468 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ December in, lsOfi. 



same time ; and of mildew a dry airy atmosphere is the best 

 preventive, but the plants .should be frequently examined, 

 applying sulphur on the first appearance of the enemy. Very 

 little water will he required here at present, but the plants 

 should be carefully looked over about twice a-week, so as to 

 make sure that nothing is allowed to feel the want of it. If 

 not already done, let the plants be tied with the least possible 

 delay ; for it is very difficult to tie a plant so that it will not 

 look somewhat stiff and unnatural, aud the sooner all this kind 

 of work is done the better the specimens will look when in 

 bloom. 



stovi:. 

 Some of the early-ripened tall Cacti may now be introduced 

 either in the stove or forcing-pit,. and receive a liberal watering 

 to commence with. If, however, the blossom-buds are not well 

 matured, it is of little use forcing them. Do not encourage 

 any fresh growth among stove plants at this period, rather aim 

 at that kind of routine management which will serve to consoli- 

 date the growths already made and to develope the blossoms of 

 the late-flowering plants in a proper way. 



PITS. 



The present is a very trying season for the inmates of these 

 structures, and every advantage must be taken of mild dry days 

 to give air freely, and a little must be afforded every day when 

 the temperature is above freezing. Also carefully look over the 

 plants at least once a-week, and remove decaying leaves, &c, 

 which, when left, only encourage damp and mildew. Scarcely 

 any watering will be necessary here for some time, and the 

 plants will be all the better of being kept rather dry at the 

 root; but strong healthy plants will probably be found to 

 require water occasionally to prevent the balls becoming too dry, 

 and when water must be gi\en select a dry morning for doing 

 so, and give air freely during the day. Sec that the frames are 

 well-banked up, so as to be proof against ordinary frost, and do 

 not neglect covering up securely at night. — W. Reane. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST WEEK. 

 As to general work, in such changeable weather we can only 

 refer to what was said of the vegetable and fruit departments 

 in former notices, similar work being attended to as the weather 

 would permit. 



ORNAMENTAL TIErVKTMENT. 



In fine days proceeded with a thorough cleauing-up in the 

 pleasure grounds, clearing the lawns of all faded leaves, as they 

 contrast so mournfully at this season with the bright green 

 grass, which, if kept nice, is one of the greatest attractions of a 

 demesne in winter. Rolled the grass with a light wooden 

 roller, heavy enough to give a nice level appearance, and send 

 wormcasts ought of sight, or have them attached — licked up, as 

 it were — to the roller, and scraped off at interwals. Such a 

 roller, made simply from the equally rounded bole of a tree, 

 and 1 foot in diameter and 4 feet in length, will enable a man 

 or a stout boy to go over with an 'it a large space of 



ground in a short time, when, owing to the wet state of the 

 ground or a shortness of labour power, it would be found un- 

 suitable to use a heavier iron roller. We look on this simple 

 roller as one of the most useful machines far keeping a lawn 

 in nice trim in winter. 



Pulled up the few weeds which were seen on the walk: 

 gave these a good brushing' with a new birch broom, from 

 which the slender points had been nipped off with a knife. 

 There is a little art in thi'S brushing a . as to render it 



fresh aud h . ive scarcely a mark of the broom. This 



will never ho done by working the broi t ind for- 



wards, hut by beginning at one end, aud brushing the walk 

 regularly and only in one direction. Thus, if you begin at the 

 north end of a walk you must brush continuously and only to 

 the south, making no back strokes to the north. In this way, 

 with a little practice, scarcely a mark of the birch will remain. 



Though the walks thus left wen nough for winter 



wear, we rolled the most prominent of them with a rather light 

 iron roller, and chiefly because in pi were small 



green marks ; and if we should have a sharp frost ere long, we 

 would be able from the smoothness to scrub these places with 

 a hard half-worn broom. After such work the heavy rains of 

 the morning of the 12th made lawns and bi "lit and 



clean. Let it be impressed on the possessors of small gardens 

 that a few poles of lawn thus nicely kept will afford more satis- 

 faction than as many roods, or even an acre, left to look after 

 itself. 



