52 i 



JOUENAL OF HOBTIOULTUBB AND COTTAGE GARDBNBK. 



[ Daeember 10, 1S74. 



]iia friend Sir Hans Sloane. Although within the last fifty 

 years some of the large lower branches have been broken off by 

 the hea%'y snows, this is, perhaps, the oldest and largest Cedar 

 of Lebanon in the kingdom. Of late years the ungenial at- 

 mosphere has begun to tell seriously upon the dark evergreen 

 foliage, but it is still a tree of mark among its fellows. The 

 year in which it arrived as a young plant is not known, but it 

 would be probably about the year 1705. At first the doctor 

 kept it in his greenhouse, but observing that whatever strength 

 it gained during summer was lost during the winter, he re- 

 solved to risk it outside, and there its noble and graceful form 

 has stood ever since. The tree was measured in 1812, when at 

 some distance from the ground the trunk measured 12 feet 

 8 inches in circumference. At a recent measurement we found 

 the circumference to be 14 feet 8 inches. The height is about 

 18 yards. It deserves notice that the second hothouse erected 

 in England was built for Dr. Eichardson, and by the same 

 workmen who erected the first at Oxford, near Liverpool.'" 



We have the following relative to the Cedar mentioned by 

 Mr. R. Hayward, at a place near London, where a large garden 

 party was given : — " He saw it in the grounds at Belmont House, 

 Mill HiU, near Hendon. It is now twelve years since that 

 party was given, for I was the gardener there at the time and 

 recollect seeing several gentlemen stepping the dimensions of 

 this fine tree, probably llr. Hayward was one of them. I took 

 notes of its size while there, which I have just found in my 

 Rcrap-book. I make it 38 yards in diameter, and about (iO feet 

 in height. The trunk I did not measure, because its branches 

 started-out within a foot or so of the ground, and it could not 

 be measured fairly. I know it is a fine tree and generally 

 admired by everyone. At the time I was there it had lost 

 many branches, and those remaining furnished the tree well, 

 but they had to be propped-up to keep them off the ground. 

 I wrote to the present gardener for the measurement, which I 

 hope he has sent to the .Journal, as such a fine tree should not 

 go unnoticed. — T, Record." 



The present size differs rather from that which Mr. Record 

 states, but this may be accounted for from the lapse of time. 

 The gardener now there, Mr. T. Nunn, informs us that the 

 Cedar's height is 68 feet ; diameter of the circle of outspread 

 branches 111 feet ; girth of trunk at 1 foot from the ground 

 20 feet 2 inches, and at 4 feet 18 feet (i inches. 



NOTES ON VILLA .vnd SUBURBAN GARDENING. 



Xow that the leaf is off, and all necessary protection given to 

 those things that it is intended to leave out aU winter, the beds 

 not occupied with plants should be trenched up roirghly to allow 

 the frost to penetrate and pulverise the soU. With regard to 

 maniure, it is not always advisable to add that at this time of 

 the year, but leave it to be put on when the beds are turned up 

 for the last time, as I contend that the soil should be frequently 

 moved if the weather will allow; and again, the soil of many 

 beds is quite rich enough to grow most of the ordinary bedding 

 plants without adding manure oftener than once in three years, 

 and then not that which is rough and strong, but is well decom- 

 posed material, and more after the nature of Ught rich mould. 



At this time it may be as well to say that those beds filled up 

 with evergreens or any other plants should always have the 

 fresh soil and manure added in the spring while the beds are 

 being prepared for their summer occupants. FaiUng to do this 

 has been one strong reason for saying that summer bedding 

 plants have not been found to thrive after being filled up for 

 winter decoration. 



No doubt, also, there is a drawback in not being ahle to turn 

 the soil up, and the action of the weather, and other things of 

 smaller importance operating against the well-being of both 

 winter and summer plants ; and as there are several plants, such 

 as the different sorts of Euonymus, Laurustinus, Box, as well 

 as many of the annuals used for spring bedding which root 

 most vigorously during the time they are in the beds, and there- 

 fore exhaust the soil to such a degree that unless something 

 fresh is added no summer bedding plant can be expected to 

 thrive satisfactorily ; therefore it is easily seen that where both 

 winter and spring bedding is carried on, be it in ever so small a 

 way, a special preparation is necessary for summer work. 



Give Rose bods a coating of manure. These are plants that 

 will be benefited by a strong rich stimulant, and if laid on the 

 surface of the ground now it acts as a protection, and can be 

 dug in after the' severest weather is over. Tea Roses or any 

 otlier choice tender sorts had better be carefully lifted if their 

 loss is apprehended, and place them in a sheltered corner where 

 they can have a little protection. They may be planted again in 

 good fresh soil about March, and may be expected to bloom well. 



