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JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ December 4, 1866. 



thermometer, as follows :— A platinum wire is fused into the 

 bulb, and a second wire is inserted at the lowest degree which 

 can be tolerated in the building. Both wires are connected 

 with a galvanic battery. As long as the mercury stands at the 

 proper height, thus indicating sufficient heat, the current is 

 closed, and a magneto-electrical apparatus, in the dwelling of 

 the keeper, is kept in motion ; but if the building become cold 

 the mercury sinks, the current is broken, and the magnetic 

 apparatus ceases to move. Dr. Kohlrausch has modified this 

 apparatus so as to be self-regulating. By a similar contrivance 

 he opens and shuts the ventilators according to the temperature 

 — the whole system being driven by an electro-magnet. 



WORK FOR THE WEEK. 



KITCHEN- GARDEN. 



Ix favourable weather carry out whatever digging, trenching, 

 and draining have been marked out for completion during the 

 winter ; deferred until a later period severe weather may set in, 

 and thus the operations may be retarded, and runny advantages 

 lost - ' .hoe between the earliest-planted, also between 



Lettuces. This should be frequently done to growing crops 

 through the winter, as by keeping the surface loose and open frost 

 is prevented from penetrating to any great depth, and the roots 

 are kept in a more active state. Geurots, on a dry warm border 

 a few beds of Early Frame or Shark-top R disli should be sown, 

 either singly or with the Short Horn Carrot. Cover the beds 

 with straw or litter till the seeds vegetate, when they should be 

 uncovered every day when not frosty. A frame should likewise 

 be placed on a gentle bottom heat for sowing the above to draw 

 early. ^ Celery and ' ' r, d i, ins may have a final earthrng-up when 

 the soil is dry, if the weather has prevented its being done 

 sooner. Leeki should likewise have more earth drawn to them 

 before severe frosts set in. They are an excellent vegetable 

 when well blanched. Peas, whenever the ground becomes dry 

 put in a second crop of these and Mazagau Beam, as the first 

 crop will most likely fail through the wet state of the soil. If 

 Peas are sown in the open quarters, the drills should 1 

 tected by a ridge of earth left to the north or east of the 

 Keep doTvn mice by trapping, they are sometimes troublesome 

 to early-sown crops of the above. Land intended for i 

 culture should be rongh-dag, and exposed to the action of the 

 weathi ■ as much as possible, and manure, if employed at all, 

 should be most sparingly applied. 

 rp.riT r.AV 



If hitherto delayed, Strawberry-beds should be dressed with 

 short, rich manure. We are not partial to the practice of dig- 

 ging between the rows. The manure can remain on the surface 

 until the spring, when it can be slightly pricked in with a fork. 

 Remove all unnecessary runners if they have been allowed to 

 remain. Where ripe fruit is wanted early, a portion of the 

 most promising pot plants should now be selected and placed 

 in a pit where they can be afforded a gentle bottom heat, or if 

 this cannot be commanded, a Peach-house or vinery which has 

 just been closed for forcing will do. They must, however, be 

 kept close to the glass, for they require all the light that can be 

 possibly afforded them at this season, and a free admission of 

 air on mild days, with a low temperature until the fruit is 

 fairly set ; and if these conditions can be combined with bottom 

 heat, success will be more certain than under any other circum- 

 stances, and this wiR be more easily done in a small pit than 

 in a house the temperature of which must be regulated by 

 other things. Finish pruning Currants. Some of the larger 

 kinds will repay the attention of superior culture ; trained to a 

 wall and spurred as Vines, they approach some varieties of 

 Grapes in the size and weight of their bunches. When orchard 

 trees have been for some years left unpruned, the hand- saw will 

 be required to thin out the larger branches. Keep the middle 

 of the trees open to admit air, and to promote the formation of 

 fruit-buds on the interior branches. It is, however, a bad 

 practice to leave any description of fruit tree to itself, as it 

 would in all cases pay the cultivator to prune once a-year at 

 least. 



FLOWER GARDEN. 



Let lawns be well rolled when sufficiently dry for the purpose. 

