February U, 187i. ] 



JOURNAL OF HOETIGULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



Isi 



the bulbs pushed. Ashes, or sand, or any material that will 

 keep them dark will answer ; but loaves wore convenient to 

 me, and, moreover, are lifiUt and easily managed. They were 

 taken out of this about the end of December and transferred 

 to a cool vinery, where, however, they were kept from frost. 

 As I had not any forcing house I was compelled to adopt what 

 is, I believe, a Dutch plan. I made up a small hotbed and 

 placed the pots in it : they rapidly came on. I then trans- 

 ferred them to the top shelf of my greenhouse, giving them a 

 plentiful supply of water all the time, and also giving them 

 occasionally hquid manure. I have a small house in which I 

 bloom my Auriculas, and to this all except those X took up to 

 South Kensington were consigned, and I had a very beautiful 

 bloom. Of course they were staked as they grew, so as to 

 prevent the blooms from falling about. Those that I took to 

 the Royal Horticultural Society won the first prize ; so that I 

 am justified, I think, in saying that in my little way I did very 

 well. Those who do not wish to get them in flower so early 

 need not trouble about the hotbed, but will have a good bloom 

 at the end of March.— D., Deal. 



ORNAMENTAL BEICK. 

 There is a orm of brick used here in constructing ornamental 

 screenwork on the upper portion of walls which I think is worth 

 bringing before the notice of your readers. It is capable of 



Hg. 1. 



making various effects according as the bricks are combined. 

 In the sketch I send you {fig. 1) , the bottom layer is made by the 

 bricks being laid horizontally, and the next tier perpendicularly, 

 but another effect can be produced 

 by placing all the bricks perpen- 

 dicularly, while still another may 

 be obtained by placing them all 

 horizontally. In each case the 

 effect produced is very good, and 

 the frequency with which it is 

 met with about Mentone testifies 

 to the partiality the people have 

 for it. The brick (see firi. 2) is 

 8 inches long, .5J inches broad at 



the widest part, and 2 J inches iu the middle. It may, I think, 

 be advantageously introduced into this country, and made in 

 ordinary brick earth or in terra cotta. — R., Mentone. 



NOTES ON VILLA and SUBUEBAN GAEDENING. 



Cucumbers. — As some may have dung sufficiently fermented 

 to be made into a bed for the growth of these, I will offer a few 

 remarks on the most simple method of management. Presum- 

 ing we have a common frame, the first thing will be to ex- 

 cavate the ground where the bed is to be formed to the depth of 

 3 or 4 feet wider and longer than the frame to be used. In the 

 centre place a layer of faggots or waste wood, 2 feet thick, of 

 the size of the frame, and upon this foundation lay the fermented 

 dung, taking care to make the mass firm as you proceed until the 

 bed is 4 feet high in front and 4J feet at the back. If the dung 

 is not well fermented or dry it will be advisable to sprinkle it 

 with tepid water as you proceed. The bed being formed, the 

 frame must be placed upon it ; and as soon as the mass begins 

 to heat, the dung inside the frame should be forked over twice 

 or thrice a-week until it is quite sweet — that is, until the steam 

 evolved is inoffensive to the smell. At that time the frame 

 must be Ufted off, and the dung from the centre of the bed 

 formed 6 or 8 inches wide all round the sides. On this wall 

 place some boards C inches wide, so that their outer edges 

 will be even with the outside of the frame, and then plaster 

 the inside all round with mortar or tempered clay, which will 

 prevent the entrance of steam and keep the woodlice out of a 

 favourite retreat. Should the dung be very hot some strong 

 pieces of wood may be placed across the bed, with some boards, 



and then turf above them, on which the soil for the plants must 

 be put. A hot-air chamber is thus formed between the dung 

 and the soil, by which every part of the latter is at all times 

 equally heated, and all risk of burning the roots is removed. 

 The heat from this chamber may also be brought-in to warm the 

 atmosphere of the frame in a case of emergency. 



