THE GARDENERS' 



CHRONICLE. 





[Jan. 4, 



441 



dry up dump, but o«.««» *— — ©~ -- . 



rtable by its adhering to them, and these ashes 

 wry fertilising. Many operations can he canned 

 dorm" frosty weather with much greater facility 

 when the ground is soft and wet. Manures, fresh 

 for rein vigorating exhausted compartments and 

 i borders, and draining materials where required, 

 aD be conveyed to their places in a much more 



¥ , .. ., ____/•_ .„ hard. 





in 



#,c 



•4HI*t 



m-eiFt, 



and cleanly manner while the surface is 

 thought and activity much may now be done to 

 the work of a garden, and all the hands can be 

 cmploved even in the severest weather. Pruning 



ier kinds of fruit-bearing plants, as Gooseberries 



Currants, and dressing and tying Raspberries, may 

 ho safely earned on during frost ; and if snow falls so 

 ; to prevent out-door work, there will be a host of 

 " 5 to be done in-doors, such as making brooms, pre- 

 <r flower stakes, tallies, &c. In the plant depart- 

 ~ Orchid baskets may be made, trellises painted, 

 broken and sorted, and soils got in while in a 

 state, by which insects and their injurious harm 

 destroyed ; besides a great variety of other things 

 -which may be put in readiness for the busy time of 

 jotting in the spring. 



PLANT DEPARTMENT. 



The principal thing to be attended to in this depart- 

 ment during the present month is to keep the plants 



ty free from decaying leaves and insects, and to 



aroid excess of heat and moisture during dull weather ; 

 imt whenever there is a clear day, take advantage of it 

 to increase the temperature a few degrees, accompanied 

 with more air, by which the plants will be much invi- 

 gorated. Avoid watering until you can moisten tho- 

 joaghly th«' whole of the soil in the pot; and endeavour 

 to keep a moderately dry atmosphere about all plants 

 mt this season. Although it is not a common practice 

 to pot plants at this dull period of the year, yet, in 

 many cases, it may be done with 1 vantage. We find 

 that Heaths, and many other plants which grow through- 

 out the winter, do well when potted at this season ; and 

 make a practice of potting all plants that require it, 

 when they have done flowering and have begun a new 

 jrowth, be the season what it may. Now is a good 



to turn the heaps of soil collected during the 



many insects will be exposed and destroyed 



will be the consequence. ^^ 



FLOWER GARDEN AND SHRUBBERIES. 



In many damp low situations it will be found better 



to have the pits in which half-hardy plants are kept 



heated with 2-inch hot-water pipes ; and as these enable 



us to dispense with mats or covering of any kind over 



the glass, they will be found on the whole to be not 



only the best but the cheapest. Where these are in 



use, care should be taken not to render the plants too 



tender by excess of fire heat. If the frost is excluded, 



it is sufficient ; and air should be admitted on 



favourable occasions ; while, if the weather is mild and 



dry, the lights may be entirely drawn off for an hour or 



two in the middle of the day. 



FLORISTS' FLOWERS. 



January is quite soon enough to put Dahlia roots m 



Stale oi the Weather at Chiswlck during the last 25 years, tor the 



eniuingweek, endinjr Jan. 11, 1851. 



Jan. 



Sunday 



Mem. 



Tues 



Wed. 



Thura. 



Friday 



Satur. 



5 

 6 



7 

 8 



9 



10 

 11 



5c ■ 



OS 



O P. 







41.0 



40J 

 403 

 3S.I 

 39.0 

 40.4 

 40.1 



*** el 



30.7 

 £9.8 

 29.1 

 30.5 

 31.6 



29.7 

 80.2 



H 



go, 



35.9 

 35.3 



34.7 

 34.3 

 35. 3 

 35.1 

 35.2 



No. of 

 Years in 

 which it 



Rained. 



Greatest 

 Quantity 

 of Rain. 



I 



Prevailing Winds, 







10 



0.40 In. 



9 



0.33 



7 



0.31 



6 



0.26 



7 



0.20 



10 



0.40 



13 



0.83 



I 



all 



The highest temperature during 

 and 7th, 1845— therm. 54dejr.; and 

 therm. 6 deg. 



the above period occurred~oiTthir r.l 

 the lowest on the 7th and 8 th, 1841^. 



