12 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ January 6, 1870. 



language and clearness of expression." We hope there will 

 be a good response to the liberal and philanthropic effort that 

 Mr. Hubbard is making to benefit those for whom the good is 

 intended. 



At a recent meeting of the Council of the Royal Bo- 

 tanic Society, Mr. .Tames De Carle Sowerby, in consequence 

 of advanced age, resigned the office of Secretary, and Mr. 

 William Sowerby, who had filled the post of Assistant Secre- 

 tary lor many years, was appointed to succeed him. Mr. 

 Sowerby was one of the original founders of the Society, and 

 was nominated Secretary in 1839 by the Royal Charter of 

 Incorporation. At the same meeting Mr. Thomas Don was 

 appointed Superintendent of the Society's gardens. 



We have to record the death of Mr. William Brown, 



formerly gardener to Lord Herbert of Lea, at Wilton. When 

 Mr. Brown was compelled by ill-health to retire, his lordship 

 settled on him an annuity of £100. Mr. Brown died on the 

 23rd ult., at Newton, near Bromley, Kent, in his seventy-first 

 year. 



WORK FUR THE WEEK. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



■When the weather permits, all spare ground should now be 

 dug and ridged — indeed, trenched if time allow. Where a sys- 

 tematic rotation of crops is carried out, and, of course, a regular 

 planned system of spade management, it is an excellent method 

 to trench all the kitchen garden successively in the course of 

 three years. The trenching to ba performed each year should 

 be on the ground intended for tap-rooted plants, such as Car- 

 rots and Parsnips ; also on that for new plantations of Straw- 

 berries, Raspberries, bush fruits, &c. If the subsoil is stiff 

 and sour it should be raised, as in subsoiling, and a good coat 

 of oinder ashes worked in amongst it in a rough state would 

 serve to facilitate the passage of water and air. Sow Early 

 Horn Carrots on sloping banks thoroughly prepared for the 

 purpose, also a few Long-pod Beans to succeed the Mazagans 

 sown in November, and Early Peas to succeed those of the 

 November sowing. Some Early Frame Radish should now be 

 sown to succeed that now above ground. 



frames and pits. 

 If there is a good heap of hot dung sufficiently worked, 

 let a seed bed be made forthwith for Cucumbers ■ a one-light 

 frame is very handy for this purpose. Cover the dung inside 

 with b inches of old and clean riddled tan. or, if it can be had, 

 cocoa-nut refuse, and plunge the seed pots near the glass, 

 taking care, if the bottom heat exceeds 90°, to keep it sub- 

 dued. Endeavour to have readv a spare frame or pit for early 

 J otato, a bottom heat of 70° that will last for a month will 

 be quite sufficient. The sooner it dies away after that the 

 better ; bottom heat continued too long will draw up the haulm. 

 it a frame can be spared, sow Horn Carrots and frame Radishes 

 in alternate rows 3 inches apart ; a slight bottom heat of 65° 

 will forward them much. Proceed with forcing successional 

 us. The early beds, if kept well lined, will do again, 

 or they vail make excellent beds for Potatoes, early Carrots, or 

 Radishes. Provide successions of Kidney Beans and Straw- 

 berries as soon as spare room can be secured for them. Re- 

 member that Strawberries are best started in pits or frames 

 with a bottom heat of 70°, with abundance of air, and thence 

 removed to the hothouse shelves if necessary. 



fruit garden. 

 All fruit-tree planting which was not completed in the 

 autumn should be proceeded with in mild intervals. Wherever 

 the subsoil is bad it should be entirely removed, and a platform 

 of brickbats, rubble, or cinder ashes rammed hard at about 

 1 foot below the ground level. On this place, if possible, a 

 little rough turf m a fresh state, and be sure to mix some fresh 

 maiden soil with the compost— sound and tenacious loam for 

 the Apple and Pear, sound yet mellow loam for the Peach and 

 Apricot, and free upland soil for the Plum, Cherry, Tine, and 

 tig. Follow up the nailing and training of fruit trees; lose 

 no time, when the weather permits, in advancing these matters. 

 Wnen such is completed I would advise syringing with the 

 laundry soapsuds, saturating every crevice in the wall. This 

 is an old plan, and a very cheap and good one. 



FLOWER garden. 