Hardy Flm ists' KUsmrs-. — This, with the alternations of cold 

 and wet, has been rather a trying time for them, not so much 

 from the cold, as that has hardly been severe enough as yet to 

 necessitate any protection. . cefjfrs -lass covering, and the sashes 

 being kept olose as long as the frost was at all severe. The 

 danger arose from damp when the frost was gone, and any 

 neglect to give at once a free circulation of air. One great 

 advantage of having a good collection of Auriculas, Polyanthus, 

 Heartsease. Pinks, and Carnations in establishments where 

 young gardeners were kept, was the habit of care and un- 

 remitting attention thus established. In such wet weather 

 Auriculu... Polyanthus. Ac, should not only be protected from 

 the wet, but should have a free current of air by tilting the 

 sashes securely back and front, and even when the air itself is 

 almost saturated with moisture it may often be advisable in a 

 dry day to take oil a little of the surface soil from plants in 

 pots and replace it with dry compost, which will help a little to 

 keep the air dry about them. In extreme cases we have found 

 the atmosphere much improved by placing good lumps of un- 

 slaked lime in open places. 



Bedding Plants. — The weather has been rather trying for 

 these, if kept in cold pits and frames, and especially in the 

 I i n old hotbeds. Damp is the great enemy that we 

 have lately had to contend with. Frequently we have placed 

 bedding plants in frames standing on the top of old hotbeds, 

 btit cold before the bedding plants were placed in them ; but 

 hardly any worse place could be chosen with glass as a pro- 

 tecting medium. All the rain that falls, unless the frames 

 are furnished with spouting, will fall into the linings or the 

 bed. and be absorbed by them, and thus find its way upwards, 

 in mild damp weather, among the plants. Whenever a few 

 leaves, not to say a few plants, begin to damp, if not taken off 

 at once, the damp will spread like a plague, and ere long leave 

 nothing but skeletons of plants, if it leave anything at all 

 above the surface of the ground. Every damped leaf should, 

 therefore, be removed as soon as perceived. In fine, dry, mild 

 days the sashes should be entirely removed, at least for some 

 hours in the middle of the day. Not a drop more water should 

 be used under such circumstances than can be avoided, and it 

 is best to removo any plant outside that requires watering, and 

 let it drain itself before replacing it. In cases where there is 

 much damp aud the soil in the pots is rather wet, it is a good 

 plan to remove a little of the surface soil and replace it with 

 very dry mould, and even to place a dry bottom of ashes or 

 chalk and lime for the bed. — R. F. 



C'OYENT GARDEN" MARKET.— December 15. 



■ jf.s of all rough poods more moderate. Good dessert fruit is 



worth Esther more, especially i'.Lu-l; Grapes and Pears ; the latter consist 



of BenirG Did, Winter Nelifl, Glou Jttorceau, and Ne Plus Meuris. 



Apples compi reil, Blenheim Pippin, and Ribston Pippin. 



it last prices. 



Fr.UIT. 



s. d. s. d 



Apples J , sieve 2 OAo.8 



Apricots doz. 



Cherries 11.. 



Chestnut, ImV.i. 10 



Currants tsieve o o i) 



Black '.. do. 



Eigs doz. 



lb. 



Cobs lb. 



Goosebez ie i rt " 



Grapes, Hotkou 

 Lernous 100 



i 



o lo o 



s. d. s. 



Melons each 2 otoi 



Nectarines doz. 



Oranges 100 5 



Peaches doz. 



Pears (dessert) ..doz. 3 



kitchen doz. 2 



Pine Apples lb. S 



Phrrns i sieve 



Juinces <b>z. S 



Raspberries lb. 



Strawberries lb. 



.1 

 

 

 

 

 6 

 4 

 

 

 

 

 



Walnuts bush. 10 20 



VESETA3I2ES. 



■ 



. ; doz. 



Broccoli 



Brus. Sprouts 



Cabbage doz. 



I 



Carrots buueu 



Cauliflower doz. 



Celery 



Cucumbers each 



pick' 1. 



Endive doz. 



Fennel 



lb. 



Herbs I 



cadi . . bundle 



S. d. s 

 OtoO 















'I 

 o 

 o 



o 



ii 



4 

 

 

 9 







» 

 



■J 



1 



2 



1 

 •2 







2 

 1 

 



2 ii 



1 



•i s 



2 



d 



Leeks bunch 



il Lettuce per score 



Mushrooms pottle 



Mustd-& Cress, punnet 



Onions per bushel 



li Parsnips doz. 



ii Peas perquart 



Potatoes bushel 



.; Kidney do. 



inches 



Rhubarb bundle 



Savoys 



- ' basket 



Uots lb. 



bushel 



Tomatoes i» 



Turnips bunch 



II \ eget&ble Marrows dz. 



s. d. s. 



o ;: i. 'I 

 1 

 2 

 

 3 



;; 

 1 







1 

 2 



2 

 2 .i 

 9 

 

 2 6 



(I 

 3 





 4 6 

 4 



1 e 







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2 







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