October 20, 1370. J 



JOCRNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



313 



Apricots well ripened by exposure, shortening, &c. Pat the 

 ground in order for planting all kinds of fruit trees. On cold 

 stiff soils it is advisable to plant on hillocks 1 foot or 18 inches 

 higher than the surrounding surface. The trees will not grow 

 so fast in consequence, and will require more attention in sum- 

 mer in the way of mulching, but they will form short-jointed, 

 well-ripened, fruitful wood, which is the best preventive of 

 canker, gum, fee., and will save the labour of resorting much 

 to root-pruning. 



FLOWER GARDEN. 



I would urge the necessity of taking advantage of the first 

 favourable opportunity to plant the m»iu bed of Tulips ; every 

 week that they remain implanted will be prejudicial to them, 

 though I make no doubt many will put off planting till the 

 middle of November. All bulbs which have been reduced in 

 size should bo removed from the position they hold in the best 

 bed, and be planted in a side bed to recover their strength pre- 

 vious to being reintroduced, and their place should be occupied, 

 if possible, by some other variety which will nearly correspond 

 with that taken away. The amateur must ever keep in miud 

 the necessity of preserving the uniformity of his collection. 

 After another week or ten days I would advise no one to re- 

 move Carnations : it will then be late for them, and it is so 

 important they should be well established previous to the 

 ooming winter, that no time should be lost. Auriculas must 

 be carefully preserved from heavy rain, and a watchful eye kept 

 on the surface of the pots, which will speedily indicate where 

 the drainage is bad. As the winter approachi s protection of 

 some kind should be provided for plants and shrubs of tender 

 character ; almost any material is eligible, provided it will in a 

 considerable degree throw off wet. Canopies for this purpose 

 should be so contrived as to admit of one or two sides being 

 opened at pleasure ; if only one, it is advisable to place it on 

 the north or west side, certainly not on the south side, as the 

 excitement caused by bursts of sunshine is apt to prove very 

 prejudicial. The covering or canopy should by no means be 

 allowed to touch the plant, and the greater the 3pace allowed 

 between it and the plant the better will it afford protection. 

 It is a bad practice to bundle the shoots together like a besom, 

 in order to make them occupy a more limited space ; doing so 

 may save trouble and material, but is a most injurious proceed- 

 ing. More injury is occasioned by confined damp in a majority 

 of cases than by lowness of temperature. Hoodings of straw, 

 so formed as to overlap the protecting material beneath, are 

 very good and simple protectors, and, if rightly contrived, may 

 be removed with as much facility for ventilation as the top of 

 an ordinary hand-glass. Oilcloth will also form a good pro- 

 tection if made into a kind of cone, on the sides of which a 

 small flap or two may be made to open without admitting the 

 rain. Before the application of any top covering, it is advis- 

 able that an inch or two of the surface soil around the collar 

 be removed, and replaced with dry sawdust, the newer the 

 better. This should be piled as high as the stem of the plant 

 will admit, taking care not to choke too many of the lower 

 leaves; and if the canopy is so contrived as to overlap the 

 mound, the covering will be complete. The only thing that 

 remains iB to give air at favourable opportunities, avoiding 

 cutting winds, which in all probability do more harm than the 

 frost. 



GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. 



Proceed aocording to former directions ; see that all plants 

 belonging to the conservatory are housed forthwith. Do not be 

 flattered by fine weather, such as at this period usually flatters 

 to betray ; cleanliness, free ventilation, and clever arrangement, 

 are the main points. If severe weather should occur do 

 not hesitate to use a little fire heat at times, especially where 

 many plants are blooming, as by these means a free ventilation 

 may be indulged in to expel damp and stagnant air. A mere 

 hibernatory is another thing ; in this, whether the roof be of 

 glass or opaque, free ventilation will be all that is requisite for 

 some time to come. By means of Roses, Chrysanthemums, and 

 other late-flowering plants, this structure may yet be kept gay 

 for many weeks. Supply them occasionally with manure water 

 in a clear state. It should be administered about 5° or 10° 

 warmer than the atmosphere of the house. If the water is just 

 coloured it will be sufficient. An ounce of guano with a hand- 

 ful or two of soot will make a large bucketful or canful strong 

 enough for anything, and it ought to be provided as clear as fine 

 ale. Damp and mildew are the great enemies to be guarded 

 against at present in conservatories and greenhouses, and these 

 must be sharply looked after, especially in the case of plants 

 that have not ripened their growth, and are in a rather soft state. 



