January 10, 186S.] 



JOtJENAIi OP HOKTICtrLTTJEE AIID COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



31 



came it was still over-di-y. In forcing, no time should be 

 lost in starting Vine-buds that are intended to frnit next 

 season. A hotbed is the best place for them. An outline 

 of treatment was given the other week. To have Melons 

 in the end of April and beginning of May, a few seeds should 

 be sown in a sweet hotbed. The seeds should be sown 

 thinly, and protected from mice. When this protection can 

 be given we prefer sowing two or three seeds in a small pot, 

 the smallest above a thumb size, and then leave the best 

 one to grow, allowing only one plant to a pot, and giving it 

 a larger pot as it needs it, until planting-oiit time. In such 

 a hotbed Melons when young generally do better than when 

 grown in houses or pits heated by hot water. Cucumbers 

 may be raised anywhere, but young Melon plants dearly lite 

 the smeU of the hotbed. When we had plenty of manure 

 we have gathered as fine Melons in the first week in May 

 firom wooden frames, as we have ever done with the assist- 

 ance of hot water. Of course, there was a considerable 

 amount of labour in banking up fresh material round the 

 boxes, and we would rather say nothing of the quantity of 

 material we used, which all came in useful in the spring 

 and winter months. 



We have no objection, quite the reverse, to hot-water 

 pipes, even a flue, or a brick or iron stove, but we do like to 

 see a range of old-fashioned dung-beds, as it tells us that 

 the means wiU be at hand for securing succulent Cabbages 

 and Cauliflowers, and sweet, crisp Celery. Some of us were 

 so enraptured with hot water, as to despise the old useful 

 hotbeds, and we may wish and wish again, and wish in vain, 

 for a good dressing for a Cauliflower quarter. The young 

 gardener will act wisely in seciuring the means for these 

 hotbeds, never forgetting that a part of their usefulness is 

 only beginning when they have served the purpose for 

 which they were first made. 



Figs to be ripe in May should now be started with a tem- 

 perature of 45°, increasing gradually in a month to 55°, 

 sprinkling the shoots gently in sunny days. Peaches may 

 also be stai-ted at the same temperature, keeping the house 

 rather moist until the flowers begin to open, raising the 

 temperature gradually from 45° to 55°, and not allowing it 

 to rise above that limit at night by artificial heat, until the 

 fruit is set. Vines, start in a similar temperature, increas- 

 ing in three weeks to 60°, and not going above that with 

 artificial heat until all the buds are showing nicely. In all 

 these cases, provided air is given early, there may be a rise 

 of from 10° to 15° or 20° by sun heat, and the shutting up 

 of the houses early so as to enclose a good amount of sun 

 heat, will be better for the plants, than more fire heat, or 

 more air. Vines in pots will do best when started in a mild 

 bottom heat. If put into a bed at first with fresh ferment- 

 ing horsedung, and care taken that the roots are not too 

 much excited, the fumes fr-om the dung will render all 

 washing and painting of the plants unnecessary ; but these 

 fumes must be as sweet as to suit a young Cucumber plant 

 before the buds break, or they will be injured to a certainty. 

 We have had dormant Vines for three weeks in such a 

 steaming atmosphere fr'om horsedung, that you could not see 

 your finger before you at an arm's lengthfr-omthe eye, but the 

 steam and vapours were quite sweet before the buds broke, 

 and they broke aU the stronger in consequence. Thau such 

 a steaming, not in winter, but in spring and autiimn, we 

 have found nothing better for eradicating scale from Pine 

 plants ; but if bug make its appearance, washing must be 

 resorted to in addition, as the woolly covering protects 

 them, and if at all distressed, they would find their way to 

 the roots, where nothing could be done with them except 

 shaking away all the earth, and carefully washing the roots. 



OKNAMENTAl DEPARTMENT. 



