November 14, 1872. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



389 



streams in Syria, and is said by travellers to have the appear- 

 ance of the Willow. — R. H. Williams, Byford. 



[Mr. Tristram, in his " Journal of Travels in Palestine," 

 seems to be of your opinion, for he there speaks of " Oleanders, 

 Willows by the watercourses, shading them from the sun ;" 

 and it is certain, as he also observes, that the Oleanders there 

 become almost timber trees, " sometimes 25 feet high, with 

 tall slim boughs borne down, like a Weeping Willow, by the 

 weight of the blossoms." Yet the weight of authority is in 

 favour of our Bible translation. Arabim and Arebim, the 

 Hebrew word there rendered " Willow," the Septuagint and 

 all other interpreters, we believe, sanction as the correct ren- 

 dering. We are also told that the Arabs call the Willow 

 Garabon, which approaches the Hebrew name. — Eds.] 



NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 



No one could fail to notice the admirable cut blooms of 

 Chrysanthemums exhibited by Messrs. Veitch at the Royal 

 Horticultural Society's Meeting of the Gth inst., and which, 

 taken as a whole, though they may in some years have been 

 equalled by those who make a speciality of the flower, have 

 never been surpassed by any collection from our great nur- 

 serymen. 



The mildness of the temperature at St. Leonards and 



its vicinity is demonstrated by Tropaeolums being quite unin- 

 jured, and bedding Geraniums, Veronica Andersonii, Migno- 

 nette, and Picotees not only being uninjured, but in full flower 

 in the open air, and unprotected, on the 9th of November ! Five 

 miles inland, on the other side of the Southdowns, all the 

 abovenamed plants were struck down by the weather weeks 

 since. 



We are glad to see the third edition is published of 



Mr. W. Paul's " The Rose Garden." It is the most compre- 

 hensive book on all that relates to the Rose and its cultivation 



WORK FOR THE WEEK. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



Clear, away all decaying matter from Globe Artichokes, and 

 protect them with leaves. Cauliflowers already headed should 

 be carefully taken up and stocked in any dry pit under the pro- 

 tection of a wall, where a thatched shutter may be employed in 

 unfavourable weather to ward off the wet. As many Endive and 

 Lettuces as possible should be transplanted into frames, where 

 they may be at least protected from rain. Sudden frost suc- 

 ceeding the late heavy rains will more injuriously affect the ad- 

 vancing Salads than any other possible circumstances of weather. 

 Dig Potatoes ; those which are taken at this period sound may 

 be considered secure. Sow Peas and Broad Beans in rich soil 

 on a warm border. A sowing of Short-top Badish may be made 

 in a similar situation. Plant Shallots and Garlic. Shutters 

 thatched with reeds or straw should be prepared for the pro- 

 tection of Endive, Parsley, &c, in showery weather. As soon as 

 the leaves can be removed from Sea-hale plants, cover the 

 crowns with wood ashes, or sand. 



EBUIT GABDEN. 



Gooseberry, Currant, and Raspberry pruning and planting 

 should be in progress. An adequate quantity of cuttings of the 

 first two should be put in every season to provide for possible 

 losses. The due preparation of borders for the reception of 

 fruit trees should be completed, and the trees planted in the 

 course of the month. Pruning and nailing may be commenced. 

 A judicious system of stopping in the growing season renders the 

 first-named operation a comparatively light and easy task. 



FLOWEB GARDEN. 



The weather now is comparatively favourable for executing 

 alterations, and where these are in hand they should be pro- 

 secuted with the greatest possible dispatch. Planting, or the 

 removal of large trees, cannot be finished too soon, for it is of 

 the utmost importance that the plants should be afforded some 

 chance of making fresh roots before the trying winds of March. 

 See to even small plants being secured against winds, for they 

 are often injured by being blown about after planting, which a 

 small stake and a few minutes' work would prevent. Get in a 

 stock of Briars for budding upon next season. Let the roots be 

 well trimmed, cutting back closely the strong ones, for these, if 

 left, will be of little use except to furnish an endless supply of 

 suckers. Protect the roots of the Tea and Perpetual Roses with 

 a coating of wood ashes or moss. Fuchsias may be preserved in 

 the same manner. In the disposal of the various shrubs let 

 the natural and peculiar disposition and character be duly con- 

 sidered — thus, the Rhododendron is seen with the greatest ad- 

 vantage at the base of a lofty tree, the dwarf evergreen of the 

 mountains on a hill side, while low and swampy ground should 



be characterised by such plants as Heracleum giganteum and 

 some of the aquatic Grasses and Reeds. Amongst tall trees the 

 common Honeysuckle, Wild Hop, and Bramble, may be intro- 

 duced with excellent effect, or, when supported by stakes, some 

 excellent effects may be managed by these. There have been 

 few seasons of late years so unfavourable for the Tulip-fancier. 

