U6 



jodenaij of hobticdltobe and cottage gaedeneb. 



[ December 12, 1367. 



in gardens where the soil inclines to a clayey textnre. If frosty 

 weather set in let the necessary manure for the whole of the 

 spring cropping be wheeled out, laying it in heaps, either on 

 the spot, or as near to it as possible. That portion not required 

 for immediate digging in should be piled up in email mounds, 

 with soil placed over them to prevent loss by evaporation. 

 Storing Ic- — Whether ice is stacked, or in a house, the first 

 matter to be attended to is to promote the escape of the ice- 

 meltings. These must quickly pass, for if allowed to accu- 

 mulate they will counteract the benefits from all other arrange- 

 ments. There must be a good drain, and this drain should 

 possess what is termed a " trap," and, if possible, terminate in 

 water. The next question is whether the ice should be kept 

 above or below ground. I consider that there is little necessity 

 for going below the ground level, except in peculiar situations. 

 I am persuaded that llr. Fortune's description of the Chinese 

 ice-houses is tolerably conclusive on the subject. Here we find 

 no excavation, no shade of trees, and the houses situated iu 

 fields under an irrigating system; all this, too, beneath a 

 Chinese sky, described by Mr. Fortune as " clear, fierce, and 

 burning." It must be remembered that the walls (mud and 

 stone), are uncommonly thick, and a Bamboo roof is raised 

 over the whole and thickly coated with thatch. I am of opinion 

 that small ventilating doors or windows, one at each side near 

 the top, will be found beneficial rather than otherwise, for I 

 take for granted that a cloud of vapour floats over the surface 

 of the ice at all times when closely confined, and if so it must 

 be very prejudicial. Such ventilators should not be opened 

 too often, nor for many hours at a time, or it will be but ex- 

 changing one evil for another. Mr. D. T. Fish, when at Broke 

 HaU, adopted the very simple and effectual plan of preserving 

 his ice in an excavation dug out under the shade of trees and 

 protected with litter. 



FRUIT GAItDEN. 



Pruning the leading shoots, in order to give the required 

 form to trees against walls, was explained last week. It now 

 becomes necessary to advert to the management of spurs 

 formed along the branches. In the Pear and Apple tree fruit- 

 buds are sometimes formed directly on the two-year-old por- 

 tions of the branch. When such is the case nothing is neces- 

 sary with regard to them, except a little thinning if there 

 should be more than the branch can bring to perfect fruit ; but 

 it is more frequently the case that, instead cf a completely- 

 formed blossom-bud, only a tapering spur is produced, and it 

 frequently goes on elongating for years. Part of these spurs 

 should be shortened to within a quarter of an inch of their 

 bases, whilst the greater number should be allowed to remain 

 untouched. If, instead of spurs, shoots have been produced, 

 they must be cut back to within an inch of their bases, and 

 some where numerous still more closely. Older spurs should 

 be shortened down to the lowest fruit-buds, taking care, how- 

 ever, not to cut too near the latter. Keep the fruit-buds in 

 view, and endeavour to remove as far as possible whatever 

 is in front of them. Where there are old neglected spurs pro- 

 ducing only a crowded mass of foliage, without fruit, they had 

 better be thinned and well cut back, and by attending properly 

 to summer-pruning fruitfulness will be induced. 



FLOWER GARDEN. 



In favourable weather forward all out-door work as much as 

 possible. Trenching ground and planting evergreen shrubs 

 should still be carried on with activity in case the ensuing 

 spring should prove unfavourable. Look over seeds collected 

 during the past season, and, previous to storing, clean them 

 ■when the weather is wet. No time should now he lost in 

 affording protection to tender Koses. The tops of standards 

 worked on ordinary' stocks may be protected by wisps of straw 

 bound amongst and over their branches, or by tight canopies 

 firmly fixed. Beds or masses of Hybrid Perpetuals, Teas, or 

 other tender kinds, should have some porous material strewed 

 amongst them to protect the collar. The coarse particles of 

 old exhausted tan, clean riddled, are very good. New sawdust 

 may also do, or even a good coating of half-decayed leaves. 

 Four or five inches of such materials will at least render the 

 collar safe in the event of a very severe winter. If it is de- 

 sirable to protect the tops altogether, mats thrown lightly 

 over them, covered with straw, will suffice, taking care on the 

 breaking up of frost jiot to uncover the trees until completely 

 thawed, and not to uncover them suddenly even then, leaving 

 a very light screen of straw on them for a day or two, in order 

 to inure them gradually to sunlight. 



