us 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ December 7, 1871. 



o{ grubs ; the servioea^of a few rooka or seagulls, where they 

 can be secured, would be found of no inconsiderable value. 

 Sarfaoe-stirring amongst young growing crops of Cauliflowers, 

 Cahhagcs, Lettuces, &«., must be as diligently foUowed-up now 

 as in the summer when vegetation is more rapid ; indeed, 

 there is no season when these important operations can be 

 neglected with impunity. Frequent pulverisation of the soil 

 greatly cheeks the penetration of frost during winter, and the 

 evaporation of moisture in summer. The ground must never 

 be trodden on after the operation is completed. Continue to 

 take up Endive and Lettuce on dry days, and store them in a 

 dry airy shed ; tbey will keep much better there than out of 

 doors. It very severe frost comes on, proteai Celery, Parsley, 

 and late Endive for spring use. Mint, Tarragon, Burnet, Basil, 

 ,to., will require to be placed in a little heat to bring them on. 

 Plant a quantity of the Early Ashleat or some other good early 

 Potato in small pots for turning out into a pit, or into larger 

 pots, in January. The Mushroom-house will serve to sprout 

 them. The first crop of forced Rliuharh and Asjmragiis, if 

 growing under glass, should have a little air every flue day after 

 they are started ; the latter especially should be exposed to all 

 the light possible. Keep up a mild steady heat, and prepare 

 beds for second crops. Sea-lcale should be kept dark and quite 

 dry, aa it is liable to damp-off. In cutting, leave the side 

 shoots for a second crop ; remember the mnre slowly it is 

 forced the finer and more tender it will be. Give air on mild 

 days to young Caulijlowers and Lettuces under glass. A 

 sprinkling of soot now and then will keep out slugs and help 

 to improve the growth. 



FEUIT GABDEN. 



Proceed with the pruning of Pears, Apples, Plums, and 

 Cherries at all opportunitie?, taking those in the open quarters 

 first, and afterwards the espaliers and wall trees. As soon as 

 the quarters are done let the ground have a dressing of rotten 

 cow dung or fresh loam, and afterwards dig it over for the 

 winter. It the latwl is of a heavy nature leave it as rough as 

 possible. Espaliers should be looked over after pruning, the 

 stakes made good, and the trees securely tied to them. Where 

 permanent iron- wire railing is used for espaliers, a coat of 

 mineral black or anti-corrosion paint should be laid on it 

 when the wire is dry before the trees are trained. Cherries, 

 Gooseberries, and Corrants have often their buds destroyed in 

 severe weather by birds. Take the opportunity of a damp day, 

 and dust the shoots with a mixture of dry soot and quicklime 

 suffieiently to cover the buds. Two or three dustings during 

 the winter will in a great measure prevent the ravages of these 

 pests. 



JLOWKK GABDEN. 



Beds of the choice kinds of Lilies and Cape bulbs should 

 have a covering of sawdust or leaf mould to exclude frost. 

 R)ses maybe planted wherever the ground will permit, and 

 pruning the more hardy and common sorts may be commenced. 

 Let the shriibbery borders after they are cleaned from leaves, 

 &.;., be forked over for the winter; the leaves and rubbish of 

 each year should be preserved in a by place to rot, and should 

 be spread over the ground for a dressing before they are 

 forked over. L^t the gravel walks be well rolled before frost 

 comes CD. 



GEEENHOnSK AND CONSEKVATOEY. 



