u 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ January 20, 1863. 



I have had to neglect several correspondents this last week or 

 ten days through indisposition, but hope to answer all in a few 

 days. I have received from Miss Baling, 10s. for wet Mosses ; 

 from Mrs. Lewis D. Wigan, Rock House, Maidstone, £1 11*. Gd., 

 for Eerns, green and dried ; from a Working Gardener, 2s. 6d. 

 (monthly) ; from William Moult, Esq., £1, for dried plants ; 

 from Lady D. Nevill, £1.— John Hague, 36, Mount Street, 

 Ashton-under-Lyne. 



P.8. — A Mother, from Ipswich, has sent every week since I 

 last noticed it, 2s. 6rf. each to Whitehead and R. Schofield. — 

 J.H. 



WOES FOE THE WEEK. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



Proceed with digging, trenching, &c, whenever spare ground 

 occurs and time permits. If some of this ground should re- 

 quire digging a second time previous to cropping, so much the 

 better; it will amply repay the labour. Broccoli, a little Early 

 Cape sown in a box and placed in heat, will be serviceable for 

 early summer use if there be a deficiency of Cauliflower. Cab- 

 hage, sow a little in a box to be excited by heat, if there is a 

 scarcity of autumn-sown plants. Atkins' MatchlesB is a good 

 sort for the purpose. Celery, sow also for early summer use, 

 for soups, &c. It cannot be depended upon as a permanent 

 orop, as it will generally soon run to seed. Lettuce, sow in 

 boxes. Give air to those in frames when the weather will 

 permit. Onions, sow Beed of the Spanish in boxes for planting- 

 out in the spring. Potatoes, the Early Erame or Ashleaved 

 "Kidney may be planted in the beds on which Asparagus haB 

 been forced, or new beds may be made with a large portion of 

 leaves mixed with the dung. Sow Early Erame Radish in the 

 flame bed, to come off before the Potatoes are far advanced in 

 growth. Tomatoes, sow some seed immediately, to obtain strong 

 plants fit for turning-out in May. 



IXOWEE GAEDEN. 



Where any of the beds in the flower garden require the soil 

 to be renewed, frosty mornings offer an opportunity of doing 

 the work cleanly and expeditiously. Prepare for planting 

 hardy shrubs. If the soil is not suitable for the kinds intended 

 to be planted, replace it with better soil, as much is gained by 

 preparing well at firBt. Prune hardy climbers during this 

 favourable weather, nailing and tying as you proceed. Relay 

 Box-edgings. Level turf on lawns, adding fresh where it is 

 wanted. Clean walks, turning the gravel where necessary. In 

 March, a thin coat of fresh gravel might be laid on, which would 

 look well during the summer and may be kept clean without 

 much labour. 



EBUIT GARDEN. 

 The late heavy rains have been favourable for newly-planted 

 trees, by washing down the finer particles of soil from the sur- 

 face among the fibres. In some cases, however, openings may 

 have been formed by the same means, which would prove in- 

 jurious if not closed-in by working the surface with the spade or 

 hoe j for although the soil may be pressed close to the roots, as 

 it ought to be in planting, yet, in the case of trees with large 

 roots, a settling from heavy rainB will cause vacuities near the 

 stem, whilst round the latter an opening is frequently occasioned 

 by the motion of the tree by winds. If water lodge in this it 

 is bad for the tree. Some recommend postponing the pruning 

 of Peaches and Apricots till late in the spring, or, rather, till 

 the period when severe frosts are not likely to occur ; but by 

 late-pruning the force of vegetation is very much diminished. 

 The Ereneh only recommend it for trees which are over-luxuriant. 

 When pruning Gooseberries and Currants, let the centre of the 

 tushes be kept free and open, and cut-out all branches that 

 cross one another, leaving the leading shoots about 9 inohes 

 apart, and topping at a bud inclining to the open space. All 

 lateral twigs not required to form branches to be spurred-in to 

 a few eyes. The fruit is borne on short natural spurs, or on 

 clusters of buds formed on the old wood, and also on young 

 shoots, which should be shortened to one-third of their length. 

 Old worn-out branches to be cut-back to a well-placed shoot. 



STOVE. 

 Examine the various tubers and bulbs that are dormant, and 

 see that they are in a proper condition, and not suffering from 

 mouldiness. Do not excite the plants here at present, wait for 

 longer days and more light. 



GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATOBT. 



