824 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



[Dec. 15, 1855. 



eovtTca over with a lnue l*at uiuuta or litter mi 

 March. As soon ns they grow 4 or 5 inches the suckers 

 are remove'], choosing the best, and put in 6- inch pots. 

 When rooted, and 7 or 3 inches high, the heart is taken 

 out with the thumb, being careful not to remove 

 more than just the very heart, which leaves two or 

 three joints more than if pinched off in the usual way. 

 As soon as they throw out laterals 4 or 5 inches they are 

 taken out again in the same way. If these can be stopped 

 twne all the better, but it should never be done later 

 than the beginning of September. Single plants in pots 

 are preferred, as they bloom better and do not throw 

 up so many suckers to rob the mother plant. Cuttings 

 struck in March do quite as well as suckers, if not 

 better. As soon as the plants in the 6-inch pots are 

 veil rooted, they are removed into large ones, where 

 they are to bloom, taking particular care to supply 

 Jthem with plenty of water. If this is neglected two or 

 three times, they lose their foliage, and flower scantily 

 /ind bad. When the pot is well filled with roots, liquid 

 manure is given and continued at short intervals 

 till they bloom. The liquid used is the slops 

 of the house, such as soap-suds and those of 

 the chamber, diluted with water 70 per cent. At first 

 it is used twice a week, gradually increasing it till at 

 length it is given every day, i. e. when they show bud. 

 It should by no means be put on too strong, as it causes 

 the plant to grow rank and coarse, and to bloom indif- 

 ferently. The compost used for potting is strong loam 

 with plenty of oyster-shells pounded small mixed with 

 it. If the latter are not to be got a little leaf-mould 

 may be used. Cuttings struck in September will bloom 

 in December for late flowering. The names of such 

 varieties as succeed best out of doors will be given 

 next week. 





Calendar of Operations. 



(For the ensuing week.) 



PLANT DEPARTMENT. 



Conservatory, &e. — Now that winterly weather 

 appears to have fairly set in, let this house be kept as 

 gay as the resources at command will admit, and every- 

 thing about it perfectly clean and neat, for the show- 

 house is more attractive, and likely to be more closely 

 scrutinised in severe weather when the out-door gardens 

 are devoid of interest than at any other period of the 

 year; therefore every plant in bloom that can safely be 

 trusted in this house should be brought here, and no 

 labour spared that may be necessary to have every leaf, 

 pot, bed, or border perfectly clean ; and, if not already 

 done this autumn, the woodwork, glass, and walls, 

 &c., should also be thoroughly cleaned. Orange trees, or 

 any other plants that may not have been recently potted 

 should have a little of the top soil removed, and be top- 

 dressed with light rich soil, so as to give the surface of 

 the balls a fresh clean appearance ; and the house must 

 be carefully gone over every morning, removing all 

 decaying flowers and leaves, &c. Indeed, the same atten- 

 tion ought to be bestowed upon this house in the way of 

 keeping everything in it clean and neat, as if it werethe 

 principal room in the mansion, especially at this season. 

 But to keep a house well furnished with handsome plants 

 in bloom at this season, and everything about it in per- 

 fect order, is an impossibility where there is not 

 sufficient accommodation for growing plants, and also an 

 ample command of labour, and it is very frequently the 

 t^ase that the show-house is much too large in proportion 

 to the accommodation for growing plants with which to 

 furnish it. 



expect tbc plain* to make vigorous growth in spring. 

 ]3e especially careful of those expected to start into 

 fruit soon, for if the roots of these are injured now 

 there will be little chance of getting the fruit to swell 

 well. Vineries. — Use fire-heat sparingly in houses 

 where the fruit is ripe, but sufficient must be used to 

 prevent the moisture of the atmosphere being frozen 

 to the glass inside the house, for if this is allowed 

 to happen the moisture on thawing is liable to drop 

 upon the bunches, injuring the bloom and causing 

 he berries to decay. Admit air on every favourable 

 opportunity, and examine the bunches often and care- 

 fully, so as to make sure of removing decaying berries 

 the moment it can be perceived that they aue affected. 

