March 11, 1869. J JOUBHAL 01' HOIli'iaULTUKE AND COTIAUE; OARUtiilEB. 



:wf 



Tbo importance of thij operatiou ia generally acUuowledijoJ, 

 and upon ita proper perfurmauoe maiuly Jepeuds the proiiuo- 

 tion of a desirublo <juttutily of clenu, beiiUby wood of a nuUalile 

 kind. Take, for lualauoo, a Binglo brancli of a i'oaoh tree 

 when it first starts in the upriug ; jf in a healtby, fruit-bcariug 

 conditiou it will tbrow out, probably, fifty wood aUoots, and, 

 perbaps, a greater number of blo/suoms, and if tbo whole of 

 these were left it is probable that two or three of tbo leading 

 shoots would draw all the nonrishmont to tbemeclvea, and be- 

 come rank and ovei luxuriant, wbilet the loraaiudcr would be 

 weak and worthless ; iu like manner tbo Iruil would be small, 

 ill-flavoured, and a ("roat portion abortive. Henco the necessity 

 of a systematic course of disbudding, by which 1 mean the 

 removal of every shoot that ia not re:iaired ; and if this system 

 of disbuddiug Uo rightly curried out over the whole of the 

 tree, it will induce that proper eijuilibrium of sap by which 

 the trees are prevented from growing into over-luxuriant 

 wood. Every tree iu a good soil ia capable of producing and 

 bringing to perfection that quantity of wood and number of 

 fruit which are propurtioual to ita r.ge and the healthy condi- 

 tion of its roots ; consequently, if by carefully thinning the 

 fruit and removing supeilluous shoots the lluid ia directed to 

 all parta of the tioe at ne.uly equal distances, the result will 

 be that each shoot will have thu power of drawing to itself 

 that amount ol sap which is necessary to its healthy support. 



TLOWEB GARDEN. 



Thoae who grow Neapolitan Vioieta should in the next three 

 or four weeks propagate a st^ck either by means of cuttings or 

 runners. Young stock ol choice Paosies struck last autumn 

 should now be planted in the flower-garden beds or borders. If 

 the soil is iu auy way exhauated, a httla fresh material should 

 be put in every hole — such as old roHcn loamy turf, mixed 

 with old leaf soil, a little soot, and a lit'le coarse sand. Too 

 much manure may enlarge the blooms for awhile, but it soon 

 makes the plant over-lux;iriaut. Sow Sweet Peas and Migno- 

 nette. B;iuuncnlaeea are now beginning to make their appear- 

 ance above ground ; as they advance it will be a necessary 

 precaution to keep the soil well round the crown ol the plaut ; 

 when Ihia ia neglected the bloom ia sure to suffer, though, if 

 the surface of tne bed is composed of sand to the depth of 

 half an inch, there will not be much danger. 



GREENIIODBE AND CONtaiKVATORY. 



Now that the new growth has commenced, abundance of air 

 and light should accompany it, if short-jointed and healtby 

 wood and foliage are tj be obtained. Careful management ia 

 necessary in order to allow sbfflciect air to greenhouse plants 

 with the keen, piercing winds we aro now experiencing, for 

 with a bright sun air must be supplied in considerable quanti- 

 ties. Very thin gauzo or hexagonal netting will be found an 

 excellent material to place before tbo openings for ventilation, 

 to break the force of the currents of cold air, which would be 

 lusafe to come in contact with the newiy-made foliage of 

 plants. Herdvvooded plants with their pota full ol roots, and 

 which it is not Convenient to repot at present, should be care- 

 fully attended to with water. The early-started Chinese 

 Azaleas and the common and Otaheilan Orange will be making 

 growth, which should be encouraged by frequent syringing and 

 a genial teuiperature of about CO" by night. Straggling shoots 

 should be removed, and to obtain perfect flowering specimens 

 thenow growth should be uniform. Somoof theearliost-bloomed 

 Camellitis may be added, and occupy a shady part of the house. 

 Epaciisos are auother useful iMmily f jr winter-flowering, and 

 ■Hill staud moderate forcing. Select the early-blooming sec- 

 tion, and after pruning place them ia a moderately warm tem- 

 perature, and by damping frequently encourage them to break. 

 To the above may bo added vunoua plants, which, if required 

 to bloom at Christmas, should be encouraged to make an early 

 growth preparatory to an early ripening and rest. I prefer 

 potting such of the abjve as require shifting, nfter the growth 

 has become somewhat matured.' Pr;i'ie-in Erica hyemalia and 

 other winter-tloomiug Heaths as they go out of flower, to be 

 in order for putting. In mixed greenhonsea a place should be 

 found for free-blooming Hybrid Peqiotual Roses ; cuttioga of 

 those struck last season nud wintered in store pots, if potted- 

 off immediately and sabjecied to high cultivation, will make 

 neat bushes for next autumn and the ensuing spring. They 

 should be forwarded in-doors for a month or so until established 

 in li-inch pots, when they may receive a final shift. Pinch off 

 all bloom buds during the summer, and keep the plants free 

 from green fly or other insects. Cuttings of young wood struck 

 now may be induced tc flo>jev lata this autumn, but, as a 



rule, it is beat i<)x^ ti>em tp be oWer before they are eiUowed lo 



blossom. ,,,, ,.. !• ., , I ,,,.,■,. I 



Continue pottiflg-cli stock lor out-door aecorfttion, (uio 

 making cuttiuga ol Verboij.ia, Fuohsiaf, retunias, lUUi.^s, 

 Pelargoniums, &-'. Shade ne«'yi'olied Stocks, and remember 

 that in making cutllnga the le.^t should not be first allowed to 

 Hag, and then an attempt made to restore it by abundance ■>! 