GREENHOCSE AND CONSERVATORY. 



In frosty weather the conservatory will require very careful 



management ; some rather difficult problems have to be worked 

 out. Atmospheric humidity cannot be entirely dispensed 

 with, yet this, if not nicely managed, will produce drip, and 

 such, it need scarcely be remarked, is most prejudicial to the 

 delicate texture of the Camellias and other gay plants. Of 

 course, if the exterior of the roof has no covering ice will 

 gather on the glass, and in melting will drop through the laps. 

 The best plan is to maintain as low a temperature as can 

 possibly be allowed, say from 40° to 45° at night, and to leave 

 a little air on at back all night. With a good roof-covering 

 a temperature of 40" would be ample, and then there woidd be 

 sufficient atmospheric moisture at all times without the special 

 application of water. In the greenhouse let the young stock 

 of Heliotropes, Scarlet Pelargoniums, Persian Cyclamens, and 

 other flowers grown specially for winter, have light situations 

 and regular attention as regards watering. To Ericas pay close 

 attention as to watering ; if unfortunately placed near flues or 

 pipes they may become suddenly very dry. Keep up a quiet 

 ventilation day and night if possible. Let the air steal in 

 moderately, and dispense with strong fires, or, indeed, fires of 

 any kind when the temperature can be kept within the proper 

 limits without them. Do not water the Pelargoniums until 

 they are thoroughly dry. 



STOVE. 



Little can be added to the directions given under this head. 

 It would be well, however, to remind the amateur especially, 

 that he must be exceedingly cautious not to overheat the 

 house, as this would cause the plants to start into growth — a 

 result which would be very injurious at this season. 

 For.cixG-riT. 



This is a good time to introduce the following subjects, pro- 

 vided, as before observed, they have received the necessary 

 treatment during the summer — viz., Ehododendrons, Azaleas, 

 both American and Chinese, Persian Lilacs, Sweet Briars, 

 Moss and Provence Eoses, Crimson Perpetual Eoses, Ledums, 

 Kalmias, Anna Boleyn Pinks, Wallflowers, and Dutch bulbs. 

 Unless, however, they are iu proper trim the labour will be in 

 vain, and no mode of forcing or form of pit can comjjensate 

 for any defect in this respect. The great secret of success in 

 forcing them, if the heat is wholly composed of fermenting 

 material, is to keep down accumulating damp and mouldiness 

 by an almost constant ventilation, increasing the linings in 

 order to raise the necessary temperature. Those who possess 

 tank houses or pits will adopt a somewhat different course. 

 Such will scarcely need advice. 



COLD PITS OR FRAMES. 



We have had about a week of wintry weather near London, 

 during which the thermometer has several times indicated 

 from 10' to 12° below freezing-point. Keep a watchful eye over 

 the store pots, and remove damp leaves as soon as they appear. 

 It would be well to pot off Calceolarias that have rooted into 

 smaller pots should the weather become fine. Give air and 

 water as formerly directed. — W. Keane. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST WEEK. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



What changeable weather ! The drenching rains and high 

 winds of Sunday, December 1st, succeeded by a keen frost on the 

 Monday, the thermometer falling before evening to 12° below 

 freezing point. We were rather unprepared for such a sudden 

 frost after such rains, and, therefore, the first work in the morn- 

 ing of Monday, was to give protection to many subjects that 

 otherwise would have teen injured. Most of these, as Celery, 

 young Cabbages, Cauliflowers under hand-lights, Lettuces, 

 Endive, etc., under protection have been almost left to them- 

 selves up to the 7th, which is also a very stormy daj'. Some glass 

 frames covering cuttings of Calceolarias, and others large plants 

 of Cinerarias, but without any heat, had merely the covering 

 partly removed, and wholly removed on one sunny day, to 

 permit of the plants being dried. Strawberry plants in pots 

 out of doors, were well covered overwith litter and let alone for 

 the week. In such boisterous weather, hail, snow, wind, rain, 

 and frost alternating with each other, the constant covering 

 and uncovering would have been little else than labour thrown 

 away. Wherever there was heat enough to promote extension 

 of growth, there exposure to light was indispensable, as well as 

 all the air that could be safely given to prevent weak spindling 

 growth. But wherever the plants are so situated as to be only 

 a few degrees above freezing, so cold, indeed, that there will 

 be no extension or progression ; then, in that case, plants 



