December 9, 1875. ] 



JOURNAL OF HOBTICULTDRE AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. 



613 



sorts being Lady Downe's Seedling and Alicante. This was 

 not originally intended for a vinery, but merely for a temporary 

 purpose. Sentence of death had been passed on these Vines, 

 but in consequence of their continuing to bear crops of such 

 excellence the sentence has been withdrawn during Mr. Child's 

 pleasure, a decision I quite agree with. 



Next is a lean-to range about 240 feet long by 12 wide and 

 12 high in four compartments, planted with Peaches and Nec- 

 tarines. The fruit from the first houses had been gathered 

 some time ; in the second houses I noticed good fruit of Belle- 

 garde Peach and Acton Soott Nectarines, the whole having 

 produced average crops of good fruit ; a late house contained 

 some fine fruit of Pitmastou Orange Nectarines. At each end 

 of this range is a gable or span entrance ; on the front side 

 these entrances are planted with Figs. These with the usual 

 cold pits aud frames cumplete the glass structures. 



Large quantities of Chrjsauthemums were growing-on for 

 decorative purposes. The large-flowering kinds are grown on 

 single stems, which at the time of my visit were from 4 to 

 5 feet high ; the Pompones are trained on low flat trelUseg. 

 The larger-growing kinds when in bloom are placed between 

 the Camellias, which help to light up the more sombre-looking 

 foliage of the latter. It is no light task to keep this large 

 conservatory gay through the dull months of autumn, winter, 

 and spring. To show the extent of the forcing required for 

 such a purpose, I may mention that five hundred Boman 

 Hyacinths, and about the same quantity of various colours 

 are employed, besides a thousand Tulips, eight hundred Cro- 

 cuses, one hundred and fifty Narcissuses, two hundred Lilies 

 of the Yalley, one hundred aud fifty Spirasa japonicas, supple- 

 mented by Primulas and Justicia speciosa, of each about a 

 hundred plants, spring-struck ; Cyclamens, Celosias, and Cocks- 

 combs. Begonia weltonensis and parviflora are found very 

 useful, also large quantities of flowering shrubs, such as Ghent 

 Azaleas, Bhododendrons, Lilacs, and a host of other plants 

 too numerous to mention. 



A wide border in front of the principal range of houses is 

 planted with ordinary spring flowers, such as Daisies, Violas, 

 Polyanthus, Myosotis, &o. A short distance from this border 

 is an ItaUan garden, which is filled with three sets of bulbs 

 the same as previously described. At the back of the prin- 

 cipal range are the young men's bothies, potting sheds, &o. 

 It is worthy of remark that their comforts here are studied 

 more than they are in many places. The apartments were 

 clean and healthy, and consist of kitchen or mess-room, which 

 contains a good cooking range and separate bedrooms, the 

 foreman having a room to himself; there ia also a woman 

 attendant. 



The kitchen garden contains the usual assortment of fruit 

 trees, &a., except Peaches and Nectarines, which are grown 

 under glass. Noticeable on a west wall was a fine crop of 

 Morello Cherries. About twelve hundred Strawberry plants 

 are prepared annually for forcing ; Due de Malakoff, Vicomtesse 

 HCrioart de Thury, Sir .J. Paxton, and President are forced in 

 the order named. The greater part of the vegetables are 

 grown a little distance away, the ground devoted to their cul- 

 ture being about four acres in extent. 



Leaving the kitchen garden by a short cut we arrived at two 

 semi-detached cottages with neat gardens and abounding with 

 sweet-smelUng flowers ; these cottages are occupied by Mr. 

 Child and the coachman. I must not omit to mention that in 

 addition to the comfortable housing of Mr. ChUd and his 

 young men the labourers are not neglected, for near at hand is 

 a row of comfortable cottages. This is a worthy example ou 

 the part of Mr. Heywood, and would be better for both 

 employer and employed if the example was more generally 

 carried out ; it would tend to cement master and man more 

 closely together, and the advintages of such a plan cannot be 

 over-estimated. It is toocften the case that men have long 

 distances to walk morninK and evening, and it must beo'ovious 

 that a man having throe or four miles to walk cannot be so 

 fresh for his daily labour as one who is close to his work. 

 Mr. Child's staff consists of thirteen men — viz., nine labourers 

 and four journeyman gardeners, the whole of which are em- 

 ployed in the houses on wet days. — G. E. Allis. 



NOTES OxV VILLA and SUBURBAN GARDENING. 



