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JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ October 18, 1877. 



proportions of which should b9 shaped according to the ma- 

 terial at command. The sides of the pits may consist of 

 thatched hurdles, which should be made to Blide in a groove 

 made in the sill which rests on the brickwork. Any old 

 sashes of equal length can be prepared at a very slight expense, 

 and a skeleton framework on which to lay thetn will merely 

 cost a nominal sum. In this simple way useful plant-pro- 

 tectors can be erected, and the little outlay expended on them 

 will be amply repaid in the health of forced plants, and in the 

 neatness and general good order of a place. 



Nothing imparts a more rubbishy appearance to Peach and 

 orchard houses than a glut of such things strewn about here 

 and there without any apparent system in arrangement. 



Portable plant-pits of this description are not only useful 

 for hardening-off plants that are forced, but they are also in- 

 valuable for bringing forward such things as Liliums of all 

 sorts, or, indeed, any hardy greenhouse plants. In the autumn, 

 again, what a relief to better-clasB houses to have such places 

 to bring forward Chrysanthemums — a class of plants that 

 suffer more from early housing and insufficient ventilation 

 than any other we could name ; and lastly, we may notice that 

 anyone in possession of two or three of those pits may prolong 

 the season of Chrysanthemum flowers, and store away all pots 

 that are required for stock. 



NOTES on VILLA and SUBURBAN GABDENING. 



The weather has recently been favourable for forwarding 

 all outdoor operations, especially the storing of roots. Beet 

 must be lifted very caref ally and stored without receiving any 

 injury to the tap root, or it will lose its colour in boiling ; also, 

 instead of cutting the tops off close to the root, give them a 

 twi6t round in the hands, and sufficient will break off. The 

 weather has also been favourable for tying Lettuces and Endive 

 for blanching, and for the removal of others to frames for pro- 

 tection. These should be lifted with good balls of soil and 

 placed thickly in cold frames, from which frost and wet are ex- 

 cluded. Frequently stirring the ground is beneficial to Cabbages, 

 Spinach, and other crops; it not only destroys the weeds which 

 spring up at this season of the year, but adds materially to the 

 well-doing of the crops. Young Cabbage and Lettuce quarters 

 should frequently be searched for slugs and a grub that burrows 

 under the ground and eats the plants off just at the collar; and 

 all blanks should be made good as often as they occur. 



Cauliflowers raised from seed sown about the end of August 

 will require the protection of hand-lights or frames to render 

 them safe throughout the winter. The plants are now about 

 the proper size for transplanting. Hand-lights are most useful 

 protectors ; nine plants may be placed in each, and remain until 

 spring, when those in the centre may be removed, leaving the 

 four corner plants. These with liberal treatment afford useful 

 early heads, and the others can be planted o ut in suitable quarters 

 for succession. 



Potatoes which have been stored should be occasionally looked 

 over, as one decayed tuber Bpeedily affects many others. Onions 

 which are well dried should be stored thinly, or perhaps there 

 is no better plan to preserve them than the old-fashioned one of 

 "ropeing" them, which is work that can be done during wet 

 days. Clear away Bean haulm and other decayed and useless 

 vegetation, in order that the kitchen garden may be made as 

 enjoyable as possible. 



Flower gardens now require a regular transformation ; the 

 s'emains of the summer bedding plants which are not required 

 for store purposes should be cleared away and thrown to the 

 rubbish heap, and the edges of the beds be neatly trimmed, the 

 beds manured and dug, and the spring-blooming plants planted 

 with all possible dispatch to allow them to become well estab- 

 lished before severe weather is upon us. Double Daisies, both 

 white and red, Wallflowers, Polyanthuses, Pansies, Forget-me- 

 nots, and the various Silenes are amongst the more hardy and 

 useful flowering spring annuals. The plants must have been speci- 

 ally prepared for this purpose as advised in former calendars, 

 and should now be strong and well established. Crocuses, Snow- 

 drops, double and single Anemones, Turban Rananculuses, 

 Tulips, and Hyacinths are also suitable for spring blooming, 

 while many of the hardy Sedums (now so extensively used in 

 summer carpet bedding) are also useful as edging plants ; and 

 seedling plants of the Golden Feather can also be advantageously 

 employed. In planting bulbs it will be necessary to use Crocuses 

 and Snowdrops as front lines or for the margins of the beds. 

 Tulips and Hyacinths are taller, and should necessarily occupy 

 the centres or back rows, as the case may be. Where spring 

 flowers are not planted the beds can be made to present a very 

 cheerful appearance by planting small hardy shrubs which have 

 been kept in the reserve garden. Small plants of Aucubas, Re- 

 tinoBporas, Cupressuses, Hollies, Portugal Laurels, Box, Ivy, etc., 

 are all suitable for this purpose. 