The continued damp atmosphere which has prevailed for 

 some time, especially about London, has caused great destruction 

 amongst many softwooded plants. - They should be carefully 

 examined individually, and every infected leaf or branch re- 

 moved. Slight fires to be occasionally applied ; but this Bhould 

 be done carefully and judiciously. The injury greenhouse plants 

 may frequently suffer from too much heat, is more than they 

 would suffer from a few degrees of frost when in a dormant state. 

 When regulating the plants, it will be well to wash the foliage 

 of Oranges, Camellias, and other smooth-leaved plants with a 

 sponge and clean water, and the dust may be removed from 

 Pelargoniums, and other woolly-leaved plants, by brushing them 

 lightly with a soft brush. After the plants are cleaned the pots 

 should be washed, and the surface in each replaced with fresh 

 soil, and if the plants require it they should be neatly tied to 

 fresh stakes. 



PITS AND FRAMES. 



Where there is the advantage of a little fire heat, a sowing of 

 Ten-week and Intermediate Stocks may be made. If unfavour- 

 able weather for out-door work should set in, the most forward 

 of the Verbenas, &c, in stock-pots may be potted-off, to be then 

 supplied with a little heat until they make fresh roots. 



W. Eeane. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST WEEK. 



Right or wrong, we are beginning to think that we shall 

 drift behind with all out-door work, from so much and con- • 

 tinuous wet with scarcely a ray of sun to cheer us. When fair 

 abovehead there never could be a better winter for turfing lawns I 

 and planting fruit, forest, and ornamental trees. In stiff soils 

 digging and trenching have often been out of the question. It 

 is often sound economy to let such ground stand until drier 

 weather, as when turned up so wet it scarcely ever pulverises 

 kindly. On Monday morning, the 12th inst., we had the 

 sharpest frost of the season — and unexpectedly, too, as at eleven 

 the previous night it waB quite cloudy and inclined to drizzle, 

 with the wind, however, veering to north and east. Some plants 

 in pits were just slightly touched, as air had been left on some I 

 of them ; but syringing them with cold water, shutting-up close, 

 and keeping shaded all day, there being sunshine in the fore- 

 noon, has now made the plants all right, with no marks of the 

 frost on them. On that morning until mid-day all strength was 

 directed to wheeling dung and rotten leaves on borders andi 

 flower-beds at liberty. Eor the latter purpose at this season, 

 we prefer the beds to be rough-ridged at first, and then the slight 

 manuring spread roughly over them. The exposure to the air 

 and frost sweetens it without abstracting in cold weather much 

 of its nourishing properties, these being washed-in by the rains ; 

 and from its sweet and pulverised condition it mixes better with 

 the soil in future turnings as the days lengthen. 



On Monday afternoon it commenced raining, and it continued 

 to rain heavily without intermission for about twenty-four hours. 

 It is these sudden changes that make it bo important for us to be 

 constantly on the watch, and to regulate our work and doings 

 accordingly. Erom the force of the wind much wet was driven 

 into our late vinery, and did no good to the late Grapes. 

 Erom what cause we know not, a good deal of putty this winter 

 has got as crumbly as bread-crumbs, and of course can offer no 

 resistance to wet; and the puzzle is that one sash-bar will be 

 thus affected from top to bottom, and the next one to it be as 

 firm and smooth as possible. Sometimes a whole sash will be thus 

 affected, and the sash next to it as sound as need be, and, so fat 

 as we know, all were glazed with the same putty, and used in 

 every respect exactly aHke. Can any reader throw any light on 

 the subject? Several painters and glaziers confess themselves 

 to be nonplussed. 



KITCHEN GAEDEN. 



Examined vegetables as last week. Prepared materials foi 

 hotbeds, for Carrots, Potatoes, &c. Gave plenty of air to Potatoes 

 in pots, Peas in pots, &c. ; took-up more Sea-kale and Rhubarb i 

 beat and trampled-down a freBh piece of Mushroom-bed ; potted 

 Cucumbers into small pots in a dung-and-leaf frame ; and pre> 

 pared ground for Shallots and Garlic, as it is as well to plant 

 before growth commences much. We prefer autumn-planting oi 

 the whole ; but in stiff soils they do as well in Bpring, fastening 

 the little bits in drills half an inch deep, and then coveriu°-u] 

 with light soil and lime which keep the birds and worm 

 from unsettling them. 



