478 



JOUBNAL OP HOKTICDLTDBE AND COTTAGE GAEDENER. 



( Jooa 26, 1888. 



ono bird is seen, the other stars at homo to keep the neat warm for the 

 little oufs. ' 



"■Whiu a strong wind and Btormy weather aro forthcoming, sen- 

 birOa, pilla, &c., hang abont the land or over it, sometimes lij-ing 

 mward ; the reason is, because the tishus npon which tbev feed keep 

 deeper nt the prospect of the stormy winds thiit blow ; and" the consc- 

 qnenco is. that the gnlls mnst seek a dinner somewhere else, and 

 resort aceordinglT to the worms on land ; and cnrinns to toll, that sort 

 of weather actuullv makes the worms oiicomfortable in tlie gronnd, 

 Mid tliey wriggle ont to be swallowed np by the gnlls. Tbns does 

 r«attire proTide for all her dumb creatures, and lias even taught the 

 lapwing to stamp on the ground and so make the worms wriggle ont, 

 when it waiiLs its breakfast ! 



"Wheii the gulls, .tc., fly ont early, and far to seaward, moderate 

 wind and fair weather may he expected, because, if the weather were 

 not likely to bo moderate, they would not expect to find the fishes at the 

 surface of the water. 



" The stormy petrels, or Mother Carey's chickens, so ominous to 

 sailors, either forecast a storm or show that one has been raging in 

 the latitude where they appear so mvsterionsly, as it lyero '• walking 

 on the sea," like St. Peter in the go.spel (whence their Italian name, 

 from fcrlnllo. "little Peter.") The cause of their appearance is the 

 presence of the marine insects upon which they feed, which aro kept 

 on the surface by the agitated waves of the tempest, or the " swell " 

 that precedes it. 



" When animals seek sheltered places instead of spreading over their 

 nsnal range, an mifavonrable ch.ang6 of weather is probable, if not 

 certain rain or stormy weather. 



•'If oxen lie on their ri^ht sides, look towards the south, and lick 

 their hoofs ; if cows look np in the air. and suiff it (" the cattlo also 

 conceiTuug the vapour," .Job, xxxvi., 33/ ; if assea bray violently : and 

 If cocks crow at unusual hours, but especially when a hen and chickens 

 crowd into the house, theee are sure signs of rain. Cocks are prized 

 m Japan for this reason. 



Insects also are very sensible of such changes of weather. Flies 

 clmg to the ceiling, or disappear; hornets, wasps, and gnats sting 

 more frequently against wet weather than in fair ; spiders are restless 

 and nneasy, and frequently drop from tho wall, the moist air gettin" 

 luto their webs and making them heav^-,♦ Frogs croak importunately ; 

 worms creep out of the gronnd ; moles throw np more than earth 

 usual ; beetles and crickets are troublesome and noisy. But the surest 

 sign of ram is given by bees : as soon as rain impends thev cease to 

 leave their hiycs, either remaining in them all day, or else flying only 

 to a short distance. J o j 



" Horses stretch ont their necks and sniff np the air just before a 

 Jail of ram. The fact is, they smell the odour of plants and hay, 

 which moisture tends to disseminate, or prevents from rising above. 



■ Inanimate creation also sounds the alarm of coming wet or change 

 of weather Paper, straw. &c.. fly about before rain. If. during calm, 

 the smoke from chimneys does not ascend readily, or straight upwards, 

 an unfavourable change is probable, with rain, "simply because tho air 

 Has lost density, and is unable to float np the smoke so readily as 

 When dner and denser. 



'' Just before rain, flowers smeU stronger and sweeter, for the reason 

 before given, the vapours of the ail- preventing the scented particles of 

 '"^^■^perfume from ascending, as they would in drier aii-. 



' Precisely for the same reason the cesspools, dunghills, water- 

 ^ ^^c! ct' ^'''' °°*'' °' ""^"' '"^st™'^o before rain. 



"Flowers and plants are otherwise good barometers. The Pim- 

 pernel, which IS a very common flower, shuts itseU np extremely close 

 agamst rainy weather. The TrefoU swells in the stalk against rain, 

 Bo^that It stands up very stiif, but the leaves droop and hang down. 



If the Siberian So\ythistlo shuts at night, the ensuing day wUl be 

 nne ; if it opens, it ivill be cloudy and rainy. If the African Marigold 

 continues shut after seven in the morning, rain is at hand. The 

 Convolvnlns arvensis, the Calendula fluviaUs, and the Ana^allis ar- 

 rensis, or Poor Man's Weather-glass, close on the approach of rain. 

 It IS obvious from these facts that we may make a meteorological 

 garden by cultivatmg these hardy flowers, the observation of which 

 would be a pleasing, and perhaps a profitable occupation." 



Mr. Steinmetz does not seem to be aware that Anafallis 

 arvensis and the Pimpernel are one and the same. 



GARDEXING IN CANTERBURY. 



