March 19, 1868. ] 



JOUENAL OF HOETICULTUBB AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



" Another boiler which I have proved to ho Rood is Monro's 



Cannon ; but I eoorcely think it will he found so durable as 



the Pocket Boiler. In short, after twenty years' experience 



with many kinds of boilers, I give my verdict in favour of the 



Fig. 2. 



a, Flow pipe ; 6, return pipe. 

 Pocket Boiler where there are numerous houses to heat. It 

 ■would be better, on the score of saving labour, that instead of 

 having five boilers there should be only two of twice or thrice 

 the size of those we have ; but, whatever kind and size of 

 boiler be used, I urge the paramount necessity of using plenty 

 of piping, the want of which the best boiler cannot compensate 

 for." 



NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 



As a further step towards the advancement of the education 

 of young gardeners, the Council of the Royal Hoi-.ticultural 

 Society have decided to commence forthwith a course of in- 

 struction in land-surveying, measuring, and ground work engi- 

 neering to the students at Chiswick under a skilful engineer. 

 They have also decided to open a class for instruction in draw- 

 ing, which shall be open to all on the payment of a smail fee. 

 This class young gardeners residing within convenient distances 

 of Chiswick, as well as the Chiswick students, will have the 

 privilege of attending, and we trust that all who have the 

 opportunity will avail themselves of the great advantages that 

 such instruction all'ords them. All particulars relating to the 

 drawing class may be obtained by applying to Mr. Eiohards, 

 Assistant Secretary, South Kensington. 



On the 'Jth instant, at Margate, died Mr. Epwakd 



Tucker. As a naturalist he was well skilled and liberal in im- 

 parting information ; as a man he was kind and truthful. He 

 first recognised the fungus causing what is emphatically 

 called " the disease " of Grape Vines, and it is named after 

 him Oidium Tuckeri. 



WOP.K FOR THE WEEK. 



KITCHEN GAP.DEN. 



Celery, the early sowing must be pricked out as soon as the 

 seedlings have formed two rough leaves. The last of the 

 Cauliflower plants should also be planted out from their winter 

 quarters ; and if any of the autumn-sown Cabhufloi remain in 

 the seed beds plant them out, and fill up any blanks in the 

 youngest rows. Where young Cabbages are in demand through- 

 out the season, a few seeds should be sown every fortnight or 

 three weeks until the end of June. Corn Salad or Lamb's 

 Lettuce, sow now for a summer supply, either thinly broad- 

 cast in beds, or in lines about 1 foot apart, and cover lightly 

 with fine soil. Peaji, make a suceessional sowing of the 

 Champion of England, Ne Plus Ultra, or any of the earliest 

 wrinkled Marrow varieties ; also of Johnson's Wonderful Long- 

 pod BeaKs. When the plants of the early sowings of Peas are 

 about 2 inches high, draw the soil neatly to them, and apply 

 stakes of about the height to which the variety grows. Spruce 

 fir or other evergreen branches will afford a useful shelter to 

 early crops. As soon as the plants of the early crop of Broad 

 Beans appear above ground the soil should be carefully ridged- 

 up round them, and branches of evergreens stuck rather thickly 

 on each side of the rows to protect them from frosty winds. 

 Salsafy, if a supply is wanted early in summer, sow a small 

 quantity now, but for the main crop the end of April or begin- 

 ning of May is early euough, for the plants sown earlier are 

 apt to run to seed. Skirrct, sow now, if the ground is in a fit 



state for working, in lines 15 inches apart, covering the seed 

 with the finest of the soil to the depth of an inch. Turnip, 

 sow in a warm sheltered situation a small breadth of the Early 

 Butch for the chance of an early crop. 



FIIOIT CAKDES. 



If the weather continues dry, and free from gales and sudden 

 changes which generally occur about this time, the blossom of 

 Peach and Apricot trees will stand much cold and yet set 

 freely ; coverings should be at Imud to put over them in case 

 of hard frost. Any trees or busbps transplanted this winter 

 should not remain much longer without some mulching, if not 

 already secured in this way. 



