482 



JOUENAL OP HOBTICULTURR AND COTTAGE GARDENEE. 



[ D(?cember 26, IS67. 



any seed that may have been left. Plants from such can be 

 depended on, whilst those from the new seeds may prove a 

 degenerate race. 



FLOTIXK GARDEN. 



Bhododendrons in woods would be much benefited by having 

 a small quantity of leaves placed over their roots, to keep the 

 grennd moist during the summer months. In wet weather 

 prepare labels, sticks, crocks, &c., for spring and summer use. 

 See that recently planted shrubs and trees are not loosened by 

 wind and rain. Protect bulbs if the weather changes to frost. 

 Nail and tie up climbers on walls, trellises, &c., and protect 

 the roots of any that are not perfectly hardy. After frost ex- 

 amine all plants in beds, as Carnations, Pinks, and Pansies ; 

 fasten them as required. Small fir branches, 6 or 9 inches in 

 length, stuck round and amongst the plants, will have a very 

 beneficial sheltering effect. Collect leaves, turn soil heaps, 

 cast leaden labels, prepare layering pegs, mend and make shades 

 for Carnations, and see that everything is put away ready lor use. 



GREENHOUSE A^^D CONSERVATORY. 



Observe to keep as moderate a temperature as possible 

 where the Camellias are in bloom, in order to prolong their 

 season. As drip is rather inconvenient during frost, we would 

 recommend that the roof be covered with a canvas screen, 

 which, by preventing condensation through the low roof tem- 

 perature, will accomplish the object effectually. By so doing 

 you will be enabled to water all available surfaces to keep up a 

 considerable amount of atmospheric moisture, which Camellias 

 much deUght in. Apply water to Heaths and New Holland 

 plants ; to such of both as are coming into flower more liber- 

 ally than to the others. Assist the early Pelargoniums, but 

 keep the summer plants cool and airy. 



STOTE. 



It will soon be time to commence potting the Orchids, Let 

 a stock of proper materials be provided, therefore, without 

 delay — namely, free fibrous heath soil, cut into pieces about the 

 size of a Walnut, fresh sphagnum chopped or cut, plenty of broken 

 crocks, and charcoal in lumps. The whole of these'materials, 

 except the crocks and charcoal, should be subjected to some 

 process that will destroy snails andother insects, with their eggs. 

 Scalding the sphagnum and peat is sometimes resorted to, but 

 the process so much hastens decomposition in the vegetable 

 matter, that it soon becomes a pulpy mass, impervious to the 

 atmosphere. It is better to lay it in some very warm and dry 

 place, turning it occasionally. The uncertain state of the 

 weather will entail an unusual degree of attention on the part 

 of the cultivator, as the appheation of a large supply of arti- 

 ficial heat at one time, and the absence of it at another, are 

 alike dangerous to all plants under glass, but particularly so 

 to those requiring a temperate climate. It will, therefore, be 

 absolutely necessary to employ a more than ordinary amount 

 of diligence and forethought to ward off the destruction which 

 will assuredly follow the least negligence. The young gardener 

 should set about studying the atmospheric changes, being 

 guided in a great measure by the instruments usually employed 

 for that purpose. Nothing relating to his profession can be of 

 much more use to him than an intimate acquaintance with 

 these changes, which so seriously affect his pursuit. A gar- 

 dener, in fact, is always at the mercy of the weather. A 

 chief part of his occupation is to apply heat and water to 

 counteract the drying and freezing effects of summer and 

 winter. To understand how to apply these without injury to 

 vegetation is a matter of great importance to all plant growers, 

 more especially to the inexperienced in such matters. They 

 cannot, therefore, do better than begin the year by making 

 themselves thoroughly acquainted with the subject. 



PITS AND FRAMES. 



_ Plants suffering from drip must be removed to a better 

 situation, in order to prevent their roots from perishing. Cold 

 pits and frames ought to be defended by linings of fern, or 

 leaves, to repel the frost. Give air freely when the weather is 

 not frosty. Avoid watering at this season, and remove all 

 damp leaves, &c., the moment they appear. — W. Keane. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST ^^'EEK 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



As the frost of the I'Jth and 20th threatened to be severe we 

 covered beds of Coleworts fit for use with a little htter, like- 

 wise rows and beds of Endive and Celery. To save trouble, 

 uncovered but httle where there was no ai-tifioiol heat on the 



20th, leaving everything very nearly in the same condition, as 

 regards protection, as in previous week's notice. 



