396 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ November 17, 1870. 



are of the hardy-leaved class, or decidedly deciduous. There 

 is often occasion to employ fires at this period of the year, as 

 much to promote an active ventilation and remove all super- 

 abundant moisture, as to make up for the deficiency of heat 

 from external sources. However, assistance of this kind must 

 be used with the utmost circumspection, and no actual inter- 

 ruption given to the system previously commenced of gradually 

 reducing the temperature to correspond with the natural de- 

 cline of the season, and consequent limitation of solar light 

 and heat ; considerable mischief cannot fail to ensue from an 

 injudicious application of fire heat, particularly if used at night, 

 and this should be held in view throughout the season. 



STOVE. 



Continue former directions in hardening growths, and en- 

 deavouring to promote a quiet somewhat dry atmosphere. 

 Keep down all unnatural night heat. Hybrid Perpetual, Tea, 

 and other Roses, as well as Chrysanthemums, if attended to, 

 will render this structure, as well as the conservatory, most 

 interesting for the next two months. Let these have weak 

 manure water perfectly clear ; it should be administered about 

 5° or 10° warmer than the atmosphere of the house. If given 

 at every watering it is almost impossible to give it too weak or 

 too clear ; if the water is barely coloured it will be sufficient. 

 An ounce of guano with a handful or two of soot will make a 

 large bucketful or canful strong enough for anything. 



FORCING PIT. 



Now the leaves are falling fast it will be easy for those who 

 have a pit at liberty to make it up for flower forcing. The 

 leaves should have a portion of well-wrought dung mixed with 

 them, if to spare; this will bring the leaves into perfect action 

 immediately. About 9 inches of tan may be placed over the 

 leaves in order to facilitate the plunging. Let the glass have 

 a thorough cleaning. As soon as this is completed, flowers for 

 forcing, if in proper condition, may be introduced immediately, 

 such as the various Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Moss or Provence 

 Roses, Persian Lilacs, Sweet Briars, Camellias, &c, taking 

 care at this period especially to introduce nothing unless it has 

 gone through a proper course of culture during the summer, 

 with the view of securing early-made and thoroughly ripened 

 wood, for unless its condition is such it will be in vain to 

 attempt early forcing. The Hyacinths and Narcissi potted in 

 September may now be examined, and may be introduced suc- 

 cessively in small quantities to the pit when their buds are 

 2 inches long. They should be plunged overhead at the front 

 or darkest part of the pit, covering them 4 inches with old tan. 



COLD PITS AND FRAMES. 



These will now be extremely useful. Sawdust forms a good 

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

 good. Whatever material is employed, keep the plants within 

 a foot of the glass unless perfectly dormant. Endeavour to 

 keep the soil in the pot in a somewhat dry state. — W. Keane. 



DOINGS OP THE LAST WEEK. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



We took up the remainder of the Carrots, Beetroot, and 

 Parsnips, and notwithstanding the dryness of the summer, we 

 have never had better nor cleaner roots. We put a little more 

 earth to some Celery, and would have used litter instead if 

 we could have obtained it, but all protecting litter will be scarce 

 this season. 



Cauliflowers have a little disappointed us ; the mild autumn, 

 with the moist weather, brought it on very fine, but more quickly 

 than we expected, so that we have hardly any worth raising in 

 balls to plant in earth pits to be protected as we generally do. 

 For this purpose the heads must be small, so as to grow. We 

 have, therefore, put a good quantity in a shed, where it can be 

 protected and will last a considerable time, though not so long 

 as it would have done if we could have had smaller heads with 

 good balls under glass, although the sashes were old and some- 

 what ricketty. Fine heads of Cauliflower are easily injured. 

 A few of ours were blackened by the frost on the mornings of 

 the 10th and 12th, even though well protected by their own 

 leaves, yet Geraniums in a raised border were but little injured. 

 The very cold days at the end of the week have forced us to 

 think of protecting and housing, or collecting in masses, to 

 make protection easy. Were there only certain times in which 

 certain things should be considered in season, much labour in 

 protecting would be saved. Young Cauliflowers were saved 

 from severe frost, and ere long we shall fill a frame with young 



plants. We often find they do all the better when they grow 

 but little all the winter, if they merely keep alive. 