The conservatory should now be kept as gay as the limited 

 number of plants in bloom at this season will permit. Remove 

 Chrysanthemums as their flowers fade, so as to make room for 

 other subjects. The earliest-started Camellias and Epacrisea 

 will be advancing into bloom, also the useful Erica hyemalis 

 and Wilmoreana, Oranges and Daphnes should be introduced 

 as they show bloom. Their fragrance is very desirable at this 

 season. Neapolitan Violets, Mignonette, Cyolamen persicum, 

 and the moat forward of the Roman Narcissuses will assist in 

 making the house agreeable till the more showy forced plants 

 come into flower. Let the borders be frequently stirred, and 

 raked over to preserve a fresh appearance, and attend to the 

 greatest cleanliness in every part. The night temperature may 

 stand at 45°, and range up to GO' on sunny days. Let the 

 ventilation be regular, avoiding currents of cold air. To obtain 

 as much light as possible the climbera under the roof may 

 again be reduced and tied closer together, washing the glass at 

 the same time if necessary. Where stove plants are largely 

 grown there will be a considerable number at this season 

 which, alter flowering and ripening their wood, will require to 

 be wintered in a moderate and dry temperature. It the col- 

 lection is extensive there should be a house devoted to this 

 purpose ; and as light is not essential to plants at rest, it might 



have a north aspect, where it would prove equally useful in the 

 summer, either for retarding plants in bloom or for growing 

 such tender-leaved plants as are injured by exposure to the 

 direct rays of the sun. Where such accommodation does not 

 exist, late vineries will answer for keeping Clerodendrons, AUa- 

 mandas, Jasticias, &d., while in a dormant state, as well aa 

 Hedychiums, Alpinias, Gesneras, and similar plants. The fire 

 heat required to preserve the Grapes will generally prove snfii- 

 eient, unless during frost, when a little extra heat should be 

 put on to keep the thermometer at not less than 45°. The woody 

 plants should be watered very sparingly, but the bulbous-rooted 

 and herbaceous sorts may be allowed to get nearly dry. la the 

 mixed greenhouse, see that the young stock of Heliotropes, 

 Siarlet Pelargoniums, Persian Cyclamens, and other flowers 

 grown especially for winter have light situations, and regular 

 attention as regards watering. Lst Ericas have close attention 

 in watering if they stand unfortunately near flues or pipes 

 that may become suddenly very dry. Keep up a quiet ven- 

 tilation day and night if possible ; let the air steal in mo- 

 derately, and dispense with strong fires, or, indeed, fires of any 

 kind when the temperature can be kept within proper limits. 



FORCISG-PIT. 



This is a good time to introduce the following plants, pro- 

 vided, aa before observed, they have received the necessary 

 treatment during the summer — Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Per- 

 sian Lilacs, Perpetual Roses, Sweet Briar, Moss and Provence 

 Roses, Ledums, Kalmias, A.nno Bjlejn Pinks, Wallflowers, 

 Sweet Williams, and Dutch bulbs. As soon as the more for- 

 ward are moved into warmer houses or the conseivatory, fill 

 up the spare room with a fresh supply, so aa to keep up a 

 regular succession. If fire heat is employed be very moderate 

 in its application to plants recently brought in. 



PITS AND FRAIIES. 



If former directions have been carried out the plants in 

 these structures will have a dwarf and robust growth, well fitted 

 to bear deprivation of light for some time if severe weather 

 should come. Damp has accumulated very much of late owing 

 to the dense fogs with which we have been visited. It may be 

 removed by giving air at the front and back on sunny days, but 

 where the pits are heated with flues, a dry atmosphere may be 

 obtained by putting on slight fires, and at the same time allow- 

 ing a free circulation amongst the plants. — W. Keahe, 



DOINGS OF THE LAST WEEK. 



KITCHEN GAKDEN. 



Protecting. — The very changeable character of the weather 

 rendered protection all the more necessary, for sometimes an 

 hour will do much harm, as in the case of the sharp frost a 

 little before daybreak on the morning of the 2nd inst. after the 

 mild evening of the Ist. Where neatness is not a special ob- 

 ject, nothing is better than dry litter for keeping out frost. 

 For efficiency and cleanliness combined, a clean open material 

 to go over the glass or plants, and then a waterproof covering 

 over all, will be the best means of protection. If made to fit 

 closely, though a little expensive at first, nothing is better 

 than light wooden shutters, painted, tarred, or pitched, and 

 thoroughly dried previous to use. 



We used to do much with straw frames neatly made, even 

 when mats were not much above half of the present price, but 

 employing the steam engine for threshing renders the straw 

 not fit for making the best work. We do not think that a 

 straw cover made with threshed straw is halt so good and 

 lasting as one made from drawn straw, and the heads of wheat 

 then out from the straw. Each straw then consisted of a 

 number of perfect unbroken tubes. Threshed straw ia more 

 or less broken, and every tube becomes a receptacle for 

 moisture, making each cover more heavy and unwieldy, and 

 less useful as it becomes wet. We are sure that straw covers 

 would be exceedingly useful it the straw could be drawn before 

 it was threshed. Where many men are employed, making 

 straw mats neatly gave plenty of work in wet weather. Straw 

 mats are likewise very useful, and lasting too, if, when done 

 with and dry, they can be put away where mice and rats will 

 not burrow in them. We like good wheat straw better than 

 reedafor covers. At first when we used to make covers we had 

 three longitudinal pieces the length of the sash, placed go aa 

 to take in the width, and a piece across at each end, then orosa 

 pieces every 12 or 15 inches apart. The frame being reversed, 

 the straw was packed neatly in, and then other cross pieces 

 about 2 inches wide placed opposite the under ones, and nailed 



