n!o. 3. 



ANDGARDENER'S JOURNAL. 



41 



inonilsd for growing cuciimbr-re, &c., a good clenl of 

 icni will he required lor Iwo or three monthe, and at 

 -uast lour feet high of manure will be necessary. But 

 ^ bed made early in April, for the purpose of forvvard- 

 iig early plants to be transplanted into the garden, will 

 lot require more than half that quantity. 



The usual size of hot bed frames is cither four feet by 

 ight, or four feet by twelve. The former size has two 

 ishes, and the latter three. The frame should be made 

 f good Bound boards or plank, firmly nailed or bolted 

 )gether on corner posts inside. The front should be 

 ine foot high and the back about two, so as to give a 

 ;ood slope towards the sun, and carry off the wet. — 

 The sash should be made without any cross-bars, and 

 he glass set so as lightly to overlap each other, in order 

 allow the rain to pass ofl' freely. (The crevices be- 

 ween the panes at the lapg should not be stopped up, 

 8 they allow the steam and wet to pass out from the 

 neide, which would otherwise injure the plants.) — 

 The sash and frame should both have a good coat of 

 aint, and they will last a number of years. 

 When the bed is made, put on the fiame, and then 

 utin about six inches of good fine earth; put on the 

 ishand let it remain two or three days for the heat to 

 ;a€, wheit itTvill be ready for sowing. 

 Make the earth smooth and fine before sowing: if 

 ucumbera or melons are to be planted, raise slight 

 ills for them under the middle of each sash. The 

 rticles usually sown in hot-beds are cucumber, radish, 

 ittuce and cress, for early use; and cauliflower, broc- 

 ali, cabbage, egg plant, tomato, pepper, celery, &c., 



I transplant. The earliest varieties of each are of 

 surse the best for this purpose. 



Every farmer can make up a small hot-bed, say four 



set square, which may be covered with an old win- 



awsash. Tliis would produce an abundant supply of 



irly plants for the garden, by means of which many 



xcellent vegetables may be obtained for the table, a 



lonth or two sooner than they could be otherwise. 



After a hot-bed is sown, it shoidd be carefully 



atchfd iu order lo give the young plants plenty of aii, 



id see that they do not get scorched by the sun or 



lied by frost. It often happens that the heat in the 



nl will be too strong at first, and iu that case the 



ibh must be raised at the back, so as to let the heat 



id steam escape. A mat should be placed over the 



lening to keep out the cold wind. In simny weath- 



the sashes -must be raised considerably, and if very 



,. arm, the plants should be shaded during the middle 



111- f the day. An hour of sunshine will often destroy a 



i hole bed ofplants, if the sashes are closed tight. They 



■e much more frequently destroyed by heat than by 



>ld. In frosty weather, mats or straw should be laid 



-■er the bed for protection, especially during nights. — 



i-ep the bed moist by gentle waterings. The water 



ir,uld stand several hours in one corner of the bed, 



it: i|i as to become a little warm, before being used. As 



jie ! le weather becomea warmer, and the plants increase 



II size, plenty of air must be admitted. 



I| Work in the Open Gronud. 



,j ii I The weather during this month is so severe and 



jilit Ihangeable in this section, that little can be done in 



ij( jie open garden, except making preparation for ne.\t 



„p lonth. Manure may be carried on, and dug in as 



^,j I >on as the ground is sufficiently dry, where early 



, Tops are to be sown. Towards the latter part of the 



lonlh, on warm early soils, a few kinds of seeds may 



esown, such as Peas, Parsnips, Lettuce, early Beets 



id Carrots. Plant Top Onions or small onion sets 



„,5^ i>r early use. 



i(j jl i Asparagus Be<h should be dressed towards the lat- 



lj,ll it part of the month, or before the shoots begin to 



^.,_ tart. Clean off the litter, if any, and fork up the 



uth carefully, so as not to injure the crown of the 



' >ta. If the earth has become shallow, put on a dres- 



ng of good rich mould. . 



