January 2, 1866. ] 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEB. 



WORK FOR THE WEEK. 



KITCHEN OAKDEH. 



As the weather continues much the same, the operations 

 recommended to be performed in the past month should be 

 proceeded with. Caulijiou'crs, if the autumn Bowmg failed, it 

 wiU be advisable to sow in a box, which may be placed m a 

 forcing-house, and when the plants are of sufficient size prick 

 them out in a frame on a slight hotbed. Cefcry, trenches 

 should now be dug out, so that they may receive the beneht of 

 frost ■ in spring Cauliflowers may be planted m them, and 

 dwarf Peas or Lettuce between, and these crops will be off by 

 the time the trenches are wanted. Cucumbers, a seed-bed 

 should now be made to raise yoimg plants for the hotbeds, a 

 one-hght box is generally of sufficient size for this purpose ; 

 after the bed is made, and the heat is up, the dung should be 

 forked up every other morning to the depth of a foot, until the 

 burning heat has subsided. Dwarf Kidney Beans, earth-up as 

 they advance in growth, never allow them to grow to too great 

 a height before this is done ; water them before earthmg-up if 

 they are at all drv. Potatoes, if young ones are wanted very 

 early, some Early Frame, or any of its varieties, may be planted 

 in a slight hotbed ; if it is not convenient to plant them im- 

 mediately, they may be laid in a forcing-house tiU they begin 

 to shoot. Radishes, a second crop may now be sown m a 

 similar situation to the last— that is, on a slight hotbed. Dung 

 should now be prepared for forcing the various culinary vege- 

 tables which are required early; a considerable quantity of 

 leaves may be used with it. 



FRUIT GIKDEN. 



The work of trenching, draining, preparing borders for 

 fruit trees, pruning, nailing, and dressing the ground may be 

 proceeded with. Fruit trees may be removed and planted, but 

 take care to keep the frost from the roots of newly-planted 

 trees. 



FLOWER GARDEN. 



The absence of frost from the ground has permitted of a 

 variety of work in this department being carried on. Borders 

 not cleaned and dressed should at once be finished. Recently- 

 removed plants should be protected. In the pinetum a little 

 protection may be afforded to Pinuses of doubtful hardiness. 

 We repeat these instructions, assuming that the weather has 

 cheated some of us into forgetfulness of winter, whose approach 

 is unusually delayed. We have still Verbenas in flo\yer, and 

 Pelargoniums uninjured in the open ground. Dahlia roots 

 should be occasionally examined in order to counteract the 

 effects of damp, &c. Where a quantity of young plants is 

 required it will be requisite to put the roots to work by forcing 

 them in a gentle hotbed or pit. Abundance of air is necessary 

 to Carnations and Picotees in frames ; for when kept in a con- 

 fined atmosphere mildew is certain to be engendered. Pan- 

 sies, which during the past fine weather have begun to move, 

 should be caref uUy protected in the event of severe weather, as 

 they wiU be much more susceptible of injury. Carefully ex- 

 clude frost from the beds of Tulips. Those who have not 

 obtained the necessary number of Ranunculuses to make up 

 their beds ought to do so without delay, as the period of plant- 

 ing, the middle of February, will soon be here. If the beds 

 have not been already formed, perhaps the simplest and best 

 way is to excavate the soil 2 feet deep, put in 6 inches of de- 

 cayed cowdung, covering this with maiden turfy loam to the 

 depth of 12 inches or more, the remaining 6 inches to be equal 

 parts loam, leaf soil, and sand thoroughly incorporated. 



GREENHOUSE AND CONSERTATOKY. 



About 40° is a good temperature for the conservatory, when 

 not attached to sitting-rooms, and used only for the purpose of 

 wintering large specimens without plants in blossom ; but where 

 a supply of stove plants in bloom is constantly kept up from a 

 forcing-pit, which is essentially necessary to every good con- 

 servatory in winter, the heat most suitable is 45° by night, 

 raising it to 55° in the day. Cinerarias, which are great orna- 

 ments in this house in winter, are thirsty plants, and should 

 be well attended to with water. They are also liable to the 

 attacis of insects, and unless they arc looked after they wiU 

 soon estabUsh these amoug other plants. Chinese Primroses 

 are also very ornamental here ; although they grow well near 

 the glass, they do best in shaded places. With regard to soil, 

 two parts rough leaf mould, and one of well-decayed cowdung, 

 with a little sand, suits them best, and in this they like plenty 

 of moisture. CameUias wiU now be swelling their buds. 

