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JOUENAL OF HOBTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



[ December 28, 1876. 



One of the brightest and hardiest of Christmas 



flowering plants is undoubtedly the bright yellow Jasmine, 

 Jasminum nudiflorum. As a hardy wall plant flowering in 

 midwinter it has no equal, and its sprays of flowers are ex- 

 tremely useful for cutting. When grown in pots plunged in 

 the open air plants are produced which are valuable for associ- 

 ating with evergreens, and rendering attractive places where 

 more choice and tender plants could not be entrusted. This 

 bright winter-flowering Jasmine might with advantage be more 

 largely grown in many gardens than is the case at present. 

 Cuttings strike readily, and small flowering plants may be pro- 

 duced during one summer's growth. A convenient mode of 

 increase is by striking the young shoots in heat after the 

 manner of Verbenas. This winter-flowering Jasmine is suit- 

 able for covering walls and trellises, and also by judicious 

 pruning it may be produced in a bush form of growth, and 

 thus grown it imparts a cheerful effect to shrubberies and 

 pleasure grounds. 



■ The weather in London on Saturday was such as to 



suggest that a white Christmas was imminent. For many 

 hours the snow fell, the flakes at night being of extraordinary 

 size. Mixed with the snow, however, was rain more or less 

 heavy, which, with the temperature a few degrees above freez- 

 ing point, prevented the snow from accumulating, and on Sun- 

 day morning it was only an inch deep. On Monday morning 

 (Christmas) it had all gone, and the day was of the usual 

 autumn character — exceedingly dull with showers occurring. 

 The cold, but not severe frost, still continues, but with protec- 

 tion and a little extra firing garden crops and plants may be 

 comparatively safe from injury. The change from mild to 

 eolder weather may be a trifle unpleasant, but cannot fail to 

 be beneficial in retarding the swelling of the fruit buds, which 

 in many places are in a dangerously forward state. 



Mr. Dickson of Arkleton states that Madresfield Court 



Grape has done exceedingly well with him this year, and he 

 esteems it as one of the finest exhibition black Grapes that he 

 is acquainted with. Mr. Dickson also speaks in high terms of 

 Mr. Bell's new Grape, Clive House Seedling, which was recently 

 awarded a first-class certificate by the Fruit Committee of the 

 Eoyal Horticultural Society. He has inspected the vineries at 

 Clive House, and noted the robust character of the new Vine 

 and its splendid crop of superior Grapes. 



A correspondent writing to us in reference to the 



weather in Scotland observes that the recent change from 

 warm close days to cold east winds, with snow and rain alter- 

 nately, will be the means of checking vegetation, which is in 

 an advanced state and not auguring well for future fruit crops 

 in the district of Eskdale. 



The Sweet Bat (Laurus nobilis) is one of the finest of 



evergreens for lawns in places where it flourishes and is not 

 injured by frost. We recently noticed some very fine speci- 

 mens in the garden of W. Stevens, Esq., Springfield, Lower 

 Tulse Hill. These bushes are somewhat egg-shaped, are 

 about 15 feet high and 40 feet in circumference. They are 

 almost perfect in shape and very handeome, Mr. Hall paying 

 as much attention to these shrubs as to Chrysanthemums, 

 which he grows so well. Mr. Hall can also evidently train 

 pyramid fruit trees as well as flowering plants. The double 

 white Primulas we found excellently grown, as well as Ferns 

 and stove plants, also Grapes. It is not unusual to find good 

 "all-round gardening" in small gardens, and this is one of 

 them. 



Tree-planting in Towns for Shade. — The law of New 



York State is encouraging ; it is as follows : — Any person 

 liable to highway tax that shall transplant by the side of the 

 public highway any forest shade trees or fruit trees of suitable 

 size, shall be allowed by the overseers of highways, in abate- 

 ment of his highway tax, one dollar for every four tree3 set 

 out ; but no row of Elms shall be placed nearer than 70 feet, 

 no row of Maples or other forest trees nearer than 50 feet, 

 except Locust trees, which may be set 30 feet apart ; and no 

 allowance as before mentioned shall be made unless such trees 

 shall have been set out the year previous to the demand for 

 said abatement of tax, and are living and well protected from 

 animals at the time of such demand. 



At the last meeting of the Chemical Society Professor 



A. H. Church read a paper " On Colein," the red-colouring 

 matter existing in the leaves and stems of Colons Verschaffeltii. 

