121 



JOURNAL OF HOETICULTUEE AKD COTTAGE GAEDENEB. 



[ February 16, 1871. 



oalled " New England's Earities," gave a list of twenty-two 

 plants which the author considered had sprung np since the 

 English had kept cattle in New England. The author mentions 

 the Plantain, which, he says, the Indians call the " English- 

 man's foot," as though produced by the tread of the white 

 settlers. The comnaon Tellow Toad Flas, it is stated, was 

 originally introduced into the province of Pennsylvania as a 

 garden flower by a Mr. Eanstead, a TVelshman, residing in 

 Philadelphia, from whom it has derived the name of Eanstead 

 ■weed. In 1738 this weed had overrun the pastures in the in- 

 habited part of Pennsylvania, and was the cause of bitter com- 

 plaints from the agriculturists of that day. Chickweed, it is 

 stated, was introduced in South Carolina as food for canary 

 birds, and in ten years spread for upwards of fifty miles, and 

 now occupies the outposts of civilisation. The Scotch Thistle 

 is said to have been brought to America by a clergyman who 

 carried with him a bed stuffed with Thistle down, in which 

 ■some seed remained. Feathers being cheap in the new country 

 were substituted for the down, which was soon emptied out, 

 and the seed springing up filled the country with Thistles. 

 Another account says some enthusiastic Scot introduced the 

 Thistle as an emblem of his country, which soon made itself at 

 home and became a nuisance." We do not know whether our 

 American cousins will add to their Alabama claims a claim for 

 compensation for the intrusion of weeds, but, it they do, we 

 liope our Government will plead as a full set-off the introduc- 

 tion of that unconquerable Anerican aquatic weed, Anacharis 

 alsinastrnm, which is filling our ponds, choking our reservoirs 

 and hampering our water-wheels. — Eds.] 



DEATH OF VINES UNEXPLAINED. 



Srx of my Tines are quite dead. There were thirteen in tbe house, 

 all healthy flourishing canes last year, and seven are so still. They 

 are side by side, and all treated exactly alike. They were all pruned 

 as usual and dressed the same as in other years. From half to three- 

 quarters of a pound of tobacco paper, 2 ozs. of Gishnrst compound, a 

 little sulphur, and a little soot and lime were all boUed-ap together, 

 .and stood two days and two nights. I dressed the Tines twice, also a 

 late vinery and Peach house. I covered-up the border at twice fearhig 

 it would heat, and started the Tines on the 1st of January, when I 

 found the result I have mentioned. I have well examined the roots 

 and find they are quite alive and fuU of sap. The Tines are quite a 

 mystery to me and all my fellow gardeners. — A Co^■3TA^-T Eeadee. 



[A number of years ago we chronicled how Tines and Peaches in a 

 large place were nearly killed, and no reason could be assigned except 

 the dressing. We can think of nothing else. The boiling of materials 

 makes a great difference, and if the wood were unequally ripened, we 

 should not be surprised. "What say our readers ? If the roots had 

 not been examined, we might have eiven that for a reason. — Eds.1 



BABBITS AND APPLE TREES. 



Do cordon Apple trees breed rabbits, as the barnacle, aeeord- 

 ang to our ancient mariners, did barnacle geese ? I begin to 

 think so, for till the frost and snow last Christmas I saw no 

 rabbits ; but then came the storm of snow and rabbits, their 

 traces like as if a multitude had spent the night near my 

 Apple trees. They commenced operations by biting ofi all the 

 buds — the frost some 12' or 14'. The next operation was 

 taking ofl' the bark from the young shoots ; then came 20° to 

 :26° of frost, and all the shoots were eaten and the stems 

 barked, so that my trees were skeletons. I believe myself to 

 be a victim to fine writing, for I think I read in your columns 

 (no, it must have been iu some other periodical), that cordon 

 Apple trees would make a fortune for a market gardener if 

 properly trained. I had had some planted iu my walled garden 

 ■for two or three years, and, although they had not borne abun- 

 dantly, yet they gave me fine fruit, and looked pretty when in 

 bloom ; but this market-garden business awoke me as from 

 -a sleep, and so the last two years I planted cordons rather ex- 

 tensively, and now, when just on the point of reaping the fruits 

 of my labour, the rabbits are before me. 



