202 



JOUENAL OF HOBTICULTUKB AND COTTAGE GAEDEXEK. 



[ llirch 16, 1871. 



generally too lofty and too warm for them ; but some of the 

 ■winter-fiowering varieties are very ornamental, and should be 

 largely employed in their decoration during the spring months. 

 As soon as they have ceased flowering let them be pruned 

 back, and give them a libera! shift vrhen they start into growth, 

 rising good fibrous peat, and if they be well attended to during 

 •the growing season they will overcome any injury they may 

 sustain through occupying an unsuitable position while in 

 bloom. Azaleas, Camellias, Eoses, early-flowering New Holland 

 f)lants, and forced bulbs will keep show houses gay for some 

 time yet. Lst all plants be placed in the besi possible position 

 as regards effect, and aim at maintaining a pleasing uniformity 

 ■of arrangement, and displaying the colours to the greatest ad- 

 vantage. Pick off decaying flowers and leaves, and endeavour 

 to continually replace shabby plants with others in full beauty. 

 Sprinkle the surface of the beds frequently, so as to assist in 

 keeping the atmosphere moist, and see that the subsoil is 

 in a uniformly moist condition. Watch for insects, and at- 

 tack them as soon as they are perceived, which is the only way 

 of preventing them from doing mischief. Continue to remove 

 into heat those Camellias which have finished flowering. Cut 

 them well back if in a healthy condition. Shift in due time 

 •all those that require it. Apply the engine or syringe rather 

 ■freely once or twice a-day, regulating these matters according 

 to atmospheric influence. Apply clear liquid manure to healthy- 

 growing plants. "What plants are more beautiful than robust, 

 healthy Camellias with dark green foliage, and producing their 

 ieautifnl Eose-shaped flowers as large as Dahlias, of many 

 tints, and flowering in succession for sis months of the most 

 •dreary part of the year ? In some large establishments they 

 are to be had in bloom in succession from early in October 

 until the first week in April. Some of the earliest plants have 

 aow made or finished their growth, and are well set with flower 

 iuds ; let them now be placed to rest in a suitable structure, 

 where they should be very carefully watered for some time, and 

 "when hardened let them be set in a northern aspect during 

 the heat of summer. Another batch will be now in the midst 

 of their season's growth, and shoi;ld have heat, humidity, 

 and food in the shape of good manure water, regulated in 

 strength according to their size, strength, and constitution. 

 S'repare now for favourable opportunities of applying the 

 engiue freely to Orange trees ; look well after the green fly, 

 which these noble plants are likely to be affected with at this 

 ■ season when making their new growth. Fumigations of to- 

 bacco and good washings with the engine, together with top- 

 dressings oJ healthy soil and charcoal, and a sufficiency of 

 ■clarified manure water, are the principal means of keeping clear 

 of blights and pests of this kind. 



STOVE. 



Proceed with the repotting of such plants as require a shift, 

 and pay all necessary attention to those in active growth. To 

 secure short-jointed wood, keep np a vigorous root-action, and 

 let the plants occupy a place as close to the glass as possible. 

 'Specimens started early may require re-arrangement. Isoras, 

 Clerodendrons, and Allamandas that have become well-rooted 

 will be greatly benefited by a careful supply of manure water, 

 but see that it is used in a tepid state, and not overstrong. 

 Xook sharply after mealy bug and thrips, for if these are 

 allowed to establish themselves at this season they will furnish 

 plenty of work for leisure hours during the summer. Increase 

 •the amount of water supplied to Orchids on blocks or in baskets, 

 and keep up a very moderate fire, in preference to shading, for 

 another fortnight. 



FOEGKG PIT. 



Continue to remove forced flowers the moment a bud begins 

 to open. Stop the barren shoots of Perpetual Eoses ; these 

 Tob the blossom bads. Take care that no plant suft'ers from 

 want of water. This pit, as well as the houses, should be ex- 

 amined daily. Increase atmospheric moisture considerably, 

 and syringe on most afternoons. — TV. Keaxe. 



DOINGS OP THE LAST W^EK. 



EITCKES GAP.DES. 



A VERT variable week of calms and gales, sunshine and shade, 

 and frosty mornings, followed by others with a temperature of 

 30', therefore requiring from the gardener constant watchful- 

 ness. 