 Colein when pure is an amorphous substance of a brilliant 

 crimson colour, unalterable by exposure to light or by the 



action of dilute acids ; alkalis, however, alter it rapidly. Its 

 alcoholic solution when freshly prepared is of a bright red 

 colour, but, in common with that of some other red-colouring 

 matters, it rapidly fades until it becomes almost colourless. 

 This is due to a combination of the colein with the alcohol, 

 the red colour being immediately restored on the addition of 

 a little acid. 



In a manuscript history of England in the notes on 



1660 is stated — " October. A great river cut out of the maine 

 land in St. James's Parke, a very broad one." 



The unusual scarcity of Holly berries has been a 



great disappointment to those who derive much pleasure from 

 church and room decoration at Christmastide. It appears that 

 the Holly blossoms could not withstand the frosts of spring 

 any more than could the fruit blossoms. The Mistletoe 

 fruited very freely from flowering occurring somewhat later 

 and when the frosts had passed. 



DOINGS OP THE LAST AND "WOEK FOB 



THE PEE SENT WEEK. 



kitchen garden. 



As we have not been able to do anything to the kitchen-garden 

 quarters opportunity has been taken to clean and surface the 

 walks with fresh gravel. This work can be done very well in 

 wet weather, as the roller presses down the gravel quite as firmly 

 as it does at any other time. Before placing any fresh gravel 

 on the surface we had the walks forked over to the depth of a 

 couple of inches. When this is done so much fine gravel is not 

 required. Our kitchen-garden walks were well made ten years 

 ago, and they have scarcely involved any expense since. They 

 were of a good depth at the centre, in some cases 12 inches, gra- 

 dually becoming shallower towards the sides. The soil at that 

 part could not be removed more than an inch or two, as it was 

 required for the Box edging ; but to prevent worms from work- 

 ing through it into the walks some lime rubbish was placed 

 over it and beaten down firmly with the back of a spade. At 

 the deepest part a layer of brickbats was placed to drain away 

 the water, and this it has done most effectually. In wet districts 

 it would be necessary to have drain pipes to carry away the 

 water, but these we have not found to be requisite. Over the 

 brickbats came a layer of coarse gravel, this also being rammed 

 in firmly, and lastly 2 or 3 inches of fine gravel, which was 

 levelled carefully, the highest part being the centre ; after re- 

 peated rolling the work was complete. These walks ought not 

 to be used for wheeling barrows upon, or for conveying rubbish or 

 produce from the kitchen-garden quarters. Borders which ought 

 to be planted with fruit trees or the smaller kitchen-garden crops 

 may run parallel with the walks, and at the back of the border 

 alleys 2 feet wide will be found most convenient for wheeling 

 upon. When it is necessary to pass from the alleys on to the 

 walks neat scrapers should be fixed at convenient places, so that 

 there may be no excuse for carrying soil on to the gravel. All 

 draining operations may be carried out in wet weather. We 

 would have the drains 4 feet deep, 3-inch drain tiles in the 

 bottom, with 3 or 4 inches of rubble over them, and over the 

 rubble turves with the grass side under, or, failing these, some 

 long litter. 



Garlic and Shallots may be planted when the weather is fine, 

 and it is well to see that damage is not done to Broccoli from 

 frost or wet ; all plants showing their heads should be protected 

 by bending a leaf or two over the centre. The early Peas have 

 come strongly through the ground, and the carbolic dressing 

 has effectually prevented the mice from eatiDg the seed. We 

 shall the first fine day draw a covering of soil over the rows. 



It has been previously stated that heated pits are best adapted 

 for forcing Asparagus, but many gardens are not furnished with 

 such convenient structures, and those who are require them for 

 other purposes. Good forced Asparagus is produced from dung 

 beds, or from beds of Btable manure and leaves in equal pro- 

 portions, and when leaves cannot be had to mix with the manure 

 we have found long tussocky grass, which we can spud out of 

 marshy ground, an excellent substitute. This is mixed with 

 the manure in the same proportion as the leaves. The whole 

 ought to be thrown lightly in a heap for two weeks before using, 

 and be turned over once in that time. If the bed after it is 

 made up heats violently it is better to wait until it partly sub- ' 

 sides before placing in the roots. Some turf cut and placed 

 with the graBS side down will also keep down the heat. Place 

 the roots in thickly, and cover them with fine soil. All such 

 work may be done in wet weather, alBO placing Bhubarb and 

 Seakale to force in Mushroom houses or other structures. 

 vineries. 



Our early Vines have not yet started into growth, though the 

 budB are prominent. A moist atmosphere is kept up, but the 

 night temperature is not permitted to exoeed 50°, and this is 

 quite high enough until the growths have pushed an inch, when 



