868 



JOUBNAli OF HOBTICtJLTUBB AND COTTAGE OAIU)EKEB. 



r M«7 Iff, 18M. 



to enable thorn to keep than is needed in boiling down the 

 similar fruit of oar gordone. By the Bide of the Black Currant 

 buebes we find two kinds of Elder, a white and a black sort, 

 both bearing enormous bunchoa of beautiful deep purple, al- 

 most bUick berries, though those of the black Elder are alone 

 used, as there is a prejudice against the white one, the berries 

 of which are considered poisonous ; for m; own part, however, 

 I oould not discover the poison, for being very fond of Elder- 

 berries I ato handful after handful of them without the slightest 

 inconvenience. 1 may here mention, that I noticed amongst 

 (ho Kaspberry thickets a larger number of humming birds than 

 anywhere else. 



Now, kind reader, I have brought you to a pretty little clear- 

 ing on the margin of the river which here divides to embrace a 

 lovely islet covered with Alder bushes, which are in turn 

 covered with Vines bearing emaU sonr bunches of black Grapes. 

 In the centre of the clearing, which is about 1.5 yards wide by 

 30 long, stands a lovely specimen of the Base tree (Tilia ame- 

 ricana), tall, straight in its trunk, and with a handsome spread- 

 ing head, amongst the boughs of which, twining round and 

 supported by them, we see the elegant wreaths of the Virginian 

 Creeper, whose leaves are just beginning to take their autumnal 

 tints of bright yellow and vivid scarlet. The Bass is a species 

 of Linden or Lime tree, growing exactly like it, and only dis- 

 tinguished from it by the size of its leaves. The bark of the 

 tree is highly useful, being employed by the Indians for ropes, 

 and for making baskets, and the inner bark is used to make 

 the well-known bast mats of the gardener ; whilst the wood, 

 which is white, soft, and easily worked, is of the greatest use 

 to the coach-builder for panneUing, being capable of taking an 

 excellent ground for painting and varnishing, as it is not apt 

 to warp or shrink. 



At the foot of the particular tree I here mention, I once 

 spent a very merry afternoon. Some young men with whom I 

 was acquainted, proposed a sort of picnic in this little clearing, 

 and we were all to bring such articles as we could obtain to- 

 wards a diner a lu campagw, and meet here to cook and dispose 

 of our various supplies. When the hour arrived at which wo 

 had appointed to meet, I was the first upon the ground, but 

 was speeiiily joined by the others, all variously burdened. For 

 my part I bore a supply of drinkables, in the shape of whisky, 

 also a loaf of bread, some tobacco, and pipes ; next came a 

 friend with a quantity of Potatoes ; another brought pepper, salt, 

 4ind beer, and pockets filled with Apples ; and now appear two 

 together, bearing with them a goose, and a sucking pig ; another 

 brought t.vo chickens ; and again another some very fine fresh- 

 Caught trout — in fact, all brought something, none came quite 

 empty-handed, and rare fun and boisterous laughter proclaimed 

 each fresh arrival. Bat, lo ! what a mistake, although three 

 or four thirsty individuals had remembered to bring cups, not 

 one in the whole party had thought of table knives, forks, 

 spoons, or plates ! Well, well ! we are in the bush, and at least 

 four miles from the nearest log hut, so we must do the best we 

 can, for it will not do to lose our feed for such trifles as these : 

 80, no man being without a heavy knife of some sort, all sot to 

 work, one party as plate manufacturers, this article being 

 formed of a square piece of Bass bark cut round with the knife 

 and then pulled off the tree, and another party as cooks. The 

 cooking was done in the following manner, and to any one 

 loving tender, well-cooked meat in which all the gravy is pre- 

 served, I can safely recommend this process of cooking. The 

 goose, pig, and fowls were brought just as they were to the 

 margin of the river, and there well rolled in the mud ; this mud, 

 with the aid of some clay, was made into a thick paste, and the 

 birds ami animal were entirely enveloped in a thick coating of 

 this, and then placed in a good hot fire, and thoroughly baked, 

 after which they were taken out and eaten, and I must Fay 

 most eAcellently cooked they were, and most perfectly did we 

 enjoy onr picnic, and each other's company, till late in the 

 evening, when by the light of a beautiful moon we all ro.se, and 

 in company wended our way to the village. — A Sckc£ON. 



"WORK FOR THE WEEK. 



KITCHEN GAUDEN. 



By continual surface-stirring weeds will never make their 

 appearance amongst growing crops; but there are some parts 

 of the garden, such as those quarters devoted to Gooseberries, 

 Currants, Itaspberries, &e., which, not requiring continual sur- 

 face-stirring, are apt to be neglected. The hoe should be kept 

 constantly at work amongst these, whenever the sun is power- 



ful enough to wither the weeds a.i they are cnt np. Itret. the 

 first sown to be thinnedont, and if there arc any vacancies the 

 tliinnings may be miccessfnlly transplanted if they are care- 

 fully lifted, a long dibble used, anil the root placed perfectly 

 straight into the bole. With snob favourable weather as we 

 have had, there ought now be a good breadth of Ccmliflotpen 

 and Cahhages ; keep the earth well moved amongst them. 

