m 



JdXJENAL OF HOBT^ICULTOEE AND COTTAGE 6AEDENER. t Noyember SO, 1871. 



plant or plants under their charge, tho greater the amount of 

 water necessary. Having proved this to be the case, I am not 

 an advocate of very large pots or tubs for these plants, but 

 prefer using a pot in proportion to their size in a young state, 

 and as they increase in growth confining them somewhat, sup- 

 plying the deficiency by an extra supply of water. The soil I 

 prefer for this plant is a mixture composed of about eijaal 

 parts of good peat and loam, with sufficient silver or river eand 

 to make the whole gritty, and not pressed too hard down into 

 the pot, as I have found it, especially in the young state, grow 

 more rapidly when potted rather loosely. In addition to its 

 highly decorative character in the plant stove and the exhibi- 

 tion tent, I have frequently seen this plant used when young 

 for table decoration with excellent effect ; and where the arti- 

 ficial light does not proceed from gas, it can be done with less 

 fear of injury to the specimen, which is always a matter of 

 vital importance to the gardener. — Expekto Ceede. 



[We are indebted to the kindness of M. Eothschild for the 

 portrait of this Palm, which was published in M. Alphand's 

 " Promenades de Paris." If a coloured portrait of this Palm 

 is wished for, it may be referred to in the " Flora des Serres," 

 where M. Van Hontte observes, " This Palm and Stevensonia 

 sechellarum at present are the more majestic ornaments of 

 our hothouges." — Ens.] 



WOKK FOR THE WEEK, 



KITCHEN GAEDEN. 



OoNTiNTjE to attend to previous directions and make all 

 possible speed in carrying them out in suitable weather. See 

 that a store of dusty earth is procured and kept convenient for 

 protecting early Peas and Beans, for shaking among Lettuces, 

 young Endive, late Eidishes, and similar crops if we get much 

 wet. Dry dusty loam, with a little dry lime rubbish, or old 

 mortar pounded, sifted, and mixed together, will not only 

 prevent the injurious efieots of frost, cold rains, and canker, 

 but will greatly improve the health, sturdiness, and luxuriance 

 of the plants when the growing season once more arrives. 

 Take advantage of frosty mornings to wheel manure on quarters 

 where it will be wanted, and let all spare ground be trenched 

 and ridged as soon as possible. Endive U blanched for salad 

 and kitchen use by various, means ; tho method I prefer is, 

 alter tying it up when perfectly dry, to cover with dry leaves 

 as much as requires to be blanched at one time, throwing a 

 little long litter over them to prevent their being blown about. 

 Celery, Cardoons, and Leeks should be earthed-np in dry 

 weather. Broccoli, Borecole, cfcc, the ground may still ba 

 hoed between the rows, also that between Winter Spinach, 

 throwing it oat to 16 inches apart. 



FKUIT GAEDEN. 



Planting yonag trees and removing others should he pro- 

 ceeded with as expeditiously as possible, for the sooner this 

 kind of work is finished for the season, tho less trouble will be 

 required in watering next spnug and summer. Pruning and 

 nailing should now ba proceeded with every fine day, even 

 although it should delay some other work which can be done 

 with more comfort in bad weather than nailing ; it is most im- 

 portant to get the latter done while the weather is mild. Nail- 

 ing is a eold-enongh job for even a warm winter's day, but to 

 turn men out to it in very cold or wet weather, and to expect 

 them to do a fair day's work, indicates bad management. 



ELOWEE GAEDEN. 



Now is a good time for taking-up and laying down Box 

 edgings. This is also a good season for altering the surface of 

 the flower garden. It is, perhaps, the best season of the year 

 for laying down turf as far as regards facility and success. If 

 the ground is rewly made see that it 13 rendered perfectly solid 

 before laying down the turf, so that there may be no giving 

 way afterwards. When all is laid down it ought to be well 

 beaten all over with tho turf-beetle, which will close the edges 

 of the turf, flatten-out the surface, and level down all irregu- 

 larities. FoUow-np the directions given, especially where neat- 

 ness and order are required, bearing in mind the necessity of 

 removing all leaves and rubbish to a convenient spot at some 

 distance, to decompose as well as to destroy the eggs of insects. 

 Dahlias temporarily placed heels upwards under cover to dry, 

 should now be oirefally stored away for the winter. See that 

 coarse plants which may be en&oaching upon their weaker 

 neighbours are reduced so as to occupy their proper places. 

