512 



JOUBNAL OF HOETICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



[ December 28, 1871. 



Belief Fund, we find that in the Department of the Seine alone 

 the number of sufferers amounts to 555, and their total loss in 

 structures and other requisites for carrying on their business, 

 and of plants, is estimated at 2,626,330 francs, or in round 

 numbers £105,000. 



The death is announced on October 10th, inNiearagua, 



of fever, of De. Beethold SEEiiiSK, one of our most enter- 

 prising travellers and naturalists. Born in Hanover in 1825, 

 Dr. Seemann was, in 18i6, appointed naturalist to H.M.S. 

 Herald, in its survey of the Pacific, during which voyage he 

 had the opportunity of exploring, more thoroughly than almost 

 any other European, the Pacific countries o! South America 

 and the Isthmus of Panama. In the same vessel he subse- 

 quently visited the Arctic regions, and the " Narrative of the 

 Voyage of H.M.S. Herald," by Sir John Eichardson and Dr. 

 Seemann, is an important contribution to the natural history 

 of previously little-known regions, the portion contributed by 

 the latter comprising an account of the flora of Western Eskimo- 

 land, North-western Mexico, the Isthmus of Panama, and the 

 island of Hong-Eong. In 1860 he was sent by the English 

 Government to the Fiji Islands, then lately acquired, and on 

 his return published two works, one containing a narrative of 

 his mission, the other, under the title of " Flora Vitiensis," a 

 history of the vegetable productions of the islands. Since 

 1864, he has been greatly interested in the mining capabilities 

 and other resources of the various states of Central America, 

 and has spent much of his time there in the interest of dlHerent 

 trading communities, and in promoting the route across the 

 Isthmus. Dr. Seemann is the author of several popular bo- 

 tanical works in German and EDg'ish, and has been since its 

 foundation, editor of the Journal of Botany. 



■ The Government is advertising the appointment, by 



open competition, of a Cleee to the Cceatoe op the Eotai. 

 Gaedessat Kew, and of a second assistant in the Heebaeiuii. 

 The salaries commence at £100 and £60 respectively, and the 

 specified age is in one case from twenty to thirty, and the other 

 from eighteen to thirty. The examinations wiU take place on 

 January 16th. — {Nature.) 



WOKE FOR THE WEEK. 



KITCHEN GAEDEN. 



The young plants of Cauliflowers in frames must be protected 

 from severe frost by covering the lights with mats, and if there 

 are any in the open borders, protect them with arched sticks 

 and mats. Lay a coating of long dung over ridges of the Celery 

 required for use, to preserve it from frost. Plant a few Garlics 

 and Shallots on a ridge, and put a sprinkling of wood ashes in 

 the drills to keep off the grubs. Ground intended for Onions 

 should be got in good condition for the March sowing. Pond 

 mud or the scrapings and sides of ditches put on the surface of 

 the ground to the depth of 4 or 5 inches, left to meliorate by the 

 frost, and pointed-in a week or two before sowing, is the best 

 of all composts for Onions. Wood ashes should be sprinkled 

 upon the surface at the time of sowing, and raked-in with the 

 seed, when the process is complete, with the exception of the 

 iioeing and weeding afterwards. 



FEUIT GAEDEN. 



Push forward pruning, nailing, tying espalier trees, and 

 such-like tedious operations as fast as the weather and circum- 

 stances wOl admit. Make a point of every week regularly ex- 

 amining all the choicer kinds of fruit, as the finest Pears are 

 almost worthless if allowed to get over-ripe before being used, 

 and the same is the case with many varieties of Apples. All 

 decaying fruit should be removed, and any of the choicer kinds 

 of Pears that do not appear to ripen properly in the fruit room, 

 should be removed to a warm, dry room for a few days. 



FLOWEE GAP.DEN. 



_ Trim up shrubbery borders for the winter, and at the same 

 time prepare places intended next summer for Hollyhocks, 

 Dahlias, &c., by deep digging, and working in plenty of good 

 rotten manure. Eeduce all coarse-growing plants by pruning, 

 to prevent them injuring others more valuable. Valuable 

 plants, as Variegated Hollies, and Ehododendrons, and what 

 are called American plants, if not growing as freely as is de- 

 sirable, would be benefited by the application of a top-dressing 

 of decayed manure or decayed leaf soil, covered with a little 

 fine soil, and worked into the ground round the ball towards 

 the extremities of the roots. American and other plants not 

 growing satisfactorily should be taken up, the ground well pre- 

 pared by a liberal addition of peat or leaf soil, and replanted. 



