44 



JOUBNAL OF HOKTICULTURB AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ July 16, 1888. 



external face inwards, which will give stability. All the soda 

 should be placed grass side downwards, and to keep the lights 

 or covering from the turf it is well to have a frame of wood for 

 the lights to rest on, or for securing the covering to. Nothing 

 answers so well as a frame of red deal, and it need not exceed 

 an inch in thickness. The frame will make all secure. The 

 front wall, as already stated, will be less in height than the 

 iiack, and both will be thicker at the base than at top ; but the 

 ])ack wall will need to have a wider base than the front one, as 

 it has to be carried higher. Eighteen inches in thickness for 

 the base of the back, and 15 inches for the front wall, both re- 

 duced to 9 inches at top, will form a very good pit, nearly 

 if not quite frost-proof. Turf pits thus made will last two 

 Eeasons, but I do not keep them beyond the autumn following 

 that in which they were made, for it is impossible not to covet 

 the fine material which these turf walls are after they have 

 stood for a time. The walls may be of any height and thick- 

 ness, but the above heights are quite enough for the majority 

 of plants needing protection in winter. 



It would be difficult to name all the plants that may be 

 wintered in turf pits, as they are very numerous, but I will 

 endeavour to give an idea. In the first place these pits are far 

 better than any heated house for growing Cinerarias, Calceo- 

 larias, Humeas, and similar plants for spring-flowering, and 

 which are impatient of a dry, fluctuating atmosphere. With a 

 single covering of mats over the lights, and 6 inches of straw 

 put on so as to overhang the sides and ends about 1 foot, no 

 frost that we have in our climate will penetrate to the interior ; 

 indeed, in the memorable winter of 18riO-61, frost did not pass 

 through the sides of some turf pits that were at the time filled 

 with these plants. It does not matter how long the plants are 

 iept in the dark, if the frost continues, but do not uncover too 

 hastily upon a thaw, and expose too suddenly to day-light, but 

 shade for a few days from bright sun, and admit air freely. When 

 the Cinerarias are advancing for flowering, they must, of course, 

 be removed to more suitable quarters, as they will need more 

 light, but even they will do better in turf pits than elsewhere, 

 feeing freer from insects, and making stronger growth. Cal- 

 ceolarias and Humeas may be safely wintered in turf pits, and 

 a considerable saving of fuel thus effected, at the same time 

 that the vigour and beauty of the plants will be increased. The 

 pit will be available for other plants when those named are 

 cleared out, and may be used with or without lights for Pelar- 

 goniums and similar plants that need protection in spring. 

 When these are cleared out the pit may be filled quite to the 

 top of the walls with hot sweet dung, a frame placed on it, and 

 BoU put in ; a good crop of Melons or Cucumbers may thus be 

 obtained, and with a great saving of dung. By afterwards 

 mixing the dung with the turf a most excellent compost is 

 formed, especially for top-dressing fruit trees. 



In addition to the plants above named, there are many 

 others now kept in heated houses which may be more health- 

 inlly wintered in tvirf pits. Such are Heaths, Azaleas, Ca- 

 mellias, and most New Holland plants. These when young are 

 fcest kept cool, and having air in mild weather no great disaster 

 comes through damp and mildew ; all that is necessary is to 

 give a covering of dry litter sufficient to keep out frost, and 

 even a small degree of that is not half so injurious as fire heat. 

 !For these plants the soil at the bottom of the pit should be 

 laken out to the depth of about a foot below the ground level, 

 and a good bottom formed of rough cinders, and then over 

 these some finer ashes ; but it is well to wash them, using those 

 remaining in a sieve with quarter-inch meshes. Six inches in 

 thickness will he enough. The pots need not be plunged in 

 the ashes, but should be set on them. The pits if made as de- 

 scribed will answer for good-sized plants. 



Probably the greatest use made of turf pits in this country 

 is that of protecting hardy plants, of which in most gardens 

 there are great numbers needing protection by reason of their 

 feeing only recently propagated, and therefore not of a size safe 

 to plant out. Among these are the best kinds of evergreen 

 and deciduous shrubs and climbers, especially such as are used 

 for covering walls and planting in sheltered situations, also 

 many of those neglected herbaceous plants which are now 

 deservedly receiving a share of attention. For Roses in pots, 

 also, and especially the Tea-scented varieties, no better place 

 could be found. All the pots should be plunged to the rim in 

 ashes or sawdust, and if no sashes are at command wood 

 shutters will do in their stead. They need not be heavy and 

 large, but light and of moderate width, so as to be convenient 

 for putting on and for removal ; and over them in severe weather 

 a covering of dry litter will be needed, always giving the plants 



the full benefit of any mild period for exposing them fnlly. 

