472 



JOURNAL OF HOKTICULTUEE AXD COTTAGE GAKDENEK. 



[ June 30, ines. 



some boys to rub it put with a piece of flannel. It proved 

 t.0 be entirely indelible. 



1 . Preparation of the Ink. — Dissolve one part of blue vitriol 

 (snlpha)e of copper) in ten parts of rain water, by mixing 

 them in a common vial and sli.aking them occasionally. One 

 or two drops of sulphuric acid may be added, but this is not 

 absolutely necessary. Dse a goose-quill, not a steel pen, for 

 writing. 



2. Preparation of the Zinc. — Take thin sheet zinc, and 

 make superficial cuts in it with a broken or shoemaker's 

 knife, against a ruler or a piece of lath or board, to get the 

 cuts straight. By bending the zinc it breaks very easOy 

 and smoothly along the cut or scratch. Divide the pieces 

 30 obt.ained into as many labels as you may wish. 



The zinc pieces must then be scoured with some fine sand 

 and water. It facilitates the operation if a little salt, 

 vinegar, or muriatic acid is added to the water. Muriatic 

 Roid is best in the proportion of one part of it to three parts 

 of water. When bright, put them in rain water, and leave 

 them there till wanted. Kub them dry with a piece of 

 cloth, and write upon them with a quill-pen, as directed. 

 When dry fasten them to the trees. After a few days the 

 names so written will be covered with a white powder ; 

 moisten your finger and remove it. The writing will last as 

 long as the zinc itself. — {American Gardener's Monthly.) 



WISE FRUIT TEEES. 



I WAS talking to-day fApril 29) with a Huntingdonshire 

 cottager, and was saying how cold the day had been after 

 onr previous hot weather. "Yes," said my friend, "you 

 mus'n't expect the summer to come all at once. The wise 

 tree would have told you better than that. I was up agen 

 the hall this morning, and saw those two wise trees that 

 grow nigh to the fish- stews, and they hadn't put out a mossel 

 o' show." "And what tree may the wise tree be?" I asked. 

 "It's what some folks call the Mulberry," was the reply; 

 "but the wise tree is the name as I've always known it by 

 ever since 1 was a child." 'And why do you call it the wise 

 tree?" "Why, because it isn't silly like some trees as puts 

 ont their leaves early, and then gets nipped; but the wise 

 tree, on the contrairy, always waits till the frosses has gone 

 right away, and aint to be deceived by a stroke o' fine wea- 

 ther coming early in the season. But when it's sartin sure 

 that it be fine weather and well settled, then it puts out its 

 leaves. O yes, sir, you may rest content on the wise tree 

 telling you when you may be safe against frosses." — (Cuth- 

 BEET Bede in Notes and Queries.) 



[This attribute of the Mulberry is mentioned by Pliny, 

 who says, " Of all cultivated trees, it is the very last to bud, 

 and it does not do so until the cold weather is entirely 

 passed: hence it ha? been called the wisest of trees." Even 

 the Heralds have accepted this, for old Guillim remarks that 

 "this fruit is an hieroglyjiljic of wisdom, whose property is 

 to do all things in opportune season." Tlie Coiut-Pendu- 

 Plat Apple is called in some places " The Wise Apple," be- 

 canse it opens its blossoms later than any otljer variety, 

 and, consequently, they aie less liable to be injured by frosts.] 



