February 17, 1863. ] JOURNAL OE HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



were Noble's Early Green Marrow, Dickson's Favourite, Veiteh's I 

 Perfection, British Queen, and Songster's No. 1 — the favourite 

 p£ your respected correspondent, " D., Deal." Though differing : 

 with him in taste, I would advise his sowing his favourite 

 Sangster's No. 1 and the Warwick race at intervals of ten days 

 or a fortnight, according to the supply needed, giving the sowings 

 after April a manured trench as for Celery, and a good soaking 

 of water once or twice a-week according to the state of the 

 weather. Early Peas cannot stand drought; and unless the 

 land is heavy or copious watering resorted to, they are only 

 like so many pea-bullets. 



Of Dwart Kidney Beans and Scarlet Runners I never had a dish. 

 Cauliflowers were late bat good. Broccoli doing well. Borecole 

 and the whole tribe of Coleworts have done pretty well, but the 

 wet has made them very seedy-looking. Cabbages have been 

 fearfully maggot-eaten at the root, in consequence of which 

 many a healthy-lookicg plant withered when sun appeared, 

 though that was seldom ; others have clubbed instead of hearting. 

 Celery was bad with us, but good in some places. The best I 

 saw w T as growing in clay nearly as pure as brickmakers have it. 

 Maggot attacked some (dry soot sprinkled on wet leaves will 

 drive it away), but as to the maggot being the cause of failure I 

 beg to demur. Celery, like the potato, is rendered so liable to 

 disease by high cultivation, as to be little more than gorged and 

 swelled out of health into disease. 



Spinach leaves were a receptacle for the eggs of the w hite 

 Butterfly, and the Winter one was there as well. 



Lettuce and snails had a terrible struggle for life, but young 

 Ducks scooped the slugs up ; yet web-footed bipeds cannot be 

 tolerated in gardens long, for no thunder-storm soddens the soil 

 like them ; and as for bantams and the whole tribe of hens, 

 they are too much given to scratch, and they eat too much 

 green food for my fancy. 



Bedding plants cut a sorry figure ; and, taking them altogether, 

 for me there is nothing like the good old herbaceous border full 

 of bloom in spring, delicious with Pinks and Carnations, and 

 fragrant with Roses. Sure of a nosegay all the year round are 

 those who tolerate flowering shrubs, bog plants, alpines, and 

 aquatics ; besides, in geometrical gardens, handsome and bril- 

 liant as they may be in summer, interesting in winter with ever- 

 greens, and pretty iu spring with bulbs, those mixtures are more 

 frequently failures than successes. 



Notwithstanding the adverse season we had a good exhibition 

 here (Bradford). Plants were good. Mr. May, Bedale, had 

 first-class Hollyhocks and Dahlias, the last somewhat hollow in 

 centre ; and Mr. Edwards, York, was a close competitor. The 

 Carnations and Picotees at the National were superb. Messrs. 

 Steward & "Wood, of York, and Holland & Bayley, of Man- 

 chester, were the lions. However, horticultural exhibitions are 

 not places to judge the seasons at, for there we have the choice- 

 selected, but away from them we have generalities. 



Three indifferent years succeeding each other must tell their 

 tale on our trees from warmer climes, which I fear is too mani- 

 fest ; for Peach trees threaten to become evergreens, and many 

 others hare a like tendency. 



We have a doleful beginning for a new year ; rain and wind 

 daily, and the ground like a sponge, do not augur well of 1863. 

 — Geobge Abbey. 



WORK EOR THE WEEK. 



EITCHEN GABDEN. 



Whdoe our climate maintains its variable character the neces- 

 sity of conforming to its dictates in all gardening operations will 

 exist. The continuance of fair weather will permit the opera- 

 tions that peculiarly belong to this month to be proceeded with. 

 Asparagus, in mild weather that in frames or pits should have 

 abundance of air after the shoots have made their appearance. 

 Prepare ground for permanent beds ; if the soil works well, to 

 be trenched 2 feet deep at least, and plenty of good rotten 

 stable manure incorporated with it during the operation. Mark 

 off the beds 4 feet wide, and 2 feet for the alley, then mark the 

 rows on the bed one in the centre and one at each side ; lay a 

 ridge of maiden loam, leaf mould, and sand, of equal parts, 

 along where each row is to be planted, and on these ridges 

 place the plants. They may be either one or two years old, but 

 not more than two, the plants to be taken up with great care. 