 Next to wood, straw shutters are excellent for protection. They 

 should be made in a kind of frame, and m.w be of any conve- 

 nient size, but ought not to be too thick. I have seen them 

 made of thatching straw, 1 inch or from that to 11 inch thick, 

 so as to be impervious or nearly so to wet, and such wiU be 

 sufficient for all the plants needing slight protection in winter, 

 or which are nearly hardy. These shutters have done excellent 

 service with Mr. Fish, who was the first to tell us how to winter 

 bedding Calceolarias in cold frames, depending on earth heat 

 for their preservation. Frigi domo is another good protecting 

 material. A light wood frame should be made, and the mate- 

 rial tightly tacked to it, also to cross pieces from the back to 

 the front of the framework, so as to keep the frigi domo from 

 bagging and holding the wet. Bast mats are also good for 

 covering turf pits, having pieces of timber laid across the pit to 

 keep the mats from the plants. 



Turf pits are very good for sheltering Calceolarias, Verbenas, 

 Gazanias, Ageratum, Cupheas, Fuchsias, Lobelias, Variegated 

 Alyssum, and all the nearly hardy bedding plants ; but it is 

 desirable to keep these in frames in order to have them strong 

 for planting out and for spring propagation. Cuttings of the 

 plants named should be put in in August and be well rooted 

 and hardened-off before winter, taking care not to allow the 

 soil to become saturated with rain, but to keep it dry. Calceo- 

 laria cuttings, of course, should not be put in imtil October. 

 Glazed lights will be necessary for protecting beddingplants, and 

 there should be sufHcient covering to keep out frost.— G. Abbey. 

 (To be contin-ued.) 



PORTRMTS OF PLANTS, FLOWERS, AND 

 FRUITS. 



Agave dasturioides (Dasylirion-like Agave). Nat. ord., 

 Amaryllidaceie. Linn., Hexandria Monogynia. — Native of 

 Mexico. Flowers green and brown.— fZJot. Ma;)., t. 5716.) 



Abctilon vexillarium (Standard-flowered Abutilon). Nat. 

 ord., Malvacea;. Linn., Monadelphia Polyandria. — Native pro- 

 bably of South America. Flowers scarlet aud yellow. RequiieB 

 a warm greenhouse. — {Ibid., t. 5717 ) 



Nasonia punctata (Dotted (cinnabar red) Nasonia). Nat. 

 ord., Orchidacea\ Linn., Gynandria Monandria. — Native of 

 the El Sisme mountains in Peru. It is synonymous with 

 N. cinnabarina, which is a much more characteristic name. — 

 {Ibid., t. 5718.) 



P.EONiA EMODi (Himalayan Paeony). Nat, ord,, Ranuncu- 

 laceip. Linn., Polyandria Polygynia. — Native of Himalayan 

 mountains. Flowers white. — {Ibid., t. 5710.) 



Phabbitis nil, var. limbata (White-margined Pharbitis). 

 Nat. ord., Convolvulacere. Linn., IPentandria Monogynia. — Na- 

 tive of North Australia. Flowers purple, with a white margin. 

 —{Ibid., t. .0720.) 



Saccolabium ampdllacedm kosecm. — Native of Monlmein. 

 Introduced by Messrs. Eollisson. — (Floral Maij., pi. 393.) 



Clematis .Tohn Gould Veitch. — Imported from Japan by 

 Messrs. Veitch & Sons. Flowers pale blue, double. — {Ibid., 

 pi. 394.) 



Azalea Sir Robert Napier. — Flowers bright crimson. Raised 

 by Messrs. F. & A. Smith, VaWich.— {Ibid., pi. 395.) 



AuBiCDLA John Waterr.ton. — Grey-edged variety, very fine. 

 Raised by Mr. Cunningham, Kilbrachan, near Johnstone, Scot- 

 land.— (liirf., pi. 396.) 



Azalea Lizzie. — " This fine Azalea has twice passed the 

 ordeal of the Floral Committee, on one occasion receiving a 

 first-class certificate, and on the other a certification that its 

 high character had been well maintained. Its chief peculiarities 

 are its smooth surface, which gives it a perfect outline, its dis- 

 tinct markings, which take the form of stripes of bright car- 

 mine on a pure white ground, varying in breadth and dispo- 

 sition, and its great substance, which results in the long 

 endurance of the flowers. We learn from Mr. Kinghorn, by 

 whom it was raised, that this latter quality is very noticeable, 

 the plants standing much longer in flower than those of any 

 other variety. The flower opens with a greenish tinge, and 

 blanches as it expands, so that the fully developed flowers have 

 a pure white ground, which is well set off by the well-defined 

 and elegant markings. Like most of the varieties Mr. King- 

 horn has sent out, this new striped Azalea is one which may be 

 recommended with the highest confidence. We learn thrit the 

 constitution and habit of the plant are all that can be desired. 



" The improved varieties of greenhouse or Indian Azaleae 