GEEENHOUSE AKD COKSEEVATOET. 



Valuable pot specimens of hardwooded plants may, perhaps, 

 have to be wintered in the conservatory, for many of these are 

 impatient of fire heat and a confined atmosphere, and ought, 

 therefore, to be kept as much out of the way of its influence as 

 circumstances permit. They should be placed near the glass and 

 turned partly round every week, so that portions of them may 

 be equally exposed to the light ; fresh air should be admitted 

 on every favourable opportunity, but cutting winds carefully 

 guarded agsinst. Use no more fire heat than may be indis- 

 pensable, and be careful to counteract its drying effect on the 

 atmosphere either by means of evaporating pans, or by sprink- 

 ling the borders. It is in many cases a very difficult matter to 

 maintain a sufficiently moist atmosphere without producing 

 drip, as the moisture in the house gets condensed upon the 

 glass, and unless provision is made by means of inside gutters 

 and pipes to catch the condensed moisture and carry it off, it is 

 nearly impossible in frosty weather to preserve the beauty of 

 flower for any length of time. In cases where there is no pro- 

 vision made against the condensed moisture falling upon the 

 plants, the temperature should be kept as low as may be con- 

 sistent with safety, avoiding moisture in the atmosphere as far 

 as possible wherever the glass is affected by frost. 



STOTE. 



If there is any prospect of a scarcity of bloom next May, a 

 portion of Achimenes and Gloxinias which have been longest 

 at rest, and a few Clerodendrons and Allamandas, should be 

 repotted at once, and placed in a warm part of the stove ; a 

 few plants of Eohites splendens, and Dipladenia crassinoda, 

 may also be started, but unless their wood is well ripened wood, 

 and they have been some time at rest, there will be nothing 

 gained by attempting to start them into growth at present. _ A 

 gentle bottom heat of about 80° or 85° wiU be of great service 

 to such plants by inducing a healthy root action, and if this 

 can be secured, there will be little doubt about obtaining free 

 vigorous growth. Let Ixoras and other hardwooded plants that 

 have made sufficient growth be kept rather dry at the root, in 

 order to check their growth and induce a tendency to form 

 bloom. We are careful not to allow the balls to become so 

 dry as to endanger the foliage. Be sparing in the use of fire 

 heat save in the case of plants being forced into flower or 

 growth. It is in every sense good policy to have a separate 

 house or compartment for these, as it saves fuel, avoids over- 

 driving the whole collection for the sake of a small portion, and 

 insures a more satisfactory result than can be obtained where 

 there is but one house for the whole collection of stove plants. 

 Keep a moderate heat of from 50° to 60° ; and give plenty of 

 air. Stephanotis, Allamandas, &e., may be potted and trained 

 preparatory to starting after Christmas, and the staking of all 

 specimen plants must be proceeded with as fast as poBsible. 



rOECIXG PIT. 



This is a good time at which to introduce a considerable 

 number of plants for general forcing purposes. Ehododendrons, 

 Azaleas, Persian Lilacs, Moss and Provence Eoses, Sweet Briars, 

 Honeysuckles, Kalmias, Daphnes, Ehodoras, the more ad- 

 vanced Hyacinihs, Narcissus, Tulips, ta., may now be started. 

 A sweet bottom heat of 80° max., and a temperature of 65°, will 

 be necessary whatever the structure. One thing may be here 

 observed — that is, that it is vain to introduce anything unless 

 properly set for bloom. This points to the necessity of a special 

 summer's training as suggested long since. 

 COLD pus. 



Plants that have been excluded from the light and air for a 

 few days must not be too suddenly exposed, especially to cold 

 northerly winds, but should be very gradually inured to free 

 exposure. Take advantage, however, of mild days to 'give air 

 freely, and keep the plants very sparingly supplied with water 

 at the roots, so as to prevent weak sappy growth. Look fre- 

 quently over anything subject to the attacks of mildew, apply 

 sulphur the moment this pest is perceived, and see that every- 

 thing is perfectly free from insects. — W. Keajse. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST WEEK. 



KITCHES GAEDEN. 



IjIttle could be done this week, on account of the weather, 

 except" trenching. Now is the time for tree-planting, if done 

 immediately after the hole is made, as the moisture has not 

 yet affected the soil beneath, which for packing the fibrous 

 roots in should be dry. We have frequently noticed how much 

 better trees thrive when planted in moderately dry than in wet 

 cloggy soil. 