If damp is troublesome it must be dispelled by means of free 

 ventilation in mild days, using a little fire heat at the same 

 time, and for mildew a dry airy atmosphere is the best pre- 

 ventive ; but the plants should be frequently examined, apply- 

 ing sulphur on the first appearance of the evil. Very little 

 water will be required at present, but the plants should be care- 

 fully looked over about twice a-week to make sure that nothing 

 is allowed to feel the want of it. If not already done get plauts 

 tied into proper form with the least possible delay, for it is 

 difficult to tie a plant so that it will not look somewhat stiff 

 and unnatural, and the sooner all this kind of work is done the 

 better the specimens will look when in bloom. 



STOVE. 



Much less moisture will suffice at this period, even for the 

 growing Orchids ; keep the temperature progressively on the 

 decline, more especially in dark weather. Ventilate freely when- 

 ever the weather will permit. 



COLD PITS AND FRAMES. 



Cold pits will now be in request. Sawdust forms a good 

 plunging material, if new and dry ; coal ashes are also very good. 

 Whatever material is employed, keep the plants within a foot 

 or so of the glass, and endeavour to keep the soil in a some- 

 what dry state. A portion of the stock of Roses, Lilacs, Honey- 

 suckles, &c, in pots, may soon be placed in a pit to have a 

 slight advance of temperature. The present is a good time 

 to procure from the nurseries or the reserve garden a supply of 

 Rhododendrons, Azaleas, and Kalmias, for forcing. Select 

 plants well set with bloom, and of the desired size. Some of 

 the hybrid scarlet Rhododendrons, as Nobleanum, and others, 

 require but little forcing, and are the best to start first. Place 

 them in as small pots as their roots can be got into without 

 injury, and set them out of the reach of frost till wanted. 

 Abundance of air and light must be admitted to these struc- 

 tures. If any of the lights afford a partial shade to the plants 

 from the accumulation of dirt, take them off and wash them 

 thoroughly without delay. Be careful to supply water only to 

 plants that require it. Remove all mouldy and decaying leaves, 

 and keep the interior as dry as possible daring dull foggy 

 weather. If you discover the unwelcome presence of the 

 green fly upon your plants fumigate them with tobacco, whioh 

 will put an end to them for this season. AU half-hardy plants 

 which it is desirable to secure for next season, may be potted 

 with balls and wintered in these structures. — W. Keane. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST WEEK 



The rains came as we expected, and though not in the 

 deluges spoken of in other places, yet in sufficient quantity to 

 give us water for some time to oome. More trying, perhaps, 

 than the rains were the frosty mornings and the hurricane of 

 the 12th, which tried many trees and shrubs, and did a little 

 injury among our glass, though we thought all was securely 

 fastened. The heavy showers, the wind, and even the frost 

 have left the flower gardens still passable on this the 15th inst., 

 except some fine beds of Coleus, from which the leaves are 

 dropping. The Iresine is still quite fresh, and the Heliotrope 

 is only slightly marked in plaoes. But for the lashing of the 

 wind and rain Calceolarias would still be fine, and scarlet 

 Geraniums are very passable, showing a good deal of bloom, 

 though even Cabbage leaves on some mornings were quite hard 

 with the frost. The frost and the rains together have done 

 more than all our care to eradicate the legions of Cabbage fly, 

 that but for being warred with would have carried all before 

 them. It is sad to hear of the wreoks they have left in many 

 places. We may also add that Vegetable Marrows have had 

 their leaves considerably blackened by the frost. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



The work was much the same as last week, and chiefly con- 

 sisted in earthing-up Celery when fine, pricking-out Lettuces, 

 blanching Lettuces and Endive, taking up Carrots, Parsnips, 

 &c, and preparing for the first Cauliflowers of spring by giving 

 a little fresh lime to the ground to drive away the slimy tribe 

 and make the ground more mellow, and the old organic 

 material in the soil more sweet and soluble. There is hardly 

 an old kitchen garden that a moderate lime-dressing would not 

 improve. If the soil were light it would make it more retentive 

 of moisture. If stiff and heavy, it would make it more mellow 

 and open ; and though, looked at as manure, it will do little 

 good on poor land, it will increase the fertility of all soils 



