3C4 



JOURNAL OF HOETICULTrEE AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. 



I Noremb«r 4, 1669. 



lar as circnmstances will permit to have a good supply of 

 Parslfij under protection, for there is generally a large demand 

 for this, and in the event of a severe winter it is diOlcnlt to 

 save it by the ordinary protection of hoops and mats. Lettuces 

 and CauUflourra in frames should be freely exposed on all 

 favotirable occasions. Be careful also of any BroccuU fit for 

 use, or which is turning-in. 



FRUIT OABDES. 



Proceed with pruning fruit trees as soon as the leaves have 

 fallen ; lei no work of this sort remain till spring, which will 

 bring its own labours. Draw out all superfluous nails and 

 shreds, in order to furnish in- door work in bad weather. Men 

 do little good working out of doors under such circumstances, 

 on the contrary, often much harm to themselre? and to the 

 land by closing and hardening its surface. Look over fruit 

 and other stores frequently, in order to see that all is safe and 

 sound. Standard trees which have been root-pruned must be 

 firmly secured against injury from wind ; also complete any 

 root-pruning as soon as possible. 



FLOWER GARDES. 



Examine pillar and trellis Kosen, and if the weather is 

 favourable see if the soil wants to be renewed, or the kinds ] 

 changed. For choice sorts, holes should be made capable of 

 containing three or four barrowloads of well-prepared soil. 

 Turfy loam of good 'luaUty is the chief requisite ; to this add a 

 portion of rich rotten dung, and, if at hand, a little sandy peat 

 or leaf mould. Crocuses may be planted whenever the weather 

 is favourable ; they like a deep, light, rich, sandy soil, but will 

 thrive in any ordinary soil or situation. In planting, the bulbs 

 should be covered from 2 to 3 inches with fine soil, and if an 

 effective display during the first season be desired, plant 

 thickly, not more than 2 inches apart. For edging borders 

 and beds the Crocus is exceedingly useful, and where planted 

 in lines along the margins of walks, or in clumps of from three 

 to twelve or more bulbs, and allowed to remain in the ground 

 lor several years, they produce a very pretty effect. An 

 excellent display may be made in the flower garden in March, 

 by each bed having a broad edging of Crocuses, the colours 

 being nicely arranged and contrasted. This may be secured 

 without interfering with either the spring or summer oc- 

 cupants, for the bulbs may be planted close to the outside 

 of the bed, where they will scarcely be in the way either in 

 digging or in planting. Unless the bulbs become too nu- 

 merous, and the leaves cover more space than desirable, they 

 should not be disturbed, as they bloom more profusely when 

 well established. Care, however, must be exercised to protect 

 them from mice, which are exceedingly partial to Crocuses, 

 especially in winter. For blooming in-doors, either in pots 

 or anything used instead, strong bulbs should be selected, 

 planting them in succession, and keeping the crowns slightly 

 onder the surface of the soil. Place them in any dark, cool 

 situation for three or four weeks to allow of their making roots 

 before exciting them into growth. If pots are used, and doubt- 

 less these are the best if not the most ornamental, employ rich 

 sandy soil, and secure perfect drainage, for a liberal supply of 

 water is required during the blooming period, and if the drain- 

 age is defective, the soil is apt to become sodden by injudicious 

 watering. While the bulbs remain in a dark place very little 

 water need be given — merely sufficient to keep the soil, moss, 

 or sand from becoming too dry. When the roots have made 

 some progress the crowns will make their appeirance, and 

 as soon as these are observed, remove the pots to the green- 

 house, or, where this is not convenient, a cold frame or pit 

 will answer perfectly. Crocuses will also succeed very well 

 in a sitting-room window ; all that is requisite is to allow them 

 as much light and air as possible on mild days, giving water 

 as may be necessary to keep the soil in a moist state. Chry- 

 santhemums will now be approaching perfection in most places ; 

 therefore, take every means to preserve their beauty as long 

 as possible. For some of the most tender kinds of Koses a little 

 protection will soon be necessary. Also plant, as previously 

 recommended, the Briar stocks for budding upon next year, 

 for unless these are planted before spring they seldom furnish 

 strong shoots for early budding. With weather like the present, 

 all new work should be pushed forward as fast as possible ; 

 and if the soil has been properly prepared by draining where 

 necessary, as should always be done before planting, there 

 will be fewer failures from planting evergreens now, than if 

 the work were delayed until March. Where, however, the 

 ground to be planted is of a harsh clayey nature, and in an 

 unkind state at present, it will, undoubtedly, be better to defer 

 planting until spring. Roll walks and lawns occasionally, so 



as to keep them firm and smooth. There will be comparatively 

 little to be done in the flower garden at present, except sweep- 

 ing and cleaning, and any spare time will be well spent in 

 going over the stock of plants in pits for next season's use, re- 

 moving every decaying leaf, and where the surface soil has 

 become green removing it and top-dressing with sandy loam. 

