lebMWT ii, 1B09. ] 



JOUBNAIi OP HOnnODLTUBETAND- COTTAGE GAKDENRK. 



147 



Mteii way inside. An soon as a net is saon, (rorlosity lea^B 

 them to investigate what ia to be found bentiUli it. Wo were 

 obliged to follow with washing i'ciir trees, bb birds had begun 

 tuiip open their forward fruitinR buds. 



The treea are more forward in the orchard bousea than we 

 like, and but for having lots of plants not ovsr-havdy inside df 

 them, we would leave thorn open night and day, and would be 

 glad of a litlle froat to keep the trees back a little. I( wo have 

 yerj bright weather, in addition to all the air possible, we will 

 dull the glass with a little whitened water. Tho trees in the 

 Peach house are in bloom and setting, and look all the bettor 

 of the sun wo have had since the 13lh. Given a low tempera- 

 ture at night— fiom 50° to 55°, a rise of 'J or ;i' dnringthe day, 

 U dull and wet, and of 10° or 15" if bright and Bunny, and a 

 Bunuy day or two every week while tho treesarein bloom, other 

 thiogs being favourable, there need be little donbt as to a 

 good crop setting. Gave air in tine days freely to Vines break- 

 ing, the temperature at night being from 55° to 00°, with a 

 goed rise from sunshine, and air given early. Fifia receive 

 treatment similar to that given to the I'eaoh trees. When the 

 Iruit shows, it is often advisable to nip ont the point of the 

 terminal bud. This checks mere elongation, and iends more 

 Btieugth into the young fjuit. -' ^. ' '• ■■ 



OBNAMENTAI. DErAHTlIKNT. 



If we do not have a very severe frost, never has a hotter 

 season been known for planliiig, and on this account we are 

 busy with plantations, covers, &.o. Wo notice that the earliest- 

 planted trees are moving at the tope, and on examiaing care- 

 fully some Spruce, Laurels, and Larch planted io November, 

 wa hnd they ate pushing out nice healthy white tlbres. This 

 is not at all surprising when we merely glance at the weekly 

 meteorological table in "our Journal," and notice the tempe- 

 rature of the earth at only a foot from the suifdce. That 

 little table is one of the most valuable contents of the serial. 

 We used to keep such lists carefully, and such notes are ex- 

 cellent for giving young men habits of attention and observa- 

 tion. We have given up the habit of late years, partly from 

 wiflliing to be free of the labour, and ohitUy because these 

 weekly tables were prepared with such accuracy. 



, We have good hopes of what trees we plant now doing well; but 

 they run greater risks than those planted in tho autumn when 

 the ground was considerably warmer than it is now. Of three 

 seasons — late autumn, midwinter, and late spring, we think 

 midwinter is likely to be attended with most casualties. Io 

 the beginning of November and onwards, in such a season as 

 this, the ground is warm, and there may be enough of showers 

 expected to keep the top wood well swelled Out; whilst the 

 fibres are beginning to form to meet the wants of the bursting 

 bnds in the spring. In March and onwards there is danger, it 

 i's'tfu'e -but the buds are then soon excited if not actually well 

 BW'elled, and in favourable circumstances, as these develops,, 

 they encourage a reciprocal action in the roots. Kven last 

 B.easbh many thousands of trees that were planted late swelled 

 and opened their buds, and would have lived had there been a 

 showery spring, instead of a spring and a Summer so distin- 

 goifthed for their dryness tliat in making holes iu a field a 

 fijwdnys ago, Iheground was really dry after all our heavy rains. 

 In 'midwinter, say from the end of December to the middle of 

 PeTjrilary in ordinary seasons, freth-planted trees lifted in the 

 n^tuj way are placed in this unfortunate position, that both 

 roots and bads remain for a long time in a state of rest \ and. 

 wheti roots do not soon, when lacerated by raising them, begin 

 to gVow, they are very apt to go the other way, and begin t<> 

 rot and mildew. In such a case, when the buds break and u^e 

 up the stores in the wood, there is no reciprocal action iu the 

 dead and diseased roots, and the plant dies. >. ,.. 



Whilst on this subject we must once more advert to two 

 elements of success. First, After the soil is properly packed 

 about the roots, let it be made firm, especially at and some 

 distance from the surface, so that the wind, by moving tho 

 head of the plant, shall not cause the stem to make a hole 

 round itself. Secondly, In securing firmness beware of the 

 error of most yonng planters, planting too deeply. All young 

 trees, especially of the resinous tribes, should never stand 

 mnoh deeper than they did before planting. In other words, the 

 collar of the plant should not be buried. The collar, technically 

 speaking, is that point whence the roots descend and the stem 

 asctads. We have known hundreds of hardwooded trees, as 

 Oaka, mined by too deep planting. This is one reason why so 

 many trees send a straight bole out of the ground. When the 

 collar of a plant has fair justice, and other circumstances are 

 lavoarabie, the stem sboold look like An elegant colamu, with a 



swelling pWestal at its base, and there oiti be no two opinions 

 as to the difference in elegance and in a picturesque point <>f 

 view. Fastening a young Oak of 'A or 1 feet in height, 3 or 

 4 inches deeper in the soil than it stood before, will be almost 

 as injurious as heaping 18 inches of soil round the stem of a 

 vigorous young tree of 30 or '10 feet in height. We once saw 

 some nice young Uuks that dwindled away and died, because 

 in some alterations carting was saved by placing nearly 'i feet 

 of soil round the stems and over the roots. If the stems had 

 been left clear the matter would not have been so bad perhaps ; 