WOEK FOR THE WEEK. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



ly the present dry weather continue recourse must be had 

 to watering; and this, if not persevered in with a liberal 

 hand, is ol very little benefit unless means are used to pre- 

 Tent evaporation. This should be done even witli Puus and 

 Beans, end indeed in every case where poss.ble. The vege- 

 tllblcB just mentioned will cast nearly all their flowers if 

 water is not Hiipplied ; others, such as Cauliflowers, will not 

 attain half the size they should do; while Celery will soon 

 run to need. All vegetables the roots of which are edible 

 reqniro water frequently, otherwise they become hard and 

 of a dieafH'eeiible flavour. Seed-beds to bo shiided with mats, 

 which will prevent the neecBsity of so frequently watering 

 them, and will alao be bcneflcial to the young seedlings in 

 u much greater degree than if left exposed to the sun. even 

 although the roots were moist. Beant, make another sowing, 

 bnt previoiiB to doing so soak the seed in water, and water 



the drills ; pinch oif the tops of those that are forming their 

 pods. Broccoli, the seed-beds of the late crops to be watered, 

 as also those that have lately been pricked out ; none to bo 

 permanently planted until after a fall of rain. C-ucvmibers, 

 the plants will require a good supply of water two or three 

 times a-week during the present hot weather. Sprinkle 

 them every afternoon, which will greatly refresh them. Keep 

 them shaded during the middle of the day. jyioarf Kidney 

 Beans, make a good sowing for the autumn. Water the 

 drills previous to covering them. Peas, sow some of the 

 quick-bearing kinds for autumn use ; steep the seeds, and 

 water the drills as for Beans. Continue to stick the ad- 

 vancing crops. Radishes, make a sowing for succession ; if 

 the weather continue dry water the ground immediately 

 after sowing, and lay mats on it to prevent evaporation as 

 much as possible. Scarlet Runners, a sowing may yet bo 

 made to come in late in the autumn; stick the advancing 

 crops. Tiirtiips, it will be necessary to water the late sowings, 

 and every time after doing so sprinkle them with dust of 

 any kind to prevent the ravages of the fly. Another sowing 

 to be now made. The present season has been an excellent 

 one for destroying weeds, and equally so for ripening their 

 seeds ; therefore every one should be eradicated when of 

 small size, as by so doing it will save much future labom*. 

 Attend to the thinning of the crops, and keep the soil loose 

 where it is possible to do so. 



FKUIT GARDEN. 



During the present month every attention should be given 

 to trained fruit trees. All wall trees, especially, should be 

 gone over in time, and the shoots thinned and stopped to 

 admit air and light amongst the fruit and young siioots, 

 which will greatly assist in the formation of fruit-buds for 

 the following season. Old Pear trees, in particular, that are 

 unfruitful should be subjected to this treatment. Keep 

 Peach trees free from green fly, and dust sulphur on shoots 

 aifected with mildew. Use the garden engiue occasionally 

 in warm weather to clean the trees and prevent red spider. 



FLOWEK OAEDEN. 



Trimming, staking, and pegging down must be well fol- 

 lowed up at this period where neatness and order are essen- 

 tial. See that sufficiently strong stakes are applied to plants 

 with heavy foliage and of gross habit, such as Dahlias, Lark- 

 spurs, Hollyhocks, Phloxes, and tall-growing Asters. Keep 

 Koses as much as possible free from insects, and if time 

 can be spared, dead blooms should be removed from Khodo- 

 dendrons. Let Carnations and Picotees be layered as soon 

 as the shoots are in a proper state for that purpose. They 

 make very useful border flowers and are much prized in a 

 cut state. See, therefore, that plenty of them are secured 

 for next season. Propagate China Eoses, Pinks, Double 

 Kockets, &o. If Stocks, China Asters, &c., are not already 

 planted out where they are to flower, take advantage of the 

 first shower to do so. and attend to them with water for a 

 few days until they become established. On light dry sods 

 many things will be greatly benefited by a thorough so.ak- 

 ing of water, especially coniferous plants, most of which 

 make but one growth during the season, and when I'apid ■ 

 growth is wished, they should bo encouraged at the proper 

 period. This attention will be especially necessary in the 

 case of young specimens growing on lawns. Kaiiuuculuses, 

 Tulips, Hyacinths, Ac, should now be taken up, and after 

 the}' are dried stored awny in some dry room. 



CONSEKVATOKY AND GIIEENHOUSE. 



The borders in tlie conservatory will now require a large 

 supply of water to keep them in a suflicieiilly moist state, 

 and the soil should be occasionally examined, especially 

 near strong-growing plants, for the amount of moisture 

 absorbed by these at this season i.s greater than many per- 

 sons imagine. Whenever water is applied tlie borders 

 should be thoroughly soaked to the bottom, and where it 

 can be done without annoyance to the family manure water 

 should be given to such plants as are known to enjoy it; 

 this should be furnished in moderate quantities. If red 

 spider make its aiJpcanmce upon any of the specimens 

 growing in the borders the pot plants in flower should be 

 moved us soon as possible, and the infested subjects given 

 a thorough wushing with the engine, and this should be 

 repeated at short intervals until the enemy is thoroughly 

 subdued. Attend frequently to the growth of twiners, and - 



