ilO 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ November 27, 



WORK FOR THE WEEK. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



The heavy autumn rains have probably retarded the progress 

 of trenching and other ground operations ; the present weather 

 offers abundant opportunities for continuing such work. The 

 garden by this time should be freed from all unnecessary and 

 exhausted vegetable matter, and put generally in a clean and 

 orderly state. Asparagus, the beds, if not already attended to, 

 should be manured and dressed for the winter, and a portion 

 taken up far forcing-purposes. Articliokes (Globe), must be 

 protected with a coating of leaves ; a very considerable store 

 of the same material should be collected for lining hotbeds. A 

 good stock of roots should always be kept at hand in the vege- 

 table-shed; Carrots, Turnips, Jerusalem Artichokes, Horse- 

 radish, Beet, Scorzonera, and Salsafy should be kept in readi- 

 ness for use. If the vegetable-shed is, as it ought to be, 

 several feet below the ground level, and has a close-fitting door, 

 the above-named vegetables may be merely laid in heaps. If, 

 however, they are likely to shrivel, store them in layers of clean 

 sand. Let all the remaining Cabbage plants still in the seed- 

 beds be pricked out forthwith. If time will permit, Rhubarb, 

 Sea-kale, and Horseradish may be planted now instead of in 

 spring. In all cases be sure to trench deeply and loosen the 

 bottom of the trench. As many Lettuces and Endive as pos- 

 sible should be transplanted into frames where they may be at 

 least protected from rain. Shutters thatched with reed or 

 straw should be prepared for the protection of Endive, Parsley, 

 &C, in snowy weather. 



FRUIT GARDES. 



Figs against walls will require some protecting material 

 placed over them, more especially in the midland aud northern 

 counties. Some wall trees, as Pears, Plums, and Cherries, are 

 often attacked by scale, in which case the infested trees should 

 be well washed with a mixture of soft soap, tobacco water, and 

 lime ; half a pint of spirits of turpentine may be added to 

 each four gallons of the mixture when they are much infested. 

 The lime is added to give consistence to the mixture, and to 

 show that no parts of the trees are missed in dressing. Let 

 this be applied during dry weather, if possible, that it may re- 

 main on for some time, aud before the trees are nailed. Goose- 

 berry, Currant, and Raspberry priming and planting should be 

 in progress. An adequate quantity of cuttings of the first two 

 should be put in every season to provide for possible losses. 

 Examine fruit-stores often, and remove all fruit which exhibits 

 any symptoms of decay. 



FLOWER GARDEN. 



The more tender kinds of Roses are found in some places to 

 be injured by the late frosts ; protection should, therefore, be 

 applied at once to such plants as are yet safe. Also procure 

 without delay the stock of Briars for budding upon next year, 

 for unless they are planted before spring they seldom furnish 

 strong shoots for early budding. The late frosts have given 

 the final coup to the declining beauty of the flower garden. 

 Accustomed to the gay embellishments of the summer flowers, 

 we are naturally offended at the barren appearance presented 

 by the stricken beds. If the endeavour be made to repair, in 

 a degree, the lately banished effect, the utmost caution should 

 be used in selecting subjects for the purpose. Any attempt at 

 " make believe " caunot fail to prove offensive to the discrimi- 

 nating eye of taste. I have seen coloured glass aud painted 

 stones duly set in Box-edged beds, and lamented over mutilated 

 evergreens, shorn of their fair proportions for the same ill- 

 judged purpose. If the beds are now filled with spring- flower- 

 ing plants, a regular cleaning up of grass and gravel walks 

 should take place, in order that the whole may have a neat ap- 

 pearance during the winter. If the walks are much soiled a 

 surfacing of fresh gravel should be spread over the principal 

 ones in connection with the flower garden, which will keep up 

 a degree of freshness at a season when good keeping and neat- 

 ness are the only equivalents for floral beauty that can be 

 offered. Finer weather could not be desired for planting ever- 

 greens, &c, than we have had lately. This sort of work should 

 be in active progress. The clearing of all decaying matters 

 from the borders should be unremittingly followed up. It is 

 rather soon, generally speaking, for Rose-pruning, but the 

 operation may be performed on some. Transplanting may be 

 done with safety. Protect the roots of all transplanted Rose 

 trees with sawdust or wood ashes. A little care may preserve 

 Chrysanthemums, particularly those trained against a wall, 

 for some time ; the simple protection of a mat will ward off 

 the excess of frost likely to injure them. Take up and store 



Marvel of Peru and Salvia patens if not already done, and 

 finish planting bulbs and Anemones. 



GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. 



Forcing-houses and pits will very soon require to be kept in 

 full activity to supply the constant demand that will be made 

 on them for plants in bloom. Care must, however, be taken 

 before plants are removed to sitting-rooms, to gradually harden 

 them for two or three days, either by placing them in the 

 conservatory or intermediate-house. In addition to keeping 

 the conservatory gay with blooming plants, let the arrange- 

 ment of the house be occasionally changed by grouping the 

 plants somewhat differently, and adding a few Btriking ones, 

 as some of the hardiest Palms, &c, for effect. Pay attention 

 to the plants intended for succession-blooming; Azaleas, 

 Rhododendrons, Eranthemums, Justicias, Luculias, Cape Jas- 

 mines, Euphorbias, aud Epiphyllums, for forcing, should be 

 in readiness when wanted. Narcissus, Hyacinths, &c, should 

 bo proti.-vj by a frame; when they begin to grow remove the 

 plunging material down to the surface of the pots to prevent 

 them rouiiug upwards. With the assistance of a garden frame, 

 and some stable-manure or tan to furnish a gentle heat, the 

 Hyacinth may be had in flower at Christmas, and with a good 

 stock of bulbs the display may be kept up till April or May. 

 For early flowering the bulbs should be planted early in Sep- 

 tember, those to flower in spring should be planted during the 

 months of October, November, and December. The best pots 

 are five-inch (48's) for one bulb, and six or seven-inch (3'2's 

 and 2-1's) for three bulbs. It may be well to add that three 

 roots grown together in one pot produce a much finer effect 

 than single bulbs. The soil used for potting should be as 

 rich as possible, such as one-half fresh loam cut from a pasture, 

 with the turf decayed in it, and well-decomposed cow or horse- 

 manure, with a small portion of clean sand intermixed. U, 

 however, this soil cannot be obtained, then the lightest and 

 richest at command must be employed instead. Fill the pots 

 lightly with the prepared compost, and place the bulb upon the 

 surface, slightly pressing it into the soil. After giving the 

 newly-planted bulbs a liberal watering, set the pots out of doors 

 on a place where perfect drainage is secured, and cover them 

 with about a foot of old tan, ashes, leaf soil, or any light 

 material. After remaining there for a month or five weeks 

 the bulbs will be sufficiently rooted to render it safe to remove 

 them to a gentle bottom heat of about 55°, introducing the pots 

 in numbers proportionate to the demand at intervals of about 

 a fortnight. In forcing Hyacinths the amateur should be care- 

 ful not to allow the roots to penetrate the fermenting material. 

 A sitting-room window forms a suitable situation for Hyacinths 

 while in bloom. Mignonette and Neapolitan Violets will re- 

 quire abundance of light and air to keep them from damping. 

 As, with the exception of forced plants, most others are now 

 in an inactive state, the temperature of plant-houses should 

 fall to the minimum point consistent with the safety of their 

 iumates. Nothing can well be worse for the development of a 

 healthy vigorous habit in plants than subjecting them to a 

 high temperature at the present season, when light, so impor- 

 tant to the healthy action of vegetable life, caunot accompany 

 it. When Achimenes and Gloxinias are required to bloom 

 early, a few pots may be soon started by plunging them in a 

 little bottom heat. Every decaying leaf should now be in- 

 stantly removed from the houses. 



COLD PITS AND FRAMES. 



Abundance of air must be continued as long as possible, 

 avoiding, however, the least wet. As long as the weather con- 

 tinues mild, and a temperature above .32° can be maintained, 

 give air night as well as day. — W. Keane. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST WEEK 



Until the 19th and 20th the flower garden still presented 

 attractions. In sheltered places, or on elevated beds, Helio- 

 tropes were still in bloom, after the more succulent Dahlias 

 had been blackened ; yellow Calceolarias were almost as fine 

 as in the showery weather of September ; Salvia f nlgens was a 

 mass of bright scarlet ; and Chrysanthemums of various kinds 

 were very attractive. The frosts have made wrecks of most of 

 these now ; and after taking out the sticks which have been 

 used for supports, we shall cut all of the most vigorous and 

 rampant growers into two or three lengths with an old scythe, 

 and then all these remains of the flower-beds, which, where 

 they are, will soon become offensive in mild weather, will 

 mix up with mowings, sweepings, leaves, &c, to make pre- 



