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JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ December 11, 1866. 



shoots for a second crop. Remember, the more slowly it is 

 forced the finer and more tender it will he. Give air every 

 mild day to young Cauliflowers and Lettuces under glass. A 

 sprinkling of soot now and then will keep out slugs, and help 

 to improve the growth of the plants. 



FRUIT GARDEN. 



Proceed with pruning Apples and Pears, taking those in the 

 open quarters first, and afterwards the espaliers and wall trees. 

 As soon as the quarters are done let the ground have a dress- 

 ing of rotten cowdung or fresh loam, and afterwards dig them 

 over for the winter ; if the land is of a heavy nature leave it as 

 rough as possible. Espaliers should be looked over after 

 pruning, the stakes made good, and the trees again securely 

 tied to them ; where permanent iron-wire railing is used for es- 

 paliers a coat of mineral black or anti-corrosion paint should 

 be laid on when the wires are dry before the trees are trained. 

 Cherries, Gooseberries, and Currants have often their buds 

 destroyed in severe weather by birds ; take the opportunity 

 of a damp day, and dust the shoots with a mixture of dry soot 

 and quicklime sufficiently to cover the buds. "We have found 

 two or three dustings during the winter prevent in a great 

 measure the ravages of these pests. Where the Raspberry 

 grub is troublesome, give a good dressing of gas lime before 

 digging the ground, taking care to apply it regularly about the 

 base of the plants. The ground among fruit bushes should be 

 dug very lightly, especially in the case of Raspberries, which 

 have their roots near the surface, and it is better in all cases to 

 dispense with digging where it cannot be performed without 

 injuring the strong roots. Trees infested with scalo should be 

 loosened from the wall entirely, the bark well scraped, and 

 painted with a mixture of soft soap, cowdung, and lime, taking 

 care to well work the composition into the crevices of the bark. 



FLOWER GARDEN. 



Except where alterations are in hand, there will be little re- 

 quiring attention here at present beyond the clearing up of 

 leaves and putting the borders into neat order for the winter. 

 Let this he done, however, with the least possible deby, in 

 order that the place may look neat, clean, and as enjoyable as 

 the season will permit ; also sweep ar.d roll the walks frequently, 

 so as to keep these clean and smooth, for without hard, dry 

 walks pleasure grounds are almost useless at this season of the 

 year. Turf will also require rolling frequently to keep it 

 smooth and firm, and prevent its being disfigured by worm- 

 casts. If any of the turf requires levelling, take advantage of 

 any leisure time which may occur to do so. 



GREENHOUSE AND C0NSERVAT0E7. 



The winter flowers will now be making a splendid display in 

 the conservatory, at least where they have received special at- 

 tention through the summer to this end. The Euphorbia 

 jacquiniitflora is one of the foremost of these beauties whi n 

 properly cultivated. Unless, however, a most healthy root- 

 action is maintained the leaves are apt to become yellow whilst 

 the plant is in blossom, and this at once will spoil the effect. 

 It requires a very moderate amount of water at this season. 

 Poinsettia pnlcherrima is a bold and effective conservatory 

 plant, and indispensable at this time of the year. Well-grown 

 plants of Gesnera bulbosa, or G. lateritia, are equally useful. 

 This plant should be slightly pot-bound in order to blossom 

 well early. Gesnera zebrina, under high cultivation, is a most 

 beautiful winter flower, and equally desirable on account of the 

 elegant markings of the leaf, which become very rich indeed 

 in the stove. The old Plumbago rosea and capensis are still 

 amongst our best plants at this period. In mixed greenhouses 

 see that the young stock of Heliotropes, Cyclamens, and other 

 flowers grown especially for winter, have nice light situations 

 arid regular attention as regards watering. 



STOVE. 



Many plants will now be sinking into repose here, and from 

 such water must be entirely withheld. Of these maybe named 

 the Erythrinas, the Clerodendrons, the Achimenes, the Glox- 

 inias, and various bulbs. These should have a shelf or divi- 

 sion of the house to themselves forthwith, and it should be 

 remembered that the Gloxinia family and the Clerodendrons 

 are very impatient of low temperature ; even when at rest they 

 are not considered safe below 50°. 



FORCING-PIT. 

