rebruai^ 11, 1876. ] 



JOUBNAIi OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



123 



have an idea that different things, snch as sal-ammoniac for 

 instance, if pat in the water in which flowers are placed, helps 

 to keep them fresh for a longer period ; but I myself have 

 always found nothing better than fresh cold water. If the 

 vase be small, and the flowers in it required to last as long as 

 possible, if the water be changed every second day, and the 

 points of the stems fresh cut, it will be found surprising for 

 what a length of time they will remain fresh-looking. Some 

 flowers to last should have a drop of prepared gum dropped 

 into their centre, others be wired ; but space will not here 

 permit of me enumerating those varieties which require that 

 treatment. Be the arrangement large or small, plenty of 

 fronds of light-looking Ferns, such as Maidenhair, should be 

 associated with the flowers. — A. Hassakd (in The Gardener). 



GILBERT'S SEA-KALE AND RHUBARB TUBS. 



In looking through the renowned gardens of the Marquis of 

 Exeter recently, my attention was drawn to a very useful aid 

 in forcing Sea-kale. Mr. Gilbert, who is known as one of the 

 most practical gardeners of the day, refuses to be bound to 

 conventional appliances ; hence the innovation in hand-lights, 

 which are so eminently serviceable as protectors. He has now 

 fallen foul on Sea-kale and Rhubarb pots : being unwieldy and 

 cumbersome, and even liable to breakage, they fell short of 

 his standard of eseeUence, and he sought to obviate their dis- 



Fig. 33.— Ehabarb liox. 



advantages by a trial of wooden tubs or boxes. These are 

 simply four plain inch-boards nailed together without dove- 

 tailing. They are 1 foot wide at the top, increasing to 18 inches 

 at the bottom for covering the root. In height they vary from 

 18 to 30 inches, according to the kind and height of vegetable 

 requiring to be forced. As seen in use they answered perfectly, 

 and made one wonder that something of the same simple and 

 effectual nature was not in more general use long ago. 



The accompanying engraving (fig. 33), from a photograph 

 will sufliciently explain these pseudo tubs, for of course they 

 are bottomless, therefore not really tubs at all. — J. Wright. 



SPARROWS VKnsus FRUIT BUDS. 

 In order that the domestic sparrow may not get off under 

 Mr. Abbey's enthusiasm I trouble you with a few lines. My 

 experience of him in the gardens of Surrey is quite the reverse 

 to his. When I came here the place swarmed with sparrows. 

 I bought wire pea-gnards, and put netting over other seeds. 

 Afterwards I found the sparrows eating my Pear buds, one 

 tree being cleared. Gooseberries suffered the eame fate. As 

 a last resort I began shooting them, and have shot them flying 

 with buds in their bills — caterpillar once ! Why, when I have 

 had Gooseberry trees covered with caterpillars, did they not 

 clear them ? Because they prefer seeds ; even Potatoes are a 



relish. My gardener is often told by those around, " I wish 

 your master would not drive his sparrowa ovar here ! " Surely 

 we are not all wrong. 



The bluB titmouse spoils Pears by picking them near the 

 stalk, (fee., but see how he works the rest of the year ! If Mr. 

 Abbey had written-up the hedge sparrow I would have joined 

 him heartily. I say the house sparrow and finch tribe should 

 be shot without pity. Do they send Mr. Abbey's pet bird to 

 New Zealand ? I think not : he would be as bad as the Scotch 

 Thistle.— Age. 



NOTES ON VILLA and SUBURBAN GARDENING. 



Finish with all expediency the alteratious or improvements 

 on hand in the planting of trees and groundwork. Any delay in 

 this important matter too late in the season is detrimental to 

 the well-doing of the subjects concerned, and will be liable to 

 disappoint those who watch the results with an expectation of 

 success. 



The lawn ought now to be attended to by rolling frequently, 

 and any defects or unlevel portions, which will be easily dis- 

 cernible after the severe frosts we have had, must now be put 

 right, as it ia as good a time as any in the whole year for this 

 kind of work. Let all the outlines of embankments or terraces 

 be put in order if not well defined. This adds as much as any- 

 thing to the beauty of a lawn, especially that connected with 

 many residences around a town, for the eye can at once glance 

 upon the whole of it. Any of the edgings by the walks of turf 

 which are out of the regular line may now be cut into shape 

 with the edging-iron; and although it is not well to do it too 

 early, owing to the liability of frost and rain to perish the sides 

 down again, yet if cut about this time they will be safe from 

 that contingency. 



Box hedges may also be clipped before the month is out; these, 

 if done before, are liable to be turned brown by a severe frost, 

 especially if trimming has not been regularly practised, and 

 they have to be cut rather severely. There is some difference 

 of opinion as to the shape of these hedges ; some prefer them 

 cut square on the sides and flat on the top, others choose a 

 triangular form, so that they may be narrow at the top. I give 

 preference to the latter plan, not only because it looks best, but 

 the hedge has a better chance to grow. When cut square at the 

 top it must of necessity be cut hard in order to regulate its 

 height, and then it turns brown and does not break into growth 

 regularly, causing it to appear unsightly during the whole sum- 

 mer. It is well to proceed with this work now, so that it may 

 not interfere with other and more important operations that 

 will come on as the season advances. 



As most of the bulbs of Hyacinths, Tulips, &c., in beds will 

 now be showing their foliage above the ground, they ought to 

 be protected every night with canvas or netting spread out 

 upon hoops thrown across the beds, to be uncovered every 

 morning as soon as the weather will allow. 



It will be remembered that in the autumn I gave a list of 

 annuals that might be then sown for spring-blooming, and I may 

 again remind those who are fond of such things — and they are 

 most of them really beautiful — that most of the sorts may be 

 again sown to bloom during the season. The same rules then 

 stated may be appUed now, except that, if the ground can be 

 now spared, the seed may be sown where they are to flower, 

 which will save the work of plantingout. Those sorts from the 

 autumn sowing that have not yet been planted-out should be by 

 this time, and the beds kept very clean on the surface and be 

 frequently stirred, as the plants will in time spread so as to pre- 

 clude the operation. A few of the sorts, such as the Nemo- 

 philas, must be carefully watched, as the slugs are a great pest 

 to them. Again, it frequently happens that small plants in the 

 beds are frequently almost worked out of the soil owing to the 

 loose nature of it from the effects of the frost. Choose a dry 

 day, and fasten such plants with the hand. 



Look to plants in frames, such as the pots of Mignonette, 

 Stocks, Carnations, and Picotees. Clean them and move the 

 pots to prevent them rooting into the soil beneath. Go on with 

 the propagation of bedding plants as fast as cuttings can be ob- 

 tained. A good plan is to put the cuttings thickly into small 

 pots, and pot them off when well rooted, singly if room is 

 abundant or the plants delicate, or three or more in a pot to 

 economise space. 



The Centaurea candidissima is better propagated by putting 

 one cutting in a pot, so that when it is rooted it will be the 

 better shifted into a larger pot. This plant will not so well bear 

 pulling about at the roots as a Verbena and many other plants; 

 moreover, in the propagating bed much damp must not circulate 

 over this plant, or the chances are that most of the cuttings 

 will die off before they are rooted. Light and air are better 

 agents to assist them than a shady and damp atmosphere, and 

 the soil must be of a sandy nature, not liable to hold too much 

 moisture. I have been thus particular in detailing the mode of 

 propagating this plant in the spring because I know so many 