 Taulitlowcrs in a forward state must bo supplied with liqnid 

 manure, even if the ground is wet. ('flenj, a few ti-raohea 

 should now be made rea<ly for the earliest crop. On soil with 

 a wet bottom the trenches should not be made too deep, lo 

 that the plants may be nearly on a level with the surface of the 

 ground. A dry bottom with deeper soil may have deeper 

 trenches. In either case give (he rows a pood width, becaase 

 the Celery should never be earthed-np until it has nearly at- 

 tained a size fit for use, and, therefore, the intervening spaoee 

 may be cropped with Lettuces, early dwarf Cabbagef. and 

 Cauliflowers, all of which would come off before the final earth- 

 ing. Curmts, where yonng ones are in request another sowing 

 may be made ; and advancing crops of the same must he kept 

 well snrface-stirred, and thinued-out tofrom 4 to (• inches apart, 

 I as very large Carrots are seldom required. The ridge for C'woina- 

 I hers, recommended last week, will now be in a proper state to 

 I receive the plants ; let them be put in without delay, and shade 

 the glasses for a few days. At the same time a few glasses may 

 be sown with seeds of the Vegetable Marrow, and Cncumbers 

 for succession, and for Gherkins. For the latter purpose, on 

 warm soils seeds sown in the open border will suffice ; bot on 

 colder soils it is better to forward the plants in pots, and hare 

 a sloping bank thrown up facing the south. Plant them near 

 the top, and train the vines downwards, stopping them occa- 

 sionally. Stop the enrly Peaii as soon as the first blooms are 

 well set. Parsnips require to be thinned to 9 inches or mote 

 apart if the ground is rich. Plant-out 'J'omatncs in light com- 

 post under a south wall, also Chilis, Capsicums, and Basil; ia 

 doing which, if they are at all pot -bound, let the roots be gently 

 loosened and spread ont. 



FRUIT GABREN. 



During the process of nailing-in the shoots of Peaches, Nec- 

 tarines, and Apricots, examine if there are any nails so plaoed 

 as to be likely to injure the swelling fruit, and remove them. 

 In nailing in young shoots use strong cloth shreds of good 

 texture, cut to a sufficient length to allow of plenty of room for 

 the wood to swell. Sometimes short shreds are used, and 

 bound so closely round the wood that at the pruning season 

 shoots are found to have an indented ring, and very often a 

 large piece of gum. Vines will now require constant attention 

 in stopping and nailing-in. It will also be necessary to go over 

 Pear, Plum, and Cherry trees to remove gross shoots, and to 

 stop those not wanted for laying-in. This repeated as may 

 be necessary during summer is preferable to the old practice of 

 allowing the shoots to remain upon the trees until midsummer, 

 and then cutting them back to two or three eyes. Do not for- 

 get to use every available means to keep Strawberries in a free- 

 growing state by timely appUcations of water, and freqneot 

 surface-stirring. 



FLOWER OAHDEN. 



Except in favoured localirics it will be unsafe to commenee 

 planting out the bedding stock until we experience a decided 

 change of weather. In the meantime let the plants be nicely 

 hardened off and arranged, so (bat when planting-ont is com- 

 menced it can be done expedilinusly. Also decide what is to 

 occupy each bed, and have everything in readiness. Padi 

 forward late-propagated stork, nod endeavourto keep the whole 

 healthy and growing slowly. Some allowance must be made 

 in regard to the time when ' is desired to have the principal 

 display of fl.iwers. If larly, lire plants will require planting 

 more thickly, nnd need not be stopped; and if not befb^a 

 later period in the summer, somewhat thinner ; and the flower- 

 buds should be pinched off as (bey appear till the plants hare 

 filled the beds. Wlien a birge quantity of hardy shmbs is 

 annually forced, either to de(i>rate theconser^atory or drawing- 

 room, it is not desirnlile to pot a fresh stock each season, as a 

 number of the deciduous shmbs, as Boses, Lilacs, Thorns, 

 Honeysuckles, itc, may by proi^er treatment be made to bloom 

 for several successive seasons Select, therefore, the most 

 suitable plants when removeil fnmi the houses, and give them 

 some kind of temporary sbeber to gradually harden their 

 foliage. Th 'se cramped for pot ->oim shift into pots a size larger, 

 using rich turfy loam, and pliii>i!i' them in an open situation, 

 that the wood may ripen enrlv. These plants, from having 

 been previously forced, will hlocm earlier than the new stocrk, 



