474 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
{ December 19, 1878. 
for the time of year (late in November) being very good. On 
this same wall was a healthy plant of Luculia gratissima which 
promises soon to flower abundantly, also Camellias, Heliotropes, 
Pelargoniums, &c., which materially contribute to the supply of 
cut flowers. To use with these, Adiantums cuneatum and for- 
mosum are grown in large numbers, some of the plants being very 
large indeed, and of course are equally useful and effective used 
among the other plants. 
One of the vineries at the time of our visit was filled with 
Dendrobium nobile. There were plants of all sizes, all alike 
giving promise of freely blooming whenever introduced into heat ; 
and what is more useful than this Dendrole where there is a 
demand for choice cut flowers? Mr. Channing’s very successful 
mode of treating these plants will be givenin another number of 
this Journal.—W. IceunpEn. 
NOTES ON VILLA AND SUBURBAN GARDENING, 
THE weather must in a great measure decide the operations to 
be performed in the kitchen garden department. Should the frost 
continue severe it will be necessary to give an extra coating of pro- 
‘tection to pits and frames ; the lighter and drier the covering is the 
iess will the frost take hold of it. Celery should be covered with 
bracken or other litter, for if the leaves and top of the stalks are 
frozen the decay will spread downwards and do great injury. 
Seakale, Rhubarb, Artichokes (Jerusalem), and Parsnips should 
also be covered with litter, which not only protects them from 
being injured by the severity of the weather, but enables them to 
be easily lifted for forcing or culinary purposes. 
Prepare fermenting material for hotbeds by mixing with the 
leaves collected some long stable manure. This should be well 
shaken out and thoroughly mixed with the leaves and left massed 
together until it is wanted for use. Sucha heap is valuable for 
‘foricng of Potatoes, Carrots, Radishes, or for the making of a bed 
for Cucumbers. Potatoes stored away either for seed or for the 
supply for the table ought to be looked over for the removal of 
any diseased tubers, and the store must be sufficiently protected 
from frost. 
The pruning of all kinds of fruit trees and bushes may be com- 
pleted if the weather is not too severe. A little frost renders the 
ground clean for the operator, but we prefer warmer days asa rule 
for pruning, yet where there is much of such work to be done it is 
sometimes necessary to do it during the cold winter days. Peaches 
and Nectarines on walls may be left until the early part of the 
‘new year, when it is advisable to unfasten them and allow them 
to remain from the walls as long as it is possible in order to retard 
their time of blooming. Plums do well on the spur system 
generally, and should have all natural spurs retained. Cherries 
bear their fruit in exactly the same way, but with Morellos the 
wood oftentimes becomes so thick as to exclude light unless 
judiciously thinned out from the centre of the bushes. Black 
Currants produce their fruit generally from the young wood of 
the past season. Young growths, therefore, should by all means 
‘be encouraged, merely removing some of the old shoots to open 
the centre of the bushes, and shortening the points of straggling 
shoots, which is all the pruning the bushes require. Red and 
White Currants bear their fruit principally on spurs, it is there- 
fore advisable to prune these much closer than the Black varieties. 
Gooseberries carry their fruit in a similar manner, producing it 
on both the spurs and on the past summer's growth ; therefore 
retain a sufficient number of young shoots at moderate and regular 
distances apart, keeping the centre of the bushes open that the 
sun and air may act on as large a surface of foliage as possible. 
Apples and Pears as espaliers produce their fruit on spurs. The 
‘branches should be trained horizontally along the side of walks, 
&c., and should haye all foreright shoots and large, rugged, pro- 
jecting spurs cut away, being careful to preserve a sufficient 
number of healthy fruit spurs for next season’ssupply. Standard, 
‘tush, and pyramid Apples and Pears require very little pruning 
except to regulate any unevenness in growth that may arise, for a 
too free use of the pruning knife doubtless causes more leaf- 
growths than fruiting wood. In all cases of pruning cut to an 
outer eye in order that the new growth may be naturally placed 
on the outside, and thereby make a more open growth that the 
light can penetrate among the branches more freely. 