I FIND this season that one dozen of Williams'.s Bon Chrt'tien 

 Pears will weigh Sj lbs. ; of Summer Eon Chi-etien, 7 lbs. • of 

 JJlemish Beauty, or Fondante du Bois, 8 lbs. 



I find that the leaves of Pear trees are attacked by the slimv 

 grub, as they are in England. 



I send you a dozen Eibston Pippins which have been 

 gathered for one month ; and in adding my opinion of their 



.v,o ?v. ^ stormy wcnther th« spider draws in the threads of his web to 

 tne Shortest extent ; when these are long the weather wiU be fine If he 

 remams inactive rain wiU foUow ; U during rain ho begins to stir, expect 



respective merits, I never saw any eqnal to them in England 

 for size, colour, and flavour, which says muc)i for the culture 

 of tho Itibston Pippin here. — W. SwAi.£, Caiilerbunj, New 

 Zealand, March iOth. 



WORK FOR THE "WEEK. 



KITCHEN G.tKDEN. 



Now is a good time to apply salt to Asparagus and Sea-kale 

 beds, about a pound to a square yard is sniBcieut. It is a great 

 waste to lay it on after tho plants have done growing, particu- 

 larly when the soil is at all inclined to be cold and stiff. Stimu- 

 lants applied now will enable the roots to lay up a good store 

 of oi-ganised matter for another season, and therefore, in addi- 

 tion to salt, occasional applications of liquid manure should be 

 snppUed, if possible. Tlie eficct of tins kind of treatment 

 will be perceived in the autumn by the plants retaining their 

 green colour much longer than others not so treated, and in 

 the spring by increased size and productiveness, showing that 

 the longer the functions of tho plants can be preserved by the 

 application of stimulants, the greater the amount of matter 

 that will be stored up for the ensuing season. Beans, continae 

 to top them, also Peas as they advance, and keep them well 

 gathered as they become ^t for table. Broccoli, tho planting- 

 o.it of this and Vi'iidcr Greens, Kala, Cabbages, and Caitli- 

 Jlnicers must be vigorously prosecuted, and every vacant space 

 should now be kept well filled up. Liquid manure will be in 

 continual request. Cclenj, the trenches for the main crops 

 should now be prep.ai-ed ; for this purpose the spaces between 

 the rows of Peas are very appropriate — the shade from the Peas 

 will be useful to the Celery in its earliest stages, and the Peas 

 will be entirely removed by the time they are hkoly to be in- 

 jurious. Kidney lieaiui, another sowing may be made for suc- 

 cession, and advancing crops both of these and Scarlet Bumiers 

 should be well thinned out. Keep the soil around them weU 

 forked up and pulverised ; continued experience goes far to 

 prove that the fork is the best instrument that can be used 

 amongst widely planted crops. Feus, make another sowing ; 

 the Early Frame is the best sort for this and the next sowing, 

 after which time there is little chance of their coming to per- 

 fection. Lettuce, continue to make occasional sowings of the 

 'S?hite Silesiau for stewing, and the Bath Cos and Green Cos 

 for salads. Turnips, keep them well thinned-out, and watered 

 when needful. Tomatoes, see that they are well thinned-out 

 and nailed to the walls. 



FltCIT GARDEN. 



If dry weather set in we would recommend that due attention 

 bo given to watering fruit trees in general, for as the fly and 

 other insects are unusually prevalent, an extra exhaustion will 

 be the consequence. It is impossible to apply tobacco water 

 in extent commensurate with the evil ; clean water can, how- 

 ever, be forcibly dashed on the infested trees, and in such cases 

 it is well to have some fresh-slaked lime at hand with which to 

 cover the ground at the foot of the trees, for unless something 

 is done tho insects will re-ascend. To those who aro particu- 

 larly anxious about the future success of their favourite fruits, 

 or who have been planting new kinds, we would say. Make 

 strenuous eSorts during the present period to extirpate insects, 

 and to assist weakly or overborne trees. Best assured that no 

 mode of planting, winter pruning, or complicated modes of 

 training, will be of any avail unless the vegetation of the sum- 

 mer's growth be attended to in duo time. Gross shoots, or 

 robbers of all kiuds, should be constantly stopped when about 

 6 inches long throughout the growing season. A very general 

 mulching should now be provided in the fruit garden where 

 trees are properly planted and possess, as they ought to do, an 

 abundance of surface roots. This proceeding is of the utmo"^ 

 importance. It is, moreover, easily accomplished, and when 

 properly carried out, by no means unsightly. Now is the beg{ 

 time to thin out the yoimg canes of Easpberries. Pinch off 

 the tops of the young shoots of Figs, and thin the fruit if too 

 thick. As soon as the Grapes on the open wall are set they 

 should be well thinned ; it amply repays the extra trouble. 



FLOWER GAKDEN. 



Preparations should now be made for propagating border 

 varieties of Pinks. Choose a shady .situation on the north 

 side of a wall or fence ; prepare the ground by adding about 

 2 inches deep of fine, light, sandy soil, to be gently patted 

 witli the back of a sjiade, and then the jiipings are pulled from 

 tho oldjplauts and inserted without any further preparation, or 



