80 



JOURNAL OE HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ January 27, 1863. 



anthuses grown in pota to be kept moderately moist, and a 

 similar top-dressing, to that recommended for the Auricula, will 

 be of great service to them. W. Keane. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST WEEK. 



General work much the same as the last week. Collecting 

 leaves, wheeling dung and soil on crispy mornings, and when wet 

 washing pots, cutting tallies, making stakes, and cutting-up one- 

 year-old cut branches of spruce into twigs of different lengths 

 for the flower-beds, thatching hurdles, making rough wooden 

 portable boxes, &c. 



In the Kitchen Garden, took the opportunity of a dry day 

 to stir the ground among Cabbages and Cauliflowers, and to put 

 the earth cloBe to Broccoli-stems. Stirred the soil among Radishes, 

 Potatoes, &c. ; put more Potatoes in shallow boxes to start, and 

 will wait until the ground is more friable and dry before sowing 

 Peas and Beans. We have had a long row of Parsley under 

 protection, but as yet it has been little wanted, as the weather 

 has been so mild, though unsettled. Several nights past, though 

 mild at night, it was frosty before morning, and yet raining fast, 

 and the thermometer at -10° by daybreak. At this season, there- 

 fore, it is scarcely safe to leave pits and frames uncovered, how- 

 ever mild the evening. 



FRUIT GAEDEN. 



Sprinkled Vines and Peaches in the middle of the day, if at all 

 warm or Bunny, just to soften the buds. A few of the latter may 

 be expected to drop, if much has been done to them in the wash- 

 ing and the dressing way; but that is often an advantage, 

 rather than otherwise, as it saves thinning so much, and this, 

 in general, we are too apt to neglect. Looked over Strawberries 

 just moving. Keeping such plants extra damp now is very in- 

 jurious, being very apt to cause the bud to split or rot at the 

 centre. It is best, therefore, for the pots at present in houses 

 to stand upon dry shelves, or on a little moss, and then there is 

 less risk of over-watering. Plants that are forward and swelling 

 will not hurt much, except as regards flavour; but those just 

 moving, if allowed to stand in saucers with an inch of water in 

 them, are almost sure to suffer from such treatment. It would 

 be safer under such circumstances to turn the saucer over, and 

 Bet the pot on the bottom of the saucer reversed. Pruned all 

 sorts of trees, when the weather would permit, and moved some 

 young Vines into an earth- pit, where there was a bed of leaves 

 just a little hot, which bed, by-and-by, will come in for Potatoes. 



CONSERVATORY, 

 Picked all signs of damp from the plants, and put a little fire 

 on, especially during the day, to help to dissipate the damp, 

 giving more air in proportion. As the weather is so uncertain, 

 shut up pretty early in the afternoon. AH watering is done the 

 first thing after breakfast, and as little spilled on stage or path 

 as possible. 



STOVE. 



Removed Begonias and Poinsettias out of bloom. Set Cala- 

 diums at rest — that is, their pots on sand to be kept moist, 

 whilst no water is given to the pots, and fresh-arranged house, 

 bo as to make room for fine-leaved Begonias, Gloxinias, <fec, 

 before long. As this house averages only from 50° to 55°, and 

 in cold nightB is more near the former, a hand-light was placed 

 over the Caladiums to keep them a little warmer. A few 

 Gloxinias have also been placed in a vinery to start them slowly. 

 Beneath the stage or platform in the small stove, the GeBnera 

 zebrina and others have been collected, to rest until wanted. 

 Such plants as Cannas and Hedyehiums, that did little good 

 out of doors last year, are ateo packed in out-of-the-way places, 

 where they will, be safe from frost. The Pelargoniums in 

 vinery were smoked twice, and the earliest are now seeking more 

 room. Potting young plants was proceeded with as time and 

 Bpace could be obtained. 



COLD PITS. 



We hear that Borne were caught as well as ourselves by the 

 sudden Bharp frost of last week, but from the precautions used, 

 nothing has suffered. Even the Verbenas that had a good 

 amount of air all night, exhibit no trace of the visitation, but are 

 luxuriant and healthy, and Bhow that they are now relishing the 

 repotting they had from 547s to 32's; the repotting, as you 

 will recollect, being merely the transferring of a mass of plants 

 — say three to the inch — from a small pot to a larger one. If 

 Verbenas are not potted separately in the autumn, we would not 



do it until March, unless we could give the pot bottom heat, and 

 heat and air at top at will. 