Winter having set in severely and somewhat suddenly has 

 very much altered the sort of work to be done ; for what would 

 have been a busy time for plantiu? and ground work should 

 now be devoted to such work as will forward operations when 



the weather proves favourable. On the Srd (Friday) there were 

 4° of frost after a heavy downfall of snow ; but this morning 

 (Saturday) the thermometer registered 13° of frost, but this did 

 not come on till the morning, and by eleven o'clock the glass 

 stood again at the freezing point. Now it is hoped that the 

 previous advice given about the preparation of protecting ma- 

 terials has not been neglected, for they will now be wanted in 

 real earnest. The wet eeason we have bad, which in so many 

 districts has caused a temporary flooding of the soil, has caused 

 many plants in the kitchen garden to be more sappy or tender 

 than a finer autumn would have brought about, consequently 

 that one circumstance will, if the frost last long, cause a greater 

 destruction by it. In many gardens about here the crop of 

 Celery is poor : in order to save as much of it as possible the 

 most of it should be protected by litter or straw, or even branches 

 of evergreens. Again a whole row may be taken up, leaving as 

 much root as possible, and take the plants to a shed or cellar, 

 and lay the roots in dry earth. If the frost should penetrate the 

 earth so as to reach the plant I am afraid that much of it will 

 suddenly rot when a thaw takes place. That is my reason for 

 stating that much of it should be taken up. The heads turning 

 in of Snow's Winter BroccoU have been cut, and as the plants 

 remaining of this and other sorts are covered with a thick 

 coating of snow it will be well to let them alone, as snow, if it 

 comes before frost in sufficient quantity, is a great protector. 

 But where Broccoli suffers considerably is when a sudden thaw 

 comes on so as to melt the snow off the plant and then suddenly 

 freezing again, the plants after that are liable to go off at the 

 most tender part — just under the heads. 



Watch carefully the heat in outdoor beds of Seakale and 

 Asparagus. If the heat is at present sufficient it will be best 

 not to do more than add an extra covering of dry material to 

 keep the heat in as much as possible. In former times when 

 these plants were more frequently forced outdoors it was no 

 small trouble for gardeners to keep up the heat ; thatched 

 hurdles were often called into use to stand round the beds and 

 keep in a lining of dry straw between these and the heated 

 dung. Whether the plants are in a frame or a dung bed these 

 protectors should always be prepared, for they are excellent aids 

 and applied in a few minutes, and as easily taken away when 

 not wanted. Whoever may be collecting fresh manure for an 

 early Cucumber bed should, it possible, put it under an open 

 shed, or if that is not convenient it should be protected from 

 frost and snow outdoors, both of which hinder the process of 

 fermentation and render the bed dangerous from rank steam 

 when put up. Leaves from trees are useful to add to the manure. 



In the fruit garden I am afraid if frost comes on too severely 

 that some of the tender sorts of fruit trees will suffer; for I see 

 the wood of Peach and Nectarine trees ia very imperfectly 

 ripened, and of the late sorts many of the leaves are still hang- 

 ing green upon them. Now a temporary protection of evergreen 

 boughs stuck among them would do no harm, but probably 

 prevent much injury, and these any amateur can obtain and 

 they are quickly applied. Fig trees on walls may be treated in 

 a similar way. In such early winters as this the plan of thatch- 

 ing the trees in upon the wall is not a bad one ; it saves the 

 young wood if not the fruit; it would, however, be a long job 

 with large old trees whose branches have been allowed to grow 

 too much out of bounds. Young wood may be gathered up into 

 a comparatively small space and tied together, and protection 

 made easy. Though gardeners in large places have much of 

 this sort of protection to resort to, it is necessary to success and 

 applies with the same importance to the amateur though in a 

 much smaller way. 



Now the opportunity is come do not neglect to have plenty of 

 labels made of different size'J both for kitchen-garden crops 

 and indoor plants, also flower-garden pegs made, flower stakes 

 made, aud old wall nails cleaned, shreds cut, and everything 

 arranged for convenience at a more busy time. 



The store of fruit should be looked over, and take care that 

 the temperature does not fall too low ; it ought to be kept at 

 about 50' Fahr. The same may be said with Potatoes, which 

 ought not to be helow 40". 



In the greenhouse watch that the heat mav be also kept very 

 regular and by no means too high — say about 40°, which will keep 

 most plants in a proper state at present. A hot dry heat when 

 the weather is too severe to admit of ventilating the house is 

 one of the most injurious plans of treatment, and should he 

 guarded against in every possible way. — Thomas Record. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST AND WORK FOR 

 THE PRESENT WEEK. 



HAHnY FRUIT GARDEN. 



Winter has come upon us rather suddenly this season, and 

 those are fortunate who have their trees planted out and a 

 thick mulching of short manure placed over the roots. Should 

 packages of trees arrive in severe weather, or at a time when 

 the ground is not in a condition for them to be planted, they 



