March 13, 18S6. 1 



JOUENAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



205 



alternately. General temperature of Peach-honse from 48° to 

 55° at night, and from 55° to 60° in dull cold days, and from 

 75° to 80° in sunny days, the extra heat coming chiefly from 

 the sun. Sprinkled the trees after a sunny day, and shut up 

 early. There is little danger of drawing up weakly from sun 

 heat. Stopped Fig-shoots in Fig-pit, have not yet thinned 

 them or pruned finally. Thinned early Grapes in pit, and re- 

 gulated others. Pines showing fruit should have a nice moist 

 bottom heat, and a somewhat dry atmosphere until the flower- 

 ing is over. A bright sun is the great means of making all 

 right. The less shade given to any growing plant the better, 

 unless it is a plant rejoicing in shade or subdued light. 



Melons. — This, on the whole, is fine weather for early Melons 

 where they can be put out in good heat, in pots, pits, or 

 frames. Of all plans for producing sound heavy Melons — that 

 is, heavy like lead for their size, growing a plant in a pot, say 

 14 or 16 inches in size, is the best. The curbing of the roots, 

 and the more thorough elaboration of the sap in the leaves, are 

 the only reasons we can think of for such a result. The next best 

 mode is planting out in a bed from 2 to 3 feet in width, and at 

 least 20'inches in depth, with a space for the stems and leaves 

 of at least three times that surface. Minor details of training 

 and pruning, or rather disbudding, have frequently been 

 alluded to. A very suitable temperature for Melons is, for 

 bottom heat from 80° to 85°, top heat at night averaging 60°, 

 in dull days from 60° to 65° and 70°, and in sunny days, with 

 ail' given early, from 70° to 85°. It is only in sudden changes 

 from duU weather to bright that shading will be required, and 

 it should not remain a moment longer than it is needed. All 

 shading weakens the plant. 



ORNAMENTAL DEPARTMENT. 



As weather was suitable wheeled manure on flower-beds — 

 that is to say, what little we could spare. Dug and ridged beds 

 intended for bedding plants, and threw the rotten manure 

 chiefly on the top of tlie ridges, &c. Swept walks after frost 

 and snow, rolled the lawns, and pruned evergreen and deci- 

 duous shrubs. 



Sjyreadinq the manure on the surface of flower-beds and allow- 

 ing it to be there for some time before it is dug in, or rather 

 pointed in, has been followed by some other gardeners, some of 

 whom are blamed for doing so as a wasteful practice, and they 

 want to know what can be said in its defence. Well, we con- 

 sider that this definite plan is the best for securing a definite 

 purpose. If we wanted a heavy crop of Turnips, huge tubers, 

 and huge leaves, then as soon as the manure was placed on the 

 ^ound we would wish it to be covered up so that the atmo- 

 sphere should not take away its enriching virtues ; but in most 

 cases as respects these flower-beds, it is not large or very 

 luxuriant foliage so much as abundance of flowers and a good 

 start at first that are chiefly aimed at, and, therefore, we seek to 

 attain that object by a little manure, well aired and sweetened 

 by exposure to sun and air before it is pointed in just below 

 the surface, that the roots may take hold of it at once and give 

 the plants a start, when they mil look after themselves after- 

 wards and never become so luxuriant in foUage as they would do 

 with manure 6 or more inches below the surface. Did we put 

 even the same manure on Carrot gi-onnd, we should prefer that 

 to be chiefly placed from 12 to 18 inches below the surface. 

 The same material may, therefore, be used differently, accord- 

 ing to the object we have in view. 



In cold pits, after the frosts and snows, Pansies, Stocks, 

 Wallflowers, Carnations, Am-iculas, and Calceolarias, require 

 air to be given judiciously, and water with stOl greater care, as 

 until the weather is more settled damping will be the gi-eat evil 

 to be guarded against. 



This season, for bringing on bulbs. Pinks, Roses, and hardy 

 shrubs, Chinese Azaleas, &c., but Httle extra moisture was 

 wanted in the atmosphere of the forcing-pit, except in clear, 

 frosty days. The Crocuses we grew in pots this season, for in- 

 ternal decoration, did not succeed so well as usual, though many 

 were very beautiful, and owing, we presume, to the extra wet, 

 they have not come nearly up to the usual mark out of doors 

 in many places. As a whole, evaporating-pans in heated 

 houses have been less necessary than usual. 



