March 10, 1863. ] 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



191 



The anniversary of the Company to be held at the October 

 meeting of the central, when an account of all the districts 

 would bo given, and districts to audit their affairs prior to the 

 meeting. At the end of every seven years there might be a 

 meeting of members from all parts of the kingdom, and an ex- 

 hibition open to all the world, so that the year of jubilee might 

 be celebrated with eclat. 



Also in connection with the Company a benefit society might 

 advantageously be formed Bimilar to others, and I have no fear 

 of employers not aiding the movement. 



The Company might allow utilitarians to become members, 

 if they thought proper, at the same rate as a gardener, and their 

 employers also, but with this reservation : No utilitarian shall be 

 allowed to take the title of or practise as a gardener, unless he 

 make application as for a gardener and has beeD enrolled a 

 member by the votes of the branch members, which must be 

 confirmed by the district, and signed by the President. Neither 

 shall a gardener change at will from a gardener to a nurseryman, 

 and vice versd throughout ; but he, they, or any member must 

 give notice of the proposed change, and have the Company's 

 permission to make it. Offenders to be discarded the Company, 

 to forfeit all privileges and all moneys paid, and to pay all dues. 



I cannot forbear proposing that cottage-gardeners be allowed 

 to attend all meetings of the Company, and to pay a nominal 

 subscription, say 1.5., but to have no other privileges, except 

 loan of books or papers. — G. A. 



[We have inserted this communication as an evidence that 

 there is a spirit abroad among gardeners for the improvement 

 of their profession. It is a communication from a practical 

 gardener ; and though the calculated subscriptions are wildly 

 extravagant, and some of the proposed proceedings undesirable, 

 it may serve to awaken attention to the subject. — Eds. J. OE H.] 



LANCASHIRE DISTRESSED WORKINGMEN 

 BOTANISTS. 



I HAVE received, since the last notice I gave, from Lady 

 D. Nevitl £1, which she kindly sends every month ; also from a 

 working gardener 2s. 6d. (monthly) ; from J. R. £1 10s. ; from 

 Miss Sloane £1 ; Mr. Marlow 5s. I have also received a col- 

 lection of choice vegetable seeds from Mr. Henry Watkinson, 

 of Manchester, which my friend Mr. James Wild, an old florist, 

 kindly distributed amongst forty-one poor cottage-gardeners 

 who are in distress by the cotton panic. 



There is a well-conducted young man here who has a good 

 knowledge of both systems of botany, and he would be glad to 

 learn to be a gardener if an opening eould be made for him. — 

 John Hagtie, 36, Mount Street, Ashtoii-under~Lyne. 



"WORK EOR THE WEEK. 



KITCHEN GABDEN. 

 Those who have fully attended to former directions respecting 

 the manuring, trenching, and pulverisation of the soil will now 

 amply reap the benefit of their past labours ; they will have a 

 greater depth of staple in proper condition for nourishing the 

 roots of plants, at the same time the ground will work with 

 much greater facility. This has been, and still is, a most extra- 

 ordinary Beason, and in the event of our being visited by sharp 

 frost, either this or next month, the result will be calamitous in 

 the extreme. Some are sanguine enough to predict that we shall 

 have no frost this season, and let us hope they are true prophets. 

 Artichokes, make new plantations, and fill-up old ones. Beans, 

 sow in a sheltered situation, and transplant them in pots or 

 boxes. Beet, sow for a principal crop. Carrots, sow in the 

 open ground, and thin-out those in frames. Horseradish, plant, 

 if there iB not sufficient in already. Leelcs, these should be sown 

 for the main crop, if not in already. Lettuce, sow, and harden- 

 off those in frames, to be planted-out as soon as fit. Onions, the 

 main crop, if not already sown, should now be put in. Peas, 

 sow several varieties for successive crops. Spinach, sow a few 

 more rows. Turnips, sow early Dutch in a warm situation. 

 Take every suitable opportunity of surface-stirring, hoeing, 

 forking, trenching, and subsoil-trenching, turning in all refuse 

 vegetation, and taking care that no useless crop is robbing the 

 ground. At this busy time both the eye and the mind must be 

 active if any ample amount of produce is looked for in return 

 for the labour bestowed on the preparation of the soil. 



FIOWBE GAEDEN. 