Drains.—It often happens that where common drain pipes are 
jaid across lawns or in garden paths, that in the course of a few 
years they become choked, and the drainage of the ground is 
impaired thereby. The roots of Elms and such-like trees oc- 
casionally gain access to the pipes, and in a very short time com- 
pletely stop the drainage. Whenever any indication of this kind 
exists there is no other remedy but to take the drain up the whole 
length that it has become choked, clear the roots or soil out, and 
relay the pipes. We have in extreme cases, where trees plenti- 
tully abound, put a mixture of tar and gravel over the pipes, 
which has had the desired effect of keeping the roots out. The 
present will be found an admirable time for any alterations of this 
d ; and unless in the case of very shallow drains, the work can 
be done during severe frosts. Drains should always run along 
the centre or sides of garden paths with plenty of gratings to 
quickly carry off the surface water that rapidly collects during 
heavy showers of rain. In flat level places the gratings will not 
be required so plentifully as in hilly or uneven surfaces. These 
“eyes” or gratings are placed over small wells formed generally 
of bricks, and about 1 foot or 18 inches deeper than the outlet of 
the drain into which they enter. It is important that these catch- 
pits be cleared out regularly ; if this is neglected the sand and 
gravel accumulate and choke up the pipes. In laying drains it 
is always well to make the bottom for the pipes to rest hard 
and firm, otherwise in course of time the soil underneath may sink, 
and an irregularity be formed in the drain. This will be particu- 
larly the case in newly made grounds, and cannot be too carefully 
provided against. A slight and continuous fall should be allowed 
for the free transit of the water. For garden paths 3 or 4-inch- 
bore common unglazed pipes are sufficient, but for more particular 
purposes the glazed socket pipes will be found much superior. All 
drains should have a quantity of open material placed next to the 
pipes, such as clinkers, brick rubbish, or burnt clay if obtainable ; 
and in heavy soils, if none of these are to be had, we are careful 
to place the top spit with the turf downwards next to the pipes. 
The surface of the drains must be beaten down firmly, especially 
across lawns, or it will sink, and the turf have to be raised again. 
A yery good plan is to leave the surface slightly raised to allow 
for sinking, merely placing the turves temporarily on the top for 
a time until all fear of sinking is over. 
WORK FOR THE WEEK. 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
DunrinG the presence of snow and frost combined the ordinary 
routine of this department is interrupted, yet there is much useful 
work which may under such circumstances be performed. Pea 
sticks may be cut and prepared, stakes made in sizes for various 
purposes, along with pegs for layering and twigs for securing the 
summer growths of wall trees such as Peaches, Nectarines, and 
Morello Cherries. The young shoots or clippings of Privet 
hedges are most suitable, stripping off the leaves, tying the 
shoots in bundles at both ends to straighten, and placing them 
in a shed where they will become hardened. Roots in store- 
houses should have the needful attention both in sorting them 
and making them secure. Emptying pits of decomposing mate- 
rial and the turning and mixing of compost heaps will be suitable 
employment in severe weather. The filling of the ice-house 
demands attention at the earliest opportunity. In the old- 
fashioned egg-shaped wells sunk in the ground on the side of a 
hill, or with a mound of earth raised over them and trees planted 
so as to afford shade, ice keeps remarkably well if efficient 
drainage be provided and the drain is properly trapped, a floor of 
spars or battens being at the bottom for the ice to rest upon, 
thereby allowing the water from the melting ice to pass away 
freely. Faggots are sometimes used for the floor of the ice-house, 
but a floor formed of battens is better. It is necessary that the 
ice be broken small and be made very firm. A little clean dry 
straw may be placed against the sides of the house, some thinking 
the ice keeps better, but we do not employ any straw at the time 
of filling, finding the ice keeps better without it. In the case of 
damp walls there is an advantage in a thin lining of straw. Itis 
desirable to have the house opened during the prevalence of frost 
before the ice is put in, the draught through drying it and lower- 
ing the temperature of the surrounding surfaces. 
Forcing Department.—Advance successional crops of Asparagus, 
Seakale, and Rhubarb according to the demand, making prepara- 
tion of fermenting material for succeeding supplies. Water abun- 
dantly when required the beds of Rhubarb and Seakale in Mush- 
room houses, and afford ventilation liberally to Asparagus in 
bearing whenever the weather is favourable. Lose no oppor- 
tunity of ventilating Lettuces in pits where heat is applied, also 
Endive in such structures, it being more safely wintered and 
blanched in pits where means are provided for excluding frost. 
Make up beds of leaves and stable litter mixed in pits or frames 
for Potatoes, also for Carrots and Radishes, seed of which ma; 
be sown in alternate drills 4 inches apart, employing fine rich soi 
When the plants appear plenty of air must be admitted. French 
Breakfast and Wood’s Frame Radishes, with French Forcing 
Carrot, are the most suitable varieties for forcing. Sufficient sets 
of Potatoes should be provided for planting by inserting them in 
leaf soul in boxes in a temperature of 55° to 60°, from which they 
may be transferred to the beds prepared for them, planting the 
sets in rows 15 inches apart and 9 to 12 inches asunder in the 
rows. From 6 to 8 inches of turfy loam and leaf soil in equal 
parts should be placed upon the beds, planting the tubers about 
4 inches deep. ttuces and Cauliflowers in cold frames or under 
handglasses will not suffer if the coverings or snow remain on 
for several days provided the external air be at or below freezing, 
and if the plants become frozen they should not be exposed until 
a thaw sets in. Cauliflowers and autumn Broccoli laid in pits 
with heads in a fit or advanced state for cutting must have 
sufficient protection against frost. Sow French Beans at intervals 