I H 



1M> 



antonm, 



by the frost ; and, if after being turned, the frost con- 

 fcraes until a crust is formed, some of the soil may- 

 be taken in this state into the shed, as it will then be 

 sprite free from insects. Sphagnum for Orchids should 

 be collected and laid out thinly upon a clean spot, that the 

 birds may pick the larvxe of insects out of it. The action 

 ©f frost will also be of service in destroying them ; and 

 its sweetening influence will render the sphagnum more 

 genial to the roots of the Orchids. Orchid baskets of 

 various sorts, and blocks of any kind of durable wood, 

 aftould be prepared ; that when the work of shifting the 

 plants and cleaning the blocks commences, all may be 

 in readiness. Stoves should range from 50° to 55 Q at 



Geraniums 



A so win 2 of Lettuces and Radishes 



New 



night ; intermediate houses, 41° to 50° ; 

 and soft-wooded greenhouse plants, 38° to 43° ; 

 Holland house, the same ; Heath-house, 32° to 38°. 

 The day temperature should range from 5° to 15° 

 higher, according to the amount of light. The prac- 

 tised eye will readily detect any little alterations that 

 »re required, such as removing to the warmer end of 

 each house those plants which are a little more delicate 

 in constitution than their neighbours, or which, from 

 various cansec, require a more favourable situation. 

 Conservatory. — As soon as any of the flowering plants 

 beeoines shabby in appearance, they should be removed 

 •lit of the way, to make room for others which are 

 coming into flower. ! In arranging these, let the situa- 

 tion of each be suited as much as possible to the nature 

 of the plant ; some kinds preferring a shady situation, 

 and vice versa. With regard to temperature, also, some 

 require to be placed in the warmest parts of the con- 

 •ervatory, while others will be satisfied with a simple 

 protection from frost. 



FORCING DEPARTMENT. 



Pinery.— The fruiting pits should be kept from 55° 

 ft) 60° by night, and 65° to 75° (or 85° by sun-heat) 

 during the day ; bottom-heat 80°. Admit as much fresh 

 air as possible, moderating the quantity when the wind 

 is very keen. The day temperature and the moisture 

 should be regulated by the clearness of the weather, and 

 the amount of air which can be admitted. Crownless 

 *nd deformed fruit are the result of moisture being 

 allowed to accumulate in the hearts of the plants, at the 

 time the fruit is coming up ; be careful, therefore, to 

 avoid drip or syringing. Where the pot system is prac- 

 tised, the plants, in all stages, should be examined once 

 in two or three weeks, and a portion of those whose 

 Toots have made the greatest progress should be re- 

 potted. Vineries.— After washing the Vines and glass, 

 the woodwork and everything else about the house should 

 be painted, if necessary. If the outside border is not 

 already covered, this should be done before the Vines 

 are started. 



heat, in order to obtain a great stock of plants, yet some 

 begin thus early. Nothing is so well adapted for tins 

 purpose as a small house, with a hot water tank. We 

 would advise those whose roots have been stored in 

 cellars, and similar places, to examine them, and it will 

 be highly beneficial to bring them out, and expose them 

 to the wind on fine drying days. The trouble is not 

 much, and it may save great disappointment. After 

 frosts, look well to all florists' flowers planted in beds, 

 such as Pinks, Pansies, &c. &c. ; they are often raised. 

 Those in frames will require picking over, the dead 

 leaves removing ; Pinks and Carnations are peculiarly 

 liable to be affected with a black mildew ; this, if not 

 removed, will spread to others. It will be best that all 

 affected plants should be kept in a frame by themselves. 

 We have tried dustings with sulphur, and with bene- 

 ficial effect. We doubt not that the contrivance now in 

 use for discharging powdered brimstone over mildewed 

 plants would be extremely useful to the florist. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



The most economical method of forcing French Beans 

 is to grow them in a bed of soil, in a pit which has the 

 advantage of being heated at pleasure, both top and 

 bottom, by means of hot- water pipes. The best way of 

 proceeding is to fill the frame to within 1 2 inches of the 

 glass with fermenting materials, and upon this to lay 

 9 inches of rich loamy soil. The seeds should be sown 

 in drills longitudinally, for as the surface of the soil will 

 be upon the same incline as the glass, the plants will 

 not shade one another so much as if in rows trans- 

 versely. As the plants increase in size the fermenting 

 material will gradually sink, and when the heat thereof 

 begins to decline, it can be sustained by means of the 



hot-water pipes. 



should be made on a warm open border facing the south, 

 and covered with a little dry Fern, which should be 

 drawn off with a wooden-headed rake during the day in 

 fine weather. The early crop of Radishes in frames 

 will now be progressing, and the sashes should be re- 

 moved for a few hours every day when the temperature 

 is above 40°. Let them be thinned out sufficiently to 

 prevent their injuring each other. A sowing of 

 Radishes, Lettuces, Cauliflowers, Celery, and a little 

 early dwarf York Cabbage will come in early, if made 

 under a south wall, where a covering is used for the 

 protection of Apricots or Peaches. Some Peas of an 

 early kind, and a few Mazagan Beans, may now be 

 sown on an early border, taking care to prevent mice 

 from destroying the seeds. Sowing a little chopped 

 Furze or malt screenings in the drills will be found 

 useful for this purpose. 



HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 



If Apricots are not already covered, it should be 

 done as soon as possible, for their flower-buds are 

 injured by frozen sleet much sooner than is generally 

 believed. A recurrence of such a season as the last, 

 when many fine trees were killed by the severity of the 

 I spring, would be unfortunate ; and as it is quite possible, 

 every available means should be adopted to ward off 

 the effects of cold and wet. As Apricots are more 

 tender than Peaches or Nectarines, it is my practice to 

 cover them early in winter, by placing very thinly 

 amongst the shoots, as soon as they are trained, some 

 Spruce or Yew branches ; and over these a canvas 

 screen, which is readily rolled up or let down by means 

 of lines passing over pulleys, fixed in the face of a 6-inch 

 projecting wooden coping. The object of using the 

 Spruce and Yew branches is to prevent the injurious 

 effects of cold currents of wind, which often sweep along 

 between the wall and the canvas ; one of the greatest 

 advantages arising from the use of the latter is in keep- 

 ing the trees dry. 



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24, 26, 

 45, 46, 



24, 25, 

 43, 44, 



State of tlie Weither near London, for the week ending Jan. 2, 1851, 

 a* observed at the Horticultural Garden, Chiswick. 



Dec. 

 and Jan. 



5 



Friday . . 27 23 

 Satur. ., 23 24 

 Sunday . 29 25 



Monday 30 26 



Tuea, .. 31 27 



Apply about 18 inches of fermenting ma- 

 terial, such as stable litter, and leaves, to produce a 

 gentle warmth in the soil, before the inner temperature 

 •tft raised higher than 50* ; previously to which, all loose 

 •r exhausted soil should be scraped off the border, as 

 fer as the roots, and replaced by a top-dressing of 

 charred tnrf, crushed bones, charcoal, and fresh horse- 

 . *roppings. The inside border should also have the ex- 1 A ™w-« I 

 lausted soil removed, and be top-dressed with a similar 

 mixture. Commence with a gentle heat, of from 45° to 

 50© niglit temperature, and from 50° to 60° by day. 

 The amount of moisture should be moderate at first, 



a 



c 

 c 



Baromxtbr, 



TiMraaATuan. 



Of the Air. 



Max. Mtn. 



Wed. ., 



Thura ,. 



1 

 2 



30.197 

 30.265 



30.227 

 29.M6 



29.810 



29.707 

 29301 



30.125 

 30.235 

 30J>30 

 29.841 

 29.704 

 29.646 



29.707 



. 



30/00 29.999 



Slean 



38.0 

 37.0 

 42.0 

 48.0 

 510 

 52.5 

 48.0 



5.2 



Ut the Earth. 



1 foot! 2 feet 



deep 



deep. 



Wind. 



S3 



I 



39 



39* 



39 



40 



39 



41 



40 



41 



42 



42 



44 



42 



45 



44 



41 1 



! 41.3 



s.w. 



w. 



s.w 



s.w. 



s.w. 



8.W 

 S.W. 



.00 

 .00 

 .00 

 02 

 05 

 .02 

 .00 



0.09 



Dec. 



Jan. 



increase gradually, as the buds advance in growth. 



27— Overcatt; exceedingly fine; overcaat. 



23— -Clear; TOTy fine; clear; alitht froat. 



29— Fine; exceedingly fine ; with ran; overcast. 



30-Fine; cloudy; foRjff ; alight ra*n 



31— Overcast ; rain ; drizzling raiu with »tronj? wind. 



1— Densely clouded and boisterous; rain; cloudy and boisterous. 



2-Overcaat ; cloudy ad m'ld , densely oterc&it. 



Mean tempe-atore of the week *U de«. above the average. 



Notices to Correspondents. 



Back Numbers of the Gardeners' Chronicle : The publisher 

 begs to say that the following may be had. Any subscriber 

 ■who will forward poatage stamps equivalent to as many 

 numbers as are required, will have them sent free by post. 

 The volumes for 1847, 1848, 1849, and 1850 are now ready, 

 price 305. The volumes of former years are out of print. 

 1841-1, 8, 13, 14. 15. 16, 17, 18, 20, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 



30, 31, 32, 34, 45 46, 47, 48. 51. 



