January 17, 1865. ] JOUENAIi OF HOKTICULTHRE AKD COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



45 



desire to exhibit, simply because there is then nothing to take 

 their attention off the place under their charge, and they 

 are, consequently, able to keep everything in perfect order 

 and neatness. I have lately seen a place where the gardener 

 appears to entertain this view, and nothing could be prettier 

 than the conservatory, nothing in more perfect order than 

 the vinery, and, indeed, the whole garden generally, show- 

 ing that the gardener possesses those qualities which ai-e 

 calculated to give satisfaction to his employer. There were 

 no grand specimen plants in the conservatory, such as go 

 towards making up an exhibition ; the plants were mostly 

 small, but clean and healthy, and tastefully arranged, show- 

 ing they were in the hands of a clever plantsman, one who 

 evidently could if he wished grow good specimens. 



Now the question I would ask is. Were sach men as he 

 to exhibit would their employers be subject to any loss in 

 consequence of the gardener's attention being too much 

 directed to that particular object ? There can be no doubt 

 where a man shows superior taste and cleverness in growing 

 plants to gratify his employer, that the same man would 

 exercise the same qualities in gi'owing them for public ex- 

 hibition. In the case of the gardener his merit would be- 

 come known and appreciated by a much wider circle, while 

 his employer would probably be highly gratified. Nor do I 

 believe that the interests of the latter would suffer in the 

 least ; for a gardener who is desirous of doing himself credit 

 in a small way, where only his employer and friends can 

 appreciate his endeavours, is not the one to slacken his 

 exertions when he becomes better known. I have no hesi- 

 tation in asserting that far from any loss resulting to the 

 employer, the gain would be mutual. For the sake of illus- 

 tration I will suppose that a gentleman, interested in gar- 

 dening and plant- growing, engages the services of a man 

 who is represented as being well acquainted with his busi- 

 ness. This man shows a peculiar aptness for growing good 

 specimen plants or fruits, and is desirous that the public 

 should see and appreciate them. There may be some demur 

 on the score of injury to the plants or fruit exhibited, but if 

 carefully managed this need not be an obstacle, and the 

 advantages outweigh all that can be said in opposition. 

 The gardener obtains much credit, and derives some pecu- 

 niary benefit, while the master gains the reputation of 

 being a patron of horticulture, and of encouraging a usefi.il 

 and scientific pursuit. There are, it is true, some men who 

 are so careless as to bring home then- plants in a woeful 

 condition, and some, too, who regard a show-day as one on 

 which they are bound to enjoy themselves to the utmost, 

 and forthwith imbibe stimulants more freely than is neces- 

 sary or advisable. Their plants, consequently, suffer injury 

 to an extent that would justify gentlemen in refusing to 

 allow their gardeners to exhibit; but such, I trust and 

 believe, are exceptions ; for men who can and do persevere 

 in a business requiring such careful watching as plant- 

 growing, are not and cannot be habitually given to stimu- 

 lants. The mere fact of their success will generally be a 

 sufficient guarantee for their sobriety. 



Presuming that the question of allowing gardeners to 

 exhibit is one of interest among employers, and knowing 

 that The Joxtknal of Horticulture has been a medium 

 through which the subject has been agitated, I do not con- 

 sider it out of place to renew the discussion. My own 

 opinion is, that where employers are liberal, gardeners 

 careful, and exhibitions managed on correct principles, they 

 are beneficial to employers, to gardeners, to the pubHe 

 generally, and to the interests of horticulture in particular. 



In speaking of the liberality of employers I do not mean 

 to imply that they should be always "buying plants and 

 spending large sums of money. It is a mistake to suppose 

 that anything of the kind is necessary to exhibiting; for it 

 often happens that one gardener, though ransacking every 

 nursery in search of good things, as gardeners say, yet pro- 

 duces no go5d specimens, while another, who is content 

 to do the best with what he has, does himself infinitely more 

 credit by doing what he does well. What I would imply is 

 that liberality of spirit which, allowing a man to understand 

 his 'business fuUy, leaves him to manage it in his own way, 

 untrammelled by doubts and fears, or requirements that 

 operate as a clog, and make his situation one of extreme 

 difficulty. That such is often the case I could call nume- 

 rous witnesses; and although it may arise simply from want 



of thought, still where a gardener is left entirely free, an 

 otherwise difficult situation becomes comparatively easy. — 

 F. Chittt. 



HAHDESTESS OP JAPANESE CONIPEES. 



