12 



JOUBNAL OF HOETICUIjTURE A.ND COTTAGE GARDENEB. 



t Jdnuary 7, \9I9 



Potted young Caoumber plants, and sowed 



moved afterwards. 

 more seed. 



FBniT QAKDEN. 



Cleaned ont a vinery, washed the glass and woodwork, white- 

 washed the walls, shelves, &a., in order that we might fill it 

 for the time chiefly with bedding stuff from cold frames and 

 pita. Put more Strawberry pots in frames, as detailed lately, 

 and moved the first of those placed in a frame to a pit where 

 they could have the benefit of a hot-water pipe. These were 

 placed on shelves supported on pots, so as to form a temporary 

 stage of the same slope as the sashes, the pots being about 

 15 inches from the glass. We have merely sprinkled a little 

 fresh moss on the boards for the pota to stand upon, which 

 retains a little moisture at the bottoms, but prevents that 

 accumulation which often takes place when saiicers are used. 

 These pots are set too thickly for remaining ; but as the plants 

 need more room they can be carefully moved with the roots 

 protruding in the moss, taking moss and all. lu using such 

 moss, especially when fresh gathered, and after such a mild 

 season as this, experience makes us careful to avoid the pre- 

 sence of small slugs and snails, which would soon grow larger 

 in the heat, and be difficult to exterminate. To ensure their 

 absence we put the moss in a barrel, sprinkle each layer with 

 quicklime, and then fill up with hot water. Allow this to 

 stand covered up for a night, and it will be rare if one of the 

 slimy family escape. Pruning, Sea., as before. 



ORNAMENTAL DEPAKTMENT. 



Proceeded with out-door work, as levelling, turfing, digging, 

 and ridging, at favourable opportunities. Pruned the hardier 

 Eoses, and even did the same as respects the more tender ones 

 against a wall, as the wall was becoming shabby, and we wished 

 to hide deficiencies by a good scrubbing and limewashiog. Thia 

 is good in itself, and a suitable preparation for anti-corrosion 

 paint of whatever colour. We have not at this season done 

 the work as we would have done it in March or April; 

 but the following makes an excellent durable lohitewasli: — 

 Make the quicklime pass through water in a sieve, as if you 

 were going to make lime putty, or the last smooth coat in 

 plastering a room, and when tolerably well settled add about 

 one-third of cement to the limewash, and then water to thin it 

 sufficiently. For a light wash use Portland cement, for a 

 darker wash use the dark Roman cement. This generally 

 stands the weather well, and if laid on bricks that are new, or 

 well cleaned, you can hardly colour your hand in drawing it 

 over the wall after the colouring has become dry. 



Old walls are apt to become unsightly from nail holes, and 

 these help on the decay of the wall. Whitewash, or any 

 colour that may be approved of, hides most of these draw- 

 backs, and is a security against insects. Had we a new wall 

 we would never allow a nail hole in it. We would have a wire 

 trellis, or studs, with a hole in each, or even metal nails 

 driven in securely at regular distances, and left as permanent 

 holders, and shoots could be tied to them. Such nails, heated 

 well in an old shovel or pan, and then placed in oil and allowed 

 to dry before being used, will last for years before they begin 

 to rust and decay. 



Painting and not Painting. — " G." tells us, that he had 

 frame sashes new a few years ago, they looked well, and have 

 always been kept well painted, but they are becoming so rotten 

 that they can scarcely be moved. There is not a doubt that 

 the sashes had been made of green wood. The paintiug kept 

 moisture out, but it likewise kept the moisture in, and as that 

 could not have an outlet, it fermented and produced a dry rot. 

 We some time ago were asked to look at some slats of oak 

 gates, not made above half a dozen years, that were as rotten 

 as touchwood. The owner would have them paiuted, though 

 the oak was green. The tradesman was not at all to blame. 

 Such gates ought to have stood at least a twelvemonth before 

 being painted. We are sure they would have done good 

 service, so far as wear was concerned, for from ten to twenty 

 years if they had never been touched with a paint brush. Some- 

 thing would be gained were the impression general, that paint 

 is a preservative only when used over dry, well-seasoned 

 timber. When used over that which is fresh and green, how- 

 ever well the work may look, it just acts as a source of pre- 

 mature decay. With the prejudice in favour of paint as a pre- 

 servative in all circumstances, we should be afraid to say how 

 long we have known sashes in constant use last, and be as 

 fresh as on the day they were made, although they never were 

 painted at all. In wet weather, however, they were very heavy 

 to move. We have known not a few barns that had their sides 

 made of green feather-edged boards, which would have lasted 



many years if let alone, or if painted or tarred a twelvemonth 

 or eighteen months after being fastened in their places, but they 

 very soon became rotten, because tarred or painted as soon as 

 they were put up. Paint dry well-s-jasoned wood, and yoa 

 preserve it ; paint green unseasoned timber, and you take the 

 most effectual means to cause it to decay prematurely. 