It is of Uttle importance what kind of soil is used so long as it 

 is not of an adbeaivo nature. Peat earth is good because it is 

 porous, and its poorness is remedied on dung beds by the car- 

 bonic acid and ammoniacal gas from the fermented dung which 

 pass through and enrich it ; but I have found sandy turfy loam 

 and leaf mould in about equal quantities used in a rough state 

 superior to it. The soil should be placed in a narrow ridge along 

 the hack of the frame, not so as to rest against the woodwork ; 

 in this position it gets rather more sun, and the young plants 

 have the advantage of the light reflected from the back of the 

 frame. 



In planting, place two plants under each sash, and withm 

 8 inches of the glass; pinch the top from one of them as soon as 

 it has made three rough leaves ; train the laterals along the 

 back of the frame, and stop them above every leaf until they 

 show fruit. These plants will produce a few early fruit ; but 

 the others, which are to be trained towards the front, must not 

 be allowed to bear fruit until they have acquired strength, as 

 they must be depended upon for the main supply. 



It is not necessary that the temperature of the frame should 

 exceed 05° with air by night ; but by dav, with sun and air, it 

 should range from 70° to 85° or 90°. Sprinkle the plants in the 

 afternoon, about two o'clock, of every sunny day with tepid water, 

 and shut the sashes close down, but give a little air at the time 

 the frame is covered up for the night. Unless the weather is 

 very bright, water at the root will not be required more than 

 once a-week until the middle of March, but after that time the 

 plants will stand in need of it more frequently. Keep the tem- 

 perature steady at 6.5° by occasionally turning and renewing the 

 linings. Do not allow the bed to become crowded with useless 

 vines. Keep the glass clean, and success is certain. 



If severe weather continues every available means must be 

 adopted to protect Tulips, Auriculas, &c. We would, however, 

 be perfectly understood that we do not advise smothering them. 

 Air must be given to all plants in frames whenever opportunity 

 occurs. Should the sun shine brightly after a severe frost keep 

 the mats and coverings on, at the same time tilting the lights. 

 It will be requisite to put small quantities of fresh bran under 

 tiles in Auricula frames, the tiles being raised from the ground 

 at the corners by small pebbles. On them the pots may be 

 placed, so that no room may be lost by these most effective slug- 

 traps. As prevention is better than cure we would advise ama- 

 teurs to clear their frames of such vermin by this simple plan. 

 At this season mice are very apt to bo very mischievous among 

 Polyanthuses when kept in frames, by eating the hearts of the 

 plants. When the weather is sufficiently fine lose no time in 

 planting Ranunculuses. These beautiful flowers delight in a 

 cool subsoil. It will soon be time to put Carnations and Picotees 

 in their blooming-pots. If a proper quantity of compost is not 

 prepared lose no time in mixing it, at the same time keeping a 

 vigilant look-out for all injurious insects, &c. Do not let a frosty 

 day pass without giving it a turn-over, the trouble will be amply 

 repaid by the excellent state of the soil. 



The Chinese are very attentive to the house culture of many 

 of the orchidaceous epiphytes, and thereby greatly increase the 

 beauty and the fragrance of their apartments ; they have them 

 in ornamental vases and baskets, and even suspended in the air, 

 where they last for many years and flower boautituUy. Some 

 of them continue in flower for many months, and diffuse the 

 most delightful fragrance during the night. Renanthera coo- 

 cinea is one of the finest of these. 



The reason why the succulent and epiphytal plants answer 

 so well for house culture is that their winter is one of drought 

 and not of cold, and that the latter especially have httle, and 

 some of them no soil at the roots in their natural situations. 

 But there has been hitherto a prejudice against, or at all events 

 an ignorance of, and want of attention to the culture of succu- 

 lent plants in this country. This is unwise, for many of them 

 are exceedingly beautiful, highly fragi-ant, and better adapted 

 for house culture than any plants whatever. They are singularly 

 curious and varied in their structure, and generally speaking 

 they require less hght, air, and moisture than other plants.— 

 W. Keake. 



ECONOMY IN THE AERANGEMENTS OF CUT 

 FLOWEES. 

 A FEW words on this subject may not be altogether unin- 

 teresting to the readers of the "Gardener" at this season, 

 when flowers are generally rather scarce. Like many more of 

 my brother gardeners, I have often to study how to make the 

 most of what I can gather together of all sorts. I have found 

 a great saving of flowers by making hand-bouquets on light 