 Where forcing is fairly commenced be careful to main- 

 tain a properly moist state of the atmosphere, and this 

 must be especially attended to while severe weather 

 lasts, particularly where the buds are bursting. The 

 evaporating troughs must be kept constantly supplied 

 with water, and the paths, bed, &c, should be fre- 

 quently syringed, and it will also be advisable not to 

 have the tender foliage too near the glass until the 

 weather changes. If fermenting material is used for 

 warming the border, this must be well covered with 

 dry litter to protect it from the frost, and turned 

 occasionally, adding some fresh as may be necessary to 

 keep the heat in the border regular. It will be ad- 

 visable, however, to have some dung and leaves thrown 

 up to heat, as there would be some danger of chillin 

 the bed by turning it in the present state of the weather, 

 and mixing it with the dung or leaves which had not 

 commenced fermenting. Houses which it is intended 

 to commence forcing the beginning of next month 

 should also have some fermenting materials placed on 

 the borders so as to encourage the roots a little before 

 the Vines are excited, which will- be of great service 

 towards getting the buds to push strongly and without 

 loss of time, 



HARDY FRUIT AND KITCHEN GARDEN. 



Orchard trees of large size are much neglected about 

 many places as to pruning, the heads being allowed to 

 get so thick of wood that fruit cannot be expected save 

 irom the points of the outside shoots, and except when 

 the crop gets accidentally thinned to something con- 

 siderably below an average crop, the fruit is small and 

 indifferent in quality. Dry frosty weather offers a 

 favourable opportunity for getting these properly 

 trimmed, as men can work at this with comfort, when 

 nailing would be very cold work, and advantage should 

 be taken of the first spare time to give these a careful 

 pruning. The heads should be liberally thinned, cutting 

 out all branches which cross the others and dead pieces, 

 and leaving the shoots sufficiently far apart that light 

 and air may have free play among those left when the 

 foliage is on. In removing large branches, care 

 should be used to make close clean cuts, and 

 if the wood is coated with strong thick paint 

 this will help to prevent its decaying before the 

 wound gets healed over. Get all kinds of fruit bushes 

 pruned, the primings cleaned off, and the ground 

 manured ready for digging when this can be done. Also 

 take advantage of leisure time to thoroughly examine 

 the fruit stores, and remove any that are found to be 

 decaying. Of course the frost must be excluded from 

 here, but on no account use fire heat, unless the tempe- 

 rature cannot otherwise be kept above freezing. Admit 

 a little air on mild days, especially after keeping the 

 room shut for some time ; but as the fruit will now give 

 off but little moisture very little air will suffice to keep 

 the atmosphere dry, and no more than may be necessary 

 to do this should be given. Take advantage of every 

 safe opportunity for admitting air to Lettuce, Cauli- 

 flower, &c, in frames, for a slight frost is less injurious 

 to these than a confined damp atmosphere. Get manure 

 wheeled upon spare ground where it is wanted, and 

 attend to providing a good supply of this necessary 

 article in successful kitchen gardening, turning the 

 root heap, and well soaking it with strong manure 

 water, and getting all the primings and other refuse 

 which cannot be otherwise quickly converted into 

 manure, charred. 



STATE OF THE WEATHER AT CHISW1CK, NEAR LONDON, 

 For the week ending Dec. 13, 186o.ua observed at the Horticultural Gardeta. 



- 



Dec. 





Friday 7 

 Satur. 8 

 Sunday 9 

 Mon.. V 

 Tuea. 11 

 Wed. U 

 Thura. 13 



Average . 



Babomrtki, 





1 



a 



4 



Max. 



29..*) 80 

 29.SU 



30.<>79 

 30J»3i 



2*836 



30.097 



Tr.MT KKATIJRK. 



Olthe Air 



WtbeKarth Win(1 



Min. 



29.480 

 29.S62 



29.9-', fi 



3( UN 7 

 J.WiO 



29.6M 



3OJ015 



Max. Min. 



u M k 1 toot iiteet 

 Me * n deep. deep. 



a 



».9» 29.806 



42 



35 

 35 



n 



33 



36 



7 



2/ 

 19 

 3i) 



n 



24 

 13 



15 





34.5 



2;.o 



32.5 

 28.5 



28.6 



23.0 



m 



>.3 



And where this is the case it will generally 

 be found good policy to secure a tolerable display for the 

 winter season, if at the expense of keeping the house 

 somewhat bare when flowers are plentiful out-of-doors, 

 and it* plants in flower are scarce their effect will be 

 greatly enhanced by proper arrangement, and strict 

 attention to order and cleanliness. 