 Neglect in supplying water must be avoided, and attention 

 should be given so that it is appUed in proportion to the 



activity of the growth of the plants. This remark apphes 

 equally to other plants. Remove flowers as soon as they be- 

 come shabby. Stove plants will take no injury for a few days 

 in this temperature, but hardwooded greenhouse plants, such 

 as Heaths, should not remain more than a few days at a time 

 in such a temperature. Prune, train, and clean the creepers 

 on the rafters. The Pelargoniums intended for blooming m 

 May, if not shifted already, must be removed into their bloom- 

 ing-pots immediately, using a free open soil. Late-blooming 

 specimens must now be stopped, preparatory to being potted 

 in the end of Februaij, and young stock must be encom-aged, 

 so as to make the plants strong and healthy. Herbaceous Cal- 

 ceolarias will grow very rapidly for the next three months, and, 

 therefore, must be encouraged and kept clean. Fumigate 

 slightly once a-week or ten days, but be very cautious, or you 

 will injure the foUage. Water when necessary, but not over 

 the foUage. 



STOVE. 



Here the night temperature must not exceed 60°, and if it 

 fall to 50° in severe weather, no harm will be done. Keep the 

 atmosphere rather moist, especially if the weather is bright, 

 and remove such plants as are inclined to start to the warmest 

 part of the house. Some plants, such as Stephanotis, AUa- 

 mandas, Manettias, Dipladenias, &c., may be pruned, trained, 

 and started, if by a gentle bottom heat all the better, but those 

 plants wanted for late blooming must be kept back for the 

 present. Some persons keep their stove plants now and for 

 the next six weeks quite at rest, and in that state a tempera- 

 ture of 55° is quite enough for them in cold weather. No more 

 water is given at the roots than will keep the leaves from 

 flagging. A high temperature and dry atmosphere are much 

 more injurious to stove plants than any cold they can suffer in 

 a temperature above 45°. Orchids should now be kept as cool 

 and dry as they can bear for about six weeks, and in spring 

 increase the heat as the season advances, but still withhold 

 water till early in summer, and then give it only when the 

 buds are ready to start. Young Stanhopeas are more diffi- 

 cult to flower than established plants, because they are more 

 susceptible of changes of temperature and moistui-e. From 

 this time to the beginning of May give as Uttle water at tha 

 roots as is consistent with the health of the plants, and up to 

 the middle of February 55° is the proper temperature. The 

 atmosphere should not be drier than that for a coUection of 

 stove plants ; therefore, where two houses do not exist, the 

 coldest end of a stove is a good place to winter them in. 



FORCING-PIT. 



Remove the plants from here to the conservatory as fast as 

 the flowers expand, and introduce others from the reserve for 

 succession, placing them first at the cool end of the pit, so as 

 to excite them graduallv. A few Pinks and Sweet WiUiams 

 may be started, and plenty of Lily of the Valley, Sweet Bnar, 

 and other sweet-scented plants. Gardenias must also be started, 

 and as Stephanotis is a great favourite, a plant or two should 

 be placed at the warmest end of the pit. Maintain a fresh, 

 growing, moist temperatm-e of from 60° to 65°, or 70° with sun 

 heat, and give air, warmed before it reaches the plants, at every 

 favourable opportunity. Syringe early on sunny days, and 

 keep a moist atmosphere, unless the weather is very duU. 



PITS AND FRAMES. 



These must be protected in severe weather, and abundance 

 of air should be given to Mignonette and Violets when the 

 weather is favourable. The early-potted Tulips and Hyacinths 

 under tan will begin to draw, therefore, remove them to a cold 

 pit. A batch of Mignonette for succession may be sown to- 

 wards the end of the mouth. Keep the plants in these struc- 

 tures as hardy as possible, by fully exposing them m mUd 

 weather, but do not give them any more water than is abso- 

 lutely necessary. Remove all decayed and decaying leaves, and 

 keep the atmosphere in as healthy a state as possible,— 

 W. Keane. ^__ 



DOINGS OF THE LAST WEEK. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



SoT\T!D succession of Kidney Deans ; potted young Cucum- 

 bers ■ spawned and earthed fresh piece of Mushroom-bed ; put 

 some droppings, with a portion of long litter made short by 

 cutting it, in a shed to dry; took up more Rhubarb and Sea- 

 kale to place in the JIushroom-house ; and, as the heat was 

 declining too much, put a lot of fermenting material m tha 

 house to prevent the necessity of putting a fire on.^ Ihe first 

 beds are producing plentifuUy, and the old beds in the open 



