Pippin, Pearson's Plate, Pitmaston Nonpareil, Old Nonpareil, 

 Sturmer Pippin, and Lamb Abbey Pearmain, all table fruit. 

 As kitchen Apples, Manks and Keswick Codlins, Bedfordshire 

 Foundling, Blenheim Pippin, Dumelow's Seedling, Wheeler's 

 Basset, and Northern Greening. To these might be added 

 many others of most excellent character. Any one, however, 

 desirous of planting a moderate-sized garden would do well to 

 obtain these kinds. 



FLOWER GAEDES. 



All plants liable to injury from severe weather, and which 

 are requisite for another year, should be placed under pro- 

 tection -without delay. Such as Fuchsias, Lobelias, Pelargo- 

 niums, shrubby Calceolarias, Salvias, Tigridias, &:c., will re- 

 quire this treatment. Modes of storing these differ in different 

 situations. Some persons can afford pits, some even can 

 spare house room, and some are driven to the cellar. What- 

 ever mode be adopted, let it be borne in mind that confined 

 damp is nearly as prejudicial as frost. A lean-to shed is a very 

 good place, and plants with a ball of earth dried on them, after 

 the manner of DahUas, will keep very well there plunged in coal 

 ashes, with the addition of an old mat and a little straw o\er 

 the shed during very severe weather. The different kinds of 

 soils and manures should now be removed to sheds for winter 

 and spring potting, and a fresh supply collected and ridged in 

 the compost-yard for next summer's use, keeping such kinds 

 separate. As the leaves are nearly all off, the lawns and walks 

 should be swept, and the leavts used at once, or taken to some 

 convenient place for winter supply, or to rot for manure. Any 

 shrubs planted this autumn in exposed situations should be 

 carefully staked and tied before they are injured by wind, and 

 if a quantity of Fern or leaves is placed over their roots, it will 

 protect them during winter. Planting should not be deferred 

 tin spring, it should be forwarded now as much as possible 

 while the weather continues fine. 



GKEESHOUSE AND COSSEP.VATOF.Y. 



The conservatory will now occupy considerable attention, as 

 all the floral strength must be brought to bear in this im- 

 portant structure, it being the chief resort of the family in un- 

 propitious weather. See that constant and liberal supplies of 

 all winter-flowering plants are always ready to succeed each 

 other, and that they are placed to the greatest advantage in the 

 house. Much depends on the arrangement of them. This, in 

 fact, deserves the cartful study and attention of all gardeners. 



ETOVE. 



It would be well to remind the amateur that he must be ex- 

 ceedingly cautious not to overheat the house, as this would 

 cause the plants to start into growth, a circumstance which 

 would be very injurious at this season. Many stove plants are 

 apparently always in a growing state, but rest them now if pos- 

 sible. Those required for winter-flowering may be placed in 

 the forcing-pit until they develope their flowers, when they 

 should be removed to their original quarters, where they will 

 be maintained longer in flower in their colder and drier abode. 

 Be very particular in watering plants under glass, as the day of 

 trial with them is now at hand, and if kept in a comparatively 

 hardened state through the winter, and nearly inactive, they 

 will withstand the injuries always resulting from winter forcing, 

 unavoidable in very severe weather. 



FOECIXG-PIT. 



Now that the leaves have fallen, it will be easy for those who 

 have a pit at liberty to prepare it for flower-forcing. The 

 leaves should have a portion of well-wrought dung mixed with 

 them, if to spare ; this will bring the leaves into perfect action 



immediately. About 9 inches of tan may be placed over the 

 leaves in order to facilitate the plunging. Let the glass have a 

 thorough cleaning. As soon as this is completed flowers for 

 forcing, if in proper condition, may be introduced. Such are 

 the various Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Moss and Provence Roses, 

 Persian Lilacs, Sweet Briars, and Camellias. Take care, at 

 this period especially, to introduce nothing unless it has gone 

 through a proper course of culture during the summer, such 

 course consisting of early-made and thoroughly-ripened wood, 

 for unless their condition is such, it will be vain attempting 

 early forcing. The Hyacinths and Narcissuses potted in Sep- 

 tember may now be examined, and may be introduced suc- 

 cessively in small quantities to this pit, when their buds are 

 2 inches long. They should be plunged overhead at the front 

 or darkest part of the pit, covering them 4 inches with old tan. 