FLOWER GARDEN AND SHRUBBERIES. 



In the present state of the weather little c.hu be done 

 here beyond the preparation of composts and wheeling 

 ^lliese and manure upon the places where they will be 

 wanted. Roses that are perfectly hardy may be pruned, 

 Yiiid if any of the shrubberies want thinning this may 

 also be done. See to getting a goofr stock of pegs, 

 \,takeA, labels, &c, ready, and put past in sizes ready 

 "ior trae whenever they may be wanted. Also get the 

 "^bole Stock of pots used for bedding stock washed, if 

 not already done, so that there may be the least possible 

 hindrance with these little matters when the busy 

 season comes. Look carefully to the stock of bedding 

 plants in cold pits, keeping them well covered up against 

 fr&t, and giving air whenever the weather will allow, 



FORCING DEPARTMENT. 



Fineries. — Where the bottom-heat is wholly de- 

 pendant upon tan or other fermenting material it is 

 very apt to decline too much at this season, when the 

 temperature of the atmosphere is being kept rather low. 

 And if this is found to be the case a few inches of fresh 

 tan should be put on the surface, which will generally 

 be found sufficient, but if the beds have not been renewed 

 lately, and have got worn out, it will probably be neces- 

 sary to remove the plants and add a considerable 

 quantity of tan or leaves. Where shed rooip can be 

 spared, a quantity of tan should always be kept in 

 readiness for such work in winter, as if used fresh from 

 the tan-yard it is almost certain to starve the roots 

 before fermentation commences, and then heats too 

 violently. Let no trouble be spared, however, which 

 circumstances may render necessary to secure a steady 

 bottom heat so as to preserve the roots in health, , m , , . L ,.,_,_ — 



for if the roots get injured it will be in ™in to ' i»&ugm?*%R "MTow^ ^^StXXft ^ "*■ 



42 

 40 

 39 



38 

 37 



35.5 7 21.3 2G.4 39.0 



4; 



N. 



43 



N.E. 



42* 



i^.h;. 



42* ! 



! N. 



42* 



S.W. 



42 



s.w. 



42 



N.W. 



42.6 





.00 

 00 



.00 



JO 

 .«0 



00 



.00 



.00 



Dec. 7- Clear; fine but cold; slight frost. 



— 8— Slight snow ; clear and cold; sharp frost. 



— 9 -Sharp frost ; cloudy and cold ; hazy at ni^ht. 



— 10— Overcast ; tew sno\% flakes ; snow shower. 



— 11— Partially overcast ; uniform haze ; frosty. 



— 12— Uniformly overcast ; severe frost at nixht. 



— 13— Severe frost ; sunshine ; clear and frosty. 



Mean temperature of the week 12 dejr. below the average. 



BSCORD OF THE WEATHER AT CHISWICK 

 OurinictneUst 29ycHrs. tor the ensuing week, endin- De&2z\ IFfeft. 



Dec. 



Sunday 16 



Mon. 17 

 Tues. 1^ 



Wed. 19 

 Thurs. 50 



Friday 

 S»tur 22 



lit 



till i 



-5x H 



46.2 



4«.3 



45.0 



45.4 



44.7 

 42.6 



4>.a 



*• a, 



^ S 5 



35.3 



34.2 

 34.5 



36.2 

 34 



33.<J 

 33 6 



c 2* 



SH 



407 



4< 



397 

 40.8 

 39.4 

 .2 

 39 5 



No. of 

 Years in 



which it 



Rained. 



14 



1*? 

 16 



IS 

 11 

 11 

 If 



Greatest 



Quantity 

 of Rain. 



Prevailing Wind* 



3 



Jllr 



2 2fji^ 



1 2 4i i 



7- 2 S 7; 



4 3 2 5 s 

 7 1 2 i) 

 7 2 1 2 11 



5 3 1 2 8 ! 