Sea-Tcale. — To avoid lifting more root? we covered some beds 

 with sifted ashes to the depth of C or 7 inches, and then with 

 litter, and placed dung and leaves in the trenches between. As 

 soon as the Kale peeps through the ashes it will be fit to cut 



and use ; and when the blanching and cutting are over, the 

 ashes will be placed in the trench for future use. Furnace 

 ashes sif.ted fine do very well, but if we had a choice we would 

 prefer bog earth for covering, the Kale having then a clean 

 appearance and crispness which we have never seen excelled in 

 any other mode of treatment. These beds, with two close 

 rows in each, were made for this especial purpose. 



When we grow, as we generally do, Sea-kale in rows 2 feet 

 apart, we usually cover with ashes and a pot, or a pot filled 

 with sweet hay inside, leaving a hollow space in the centre. 

 This we do when the pots are exposed without any covering 

 outside, as without the lining inside we have found the Kale 

 injured by a severe frost. When the pots are covered there is 

 no necessity for lining them inside. A thickness of 8 inches 

 or BO of sweet clean tree leaves, with a little long litter over 

 them to prevent the leaves being blown away, will blanch Sea- 

 kale well without any pots after the end of February. The 

 lengthening shoots will raise the leaves a little, and thus indi- 

 cate where to gather. We mention these simple modes, as 

 pots, however much care is taken, are always in danger of 

 being broken, and sweet clean tree leaves will enable anyone 

 to cut well-blanched Sea-kale. When no pots or boxes are 

 employed we do not like using dung for covering, as it is apt 

 to rob the Kale of some of its sweetness. 



For early forcing in winter the simplest of all modes ia to 

 raise the roots, and place them in soil in any dark place where 

 a temperature of from 50° to 60' can be maintained. If the 

 heat rises above 60° the shoots will be weaker ; 55° is about the 

 best heat for securing stumpy, white produce. 



Cueumher Beds. — We have had some made with a little dung, 

 but chiefly of tree leaves from frames. We have waited longer 

 than usual to obtain sufficient heat, owing in some degree to 

 the nature of the weather, which was not very favourable to 

 rapid fermentation. We like to have a good heat before putting 

 in the soil, and then the latter soon becomes heated. We 

 prevent anything like overheating or burning the soil by having 

 the centre of the beds the lowest, as described in previous 

 volumes. When the beds are in good condition we also prefer 

 putting in at once the whole of the soil required, instead of 

 making repeated additions by earthing-up. We have no doubt 

 that much of the unhealthiness of plants and attacks by insects 

 are owing to the checks given by adding at different times cold 

 soil, and unnecessarily exposing the plants to cold blasts in 

 the process of earthing-up. Much will be gained when the 

 principle of avoiding checks shall be more thoroughly acted 

 upon. 



The general work has been much the same as in previous 

 weeks' notices. We forwarded seedling Cabbages by pricking 

 them oft' with a little heat beneath them, so as to have them 

 of a good size before planting them out. We did the same 

 with Lettuces and Cauliflowers. Our Cauhflowers under hand- 

 lights have stood well. The only Lettuces that stood well were 

 those planted on the east and west sides of an elevated ridge 

 running north and south. The most of those even at the foot 

 of walls gave way to the alternations of wet and frost. 



EKCII DEPAETHEXT. 



We proceeded with pruning, nailing, washing, and protecting. 

 We delay pruning later than usual, so as to be more sure as 

 respects the birds and what they leave behind them. We have 

 this season been troubled less than usual. We fear the hard 

 winter has much thinned the feathered tribes, though we have 

 had a goodly number of visitants within these few days. In 

 the orchard houses, except during these gales, we give air night 

 and day, so as to keep the buds back as much as possible, as 

 the later they are in breaking the more secure they will be. 

 Some of ours are showing a httle colour, and all are freely 

 swelling their buds. In such a state the roots should not be 

 dry, neither should they be too moist. We have hurried to 

 complete tying all trees against walls, as when thus swelled the 

 buds are easily rubbed off. During a wet day we had a little 

 of the surface soU scraped off and removed, leaving the belt 

 beneath hard and firm. We shall just break that with the 

 points of a light fork, not going deeper than half an inch. This 

 will permit of water sinking more regularly. We shall add a 

 rich top-dressing, and a sprinkling of fresh soil over it, so as 

 to make all look neat and clean throughout the season. We 

 decline moving the soil to any depth among Peach and Nec- 

 tarine roots, but the mere breaking of the surface permits of 

 watering being more regularly done, and it also shows us where 

 watering is most needed. Peach and other houses were at- 

 tended to with watering, ventilation, i-o., and Strawberries in 

 bloom and swelling their fruit had weak manure water given 



