January 6, 1870. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



13 



require a moderate top heat in proportion to the bottom beat 

 in tbe earlier stages of tbeir forcing, they may be kept at one 

 end, and such plants as Thunbergias, Gardenias, Francisceas, 

 &c. that require more atmospheric warmth, at the other end. 

 — W. Keane. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST WEEK. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



The weather has been so changeable and unsettled, that 

 little has been done in the open ground. On Tuesday and 

 Wednesday mornings we had the most severe frost of the 

 season, the thermometer against a north wall at 4 feet from the 

 ground standing at 12°, but fortunately for many crops, such 

 as Cabbages, Wheat, and Turnips still in the field, from 2 to 

 3 inches of snow gave a valuable protection, and remained less 

 or more with us until the last day of the year. The snow was 

 also such a valuable protector, over other coveriug, to cold pits 

 and frames, that we let them alone for several days, taking care 

 only to shake a little long litter along the sides of a low brick 

 pit. The frost was quite severe enough to go through a thin 

 brick wall, if at all damp, and more than once we have known 

 the plants inside killed, because the wall was never thought 

 about, though the glass was amply protected. 



We are rather pleased to see a discussion as to the importance 

 of brick versus wood for absorbing and radiating heat, and we 

 hope it will not be terminated just yet. As to a brick wall ab- 

 sorbing heat from the sun, aud then conducting it and radi- 

 ating off the heat inside of a place large or small, there can be 

 no doubt; but there is just as little doubt that bricks are soon 

 cooled by radiation in a cold clear night, and especially in 

 winter, when the sun has little power. Wood has the ad- 

 vantage, that if it do not become easily heated in summer, it 

 does not easily become cold in winter. At any rate, when 

 placed under precisely the same circumstances, we have known 

 frost penetrate a 4A inch, and even a 9-inch wall, when it did 

 not penetrate 2 inches of wood, though in severe frost we would 

 not like to trust either without protection to break the radi- 

 ating and conducting lines. 



As soon as the ground becomes a little drier, we shall prepare 

 for sowing early Beans and Peas. We have dug a narrow 

 space in front of our orchard house, on the inside, have drawn 

 a wide drill, and given the whole a good soaking, as it was dry, 

 preparatory to sowing a row of Peas, which we shall colour 

 with red lead, as in spite of every effort mice and rats are 

 excessively troublesome. 



FRUIT GARDEN. 



We must refer to previous weeks' notices, and especially as 

 to watering Strawberries. In wet days we pruned, and cleaned, 

 and washed glass and walls in a second vinery, removing all 

 plants in order to do this thoroughly, as was lately alluded to. 

 In reference to using hot water for washing, a correspondent 

 tells us that he killed his Peach trees by washing with a hot 

 mixture of water, soap, sulphur, tobacco, nux vomica, etc., 

 and, therefore, he fears the hot water. In the modes of 

 making such mixtures there is often a great difference in their 

 powers. Thus, a mere mixing of ingredients will be very dif- 

 ferent from boiling them together, as the latter often makes 

 altogether fresh combinations. We have also known bad 

 effects result from using such mixtures too strong and too hot ; 

 but we have never known simple hot water do any harm to 

 well-ripened deciduous plants when in a state of rest. Of 

 course, though the water be near the boiling point, it is con- 

 siderably cooled before it reaches the shoots. We know of no 

 better security or preventive against insects in houses than 

 thus washing, where practicable, all glass, woodwork, and walls 

 with hot water, and even the tops of deciduous fruit trees when 

 in a state of rest. 



Planting of all sorts out of doors has been arrested, but 

 pruning may be proceeded with. Had we the command of 

 plenty of hot water we would use it for syringing dwarf trees 

 out of doors. When we have used it for dwarf Cherry trees, 

 &c, we have never been troubled, or very little, with green or 

 black fly during the summer. 



ORNAMENTAL DEPARTMENT. 



Planting for covert and permanent woods had to be stopped. 

 Even when the ground was very wet we gave it up, as it is not 

 possible under such circumstances to do full justice to the roots 

 and fibres of trees, and if not planted well there is much 

 against the trees' future well-being. In the case of a lot of 

 Hyacinths, Narcissus, Lily of the Valley, &c, in a slight hot- 

 bed, where, as with the Hyacinths, the pots were full of roots, 



but the tops moving only a little, the most forward were moved 

 to a warmer place, and empty pots were put over the filled pots 

 to draw up the flower-stems more. When quickness of result 

 is wanted the hole in the pot may be stopped for a few days. 

 A paper funnel is good for the same purpose. It helps to 

 lengthen the flower- stem and give more room for the florets. 

 We have been preparing well-aired soil, and have had it gently 

 heated for potting Pelargoniums, cutting-inserting. <fec. In 

 potting now two conditions are great aids to success — first, 

 well-aired, slightly-heated soil ; and, secondly, using that soil 

 neither wet nor dry. — R. F. 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATION'S 

 In the Suburbs of London for the week ending -January 4th. 