FLOWEi: OAIIDEN. 



Ply the broom and roller vigilantly, both on the lawns and 

 walks, and, above all, cut the grass well into the "bottom" 

 before the middle of next month, or you will be troubled with 

 it throughout the seasou. Where rockwork is covered with 

 plants it is one of tho most difficult things in the garden to 

 manage, so as to avoid dsstroyiug the plants on the one hand,, 

 or giving it a stiff formal character on tlie other. In regulating 

 the plants avoid everything like formality ; and while you keep 

 each plant in due bounds, do not, if you can possibly avoid it, 

 distort the symmetry of Nature. A little fresh peat or leaf 

 mould may be added as a top-dressing to the more choice of 

 the alpine plants, aud a few seeds of trailing annuals may be 

 sown in any vacant places. The boisterous winds of March 

 are anything but congenial to florists' flowers, and the frosts 

 that may be constantly expected must be guarded against with 

 redoubled care, for every florist knows that more havoc is made 

 amongst collections during the present month than at any 

 period of the year. The Auricula is very susceptible of cold 

 when expanding its blossoms, and should the temperature of 

 the frame be too low, it is extremely diflicult, and with some 

 sorts wholly impossible, for tliom to bloom. When the nights 

 are likely to be fine the frames ought to be left open so that 

 the stock of Carnations may be hardened preparatory to their 

 removal into blooming pots. Very few Eanuuculnses ought 

 now to be out of the ground. Seed may still be sown with 

 success. Pinks appear to have been rather affected by the late 

 winds. All cracks in the beds must he closed, and the plants 

 looked over after frost and fastened. Polyanthuses are rapidly 

 growing; care must be taken to trap snails aud other insects 

 injurious to the forthcoming blossoms. 



GKEENUOUSE AND CONSEEVATOKY. 



The temptation to collect all plants in flower into the con- 

 servatory being great, you may he led into error by crowding 

 them too much at this early season. Crowding plants in winter 

 is a matter of necessity, and when the plants are in a dormant 

 state this is of less consequence ; but now that they are in 

 active growth, unless they have room so as to allow of the ad- 

 mission of light and air amongst them, they soon spindle up 

 out of all shape aud proportion. Except in fiae days little 

 air is necessary for this house in March, and much might prove 

 very injurious to tender flowers. Camellia blossoms are as 

 soon affected as any by cold currents ; damp the paths in the 

 evening, aud light gentle fires at night while the weather con- 

 tinues cold, and do not let the temperature fall below 40° for 

 the season. The same routine of potting and propagating 

 must be proceeded with in the greenhouse for some time yet, 

 and the house must be ke))t damper aud warmer. Syringe in 

 the mornings, and damp the paths only in the evenings. 



STOVE. 



Propagation and potting will occupy the greater portion of 

 the time here for the next six weeks. Attention must also 

 now be directed to training and regulating the young growths 

 of climbers and other free-growing p'.ants. Newly-potted plants 

 do not want much water until they are more established in the 

 fresh soil. Bulbs of the Amaryllis tribe brought in for forcing 

 may be potted, if they require it, when their leaves are half 

 grown, but never pot them when they are at rest. The tem- 

 perature here should now range from GO' to 05° in the morning, 

 and air should be admitted as soon as the sun heat raises it 

 to 70° or 75°. More frequent syringings and a moister atmo- 

 sphere should now be kept up. 



rBOPAGATING PIT. 



Dahlias and Chrysanthemums should now be propagated in 

 order to produce stout early plants. Every young shoot of the 

 Gardenia should be propagated. There is scarcely a sufficient 

 number of them in any establishment. Any shelter that will 

 do for Fuchsias will suit them in winter, and they force all 

 the better it kept cool in winter. Bulbs of Amaryllis or 

 other tribes brought in for forcing often make fine large leaves 