 Gladioli may still be planted, but most kinds of bulbs are now 

 better in the ground than out of it. For Gladioli choose a 



warm, thoroughly-drained situation, work the soil well by deep 

 digging, and add plenty of rotten manure. Elevate the bed or 

 patch a few inches above the general level, plant the bulbs 

 5 or 6 inches deep and 6 inches apart, and surround them 

 with 1 inch of sand before covering with soil. Protect during 

 winter against excessive wet and frost with a thiok layer of 

 sawdust, old tan, dry litter, and old carpet-thatched frames, or 

 tarpaulin. The three last-named coverings must be removed 

 during favourable weather, and the former coverings entirely 

 cleared ofi when the plants appear. As tree leaves are always 

 in request, either as fermenting material or for leaf soil, they 

 should at this season be carefully collected. If they are required 

 only as a manure, they may be stowed away in any bye place 

 and left to decay ; but if, as is generally the case, they are in 

 demand as a cheap mode of furnishing bottom heat for forcing 

 dift'erent kinds of vegetables, some pains should be taken to 

 keep them dry. For this purpose they should be staoked-up 

 in some back place, and after allowing time for them to settle, 

 put on a coat of thatch to effectively secure them from rains. 

 By these means they will be found in a fit state far use for 

 some time to come. Should any surface soil of the pots of 

 Auriculas assume a wet mossy appearance, it will be evident 

 that the drainage is affected, and the sooner it is examined the 

 better it will be for the health of the plants. Water must be 

 given sparingly, and constant attention will be requisite to 

 insure a finer bloom in spring. When I say constant attention, 

 I do not mean that anything very laborious will be required — 

 in fact, the success of all cultivators of florists' flowers depends 

 more on their attention to details than to any hard work applied 

 at intervals. Carnations and Picotaes which have been placed 

 in frames after potting must be gradually inured to the weather, 

 for like other hardy plants of the Dianthus genus, they are 

 extremely susceptible of confinement and consequent damp. As 

 for Pinks and Pausies, the only attention they will require at 

 present is to fasten them after the frost, and to keep them free 

 from worms. 



GEEENHOUSE AND CONSEEVATOEY. 



Chrysanthemums, in most instances, will be the chief feature 

 of attraction here at present, and where they are largely grown, 

 which they should be wherever there is a demand for flowers at 

 this season, they make a fine display, and are worth every ne- 

 cessary attention to preserve them in beauty as long as possible. 

 They are very impatient of a close rather warm atmosphere, 

 and if the house contains plants requiring this treatment, the 

 Chrysanthemums should, as far as practicable, be placed in 

 the coolest part where air can be given freely on every favour- 

 able opportunity, for unless they can be rather freely exposed 

 to air their foliage is soon attacked and disfigured by mildew, 

 especially if the plants are bushy and well grown. See also 

 that they are kept well watered at the root. Use fire heat only 

 when absolutely necessary either to prevent the temperature 

 from falling too low or to dry the atmosphere. If Geraniums, 

 Cinerarias, and Calceolarias must be wintered in the same 

 house with Heaths and other hardwooded plants, they should 

 be kept as much as possible by themselves, as they will require 

 a somewhat closer temperature than hardwooded plants. The 

 bulbs of the various Japan Lilies should now be shaken out 

 and repotted in pots of a size to correspond with their strength. 

 This beautiful family of plants delights in a good holding 

 fibi-oua loam with a portion of coarse, clean, sharp sand, 

 and a good supply of charcoal intermixed ; the pots to be 

 well drained, and a good portion of rnbbly charcoal laid over 

 the drainage. The bulbs only require to be just covered, 

 while the pots in the first place should be only two-thirds 

 filled, for as the plants put forth abundance of roots for 2 or 

 3 inches up the stem, they may be considerably assisted 

 by earthing-up in spring. Eoses for early forcing should be 

 pruned by this time, and placed where they will, at least, be 

 safe from heavy rains. Where American and other shrubs are 

 used for forcing, they should be taken up and potted without 

 delay, placing them in a cool pit until they are wanted for 

 forcing, or in a turf pit, where they can be protected from 

 severe weather by straw mats, shutters, or other covering. — 

 W. Keane. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST "WEEK. 



KITCHEN GAEDEN. 



CauUJlowers. — As yet we have found the mode of protection 

 described as given to banks and borders of plants in the open 

 garden effectual, so that fins heads have been gathered, and 

 none^that received the.proteotion have as yet suffered. Much, 