 When placed on the ridges, with an equal portion of roots on 

 each side, cover them to the depth of 2 inches with pure sand 

 if it can be procured, which will induce the plants to throw out 



numerous young roots, which, passing through the sand, seize 

 with avidity on the more nutritious compost prepared for them. 

 Above the sand add 3 or 4 inches of loamy Boil over the crowns ; 

 and should the season prove dry, mulch between the rows, and 

 give occasionally waterings of liquid manure. Onions, plant 

 the bulbs of last year which begin to grow, they will be found 

 useful where there is a scarcity of sound ones. They may also 

 be planted for seed. Plant the underground sort, if not done 

 in the autumn. AVeed and clean the autumn-sown. Parsley, 

 a sowing to be made where the ground is in a fit state to receive 

 the seed. Peas, make a sowing of Knight's Dwarf Marrow; 

 at the same time some other approved sorts should be sown to 

 keep up a succession. Sow also two or three sorts which come 

 iu for use quickly, as they will be fit to gather before the 

 Marrows. All vacant ground to be dug as quickly as possible, 

 so that it may be ready for cropping. 



EJ.OVTEE GABDEN. 



The weather calls upon us to expedite all retarded operations, 

 particularly pruning. Turf may be cut and laid, and wood 

 ashes spread on lawns where the grass is injured by moss. 

 When the natural soil is not favourable for Rhododendrons, 

 Belgian Azaleas, &c, an artificial mould maybe gradually formed 

 by sweeping the fallen leaves over the roots and covering them 

 with sand every season. Prune and tie climbing plants. Prune 

 Roses, unless they are wanted to flower late. Herbaceous per- 

 ennials should be planted as early as convenient. Sweep and 

 roll the lawn and walks. Where it may be necessary to increase 

 the stock of any of the varieties of Dahlias, these should be 

 placed in heat at once in order to secure cuttings. Look to 

 Crocus bulbs, &c, planted in beds, and protect them from the 

 depredations of sparrows and mice. 



ERUIT GABDEN. 



Prune Raspberries. Any Gooseberries or Currants not pre- 

 viously pruned should forthwith be attended to. Collect fir 

 boughs to protect the blossom of Peach and Apricot trees. 

 Gooseberry and Currant bushes occupy much less space in a 

 garden trained to stakes, and afford an equal if not greater 

 amount of fruit. Proceed with planting fruit trees where cir- 

 cumstances prevented its being done in the autumn. 



STOVE. 



Any specimen plants in this house which require shifting 

 must be attended to in the course of the month. Stanhopeas 

 and Oncidiums with other Orchids may be potted. Temperature 

 55 Q to 65° with a moist heat, and increase a degree or two every 

 week for the next month. Shut up early. 



GBEENHOTJSE AND CONSEEVATOEY. 

 The admission of air on all favourable occasions will conduce 

 to the health and keep the various flowering-plants in unim- 

 paired beauty for some weeks. Hyacinths, Lilacs, Roses, Kalmias, 

 and Azaleas introduced will lend beauty and fragrance to the 

 various groups. The rich yellow flowers of Cytisus racemosus 

 will add in no slight degree to the general effect. The early- 

 flowering plants of Camellias now returned from the conservatory 

 or mixed greenhouse, should be placed in heat in order to be 

 encouraged to make a vigorous and kindly growth, and to set 

 their flower-buds in due season. Look carefully over the early- 

 blooming plants — such as Heaths, Azaleas, and Boronias, and 

 see that they are not getting too forward. There is less difficulty 

 in keeping them back at the present time than when we have 

 bright sunny days. Sow exotic and other seeds generally during 

 the present and following month. As the principle of hybridi- 

 sation is beginning to be understood and generally practised, 

 doubtless additional interest will be discovered, and attention 

 bestowed on the propagation of plants by seeds. Shift and tie- 

 out Pelargoniums as may be required, and allow them plenty of 

 space after this time, with all the light possible, and a free 

 circulation of air whenever the weather will permit. Do not 

 allow Calceolarias to suffer for want of pot-room, as any check 

 at the present season might throw them prematurely into bloom. 

 Cinerarias and other plants will require frequent shifting and 

 placing at greater distances from each other, in order that air 

 may be permitted to circulate freely among them. 

 TOBCING-PIT. 



Here a good stock of Roses, Azaleas, Lilacs, &c, should be 

 coming into bloom. Take care to keep up a regular succession, 

 and fumigate occasionally to keep all clean. 

 PITS AND TEAKES. 



Give air freely to plantB such as Verbenas and Calceolarias, and 