When there is no frost look over beds planted with bulb* 



and, where necessary, stir the surface to keep the soil open and 



triable. Trap mice, which are often very destructive to bulb- 



ous plants. Look to Dahlias and Hollyhocks ; the latter, when 

 planted skilfully, produce an excellent effect, and therefore 

 special attention should be paid to having a good supply of 

 them. All Pinks and Pansy beds must be well looked to after 

 frost, and plants which are loosened should be carefully 

 fastened. The same observations will apply to seedling Auri- 

 culas, Polyanthuses, &c. Those who are beginning to cultivate 

 Ranunculuses should obtain a number of the best and of the 

 older and more plentiful varieties — such as Eliza, pale yellow, 

 of beautiful form and petal ; Orissa, white, edgf-d with pink, 

 large and fine ; Naxara, though now cultivated for many years, 

 one of most splendid dark silvers grown ; Melange des Beautes, 

 good in a scarce class, yellow, striped with red ; and Socrates, 

 olive, of large size and fine form — increasing their stock of 

 new varieties as they attain proficiency in their cultivation. 

 Raising seedlings is now a favourite pursuit with many florists, 

 and a wonderful addition has been made to the various classes 

 of spots, mottles, and edged flowers. For this purpose some 

 semi-double sorts with good shell-formed petals should be 

 planted, in order to obtain pollen at the proper season for cross- 

 fertilisation. Carnations and Picotees will still require partial 

 attention ; a few are spindling this mild winter. It will 

 be better to allow the stems to remain till later in the sea- 

 son ; water occasionally when the soil is very dry, but avoid as 

 much as possible wetting the foliage. Proceed, as before ob- 

 served, with all alterations before the necessary spring work 

 arrives. Take care to have labels of all kinds in readiness. 

 Attend to half-hardy plants and tree Roses of tender habit. 

 Planting may be proceeded with in open weather, likewise turf- 

 laying or other pleasure-ground alterations. 



GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. 



As the conservatory is the chief place of resort by the family 

 in winter, the floors must always be kept particularly clean 

 and dry. Dryness of the atmosphere through, fire heat will 

 not, however, keep the plants in that luxuriant health which 

 not only creates a present interest in them, but also furnishes 

 a guarantee for success in future. Great moderation, there- 

 fore, in the use of fire heat is necessary in this department, 

 more especially in the dead of winter. A temperature of from 

 40° to 45° by night, and from 50° to 55° by day, is at this 

 period quite sufficient. Take care that Camellias in blossom 

 are thoroughly watered with clear, tepid, liquid manure water. 

 Keep Pelargoniums in a quiescent state ; give as little water as 

 possible ; in fact, none unless the plants show a disposition to 

 flag in the leaf. Abundance of air is requisite, avoiding, how- 

 ever, cold currents, which are very liable to speck the leaf 

 when in a tender state through close confinement. A tem- 

 perature of 50° by day, and of 40° by night, is sufficient for 

 the present. Few, excepting some of the most opulent, possess 

 distinct houses for each family of plants, therefore a few 

 simple directions may be useful. At this period of dormancy, 

 economy in the use of fuel is most desirable in a double point 

 of view. A compromise between the temperature of the con- 

 servatory and the Pelargonium house, as detailed above, will 

 be the point to aim at for the present. Keep all Cinerarias, 

 Heliotropes, Calceolarias, and other softwooded plants, in the 

 lightest part of the house and as near the glass as possible. 

 Correas, Epacrises, Heaths, etc., should be placed on a bench 

 by themselves in a most airy part. A little water poured on 

 the cooler parts of the floor on each evening will somewhat 

 alleviate the pernicious effects of the fire heat. 



STOVE. 



Keep up an abundance of atmospheric moisture so as to 

 counteract the parching or shrivelling effects of hot-water 

 pipes or flues. To obviate the inconvenience of drip leave a 

 little back air all night, if only an inch. A few early Gloxinias 

 and Achimenes may now be introduced to bottom heat in this 

 house. 



forcing pit 



This pit should possess at the present time a permanent 

 bottom heat of 80°, and sufficient atmospheric moisture we 

 shall presume has been secured. Such being the case, pre- 

 parations must be made for producing a due succession of 

 early spring flowers, if not already done. Introduce a sprink- 

 ling forthwith of the most popular tribes adapted for forcing, 

 such as the hardy American plants, Moss, Provence, and Spong's 

 Roses; likewise the Crimson Perpetual. The new hybrid 

 Roses will do better in a more moderate temperature, with the 

 exception of Tea Roses, which will endure a lively heat. Azalea 

 indica and many of the plants generally known as winter 

 flowers will also find a place here. As these plants in general 



