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JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ December 14, 1871. 



good stock of soils most essential for the growth of various 

 plants and flowers. If leaden pegs are used for layering Car- 

 nations {and these we should always recommend in preference 

 to Bracken or Fern), a fresh stock may be prepared and the 

 old ones cleaned and straightened. If the florist can mend his 

 own hand-hghts and shades, this ought now to be done, and 

 the metallic wire which has been used for attaching the stems 

 of Carnations or Tulips to their supports, should be made 

 ready for use and stored away in its place till the returning 

 season renders it necessary. Eibbits during severe weather 

 will be apt to attack Carnations and Pinks ; it would be worth 

 while to try the plan of dipping small square pieces of cloth 

 into brimstone, tying them to sticks, and inserting the sticks in 

 the ground round the beds. 



GKEENHOTJSE AND CONSEKVATOEY. 



Camellias now swelling their flower buds will require a 

 liberal supply of water. When they are planted out in the 

 open border of a conservatory, regard should be paid to 

 their state of moisture. If any signs of overdrynees be ap- 

 parent, get the soil forked-up as deeply as the situation of 

 the roots will permit, and give Ihem a good soaking of soft 

 or rain water. Two or three of such applications at short 

 intervals will do no harm, provided the flower buds are fast 

 swelling. The same kind of treatment may be given to many 

 plants in similar circumstances. In the greenhouse a free 

 admission of air at all times, if the weather is favourable, will 

 be advantageous, at the same time care should be taken to 

 prevent as much as possible strong currents of dry cold winds 

 from passing through the house, as they are invariably in- 

 jurious to vegetation. A few of the earliest and strongest 

 Calceolarias, Cinerarias, and Geraniums used for forcing may 

 now have their final shift, giving either 6 or 8-inch pots accord- 

 ing to the size of the plants. After potting, let the shoots of 

 the Geraniums be carefully pegged down as near as possible to 

 the rim of the pot without breaking. They will require to be 

 sparingly watered for a time, and placed as near the glass as 

 possible. The general collection of Geraniums should now be 

 stopped-back for the last time, unless required to flower very 

 late in the season. Azaleas which set their buds early, will 

 soon come into flower if placed in a warm, moist temperature, 

 and some of the early-blooming Rhododendrons require very 

 little forcing to bring them into bloom at any time after this 

 season. When, therefore, there is a good stock of these, and 

 of Ghent and other hardy Azaleas well set for bloom, a portion 

 of the plants should be placed in heat at intervals of about 

 three weeks, and as they are very showy and last long in bloom, 

 they will be invaluable. Winter-blooming plants in borders, 

 such as Acacias and Luculias, must be well supplied with water 

 at the roots, but plants which are a trest, especially deciduous 

 plants, and such as are scarcely hardy in the temperature of 

 the conservatory, cannot be kept too dry at the roots just now. 

 Kemove decaying leaves daily, and re-arrange the plants in 

 (bloom frequently. 



COLD FKAMES. 



These afford the best accommodation for the culture of 

 all greenhouse plants in summer, but unless furnished with 

 pipes, so that a little heat may be had to dry the atmosphere 

 occasionally, and also to exclude frost, they are not fit quarters 

 for many plants in winter. Plants which are impatient of 

 damp will not bear being covered and shut up in severe weather, 

 as must be done to exclude frost ; and although, in mild winters, 

 most greenhouse plants may with care be wintered in cold 

 frames, still such plants as Bjronias, Leschenaultias, Gompho- 

 lobiums, &c., should be removed to safer quarters at once. 

 Water cautiously, keeping rather on the dry side, but not to 

 excess. — W. Keane. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST WEEK. 



KITCHEN GAEDEN. 



Little has been done except wheeling-out manure, and lay- 

 ing it down in lines. A good rubbish-heap supplies valuable 

 manure, and should contain a large amount of litter and short 

 grass to make it heat well, with earth to absorb the fertilising 

 gases. A little salt is a good addition, and a little lime accele- 

 rates decomposition. It is always advisable to have several 

 rubbish-heaps, and to cover the oldest one with soil ; then leave 

 it for some time before using it. We are careful of placing in 

 it any plants or seeds which are likely to resist the influence 

 of the heat and disseminate themselves as noxious weeds. 

 Thus managed a good rubbish-heap is much better than manure 

 taken from an open exposed yard. 