In a brick cold pit, we observe the Calceolarias, Salvias, &c, 

 assuming a yellowish tinge, and we suppose we must let them 

 wear it a little longer. This is entirely the result of dryness. Were 

 we sure of such weather, we would water them, and give plenty 

 of air, and they would soon be green enough, and too close to- 

 gether at too early a period ; but if well watered now, and we 

 should have a severe frost, they would then be more apt to suffer 

 from being damp than they would be if dry. We do not expect 

 such a frost ; but it is as well to make sure, and, therefore, such 

 plants will have little more water for a month to come than a 

 skiff from the syringe in a sunny day, just to keep them from 

 !.— R. E. , 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



a* s We request that no one will write privately to the depart- 

 mental writers of the " Journal of Horticulture, Cottage 

 Gardener, and Country Gentleman." By so doing they 

 are subjected to unjustifiable trouble and expense. Ail 

 communications should therefore be addressed solely to The 

 Editors of the "Journal of Horticulture, Sic," 162, Meet 

 Street, London, jE.C. 



We also request that correspondents will not mix up on the 

 same sheet questions relating to Gardening and those on 

 Poultry and Bee subjects, if they expect to get them answered 

 promptly and conveniently, but write them on separate 

 communications. Also never to send more than two or 

 three questions at once. 



We cannot reply privately to any communication unless under 

 very special circumstances. 



Back Numbers (S. R. T. B.).—We have received several copies of 

 Nos. 50, 51, and 52, and shall be glad of more ; but you and several others 

 who have obligingly sent us copies have omitted to give your names and 

 directions. We also want copies of No. 41. 



Garden Drill. — G. H. wishes to know where he can purchase one. 

 We think those who make such horticultural implements would find it 

 profitable to advertise them. 



Ice-keeping (An Eleven-years Subscriber). — At page 14 we stated our 

 own opinion upon your mode of ice-keeping, and at page 32 Mr. Beaton's. 

 "We shall be glad to know the result of your trial wi h no ventilation, and 

 also of the experience of any of our readers who have tried ventilating 

 against not ventilating an ice-house. 



French Clockwork Fountains (M. B.).— Our correspondent wishes 

 to know where these, to be placed in a greenhouse, can be purchased. 



Melon-culture (A. Roslin(/).—-~We know of no separate work upon 

 this subject ; but if you refer to the indices of our last three volumes', you. 

 will find almost every point in Melon-culture discussed. Also in the last 

 edition of our "Kitchen Gardening for the Many," you -»ill find a good 

 epitome of Melon-culture. 



Primula Leaves Drooping (Subscriber, Lee) Bringing the plants 



from the moist air of a greenhouse to the intensely dry air of a sitting- 

 room, will usually produce such flagging of the leaves. We introduce 

 Primulas in a similar way, but we have either a glass shade over each pot, 

 or plant (he Primulas in a Bijou Plant Case. In neither mode or treatment 

 do the leaves flag : and if you drop a single drop of gum water into the 

 centre opening of each flower, it lasts longer in beauty. 



Field Mice Barking Hollies.— W. Hill will be glad of a hint as to 

 the best way of getting rid ot these pests. The woods and plantations are 

 swarming with them. Quantities ot' Hollies, planted-out last April, are 

 completely stripped of the bark from 2 to 3 feet high. Phosphorus poison 

 has been tried, but this seems to have no effect. Poisoned grain would be 

 dangerous on account of the Game. 



Grubs at the Boot op a Fern (C. 67., Staford).— The Fern is Aeple- 

 nium viviparum. The grubs are the larvse of Bibio Marci, a two-winged 

 fly, which appears in great numbers in early spring. The grubs feed 

 chiefly on decaying vegetable matter; but they also devour roots of plants, 

 especially if not in good health. Lime water or gas tar water would 

 doubtless dislodge them. — W. W. 



Scotch Fir Fence (B. J.).— We presume the line of trees yon speak 

 of, 5 or 6 feet high, has been planted either for shelter or ornament, ae- 

 rie Scotch Fir will be useless as a fence against cattle. Assuming it to be 

 for one of the first-named purposes, and to consist of a single row of trees 

 which are becoming naked at the bottom, we fear they have already stood 

 too long untouched ; but if they are still green at the bottom, thin them 

 by taking away one-half of the number. If this is likely to make the place 

 look naked, mark the trees you intend to remain, and cut away the 

 lower branches of the others on the sides they touch and interfere with 

 the permanent trees. This precaution ought to be taken in time, in order 

 to retain the bottom branches as long as possible on the trees intended to 

 make the future boundary ; but this cannot have a permanent effect, as the 

 natural habit of the tree to shed its lower branches will manifest itself in 

 time : therefore, for a screen or fence under 12 feet high, we should have 

 preferred Holly or Laurel, but as it is we would net advise you, to clip the 

 Scotch Firs. You may, however, top them if you do not want them here- 

 after for timber ; but we would not advise more being cut-off than last 

 year's shoots. If space and other circumstances allow of it, it would be 

 better to plant a row of Laurel or Holly in front of the Firs, if the latter 

 have lost their green branches at the bottom; for, unlike a deciduous tree, 

 the Scotch Fir never regains its lower branches, and clipping only helps to 

 destroy the green, 



