November 7, 1865. ] 



JOUIVNAIi OF HOBTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GAEDENER. 



389 



fiowora in tlio flower garden, and bo briuR down tlio leaves of 

 deciduous trees that a rake and a brnsli will bo souiewbat 

 telling. Now, all work of tbis description reiiuircs to be begun 

 again before it is well finished. It is do, do, and never done. 

 Unless where tliere is abundance of labour, and in cases where 

 the lawn would be injiu-ed by a thick dt'iiosit of loaves, it gene- 

 rally becomes a matter of necessity to keo|i all tidy in the 

 principal |ilaces, and allow the rest of the deiuesno to be some- 

 what rough until a more general cleaning nji would be more 

 effectual. It must be remembered that wo have nothing to 

 say against the extreme of tidiness where it can be attained, 

 and it should if jiossible be attained in places that come promi- 

 nently and regularly before the eye of a resident proprietor ; 

 but in most places where work, needful work, has to be done, 

 there is something unsatisfactory and ne:vt to tantalising in 

 nsiug a broom on a lawn all day, and then from the falling 

 leaves being unable to perceive in an hour or two any visible 

 proofs of your workmanship. Thau this want of visible resiUt 

 there is nothing in the whole field of labour more depressing 

 to the workman. We do not say that the lawn would not be 

 better if swept and rolled every day, even amid the falling 

 leaves ; wo only say that, carried on continuously, the doing, 

 doing, and never done exercises in time a depressing influence, 

 and one that often will not be removed when the occasion has 

 passed away. 



This constant cleaning and never clean also tends to keep 

 back other work, as mowing, planting and transplanting, turf- 

 ing, ifcc. If the full benefit is to bo derived from the fallen 

 leaves, they will be more serviceable every way, keep their 

 heat much longer, and be more easily brought home if collected 

 somewhat dry instead of wet. Besides, at this season most 

 trees in their changing and failing foliage have a beauty pecu- 

 liarly their own, and many arc more attractive than when 

 apparalled in the luxuriance of summer. As we lately admired 

 some beautiful Thorns, the foliage of various colours, but 

 adding a richness to the large yellow, and scarlet, and crimson 

 fruit with which the trees were loaded, we could not help 

 thinking that the leaves and fruit that studded the grass added 

 to, rather than diminished, tho attractions of the scene. Call 

 such thoughts poetical instead of practical if you. will ; but 

 many will be glad if such poetry would pass current, instead 

 of their being forced to neglect necessary work for the never- 

 ending use of the broom on the lawn, though far removed 

 from the mansion. We have met with several instances where 

 the most important work was always necessarily behind, because 

 a large lawn had to be kept rigidly neat at all times. Part of 

 the lawn at a distance from the house was devoted to Piuuses 

 and the finer deciduous trees, and in these circumstances it 

 would have been much preferable to have allowed the ground 

 there to go roughish, or even to be covered with low plants of 

 Furze, Broom, and other shrubs. We feel sure that with plenty 

 of room to spread, the Pines, Ac, would even look better in such 

 cii'Cimistances, more natural even, than when the ground was 

 brushed about them several times a-week just now. The 

 saving of unseen and therefore often unajipreeiated labom- 

 would be immense. 



EITCHEN GAKDEN. 



