Fobmary 37, 1873. ) 



JOURNAL OP HOBTIOULTUBE AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. 



187 



the cold, while the young or smaller leaves form a tufty-look- 

 ing plant with the colour as good as in the best part of the 

 summer. No plant can be more convenient in regard to its 

 transplanting qualities, and when mixed with light-coloured 

 flowering bulbs, as Snowdrops, Crocuses, or with the still 

 earlier and more accommodating single white Primrose, Beet 

 becomes a great acquisition, its colour being so good that I once 

 thought of trying it for plant-house decoration. I find, how- 

 ever, it has one drawback which will prevent its holding a high 

 position ou the dinner-table, either as a plant entire or by 

 its foUage only, as an adjunct to the flower-stand. Its leaves 

 are not transparent Uke those of the Iresine; consequently 

 that rich tint which is seen in looking through the foliage 

 of the latter has no existsnce in the Beet, which, in fact, 

 appears dull with artificial light. For the winter decoration 

 of the flower beds it is well worthy of a place, and it is for 

 that purpose I now recommend it, feeling assured it wUl give 

 satisfaction. Its easy propagation is an additional merit, 

 for, as before stated, the small plants, unfit for the kitchen or 

 salads, are just those wanted for ornamental purposes. — J. 



EOBSON. 



NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 

 In the new Hoeticultukal Directory for 1873, just issued, a 

 valuable addition has been made by including the foresters or 

 woodreves in Great Britain and Ireland. 



The value of Potatoes imported last month was 



£282,303, and £15,987 in January last year ; while iu the same 

 month of 1871 the declared value was only £222. 



We learn that the Council of the Koyal Society are 



about to nominate Dr. Joseph D. Hooker as President of the 

 Society, in succession to Sir George Airy, who has announced 

 his intention of retiring from that office at the anniversai'y 

 meeting in November next. 



At a Sale of Orchids and other plants which took 



place last week at Mr. Stevens's Rooms, King Street, Covent 

 Garden, the following prices were realised — viz., Odonto- 

 glossum vexillarium, £3 12.s-. 6d., £4 10s., £5 5.5., £(j 10s., and 

 £9 9s. ; Odontoglossum Andersoni, £6 15s. ; Odontoglossum 

 crispum ( Alexandrie) , £2 10s. to £5 15s. Among Tree Ferns, 

 Dicksonia antarctica with stems from (i to 7 feet high, brought 

 from £i 10s. to £0 10s. ; Cyathea dealbata with stems 

 5 feet G inches to 7 feet 6 inches high, from £2 5s. to £3 10s. 

 Fine specimen CameUias also commanded prices ranging from 

 £2 7s. Od. to £10 10s. The total amount reahsed was nearly 

 £400. 



"WOEK FOR THE WEEK. 



KITCHEN G.IBDEN. 



The condition of the ground is still unfavourable for cropping. 

 No attempt should be made to get iu the main crops where the 

 soil is wet and heavy ; no time will be gained by so doing. Per- 

 manent beds of Asparagus should now be planted, and the old 

 ones fiUed-up ; two-year-old roots are to be preferred. Give air 

 freely to that in frames, and make other beds for succession. 

 If the weather permit plant out the Broad Beans in pots and 

 boxes ; earth them up after planting. Put in another crop of 

 Windsor or Lougpod Beans. Where there are more than three 

 Caidijluwers under each hand-glass they must be thinned-out 

 to that number and planted on a rich piece of ground; or if the 

 Celery trenches are opened and manured the Cauliflowers may 

 be planted iu them, as they will be ready to come off before the 

 trenches are required for the Celery. Add fresh soil as the 

 roots of the Cucumber plants appear on the outside of the hill, 

 lay it down close to the side of the frame for a few days before 

 it is required that it may become warm. Put iu more seed for 

 successional crops. Herbs should now be sown,^or propagated 

 by division of the roots. Plant-out the Peas in pots and boxes 

 on a south border ; plant them thinly in the rows, even should 

 it be necessary to shake the ■whole of the soil from their roots. 

 If the soil of the border should be stiff and wet lay a little leaf 

 mould over the roots. Successional crops should now be got 

 in. It is generally necessary to sow two or more crops at one 

 time, unless the quick-bearing kinds only are used. In plant- 

 ing the early crop of Potatoes it is of gi-eat advantage to draw 

 deep drills, partially fill them with leaf mould, then plant the 

 Potatoes and fill-up with the same. Whenever the produce of 

 Sea-kale is cut from the roots, and it is not likely there wiU be 

 more shoots from it fit for use, clear away the Utter and cut the 

 long straggling shoots nearly down to the ground ; this will 

 keep them within the compass of a pot or box. 



FRUIT QARDEN. 



