June 9, 1863. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



421 



times troublesome at this season, and no time should be lost in 

 dusting the infected plants with sulphur; for if neglected the 

 evil will soon spread aud destroy the foliage, and ruin the plants 

 for blooming in autumn, ilulch Dahlias with rotten dung, and 

 give plenty of water in dry weather. Propagate Pansies by the 

 side-shoots. 



■ PETIT GARDEN". 

 The recent hot weather has brought out the insect tribe in 

 abundance, and they must be met with timely remedies. A 

 good garden engine or syringe should be kept in frequent use 

 amongst. Currant bushes infested with aphides and honeydew. 

 Fruit, trees on walls would also be benefited by a good syringing. 

 A fumigating on a large scale is sometimes practised by collecting 

 a good heap of rubbish on the windward side of the'fruit trees, 

 and when ignited the great smoke is productive of good effects. 

 V. here practicable the Strawberry-ground to be thoroughly 

 soaked with water ; such is the excessive heat of the weather at 

 present, together with the drought, that without a liberal supply 

 of water the fruit will most probably ripen prematurely. Thin 

 the young wood on wall trees to the quantity required for bear- 

 ing next year, and nail or lay it in carefully, taking care that the 

 tender shoots are not bruis'ed. Pinch the points out of the 

 young shoots of Pig trees when they have made five or fix joints. 

 By such means more stocky and fruitful wood will be obtained. 



GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. 



The sprinkling of the soil and the paths to be often resorted 

 to during bright weather, aud a thin screen of some kind should 

 be thrown over the roof or portions of it from eleven o'clock 

 to nearly three. This will retard the specimens already in bloom, 

 and prevent too great a demand on the energies of the plants. 

 When arranging the plants let. there be no crowding, but allow 

 every specimen full place, especially hardwooded plants. Large 

 specimens of the hardier kinds of greenhouse plants may now be 

 placed in a sheltered situation out of doors. Those that require 

 repotting to be kept in the house after shifting until the roots 

 get hold of the fresh soil Attend well to young stock, which 

 will now be growing freely ; keep the shoots nicely regulated 

 and shaped as may be necessary to secure well- formed specimens, 

 and use every care to give them a moist atmosphere, sprinkling 

 them overhead early on the afternoons of bright days, and re- 

 ducing the air ; but we may repeat that young stock will be 

 better in pits and frames than in greenhouses. Specimen and 

 choice plants when nearly done blooming to have the faded blooms 

 picked off, and to be well washed with the syringe, to be then 

 placed in a cool shady place to recover themselves before pot- 

 ing, which, as before advised, should on no account take place 



until a fresh growtli has commenced. Spare room, if ar 



may 



be occupied with Fuchsias and softwooded plants for the con* 

 servatory. yqr. Keane. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST WEEE. 