 This is a good time to introduce the following : — Rhododen- 

 drons, Azaleas, Persian Lilacs, Sweet Briars, Moss and other 

 Roses, Ledums, Kalmias, Daphnes, Anne Boleyn Pinks, and 

 Dutch bulbs. Unless, however, they have received the neces- 

 sary treatment as advised through the summer, it will be labour 



in vain, and no mode of forcing or form of pit can compensate 

 for this. The great secret of success, if the heat is wholly- 

 produced by fermenting materials, is to keep down accumu- 

 lating damp and mouldiness by an almost constant ventilation, 

 increasing the linings in order to raise the necessary tempe- 

 rature. Those who are fortunate enough to possess pits heated 

 by means of hot water will of course pursue a somewhat diffe- 

 rent course. 



TITS AND FEA.MES. 



Look well to store plants for next summer, and have suffi- 

 cient protecting material always in readiness with which to 

 cover them whenever the weather is unfavourable. As many 

 plants suffer from drip at this season a careful look-out should 

 be kept, and either the cause remedied or the plants removed. 

 Take cuttings of Chrysanthemums as soon as possible. By so 

 doing you insure a strong, healthy plant for next year ; stop 

 early, and keep a good foliage throughout the summer by at- 

 tending to watering. — W. Keane. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST WEEK. 

 The weather has been so changeable, from sharp frost to 

 heavy rains, from clear bracing weather to a close, damp atmo- 

 sphere of from 50° to jo° of temperature, that work had to be 

 regulated accordingly. In frosty mornings much wheeling was 

 done, to top mulch Strawberries, from old hotbeds, as alluded 

 to last week, to clean what Strawberry-rows had not been quite 

 cleared of runners, &C, and during the dry days a good deal of 

 pruning was effected in bush and low standard' fruit trees, pre- 

 paratory to syringing them with thickish lime water, which 

 stands the heavy rains wonderfully well. In dull damp days 

 mowing was resorted to, as the grass has grown wonderfully 

 of late, and has only been retarded by the frosts, the thorough 

 sweeping up being reserved for fine days, if possible, as the 

 grass will longer suffer in appearance if brushed over on a 

 frosty morning; and if this be done whin it is very wet, what- 

 ever worm heaps or earth there may be on the surface will 

 leave a blackish appearance until thoroughly washed off by suc- 

 ceeding rains. In wet days, as this day week, the work was con- 

 fined to sheds ami houses, picking off diseolouied leaves, potting, 

 packing esculent roots, placing Potatoes in small pots for 

 future planting, looking over Mushroom-beds, and preparing 

 straw frames for protection. 



Straw Corny. — With the exception of wooden shutters, 

 which we have never of late been able to have, there is nothing 

 more effectual for covering glass sashes than straw covers. The 

 mode of making them has been several times stated. Take 

 three slips of wood from 3 to 4 inches wide, 1 inch thick, and as 

 long as the frame, one piece for each side, and one for the 

 centio. Place these square to suit the sash, and then nail on 

 cross-pieces 3 inches wide, and half on inch thick, at each end, 

 and similar pieces about 1 foot apart, from top to bottom. 

 This reversed forms the frame for receiving the straw, which 

 should be neatly put in, and kept firmly in its place by a cross- 

 piece at each end, and a tar string from side to side, over each 

 of the cross-pieces beneath, and securely fixed to them by tacks. 

 The whole of the upper side of the cover may be secured by 

 string, but we prefer, in general, one cross-piece of wood at 

 each end above the straw, though the rain would go off better 

 if there were merely a string; but then the end of the cover 

 would not be so suitable for taking hold of when moving the 

 cover off the glass, and putting it on. As a general rule, this 

 covering and uncovering are best doue by two men, and then a 

 great number of covers can be taken off and put on very quickly. 



It will be observed that the cross-pieces of wood on the lower 

 side of the frame will keep the straw from resting on the 

 glass, or rather the bars of the sash, and thus will keep a con- 

 siderable body of air between the glass and the straw, which 

 will still further arrest the conduction and the radiation of 

 heat from the glass. To render this more effectual, in making 

 such covers for pits and frames, the width of each cover should 

 be such that the covers not only take in the space of the sashes, 

 but tbe spaces between reserved for the rafters, if these are on 

 the level, and thus the outside air is pretty well excluded. 



In taking these covers off or putting them on — that is, partly 

 sliding them up and sliding them down, the workmen must 

 learn to keep the covers level, or they may knock a corner into 

 the glass carelessly. With moderate care, there being no out- 

 jutting straw below, there need never be a square of glass 

 broken, the covers being much more safe iu this respect than, 

 any loose protection, such as mate. 



