March 33, 1871. 



JOtJENAL OP HOETICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENEK. 



23^ 



damaging mirks, is the trial of lifa whioh meets those who 

 would avoid that greatest trial — the usiug and managing of 

 domeatie servants in America. The whole world of American 

 housB-mistresaes has been excited by the accounts given by 

 their aisters in California, of the docility and aptness of the 

 Chinese who have been crossing the Pacific to Sin Francisco 

 in search of better wages. These Chinamen are reported to do 

 washing, ironing, sewing, baking, ct id omms, with a neatness 

 and quietneas that ia in strong contrast with the ways of stormy 

 uncertain Bridget or clumsy Gretchen. Whether these Chinese 

 will make gardeners does not yet appear, but it is likely that 

 they will. The negroes do nothing of that kind, but rough 

 slow hoeing. They have no taste for tidying up. Litter and 

 flauntiness are their states of Sunday perfection. 



Gardeners in America have generally too hard a position to 

 be long endured where independent ownership of laud is so 

 easily attainable. Where a gardener can be afiorded there are 

 horses. The gardener must attend to the stable, and at times 

 be coachman ; between this and the kitchen and the sun he is 

 well sweated. The sun brings up rapid weeds, and drinks away 

 moisture to a degree most afflicting to a gardener. It even 

 affects the temper of the parlour, and thus reacts on him ; for 

 there is naturally far less of that real gentleness and gracious 

 benignity among the wealthy of America than among the old 

 and true noblesse. The States now swarm with nouveaux riches, 

 who do not lose their push and petulance, when they have built 

 up an establiahment with some of their war-gotten wealth. The 

 management of this establishment is usually found too harass- 

 ing, and as a resource, hotel-boarding is tried. This hotel 

 system ignores gardening almost altogether, and it is a great 

 misfortune that circumstances should have rendered it so popu- 

 lar as it is among the monied families of America. It culti- 

 vates in-door comfort, convenience, and splendour to a superb 

 perfection ; but out-door embellishment is nothing but a path, 

 and sometimes a shade tree, and a surrounding wild. The cli- 

 mate has much to do with tliis. Both the blazing heat of sum- 

 mer, and the piercing cold and deep snow of winter check out- 

 door enjoyments daring much of the year. All this helps to 

 continue, and even aggravate the raw, broken, scattered ap- 

 pearance of every road and field, excepting some well-kept 

 private grounds and public parks — little oases in a vast desert. 

 This littery tumbling appearance of things, and the more or 

 leas burnt condition of everything that ia green in June, and 

 often only in June, is more pictureaque than pretty, and very 

 nncomfortable-looking to one accustomed to value tidiness. — 

 Pennsylvania. 



FRUITERERS' COMPANY. 



Fkoii the " City of London Directory " we learn the follow- 

 ing particulars respecting this Company ; — 



Charters. — James I. upon a petition being presented to him, 

 granted this Company Letters Patent of Incorporation, January 

 9th, 1606, in the third year of his reign. Be-incorporated by 

 2ad James II. June 19th, 1686, but this was in the next reign 

 annulled. Bye-laws for their guidance were allowed by the 

 Lord Keeper and Chief Justices, April 7th, 1759. 



Arim. — Azure : on a mount in base vert, the tree of Paradise 

 environed with the serpent between Adam and Eve, all proper. 

 Motto: " Arbor Vilaa Christus, Fructus perFidem Guatamus." 



Fees Payable. — Upon taking up the freedom : by patrimony 

 or servitude, £i lOs. ; by purchase, £7 7(;.— Upon admission of 

 the livery, £20. — Upon election to the court, £1 lis. 



Charities. — Mr. Bedford left £5, the interest to be distributed 

 to the poor of the Company. 



James Frankland gave by will, the 30th November, 1826, 

 £100 in trust, the interest to be given to the poor of the Com- 

 pany, on the 25 th of January in each year. 



WORK FOR THE WEEK. 



KITCHEN OAEDEN. 



Let the Asparagus beds be well forked over if not previously 

 done. Aa soon as completed throw a thin sprinkling of salt 

 over them, and dig into the alleys as much raw manure, leaves, 

 or weeds as can be spared. This plant feeds more by the 

 extreme points of the roots than at the surface. Continue to 

 plant out the strongest of the Caulifloicers kept through the 

 winter. Those which have been brought on under hand-lights 

 will be sufficiently advanced to be benefited by the application 

 of liquid manure to keep them in a free-growing state, other- 

 wise we may expect some of them to button. Take care that 



the slugs do not devour the Horn Carrots; strew over them 

 sharp sand, ashes, new sawdust. &3., once or twice a-week. 