House Decoration with Plants. — In many mansions at this 

 season will be found bulbs and forced flowers stuck all over the 

 rooms in common red pots. On the principle of fitness nothing 

 can well be more out of place. There can be nothing like har- 

 mony or congruity between elegant furniture, mirrors, &c., and 

 a garden pot, even if it should stand in a china saucer instead 

 of the common red earthernware flat. To remedy this the pots 

 are sometimes covered with moss tied on them, or ornamentol 



paper, such as that representing various kinds of marble, is 

 neatly fastened to the pots. All these plans fail of their object, 

 because the artifice is so easily seen through. Though the truly 

 refined and artistic will ever be in unison, it is always as well 

 that the artistic should not be combined with the tawdry and 

 make-believe. Besides, many plants, as Hyacinths, Tulips, 

 Crocuses, Deutzias, Ferns, i-c, appear much better in a gi-oup 

 than in single detached specimens. A vase, a box, or a basket, 

 but so arranged that no water shall escape, and in appearance 

 more in character with the walls and furniture of the room, 

 would yield a degree of hai-monious interest, when neatly 

 filled, that single plants in clumsy pots could never inspire. 

 Zinc or sheet iron, nicely painted, win be useful and convenient 

 for such purposes. In most gardens there are some nice terra 

 cotta vases in the garden in summer, that are either empty or 

 brought somewhere so as to be protected from snow and frost 

 in winter. These, in winter, might be used with good effect in 

 the mansion instead of pots. All that is required is to cork 

 up securely the drainage-pipe, put a good layer of moss in the 

 bottom, and either pack fuU with plants in their pots, or take 

 the plants out of the pots and pack with a little soil, and then 

 cover all over with neat moss, dotted with httle bunches 

 of Vi kts. Beside such a neatly-arranged vase, plants in pots 

 would .^eem nowhere. When it becomes more common to have 

 fruit trees on dining and side tables we hope it will also be 

 common to have nice vases suitable for receiving and conceal- 

 ing the common pot, which will ever make a sorry figure by the 

 side oi' fine crystal and silver, not to say gold, plate. 



Went on with potting, propagating, and moving and regula- 

 ting plants as detailed in several weeks lately. All beginners 

 who have much of that work to do should take a little extra 

 pains to have their soil well aired, sweetened, and heated before 

 using it. As frequently stated, many a plant dwindles, and is 

 ere long pretty well eaten up with insects, because when grow- 

 ing in a rather warm room or house the poor tender roots are 

 surroimded with cold clammy soil. Another prevalent error is 

 taking a plant from a hot place to pot it, and leaving it for an 

 hour in a cold place before taking it back. Such httle matters 

 often make all the difference between success and disappoint- 

 ment. — R. F. 



COVENT GARDEN MARIiET.— March 10. 



The supply continues good, a steady trade is being done, and qnota- 

 tions remain the same as in om- last report. Late Grapes may still be 

 had, and a few new Hamburghs have made their appearance. 



FRUIT. 



s. d. s. d 



Apples A sieve 2 6 to 4 



Apricots doz. 



Chen-ies lb. 



Chestnuts bush. 



Currants, Red i sieve 



Black do. 



Figs doz. 



Filberts lb. 



Cobs 100 lbs. 160 



Gooseberries . . i sieve 

 Gropes, Hothouse.. lb. 10 18 

 Lemons 100 6 10 











8 



























16 



















s. d. s. d 



Melons each 3 0to5 



Nectarines doz. 



Oranges 100 4 10 



Peaches doz. 



Pears (kitchen) . . doz. 4 8 



dessert doz. 4 8 



Pine Apples lb. 8 12 



Plums A sieve GO 



Quinces | sieve 



Raspberries lb. 



Strawberries oz. 5 7 



Walnuts bush. 14 20 



VEGETABLES. 



Artichokes each 



Asparagus .... bundle 

 Beans. Broad. . bushel 



liidnoy 100 



Beet, Red doz. 



Broccoli bundle 



Brus. Sprouts..^ sieve 



Cabbage .". doz. 



Capsicums 100 



Carrots bunch 



Cauliflower doz. 



Celery bundle 



Cucmnbcrs each 



pickUng .... doz. 



Endive score 



Fennel bunch 



Garlic lb. 



Herbs bunch 



Horseradish . . bundle 



6. d. s. 

 6 too 



12 

 



4 





















 4 





 

 

 

 

 3 

 2 

 3 



Leeks bunch 3to0 



Lettuce per doz. 2 



Mushrooms .... pottle 1 6 



Mustd.& Cress, punnet 2 



Onions bushel 3 



Parsley sieve 2 



Parsnips doz. 9 



Peas quart 20 



Potatoes bushel 2 6 



Kidney do. 3 



Radishes . . doz. hands 6 



Rhubarb bundle 9 



Savoys doz. 1 



Sea-kale basket 2 



Shallots lb. 8 



Spinach bushel .'j 



Tomatoes ) sieve 



Tuniips bunch 4 



Vegetable Marrows dz. 



TRADE CATALOGUES RECEH'ED. 



William Paul, Waltham Cross, London, N. — Catalogxie of 

 jVcip Roses, Beaton's Hybrid and other Geraniums, Hollylwcis, 

 Dahlias, (C'C. 



James Backhouse & Son, York. — Sup2>!enient to Catahgtu of 

 Alpine Plants. 