5 

 I 



5 



4 



9 



•» 1 



i a 



3 3 



5 a 



Notices to Correspondents* 



Climates: G If. We are at a loss to learn in what th* resein 

 blance consists between the climates of Kngland, N. America" 

 and Australia. To us they seem qnite different. The plant* 

 of the two last, especially the last, therefore are far from bein* 

 at home with us, and cannot be grown to profit. to 



Cantua dependens : A B O. Treat it as a greenhouse plant in 

 winter and as a stove plant in summer. 



Diseases: / IF. Your Vine leaves are infested with that 'form 

 of Cladosporium herb arum which is known under the nam? 

 of Fumago. You cannot remedy the matter now, but von 

 may prevent its occurrence next year by repeated syringing 

 which washes off the sugary secretion on which the mould f h 

 developed, taking care at the same time that your houses art 

 properly ventilated. M.J.B. 



Gardeners : A Sub. No disputes should arise about what ve?e 

 tables a gardener is entitled to under his agreement. \v» 

 apprehend that he cannot claim a supply of any which are not 

 raised by himself. Field Potatoes would therelore be excluded 

 like field Turnips, Carrots, &c. ' 



Garden Pots. We have received from Mr. Pope, of 2, Bath Street 

 City Road, a sample flower pot, which he lately registered] 

 " the object of which is to convey water into the centre of tht 

 pot, so that the root may receive nourishment." We regret to 

 be obliged to say that we see no advantage whatever in the 

 contrivance ; but we do see some disadvantage. 



Grapes: J h'h. We find that a Scotch White Cluster Grape 4id 

 formerly fruit near London, but so loug as*o that we had for- 

 gotten it. That it should have gone out of cultivation was the 

 result of its undoubted inferiority in all respects to the Pitmas- 

 ton White Cluster and the Royal Muscadine, both of which ripea 

 as well near London. The former would probably suit you. 

 There is no other hardy white Grape known to us. Among 

 blacks, the best of the perfectly hardy kinds are the Burgundy 

 Black Cluster, or Auvernat, and the. Millers Burgundy. The 

 Early Black July, or Morillon Noir, is still hardier, bat its 

 bunches are too small for table. None of these are new, nor do 

 we know of any hardy novelty in the class of Grape Vines, A 

 correspondent says with regard to the Scotch White Cluster 

 — " I have it here (Scotland), a good sweet hardy Grape, 

 ripening to a fine amber colour. It is a great bearer. 1 had- 

 rny Grapes named by Mr. M'intosh, of Dalkeith. I see the 

 Grape mentioned in Mr. Rivera's catalogue. It is early ai^ 

 prolific, but hangs long; firmish flesh." 



Horizontal Trellises ; An Old Subscriber is desirous of knowing 

 if any successful trials have been made of a plan suggested 

 some eight years ago by Mr. Ker, Cheshnnt, for growing 

 Peaches, Pears, &c, on very low trellises, and covered with 

 glass, lying as near the ground as a Melon-frame, the sides of 

 the structure being left open. His object is to learn if any 

 previous experience elsewhere would encourage him to make 

 trial of ripening late Pears in Scotland by Mr. Ker's plan, go 

 far as Peaches are concerned, we know that Mr. ICer obtained 

 them in plenty; and of course any one else may do the same if 

 employing the same skill. But we remember no trials of 

 Pears. 



Moles and Mice : Amateur. You can do nothing more than 

 trap them in some one of the hundred ways which all country 

 people know how to employ. 



Names of Fruits : A W. 3, Bezi de Montigny ; 4, Doyenne 

 Bianc ; 5, Verulam ; 6, Ne Plus Meuris ; 7, GanseKs Bergamot; 

 8, Bacon's Incomparable; 10, St. Germain; 11, Easter Ber- 



probably Old Colmar; 17, 18, U 

 Chaumonte.l; 1, Dumelow's Seedlin 



gamot; 12, Bishop's Thumb; 14, Ormskirk Bergamot; 15. 



