December 5, 1886.] JOURNAL OF HOBTICDLTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



467 



It certainly mado a great (lifferenco in tl:o appearance of the 

 park, anil many a Ktntleman oven on that account would con- 

 sent to CHttinK. alHioiiHli tlicro niigbt Vio a triflo of ultiniato 

 loss. A very liulo Boot mixture or otlior artilioial manuro 

 would more than make up for the loss. 



M)(.^Uiv(im-lifds.—\\'o have been requested to cive an answer 

 hereto "Anxious" about the propriety and possibility of nra- 

 diicinij flnail .Ukv/iiviohis without iluii;i, and merely by using a 

 fennentins heap of tree leaves ; as ho can obtain plenty of 

 leaves and scarcely any of the latter^none at all, indeed, 

 except a few bushels of such droppings as can be picked up by 

 an old man on the roads and hi^jhways, but not enough oven of 

 them to make anything like a shallow Mushroom-bed, or create 

 the necessary amount of heat. Now as to the impossible, that 

 word must bo pretty well iliscarded from the gardener's voca- 

 bulary. Wo have had some fair Mushrooms that were produced 

 from beds of tree leaves, but by using much more and larger 

 pieces of spawn ; but the results were not favourable enough for 

 us to recommend the plan. Wo have been more successful when 

 a good lot of the withered grass alluded to above was mixed with 

 the tree leaves, the former yielding more nitrogenous material, 

 whilst the tree leaves chiefly consisted of carbonaceous matter. 

 There was another difficulty : unless the leaves had previously 

 been subjected to a high, almost burning temperature, there 

 was a likelihood of nimibcrs of Funguses being produced be- 

 sides the true Mushroom. On the whole, then, thougli discard- 

 ing the impossible, we do not recommend Mushroom-beds to 

 be made solely of tree leaves, or of leaves and long dried grass, 

 (fee, combined ; but leaves may form the great bulk of the bed, 

 witli a thin coatingof di-oppings, which our correspondent can 

 obtain, and such beds will be lasting and productive. We have 

 often had fine beds thus mado : Collect the tree leaves to be 

 used into a heap — Oak leaves are the best. Beech and Elm 

 next best. If di^', water a little, so that the leaves may heat 

 rather violentlj-. In eight days turn the heap, placing the top 

 at the bottom, and the centre at the outsides, and the outsides 

 in the centre ; tread or beat rather firm, and then cover with 

 about t> inches of fresh leaves. By another eight days, if the 

 weather is mild, the heap will be very warm, which is neces- 

 sary to destroy all sorts of spawn and cause slugs, &c., either 

 to die or to take themselves off. Then remove the outside 

 leaves, and with your hot heap begin to make your bed from 

 18 to 3G inches deep, though tiie first vi'ill keep the heat a long 

 time in a close place. Beat and tread the layers as you go, 

 and thoroughly at the last, and then put in trial sticks 9 inches 

 and 3 inches deep. As soon as the point of the upper stick, 

 the one 3 inches or so deep, is no warmer than new milk, and 

 the stick placed deeper shows the heat is on the decline, put 

 on from 2 to 3 inches of your road-collected droppings. If a 

 lot of drift is mixed with the droppings all the better ; beat 

 this also firm, and wiiteh for a few days, say two or three, and 

 if the heat does not rise again, but keeps pretty equable, then 

 insert the spawn in pieces about the size of a walnut into these 

 droppings, covering the pieces merely a quarter of an inch or 

 so. Beat, and watch the trial sticks ; and in a few days, if the 

 heat continues regular, and is rather inclined to sink than rise, 

 then place from half an inch to an inch more droppings all 

 over the bed, beat again, and very shortly, if the heat continues 

 regular, which it is almost siu-e to do, earth, beat firm, and 

 treat in the usual way. The spawn placed so shallow can 

 scarcely be injured if there be a slight increase of heat ; but 

 to gxiard against that increase is the reason why we advise 

 doing the work by degrees. Two or three inches of horse-drop- 

 pings will thus be sufficient for a rich plentiful bed. Most likely 

 when the bed is done with you will find large strings of the 

 spawn running freely among the leaves ; but, nevertheless, 

 the casing of more nitrogenous animal matter will be a great 

 advantage. 

 Gave all the air possible to salads. Cauliflower-pit for use, etc. 



FRUIT GABDEN. 



Took all Strawberry-pots under protection of some Icind, so 

 that they might be sheltered from heavy rains and keen frosts. 

