314 



JOUBNAIi OF UOEXICULTURE AND COIXA.GE QABDENEB. 



r April 24, 1866. 



what was more, I looked at the old foliage to discover traces 

 of red spider or thrips, but could not discover any ; yet adjoin- 

 ing was a brick wall, and there was no need of a magnifying 

 glass to find traces there. Now for the formation of the " Crick 

 waU." 



Mr. Crick was troubled with his ncighbonrs' cattle in a field 

 adjoining his garden, and having a lot of Willow wood lying 

 abont, which had been cut down during the alterations, ho had 

 it cut into lengths and split flat, or as flat as he could, some 

 posts fixed into the ground, and the strips nailed longitudi- 

 nally to the posts. This wallis about 10 feet high. There has 

 been no effort to stop any openings between the pieces, and 

 the wood of tho Peach, Plum, and three .Apricot trees are as 

 firm as that of others on a brick wall. I thought the idea 

 might be of service to some of tho readers of the .lournal. I 

 would suggest Larch posts, charred before they are let into the 

 ground, to any one desirous of putting up such a fruit wall at 

 a small expense. A good crop of fruit had been ripened. 



There is not room in Mr. Crick's place for display in the 

 natural or gardenesque style, but wlieu Mr. Crick has fuUy 

 carried out his ideas it will be one of tho prettiest gardens in 

 the artificial stylo that can bo found in the county, doing 

 credit to all who are concerned. I am sure any one wishing 

 to spend an hour, and who has a love of gardening, will, on 

 presenting his card, meet with the greatest courtesy from Mr. 

 Crick ; and, for his kindness and affability, to him are due the 

 thanks of — Nickeebor. 



WORK FOR THE WEEK. 



KITCHEN OAEDEX. 



Whebe Broccoli and winter Greens are coming off, the 

 ground should be deeply trenched, the stems being laid at the 

 bottom, and quicklime strewed over them ; also, if the ground 

 is intended to be again planted with any of the Brassica tribe, 

 it should have some manure incorporated with the soil ; but it 

 is best at all times to change the crops as far as practicable. 

 If, however, from circumstances of soil or situation it is neces- 

 sary to plant the same kind of crop repeatedly in the same 

 places, such parts should have repeated turnings to expose 

 fresh surfaces to the influence of the atmosphere. Carrots, sow 

 the main crop in drills from 12 to 15 inches apart, covering the 

 seeds evenly to the depth of about half an inch. Those for 

 early and late use will be drawn whUe young, and may be sown 

 broadcast in beds, or in lines '.) inches apart. CauUrhncers, 

 keep the ground well moved about them, as also about Cab- 

 bages. Beet, sow a full crop in di-Uls about 1 inch deep, and 

 from 15 to 18 inches apart. If possible, select a dry day, when 

 the ground is in good working order for putting in the seed. 

 CucumherK, the young plants intended for the ridges to be kept 

 stopped, and repotted if they require it. Sprinkle the plants 

 in the frames early in the afternoon and close up ; water 

 more liberally round the sides of the frame when the heat of 

 {he day dries the soil. Iddneij liean.i, sow on a well-sheltered 

 border, also a few Scarlet Euuuera and Haricot Beans ; but we 

 find all these succeed so well transplanted that it is best to 

 provide for contingencies by sowing them in pots or boxes, and 

 germinating them under glass ; when well up, remove them to 

 the open air, cover at night, and transplant in the beginning of 

 the second week in May ; they will come into bearing more 

 than a week before those sown in the open ground, and will 

 continue to bear quite as long ; add to this the certainty of a 

 crop, and the facility of protecting them in their earUer stages 

 when they are so apt to be nipped by the spring frosts. Peas, 

 continue to earth-up and stake them as they advance, taking 

 care to fork-up or otherwise loosen the ground between the 

 rows after the staking is done ; let this be followed up, even if 

 Spinach is growing between the rows, as that will be benefited 

 by having the sm-face well stirred about it. Keep up succes- 

 eional sowings of Lettuces, Spinach, Kadishes, and salads. 



FBCIT GABDEX. 



The process of disbudding Peach trees will now be in full 

 operation. Watch the growth well, and remove but a few of 

 the shoots at a time. Endeavour as far as possible to keep 

 beforehand with the growth in disbudding, and not behind ; 

 for if you are behind you are often tempted, nay almost obliged, 

 to take off more shoots at once than is proper, and the check 

 thus given to the flow of the sap has very often the effect of 

 causing the fruit to stop swelling, and eventually to fall off. 