 Every part of the turf should be frequently swept during the 

 winter. Nothing adds so much to the enjoyment of pleasure- 

 ground scenery as well-kept turf; and when connected with 

 evergreen shrubs, an agreeable relief to the dreariness of the 

 season is afforded, which renders the loss of more attractive 

 plants less to be regretted. At the same time see that the walks 



are kept dry and firm, in order that they may be traversed with 

 comfort at all times. While the weather continues mild, the 

 planting of deciduous trees may be proceeded with, provided 

 the state of tho land will permit the operation to be profitably 

 conducted ; with the exception of the more hardy kinds, the 

 planting of evergreens had better be deferred till April. Deci- 

 duous trees may be pruned whenever- there is time, except 

 during severe frost. Many of the larger-growing plants will 

 only require going over once in two or three years, to reduce 

 straggling shoots to proper limits, and to thin out where too 

 thick. Smaller-growing shrubs, as some kinds of Cytisus 

 and Spiraeas, should, however, be pruned annually, if a good 

 show of flowers and uniformly shaped bushes are desired. The 

 pruning and tying-in of climbing plants on trellises, <fcc, may 

 remain till February. Many of the above plants are partly 

 evergreen, and when pruned at this season their supports have 

 a somewhat naked appearance throughout the winter. Any 

 Ling, loose growths should, however, be cutaway at once. 

 The l-1. ief anxiety of the amateur as far as Tulips, Dahlias, Car- 

 nations, and Pinks are concerned, is now brought to a close. 

 Tulips ought all to be planted, and if the bed has been properly 

 made, will require but little attention till they are fairly out of 

 the ground. Dahlias ought to be all taken up by this time, 

 and their tops cut off, and having been exposed under cover in 

 B dry, airy place, as recommended lately, they will be ready to 

 stow away. It is a good plan to put them crown downwards, 

 for it sometimes happens that an exudation of sap takes place 

 when the top is removed, and has a prejudicial effect on the 

 crown of the root, often causing rottenness. Carnations must 

 be kept hardy — that is to say, if they have been potted early. 

 If obtained since the middle of October they will require much 

 more attention, for at this time of year, being comparatively 

 stationary, it will be found that late-potted layers are more 

 susceptible of damp and frost than those which are well estab- 

 lished. 



GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. 



Included in the management of plants, if there is one care 

 that should exceed others, at this season more particularly, it 

 is that of regulating the temperature — governing, in fact, judi- 



. the amount of fire heat. The very variable nature of 



ithex lately has made the exact fulfilment of this duty 



sufficiently difficult ; but as no great good is ever attained with- 



me expenditure of labour, the additional trouble should 

 be cheerfully undertaken with the belief that the reward will 

 be commensurate. The supposed necessity of resorting to fires 

 in greenhouses may often be obviated with real advantage to 

 plants by the use of night-coverings. Double mats, or whatever 

 may be devised for the purpose, will, except in extreme cases, 

 maintain a night temperature of from 35 to l" . which is an 

 amount of night heat suiiicient for the ordinary occupants of 

 our mixed greenhouses during the winter months. During duU 

 weather occasional fires will be required for the conservatory ; 

 they should be lighted in the morning, in order that the house 

 may be thrown open during the day to promote a free cir- 

 culation of air, this will dry up damp, and help to keep the 

 plants in a healthy state. 



STOVE. 



This will require a very liberal ventilation now. increasing 

 fire heat if necessary in order to accomplish it. Still apply 

 moisture to the air. although in a diminished degree ; but with- 

 hold moisture entirely from the roots of deciduous Orchids, or 

 those sinking into a state of repose. Any late specimens, or 

 importations making late growths, should have the lightest 

 situation in the house, and receive a little moisture at the roots 

 occasionally; light, however, is the great desideratum in 

 order to produce those secretions on which alone depends 

 the power of going through a long winter successfully. If 

 there is any prospect of a scarcity of bloom next May, a por- 

 tion of the Achimenes and Gloxinias should be repotted at once 

 and placed in a warm part of the stove, choosing such as have 

 been longest at rest, and a few Clerodendrons, Allamandas, a 

 plant or two of Echites splendens, and of Dipladenia crassinoda, 

 may also be started. — W. Keane. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST WEEK. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



The work has been to a great extent a repetition of that of 

 last week — wheeling whilst the ground was hard and dry, and 

 digging and trenching when the reverse, but fair above. 



The Dwarf Kidney Beans grown in an earth-pit, and covered 