Plant Briars as soon as possible. Where it is intended to 

 raise a few stocks by budding next season, choose those with 



clear straight stems, with spreading fibrous roots if possible. 

 Those with thick clubs to them seldom live to thrive long, and 

 generally produce a quantity of suckers to everyone's annoyance. 

 The recent heavy rams have indicated very plainly where there 

 is imperfect drainage ; and as it is not possible for plants even 

 of the hardiest nature to thrive in a wet soil, see to adding more 

 drains at once, and repair old ones. Where there is the chance 

 make it a point to decide upon what planting there is to do or 

 shrubs to remove, and do it at onco. The benefit of this timely 

 operation will be seen in next season's growth. 



The weather which has of late precluded the possibility of 

 giving all the attention that plants in frames require, having 

 now become open, it will be the better if they are looked over 

 and all dead leaves picked off. The surface of the soil should be 

 stirred, and a search made for the little green caterpillar which 

 many complain are eating holes in their Geraniums and other 

 plants ; they are difficult to find, being of the same colour as 

 the leaf, and the best method of discovering them is to give 

 the plant a good shaking over some white paper or run the 

 hand up the under part of the leaf, and they will generally drop 

 off. Water everything very carefully at this season ; and all 

 ordinary bedding sfock will be best kept rather dry than other- 

 wise, and at all times give air if the weather will admit of it 

 with safety. In the greenhouse and conservatory the same rule 

 of admitting air must be carried out, only as these places will 

 contain good decorative plants, some of them in flower, a tem- 

 perature of 45° must be kept up ; and if there is necessity for a 

 fire and to keep it up, open the top light 2 or 3 inches, and let 

 out the impure air that is so likely to accumulate there after 

 the house has been shut-up for some time. 



The next month or six weeks will be a critical time for all 

 such plants as an amateur is likely to grow, and the greatest 

 care should be taken not to let them grow too fast ; and in water- 

 ing it will be an advantage if they can have the water applied 

 in a tepid state. By such plants as CameLUas in pots, or those 

 planted out and j ust coming into flower, plenty of water will be 

 needed, and about twice a- week tepid manure- water given ; this 

 will assist them to open their buds more freely and regularly. 

 — Thomas Recobd. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST AND PRESENT WEEKS. 



n.lEDY FBUIT G.VBDEN. 



The frost has become very severe — too hard, in fact, for dig- 

 ging, except where some rough litter was placed upon the 

 ground previously. We had wheeled some manure on to the 

 Raspberry quarter, intending to dig it in on the first oppor- 

 tunity, but the manure is so hard that it would not be at all 

 desirable to dig it in at present. There has been much con- 

 troversy amongst scientific men about the proper appUcation 

 of manure to crops, some contending that it should be taken 

 fresh from the yards, spread over the ground, and dug in at 

 once ; others that it should be thrown up into a heap, and 

 allowed to ferment until all the rank steam is thrown off. In 

 digging or trenching the open quarters at this time for next 

 season's crop it does not matter much about the stage of decay 

 at which the manure has arrived, as, should it be rough, a good 

 deep opening can be taken out, and if the soil is heavy, the 

 rougher the manure is so much the belter ; but it would not do to 

 dig such into the open spaces amongst fruit trees. If the soil 

 is heavy, rotted stable manure is the best stimulant. In light 

 soils cow and stable manure is the best, as the trees in such 

 soils suffer much from want of moisture at the roots, and when 

 cow manure is used the ground is always closer in texture, and 

 the moisture is not given off so rapidly. We use a fork when 

 digging the borders, and merely stir up the surface sufficiently 

 deep to cover the dressing of manure that has been applied to 

 the surface ; but before doing so the trees should be pruned, 

 and if necessary cleaned. 



For a few years the caterpillar of the Lackey Moth troubled 

 us, but this seems now to be pretty well eradicated ; but we 

 shall never get it completely destroyed while Quick hedges and 

 Apple trees in the immediate vicinity, over which we hav^ no 

 control, are allowed to become the pasture ground of myriads of 

 the caterpillar every year. It may be as well to hint to those 

 who had it on their trees last year that the eggs may now be 

 found glued firmly in circles to the smaller branches of the 

 trees. The circles are usually about a quarter of an inch wide ; 

 these should be closely searched for when the trees are being 

 pruned. They ought to be thrown into the fire, or in some 

 other way effectually destroyed. We have not yet managed to 

 discover the Apple-borer in his winter haunts. This is now 

 the most destructive enemy we have to contend against, and if 

 we could ascertain the exact time and manner of his trans- 

 formation we could possibly destroy it in the egg state. Ame- 

 rican blight should also be destroyed by dressing the parts 

 attacked with boiled oil. It is dangerous to smother the branches 

 with the oil, as it will frequently kill not only the buds, but also 

 the smaller branches. 



Our pruiiing was done during the autumn months; bat in 