" * "" 18, Uvedale's St. Germain; 19, 



2, Alexander; 3, Crim- 

 son Queening; 4, Minshall Crab; 9, French Crab; 10, Hughes' 

 Golden Pip-pin ; 11, Scarlet Crottou.-— WBarratt. C G, Hacon's 

 Incomparable; M, Uvedale's St, Germain; N, Glou Morceau; 

 N N, Catillac; SS, Bishop's Thumb; V, Easter Bergamot: 

 the seedling Apple, large enough, but badly shaped, cannot be 

 recommended.— Z. 19, Barcelona Pearmain; 20, Hawthorden; 



Parrv's Pearmain; M, Turk's Cap; N, Norfolk Stoae Pippin: 

 O, like Hoary Morning; Q, Hubbard's Pearmain ; P, the Pear 

 is worthless; and so is the other Pear, except perhaps for 

 stewing.— J H S. 1, 2, 3, 4, Beurre* Diet 5 5, Glou Morceau; 6 f 

 Gansel's Bergamot; 7, Aston Town; 8, Passe Colmar; 9, 

 Swau's Egg; 10, Marie Louise; 11, Brown Beurre'; 12, Chan- 



Glou Morceau; 7, Napoleon; 10, Ne Plus Meuris; 16, Mane 

 Louise; 17, St. Germain; 18, Brown Betux*; 20, Gansels 

 Bergamot; 21,28,34, B«urr< Diel : 31, Beuno d'Aremberg: 

 40, Autumn Bergamot; 42, Passe Colmar.— Old Sub. 1, Beurre 

 Diel ; 2, 3, 6, 10, Glou Morceau; 5, Winter Nelis^7, 12, Be^™ 

 Diel; 8,9, Napoleon; 11, Althorp Crassane. Grape— White 



Nice.jl 



Names of Plants : We have been so often obliged to reluctantly 

 decline naming heaps of dried or other plants, that we venture 

 to request our correspondents to recollect that we never nave 

 or coul i have undertaken, an unlimited duty of this kina. 

 Young gardeners, to whom these remarks more especially apply, 

 should bear in mind that, before applying to as lor assistance, 

 they should exhaust their other means of gaining iutorrnation. 

 "We cannot save them the trouble of examining and thiafcing 

 for themselves ; nor wo.uld it be desirable if we could. All we 

 can do is to help them— and that most willingly. It is now 

 requested that, in future, not more than four plants may ne 

 sent us at one time.— G M & Co. Eurybia iriicrophylla.— 

 M Busby. One is a piece of Hakea Baxteri \ its whole beauty 

 resides in its singular foliage. The other is some Miroeua 

 with which we are unacquainted, and is probably a handsome 

 flowering shrub.- T S l\ It is Feverfew— which we suppose 

 signi6es febrifuge-tor that is its effect. Botanists call ; w 

 Pyrethrum Parthenium. — JM, Cotoneaster frigida, Pue* 

 herniarioHles. 



Orchard Houses : Ignoramus. You will find full information upon 

 this subject in a little pamphlet called Rivera on Orcnaw 

 Houses, published by Longmans. Consult, in addition, w» 

 remarks lately made in our columns, p. 611. 



Seeds: E B. We believe they belong to some Sorghum, P^fjjf 

 officinale. Anon. Sow Paeony seeds as soon as they are np^ 



Thb Ancient Oak: Eben. You are right. The 8 P ec, ' m t n ft 7^ 



rough, and- examined by candlelight ; we have now N"\ 

 • polished and more carefully scrutinised. The medullar? x»7 



are in a singular state of contortion. If you look at the cal 

 lation of age made last week as regards the Oak from »"£ » | 

 Castle, you will s-ee that a very small piece of wood "T. 

 outside of an old tree, when the growth is extremely *• 

 affords no data by which to judge of age. You makjw; » ^ 

 in 2i inches ; we make 45 in one piece and 49 in anotn ; r h ; ' fter 

 it is probable that we are both wrong, souncertainisuwu ^ 

 in a specimen like vonrs the real rings can be at ■ ■ ^ 



in 40 



tinguished. The Stirling Oak gained 5 inches in di*™^",-^ 

 years; but it did not gain half an inch in the 10 years d«». 

 80 and 90. Undoubtedly your tree must have been verj 

 and that Is all that can be said. ^ 



Valuators: A Sub. He must be an uncommonly clever ^re 

 who on the 4th April can value a crop of fruit to be P^ 

 in the succeeding autumn. Nonsense. ^ 



%• As us,ual, many communications have been receiTe< J,^ade. 

 and others are detained till the necessary inquiries can , new 

 We must also beg the indulgence of those corresponaeniat 

 insertion of whose contributions is still delayed. 