I could not protect without a large quantity of bushes or 

 straw, and the cosmetics — painting, with the usual odorous 

 compounds— I found not of the slightest use. The only safe 

 method of growing cordon Apple trees is in a walled garden, 

 for if fenced with wire, rabbits burrow under the fence, unless 

 the lower portion is buried. It is very remarkable to find iu 

 severe weather the great love for Apple trees shown by hares 

 and rabbits. Some old men have told methat hares have been 

 traced in the snow three miles and upwards from a preserve to 

 ■a garden. I quite credit this, for whereas I had not seen a 



hare till the 22nd of last December, I was astounded to see 

 their numerous traces from that period. If anyone wishes to 

 see rabbits and hares by moonlight in severe weather, he 

 should plant cordon Apple trees in an nnfenced garden. — A 

 Eabeii Yiciiir. 



WORK FOR THE "S\T3EK. 



KIICKEN GAEBEN. 



CosiiKUE the prep iration of ground for crops in general, 

 but beware of carrying it on when the soil is wet ; better be a 

 fortnight late with any crop. Where the soil of the kitchen 

 garden is light and sandy it is best dug or trenched some 

 weeks before it is wanted for certain crops, especially Broad 

 Beans, which like a firm hold of the soil. Give all Asparagus 

 beds a slight salting ; this should be done after soiling, the 

 rains will carry the salt down. A bed of early Cabbages may 

 be sown on a warm border, also shortly some Leeks, Green Kale, 

 Savoys, and BnisseU Sprouts, for early purposes. Onions 

 should be sown as soon as possible ; choose a piece of ground 

 which has been deeply dug or trenched, and well manured, 

 throw it into beds, sow it when dry, cover thinly, and roU 

 hard, except iu the case of clayey soil. It will be well to strew 

 cinder ashes or very sharp sand amongst the stems of the 

 early Feas, as the slugs, from long confinement, will be un- 

 usually voracious this spring. Let the Parsnips be sown as 

 soon as the ground is in a fit state. Esplant all old Bos 

 edgings, and keep them for the future neatly and closely 

 clipped. Eepair all other edgings to walks, and take advantage 

 of the gravel walks being soft to turn them, and to roll them 

 firmly. Much may now be done in a day, and in a better 

 manner than when the surface is hardened by parching wind^ 

 and hot sun, and the walks will be more easily kept in good 

 condition afterwards. Keep correct memoranda of all pro- 

 ceedings, the quantity and quality of manure made use of for 

 all crops, the state of the soil when applied, and the success or 

 otherwise of the application. The knowledge how a manure 

 has acted on certain soils in other seasons, will be found use- 

 ful as a means of discovering the cause why results do not 

 always accord. 



FEUIT GAEDEN. 



I shall suppose the pruning, tying, and training of espaliers 

 and all other fruit trees has been brought to a conclusion, 

 except, perhaps, as regards a few Peaches and Nectarines, and 

 that the trees which are infested with Moss and Lichens have 

 been dressed as before recommended. It will now be very" 

 interesting to notice the daily progress of the bed which, 

 considering all matters, is seldom observed in finer condition 

 for future prospects. Every advantage must be taken of drying 

 windy days to stir and hoe the surface, and a sharp look-out 

 must be kept to prevent injury to the buds of wall trees now in 

 a forward state. Where nets or bunting cannot be procured 

 for protecting the blossom, suspend from the top of the wall to 

 the bottom of the trees a quantity of straw or hay ropes, made 

 with a few projecting loose straws ; dry fern or spruce branches 

 may be nailed over the branches of the trees with advantage, 

 Look to the Fig trees ; prune and train those requiring it. 

 tying or bending the strong shoots down, which will induce them 

 to push out a number of very short-jointed bearing shoots. 



• TLOWEK GAEDEN. 



All grass lawns should now have a thorough rolling, and all 

 turfing repairs should be completed forthwith. Where it is ab- 

 solutely necessary to cut the edges of walks, let it be done now, 

 and as soon as accomplished run a heavy roller several times 

 up and down the edges to soften the cut line. All edges should, 

 if possible, have a slight inclination towards the walk, and they 

 should only be fresh cut in consequence of irregularities in the 

 line. High-kept lawns should have a single mowing soon after 

 rolling. The severe weather we have had nearly up to the 

 present time has precluded any floricultursl operations being 

 carried forward. There never was, however, a better time for 

 collecting and forming composts, and preparing for future use, 

 by frequent turning, those which have already been made. The 

 amateur has no excuse ifjiis soil heaps have not been frozen 

 through and through during the severe weather, and the whole 

 tribe of insects and their eggs completely exterminated. Auri- 

 culas should have the decayed and decaying leaves carefully 

 removed, and, if not already applied, a top-dressing of fresh 

 compost ; a gradual increase may take place in the supply of 

 water. Carnations and Picotees in pots require to be kept clean 

 and comparatively dry, and they should have the surface of 

 the soil frequently stirred. The compost for potting them in 