With reference to Mr. Eobson's article respecting Eetino- 

 spora obtusa turning yellow, I have to state that in the 

 spring of 1863 my employer purchased a plant of each of 

 the Eetinosporas, also a plant of Sciadopytis verticillata, not 

 knowing at that time if they were perfectly hardy. The 

 following winter I placed them in a cold frame, where they 

 could be protected from severe frost. Last autumn I planted 

 them out in a bed composed of peat, sand, and loam. The 

 Scyadopytis commenced turning yellow after the first ft-ost, 

 and had to be taken up again; but the Eetinosporas are 

 quite green, especially obtusa, although they have been 

 exposed for several nights past to 12° and 14° of frost, whieh 

 speaks well as to thefr hardiness. — E. Welch, Palace Gar- 

 dens, Armagh, Ireland. 



CULTr^ATIOlSr OP THE MELOjST. 



(Continued from page 29.) 



Temperature.— The next point of Melon culture relates 

 to temperature, both top and bottom. The former should 

 be equally maintained at one point day and night ; the 

 latter should be hotter by day than by night, so as to imi- 

 tate as much as possible a natural atmosphere, subject to 

 conditions essential to the cultivation of the plant in an 

 artificial climate. The cultivator should bear in mind, that 

 though a certain temperature is required to grow any fruit 

 successfully, forcing should be influenced or governed by 

 the external climate in which the artificial one is maintained. 

 I allude to early forcing, when duU cloudy weather chiefly 

 prevails, and when to maintain a high day temperature equal 

 to that on bright days would be absurd, because it would 

 be wasting the energies of the plant and causing slender 

 imperfect growths. During severe weather it is equally 

 wrong to act independently of external influences ; for though 

 Melons are natives of hot countries, yet in such extremely 

 high and extremely low temperatures occur, the hottest 

 days being followed by the coldest nights — that is, the most 

 sunny days are the hottest, and the nights colder in pro- 

 portion than when the days are cloudy. Small as these 

 matters appear, they exert a great influence on vegetation, 

 and no one can cultivate plants successfiUly without a know- 

 ledge of the laws that regulate the growth of vegetables. 

 These are so clearly explained in the " Science and Practice 

 of Gardening," that there can be no excuse for those who do 

 not know why certain operations in the art of horticulture 

 are needful. 



At planting, and for a short time afterwards, it is desir- 

 able to maintain a rather high temperature both top and 

 bottom, in order that the plants may be quickly established. 

 To determine the degree of bottom heat a ground thermo- 

 meter is a more certain and accurate means than feeling a 

 trial stick. Such thermometers can now be had cheaply, 

 and should be thrust in so that the bulb may be fully 6 inches 

 below the surface. The readings should be from 80° to 85° 

 for the first fortnight, afterwards they should be as nearly 80° 

 as possible ; and if the temperature be kept steady at that, 

 and not lower nor higher than 85°, it could not be better suited' 

 for the Melon in any after-stage. The top heat for the first 

 fortnight should range between 70° and 75° by night, with a 

 rise of 5° on sunless days, 10° on those which are alternately 

 cloudy and clear, and of 15° on clear days. After the plants 

 have become well established the night temperature may 

 sink to 65°, which should be the minimum; for though a 

 night temperature of 60° will not have any evil effect on. 

 the well-being of the plant, yet that point should be at- 

 tained but seldom, and then only when the house is first 

 entered in the morning, which wOl be at 6 a.m., or soon 

 afterwards. The fire should then be set going gently, so 

 that by eight or half-past eight o'clock the thermometer 

 may indicate 70° in a dull morning, 75° on a bright morning, 

 or even 80° if the morning be mild and sunny. The fire 

 may then be kept gently burning, so as not to allow the 

 temperature, whatever it be, to sink, but, on the contrary. 



