March 7, 1867. ] 



JOUBNAIi OP HORTICUIiTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEBENEB. 



181 



pelago and New Holland, which had been considered by Mr. Wallace 

 as identical. 



A very elaborate memoir on the distribution of the species of Lepi- 

 doptera in Great Britain and Ireland, on the plan of Mr. Hewitt C. 

 Watson's " Cybele Britannica," by Mr. Herbert Jenner Fust, was 

 read ; as well as a paper by Mr. E. Saanders, containing descriptions 

 of new species of Bnprestidse, collected in Penang by Mr. Lamb. 



NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 



The Duke of Bdccleuch, President of tbe Royal Horticul- 

 tural Society, has nominated the following Rsutlemen Vice- 

 Presidents for this year: — Lord Henry Gordon Lennox, M.P. ; 

 Mr. James Bateman, F.K.S. ; Mr. Henry Cole, C.B. ; Mr. W. 

 Wilson Saunders, F.E.S. 



When announcing the death of Mr. Skinner, we com- 

 mented on his befriending Joseph Kittek Von Eawicz Wabs- 

 CEWicz, and now we have to record that this botanist's death 

 preceded Mr. Skinner's eleven days. He was Inspector of the 

 Imperial Botanic Garden at Cracow, and was only in his fifty- 

 fcnrth year. He died at Cracow on the 29th of December. 



The Members of the Royal Horticultural S<jciety will 



be glad to learn that, as announced in a report in another 

 eolumn. Dr. Maxwell T. Masters has kindly consented to 

 give five elementary lectures on Botany, illustrated by diagrams 

 ajid living specimens, in the Council-room of the Society, com- 

 mencing on the last Saturday in March. 



WORK FOR THE WEEK. 



kitchen gaeden. 

 If the weather is favourable make sowings forthwith, on well- 

 situated beds of the following vegetables — namely, Brussels 

 Sprouts, Chou lie Milan (Thousand-headed Cabbage), Cauli- 

 fiowcr. Dwarf Cahhage, Green Kale, Savoys, and Leeks, also a 

 little Pomeranian Cabbage, and a sprinkling of some late spring 

 Broccoli. Give a slight salting to all Asparagus-heds and Sea- 

 kale ground. Sow Peas, Beans, and liadishes as soon as the 

 former sowing is above ground. Prick-out very early Celery in 

 a frame. Old mellow dung made firm is good, and prevents 

 tap roots. Sow all herbs, Sweet Marjoram and Sweet Basil on 

 heat. Cover up with litter all early slopes of Radishes, Horn 

 Carrots, &c., whilst the sun shines, about three o'clock, and 

 water them about once a-week with tepid clear manure water. 



FRUIT GARDEN. 



Protect by all possible means the blossoms of fruit trees. 

 Straw ropes, mats, canvas bunting, Fir boughs, and fronds of 

 Fern, should all or any of them be in requisition. As soon as 

 you have finished nailing the Peach trees, mis sulphur and 

 soft soap water to the thickness of paint, and draw a band of 

 the mixture between the shoots in all directions ; this once 

 done, and that well, will secure the trees thoroughly from red 

 spider for a twelvemonth. Throw soot over Strawberry planta- 

 tions requiring manure. Now is the time for grafting, and for 

 various reasons the mode called whip-grafting is by far the pre- 

 ferable one ; in cleft-grafting the divided portions of old wood 

 never re-unite ; in saddle-grafting the flow of sap is limited 

 to two tapering strips of alburnum ; and rind-giafting leaves 

 cavities on each side of the inserted portion of the scion. In 

 grafting it should be remembered that sections of wood already 

 formed never unite ; they are seen, it divested of all subsequent 

 formations, in mere mechanical contact after a lapse of many 

 years, and the scion and stock wll then readily fall asunder, 

 nor do the outer barks form a vital union ; but when newly- 

 formed tissues of both stock and scion come in contact, they 

 coalesce, and an organised growth immediately takes place. This 

 organisable tissue protrudes from between the wood and inner 

 bark ; the inner barks of the scion and stock should therefore 

 be made to coincide as far as possible, and without the least 

 regard being paid to the positions of the outer barks, the nicely 

 fitting of which is unnecessary. 



GREENUOUSE and CONSERVATORY. 