Protection. — As regards protection, where there was no heat 

 to cause growth, we did not uncover even in the coldest, dullest 

 days. In some cases where litter was scarce, we broke the sur- 

 face with a light fork night and morning to prevent radiation. 

 When there was the likelihood of sunlight, frames with a little 

 heat below them were partly uncovered, and a little air given 

 at the top to dissipate condensed moisture. Protected hardy 

 plants where there is no artificial heat, should not be exposed 

 to the sun when the temperature is from 6° to 10° below the 

 freezing point on the north side of a wall. 



Cleaning Glass. — At no time when the weather is favourable 

 is clean glass more important than now. If the water is heated 

 a little the cleansing will be done all the more easily, using 

 cloths and brushes. If anything interrupts it is well to wash 

 the inside of the glass in preference to the outside, which 

 can be cleaned down without taking off the sashes. Great care 

 should also be taken not to break any glass now, and also to 

 keep it clean, as much of the success of early crops depends on 

 the transparency of the glass. 



FECIT GAEDEN. 



Preparations may be made for all kinds of planting where 

 the ground is not too hard, but planting itself cannot be safely 

 ventured upon in such frosty weather. Thinning and pruning 

 may be freely proceeded with, but if any large branches are 

 cut off it is well to daub the cut parts with clay or paint to 

 keep out the wet and prevent decay. Dwarf trees may also be 

 mulched to keep the roots near the surface, and root-pruning 

 and replanting will thus be rendered almost unnecessary. 



OBNAMENTAL DEPAETMENT. 



Locked over and tied Azaleas and other plants. We do not 

 like to see plants with more sticks than are absolutely necessary, 

 and with a little looping and a ring of wire at the base, it is 

 seldom that more than one stick is required. The right way 

 is to conceal as much of the supports as you possibly can. 

 Many plants in pits ought to be in houses, but we prefer that 

 those which are in the pits should become somewhat dry in- 

 stead of being exposed much to the air in such weather. 

 Poinsettias and Euphorbias are in their glory, and Camellias 

 opening well. Scarlet Geraniums, doubles and singles, have 

 as yet yielded a fine mass of flowers. To have them at all good 

 in the dark months, whether the plants are in 4, 6, or 10-inch 

 pots, they should not be allowed to bloom much in summer 

 and early autumn. Brought in plenty of soil for potting, so 

 that it might become mellow, as much of the future health of 

 plants and their freedom from insects will depend on the 

 warmth of the soil used for potting. When the frost goes, the 

 harvesting heaps of good soil might be proceeded with. We 

 find that by building in narrow stacks we can always have the 

 soil dry, when it is an easy matter to damp it it too dry. If 

 there is a deficiency of good fibrous soil, it is a good plan to 

 char turf at once on an iron plate or over a fire, and then 

 expose it to sweeten well before using. 



We would again remind our readers that it is better to cover 

 a little, or even to let houses and pits get 5° to 10° lower in 

 temperature in this severe weather, than give too much fire 

 heat. 01 course the plants must be kept safe, and except in 

 the case of those blooming or swelling their buds, a compara- 

 tive state of rest will be best, and if they are closer than 

 usual, should be kept cooler. We are often surprised to see 

 so large an amount of air admitted in cold weather, as we 

 believe that less air and less artificial heat would be better for 

 the plants, and they would be more able to endure and benefit 

 by a bright sun. Looked over Achimenes, Gesneras, Glox- 

 inias, Caladinms, &c., laid down in a dormant state. Now is a 

 good time to place hardy shrubs, Roses, &o.. In a gentle bottom 

 heat, beginning with but little top heat. — E. F. 



TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 



Joseph Schwartz (late J. B. Gnillot pore), Bae da Eepoa 43, a la 

 Gailloticre, Lyon. — Catalogue of Hoses, 1871-2. 



Martin & Son, Cottingham, and 7, Market Place, Hall. — Catalogue 

 of Forest, Fruit, and Ornamental Trees, Shrubs, lic. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



K'.B.-r-Many questions must remain unanswered until next 

 week. 

 Roses on their ows Roots (E. T. H.). — Roses on their own roots re- 

 quire great care for three years till their roots are strong. Ton will see 

 select lists of thirty-sis Roses in last and this week's Journil. From 

 those lists you can select with safety. The easiest way to obtain Roses 

 on their own roots is to buy them on the Manetti stock and cover the 