Currant and Gooseberry btis/ics should be pruned 

 this month. Cut out all old or decayed wood and 

 stragling shoots, so as to admit plenty of light and 

 air, and leave young and thrifty wood to produce the 

 fruit, which will be greatly improved thereby. 



Raspbcmj bushes should also be pruned. Clean 

 away the old stem^, and cut off at the ground all but 

 four or five of the strongest shoots i# each lump, which 

 should be left for bearing. Shorten the tops of these 

 to three or four feet, and tie them to a stake. Keep 

 the ground about them mellow and clean from grass 

 during summer. 



Grape Vines of the hardy varieties should be prun- 

 ed as early as possible, if not done last month. Tender 

 kinds which were buried in the fall, should not be un- 

 covered before April. 



Rhnbarb or Pic plant may be forwarded by covering 

 the roots with bo.xes, or tubs, or large flower 

 pots, and surrounding them with hot stable manure 

 IFurthcr hin/s on Gardening, next month, ^ 



DesciipUve Catalogue of Turnips. 



The proprietor of the Rochester Seed Store, while 

 in Europe last summer, took special pains to become 

 aciuainted with the different kinds .of turnips; and 

 oblaiuel in England and Scotland, Seeds of all the 

 most approved kinds. Some of liiese are but very lit- 

 tle, if at all known in this country, and the following 

 descriptions, with the accompanying engravings, will 

 give the reader a good idea of the principal varieties: 

 1 2 3 



White Turnips. 



Large White Flat Xorfolk, (No. l.J — This, or a 

 degenerate variety of it, is more commonly cultiva- 

 ted in this country than any other white turnip. — 

 When grown in perfection it is very large and produc- 

 tive; flat and rather irregular in shape. It is not 

 as firm in texture, or 88 sweet and juicy, however, as 

 many others; and is not very good for the table ex- 

 cept when young. It soon becomes liaht and pithy, 

 and consequently is only fit for use in autumn, or ear- 

 ly in winter. 



White Globe, (No. 2.J — This is more generally 

 cultivated than any other in England; butowng to 

 the opinion which prevails among farmers in this coun- 

 try, that a goof/ turnip mustbe_/?a<, it is not much cul- 

 tivated here aa yet. Its true shape is nearly a globe, 

 with a fine smooth skin, and small neck. But like 

 most other kinds, it is very liable to be efiected and 

 changed by soil and climate. The flesh ie more firm 

 and juicy than the Norfolk, and nmch superior to it 

 for winter and spring use, whether for cattle or the ta- 

 ble. (Seed of this variety was imported two years 

 since, under the name of White Flat or Globe, and 

 sold as such at the Rochester Seed Store; but the 

 term .^(j* was an error, and should not have been ap- 

 plied to it. 



Long Tankard, (No. 3.) — This turnip is but little 

 known in this country. The roots are long and smooth, 

 grow much above ground, and are sometimes bent or 

 crooked. The tankards are of very quick growth, 

 and consequently may be sown quite late. The flesh, 

 like the Norfolk, is soft and tender, and not good for 

 keeping, There are several sub-varieties of this 

 antl the preceding kinds: as the red and the green 

 top — liistinguished only by the colorof the skin above 

 ground. 



Red Round or Red Top. — In shape this turnip is ra- 

 ther more flat than the globe. Roots medium size, 

 smooth, regular shape, bright red color above ground, 

 flesh fine and good. This excellent variety is partic- 

 ularly adapted to light hilly soils. The writer of this 

 saw fine crops of them growing on some of the poor 

 ch'dk landa in Kent, (Englnnd,) where, he was in- 

 formed, no other variety could be raised. It is well 

 worth a fieneral trial in this country. 



Earhj White Flat Dutch. — This is an excellent gar- 

 den turnip fu' early table use; hut when nil grown, it 



soon becomes light and pithy. It is of very quick 

 growth, medium size, form quite flat. 



Early While Garden Utone. — This is a handsome 

 round turnip, rather below medium size, excellent for 

 the table. It is of very quick growth, but apt to run 

 to seed if sown very early. 



Sercrat other rarieiies of icbite turnips arc uorthy 

 of trial, Iml do not differ materially from the prece- 

 ding. 



