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JOORNAli OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ Deeemtier 16, 1875. 



numbers may be found on various plants out of doors during 

 the dull season of the year. Nor have they been affected, 

 seemingly, by keen east winds at the end of November — in 

 faot, some gardeners, holding by the old theory that there are 

 blight-bringing winds, believe that this blight in particular 

 migrates thus at all seasons. Conclusive against this, how- 

 ever, is the wingless state of the aphides now about. Though 

 in the bulk of the species belonging to the genus Aphis the 

 egg state carries on the succession from autumn to spring, 

 Nature probably does also protect from a possible extinction 

 some of the species by keeping alive a few individuals as 

 images during that period.— J. R. S. C. 



NOTES ON VILLA and SUBURBAN GARDENING. 



CucuMBEBs. — Early Cucumbers are held in high estimation 

 by almost everyone, and their production is often an object of 

 a little wholesome rivalry as to who can cut the first fruits tit 

 for the table. Cucumbers are forced in structures heated by 

 hot water, and also in common garden frames by dung heat. 

 The latter may bo designated the old-fashioned plan ; neverthe- 

 less it is practised by many, myself among the number, and I 

 am sure that the amateur will find that Cucumbers can be 

 advantageously cultivated in that way, although more attention 

 may be required than is the case when more modern structures 

 heated by hot water are provided. I do not with frame culture 

 advise that the plants be raised until after the shortest day, or 

 they would remain long in a weakly state before having the 

 advantage of bright weather. 



Aa dung beds are so useful in a garden I advise that, if they 

 are provided and sufficient heating material can be obtained, 

 two frames should be set up — that is, a one-light first for raising 

 the plants, and which can afterwards be used for raising other 

 seedlings that may be necessary, and a two-light frame for fruit- 

 ing the plants. 



To those who require early Cucumbers I would say. Now is 

 the time to commence operations by collecting daily as much 

 fresh horse dung as possible, and place it in a heap under cover 

 if convenient, and on a dry bottom (but this is not absolutely 

 necessary), and mix quite one-third of fresh-collected leaves 

 with it, which will help to sweeten the whole and save the 

 manure. This heap must be turned at intervals of three or four 

 days and be mixed thoroughly; and if there should be any indi- 

 cations of its heating itself dry a little water must be applied at 

 the time of turning. When the whole has become sweet make 

 up the bed. 



Select a dry bottom for this, and with as much shelter on the 

 north and east sides as can be obtained, and at the same time 

 in a spot where the most sun can be secured. Do not lay the 

 dung on the bare ground, but let the allotted space be first covered 

 with a thin layer of wood or a layer of rough litter, just to keep 

 the cold ground from acting upon the hot dung. Make the bed 

 about i feet 6 inches high at the back and 3 feet 6 inches in 

 front. This will sink quite 6 inches, but it will be large enough 

 to afford the requisite heat, and the frame will have a good 

 elevation. Make the bed 6 inches or more wider than the frame 

 on all sides. In making it up take care that it is evenly done — 

 that is, aU must be made firm alike, or the bed will sink on one 

 • side more than another ; and again, if the manure is not properly 

 mixed one part will heat more violently than another and so 

 endanger the plants. Put the frame on at once and leave the 

 lights a little open at the top to let out the rising steam. When 

 the violent heat has subsided, which can be proved by a trial 

 stick inserted in the centre of the bed, it will be safe to put in the 



Soil.— This varies with many cultivators. Some use one 

 mixture and some another, but in my experience it matters 

 little about any particular fancy mixture. The Cucumber likes 

 a good staple soil which must consist of loam which has been 

 laid up for some time, and mix with it some well-rotted leaf 

 mould, or, in the absence of that, rotten duug that has been 

 reduced by decomposition to almost a black mould : both of 

 these ought to be dry or nearly so. Place the soil in a heap in 

 the upper part of the frame — about two barrowsf ul will be suffi- 

 cient—and after this has become warmed through the seeds may 

 be sown either in the soil or in a pot of the warm soil and gently 

 watered. The young plants will soon appear, and when large 

 enough they should be potted off in the same sort of soil that is 

 in the frame. Of course while this is going on the material for 

 the other bed should be prepared and be made ready for the 

 reception of the plants when large enough, but if no other 

 frame is needed then put a plant or two out in the soil already 

 in the early frame, water with warm water, and shade for a few 

 days if the sun comes out. 



Tempeeatore and Ventilation. — The heat should be 75° or 

 from that to 80', but the temperature ought not to be below 70' 

 at night; in the daytime the suu-heat will make a difference 

 bnt a few degrees increase, though that will be an advantage. 

