March 9, 1871. ] 



JOUENAL OF HOKTICULTUKE AND COTTAGE GAKDENEK. 



183 



;ance for sliortcomings when there is a seen cause of failure, hat to 

 forget all ahont the couseqnencea when these causes cease to he so 

 conspicuously perceptible. I know that in many cases when the re- 

 ^freshing showers of last autumn came it was expected that the usual 

 results in autumn produce would be forthcoming, altogether ignoring 

 the dryness and the want of water power in summer. There are 

 plenty of employers who will sympathise with the f;ardener in the loss 

 of Cabbages and Broccoli from frost, but they will be apt to forget the 

 frost in the fine sunny days of April and May, and perhaps grumble 

 over the want of the accustomed supply. No gardener can at once 

 make up the deficiency, but if wise he will try every means to let it be 

 felt as little as possible. Of one thing he may rest assured, that when 

 fine weather comes the effects of the frost will be little considered. 

 The fine-weather produce will be eagerly looked for, and he must try 

 by every means not to allow wants to be felt.' — R. F. 



NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 

 The public will hail with satisfaction the appointment of 

 Mr. Gibson as the Supeeintendent of Hyde Paek and Ken- 

 sington Gaedens, in both of which, and especially the latter, 

 there is much room for the exercise of Mr. Gibson's well- 

 known taste in garden design and his skill as a cultivator. His 

 new position will afford a fresh field and a greater scope than 

 Battersea Park, which has rendered his name world-famous. 

 The superintendence of Batteesea Paek, we understand, falls 

 to Mr. Roger, late of Berry Hill, Maidenhead, and that of 

 Victoria Paek to Mr. Macintyre, formerly of Kew. 



WORK FOR THE WEEK. 



KITCHEN GAEDEN. 



As the land becomes dry turn back with the fork the plot 

 intended for Carrots, that it may become pulverised and open 

 before sowing. The most profitable Carrots for small families 

 are the Scarlet Short Horn and the Short Orange ; a few ol the 

 Long Ked may be added, as they keep somewhat better. Pre- 

 pare a sheltered border for sowing a small crop of Cauliflowers, 

 Cabhages, Brussels Sprouts, Savoys, and Leeks. To have the 

 Leeks fine, sow under glass in a little heat, and afterwards 

 prick out. Also, as the ground becomes dry, tarn back with a 

 fork the plot intended for Onions, preparatory to sowing as pre- 

 viously advised. The most useful kinds of Onions for general 

 purposes are the White Spanish or Portugal, Strasburg, or 

 White Globe, with a few of James's Keeping for late use. 

 Underground Onions are useful for affording bulbs till the 

 general crop is ready, and the true Silverskin for pickling. 

 The autumn-sown plants should now be transferred to a warm 

 rich border to furnish an early supply, likewise a few of the 

 smallest bulbs of last year for the same purpose. Parsley and 

 Winter Spinach will be much improved by a dressing of soot 

 on the first wet day. Protect the crowns of Rhubarb, particu- 

 larly the early kinds, by straw placed over them. Sea-kale in 

 the open ground should be earthed-up to blanch. When the 

 soil is sandy and light it may serve, but should be broken down 

 fine before placing it over the crowns, that the heads may not 

 grow crooked. On heavy soils old tan, decayed leaves, or coal 

 ashes are useful substitutes for blanching. 



FEUIT GAEDEN. 



Presuming that the pruning, training, &c., of trees and fruit 

 Pushes is now complete and the ground properly forked over 

 between them, attention should be directed to the Strawberry 

 plantations, which generally appear to have suffered severely. 

 The beds should be cleared of weeds, and a dressing of rotten 

 manure spread between the rows ; it may afterwards be forked 

 in very lightly, so as not to injure the roots. In doing this 

 spread a little soil up to the crowns of the plants ; doing so 

 will assist the growth of new surface roots. Last season's 

 runners shorald be gone over, and those which have been thrown 

 out by the action of the frost should be made firm in the soil. 

 Afterwards mulch the surface. Last season's leaves, although 

 turned brown, should remain on the old plants for some time, 

 in order to protect the new growth from cutting winds and 

 frost. Apricots, Peaches, &o., if not previously covered, should 

 have the protecting material put on, quite as much for the 

 present to retard the opening of the flowers as afterwards to 

 protect them from frost. The longer the opening of the flowers 

 can be kept back the greater the chance of a crop. 



FLOWEK GAEDEN. 