SI 



29.- Clear and very frosty ; very fine ; clear and fine. 

 30. — Fine ; overcast, cold wind ; densely overcast. 

 Slight rain ; rain, foggy ; heavy rain at night. 



1. — Clear and fine ; cloudy, showery at night. 



2. — Densely overcast ; very mild ; densely overcast. 



3. — Overcast ; densely overcast ; fine, slightly overca 



4.— Cloudy but fine ; overcast ; slight rain. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



N.B. — Many questions must remain unanswered until next 

 week. 



Books {A Subscriber).— You can have " Plans of Flower Gardens," post 

 free from our office, if you ^enclose 5.s\ 4J. with your address. It has 

 drawings of 1 -eds, gardens, borders. Ac, with how to plant them and how 

 to cultivate the plants. Rivers' " Rose Amateur's Guide " yon can have 

 similarly, if von enclose 3s. id. The payments may bo in postage 

 stamps. {An Old Subscriber).— For a young gardener, Thompson's " Gar- 

 denor's A-sistant." "The Cottage Gardeners' Dictionary," "Flower-Gar- 

 den Plans," and Johnson's " Science and Practice of Gardening." They 

 can all be had direct from our office. (E. J. C.).— There has been a 

 second edition, but it is the same as tbe first. 



Binding our Journal (G. P.).— The advertisements are not included 

 in the indices, and cannot be enclosed in the volume case we prepare. 



Fuel (Sulphuric Acid}.— Vie do not know of what the fuel which you 

 mention is composed. 



Cordon Training.— In a few days, " C. J. M." will reply fully in onr 

 columns to the Rev'. J. G. In the meantime he wishes stated that he has 

 no experience of espaliers, he does not like them, and in his northern dis- 

 trict they are only serviceable for baking Apples, which can be grown as 

 well, if not better, as low pyramids on bushes on the Paradise stock. Six 

 feet of height is not sufficient for upright training, except for a few very 

 dwarf-growing Pears. Apples, Cherries, and Plums— such as, Pears— 

 Jargonelle, 3 feet; Beurre Goubault, 4 feet; Beurre Giffird, 3 feet; 

 Comte de Lamy. 3 feet ; Ztpkirin Grcgoire, 3 feet ; Suffolk Thorn, 3 feet ; 

 Bon Chretien 3' feet, &c., on the Quince. Cherries— May Duke, perhaps 

 4 feet; and JtflVey'3 Duke, 3 feet, on the Mahaleb. There are several 

 sorts of dwarf baking Apples— such as Lord Suffield, 4 feet ; Hawthornden, 

 old and new, 4 feet ; Betty Geeson, 4 feet ; Small's Admirable, 4 feet ; 

 Cellini, 4 feet; Warner's King, 4 feet, &c. Dessert Apples— Irish Peach, 

 4 feet; Summer Golden Pippin, 4 feet; Golden Pippin. 4 feet; Cox's 

 Orange Pippin, 6 feet, &c, all on the Paradise. Plums— Belgian Purple, 

 6 feet ; Rivers' Prolific 6 feet, and perhaps De Montfort, 6 feet and 

 Victoria, 8 feet, if carefully root-pruned. Three feet for high walls will be 

 qu te enough space to allot for i ears, aud Cherries of the May Duke race ; 

 for Governor Wood, &c, 4 feet ; for Apples, 4 feet ; for Plums, 6 feet ; for 

 Peaches, 4 feet. Plums should be trained two years like Seymour's fan, 

 and then turned up— six to 8 feet quite sufficient; Peaches, 4 feet; 

 Apricots the same as Plums; Pears and Apples with five upright shoots. 

 Accidents excepted, all will have a long life and a merry one. Train 

 upright all fruits. 



The Grapes at Glamis. — A correspondent asks what is meant at 

 pago 479 of our last volume by turning and exposing the bunches of the 

 Muscat. We regret our remarks should not have been clearly understood, 

 yet scarcely know how otherwise to express ourselves. The reason for 

 the operation is that the berry of th-i Muscat ripens better, and assumes 

 that beautiful and so desirable amber tint more effectually, by being ex- 

 posed to the direct action of the sun's rays. One side of a bunch is always 

 naturally more exposed than the other, and colours accordingly ; a leaf 

 may, however, intervene, which should be removed. All that Mr. John- 

 ston does, tbeu, is by twisting and turning the shoot round, first one way 

 and then the other, "to expose every berry to the same solar influence, and 

 secure the same amount of colouring in every part. 



Vines jn Pots— Shifting (E. A. C, Notts].— 1, In this case we decidedly 

 agree with the gardener, and object to repotting if you wish for fruit this 

 season. You might use a pot instead of a pan to set the pot in, but most 



