AprU 8, 180D. ] 



JOURNAIi OF HORTIODLTUBB AND COTTAGE GABDENEE. 



245 



hoB proved a favonrable season for the production of Broccoli, 

 therefore a good opportnnity exists for noting and preserving 

 the best varieties. Ijet a sowing of all the Broccolis bo made 

 by the middle of the month. Do not forpet tho Wilcove, 

 Somers's rarticular Lato, Snow's Winter White, &c. Make 

 ample sowinga of all other Greena about tho same time, more 

 especially y>™ssc/.s Sprnuts, undoubtedly the most u.-ieful Greona 

 at present known, for a long winter. It is, moreover, the 

 hardiest wo have, and produces, if sown in time, a greater 

 bulk of produce than any other odiblo kind. Beds of seedlings 

 must frequently be looked to, and slugs checked in their 

 attacks. As an additional precaution, dust the plants with 

 lime or soot. Cucumbers, sow the RiJge immediately, and 

 throw grass mowings, leaves, manure, &c., into a heap to 

 ferment, ready for making the ridge. Carrots, sow a little 

 Horn once a-week or fortnight until midsummer. Onions, 

 throw up some beds inches above tho general level in the 

 poorest part of tho garden, and bow the Silver-skinned for 

 pickling. Sow very thickly, and tread the bed very firmly, 

 using scarcely any soil to cover them, rather shaking some old 

 wet litter over the seeds to keep them dump. Potatoes, lose uo 

 time, if hitherto neglected, in putting in the main crop. Manure 

 with wood ashes, lime, or soot, in preference to stable manure. 

 Scarlet Runners, a few may be sown towards the middle of the 

 month, and a few early Kidnei/ Beans. Tomatoes, gradually 

 harden them off in cold structures, so as to be ready to plant 

 out in the beginning of May. Sow successions of Badisiies, 

 Cresses, &(j. Red Beet, Scorzoncra, and Salsafij, may bo sown 

 any time daring the month. 



FKUIT GARDEN. 



Top-dress and state Raspberries, and see that all superfiaous 

 suckers are drawn away. Cut down the double-bearing Rasp- 

 berries, weed, and draw away all suckers but two or at most 

 three, from the stools, and top-dress them. They will never 

 succeed unless they bo kept very thin, leaving their bloom- 

 buds to form in a short period ; they require much light. Trim 

 and top-dresB the Prolific Hautbois Strawberry. These do well 

 in beds if top-dressed. The removal of Fir boughs or other 

 material from wall trees should not take place until the fruit is 

 fairly set. Keep down the green fly as it appears on Peach 

 trees. Inspect grafted trees, frequently. Remove all shoots 

 below tho scion. Moisten the clay if cracked and dry. Look 

 to last year's budded stocks, and search for caterpillars. 



FLOWER GARDEN. 



Look immediately'to all arrangements necessary for a good 

 bloom of Roses. Cuttings of the Hybrid Perpetuals, Teas, cV-c. 

 propagated last autumn, and reserved in store pots through 

 the winter, may be planted-out immediately. Equal parts of 

 turfy sound loam, and of rotten manure, will grow most of them 

 well. The China and Tea Eoses will, however, enjoy a little 

 sandy heath soil, and some charcoal dust in addition may be 

 given for the whole family. If the loam is clayey, mix with 

 it some sand. Attend to annuals in all their stages. It the 

 kinds are liable to the attacks of slugs or snails, place an in- 

 verted garden pot over them. See that all evergreens are 

 pruned when necessary, if not hitherto done. It will be ne- 

 cessary to pay Tulips very strict attention. Sometimes iu 

 consequence of the action of the wind on the flower stems 

 there will be a cavity in the soil immediately round them, such 

 must be carefully filled iip. and the surface of the bed kept free 

 from cracks, weeds, &c. Hail storms have been very prevalent 

 of late. Nets with small meshes are apt to draw the stems, if 

 too close ; still, for the effectual preservation of the advancing 

 buds, they cannot be dispensed with till the top cloth or awning 

 is put over them. Supposing that all layers of Carnations are 

 planted-out either in pots or iu beds, the amateur may turn 

 his attention to sowing any choice seed he may have by him ; 

 the 2.5th, or about that time, is generally preferred. In the 

 meantime the compost maybe prepared ; and an effectual mode 

 resorted to for destroying insects, and their larva;, is subjecting 

 it to the action of a considerable degree of heat. Propagate 

 Pansies from slips and cuttings ; if any seedlings of good pro- 

 perties bloom strike the cuttings, but by no means remove the 

 parent plant till stock is secured. Shade Auriculas during the 

 day from powerful sun, and cover closely at night. Fertilise 

 those flowers from which choice seed is required. 



GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. 



The variable nature of April weather, its fitful gleams of 

 sunshine, and cold searching winds, often render the task of 

 sustaining an equable temperature difficnlt. It must be re- 

 membered that the occupants of the greenhouse have, under 



the excitement of a genial temperature, developed their tender 

 shoots ; therefore, direct injury would ensue from neglecting 

 the precautions of regulating air and sustaining suitable heat. 

 In introducing flowering plants, be careful that the specimen 

 plants in the house are not crowded ; the injury would bo more 

 direct at this season than at any time. In the small green- 

 house tho care most essential to the growing plants recently 

 potted, is that of maintaining a moist, active heat, and insuring 

 them regular supplies of water. It will be necessary to alter 

 their arrangement occasionally, to allow increased room to the 

 growing plants, repress the wild growth of some, and remove 

 blossom-buds from those plants that are required to make 

 robust growth. Camellias making their wood should have 

 occasional shading. Keep a moist air about them day and 

 night, otherwisethey will grow long-jointed. A temperature of 

 55' at night, and 65° by day, should be maintained. Shade 

 attentively the flowers iu the show house or conservatory 

 during bright sunshine, and continue to remove unsightly 

 plants, and to introduce gay things from the other structures. 

 Let all Pelargoniums, Galadiums, Cinerarias, &c., be well 

 staked out in due time. 



STOVK. 



Make cuttings of stove stock whilst the propagating frames 

 are at work. Do not forget the Vincas, Thuubergias, Plum- 

 bagos, and Justicias ; these, although old-fashioned, contribute 

 much to the general effect. The Dendrobium family is cele- 

 brated for beauty, and deserves every attention. Those plants 

 recently potted will be commencing growth ; allow of no diminu- 

 tion of bottom heat, and keep a moist, warm atmosphere. 

 Give air when tho thermometer indicates '.)l)°. Continue to 

 shift Gesneras and Clerodeudrons, and regulate the position 

 of the plants, following their natural peculiarities. 



PITS AND FRAMES. 



These will want not only daily but hourly attention. Pro- 

 pagating, pricking-out, potting, hardening-oii, with shading, 

 syringing, &c., will be the order of the day for three weeks 

 longer, by which time a good supply of stock will be provided 

 for both summer and winter, for out of doors and in-doors. 

 Sow a general collection of annuals. — W. Keane. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST WEEK. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



The fineness of the wenther and the dryness of the ground 

 tempted us to sow more Onions, a piece of Parsnips, a piece 

 of Early Horn Carrots, and a few rows of Pine-Apple Beet, 

 waiting a week or two longer for our general sowing of Carrots, 

 Beet, Winter Greens, &c. Sowed also some rows of different 

 kinds of Lettuces, thinly, so that they may grow to their full 

 size without transplanting, a plan which we would adopt more 

 freely if our ground were more extensive. We often trans- 

 plant, not because we like it best, but because a little space for 

 a seed-bed gives more ground for other crops. 



Notwithstanding the mildness of the winter, we have scarcely 

 noticed at any other time the surface of the ground colder than 

 it has been this year in the end of March and beginning of 

 April, and hence we hardly ever recollect seeds lying longer at 

 this season in the ground, and not coming through it. We 

 have scarcely seen any difference in the seeds of Radishes, 

 Peas, &c., for the last fortnight or eighteen days. In some 

 cases the rootlets had merely protruded, and no further pro- 

 gress took place in throwing-up the stem or seed-leaves. A 

 warm shower would soon make matters look differently. 



Planted more Potatoes, trenched-up a piece of Horseradish 

 which was occupying more room than we found necessary, and 

 laid the roots iu a spare corner covered over with soil, where 

 they will last us for some time. Now is a good time for 

 making fresh plantations, and we have found uo plan better 

 than dropping pieces of the roots into holes from 15 to 18 inches 

 deep, and partly filling the holes with ashes. For this pur- 

 pose we like the crowns or the tops of the plants best, but 

 pieces of the roots about 3 inches in length will do very well. 

 In ground well trenched these should be planted in rows 

 2 feet apart and about 9 inches from each other in the rows, 

 and in the second season after planting they wiU produce 

 straight fresh roots that may be used to the very core, and 

 prove very different from old hard roots. 



Rhubarl). — Strong roots may now be divided, and planted at 

 once, and well manured, will yield gatherings this season ; but 

 where there are other plants it is best to let such plants retain 

 all their leaves for the first season after planting. It is quite a 