 Proceed with the operations that involve the necessity of wheel- 

 ing or removing earth. Complete all planting. March winds 

 are often destructive if the precaution of renewing old stakes 

 and strings rotted by the damps of winter is neglected. Prune 

 Roses generally, and dress the beds with rotten manure. In 

 completing the arrangement of the flower garden duplicate 

 herbaceous plants may be found ; these can be distributed about 

 the pleasure ground with excellent effect. Roll and sweep lawns, 

 cleanse and turn gravel walks where necessary. To eradicate 

 weeds there is nothing like handweeding. Pork-over flower- 

 beds, and get them in a wholesome state to receive the delicate 

 plants intended for them. 



FBTJIT GABDEN. 



Planting, pruning, and nailing should now be forwarded as 

 much as possible. These operations cannot be finished a minute 

 too soon. The sap having now commenced its ascending course, 

 broken-off flower-buds and injured shoots will be the certain 

 consequence of delay and neglect. Continue to protect the 

 bloom of Peach, Nectarine, and Apricot trees. Take advantage 

 of dry weather to draw away the soil from the stems of Goose- 

 berries and Currants with a hoe to about 2 inches in depth and 

 over a diameter of 2 or 3 feet, for about this time what is gene- 

 rally termed the Gooseberry caterpillar will begin to be on the 

 alert ; sprinkle over the space cleared some soot and wood 

 ashes, returning the earth with the back of a hoe or rake. This 

 is not only a preventive to their ravages, but acts as a stimu- 

 lating manure to the trees, and the extent to which it may be 

 applied will be very perceptible throughout the season. The 

 early season will render immediate preparations for grafting 

 necessary. 



STOVE. 



Cuttings of all free-growing softwooded plants, such as the 

 different showy varieties of Justicia, Begonia, Aphelandra, 

 Poinsettia, &c, will strike readily in a brisk bottom heat. They 

 will, if well managed, make useful and handsome plants for 

 blooming next autumn and winter. Achimenes and Gesneras 

 may be repotted, and others, to succeed them, put in. Stove 

 Orchids will be benefited by a little additional warmth and 

 moisture ; when it is desirable to prolong the blossom for a con- 

 siderable period the plant may bo removed to a cool house. 



GEEENHOTTSE AND CONSEEVATOEY. 



Some of the early-forced Camellias and Azaleas will now 

 begin to fade. If they appear exhausted do not force them to 

 expand their last flower-buds, but rather remove them, before 

 they expand, in order to invigorate the plants a little. Any 

 Camellias that are becoming misshapen or too large may now be 

 cut-in, and if afterwards placed in a nice growing moist temper- 

 ature of from 55° to 65° they will soon break afresh, and make fine 

 plants^ Syringe them daily once or twice, and if necessary give a 

 little manure water. The same treatment is applicable to Indian 

 Azaleas, and if the shoots are stopped once or twice during their 

 growing season fine bushy plants will be produced, which will 

 ripen their wood and be ready to bloom in December. All the 

 specimen plants in these houses should be carefully examined 

 to see that their roots are in a proper state with regard to mois- 

 ture and the drainage clear. Ericas to be top-dressed or re- 

 potted. Tropajolums will require attention. Pelargoniums and 

 Calceolarias will require increased pot-room. Dahlias to be put 

 in action. Euchsias, Cupheas, Salvias, Bouvardias, and other 

 plants for the parterre to be encouraged to afford cuttings. Re- 

 move all decayed leaves and flowers, and attend to order and 

 neatness. 



PITS AND EEAMES. 



Admit abundance of air, water carefully, and continue pro- 

 tection at night as long as there is any danger from frost. Attend 

 to the young stock which is intended for bedding-out, and go on 

 propagating stock for the flower-beds as it can be procured. Top- 

 dress Auriculas, Polyanthuses, and Carnations. W. Xeanb. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST WEEK. 



XITCHEN GAEDEN. 



The weather being so mild, planted out in well-aired 

 thoroughly-pulverised soil a good breadth of Potatoes, also 

 Cauliflowers from pots and thinnings from hand-lights, leaving 

 five in each of the lights, watered them, and top-dressed with 

 rich material. Sowed a few more Peas and Beans. Sowed 

 Sangster's No. 1 in boxes on the floor of a Peach-house, to be 



