304 



JOUENAL OF HOETICULTOKE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEK. 



[ October 19, 1871. 



fieial inflnence of the atmosphere. Cat off the Asparagus stems 

 aa soon as sufficiently decayed ; clear the beds of all refuse, 

 east off right and left with a fork portions of the earth that 

 covers the crowns of the plants, and apply a good dressing of 

 manure ; then return the earth over the manure. Those beds 

 which have been attended to in the growing season by appli- 

 cations of liquid manure, will require nothing more than a 

 thorough cleaning and forking carefully over, leaving the sur- 

 face rough. Cape Broccoli and Gaulifloicers now forming their 

 heads should be well protected from frost by covering them 

 with a few of the under leaves, or by breaking down the heart 

 leaves on the head while foi-ming. Continue to make sloping 

 banks for planting Endive, Lettuce, Cauliflowers, and Cabbage 

 plants, and keep the ground among those already planted out 

 iioed and surface-stirred. Cabbage quarters should be searched 

 for grubs and slugs, and any blanks that occur should be made 

 good immediately. Those who grow tall varieties of Brussels 

 Sprouts should take off a few of the lower leaves as they be- 

 come ripe to encourage the sprouts. A good system to blanch 

 Endive throughout the winter is to place 3 or 4 inches of sand 

 on the floor of the fruit-room, vegetable-shed, or cellar, and 

 take up a quantity of plants with balls of earth about once 

 a-week in succession, and place them in the sand, where they 

 will blanch beautifully without further trouble. See that the 

 Winter Spinach is thoroughly thinned and aired, well hoed in 

 iavonrable weather, and in everyway encouraged. 



FEUIT GAEDEN. 



The principal operations in this department are the gather- 

 ing of the fruit as it becomes in proper condition, making pre- 

 parations for fiUing-np blank spaces, and trenching new 

 ground for orchards and fruit plantations. They should be 

 well prepared to insure success. Planting may now be carried 

 ■on with success ; mulch and stake safely without delay. Con- 

 tinue to keep the runners removed from the Strawberries, and 

 those that have been some time potted for forcing should now 

 be placed in a comfortable situation to insure their not being 

 too much soddened with wet. Strong pricked-out plants may 

 still be potted with success if placed on a kindly bottom heat. 



FLOWEE GAEDEN. 



Except where alterations are in hand the principal work in 

 ihis department for the present will be mowing and cleaning- 

 •np, and if anything like neatness is to be maintained, sweeping- 

 np leaves will require daily attention ; also let gravel walks be 

 thoroughly cleared of weeds and moss. EoU them frequently 

 when wet to keep the surface hard and smooth. Continue to 

 afford young stock in pits and frames the most careful at- 

 tention, and endeavour to have it well rooted and strong with- 

 out keeping it so close and warm as to render it soft and liable 

 to die-off on the first approach of wintery weather, as is the 

 -case with stock propagated in heat late in autumn, and then 

 stored in cold pits for the winter. Therefore, admit air freely 

 to all plants that are sufSeiently rooted to bear it without 

 flagging. Newly-potted-off plants should, however, be placed 

 on a gentle bottom heat, which will impart a little warmth to 

 the soil and encourage the formation of roots, but sufficient air 

 should be given to prevent anything like weakly growth. Some 

 spare beds should now be in readiness for the reception of 

 Hyacinths and Tulips. These have a pleasing and interesting 

 effect at an early period of the year when all is cold and seem- 

 ingly lifeless, and when there is scarcely anything for the eye 

 to rest upon but bare fields and leafless trees. Crown Im- 

 perials, hardy Lilinms, bulbous Irises, Narcissus, and other 

 bulbs should now be planted in the borders. Soils which have 

 been used in the forcing department should be brought into 

 the compost-yard and mixed up with decayed matter from the 

 waste heap. This mixture forms an excellent manure for 

 fiower beds. Prepare composts for Eoses by frequent turnings, 

 at the same time adding rich materials ; and if a quantity of 

 wood can be procured, also trimmings from hedges and refuse 

 from the shrubberies ; these, formed into a heap and charred, 

 _ will prove a valuable addition to stiff clayey soils. 



GEEENHOnSK AND OONSEEVATOET. 



A sufficient quantity of good friable turfy loam for next 

 year's operations should now be procured and stacked up in 

 rows, and thatched with fern or straw to throw off rain, like- 

 wise peat and sand, both valuable adjuncts in propagating. 

