108 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



( February 6, 1886. 



S. Warfcewiczii, on the contrary, is hiRlily omamcntftl. M. de 

 Lomlicrtye Imvinp only rooeivcil this in lSfi3 from M. Weick, 

 o( Strasbourg, lie lias not been able fully to study and describe 

 it. It grows (■> or 7 feet bigli in the first year, and has a noble 

 appearance, especially wlien planted singly on lawns. The 

 leaves arc ven,- large, the blade being nearly 30 inches long and 

 more than 2 feet across. 



This part of M. de Lainbertyc's work contains representa- 

 tions of Solanum criiiitum, robustuni, and Warsccwiczii, but 

 much cannot be said in favour of the style in which thoy are 

 executed. It concludes with a comparative table of the thirty 

 species described, which will be found useful as showing at a 

 glance what are the particular merits of each in a decorative 

 point of view. 



Judging from the first part, and by the reputation which the 

 author de9er\-e(lly enjoys, this work will bo found very useful 

 by those desirous of information on sub-tropical gardening — a 

 now field of which but little is yet known in this country ; but, 

 thanks to tlie excellent example at Bnttersea Park, a taste for 

 it is rapidly growing up, and England, notwithstanding her 

 disadvantages of climate, will not and must not be left behind 

 in all that pertains to gardening progiess. 



■WEATHER WISDOM. 



(ContiimcO from page 27.) 



As on a former occasion I endeavoured to impress upon your 

 readers the absolute importance of a chart to assist the ob- 

 server in remembering the previous fluctuations of the baro- 

 meter, so now I propose to show more fully why a gardener 

 shonld have no difficulty in noting down on a chart at fixed 

 periods the variations of atmospheric pressure, and in the next 

 place to consider why it is of the greatest importance for him 

 to do so. 



Those persons whose various duties call them every day many 

 miles away from the scene of theii- meteorological observations, 

 are unable, unless they possess self-recording instruments, to 

 note down the many changes in the barometer and thermo- 

 meters, or the different phenomena which have occurred during 

 their absence. They may, indeed, hear from others who have 

 been on the spot, that there has been a violent tlumderstorm, 

 a great rainfall, or a heavy fall of snow, at such and such a 

 time, but unless the informant is a close observer, his remarks 

 are not of much use to the meteorologist. Gardeners, on the 

 ContraiT, can always make their own observations, and can be 

 always near their instruments, if these have been provided for 

 their use by a thoughtful master. Some people apprehending 

 danger from the ever-watchful eyes of a thief, may hesitate 

 before they leave a barometer in a shed or an outhouse ; but 

 even if a barometer is not carefully secured, imless it is of 

 very small size, or a man is acquainted with the process which 

 renders it portable, or observations are taken by means of an 

 aneroid, I do not think there is real ground for alarm. 



But to return to my subject. The great advantage which a 

 gardener has over other observers is as follows : — He is always 

 in the daytime, and in some places at night, near his instru- 

 ment, and he can therefore note down at other hours, in addition 

 to 9 A.M., the changes which occur in the height of the barometer. 

 Very often the column of mercury falls considerably during the 

 day, and returns at night, or by the next morning, to some- 

 what near the height at which it stood when the original ob- 

 servation was made, thereby deceiving any one who has not 

 visited the instnmient in the interim. I could give your readers 

 many instances, but I think the fact will be admitted by all 

 observers to be true. Now, from such oscillations of the mer- 

 curial column the gardener knows that the weather is likely to 

 be tmsettled, and cannot be depended on; but the other ob- 

 server, from want of opportunity, and knowing nothing of the 

 fall and subsequent rise of the mercury, anticijiates different 

 weather to that which ho would have expected had he known 

 of the changes during his absence. It may be urged by some 

 that it is bad policy to place a barometer in the hands of a 

 gardener. " It will cause him," they say, " to neglect his 

 work, and to be continually running away and gazing at the 

 glass, and dotting down the result on the chart." But it must 

 be remembered that these records of the weather are not in- 

 tended for scientific purposes, or for comparison with other 

 barometers, but simply as aids to determine the weather which 

 may be expected for a few succeeding days. For such a purpose 

 hasty glances are quite sufficient, and agardener would not, I 

 am sure, be drawn from his ordinary pnrstiits for any great 

 length of time. 