 but even tho heaping the earth over the roots wag very in- 

 jiuioDS, as depriving these roots of air, and for a confiderable 

 lime of moisture. Many who will readily believe that the finest 

 tree will soon succumb if a heap of hot dung is pUced round 

 the stem, are slower to believe that a mound of common earth 

 placed round tho ttem will, in the long run, be equally de^ 

 struotive. ■ 



rur/i/13.— For thi.-i work there could have been no better 

 season, and what was first put down looks like an established 

 lawn. It is always a risk to lay turf late in the spring, as 

 much more labour is wanted to keep it neat and free from 

 cracks. Turf, it is true, may be laid at any time, when extra 

 labour is given. Wa have laid it with success iu burning 

 weather in the dog days, but then we had it taken up thick, 

 soaked it in a tub before laying, and, after beating and roll- 

 ing, strewed some fine earth along the joints, and allowed it to 

 remain for several weeks before brushing the whole ofi, a plan 

 that answered the pmpose, but the labour was almost doubled. 

 FloiinW Flowoie. — But for what may come, Carnations might 

 now be planted out. It may be as well to wait a little longer, 

 giving them all the air possible, and keeping them from too 

 much wet. Where there is a protected place those intended 

 for pots may be potted. Tulips, Hyacinths, Pinks, and Panaiea 

 should have the soil firmed against their stems, and the gronnd 

 between slightly stirred. Those fine old plants, the Auricolag, 

 are more forward thin usual, and if there is any appearance of 

 worms in the pots, or want of drainage, the ball should be 

 carefully examined, replaced in the pot, or in one of a similar 

 size, and then be top-dressed, which is best done by moving 

 away carefully a little of the surface soil, and adding a rich 

 I compost of fibrous loam and rotten cow dung well sweetened. 

 For Auriculas, Carnations, <ftc., care should be taken to see 

 that there is no spawn or mycelium of fungi in the dung, or 

 even in the soil. If there is, it is advisable to expose the soil 

 to a high temperature, in a furnace over an oven, or by the 

 side of a fire, afterwards exposing it well to the air, and adding 

 a sprinkling of water to make it just moist enough to handle.' 

 We have placed such dung, &»., in hot water for ten mimiteB 

 and then dried it, but that takes ftway more of tho nourishing 

 properties than merely heating the soil and e.xposiiig it to the 

 uir afterwards, and more time is required after the wetting 

 : before the compost is sweet and fit for use. As a general mle 

 i such care may not be required, but of late years we have been 

 I troubled with the mycelium of fungi iu leaf mould, hotbed 

 manure, cow dung, and sheep's dung, and we know oJ many 

 cases in which mischief was thus done. For choice planta a . 

 little supervision and examination can at least do no harm. _ ..„ 

 For amateurs who do not use a great amount of compost isij 

 a twelvemonth, where sods can be obtained, and when they- 

 have a few barrowloads of prunings from the garden, it is no 

 bad plan to set fire to the heap, and when well alight pack the 

 sods grass side downwards oTet" the burning heap, foir.dotng to ^ 

 will remove nearly all danger in this respect ; and if such sodBjj 

 are well aired before use, they will be improved rather ,tl»lj^, 

 injured for all potting pnrposcs. JJjj 



Windinv Gardeninij. — Where bulbs conld be obtained, plenty^ 

 of Crocuses, Tulips, and Hyacinths will n6w be coming io,^ 

 The window is the place for them, and not tho table or th^'., 

 mantelpiece. We do not believe that the Hyacinth gives otrt',' 

 its richest aroma unless in the light, and hovr miserable anil . 

 woebegone do the lanky leaves look when they lengthen in^^-] 

 shady place. Cytisus, Coronilla, &c., will soon be in thei^ , 

 glory. The beautifnl Fvchsiaa slightly pruned in the autuinn, 

 and kept in any ont-of-the-way place free from frost, wUl, owing 

 to the mildness of the weather, be now breaking their buds. 

 Such plants for windows should not be large, should not be in 

 pots above 6 inches in diameter, unless, indeed, you wish » 

 specimen to fill the window, and they will bloom all the mor*.'^ 

 freely when the numerous small side shoots are not t6o much oat , 

 back. The best time to reshift such favourites into Iresh soil^" 

 is when the fresh shoots have broken, and have pushed about' 

 an inch in length. By the time these ehoots were less than ' 