 Summer-flowering twiners, which usually become unsightly at 

 this season, should be cut back rather freely, as also any others 

 that will bear this treatment. Shade can now well be dispensed 

 with, therefore not a spray which can be spared should be left 

 to obstruct the light. Acacias and other winter-flowering 



plants having been subjected to a period of comparatively dry 

 treatment to secure their blooming profusely, should now be 

 rather liberally supplied with water at their roots in order to 

 bring them into flower during the dull season, when they will 

 be much more esteemed than in spring, when flowers are be- 

 coming plentiful. Manure water, if it can be used, should be 

 given frequently to Chrysanthemums. Give air freely on 

 favourable opportunities, avoiding cold draughts against plants 

 that have been brought from a warm house, and guard against 

 damp by using gentle fires with a little top air on wet days. 

 Let pot specimens in bloom be frequently re-arranged, so as to 

 make the most of them, for the finest specimens become too 

 familiar to be interesting when allowed to remain too long in 

 one place. Be careful not to overwater plants brought from 

 the stove, and also to use the water in a tepid state, as water- 

 ing tender plants with cold water after this season, injures the 

 young shoots, shortens the duration of the blossoms, and often 

 ruins the plant. Use weak manure water for Salvia splendens, 

 so as to preserve the plants in a vigorous state and keep them 

 blooming as long as possible. Give attention to securing a 

 plentiful succession of plants for maintaining the gaiety of the 

 house as long as possible. 



STOTE. 



Hardwooded shrubs, such as Ixoras, that have not made 

 their wood after flowering should be encouraged with a warm 

 moist temperature, syringing them lightly overhead, and shut- 

 ting up the house early in the afternoon. Give any growing 

 plants that require it more pot room as soon aa convenient, in 

 order to have them well rooted in the fresh soil before winter. 

 Keep a sharp look-out for insects, especially thrips, which are 

 often troublesome at this time on such plants as are growing 

 in a close warm house. Either fumigate or remove the affected 

 I plants, and thoroughly clean them immediately this peat is 

 perceived, for if left to its own way with tender-growing 

 foliaged plants it soon disfigures the finest specimens. 



PITS AND FEAMES. 



Premising that all tender plants are safely housed, and 

 anxiety with regard to their safety in a great measure diminished, 

 proceed with arranging them, and remove into any spare cold 

 pita the stock of Pentstemons, Antirrhinums, Linums, Phloxes, 

 Intermediate and other Stocks, and all herbaceous annual 

 plants that require a little protection. The pots should be 

 plunged in sand or coal ashes ; plunging is not only a protection, 

 but saves much labour in watering during the spring months. 

 When all the plants are arranged in this department there 

 should be a thorough cleaning ; all litter, rubbish, and every- 

 thing offensive to the eye should be removed. If the footpaths 

 between the ranges of pits be in bad trim, a layer of gravel or 

 coal ashes will add much to the neatness and to the comfort of 

 visitors. Measures should be taken to destroy the field mice, 

 which in hard winters work such havoc amongst plants in turf 

 pits. Baits made of cheese, bread, or bacon do not take with 

 these destructive little animals, but a briek trap baited with an 

 acorn or chestnut they cannot resist. — W. Eease. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST WEEK 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



Protectors. — Writing hastily as we do, we find that in allud- 

 ing to battered and broken hand-lights, with the exception of 

 stating how we filled the broken sides with zinc instead of 

 glaaa (the zinc being clipped to the requisite size with scissors 

 made on purpose almost as easily as you would clip paper with 

 common scissors), we forgot to mention that with other glasses 

 we used the frames as they were, and instead of glazing, merely 

 set thin pieces of slates or thin boards against the sides where 

 they were broken. We could not do without such rough mend- 

 ing, not so much on account of protection as for keeping all 

 such intruders as mice and rats out of the lights at night. To 

 exclude them still more, we frequently run a light line of tar 

 round at a few inches from the bottom of each glass. Thus 

 temporarily securing the sides of our hand-lights, we like to 

 have the tops well glazed, and generally manage all such 

 matters in wet and stormy days, when the men could do little 

 or no work out of doors, with benefit to themselves or their em- 

 ployers. We find that Cauliflowers and Lettuces do, on the 

 whole, as well under these glasses with opaque sides aa they do 

 when all the sides are of glass and in the beat order. We are 

 delighted to see that some of our neighbours have dozens of 

 hand-lights, beautifully perfect, and well painted every year. 

 At present we are satisfied with having the tops perfect, 