Blanchiufi Celery. — Here, on Thm-sday, being our only di-y 

 day, we brushed om- Celery with a light broom after break- 

 fast, to cause it to dry sooner, and then set to tying each head up 

 with a strand of matting, after seeing that no suckers were left, 

 and earthing it up, placing dry sittings from coal ashes roimd 

 the stems, which will keep slugs and worms from them, and 

 help to keep moistm'e and frost from injuring them. But for 

 the frosty mornings we would not have hastened this operation, 

 as large Celery is easily injured by frost, and especially after it 

 has received a little earthing-up. Smaller heads that are 

 planted shallow and without earthing-up, will often stand un- 

 injured in frosty weather. Just in proportion to the care and 

 coddling given to them, will be their liability to be iujm-ed by 

 frost. Instead of earthing-up too high, w-e prefer now, if we 

 had the material, to place a layer on the top, packed in close to 

 the plants, of tree leaves, stubble, or litter of any kind ; and 

 this is more necessary when the Celery is gi-own in beds, as if 

 this covering material is raised a little in the centre, as soon 

 as it becomes smooth and firmisli there, it will send oS the 

 rains as well as keep out the frost, as the whole of the loose 

 light stuff beneath the caked surface will be a porous non- 

 conducting material. Six inches wiU be enough of this porous 

 material, esjiecially at first. In severe frost a little may be 

 placed over the tops of the heads and removed when the frost 

 is gone. Mr. McDonald, of Woodstock, Ireland, uses moss for 



blanching with very good effect. Some use tubes of earthen- 

 ware. Half-circular or half-moon tubes are good for placing 

 round the plants, if you use ashes next the stems, but good 

 workmen manage nil that nicely with a few boards, drawing 

 them out and pressing the earth to the ashes. We generally 

 manage to have a heap of unsifted ashes at this season for the 

 purpose — a matter of importance on our heavy soil. We use 

 a sieve with quartcr-of-an inch openings, or rather less. What 

 goes through is uscil for this ])urpoB0, and what remains goes 

 to the furnaces. Cauliflower coming in, we jnotected by 

 jdacing several leaves over the head. We have not yet moved 

 that or Endive under protection, but the sooner it is done tho 

 better and the safer the Endive will be. 



FRUIT OAUDEN. 



Much the same as in the previous week. Had protection 

 ready for Strawberry-]K)ts if necessary. A lot showing bloom, 

 especially of Black Prince, have been put under glass, so that 

 they may not be injured. No time should be lost in jireparing 

 for planting fruit trees in the modes recently alluded to. If 

 not done presently, there will be little gained in doing it until 

 March. Threw a little stubble on the Vine.border ; |jruned and 

 cleaned part of the first Peach-bouse; di-ew a light broom over 

 Peach and Apricot trees ; took off the leaves and fruit from 

 plants in the small Fig-house, and, but that the fruit was asked 

 after, would have done this by tho middle of October, as that 

 is long enough for Figs to bear, if they are expected to bear 

 early next season. 



ORNAMENTAL DEPAr.TMENT. 



The continued wet has prevented us doing much on the lawn. 

 The sooner all the summer flowers are removed the better now, 

 for all the beauty that is left. The small dwarf Tagetes tenui- 

 folia is still as fine as ever, seeming to rejoice in diy weather 

 and wet weather alike. We would rather let the beds seem out 

 i of order for a few days than have feet and barrow-wheels on 

 the lawn after so much wet. A dry day or two will make all 

 right, and in a dry day the double of the remo\'ing work can be 

 done, and with but little cleaning afterwards. We recollect 

 being one in doing a day's work on a wet day, and it took just 

 two days to remedy the injuries made on the walk and lawn. 

 The two days' labour would have been saved, had the men done 

 sometliing in the sheds, and colds and rheumatisms, the results 

 of the soaking in the end of November, would have been avoided. 



The whole week has been chiefly employed in potting, put- 

 ting in Calceolaria cuttings, and pruning and striking old Gera- 

 niums in pots, as stated last week. Chrysanthemums under 

 glass needed some picking, and to be watered with manure 

 water. Cinerarias needed placing under protection ; also all 

 Chinese Primulas not in the greenhouse. In the mild days 

 gave hardwooded plants plenty of air. Abundance of light is 

 now given in plant-houses by reducing and pruning back 

 climbers, which bloom on young shoots chiefly in summer. 

 Bulbs potted or planted must be guarded fi-om mice, and all 

 florists' flowers — as Auriculas, Polyanthus, Carnations, ifec, 

 must have plenty of air, and be protected from the heavy rains. 

 As good a plan as any, if the plants are in pits or frames, is to 

 elevate tho sash by a half brick or other means at the four 

 comers, so that the air shall pass through unobstructed, and 

 yet the rains be all thrown off. In a fine dry day, as Thursday, 

 after the frost in the morning was gone, and the sun shone so 

 brightly, the sashes should be taken off entu'ely, and replaced 

 in the afternoon. We did so in the case of thousands of young 

 strildng cuttings of Geraniums. The drying of such a day is 

 the best preventive against damping. In their case, however, 

 as the young plants were neither so hardy, nor yet so inured to 

 the open air, the lights were all replaced between one and two 

 o'clock. In dull muggy weather we would merely give a Uttle 

 air at back, and less in front, but the sun was so favourable 

 that we were glad to give them all we could unobstructed. Of 

 course, if the air had been cold with the sun, so much exposure 

 would have been injudicious. 



Centaurea candiiUxsima. — We think we have touched upon 

 most of the bedeling plants except this, and there are several 

 inquu'ies as to its propagation, &c. It may be struck at any 

 time, summer, winter, or spring, by being inserted firmly in 

 sandy soO, over good drainage, and close to the sides of the 

 pot, a little hole or cavity being left in the middle of the pot 

 for giving a httle water when necessary, instead of watering all 

 over and on the cuttings. In winter, especially, it does not 

 like much moisture. The best time to strike it quickly is in 

 spring. Cut down or nip out the points of the larger plants, 

 and ere long lots of shoots will come fi'om the stems and as 