 water ; foliage shoi^|d nevc«,b,e allowed to droop.— W. Kr,\M . 



DOINGS OF THE LAST WEEK. 



■ niTCm:N GABriBN. 



The w^e'k was very suitable for proceeding with wort vWch 

 with us was father far bel.iud. l^iarthod-up Cabbages; traiif- 

 planted CauliflowerB. sowed Oauhliower seed in a little beat, 

 and lifted some more Sea- kale aihd Ithubarb. We placed poti 

 stuffed with hay over Sea-l:ule cut of doors, and Bomo boxc)! 

 reversed on Rhubarb now advancing, but likely to Buffer from 

 the harsh March winds. , ., 



We potted strong Cucumber plants into C and S-inch pots, 

 as thus wo obtain strong phmts, and can keep a considerable 

 number in a tv/o4ight box. until liits and Iramta are rea<?y lor 

 them, for every jnch ol tin's is now important. Though we 

 have raised numbtrs of line Ci'.cumber plants with hot water, 

 and even common flue heat, yet when convenient we preter for 

 this pui'Pose a dung bed nud frame. A few plants ia the 

 warmest end of a pit Seated by hot water are still bearing 

 some fruit, and as soon as we hive all the cuttings moveS, we 

 bhall till eight lights with ttrong planta at once, and put some 

 in hotbeds under frames about the bame time. In Que e'.-.nnj 

 weather there will not be much difference between thea)^ bat 

 if we have a dull cold spring those assisted with the hot water 

 will come in first. - , V 



Cleaned the Mushrpom beils in bearing with a soft hairbrusb, 

 as uo spawn should ever be allowed to run on the surface- 

 Watered some parts where rather dry with strong liquid manure, 

 made from dried cow dung and sheep dung steeped for several 

 days in water, as that seema to answer better than the hciuid 

 from Iresher manure. Spawned a Iresh piece, and laid earth 

 on loosely until we see bow the heat will be. 



Prepared lor planting a Ireth piece of Globe Artiohpltes and 

 •Jerusalem Artichokes ; raked the rough material off Asparagus 

 rows ; scattered a little salt, and saw that the crowns of those 

 planta in ridged rows were siifliciently covered, as we fonrm 

 that tho rains had washed them so as to leave many alraoat 

 exposed, which would have rendered them liable to be injured 

 by frost. Wo fear that plantations made last season will want 

 making-up, as many were Jried up by the powerful Ban when 

 we had not a drop of w?.ter to give to them. Turned over 

 ground intended for tuberous roots, and, after fresh turning h. 

 piece intended for Onions, reluctantly let it alone, to see who's 

 the beginning ol tho week would do, as the ground was still tc-o 

 claggy to tread and work kindly. 



On examining tbo Celery louud that the latest was stiDWing 

 some signs of bolting, we had, therefore, the most of it taken 

 up with bails and placed close together in a bod on a north 

 border, and well banked-up with dry earth and cinder ashe^, 

 and a piece of wire-netting put round it to keep some four- 

 looted intrijders at bay. The ground occupied with the C-elery 

 was trenched .'ind cross-ridged, so that the fine rotted manure 

 Irom the beds could be equally distributed, and when well pnlr 

 verised what is not v;anted lor a second sowing ol Onions will 

 come in well lor Cauliflowers, Beans, &c. Cleared-off a piece 

 of late-eown Turnips, placing the tubers in small heaps ins. 

 cool place, as the tops were buginning to run, and after that if 

 left alone the Turnips soon become hard and stringy. V> heu 

 much is to b^ made of a smull piece of ground, it should never 

 be forgotten that flower-stems are the best of all exhausters. 



FRUIT DEr.UllMENT. 



We lately stated that some fine Gooseberry bushes had (jied, 

 and as at this time last year nothing could have looked more 

 healthy, we can assign no cause, except that from which ali 

 life suffers, accelerated by the drought ol last summer and 

 carrying very heavy orops. Since the cold north winds set in, 

 birds have commenced on the expanded buds and their tmy 

 leaflets, and to keep them away we syringed with scot and 

 lime water, the latter rather thin. We have been obliged to 

 do so with Pears, and as the buds are growing through we 

 must do it again. It almost makes one a little envious oit 

 going into large gardens and nurseries close to towns, tc see 