On the signs of frost we will protect the more tender Hoses 

 against a wall with evergreen boughs placed in front of them, 

 and a little litter over the collar of the roots. In such posi- 

 tions the most tender Teas seldom require more attention. In 

 cold places, in beds, the plant that gives least trouble is to take 

 the plants up in November carefully, pack the roots in soil iu 

 a shed, and plant out again in the middle of March. A little 

 fern or long Utter over them where they stand, if on their own 

 roots, will often enable them to throw up fine flowering shoots, 

 though what is fully exposed may be much injured. Against 

 a frame such Rosea will in general be safe with only a little 

 protection in the most severe weather, as the wood is in general 

 harder. Prom a wall we have thus had Roses almost as early 

 as it the plants had been in a cold house under glass. 



One of the structures, however, which we should like to have 

 would be a wood and glass house, with beds tor Tea-scented 

 Roses, and the tender kinds. We should be satisfied with one 

 of the roughest description, with a fixed roof of large squares, 

 and ventilation at the top, and at the bottom in front, depend- 

 ing on hand appliances for wateriug and syringing, and a close 

 still atmosphere for keeping the frost from doing injury. The 

 exclusion of high winds and rains would secure fiue blossoms, 

 well formed, and without ilaws ; but if we could realise many a 

 day dream, it would be to have the roof, wliether lean-to or 

 span, moveable in narrow sashes, each pivot-huug at the centre 

 of the ends, and then these sashes, standing nearly vertically 

 in summer, would admit raina when these were desirable. To 

 render the whole complete, wo would have 4-inoh hot-water 

 pipes under each bed and a pipe round the house, to give a mild 

 dry heat when necessary, and the bottom and top heat inde- 

 pendent of each other. The whole cost would be a mere 

 bagatelle to many of our enthusiastic Rise cultivators, and the 

 pleasure derived would be more than a tenfold reward. As 

 stated above, however, even a simple unhealed structure would 

 yield a great amount of pleasure. 



Bedding Plants. — Where there are no means but cold pits 

 and frames, the late weather has been very trying, and though 

 ours have kept very well, the greatest care would not prevent a 

 few damped leaves, and therefore we felt anxious to remove 

 the most tender to a vinery or other place, where they could 

 have plenty of air and a little dry heat in such wet dripping 

 weather. As frequently stated, it takes a large amount of 

 damp to injure Calceolarias, but it is different with Pelar- 

 goniums, Verbenas, &e. They stand well iu cold pita pro- 

 tected, when there are sunny days in which you can give abun- 

 dance of air, and care is taken not to use a drop of water 

 except when absolutely necessary. In such moist weather as 

 we have had lately, and however much air might be given by 

 tilting the sashes, there would be a tendency iu many leaves to 

 show signs of damping, and if not removed at once the damp- 

 ing would soon spread. The greatest evil is that in such 

 weather the time must be chosen with cire for removing the 

 affected leaves, as the falling of a slight shower over the plants 

 would be sure before long to increase the evil. In such a season, 

 when the sashes can so seldom be taken completely off for fear 

 of rain, the plants, just like our Calceolarias, grow too freely, 

 and therefore become more tender and full of juices than we 

 like them to be, and consequently will be more liable to suffer 

 from frost, or from being covered tip long, than plants more 

 fretly expoaed to a colder but drier atmosphere. 



On these accounts, all combined, but chiefly because it is of 

 importance to the welfare of plants to be able to clean them and 

 attend to them in all weathers, we earnestly advise those who 

 cootemplate having a cold pit, to make it just so large that 

 they can walk inside of it, clean plants and pots, top-dress, 

 stir the surface, and change the positions of plants even in the 

 most unpleasant days. Two feet more in width will give room 

 for a narrow pathway, and both wood and glass are now, cheap, 

 and that room may be compensated for by the plants standing 

 more closely, or even beneath the stage and platform, or if 

 the path is sunk, on a broad shelf over it. There is no com- 

 parison of the enjoyment to be realised from such a place, 

 when contrasted with a mere cold pit. A sm»ll stove would 

 render all covering-up, except in the coldest weaiher, unneces- 

 sary. Many a little house might thus be attached to a sitting- 

 room and kept all comfortable by means of a coke or gas stove, 