 Those who cannot do so should plunge the pots in the ground, 

 or in ashes, and protect with straw hurdles, itc. A good many 

 forget that a plant in a pot improtected is in a far worse con- 

 dition as respects casualties and changes, than if it were 

 planted out in the ground. Placed a number of Keens' Seed- 

 ling, &c., in the beds alluded to, where they mil just have a 

 little heat, previously taking away the faded and older leaves, 

 scraping o£f a little soil from the surface, and adding a rich 

 compost instead. At this season these plants, though within a . 



few inches of the glass, must have only the mildest heat. A 

 fortnight ago we had some very fair Black Prince Strawberries, 

 but the few gathered for eight days have been less dark in 

 colour, and not so good, we presume, in flavour. Air in any 

 quantity will not make amends tor the absence of the sun's 

 rays. 



From tree pots in the orchard-house picked away a good bit 

 of the surface soil, and supplied with fresh compost, consisting 

 of fresh fibry loam and cowdung. Theso pots had previously 

 been lifted to break any roots that had gone beyond the pots. 

 This renders root-pruning an easy alfair. The great objection 

 to pots is the watering they require in summer. Other matters 

 much the same as in previous weeks. 



0KX.S.5IENT.VL DErARTJIENT. 



Everything in pits and frames wanted looking after to pre- 

 vent damping, and to secure a circulation of air. In somo 

 foggy days it was better to keep shut to keep the fog out. In 

 sucli times the want of a hot-water pipe is felt, for that would 

 cause the air to move, and also keep out fog, by converting the 

 heavy thick fog into invisible vapour. Had to look sharp after 

 mice among potted bulbs, and after rals among Violets in a bed 

 imder glass. One rat was caught iu a trap after cutting off in 

 mischief lots of flower-stalks, and tearing other plants out by 

 the roots, and making part of the place like a ploughed field. 

 Auriculas and Polyanthus under glass must be guarded from 

 drip in such weather. Stocks, double Wallflowers, Pinks, 

 and Carnations cannot bo kept too dry and hardy. Young 

 Mignonette should have all the air and light possible. Ex- 

 amined the roots of Dahlias and covered up with di-y earth in 

 a shed for the winter. Brought as many bedding plants into 

 vineries, &e., as possible, where, in severe weather, for a couple 

 of months they may have the help of lire heat when necessary. 

 Had the rest fresh picked and fresh arranged in frames pre- 

 viously whitewashed, &c., inside, so as to be wanner and drier, 

 and receive more light as already hinted at. Potted Humeas, 

 Cinerarias, and many other plants. Gave as much light and 

 air as possible to hardwooded plants. Put a few hardy things 

 in heat for forcing, also Lily of the Valley and softwooded plants. 

 Gave a slight heat to the forward Cinerarias, to bring them 

 into bloom. Gave all the light and room possible to Pelargo- 

 niums, and watered all things with care, guarding alike against 

 the extremes of moisture and of dryness. In the case of pits 

 and frames in continued dull weather it is vei-y handy to have 

 two sets of sashes, taking off those loaded with moistiu-e and 

 putting on dry ones. In severe weather double sashes are also 

 very useful, and the agi'eeable temperature thus secured pre- 

 vents condensation of the moisture inside of the glass. This 

 is a great annoyance iu flat houses, as well as in pits and frames. 

 There are many modes of preventing it, but all costing money 

 to carry them out. To guard against damp, as little water 

 should 'be spUt anywhere as possible. As soon as we can we 

 wDl have Stanbopeas fresh-packed and other hanging plants 

 duly looked at. A fire iu plant-houses now, with air on, both 

 during the day, does much to keep them sweet and comfortable 

 for the inmates. — E. F. 



TRADE CATALOGUES RECERTED. 



Ambroise Versehaftelt, Eue du Chairme, 50, Ghent, Belgium. 

 — Prix Courant (77) pour Vautomne, 1SG5, et le jmntcmps, 1866. 

 Plantes notivcllts, recommandccs, cOc. 



WiUiam Chater, Saffron Waldeu '^mserj.— Catalogue of 

 Sapprb Double Hollyhocks, Eases, (&c. 



COVENT GARDEN ILVRKET.— Decembek 2. 



So little alteration has taken place here, that our last week's qnotations 

 indicate pretty correctly the condition of the market. 



Apples ^ sieve 



.\pricot8 doz. 



Cherries lb. 



Chestnuts bnsh. 



Ciurants, Red ^ sieve 



Black .". . . do. 



Firs doz. 



FUbcrts lb. 



Cobs 100 lbs. 



Gooseberries. . i sieve 

 Grapes, Hambro.. . lb. 



Muscats lb. 



Lemons 100 



Melons each 



Mulberries punnet 



Nectarines doz. 



Oranges 100 



Peaches doz. 



Pears (kitchen)., doz. 



dessert doz. 



Pino Apples lb. 



Plums A sieve 



Quinces | sieve 



Raspberries lb. 



Strawberries lb. 



\Yaluuts bush 14 20 



