January 13, 1870. ] 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



29 



FRUIT GARDEN. 



Finish the pruning of fruit trees ; the refuse should be de- 

 posited in the ground while trenching, or laid up in a heap 

 with other material, such as sawdust, ditch or road scrapings, 

 &c, and left to decompose. This will be found valuable 

 manure. The great utility of charcoal and wood ashes for 

 gardening purposes is admitted by all. Whilst the felling 

 of trees, the cutting of hedges, and thinning of woods are pro- 

 ceeding, now is the time to lay-in a stock for the year. The 

 process of burning is very simple. Begin by burning all the 

 largest of the brushwood as a centre of operations, following-up 

 with the smaller wood, and when burning well cover the whole 

 with the rough refuse of the kitchen garden which has been for 

 some time collecting; finally, put on a coating of tuif or soil, 

 double if of turf, the latter being reserved for potting purposes. 

 The material thus managed will furnish large masses of char- 

 coal for Orchids, smaller lumps for drainage to pots, and wood 

 ashes in abundance for dressing seed bed3 of any plants which 

 require fresh material. Everything in this department ought 

 now to be in a forward state. If any planting is unfinished it 

 ought to be done as soon as possible ; also the pruning and 

 tying of Raspberries, &a. As Gooseberrj and Currant buds 

 are much advanced, should severe frost or snow set in, birds, 

 especially sparrows, will become very destructive to them. 

 Pieces of different-coloured cloths, or feathers, tied on strings 

 and stretched across the rows, would be a protection. Stake 

 all newly-planted trees or bushes to keep them from being 

 shaken by the wind. After pruning the Gooseberries and 

 Currants, it is well to top-dress between the bushes a little. To 

 accomplish this draw a little of the surface soil away with a 

 hse ; then apply the manure, and finally soil over the whole 

 about 2 inches deep. 



FLOWER GARDEN. 



Do everything now that will lessen the labour to be per- 

 formed when the busier season of the year arrives. Trench all 

 vacant flower beds, and at the same time add such exciting or 

 fresh materials as may be necessary. In stiff soils the addition 

 of charred materials will be very beneficial. The deeper and 

 oftener these beds are turned before planting-time the better. 

 On every favourable opportunity stir-up the surface of those 

 beds containing bulbs which have been battered by the rains ; 

 this will secure the free action of atmospheric influences. 

 Any bulbs which remain unplanted may be put in during mild 

 weather. Prune Roses, deferring the tender kinds till a later 

 period. The planting of shrubs and choice trees may now be 

 carried on ; these operations should be prosecuted vigorously as 

 long as open weather lasts, and be brought to a close as speedily 

 as possible. Nothing has a greater tendency to retard and 

 interfere with the operations at a more advanced season of the 

 year than the late spring-planting of trees and shrubs. Do 

 not let highly stimulating manures enter into the composts for 

 the Ranunculus bed. Night soil haB been used with success, 

 forcing a magnificent bloom ; but in the succeeding season the 

 roots appeared to dwindle and many were lost. The advice 

 given the week before last will be found one of the best as 

 well as the most simple methods of forming a bed for this 

 beautiful flower. The surface soil in the pans or boxes in 

 which seedling Auriculas have been pricked out may now be 

 removed, and a top-dr6ssing of leaf soil and cow manure well 

 rotted, and blended together in equal parts, may be applied, 

 taking care that no dirt lodge among the leaves. Expose 

 the planta fully to the air in open mild weather, avoiding 

 cutting winds, which are more detrimental than frosts at this 

 season, covering well-up at night, though especial care must be 

 taken not to cover them up wet. Carnations will require con- 

 siderable attention just now ; remove all mildewed leaves, stir 

 the surface soil in the pots, and make preparation for potting 

 by turning and well sweetening the soil. Tulips will give the 

 amateur some employment, and as his favourites venture above 

 ground envelope them in a covering of washed or Calais sand 

 as before directed. If possible protect the beds from excessive 

 frost. 



GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. 



