February 18,1808. ] 



JOURNAL OP HOBTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



13!> 



cays, anil tlie decay extends downwards until the eatable part 

 is injured or lessened in bulk. 



We will not sow much iu the open air for several weelis, 

 except Parsnips, which we will sow in a week or so if the 

 ground is iu good order. This is much hardier than most 

 of the roots wo cultivate, and is always the better of beinR a 

 long time in the soil. Wo have lind fine crops, however, that 

 were sown at the end ol Murdi. Wo will turn over and re-turn 

 our heavy land on all favourable opportunities. 



For Sea-kale, Rhubarb, Asparagus, and Cucumbers, see 

 previous notices. Tinned over ground intended for Carrots 

 and Potatoes. Prepared for planting the latter under shelter 

 or protection, and sowed Radishes, Horn Carrots, and Lettuces 

 in a bed under glass, tadihhes sown late iu autumn and 

 protected in winter are becoming rather hard now. Just 

 like late Turnips, their tendency now is to throw up a flower 

 stem, and after that the roots lose their crispness and sweet- 

 ness. As to hotbeds we would have done more, but a press of 

 other matter, as planliug trees and shrubs, has prevented our 

 collecting leaves on which we much depended, and in cold 

 places it is scarcely possible to obtain early crops of some 

 vegetables without a little bottom heat beneath them. In 

 warm places with borders of dark-coloured light soilwellexposed 

 to the sun, crops may be had nearly as soon as those helped with 

 a Blight heat beneath them iu colder places. Potatoes will 

 produce much earlier on warm borders, such as those referred 

 to, if the tubers have been placed in small pots, or thinly in 

 shallow boxes, with rough leaf mould and soil about them, and 

 sprung strong for a couple of inches before planting with all 

 the roots. In doing this place a little warm soil round the 

 roots, and choose a warm suuny day for the operation. In all 

 such planting it is important that neither the roots nor the 

 tops should receive any check, or as little as possible. The 

 plants, therefore, should be well hardened before planting, and 

 a suitable time as respects the weather chosen for the operation. 



The principle of avoiding checks is one of those simple 

 matters which are not yet sufficiently considered. With Cucum- 

 bers and Melons at this season, it often makes all the difference 

 between success and the want of success, between the plea- 

 sure of looking on clean healthy plants, and the pain of 

 seeing them the prey of insects uncountable. Growing such 

 tender subjects in houses heated by hot water, however good in 

 itself, is apt to lessen the care in this matter. When all the 

 operations of shifting, planting, &c., can be done inside, there 

 is less need for extra care, and in process of time less care will 

 be manifested. We have seen Jlelon plants left for an hour in 

 a cold shed in March, a proceeding which would have horrified 

 one of the particular old gardeners. He would as soon have 

 gone out in a frosty night without clothing. They succeeded 

 with their frames and pits so as to be little behind those with 

 the improved appliances now, but the care they took in shifting 

 and training, so as to give no checks, would be a good lesson to 

 the moderns. We have helped to pot and arrange many Cucum- 

 ber plants in frames, when it would have been impossible with- 

 out injury to have carried them even into a close shed, but a man 

 attended, covering us and the open space of glass with double 

 mats, so that no keen draught should reach the plants before 

 it was heated by passing through the moister and warmer air. 

 Air-giving was also a matter of more consideration, than in the 

 slap-dash routine often seen at the present day. Except in the 

 dead of winter, when the hot water beats the dung, unless 

 there is almost an unlimited quantity to fall back upon, we 

 like to see even now the common frame beat the hot water ; 

 and where there is enough of material it will often do so with 

 moderately early Cucumbers and Melons. 



TRCIT GARDEN'. 



Pruned in favourable weather, and as, after settling a good 

 many bullfinches which have come in wonderful force this 

 season, the fruit buds of Pears were disappearing, we washed 

 a number of bush pyramids over with lime, clay, and a little 

 soot, not enough to take off the whitish appearance when dry. 

 We like lime very well by itself, as the white appearance is a 

 great annoyance to the birds. A little soot makes the buds 

 more unpalatable. We have seen no tomtits of late, but two 

 months ago they visited us in flocks. We fastened on the trees 

 some parings of meat slit up the middle, had arsenic placed 

 between, sandwich-fashion, and though but little of it was 

 eaten, and we found no dead birds, we have seen none of them 

 since. Wo never can be sure, hosvever, as the tomtits gene- 

 rally come in flocks. We have often noticed that, though one 

 will not be seen for months, some day we have the pleasure 

 Of seeing them on almost every tree. When the bloom is 



set we let them do as they like ; we would not even begrudge 

 their nibbling a few of the best fruit, if they would only let the 

 buds alone. Last year we put some boughs over an curly Pear 

 full of buds, and next day there was nothing but the remains 

 of the buds below the tree. 



