354 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ November 3, 1870. 



of England, and it invariably presented a moat satisfactory ap- 

 pearance. This is noteworthy, because from the ease with 

 which a large stock of it may be raised in spring from seed, it 

 must be a very valuable bedding plant, especially to those who 

 have bat little glass accommodation. — Edward Luckhuest, 

 Old Lands, Blurted, Sussex. 



WORK FOR THE WEEK. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



The Globe Artichokes should now have some of the super- 

 fluous leaves cut away, and the stems earthed-up 6 or 8 inches. 

 Surround the plants with recently fallen leaves, and cover these 

 with soil, forming a sort of mound ; then thrust a wisp of straw 

 or hay in the centre of the crown. Take up the Jerusalem 

 Artichokes and house them dry in a dry shed. Caulijloicers in 

 head should be taken up and heeled-in close together, covering 

 them with long litter in severe weather. 



FLOWER GARDEN. 



Let the planting of autumn bulbs be completed as soon as 



possible. Take up all Dahlias when the tops are frosted ; do 



not clear too much soil from them, it will prove a protection if 



dried upon them. Strong tubers should be in a warm and airy 



place in order to get them thoroughly dry ; weak ones must 



be potted or covered with dry soil. Neapolitan Violets should 



be thoroughly cleansed from weeds, runners, and dead leaves, 



and have a considerable quantity of dry saod strewed amongst 



them. This will prevent the ravages of the slugs. Out of 



doors they must have hoops and mats. Plant out Hollyhocks 



and other biennials. This is an excellent planting season. 



Where the ground is duly prepared not a moment should be 



lost ; pruning, thinning, &c, can be done in frosty weather, not 



so planting. Tulips, as a matter of course, are all planted, 



and few seasons have occurred in which, to use florists' 



phraseology, " they have gone in so well." I would advise 



precautions btiog taken, as many of the bulbs are in a certain 



degree affected by the serious mildew which attacked the foliage 



last season. It will, therefore, be advisable to keep the beds 



as dry as possible for a few weeks, or, at least, to give the bulbs 



time to form plenty of rocts previous to exposing the beds to 



the weather. This may be done by covering with mats, &c, '• 



during wet weather. Carnations and Picotees had better remain 



where they are till spring. I am no advocate for their removal in 



November. Those which are potted off should have the air at 



all times, and if they have had plenty of exposure hitherto, | 



slight frosts will not affect them. Auriculas, also, Bhonld be 



nursed as little as possible ; give only a sma 1 quantity of water, 



and keep them out of the way of drip. Attend to compost 



heaps, and collect leaves, &c, for next year. 



GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. 



At this time of the year it is of the utmost importance to 

 arrange stock in houses so as to give a due proportion of light to 

 each kind of plants, remembering especially those from brighter 

 ekies. All retarded autumn flowers should have a situation as 

 much exposed to light as possible — near the glass, and not far 

 from a quiet ventilation. Such plants as the following will 

 deserve attention in this respect: — Euphorbia jacquinia?- 

 flora, Eranthemum pulehellum, Geissomeria longiflora. the 

 Heliotrope, Aphelandra cristata, Gesnera zebiina and bulbosa, 

 Geraniums, Centradenia rosea, Linum trigynum, Mig tonette, 

 Salvias, Calceolarias, Cyclamens, Cinerarias, and Verbenas. 

 These, if attended to a3 previously directed, will be gay for 

 weeks, and with Chrysanthemums, Roses, and Camellias, will 

 prevent any blank occurring between the autumn flowers and 

 those of the spring foroing. Above all, let every glass sash 

 receive a thorough washing immediately. Those who under- 

 rate the importance of clean glass in gardening have yet much 

 to learn. In order to keep the glass clean as long as possible, 

 let mats and coverings of all kinds be constantly suspended on 

 rails or posts. This is absolutely necessary, both for the sake 

 of the glass and the sake of economy, as Russian mats are 

 rather expensive. A well-managed conservatory should now 

 boast of a finer display than at any other period of the year. 

