December 23, 1869 J 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



305 



may easily be imagined. The same thing took place when we 

 potted oil struck plants in small pots. We were constantly at 

 them, turning out the ball to look at the first white epongiole 

 that found its way to the side, and thus often impeded growth. 

 In all this we may have failed to say a word to meet your ease, 

 but it would give us great pleasure to be able to assist you in 

 any way as fair as we could.— R. F.] 



NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 

 The schedule of the prizes offered by the Botal Hokticul- 

 TxiRAL Society, to be contended for at OxroEH in July next, 

 has been issued, and may be bad upon application to the 

 Assistant Secretary. The schedule of extra prizes offered on 

 the same occasion by others will shortly be published. In it 

 will be found prizes amounting to £10, offered by the Pro- 

 prietors of the OnnlcnLis' Chronicle, for the best collections of 

 fruit and vegetables ; and a prize of £10, offered by the Pro- 

 prietors of this Journal, for dessert fruits combining excellence 

 of quality with taste of arrangement. 



WOKK FOR THE WEEK. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



Should frosty'weather set in, wheel-out manure to all vacant 

 plots of ground, where heaps may be made and covered with 

 soil till wanted. In many cases, however, it may be trenched- 

 in at once, especially where Carrots, Parsnips, Beet, and Onions 

 are to be grown. All these require to have the soil turned-np 

 some months previous to sowing-time. If dry leaves are 

 plentiful, they may be laid very thickly between rows of choice 

 Broccoli, and confined there by sticking-in birch boughs round 

 the outside of the beds. Snow's Wiuter Broccoli which comes 

 in at this season, if the weather is mild, should be taken up 

 and protected whenever the heads are large enough for use. 

 Great attention must be paid to Cauliflowers in frames and 

 nnder hand-lights; stir the surface round them in mild 

 weather, and give frequent dressings of dry soot, lime, and 

 ashes, taking care also to admit air whenever practicable. Cover 

 Celenj with dry litter to protect it from frost. Continue to 

 store-up any of the l:ite-tied S/iiUVe and Le^uccs, and see that 

 those formerly stored have as free a circulation of air as the 

 weather will permit. All the late Ciibixiycs and Winter Greens 

 should be earthed-up if not already done. Sow small Saladinii 

 nnder cover, and protect Turnip Radishes in frames. Attend 

 to keeping-up a supply of Asparagjis, Sea-kale, Blnilarh, &!.. 

 according to the demand and convenience, by introducing 

 quantities of the roots into heat at intervals of about a fort- 

 night. Also see to keeping-up a supply of Dicarf Kidnetj Beans, 

 by making frequent sowings under favourable circumstances. 

 They are generally grown in pots placed in vineries or plant 

 houses, but their liability to the attacks of red spider renders 

 them dangerous inmates of such structures, and where it can 

 possibly be done they should be planted in lines in the bed of 

 a pit devoted to their culture. 



rnniT garden. 



Where orchard trees are infested with insects or moss, the 

 bark should be well scraped with a blunt tool to remove as 

 many of the larv;e of the insects as possible, after which the 

 parts should receive a coat of the following composition — viz., 

 hot lime and soot in equal quanlilies, mixed with water from 

 the cowhouse until it attains the consistency of thick paint. 

 This composition should be well rubbed into the crevices of 

 the bark in order to make sure of its reaciiing every biding 

 place of the enemy, and if a little cow manure were worked-up 

 in the composition, it would be useful in causing it to adhere 

 better. It is a tedious task to properly cover old large trees 

 with this, but its effect in clearing them of insects will repay 

 the trouble, and an occasional coating to young trees will be 

 useful in keeping them clean. Gi«huret compound applied as 

 a strong lather is a'so recommended for the same pnipose. 

 Strawberries may now be placed in a pit or frame where the 

 temperature can be kept at about 45°, giving plenty of air 

 whenever the weather will permit, and if the pots can b« 

 plunged in a gentle bottom heat, this will be advantageous in 

 encouraging a healthy root action. 



FLOWER GARDEN. 



Wheeling can be more expeditiously and cheaply carried on 

 in frosty weather than when the surface of the ground is soft ; 

 hence, where wanted, fresh soil or manures should be put 

 upon the flower beds and borders. Shrubberies may also be 



thinned, where this involves only the cutting-out of overgrowii 

 plants or lopping deciduous trees, but whove evergreens gene- 

 rally require pruning it is best done in Ifarch, for altUoogli 

 when the winter proves mild such work may safely be per- 

 formed at any time, it is never safe to depend 'jpon this. 