The mixed or picturesque styles of gardening being those 

 most generally adopted in places of moderate extent and for 

 situations where a more formal style would not harmonise with 

 other objects, herbaceous plants should always form a principal 



feature in gardens of the above description, and especially 

 where the proprietor is resident the greater part of the year. 

 To those who have hitherto grown only the usual bedding-out 

 plants and annuals, and who have te wait till midsummer for 

 a display of flowers, it is recommended that they procure a 

 selection of the more showy Delphiniums, Campanulas, Phloxes, 

 Dianthuses, and other ornamental herbaceous plants, Lilinms, 

 ifce. ; for planting among shrubs in borders, and for mixed beds, 

 they are invaluable, while the fact of their affording a succes- 

 sion of bloom from early spring almost to Christmas ought to 

 obtain for them a more general introduction, particularly where 

 cut flowers and a continuous show of blossom are essential. 

 The improvement in habit and colour which is annually taking 

 place in the above and other genera of herbaceous plants ie 

 an additional inducement for growing them. A few annuals, 

 including German Ten-week Stocks, may be sown in pots 

 thinly for transplanting in the open borders in April for an 

 early bloom, more especially as many autumn-sown annuals will 

 have perished. Any Anemones yet remaining out of the ground 

 should be planted, and the same direction will serve for any 

 other bulbs yet unplanted. 



GEEENHOUSE AND CONSEEVATOEY. 



The earliest started hybrid Hhododendrons and Azaleas, if 

 now opening their flowers, should be placed in the conservatory, 

 where they will add much towards making the house more than 

 usually gay by the large masses of colour which good specimens 

 of these showy plants present. During the period of blossom 

 they must not be allowed to suffer from want of water, as the 

 flowers always droop when such is the case. To make room 

 for the above and other forced plants, any Camellias in pots 

 which are going out of bloom may be removed to a cool house 

 to rest. Keep up a supply of the various kinds of Roses, Lilacs, 

 Weigelas, and the general stock of forced shrubs and bulbous 

 plants. Those useful spring-flowering plants are equally valu- . 

 able for out flowers as for show. In addition, do not forget to 

 have a large share of scented plants, as forced Sweet Briar, 

 Aloysia citriodora, Oranges, Daphnes, Mignonette, and Violets, 

 plants which are always in request. The weather having be- 

 come milder, fire heat may be dispensed with for hardwooded 

 greenhouse plants, unless the night temperature falls below 35°, 

 At this time, however, and for a few weeks, let the necessary 

 waterings and cleaning be done sufficiently early in the day for 

 the air of the house to become dry before evening, when less 

 danger will arise to the plants by a low night temperature than 

 when they are exposed to it surrounded by a damp atmosphere. 

 Pelargoniums, Calceolarias, and similar plants of soft growth 

 should be kept in a night temperature of 45°, which may be 

 increased a few degrees if the plants are wanted to bloom early. 

 Keep them near the glass, and at a sufficient distance apart to 

 admit the light freely to their lower leaves, which otherwise 

 will turn sickly and fall off. 



STOVE. 



Stove plants which have been pruned-in and have made a 

 few inches of new wood should be potted. Large specimens of 

 Clerodendrons, AUamandas, Vincas, &c., should be partly 

 shaken out and moderately disrco'ed. After potting plunge in 

 a mild bottom heat, and syringe frequently to promote a 

 healthy growth. Water must only be moderately supplied to 

 recently potted plants until they become established. Let the 

 night temperature be 65°, with an increase of from 10° to 15° 

 on bright days. Although the shifting and fresh dressing of 

 the general stock of Orchids will in most cases be completed, 

 yet when the stock is extensive and contains a number c{ 

 duplicates they should not all be started at the same time, as 

 it is more desirable to have a succession of plants for blooming 

 than a glut at one season, unless special reasons sanction a 

 contrary practice. As this tribe is now mostly commencing 

 growth, a gradual increase of temperature, accompanied with 

 atmospheric moisture, should take place to encourage the 

 utmost development of the present season's growth. Care 

 must be taken that at this critical period of their growth the 

 young shoots are neither rotted off by water being allowed to 

 lodge round them, nor destroyed by slugs or insests. The 

 latter should be trapped, and a nightly examination be made 

 by candlelight for the former till a riddance be effected. — W. 

 Keane. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST WEEK 

 Another glorious week — enough to make the heart of the 

 seed-sower rejoice, for never did we see ground in better con- 

 dition for sowing. We had the March dust even before March 