 The charming contrast between the dark and glossy leaves of 

 healthy Camellias and their lively-coloured flowers, the delight- 

 ful perfume and gay tints of the Bourbon, Hybrid China, and 

 Hybrid Perpetual Roses, with the exuberant and dashing style 

 of the Chinese Chrysanthemums, will even unaBsisted pro- 

 duce a goreeous effect. Keep a mild and genial atmosphere 

 of 50° to 60' by day, sinking to 45° at night. Let the floors or 

 some portion of the house receive a sprinkling in the evening, 



provided a little back air can be given to prevent drip. Syring- 

 ing is, of course, out of the question. In the mixed greenhouse 

 the Chinese Primroses may be removed to a shelf as near the 

 glass as possible, with plenty of air at all favourable oppor- 

 tunities. Herbaceous Calceolarias should be treated in a 

 similar manner, and duly attended to with water. Cinerarias 

 must be protected from the ravages of green fly by fumigations 

 of tobacco, or by syringing with tobacco water. Some late- 

 flowering varieties of Heaths and Epacrises will now be grow- 

 ing rather freely, especially those which have received late 

 shifts, great caution in watering them will therefore be neces- 

 sary. A few Epacrises, such as autumnalis, will soon become 

 gay with flowers, and are worthy of every encouragement. 

 Should mildew attack any of them slightly dust them im- 

 mediately with flowers of sulphur. If any of the beautiful 

 tribe of Tropfeolums, particularly tricolorum and brachyceras, 

 which flowered early in the season, begin to grow, they should 

 not be checked, but allowed to grow Blowly through the winter ; 

 but if there is no appearance of growth, which is best for their 

 future success, the roots should be kept inactive in a cool place, 

 with the soil about them quite dry, and protected from mice. 



STOVE. 



Stove plants in general as before. Let those Orchids whioh 

 have completed a good summer's growth, and which are some- 

 what inclined to be deciduous, sink gradually into repose. 

 Those evergreen kinds, as some of the Dendrobiums, the 

 Aerides, Saccolabiums, Vandas, &c, on blocks or in baskets, 

 should be lowered a little from the roof, if too near, in order 

 to escape the vicissitudes of temperature to which that situa- 

 tion would expose them in winter. 



COLD PITS AND FRAILES. 



In the case of cold pits, the time has now arrived for putting 



in readiness straw shutters, or whatever else it may be intended 



to use for coverings for them. Straw shutters, if well made, 



are expensive in the first instance, but are considered by many 



to be the most efficient of any kind of covering in use, and 



taking into account the time they last, they are, perhaps, as 



cheap as any. Expose the stock in such pits to sir on every 



favourable opportunity, so as to check growth and consolidate 



the wood. The time is at hand when ungenial weather will 



frequently drive the labourer in-doors, and a stock of work 



should now be provided for such occasions. The tying of new 



mats, cutting and picking shreds for the walls, cleaning old 



nails, drawing bast for the next summer, the arrangement of 



I herbs, examining stores, making flower sticks and labels, 



! washing and putting away all spare striking and other glasses, 



' makiDg straw or reed mat-protectors for tender plants, as well 



; as making a stock of besoms and baskets for the ensuing year 



1 ■ — are matters of as great consideration as out-door business, 



i and should be proceeded with as soon as possible. Gardeners 



and amateurs should purchase a liberal stock of Russian mats 



; at this period ; in fact, a twelvemonth's supply. These will at 



! once furnish a little in-door labour. Willows should be in- 



; stantly procured for basketing, and a good stock of cloth for 



I shred-cutting. AU superfluous or dead plants in pots should 



I be emptied out, and the dirty pots from every part placed in a 



corner of the Bhed, ready for washing in bad weather. Plenty 



of broken pots should also be housed in a shed corner, to be 



crushed and sorted in bad weather ; they may be fairly reckoned 



I amongst the most important matters connected with the potting- 



shed. Anyone having old half-worn sashes without glass, may 



readily make a most useful straw cover of them, well adapted 



for protecting Endive and other sab d , Parsley, &c, as also 



for eoverin" early crops of Potatoes, Radishes, and Carrots. 



They can be ma^e on a couple of tressles. The straw (that of 



Rye, if possible) is drawn through the hands in bunches, and 



laid across the longitudinal bars of the sash regularly. When 



covered equally, three or four long sticks or laths are placed on 



it in a line with the sashbars, and bound down to the latter 



with pitched cord. If housed when out of use they will last a 



couple of years. — W. Eeake. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST WEEK. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



Laying Down Strong Broccoli, &c — But for a press of other 

 work, and the unsettled state of the weather, we should have 

 nearly finished this. It is best done on a regular system. 

 The intention is not so much to stunt or cripple the plants in 

 their growth as to protect the stems and heads from frost. By 

 earthing-up, and protecting the heads with a little litter in 