Potting will now be a matter of daily occurrence, and on tbe 

 mode in which this is performed will depend the future success 

 of the plant. We need say little here about the propriety of 

 using fibrous loam or about thorough drainage, their impor- 

 tance is now tolerably well understood ; but a few words to the 

 amateur may be acceptable as to the best mode of watering 

 newly planted subjects in general. Let it be a maxim, then, 

 never to water a fresh-potted plant until it is fixed where it is 

 to remain. I have known persons give their fresh-potted 



plants a thorough watering whilst on the handbarrow to " settle 

 the soil," as it is termed, and then immediately carry them to 

 their destination. This, although called gardening, should be 

 termed "puddling;" it is not possible for plants to thrive 

 after such handling. The soil for potting should be neither 

 wet nor dry ; one is as great an evil as the other ; it should of 

 the two incline to dryness, and should be pressed tolerably 

 firm, not thumping the pot on the potting-board. The water- 

 ing at first should not be performed in order to settle the soil, 

 this means shuttiug out the atmosphere, but merely with the 

 intention of preventing the soil from becoming any drier. 

 Hard balls should be soaked overhead in water a day previone 

 to shifting. The families of Camellia, Acacia, Cytisus, Phajus, 

 Rhododendron, Eutaxia, Citrus, Epacris, Correa, Azalea, and 

 last, but not least, tbe Rose, wUl be a blaze of beauty in the 

 conservatory where plant-growing is well attended to. They 

 will now require abundance of water, to which clear liquid 

 manure should occasionally be added. Dispense with fire heat 

 as much as possible ; the enormous perspiration caused by a 

 March sun is more than enough for some of the evaneseut 

 beauties without the aid of fires. Canvas screens, too, should 

 be at hand to be drawn over the brightest parts of the house 

 for two hours in sunny days. Force on Fuchsias where fine 

 and large specimens are required ; a moist atmosphere, with a 

 slight degree of shading, will run the shy sorts into wood by 

 retarding flowering. Those wintered under stages or in cellars 

 should now be brought forth and potted, to give them a start 

 for the decoration of lawns or the flower garden. Brugmansias 

 should be disrooted and started in heat. Shift, when necessary, 

 Australian and Cape plants in a growing state, likewise Pelar- 

 goniums, Calceolarias, and Cinerarias, with the view of having 

 fine specimens. Pot successions of Gloxinias and Achimenes, 

 and keep them rather dry and warm. 



STOVE. 



Orchids are now swelling fast, and many of the blocks and 

 baskets of Stanhopeas, Gongoras, Dendrobiums, &c., will re- 

 quire to be syringed about twice a-week ; let it be done on 

 sunny mornings early, and give air freely for a couple of hours 

 for fear of moisture lodging amongst the buds. In shifting 

 large specimens in pots break the pot carefully all rotmd 

 so as to avoid injuring the roots, and shift the whole mass 

 together. Terrestrial Orchids, in general, do better in loamy 

 turf and leaf mould (not too much decayed), blended with the 

 lumps of peat. Renew moss on blocks forthwith. Attend 

 to disrooting and pruning back Justicias, Vincas, Cleroden- 

 drons, Eranthemums, Geissomerias, Plumbagos, Poinsettias, 

 Erythriuas, itc, at least those exhausted by flowering, and a 

 fe^v for early work. Those done first, if carried on in due 

 course, will be the earliest next autumn and winter. 



FORaNG-PIT. 



Keep Roses free from insects, watering frequently with liquid 

 manure. Provide successions of subjects for forcing. The 

 Dutch bulbs should not stay long here. The Hyacinths lose 

 much effect when their bells are too much asunder through too 

 much excitement in proportion to the light. Sow tender 

 annuals. Do not forget Phlox Drummondi and Ehodanthe 

 Manglesii, with the Portulacaa. 



PITS and fr.vmes. 



Pot-off Lobelias, and place them in a growing heat ; the 

 ' compost should be light and rich for the first potting. Sow 

 Stocks and other choice annuals, and pot-off all kinds of cut- 

 tings as soon as they are ready, filling up the pots again with 

 sorts that are wanted. As soon as the borders are in a proper 

 state sow hardy annuals in patches, and not too deeply — e 

 slight covering for the seeds will be sufficient. Mark tbe places 

 with small sticks, or make a small ring, which will prevent any 

 other thing being planted over them. Prick-off Cliutonias, 

 Portulacas, or other choice and tender annuals that are fit for 

 the operation, and keep them in gentle heat until they are 

 rooted, then remove them to a colder temperature, except the 

 most tender kinds, which should be nursed until milder wea- 

 ther. Air the odd pits continually at night as well as by day, 

 if there be no frost. Pot-off stores for the flower garden, and 

 forward them, more especially scarlet Pelargoniums, Salvia 

 patens, and Verbenas. A good collection of the best hardy 

 annuals should now be sown, they are of most service and most 

 esteemed before the gay masses of Verbenas, Pelargoniums, 

 (fee, come to perfection. When a frame or a pit is at liberty 

 I would recommend their being sown in small pots in loamy 

 soil, and not turned out until they are slightly pot-bound; the 

 flower then gains the predominance, and the great proportion 