In showing your readers in the next place why a regular 

 study of the barometer is of the greatest importance to a gar- 

 dener. I ought to call to their recollection the great advan- 

 tages and saving of life which have been of late years the result 

 of the waniings which are now tent iUpwii to the seacoasts 

 when gales and heavy weather are sujipcsed to be impending. 

 These warnings are the result of years of careful study of the 

 barometer in connection with other instruments, and of the 

 winds and other phenomena in the atmosphere in all parts of 

 the I'nited ICingdom, communicated to head quarters by the 

 electric telegraph. A man who is forewarned is forearmed; 

 and a gardeuer who studies the barometer, as well as the dry 

 and wet bulb thermometer, and who obser\es the way of the 

 wind, and the appearances in the sky, has it in his power to be 

 forewarned as weU as the saUor. Cannot the gardeuer, then, 

 ou different occasions say to himself, "From my knowledge of 

 the movements of the barometer, and with the aid of ther- 

 mometers, 1 come to the conclusion that there may be gales, 

 or rain, or frost, or snow, and I will be prepared for such 

 contingencies?" 



In conclusion, when those furious gales which burst out 

 sometimes in the night find some inlet through an open window 

 into the interior of a greenhouse, let an obsener of the weather 

 rejoice that the appearance of the mercurial column gave him 

 some indications of probable weather, and that, acting upon 

 that probability, he wisely shut up and secured the greenhouse, 

 which, but for that precaution, might have presented to his 

 astonished gaze in the morning — a glass-house without a roof. 

 — X., SiiiTfy. 



WORK FOR THE AVEEK. 



KITCHEN OARBEN. 



Wheki; a large amount of produce is required from a small 

 garden it is highly necessary that some arrangement should be 

 made and followed u|), so as to keep a succession of crops in 

 the groimd. In all situations, and under all circivmstancee, it 

 is advisable to keep a cropping table, and note the time of 

 sowing, planting, and gathering, with remarks on each descrip- 

 tion of vegetable. This table would be of grfat value in point- 

 ing out the time of sowing in that particular locality, so as to 

 have the crops coming in at the time required, liinim, a sow- 

 ing of Early Raugdown Long-pod should now be made in the 

 open ground, where the soil is sufficiently dry to work well. 

 Caulillinccrs, the plants in frames and under hand-glasses to be 

 kept clear of decayed leaves and litter, and to have all the air 

 possible in mild weather. Celenj, sow Cole's Crystal '^liite in 

 boxes for the main early crop, it is an excellent early dwarf 

 variety. Cucnmherf, this is a good time to prepare for the 

 piinciiial crops ; in making dung beds some brushwood or 

 faggots should be laid at the bottom to drain olT superfluons 

 water ; a nanow layer of the same material should also be 

 built up with the bed under each rafter to reach from front to 

 back, this will allow the heat from the linings to circulate 

 freely, and at the same time will be a sa\-ing of dung. As 

 soon as the seed leaves of the young plants are fuUy developed 

 pot off in soil composed of two parts of leaf mould, one part 

 loam, and one-fourth of white sand. Lethicc, remove de- 

 cayed leaves from those in frames. Give plenty of air. ilush- 

 nioms, after the beds have been made a few days they should 

 be examined every morning, so that it may be ascertained 

 if the heat is increasing or decreasing. A thermometer may 

 bo thrust beneath the surface of the bed, and if, after two or 

 three examinations, it does not exceed 80", the bed may be 

 spawned. Iladixhes, a sowing of Wood's Early Frame may be 

 made on a warm sheltered border. Clear all the winter crops 

 from decayed leaves as soon as the ground will admit of going 

 upon it. Sea-kale and Itliulmrlj, let the roots for next year's 

 forcing be planted immediately in rich ground, trenched ; 

 throw a hillock of old tan, ashes, or sand, roimd each crown to 

 encourage it through the vicissitudes of the weather in Feb- 

 ruary and March. Tamatoes, sow in heat immediately ; also 

 Sweet Basil, Sweet Marjoram, &c. 



FRCIT G.VIIDES. 



Let all planting be finished as soon as possible, and stake 

 and mulch. Remember to drain thoroughly. Nowhere is this 

 advice more necessary than in the orchard ; although Apples 

 and Pears are fond of adhesive soils, they will never prove pro- 

 fitable where water is allowed to accimiulate. Examine all old 

 or overborne trees ; many trees of this character may be soon 

 renovated by appljlng manure to the extremities of their 