 There is nothing so unfavourable to these plants at the present 

 season as damp ; therefore, every opportunity of admitting fieeb 

 air should be taken advantage of. 



GBEEN-nOUSE A^D COKSEBVATOBT. 



Next to Camellias, Azaleas are perhaps the most showy 

 plants that can be had in bloom early in the season ; and where 

 there is a good stock to select from, some of the most forward 

 plants should be placed in heat soon, moistening them over- 

 head two or three times a-day. Unless, however, plants can 

 be had which made their growth and set their buds early, they 

 can hardly be expected to flower so finely as under more 

 natural circtunstances in spring, and unless the buds are plump 

 there will be some danger of the plants starting into growth 

 instead of into flower. Dutch bulbs should be largely culti- 

 vated where a fine display is required, and where hardy shrubs 

 are forced for the decoration of the conservatory these should 

 be ready for the purpose. Some of the early-blooming Rhodo- 

 dendrons require very little forcing to bring them into blossom 

 at any time after this season ; therefore where there is a good 

 stock of these and Ghent and other hardy Azaleas well set for 

 bloom, a portion of the plants should be placed in heat at in- 

 tervals of about three weeks, and as they are very showy and 

 last long in beauty they will be invaluable. These, together 

 with Camellias, Heaths, Epacrises, Acacias, Daphnes, Gesneras, 

 Cyclamens, Cytisuses, Chinese Primulas, Cinerarias, Migno- 

 nette, tree Violets, and other plants which bloom naturally in 

 winter, will afford a good display. — W. Eease. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST WEEK. 



Frost again and continuous, not much more severe than 

 that on the 10th, but more prejudicial to everything tender, 

 owing to the keen stormy wind that searched through and 

 through all tender tissues. This has left little quite green in 

 the flower garden except Calceolarias, and even these are 

 showing signs of succumbing. Plants of Salvia fulgens which 

 were a blaze of scarlet, have given way before the force of the 

 biting wind. The clear atmosphere and biting air of the after- 

 noon before the most severe night, caused us to make pre- 

 parations to meet it in most departments, and, therefore, 

 injury has been chiefly confined to that which we left to the 

 frost. 



KITCHES GARDES. 



Endh-e.—k lot of the plain and curled-leaved was protected 

 by placing a little rough hay over it ; then litter, and some 

 branches to keep it down. Part of this is covered for blanch- 

 ing, and part was covered a little to be uncovered on Friday 

 and Saturday when milder weather came. Here one fact is 

 worth noting. For years we have used Fraser's Broad-leaved 

 Endive, and we like it much for its compact habit, largo size, 

 and hardiness. We had such a difliculty in saving seed, as the 

 birds would find their way under our netting, and a few pence 

 would pay for all we wanted, that for some time we obtained 

 the seed along with other things, and always true and superior. 

 Whetlier from the ground or some other cause, whilst some 

 pieces of this Endive are as it used to be, other pieces have 

 leaves like parasols, and such are chiefly planted near a wall 

 where we intended them to stand through the winter. Now, 

 as the leaves are so large and more likely to be influenced by 

 frost, we shall blanch and use it early. The difference in 

 position seems to make as great a difference as between a 

 superior and an inferior variety. 



Caulifoicers. — These we had covered up as a security against 

 frost. To save this covering-up, and also to be safer, we cut a 

 number of basketsful of the heads becoming rather too large 

 for the parlour, so as to give a general house supply whilst 

 they lasted. Many more with heads the size of one's doubled 

 fist, and close and compact, we cut over with a good length of 

 stem, and thrust the stems into an exhausted ilashroom bed 

 in the shed, just damping the stems as well as the earth about 

 them, and covering the heads in very severe weather. These 

 will supply us for some time. A fine lot with heads less than 

 the above, and heads just forming, we took up with balls, and 

 set them in a deep earth-pit, watering the balls as we pro- 

 ceeded, and leaving a somewhat dry surface. These plants 