See that recently transplanted trees are not suffering from 



want of water, a circumstance which, however, will hai'dly 

 happen except iu very dry porous soil, and iu such cases the 

 grouud should be mulched with decayed leaves to preserve it 

 in a uniformly moist state. Get materials iu readiness for the 

 preservation of blossoms of fruit trees. Where nothing better 

 or more convenient can be obtained, Yew or Spruce branches 

 will be of service provided they are so fixed as not to be liable 

 to be blown against the blossoms. Remove the covering as fre- 

 quently as may be convenient on fine days, so as to fully expose 

 the trees to sun and air. 



FLOWER G-UIDEN. 



In the flower garden many of the spring bulbs will be now 

 showing bloom, it will, therefore, be necessary on a dry day to 

 hoe the beds over so as to freshen them up and make them a 

 little neat. After the late frost the lawn should be raked over 

 with the Daisy-rake to clear the grass of worm-casts and stones, 

 and to be rolled with a heavy roller at least once a-week. Where 

 the grass is coarse it is a good plan to have it mown, cutting it 

 close to the grouud at this season, and where the herbage is 

 thin or does not cut well, a little Dutch clover seed should be 

 sown and afterwards thinly covered with some rich soil. To 

 those parts of the lawn which soon burn-up in dry weather, 

 apply a dressing of wood ashes and soot with a httle sand, and 

 if more convenient give a good soaking of Uquid manure. Relay 

 or repair Box edgings and grass verges so as to have everything 

 ready for trimming the walks as soon as the weather becomes 

 favourable. Most of the hardy Roses being now pruned, the 

 beds may receive their spring dressing. Plants that were much 

 infested vrith green fly last season may be cleaned of the eggs of 

 that or any other insect by syringing them with water at the 

 temperature of ICO", or by painting them over with lime, soot, 

 and cowdung mixed to the consistency of thin paint with strong 

 soapsuds. This is a certain remedy. But Little progress has 

 been made during the past week in the florist's department 

 owing to the extreme variability of the weather, the very 

 fickleness of which requires great vigilance on the amateur's 

 part. Polyanthuses ought to be procured without delay. The 

 following may be reUed on as good show flowers : — Pearson's 

 Alexander, Buck's George IV., Bullock's Lancer, Huf ton's Early 

 Grey, Lord Rauchffe, and Crownshaw's Invincible. The seed of 

 Ranunculus must be kept moderately moist by dipping a brush 

 in tepid water and drawing the hand over it to cause the drops to 

 fall lightly so that the soil covering it may not be displaced. 

 Make ready for potting Carnations, get the compost imder cover 

 the first fine dry day, it being very injurious to the layers to put 

 them in soil that is too wet. Try to grow some Pinks in large 

 pots, mixing a little rough charcoal with the soil, they wiU 

 repay the trouble. Pinch off the leading shoots of Pansies to 

 make your plants stocky. Top-dress with rotten manure. 



GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. «• 



The time for potting plants has now arrived, and the greatest 

 care is necessary in the selection of proper composts for different 

 famiUes, good friable loam, fibrous turfy peat, leaf mould, and 

 sand are tUe proper materials from which compost for all kinds 

 of plants may easily be made. Oue-third peat, one-third leaf 

 mould, and the other third of loam and sand will make a suit- 

 able compost for young plants of nine-tenths of those in cul- 

 tivation. Older plants will require the proportion of peat 

 lessened, and that of the loam increased ; sandy peat alone is 

 used for Heaths, Epacrises, and such hke, but the more robust 

 of these and all the Chinese Azaleas ought to have one-third 

 leaf mould added to their compost. Two-thirds loam and one- 

 third leaf mould, charcoal, and sand form a good compost for 

 Orange trees, Neriums, and many other strong woody plants. 

 Old-estatiUshed plants in the conservatory need not be potted 

 for the next six weeks. Old plants in general do not require 

 to be so early potted as the young portion of the collection. 



STOVE. 



As many of the plants will now begin to grow, they will re- 

 quire an increase of heat aud moisture. Plants that have been 

 starved from want of water and pot room to cause them to 

 flower should now be potted aud plunged in a brisk bottom heat. 

 Syringe them frequently, but give them very little water at the 

 roots until they begin to grow. Keep the temperature at about 

 60" by night. It may be allowed to rise 10" to 15^ by day, but 

 give air at 70°. 



PITS AND FR.^MES. 



The plants here which hitherto have been kept quite dry may 

 now receive a gentle watering ou some sunny morning, and be 

 encouraged to grow a little. Give plenty of air in the daytime, 

 but cover securely at night. Proceed with the potting of the 

 autumn stock plants, and the pricking-out of tender annuals, 

 which should always be attended to before they become crowded 

 in the seed-pots, and encourage the plants afterwards in a close 

 gentle heat until they are estabhshed in the new soil. Pot 

 Tigridia pavonia and conchiflora in light turfy soil, putting two 

 bulbs into a 48-sized pot, and placing them iu a warm frame or 

 forcing house until they begin to grow. Make a sowing iu heat 

 of CEnothera maorocarpa and taraxaoifolia, two very useful 