Malionia aquifolia. — Prepared for planting for cover and 

 timber, as it is quite possible to secure both objects. Our 

 chief object, however, for mentioning this is for ascertaining 

 from the experience of ovu: coadjutors and readers how the 

 Mahonia or Evergreen Berberry withstands the attacks of 

 hares and rabbits. We have ourselves seen great lots of 

 this plant quite untouched, when other trees and shrubs, 

 except Ebododeudrons, were much nibbled and bai-ked. We 

 have, therefore, recommended it largely to gentlemen for 

 undergrowth ; but two years ago we planted a little piece 

 for undercover, the plants being if anything rather small. 



and that may have been the cause of the disaster, but not 

 a single plant was allowed to grow. After being repeatedly 

 nipped over, and pushing out again from the bottom, the 

 young shoots were served in the same way. We dressed them 

 with material not vei-y pleasant, we thought, to any eating 

 thing; but notwithstanding bad taste and bad smell, away the 

 shoots went as soon as they were formed. It might have been 

 all in sport; for though cut over to the ground we do not think 

 that much of the plant was eaten. At any rate, every plant 

 was cleared, and we do not suppose that it would have 

 been possible to have kept them, unless we had presented 

 something to the destroyers more gratifying to their pa- 

 lates or more tickling to their propensities for fun. Think- 

 ing of planting on a larger scale, we would be glad to know 

 the experience of others in this matter, as the above is 

 almost the only unfortunate result that has come under 

 our observation. 



Planting and TroMS]]lanting Ornamcnial Trees and Shrubs. — 

 These may now be planted and transplanted with better 

 chances of succeeding in many places than if the work had 

 been done earlier in the winter where there was a scarcity of 

 water, and where the ground was too dry to permit of plant- 

 ing being done to any great extent without watering. Now 

 the ground is just moist enough from showers to render 

 much watering unnecessary. In transplanting lai'ge trees 

 and shrubs two plans may be followed. By the first, the 

 plant is cut round, say 3 feet fr-om the bole, a year or two 

 years before removal, and the tap-root also cut. This causes 

 a mat of ft'esh roots to be made all round the ball, and if the 

 ball is moved carefully the transplanted tree can scarcely 

 fail to grow well. By the other plan, a ball, though useful, is 

 of less consequence, but it is of consequence to trace out and 

 secure as many of the roots as possible, and as long as pos- 

 sible, and then these are to be spread out nicely, and secured 

 in the fresh soO. In either case the too general custom of 

 inundating such roots with great quantities of water is an in- 

 judicious one, as, instead of assisting the main roots to make 

 fr-esh rootlets, the cold produced by continuous evaporation 

 from the soil prevents fr-esh rootlets being formed, even 

 when the sun, striking upon the swelling buds, makes a de- 

 mand on root-action which fr'om cold they are unable to 

 supply. If in planting such roots are merely damped, or 

 are dipped a few minutes in water, and then the naturally 

 dampish earth firmed well about them, the roots as well as 

 the top of the tree will partake of the stimulus of increas- 

 ing heat, and fresh rootlets will be fi'eely formed. Whilst 

 they are merely forming, instead of deluging the soil with 

 cold water, if the favourite tree or shrub shows any sign 

 of distress, it would be better to sprinkle the top with 

 water, or even give a little shade. In particular cases the 

 ground might be mulched in cold weather, and at night, 

 and uncovered in sunny days to let the ground become 

 warm. In planting out favourite trees and shrubs from pots, 

 the earth should be mostly shaken away, and the roots 

 nicely spread out, and packed, and very moderately watered, 

 keeping dry earth on the surface to prevent rapid evapo- 

 ration. Such plants should also be securely staked, placing 

 the bottom of the stake some inches from the bole of the 

 plant. If the plant is at all tender, or the place exposed, 

 a few evergreen branches fixed secm-ely round it, but at a 

 safe distance for the first winter at least, wiU be a great ad- 

 vantage. In poor, thin soils, such trees should be placed 

 on hillocks, and the diameter of these may be increased as 

 the roots extend. 



As to houses, pits, afr giving, &o., see previous weeks. — 

 E. P. 



TEADE CATALOGUES EECEIVED. 



S. Ponsford & Son, Loughborough Park Nurseries, Brixton, 

 Surrey. — Select Retail Catalogue of Kitchen Garden and Fhywm 

 Seeds. 



P. Eobertson & Co., 33, St. Andrew Square, and Trinity 

 Nursery, Edinburgh. — Sower's Guide, a DescnpUve Catalogue 

 of Kitchen Garden, llower, mid Agricultural Seeds; Selection 

 of Gladioli and other Bulls, 



Cai'ter & Co., 237, 238, & 261, High UoXbom.— Gardener" s 

 and Fanner's Vade Mecum. Part I., Tlower ISeeds and Flants. 

 Part II., Vegetable and Agricultural Seeds. 