 While steam rises half an inch of air may be left on all day and 

 dbout half that during the night, taking care that the opening is 



covered by a mat to stay the ingress of cold winds. As the 

 plants grow and increase in strength, and the season advances 

 with more light and sun, the system of airing, watering, and 

 closing must be altered accordingly. Take care also to always 

 have plenty of material ready for lining the bed when the heat 

 is found to be declining. To do this some care is also necessary, 

 for if done all round the frame at one time the chances are that 

 the heat would be too much increased, therefore do either the 

 two sides or the two ends at one time. Always protect the bed 

 by straw mats or loose straw, for if severe weather sets in this 

 will prevent it from taking so much effect. Of course the lights 

 must be covered regularly every night; the glass, too, should 

 always be kept clean, which affords the plants more light and 

 consequently they gain strength. 



Sorts. — These are very numerous. The true Telegraph is a 

 thoroughly good frame as well as house Cucumber, and an 

 excellent cropper, yet it is not so strong in constitution as some 

 others. Cooling's Derbyshire Hero is a capital frame Cucumber, 

 but even this when grown by the side of the old Syon House or 

 Lord Kenyon's Favourite is not nearly so early. At one time I 

 always grew the latter sort, but have not had it true lately. It 

 is a short, smooth-skinned sort; it has a firm flesh of good 

 flavour. This or any of the other sorts I have named above are 

 well worthy of cultivation. — Thojias Record, 



DOINGS OP THE LAST AND WORK FOR 

 THE PRESENT WEEK. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



The ground is still thickly covered with snow, which is very 

 gradually melting by day, so that it is not possible to do any- 

 thing on the ground. Two common sources of annoyance in 

 gardens are rabbits and mice. Where the kitchen garden is 

 walled- in the first-named are easily kept out. In our case a large 

 portion of the boundary is protected only by galvanised wire 

 netting ; through or under this material they frequently find or 

 make a passage, and do much damage to kitchen-garden crops, 

 also barking young fruit trees. We have trapped them by 

 scratching a hole in the way the rabbits do it themselves, and 

 placing a trap on the top. A much more preferable way is to 

 hunt them out of their shelter and shoot them. Mice are also 

 very troublesome ; they destroy bulbous roots, especially 

 Crocuses. Peas in drills are also sure to be attacked. Radish 

 seeds sown under glass invariably attract them, being preferred 

 to those of Lettuce, although they will scratch up and eat the 

 latter greedily if no Radishes are sown under the same lights. 

 Traps of different constructions are used to destroy them. The 

 figure-ofl trap is easily set with a brick which falls on the 

 mouse, instantly crushing it. Another very simple and effective 

 trap is formed by placing two pieces of wood in the ground about 

 5 inches apart. A thread on to which three Peas have been 

 strung and fastened at each end to the sticks supports a 

 brick; the mice in gnawing the Peas cut through the thread, 

 which causes the brick to fall down upon them. Many different 

 varieties of traps may be bought at any ironmonger's. All the 

 forms of wire traps must be protected from rain, else the wires 

 rust and do not spring readily. 



There is always plenty of work to be done in bad weather ; we 

 are now cutting out pegs, sticks, and supports for Strawberries, 

 both out of doors and in the house. The smaller branches from 

 Elm, Beech or Hornbeam are the best materials from which 

 to make them. For out-of-door Strawberries we use small 

 branchlets about a foot long, with all the spray left on ; these 

 are just stuck into the ground close to the plants after the fruit 

 is set. The fruit hangs over the axils of the sprays. Those 

 used for pot plants are trimmed-in closer, three or four forks 

 only being left at the end : it is necessary to study neatness 

 when it can be done without being antagonistic to utiUty. 

 When the weather is frosty advantage of this will be taken to 

 wheel manure on ground intended to be trenched or dug. One 

 often sees manure laid on the ground in barrowloads ; this may 

 be convenient, but it is the worst thing that can be done with it. 

 Spreading it out would be better, but the best way is to lay it up 

 on a heaip large enough to do the quarter and throw a coating of 

 mould over it. 



It will now be necessary to cover the roots of Rhubarb, Sea- 

 kale, and Asparagus with manure, especially those roots in- 

 tended to be dug-up for forcing. We have now taken up and 

 potted our Seakale roots, and as required they are removed to a 

 house where they can have a little bottom heat. Rhubarb roots 

 will force either in the early vineries or in the Mushroom house . 

 The Asparagus has not yet had a covering of rich short manure ; 

 this will be applied on the first favourable occasion. 



ICE HOUSES. 



Every one having houses to fill have been very busy during 

 the last week or two, when plenty of ice could be obtained aa 

 inch thick. There are very large ice houses at Barking near 

 London, which are filled at considerable expense to their owners. 

 The small farmers and other owners of borses reap a rich harvest 



