December 16, 1876. ] 



JOURNAL OF HOBTICULTURE AND COTTAGE QABDENER. 



525 



WEEKLY CALENDAR. 



COVERING AND PEOTECTION. 



^^J MONO ST the most important of tlic gar- 

 ^ ' '^' dencr's duties i.s tbe protection of the crops 

 and plants -which are under his care. He 

 must protect from extreme heat in summer 

 and extreme cold in winter ; at the one 

 season he must repel the heat, at the other 

 invite and conserve it. The latter needs 

 only now to be noticed. Many crops which 

 are ordinarily considered to be hardy need 

 some protective care during the inclement 

 season of winter — not, perhaps, that such crops would be 

 otherwise killed, but yet if left to the full exposure of the 

 weather would be deprived of a great measure of their 

 usefulness. Too often the very hardihood of a plant or 

 crop is the chief element which leads to its destruction, 

 or at any rate prevents it being substantially useful. 

 Ordinarily the w nter may not be sufficiently severe to 

 kill outright such common crops as Parsley, Cabbages, 

 Celery, Lettuces, Spinach, and autumn-sown annuals ; 

 they are considered as " hardy " crops, and are left to 

 " take their chance." They may not be killed, but yet 

 if unprotected may receive such injury as to render them 

 practically useless, and the cost of their production may 

 be wasted for the want of the little protection which 

 might be given, but which is commonly omitted. 



The crops named are very common crops, but they are 

 very useful ; they are, indeed, indispensable, for if destroyed 

 or become so injured as to be virtually useless they can- 

 not be replaced. I speak after a quarter of a century's 

 experience when I say that by neglect of protective care 

 at this period of the year of these simple " hardy " crops, 

 that the gi-eatest inconveniences are iucun-ed in many 

 gardens during the spring months. Take the matter of 

 Parsley ; it is a common crop, it is true, and not much 

 valued when it can be cut by the barrowful, but to trudge 

 in February five miles for a handful, as I and many 

 others have done, teaches us to appreciate the value of 

 oven this common herb, and urges on us the necessity 

 of affording it some protection before it is yet too late. 

 If a portion is in square beds, as it ought to be, it is 

 easily protected by placing over it spare lights ; and if 

 there are no lights, it is not dilBcult to make a few straw 

 hurdles, which are invaluable sheltering aids which can 

 be profitably turned to account in many gardens. If it is 

 in single rows, as it commonly is, there is no reason why 

 it should be lost when by the simple process of placing a 

 board on its edge affixed by stakes driven into the ground, 

 the board to slant over the row from the north or east 

 side, it can be so serviceably protected. Even stakes 

 "laced with evergreens or straight straw, or, what is better, 

 hexagon netting bowed over and similarly laced, may 

 make all the difTerence between plenty and poverty of the 

 supply of an article which often causes more unpleasant- 

 ness than do crops which are usually assessed at greater 

 value. I say therefore, whUe there is yet time — protect 

 the Parsley. 

 Have any — but I know they have — had their August 



No. 768.— Vol. XXIX., New Seeies. 



and September-sown Lettuces killed, and when in the 

 bright days of April and May salads have been called for 

 and longed for — even stormed for — there have been none 

 to give ? Then how ardently the gardener wishes he had 

 protected, instead of which, with all the nursing and 

 sheltering, even potlicg, he cannot have the spring-sown 

 Lettuce in perfection until July. Protect, I urge, with 

 hurdles of straw or evergreens, if nothing else better is 

 at hand, and by a little extra work and discomfort now 

 there will be the reward of comfort in the spring, and 

 credit and pleasantness. I say once again — Protect the 

 Lettuce. 



Cabbages. If this crop is killed what have we in its 

 stead? We have nothing that will fill its place. The 

 Winter Green.') are gone and the Cauliflowers have not come 

 in (even if the plants were not killed), and Asparagus and 

 Peas can never stand iu the stead of Cabbages. " But 

 we cannot insure the preservation of this crop," some 

 may suggest. Perhaps not always, but do we do all we 

 can? Do we plant in deep drills, as we ought to do, so 

 that the soil is easily placed up fo the hearts ? Cabbages 

 so planted are seldom killed, and if they are not so planted 

 and advantage is taken when the ground is open to throw 

 up a miniature bank at the cold side of each row, the 

 plants will invariably escape destruction. I know what 

 a northern climate is, and have been tanned with the 

 winds off the North Sea, but I did not lose my Cabbages 

 last winter v/hen the thermometer was down to zero. I 

 say therefore. Protect the Cabbages, for this is a vital 

 crop without a substitute. 



Spinach. This is another '• ticklish " crop ever in de- 

 maud, and is always worth some protective care. It is 

 injured by wet as well as frost, and is especially tender 

 in light rich soils. It should be grown in an exposed 

 place on dry and not rich soil for the winter supply, and 

 if sheltered with thatched hurdles it is generally there 

 when it is wanted. I have had the pleasure of sending 

 occasional dishes twenty miles as the greatest favour 

 that I could bestow on a friend ; and I know a gardener 

 at the present time who would be glad to pay carriage 

 for a parcel twice a-week for the next ten weeks tc go 

 twice that distance. If at one time this vegetable is re- 

 garded as a weed, at another time it is very precious ; 

 and even if tolerably plentiful now, it may be unpleasantly 

 scarce two months hence if not protected. 



Cauliflowers I need not say much about. They are 

 more tender than the crops previously named, and con- 

 sequently have protection given them — some more than 

 they need — and become first "drawn" and then "but- 

 tons;" they need protection, or the crop may be lost. 

 The same may be said of hardy annuals ; with a httle 

 preparation and a very small amount of protection they 

 are seldom or never destroyed, but if this little is not 

 afforded them they rarely pass the winter safely. Celery 

 also needs some protection, and we should hear less of 

 the complaints in spring of " My Celery wo'n't keep." 

 It " wo'n't keep " in spring if it is frozen iu winter ; but 

 litter, or stubble, or evergreens will mostly make it safe. 

 It is not commonly that these useful crops are killed by 



No. Ii20.— Vol. LIV,, Old Seeteb. 