Although the expediency of night coverings for the roofs of 

 glass houses has been frequently pointed out and pretty 

 generally admitted, yet hitherto little has been done towards 

 carrying the plan into effect. It is, however, very economical 

 a3 regards fuel, more especially in old houses with badly-fitting 

 glass. Under such circumstauces a trial is only required to 

 prove its utility. Maintain a mild agreeable atmosphere in 

 show houses, and see that all the plants are clean and in good 

 health. If any become infested with insects remove them 



immediately, for no course of culture will succeed without 

 thorough cleanliness. Such plants as show signs of growth 

 should, as a matter of course, be potted first. Cinerarias which 

 are cramped in their pots should have a shift, as also Chinese 

 Primroses for spring work. 



STOVE. 



Orchids must now be frequently examined, repotting such as 

 may require it. Before applying sphagnum, however, soak it in 

 boiling water to destroy insects, and some even half char their 

 peat for the same purpose. 



FORCING PIT. 



Introduce bulbs, Roses, Pinks, Lilac3, and plants of that 

 description in succession. Keep up a bottom heat of 75°, and 

 an average top temperature of C0° at night and 70° by day, 

 admitting air on all favourable occasions. 



COLD PITS AND FRAMES. 



If the tenants of these have been housed somewhat dry and 

 kept so, and hardened with abundance of air, nothing is neces- 

 sary but to follow up these principles, and take care to exclude 

 frost. If, however, severe weather should occur and they 

 become frozen, see that they are not uncovered directly a thaw 

 comes. Let them remain in comparative darkness until they 

 are quite thawed, which in ordinary cases would be about two 

 days, merely turning up the mats or straw a little at both 

 back and front so as gradually to inure them to the light. — 

 W. Keane. 



DOINGS OP THE LAST WEEK. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



Sowed Carrots and Radishes in a two-light bed with a gentle 

 heat beneath. These were sown in rows 4 inches apart, so 

 that the Carrots will be 8 inches apart when the Radishes are 

 goue, and at that distance they may stand rather thickly in 

 the rows, and as the most forward are drawn more room will 

 be given for the smaller ones. This is not, to look at, a very 

 artistic or business-like way of doing things, but whoever 

 adopts it will be thoroughly surprised at the quantity of fine 

 voung Carrots he can draw from a few yards of ground. The 

 Horn and the Small Dutch are best for this purpose. 



Rhubarb and Sea-kale. — We never had better before Christ- 

 mas than this winter, and we attribute the result to giving very 

 little heat, and thus bringing them on very gradually. 



FRUIT GARDEN. 



Here our chief work has been finding places for as many 

 Strawberry pots as possible on shelves, &c, having no regular 

 Strawberry house. Most of the plants had previously had the 

 slightest heat under glass, and we have larely seen the roots of 

 potted plants in better condition. Each plant had the surface 

 soil scratched off thinly, the surface full of fibres just moved 

 with a pointed stick, and a slight rich top-dressing added, most 

 of the old leaves being removed previously. The old leaves 

 serve as a protection before the plants are set to work. There 

 is always something, however, to keep us gardeners humble. 

 Out of a fine batch of President Strawberry in pots, not a 

 tithe is left, grass mice have demolished the buds so thoroughly. 

 With house and field mice, and even rats, we can wage war with 

 varying results ; but these grass-eating or green-food devourers 

 we can do little with. In the grass of the parks of several 

 places there are countless myriads of them. 



ORNAMENTAL DEPARTMENT. 



The frost and the continued wet have made J'iolets very 

 scarce out of doors. Even with respect to the single Russian 

 the foliage has suffered much, though the little buds seem 

 plentiful enough and apparently healthy. It is fortunate that 

 we had a lot under glass protection. The Czar is valuable not 

 merely for its large flower, but also for its long footstalk. The 

 grass mice have greatly cut up our Pinks, especially young 

 plants. They p ratty well defy everything except fine wire or 

 hair snares, and snaring would be equivocal work._ 



Turned over a slight hotbed in which Roses in pots were 

 plunged; the heat had gone, or nearly so, and the turning over, 

 with a barrowload of fresh, rather warm leaves in a light, will 

 give quite as much heat as is wanted. Some strong plants of 

 Cloves, Carnations, and Pinks will be put in the same place. 

 The strongest of these were lifted out of the ground with balls, 

 and potted about six weeks ago, and plunged up to and a little 

 over the rim of the pot in a mild hotbed, with plenty of air to 

 keep the tops cool. Now the pots are crammed with fresh 

 roots, and will bear a little more heat well. 



As the result of the severe frost we have suffered only in one 

 thing. In the coldest night, colder by some 10° in the morn- 