GREENHOUSE AND C0N.SERV,AT0BT. 



In frosty weather be satisfit^d with as low a night tempera- 

 ture in all plant houses as will be safe, taking advantage oC 

 bright days to increase the temperature, and using a little fire 

 heat to dispel damp. The proper night temperature fur con- 

 servatories very much depends upon the kind of plants they 

 may contain. Where Camellias, Epacrises, Heaths, and other 

 winter-blooming plants form the principal inmates, 40' will be 

 sufficiently high, and with a dry atmosphere it may safely be 

 allowed to sink a few degrees on hard nights, but iu cases 

 where the hardier kinds of winter-flowering stove plants are 

 brought iu while in bloom, 45' should be considered the proper 

 mean night temperature. Let whatever watering may be re-^ 

 quired be done early in the day, so that advantage may be 

 taken of sunshine whenever it may occur, tc give air for tbe 

 purpose of drying the foliage, Ac. Many persons appear to 

 entertain an opinion that very liitle attention is needed to 

 properly supply plants with water at this season, and th^y look 

 over their stock at intervals of several days. We would, how- 

 ever, caution young gardeners against this mistake, and adviso 

 them to examine every plant at least every alternate day, de- 

 ferring the application of water until it is really requireo!, and 

 then giving a liberal soaking. Attend daily to the removal o£ 

 dead or decaying leaves, and directly any of the fl:iw6ring speci- 

 mens become shabby remove them to some out-of-the-way 

 place, taking care that they are placed under proper condittona 

 as to temperature, &c., according to their wants, and sapplf 

 their places with others iu full beauty. Where necessary, tho 

 leaves of plants should be sponged over and thoroughly cleaned, 

 and climbers pruned, trimmed, and put iu proper order for th« 

 spring. Soils, crocks, and charcoal, and whatever else may bo 

 necessary for potting, should be iu readiness for use when 

 wanted. Let heat be applied to all plant structures moderaJ.eSy 

 for a time ; do not, because the weather may be severe, apply 

 constant parching heat, let the heat be moderate with humictitj, 

 very moderate at night, and on light days when air can be ad- 

 mitted without injury a little additional heat may be em- 

 ployed. Always regulate the night temperature by the degree 

 of external cold. Do not attempt to maintain the same degree 

 of internal heat to any structure when the temperature ia 

 below the freezing point, as you would were it IT or 15' above 

 freezing. It is in many cases difficult to maintain a suffi- 

 ciently moist atmosphere without causing drip, as the moistnte 

 iu the house becomes condensed upon the glass, and unteeis 

 provision be made by means of inside gutters and pipes to catefe 

 the condensed moisture and carry it off, it i^ nearly impossible 

 during frosty weather to preserve the beauty of the flowers for 

 any length, of time; and in cases where there is uo provision 

 made against this kind of moisture falling upon the plants, the 

 temperature should be kept as low as may be consistent with, 

 safety, avoiding moisture in the atmosphere as far as possible 

 whenever the glass is affected by frost. 

 COLD riTi. 



Where the stock of bedding plants has to be wintered in. 

 structures of this description, tbe present will be found ft 

 trying time, and the utmost vigilance and care will be required 

 to preserve the plants from harm. Apply suflicieat ooveriog 

 to the glass and to the walls of tlie pits or frames to wardaS 

 the efl'eets of the most severe frost, and embrace every ohauee 

 of admitting fresh aii- and removing decaying leaves in ar<Jer 

 to prevent damp and mould. Too little water can hardly b« 

 giten at present to plants in cold frames ; and when it hecomts 

 necessary to give any, let it be done in the morning of a fine 

 day, freely admitting air afterwards in order to dry up all £n- 

 perfluous'mci'tnre before evet.int.'. Plants when covered op 

 for several days ,,aould not be suddenly exposed to bright ean- 

 shine, but should be partially shaded for a few hours, admitting 

 air in the meantime if the slate of the external atmospkero 

 will admit of it. This will dispel damp and greatly assist in 

 preventing the injury which might otherwise result from 

 sudden exposure to sunshine. Look frequently over everything 

 subject to the attacks of mildew, apply sulphur the momect 

 this pest makes its appearance, and see that eveiytliing is 

 perfectly free from insects. Anything of which there is bat a. 

 short supply of plants to propagate from, should be placed Jo 

 growing quarters at once, taking care to keep the plants neas 