Tanks. — The weather still very parching, for though rains 

 have fallen not far off, none have come our way. The 30th 

 and 31st ultimo looked promising for a drenching, but all passed 

 away, and the same may be said of the 3rd inst., though the 

 barometer is gently falling. Why mention these matters ? Just 

 because they have so much to do with our doings, as water is 

 now the most important matter with us, and not only are gar- 

 dens, but the villagers all round here, are feeling the want of 

 water very much. We cleaned out our large tank yesterday, so 

 that when rain does come, we will have plenty of clear, sweet 

 water. We found some small cracks in the side, which were 

 fresh pointed with cement, furnishing a hint that large tanks of 

 great, length would be the better of a wall across them in the 

 middle as a stay, as when the water is low there will be less or 

 more of pressure from the earth outside. This tank is, inside 

 measure, 6 feet deep, 24 long, and 12J- wide. There is only 

 about 9 inches above the ground level, surface of the water all 

 exposed. The ground dug out was clay, the surrounding ground 

 clay. The walls are 14 inches thick laid in cement, with the 

 exception of three courses or so at top, which are 9 inches, and 

 covered with rounded ridge-bricks. There are besides piers out- 

 side at the four corners, and two on each side. The bottom was 

 concreted, then a layer of bricks in cement, covered with tiles in 

 cement, and then a coating all over bottom, ends, and sides, 

 of cement. We mention these particulars to meet the wishes 

 of several correspondents, who see the necessity of saving the 

 water that falls from their houses, and just to hint that it would 

 be false economy to build such tanks with walls of four-inch 



work, as two friends propose doing, if the tank is to be any size 

 at all. Nine-inch walls will not be too much for a tank half 

 the size of the above. For many years, though fully exposed, 

 we never saw the slightest mark of a crack in it ; but then it 

 was more supplied with water than for the last two years. The 

 pressure of the clay when swelled with water outside was, there- 

 fore, more resisted by the water inside. In such circumstances, 

 as an improvement in such a long tank, we think it would be 

 true economy to have a wall across the middle from side to 

 side, with openings below for the water, or an arch or a couple 

 of arches abutting on the sides, would have the same strengthen- 

 ing effect. The walls are also built perpendicular, but we 

 question whether strength would not be gained by inclining 

 them outwards— say 6 or 9 inches in a height of 6 feet. The 

 clay was well rammed against the walls. We would, however, 

 prefer common earth to clay, as it swells less when wet. The 

 two or three cracks in the aides are very trifling, not the sixteenth 

 of an inch, yet we are convinced that before noticing them we 

 lo9t water through them. There is nothing of the kind in either 

 end which convinces us that a wall across the centre would be 

 advisable. To prevent the clay outside being soaked, we have 

 covered part of the surface near the tank with tar and gravel. 



Two or three questions more. A says he cannot make a tank 

 near his glass house and sheds. Ours is a considerable distance 

 off, with connecting-pipes between them. E fears that if 

 exposed the cement would be thrown off by frost. Such tanks 

 would be best covered in winter by placing poles across, and 

 laying thatched hurdles over them, with more litter in severe 

 frost. Ours was protected for two years. Since then we lay 

 long straw round the sides, hanging 2 or 3 feet over the water, 

 and poles placed over the straw to keep it in its place, and the 

 tank has not been injured by frost at all. If the frost was very 

 hard, we would cut and remove a part of the ice in the middle, 

 and that would 3ave opening the ice-house. However, covering 

 would be the safest. C would prefer a tank to be arched over 

 out of sight altogether. To this we say that the expense will be 

 much more, and for gardening purposes the water will be far 

 inferior to that standing in an open tank. For years the water 

 in a covered tank will be hard, from the cement, but that may 

 be remedied with a little lime or soda. For domestic purposes 

 the covered tank would be best, and should be supplied with 

 filters, as all extraneous matter is then excluded. We have 

 another nice tank 20 feet long, 9 wide, and 5-i deep, which we 

 are afraid to empty out, and several rough receptacles besides, 

 to receive the water from walks, roads, &c, and we begin to 

 think we must have still more contrivances if we wish to be 

 safe and keep crops going on as they should do. 



Put out some Lettuces on north slopes to keep them cool, 

 and scattered short grass that had been heated in a heap between 

 the rows. Shaded Turnips with laurel branches to keep them 

 a little moist. Scattered short grass over rows of Peas lately 

 sown and- well watered, to keep the moisture in. Removed the 

 last of Broccoli, and moved part of covering off Vine-border for 

 ground to be dug for the last general sowing of Peas. Watered 

 Peas bearing and in full bloom, and placed Bhort grass and litter 

 along the rows to keep the moisture in. Littered in a similar 

 way quarters of Cauliflower, and if we cannot water more will 

 strew a little clean straw or hay over the heads to prevent the 

 leaves getting slaty-coloured by an excess of evaporation. Sowed 

 more Turnips and Radishes, the first 2 feet apart in rows and 

 the Kadishes between, and covered with wattled hurdles to keep 

 off the full force of the sun. These, to be crisp and nice, should 

 be sown often, the one crop put in as soon as the other appears 

 above ground, and sowing only little pieces at a time. The 

 White Dutch transplanted is tubering very well. We never 

 tried it much before, though long conversant with the fact that 

 the Swede does first-rate transplanted. Planted out Cauliflowers 

 that had previously been pricked out, and as they were lifted 

 with good balls will suffer little from moving, and need but little 

 water. Pricked-out more, and sowed a little more for the 

 autumn crop. Gave all seed-beds ot Greens a watering from 

 the cleaning-out of the tank. But for the weather many of 

 them ought to be out. In general, notwithstanding the long 

 drought, crops are looking well. Our last-sown Beet does not 

 yet show, and we cannot help it by watering. 



FRUIT GARDEN. 



Forked the ground slightly between and around young trees 

 of Apples, Pears, &e. Gave a potful or two of water, and then 

 mulched with half-rotten leaves, which will keep in moisture 

 and entice the roots to the surface. The scuffling of the surface 