 Sow a nice Celery bed for the latest crop. Raise it high, dig it 

 deeply, and then spr.';ad on it 3 inches in depth of rotten ma- 

 nure. On this sow the seeds, previously soaked for three hours 

 in tepid water, and cover them with finely-riddled stiff loam to 

 a depth equal to the thickness of a halfcrown. Sow succession 

 crops of Peas and Beans ; the Marrows are ia the estimation of 

 many the best summer Peas, but the sorts must in a great 

 measure depend on the taste of those for whom they are grown. 

 Lot all Potatj planting be finished by the middle of the month. 

 Another sowing of Brussels Si>roiUs, Savotjs, Scotch Kale, and 

 Broccoli may bo put in about the middle of the month, like- 

 wise a succession of Horn Carrots, Lettuces, and liadishes aa 

 soou aa the last-so vn crop is above ground. Sow a little 

 Eed Beet, but not much, as the chances are that it will run 

 to seed. 



FKUIT GAEDEN. 



The disbudding of Peaches and Apricots must be commenced 

 forthwith by removing all the foreright wood shoots, and a 

 portion of those on the lower side of each shoot. Keep a sharp 

 look-out for the aphis on the young shoots. After high winds 

 fresh-planted trees in the open quarters should be finally looked 

 over, and the earth pressed firmly around them. As the trees 

 advance iu age and acquire a full complement of wood and cir- 

 cumference according to the space allotted to them, it will bo 

 found necessary to pursue the system of disbudding with still 

 greater severity, in order that the tree may be maintained in a 

 healthy fruit-bearing condition, and not bo weakened by crowd- 

 ing with too much wood. With this object in view, we must 

 encoruage only the young shoots nearest the base of the fruit- 

 bearing shoot, but as the terminal shoot will be necessary for 

 the proper maturation of the fruit, it must be closely stopped 

 at the last thinning, and any attempt at growth afterwards 

 must be carefully removed so as not to injure the leaves. The 

 Strawberries break very slowly this spring. A rigorous winter, 

 is always a most serious meddler with the Strawberry beds. I 

 have no doubt the impolicy of mowing or olose-dresaiug Straw- 

 berries ia the autumn will thia spring be rendered apparent. 

 Those who posaess strong young plants of the Elton, by re- 

 moving them now to a half-ahady bank, perhaps on the north 

 side of a garden wall on elevated ground, may with a little 

 attention secure a good crop in August and September. 



FLOWEK GAEDEN. 



Commence in earnest with mowing, and cut down closely, 

 grass will mow better all the season afterwards. Finish edging 

 walks, clip Box edgings. Plant Gladioluses and Ferrari*?. 

 Plant evergreen shrubs if you are obliged, and if so, take care 

 to preserve every fibre carefully. Have great balls of earth 

 and holes dug much larger than the ball will fit into, attend 

 well to watering, and fix the stakes to prevent the injurious 

 effect of the plants being wind-waved. With Auriculas it will 

 be necessary as the trusses rise to thin out the pips that are 

 too crowded, selecting those where distinguishable which are 

 malformed or injured. The plants will be benefited by an 

 occasional application of liquid manure. Persevere in stirring 

 the surface of beds after watering or heavy rains. Propagate 

 Pduaies for succession, and fill-up vacancies that occur in the 

 beds, as the Pansy frequently diea-ofi before the grower is 

 aware that it is diseased, 



GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. 



Specimen plants, whether for exhibition or not, should have 

 very particular attention from this period forward. Those 

 which have not had their final shift and require it should re- 

 ceive a liberal one, using much lumpy charcoal and coarso 

 crocks in the bottom, taking care also that the drainage which 

 covers the hole is hollow and well protected. Attend very fre- 

 quently to trellis climbers, stopping, training, and arranging 

 their shoots. Look well after Azaleas for next year's flowering ; 

 use heat liberally to bring their growth forward, and if any 

 over-luxuriant shoots arise pinch them directly. In ehifling 

 drain thoroughly ; use chiefly a sharp sandy peat, heath soil, 

 and much charcoal of the size of peas. A few of the young 

 shoots thinned out from the Pelargoniums ahould be put out for 

 cuttings ; these will flower in September and October. Follow 

 up successions of Aohimenes, and draw out, examine, or repot 

 all resting roots, such as Begonias, Erythrinis, Oxahs, Lache- 

 nalias, &c. In the mixed greenhouse remove such plants as 

 have paased their flowering season, pruning them back and re- 

 turning them to the store pit. Large plants of Brugmansias 

 that have been kept dry and resting through the winter should 