The Vine border which we covered having yielded a gentle 

 heat which it was a pity to lose, we made a wall from the 

 material, back and front, about 10 inches in height, on that 

 laid a rail llat, and on the rails put some old sashes, and 

 then filled the space beneath with fresh-potted Scarlet Pelar- 

 goniums. It was in a similar place the jdants did so well last 

 year in pieces of turf reversed, about 8 inches sciuare, with a 

 hole scooped out in the centre, and the roots put in along with 

 some light rich soil. These were planted turf and all. In 

 such a case the plants should be moved, and placed on a hard 

 bottom when the roots have extended an inch beyond the turf. 

 Cut the Grapes iu the late vinery as we wanted the room very 

 much, and when thoroughly cleaned, as respects glass, wood- 

 work. Vines, &c., it will be filled with jilants, that other places 

 where more heat is now wanted may bo freed. Grapes keep 

 longer on the Vines than by any other plan, though they may 

 be kept a considerable time with the wood stuck in beetroot, 

 aud suspended in a place neither damp nor too airy ; hut in 

 most places where every inch of glass has to be made the most 

 of, it will not do to keep a house comparatively empty for a tew 

 bunches of Grapes. A week or so ago we cut the last Grapes 

 from the forward orchard house. 

 j Peach Iwiisi'. — We mention here one simple fact for the 

 benefit of beginners, who become nonplussed with the directions 

 ' about giving plenty of air, &c. The trees being in bloom, of 

 course air was very essential, but during cold frosty days we 

 gave only a Httle very early, and that kept the temperature 

 j from rising much, or suddenly, and we did not give more 

 I unless the thermometer rose to about 7.5' or 80', but let the 

 ' heating apparatus become cooler instead. In the late terribly 

 ! boisterous days we gave no air at all, as plenty would find its 

 way in at the laps, aud gave no more heat than was merely 

 j sufficient to keep the house at a temperature of .50', or a little 

 ' more, when there were a few gleams of sunshine. Obtaining 

 early Peaches economically in a great measure depends on 

 using as little fire heat as possible, and taking advantage of the 

 cheaper and better sun heat. Thus the fire heat at night may 

 average from 45° to a little over 50°, and in dull, sunless days 

 may rise to from 50° to 55°, and even to nearly C0°; but when 

 there is the prospect of a sunny day, it is best to dispense with 

 fire heat, and give a little air early, so that the temperature 

 shall rise gradually, but not greatly to increase the air until 

 the temperature rises above 75°. Provided there is air regularly 

 on, a temperature at midday from sun heat almost alone of 

 from 75° to 80°, will in every way be much better for the plants 

 than a temperature ol 00° at night from fire heat. The great 

 point is to give heat in proportion to sun light. Sun heat 

 with air on, however small the quantity, to prevent the accu- 

 mulation of confined vapour, will never draw or weaken 

 plants if kept at all moderate. 



Amateurs tell us that they are puzzled because they see good 

 crops of Peaches obtained by the following plau : The house 

 is shut up late in the afternoon, good fires are put on, and at bed- 

 time the temperature is G0°, and higher before morning. Nest 

 day, if dull, fire is kept on to maintain the heat, with air given, 

 and if the day is sunny the house is nearly half open, so great 

 is the quantity of air given. WeU, we know such a plan often 

 answers, and amateurs must adopt it if so determined. To 

 our mind the great quantity of air in a sunny day is necessary 

 to counteract the mere extension produced by a high tempera- 

 ture at night, not to speak of the inroads of insects thus en- 

 couraged. We merely wish to show that by a more natural 

 system they may save their coal heap, take advantage of sun 

 heat, and secure longer-continued health to their plants with 

 less labour and expense. 



We would just advert to two principles in early forcing, where 

 no great heat, as in the case of Peaches, is required, but which 

 have several times been alluded to. First, avoid allowing a- 

 strong heat from fuel and a bright sun heat to occur at the 

 same time. Second, be more particular that air shall be always 

 given, however sparingly, early in the morning, than about the 

 mere quantity admitted. These points are chiefly important 

 to amateurs who must leave their pet houses for many hours 

 during the day, as by breakfast time they can calculate with 

 tolerable correctness what the character of the day will be. 

 When we first managed houses on our own account we went 

 regularly out to attend to them every Sunday forenoon, and we 