W. KEAi"E. 



DOIXGS OF THE LAST A^T2EK 



KITCHEN GAKDEN. 



Much of the work which has been alluded to as in contem- 

 plation has been finished, or partly fiuisbed, during the week. 



Kidney Beans. — We have as yet had a good supply in a rather 

 deep earth pit with protection, and we shall yet have a number 

 of gatherings, which are usaful at this season when so many 

 crops are demanding a little help under glass. A part of the 

 Beans seemed hardly worth keeping, and that partly owing to 

 their not having been closely enough picked ; and this part 

 being cleared off, we had a good place for a lot of 



Cauliflowers showing their heads, and which only want lifting 

 with balls and a good watering at the roots, firming the soil, 

 and leaving it dry on the surface, to furnish us with good 

 gatherings ere long. Other fornard Cauliflowers will follow 

 soon. What are fit for use we have often kept a long time by 

 removing all the large leaves and packing the plants thickly in 

 a shed, watering the earth at the roots, and then covering the 

 surface with dry soil. We have also kept Cauliflowers for 

 several months by removing all the leaves except the smaller 

 ones round the heads, and then cutting the stems over close to 

 the ground, and firming these stems in sand in a shed from 

 which sun and frost were kept out, air being admitted in mild 

 weather. We have thus kept the heads fresh for use, until 

 even the cut-over stems began to throw roots into the soil. 

 When the leave.? are removed, the juices stored up in the stems 

 wUl keep the heads fresh for a long time under such circum- 

 stances, little attention being needed except removing any 

 small leaf that may be showing signs of fading. Such a leaf 

 lying upon part of the head would soon discolour and ulti- 

 mately cause it to rot. When long kept in this way the heads 

 will open a little, and to ensure erispness they will require to 

 be thrown into a pail of water an hour or two before cooking. 

 We have kept Cauliflowers also in the passages of ice houses, 

 and even in ice houses, but we always found that whatever re- 

 mained long about an ice house lost its flavour. Even a haunch 

 of venison vvhen put there to keep, though fresh to appearance, 

 has none of the fine flavour it has when hung in muslin bags, 

 to keep away all intruders, in a dry, shady, airy place. To have 

 Cauhflower plants, however, well rooted and well leaved, and 

 just showing their heads, success depends on lifting them 

 properly, protecting from frost, giving all the light possible, 

 and plenty of air except in cold wet weather. 



There is for such purposes of protection nothing more eco- 

 nomical in the end than wooden shutters of from half to three- 

 quarters of an inch in thickness, and with three cross-pieces 

 beneath to keep the boards together. From 3 to 4 feet in width 

 is a useful size ; and when used for turf pits, and there is a 

 rail back and front for the covers to rest on, they will last many 

 years, and be lighter to move every year. When thoroughly 

 dried after a year or two of use they might be tarred on the 

 outside ; but for many such purposes we have our doubts if 

 painting, or even tarring, does much in the way of preservation. 

 We are certain that doing either to wood at all green and un- 

 seasoned greatly accelerates rottenness and decay. We have 

 examined boards used for barns and sheds, that were pretty 

 well charred, and all the strength of the fibre of the wood 

 removed, by the great heat absorbed after painting them with 

 tar. After being well seasoned, tar or anti-corrosion paint will 

 keep wet from soaking into the wood, and thus dryness will 

 act as a preserver. If wood is made smooth on the outside 

 surface, however, little wet will be absorbed, even when un- 

 painted, unless it is placed in a nearly horizontal position. 



Cclenj. — An almost unexampled week of frosty mornings, 