Hybrid Perpetual and climbing Rosea are now in good condi- 

 tion for making cuttings, and if the tops are taken off and cut in 

 lengths of 6 to 9 inches and planted thickly in rows on a warm 

 border most of them will root. Place the soil firmly around 

 them, and protect them slightly in case of severe weather. 



The grass will not require mowing frequently, but wormcasts 

 and leaves will be troublesome for some time to come, and the 

 lawns will require to be constantly swept and rolled ; roll walks 

 also, to make all firm and solid. 



Greenhouses are now tolerably full. Care should be taken to 

 ascertain that the Azaleas and other hardwooded plantB lately 

 taken under cover have not suffered by want of water. If the 

 interior of the ball is dry a good Boaking in a pail of water will 

 save much after-trouble. Richardias, Spiraeas, Lily of the Valley, 

 Dielytras, and other early forcing plants require potting from the 

 open ground, where they have been growing throughout the 

 summer. 



Chrysanthemums now require protection, for whilst the warm 

 days and dewy nights are beneficial to them, frost may come any 

 night and destroy all prominent flower buds, and it is possible 

 we may have a taste of the equinoctial gales, which will destroy 

 in one night perhaps that which has taken months to grow. 

 Chrysanthemums are generally late this season, but the buds 

 appear very plump and even, so that though they may not be 

 in time for the earliest-fixed shows, we may expect some good 

 blooms. All training of specimens, standards or pyramids, 

 must be finished forthwith, or the foliage will not have time to 

 resume its natural appearance. Continue to supply the plantB 

 liberally with liquid manure, for it is while they are swelling 

 their buds that extra support is needed. An ounce of guano to 

 a gallon of water will help them considerably. — J. W. Moorman. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST AND WORK FOR 

 THE PRESENT WEEK. 



HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 



On all the hardy trees the leaves have either attained the 

 golden tinge of autumn or are rapidly doing so. Thos9 in the 

 open quarters fully exposed to the wind are speedily whirled off, 

 but it is not so with Peach, Nectarine, Cherry, and other trees 

 on the walls. If the leaves do not fall from such trees so rapidly 

 as they ought a half-worn birch broom drawn gently up the 

 branches will clear them off. See that all the branches are also 

 nailed securely to the walls. We shall also look over aU the 

 trees in the open garden and do any pruning that is required. 

 Trees grown on the dwarfing system are very apt to become 

 overcrowded with wood, especially in light soils. It is very de- 

 sirable that all superfluous wood should be cut out at the earliest 

 opportunity. We do not find that the trees grow too much if 

 the soil is heavy. Summer pruning is a good antidote for ex- 

 uberant growth and deficiency of fruit buds, but we have found 

 that in addition to this it is also necessary to prune the roots. 



There are two objects to be attained by root-pruning : one is 

 to cause the formation of fruit buds by checking the strong 

 summer growth ; the other is to stop canker should the trees 

 show Bigns of this disease, which we fancy is caused by the roots 

 running into unsuitable soil. In either case the object of the 

 cultivator is to raise any descending roots nearer the surface, or, 

 if this is not possible, to cut them, which will cause the forma- 

 tion of young fibrous roots ; and if suitable fresh loam is placed 

 round the roots they will spread laterally in all directions. We 

 have sometimes, instead of cutting the roots all round the trees, 

 done half of them one season and the other half the next. The 

 check that the trees experience by having the whole done at 

 one time deteriorates the crop for next season in some instances. 



We Bhall as soon as possible go over the Raspberry quarter, 

 and cut out all the old wood, and tie up the strongest growths 

 which were made this season to the stakes where a stake is used 

 for eaoh stool. On one portion we have two wires strained, one 

 above the other, to whicti the shoots are tied. This last plan ia 

 tbe be6t, as it allows the growths to be more regularly placed. 

 It rather crowds the growths too much to tie up from four to 

 six to a single upright stick ; the other way they are arranged 

 at regular intervals about a foot apart. 



There are still a few of the trees from whioh the Apples and 

 Pears have not yet been gathered, but we shall have them at- 

 tended to very soon. The Pears that ought to ripen in October 

 do not as yet show signs of doing so, and we fancy that some 

 varieties will not ripen at all. Trie fruit is keeping very well 

 that has already been gathered, except where it had been pecked 

 by birds. They annoyed us very much this year, as not only 

 Pears but a considerable portion of the crop of some sorts of 

 AppleB was damaged. Such sorts as Cox's Pomona and Cellini 

 were the most attractive. We kept the birds from choice Pears 

 on the wall by placing netting in front and fastening it seourely 

 at the top and bottom of the wall. 



No delay should now occur in having plantations of Straw- 

 berries finished. If the work is not done this month the plants 

 have but little chance to become established before the winter. 

 We have kept the hoe at work between the rows of those plants 