Kidney Beans. — We gathered about the last from an earth 

 pit out of doors protected since the middle of October. These 

 have done well, and clearing them out will enable us to fill the 

 place with good plants of Lettuces and Endive, and very likely 

 Strawberry plants in pots. Many Lettuces received a little 

 protection where they stood, as when large the heart is easily 

 injured. The Beans, Lettuces, &c, are a proof of what may 

 be done late in autumn, with the help of a little protection, by 

 keeping the heat in the ground from freely radiating. In this 

 respect there is a great advantage to plants growing in the 

 soil over other plants in similar circumstances growing in pots. 

 To give the latter an equal chance, the pots should be plunged, 

 and the surface mulched with dry litter. Even when rather 

 tender plants are in pots and exposed, it is surprising what an 

 amount of cold they will stand uninjured if the pots are laid 

 down on the ground, and the pots and tops covered with mats or 

 litter. This plan is the most effectual at the end of autumn 

 and early in winter, as then the heat gained from the summer's 

 sun has not quite radiated from the earth. Several times we 

 have saved what otherwise would have been lost, by laying 

 such plants down and piling snow over them when litter 

 could not be had. The sides of exposed pots are good con- 

 ductors, and soon cool the soil inside when freely exposed to 

 the air. When sure there was not heat enough inside to cause 

 elongation of growth, we have frequently allowed snow to lie on 

 a cold pit for two or three weeks, as we knew it would require 

 a very severe frost to get through it. We were laughed at once 

 for getting a thin fall of snow swept up in a cold night, and 

 lifted by ladder and thrown on the steep roof of a conservatory, 

 when the boiler had given way just when its services were re- 

 quired. We do not recommend snow as a pleasant thing to 

 work amongst, but it often proves one of the greatest boons to 

 the gardener and the farmer. Many a time have we seen snow 

 swept from pits, beds, vegetables, and plants, when it would 

 have been true wisdom to have let well alone. We have scarcely 

 a better non-conductor whilst it remains open and flossy. 



A fine Radish bed in an earth pit we covered with some old 

 sashes, &c, that the Radishes might be kept crisp, as those fully 

 exposed and older, though looking well, are inclined to be hard 

 from the cold. 



Of Sea-kale and Rhubarb we took up some roots, and pro- 

 tected them with litter in case we should have a severe frost. 

 We shall treat Asparagus in the same way. All these may be 

 forced with propriety now when deemed desirable. All of them 

 have this year ripened their buds earlier than usual. Globe 

 Artichokes, that ripened so much earlier than usual, have now 

 grown so green as to require more protection than if they had 

 faded later and had grown less. Rhubarb and Sea-kale, more 

 especially, will be the better of small mounds of ashes, burnt 

 refuse, &c, placed over the buds as deterrents to snails, birds, 

 and mice. The latter and rats have scooped out the buds for 

 us where unprotected. After clearing away all littery leaves a 

 slight Bprinkling of salt between the rows will benefit the plants 

 little, still it will keep many enemies at a distance so long 

 as the earth remains the least saline. A few wide ridges may 

 still be thrown up, on which to plant out young Lettuces in a 

 fine day. If they keep alive theywill feel the frost less than 

 those succulent from growing freely. 



FRUIT GARDEN. 



Put the above plan in operation with our Strawberry pots, 

 covering them slightly with litter on the afternoon of the 12th, 

 as, even with a west wind, there were not wanting signs that 

 we might have a severe frost. Very little protection will keep 

 them all Bafe. Ere long we hope to place them under shelter. 

 What a fine place a wide shed open to the south would be for 

 all such purposes ! There is hardly a place we know where the 

 shed room is half enough, if the most is to be made of every- 

 thing and labour economised. With Strawberry pots in beds, 

 even out of doors, a little protection will often keep them all 

 right, though if mice and vermin be excluded a cool place under 

 glass is the best. We shall place a lot in frames where there 

 is a little mild heat left, so as to bring them on gradually. 

 They generally do beBt after the growth of the top has received 

 a slight cheek, but with little or no check to the root action. 



All fruit trees in pots not plunged or partly plunged, should 

 be protected. Even in orchard houses the exposed parts of the 

 pots should be protected with a little litter. When the trees 

 are not large this is best done by settiDg them as closely as 

 possible together, and then drawing the litter over and among 

 them. By these means a large space can be oleared for winter 