1842-1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 23, 

 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 41, 42, 43, 



47, 48,49,50,51, 52,53. 



1843-3, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 20, 22, 23, 

 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 39, 40, 41, 42, 



45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52. 



1844— All, except 46. 



1845-1, 2, 3. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 

 21, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28. 31, 32, 37, 39. 40, 41, 42, 44, 45, 50, 51, 52. 



1846-4, 5, 6, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 23, 24, 26, 37, 



42 43 46 49 



1847—1, 2,' 3, 4, 5, 6. 8. 13, 14, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 27, 28, 29 32, 



33, 36. 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51,52- 

 1848-2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 



20, 21, 22, 23. 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 33, 84, 36, 37, 39, 40, 41, 



44, 45, 48. 51, 52, 53. 1849— All. 1850-A11, except 41. 



Birds : L J W. A lady who has had one of the birds you men- 

 tion, for some years, has favoured us with the following 

 answer : " The widow-bird is the Whydak bird, or bunting 

 of Paradise. If re?embline the specimen in my possession, 

 it is by no means delicate ; the warmth of an ordinary sitting- 

 room is sufficient, with a shawl or something thrown over 

 the cage at night. It lives on millet and canary- seed, dm 

 chiefly millet. In the winter it loses its long black tail, ana 

 the whole plumage changes to a dull speckled brown; m 

 May it begins to resume its jetty and golden hues, borne. 

 times it appears to suffer much pain and inflammation in i» 

 legs and claws ; the scales come off, but are re8 ^ mea J*" 1 

 the summer plumage. It is particularly fond ot »*™™h 

 and likes plenty of fresh water ; the bath should be cnangw 

 two or three times a day ; its song is very wild and Peculiar, 

 but pleasing ; it is very fond of fresh Grass, the only greeu 



food it will eat." hm u 



Carrots : G L H . It is a very curious case, and we snou 

 wish to draw attention to it. Are the roots really graw* 

 together ? Is tliere no possible deception ? If the monsw 

 is indeed what you suppose, then it would be well wo 

 sowing the seeds. We know of no similar case. - - :*» 



Chalk Downs of Hants : C D. You shall have a list ot iru 

 next week. We have no experience of the suita DUl Jy 

 Mexican Pines for such places, but they deserve a ,vr • 

 Evergreen Oaks, certainly; Tree Box, Phillyreas, Al^w™ . i 

 Turkey Oaks, Hornbeams, <fcc. We do not know wn ei 

 Taxodium is poisonous ; probably not ; at least it is not ^ 

 ciently allied to the Yew to merit an unfavourable opm . 

 Stone Pines, Silvers, Balm of Gileads, Pinus austriaca, 

 uncinata are worth trying; as also are the Lar ?^V ^ 

 Pinaster, with P. halepensis, and Brutia. You wouia u ^ 

 quite a favour if, in putting questions, you would na** 

 goodness to write them on one side the paper, only. . fl 



Conifers : Gallicus will find that his inquiry was answereu 

 week it was received. , h c0 q. 



Heating : J C. A lecture-hall of glass and iron nngnt db ^ 

 structed cheaply on the Paxton plan ; but it sbouiu 

 circular : it should be either a square, or two square s s ^ 

 side, or any other number of squares. It might be ne ^ 

 hot- water pipes like any other place. The glass 



be white. -Round 



Names of Fruits: W Ro$3. 1, Blenheim Pippin ; £ » ^ 



Winter Nonsuch ; 3, Hughes's Golden Pippin, ine^ 



Passe Colmar.H Thtfe U 



Names of Plants: C T— s. Yeronica sahcifolia. *"^ j t 



nothing worth notice in the Fuchsia.— H F ^ mv f^i& 

 would save us some trouble if you would have tDe F^ flge , ot 

 to say whether the plant requires a hothouse, green n . ot J § ^ 

 what ; and whence it was obtained, if you happen to * 

 JR E. A bad variety of Van da suavis. ., - n a pit 



Smoky Flues : A Z. Smoke ooxing from their sides n* ^ 

 where Fuchsias and Pelargoniums, Ac, are kept, ^ ft 

 likely to injure the plants, even although there is ve ^id be 

 Cannot you stop it by parging ! rebuilding the flue wo 

 expensive. \ theT ^ 



Vines: Anxious. If their wood is perfectly "I • n *5.e3 out of 

 not be likely to receive much injury from beicg * ar " - re fer 

 doors ; but if it were convenient, we should c rMUUIJ * 

 permitting them to rem*in in the house.; „« r t c9 



Wood Seasoning : J Fleet We are making .n^ Tl% 