 Eemovc all the foreright shoots from Apricot trees, also a por- 

 tion of the side shoots, but endeavour to distinguish those 



which arc likely to form short fruit-bearing spars, which mnst 

 always be left. Thin, also, tho young canes of R,isi>berrie3 to 

 the number necessary for next year's crop. By this means the 

 canes will bo stronger, and will ripen better. 



ILOWEB GARDES. 



The cultivation of annuals for garden decoration has in soma 

 degree given way to the more permanent class of beddin4;-oat 

 greenhouse jdants ; yet some of the former will always tind a 

 place in the best-arranged gardens, and a pretty general selec- 

 tion should at the same time be grown for tilling up vacancies 

 in borders of herbaceous plants, bulbs, &c., and particularly 

 for dressing-up the margins of shrubberies where the space be- 

 tween the line of turf and shrubs may be occupied with them, 

 so as to hide the bad effects which bare soil always produces, 

 and afford a gay appearance through the summer, and this at 

 a trifling expense. For the latter purpose the present will be 

 a favourable time for sowing, the ground having previously 

 been well dug and prepared. The varieties are so numerous 

 that it is scarcely requisite to give names ; we will therefore 

 only observe that the seed should be sown thinly, and as soon 

 as the plants are large enough they should be well thinned to 

 allow a free growth. Where the possessors of gardens can en- 

 joy their country seats through the months of March, April, 

 and May, it becomes an important matter to pro\-ide abundance 

 of very early spring flowers. The early-flowering bulbs arc too 

 well known to need comment here ; there are, however, a few 

 old-fashioned plants which should never be lost sight of, and 

 which should greet the returning spring from every nook and 

 corner. Of such are the following : — The blue and white Squills, 

 the Sisyrinchiums, the Dog's-tooth Violets, the Pulmonarias, 

 the Omphalodes vema, the Arabis and Aubrietias, the various 

 Primulas, with self Auriculas, and the lovely little Sangninaria 

 canadensis, not forgetting the old Christmas Rose, which forms 

 as it were the connecting link between the expiring year and 

 its successor ; the Colchicums, autumn Cyclamens and winter 

 Aconites having duly ushered it in. Such should be much more 

 encouraged than they have been, for they must ever be favour- 

 ites with the many. Amongst shrubs, too, theCornus mascula, 

 the Mezereon, the Cydonia japouica, the Chimonanthus fra- 

 grans, the Kibes, Corchorus, &c., should be much grown. 



GBEENHOCSE AND CONSEnvATORY. 



Any attention which will serve to prolong the beauty of the 

 Azaleas and New Holland plants, &c., with which the show- 

 house should now be gay, will be well bestowed, as where these 

 are over it will in most cases be impossible to furnish the house 

 with equall}' handsome specimens and the same variety of 

 colours, &c., which these afford. Get shading into use without 

 loss of time ; also carefully examine the plants on the fore- 

 noons of bright days, and see that none of them are suffering 

 for want of water, for with bright sunshine accompanied with 

 drv'ing winds, it will be no easy matter to properly supply 

 plants with water, particularly specimens that may be pot- 

 bound. In ventilating, endeavour while parching winds pre- 

 vail to avoid allowing currents to blow through the house, es- 

 pecially near recently-potted specimens or plants not long 

 brought from stoves. Bring forward the stock of plants re- 

 commended for blooming in July and August, by shifting such 

 as require it, and allowing them more room. Kalosanths will 

 require neatly tying-ont ; these form beautiful globular-shaped 

 plants by a little management. Fuchsias will require a second 

 shift, which should now be into their blooming-pots, using a 

 light, rich soil for the purpose ; also the different varieties of 

 Nerium, so seldom seen, and yet we scarcely know more beau- 

 tiful plants or any that repay cultivation better. Look tcfScarlet 

 Geraniums grown for specimens. Attend to repotting such as 

 have been started after being cut back, and keep them moist 

 and rather close until the roots have taken hold of the fresh 

 soil. Give frequent attention to climbers in free growth, regu- 

 lating the young wood before it becomes entangled. Keep the 

 conservatory as cool by day as is consistent with the health of 

 the iimiates ; this will keep the plants longer in bloom and be 

 more enjoyable for parties seeing them. 



STOVE. 



Give every necessary attention to softwooded plants in free 

 growth, keeping them near the glass and regularly stopped, so 

 as to secure close, compact growths; also attend to supplying 

 them with plenty of pot-room. Give air freely at every favour- 

 able opportunity, but guard against drying currents. Give 

 proper attention to Acbimenes, Gloxinias, and other summer 

 and autumn-flowering plants. The latest succession of Achl- 

 meues to flower late in the autumn should now be placed in 