Yellow Tunilus, 

 Rnta Buga or YeHow Hicedisli. — This is too wel 

 known to need any description. It is more productive, 

 hardy and nitritioiis, and will keep longer than al- 

 most any other kind of turnip. Coneequentiy it is 

 more valuable to the farmer, and more generally culti- 

 vated than any other. There are several varieties of 

 ruta baga, and it is liable to degenerate if great care 

 is not taken to select the best roots for seed. The kind 

 used a few years since, was the green oryellow-toji. — 

 This was superceded by the led or purple top variety, 

 whi( h has the upper part of the root of a dull red or 

 purple color. An improved variety of th.c is now most 

 in use, and found to be superior to all others: the 

 roots are more uniform in shape and size, have a email 

 ler neck, and a d'^eper purple color above ground — in- 

 side yellow and o "ine texture. 



Dale's \ Jloic htjbHd — This is a mule or hybrid 

 between the white globe and rutabaga; and partaking 

 in some degree of ihequaiil'csof both. In hardiness, 

 firmness of texture, and keep.ng properties, it is next 

 to the ruta baga: but it requires shorter time of 

 growth, and may be sown later. C'unEequently, it is 

 valuable for sowing when ruta bagas ni.ve failed or 

 were not sown in season. 



Large Yellow Scotch. Aberdeen or Bullock. — This, 

 and its sub-varieties, are deservedly much tsteemed 

 and extensively cultivated in Scotland. The roolp are 

 large, smooth and handsome; of a flattieh round form, 

 firm texture, hardy, and keep well ; very good for ta- 

 ble use as well as for cattle. There are yellow, green, 

 and purple top varieties of this turnip, with different 

 names. 



Yelloxc Malta. — This is a most excellent turnip for 

 table use, when not overgrown or kept too long. The 

 root is very flat, with a peculiar hollowed or concave 

 form beneath — small neck and tap-root — flesh, a rich 

 yellow color, tender and juicy. 



Yellow Attringham. — This also is an excellent gar- 

 den turnip. Form, globular, a little lattened. Skin 

 smooth, green above ground: flesh yellcv, sweet any 

 fine; very small neck and tap-root. 



Yellow Stone. — Similar to the preceding; s much 

 esteemed garden turnip. 



Early Yellow Dutch. — Similar to the two last, but 

 of a much quicker growth, and more suitable for ear- 

 ly sowing and summer use. 



Seeds of several other, and nciecr kinds, may le 

 obtahud at tlie Seed Store, by any person disposed to 

 give them a trial. M. B. Bateham. 



Giant Rhubarb. 



The leafstalks of this improved variety of Rhubarb, 

 are much larger and better for pies than the common 

 kind. It is now generally cultivated for that purpose 

 in the best gardens in England, where the writer ob. 

 tained a supply of the seed. 



There is still a larger and newer variety, lallcd 

 ^^MyatCs Victoria Rhubarb,'' which was raised by a 

 gardener near London, a year or two since. This 'a 

 quite rare, as yet, and the roots are sold at a very high 

 price. It is said that the seed of this variety will not 

 produce the same kind. I could not learn that any 

 person had raised any of it from seed, or that any of 

 the seed was to be had. 



*„* A correspondent of the "Cultivator" inquired 

 where this seed can be obtained. If the- ftlitors wiil 

 send us his address some seed shall be sent him. B. 



New Species of White Clover. 



Among the articles brought from Europe by the pro- 

 prietor of the Rochester Seed Store, is some seed uf 

 the White Alsike Clover, which was obtained of Mr. 

 Lawson,at the Highland Society's Agricultural Muse- 

 um, Edinburgh. It is said to be entirely a new species, 

 introduced from Sweden, and not yet disseminated in 

 Scotland or England. It is more perennial than the 

 red and larger than the common white — grows to the 

 height of two feet — stem branching — roots fibrous. — 

 Not much is known as yet respecting its value: but it 

 is ex|iected to prove a great acquisition. Only a small 

 quantity of the seed could be obtained. It will le 

 distributed for experiments. B, 