Placed more roots of Sca-kalc and Rlitihutl in the Mush- 

 room-house, and filled another light of a frame with Asparagus 

 roots. When these are packed close to each other a single 

 light holds a great many. In taking up and storing roots for 

 use we do not care about having much earth ^Yith the roots ; 

 but we do not like them to become dry. We save carefully 

 every bud, and if the roots are very old, and part of the heads 

 of the roots destitute of buds, we break the plants into 

 pieces that the space may not be taken up with parts that 

 will yield no heads. We then commence at the back of the 

 bed, place there a row of plants as closely together as they wiU 

 go, with the roots spreading out to the front, and on these we 

 scatter a httle fine soil. The second row of heads goes close 

 to the first and over these roots, the roots of the second row 

 being covered a little in the same way, and so on to the front. 

 We then give water at 80°, and cover with 2 or 3 inches of 

 soil. Thus packed, many good dishes may be gathered from 

 one light of a frame — so many, that we rarely fill more than 

 one light at a time, as we want successions, and not such a 

 glut as to be forced to send forced Asparagus to table every day. 

 Cauliflowers coming in well in an earth pit have been 

 securely protected with litter. Holes must be carefully looked 

 after, and care taken that thtie is no opening between the 

 covering and the earth walls. 



Kidruij Beans. — Potted those sown in small pots, and sowed 

 more in a similar manner, placing them where they will have 

 a little fire heat to keep them coming on slowly. 



Collected leaves when opportunity offered, and began putting 

 a little dung in readiness for forwarding crops. We have found 

 that but little is gained by doing much until the shortest day 

 has passed, it requires so much to make up the leeway with 

 a decUuing sun ; but everything seems to start with new vigour 

 afterwards. We have sown Radishes in a frame in November 

 and on January 1st, but there was no comparison between 

 the produce. We generally, on that account, depend on late- 

 sown Hadislicf for the winter months, merely protecting them 

 from frost. After the end of December they grow so much 

 sturdier and shorter-topped, and, ccming quickly to maturity, 

 eat so much crisper, than those striving for existence during 

 the winter months. It is much the same with young Potatoes. 

 We start them in pots or boxes now in a Uttle leaf mould in a 

 rather warm place ; but they always do best with us when 

 planted after the new year. When new Potatoes were an ob- 

 ject all the winter, we used to keep old Potatoes over the sum- 

 mer, and place them in layers in dry soil or old tan in the 

 autumn in a heap in a warm shed, and they were quite as 

 good as could be obtained in pits and frames at that season, 

 though not to be compared to a spring-produced Potato in a 

 mild hotbed. We have also planted out Potatoes in the middle 

 of July, and even the end of it, taken them up when cut down 

 by frost, and kept them in dry sand ; and though they were 

 waxy enough for those who like them in this way, we cannot 

 say that, except for pasting as new Potatoes, there was much 

 to recommend them. In the majority of cases, going to much 

 trouble in such matters is labour thrown away. However, 

 such crops may bo easily had if wanted, if there is con- 

 venience for them. With most of us, however, all the good 

 old rules about a place for everything, and everything in its 

 place, have long been transgressed, as every place has to serve 

 a multiplicity of purposes. The cramming system must be 

 resorted to in most places, and the consequence is that the 

 labour in moving so often would ere long nearly pay for larger 

 and more suitable conveniences. 



Mushrooms are useful for filhng iip at this season. Another 

 piece of a Mushroom-bed has been spawned and earthed-up, 

 and manure placed in the house to help to make one more 

 piece, and we may mention that the moist heat from such 

 manure, when in course of preparation, has been nearly 

 enough to keep the other beds bearing without much other 

 heat. For the sake of beginners, however, we must say that 

 our bearing beds are slightly covered with dry, rough hay and 

 other litter. Without that we would not have the rank dung 

 in the house, as the steam might injure and discolour the 

 Mushrooms. In our house, lean-to, we have a small ventilator 

 at the apex at each end, the size of a brick, and that prevents 

 moisture condensing and falling on the beds. The plan of 

 placing the manure in the house to work and become sweet 

 and dry enough, answers well under these circumstances. 

 When we do not cover the beds, and when we make a fresh 

 piece, we prevent steam and moisture rising by ulacing over 