 In every part of the country there is the same complaint. We 

 cannot plant, but we are now looking forward to a good planting 

 time, though rather late. Amateurs, of course, have made up 

 their beds, and are merely biding their time to commit their 

 favourites to the earth. I would advise all growers to take 

 the first opportunity and plant; every day that they are out of 

 the ground the bulbs suffer. Carnations, as a matter of course, 

 are in their winter quarters. Look overbeds of seedlings ; with 

 a small hand-hoe keep the ground stirred whenever the weather 

 permits of its being worked. Turn over Ranunculus beds, and ex- 

 pose every part to the action of frost. As for Pinks and Pansies, 

 those in pots must have all the air possible ; never close the 

 frame except in excessive wet or hard frost. Dahlias are over 

 for the season ; cut off the stems about a foot from the tuber, and 

 turn them upside down, so that the sap may freely exude. Allow 

 them to get quite dry, and then store away in a moderately dry 

 place secure from frost. 



GEEENHOUSE AND CONSEBVATOET. 



Some of the very earliest Chrysanthemums may probably be 

 getting past then- best, and these should be replaced at once by 

 something of a more showy character. While the principal col- 

 lection is in bloom a selection should be made of th e best and 

 most useful sorts, for there are many worthless varieties in cul- 

 tivation, and it is better to grow duplicates of the really good 

 kinds than to retain such as are but indifferent merely for the 

 sake of having a long list of names. If the introduction of the 

 larger decorative plants, such as Chrysanthemums, can only be 

 managed by the displacement and crowding of the general stock, 

 it would be better to restrict their entrance as much as possible. 

 Crowding, at all times injurious, becomes at this season fatal to 

 the appearance of many elegant plants, for what injury they 

 may sustain now they have rarely the vigour immediately to 

 overcome, and thus the blot remains. Beware of excessive 

 moisture. Keep the surface soil of large pots open, and water 

 only in cases of necessity : indiscriminate watering is a common 

 and fatal error amongst amateur gardeners. Give timely at- 

 tention to providing a succession of bloom with which to keep 

 the conservatory gay, and avoid as far as possible the expense 

 of hard forcing, which is, moreover, so very injurious to most 

 plants. Be careful not to let the plants in bloom suffer from the 

 want of water, giving clear weak manure water to Chrysan- 

 themums, Salvias, Camellias, &c, and use every means to pre- 

 serve the beauty of specimens in bloom as long as possible. 

 Damp and mildew are the great enemies to be guarded against 

 in the greenhouse, and these must be sharply looked after, espe- 

 cially in the case of plants that have not well ripened their 

 growth, and are in a rather soft state. If the former is trouble- 

 some it must be got rid of by means of free ventilation on mild 

 days, using a little fire heat at the same time, and for the latter 

 a dry airy atmosphere is the best preventive; but the plants 

 should be frequently examined, applying sulphur on the first 

 appearance of the enemy. Very little water will be required 

 here at present, but the plants should be carefully looked over 

 about twice a-week, so as to make sure that nothing is allowed to 

 feel the want of it. If not already done, get the plants tied with 

 the least possible delay, for it is very 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. 



PITS AND FEAMES. 



In the treatment of the stock in pits and frames the above- 

 named carelessness must be scrupulously avoided. Well-ma- 

 tured plants with no stagnant water about the roots, although 

 under ordinary circumstances peculiarly susceptible of frost, will 

 be found to resist its attacks. Plants of Pelargonium Compactum, 

 which in a very exposed situation have not suffered from the 

 effects of a frost of 8°, had been starved by limitation of water 

 previously. Not far from the position they occupied other kinds 

 of full and luxuriant habit in a more sheltered position were com- 

 pletely killed. From chance circumstances of this kind we may 

 glean valuable hints. — W. Keane. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST WEEK. 



KITCHEN GABDEN. 



Two fine days up to the 9th have given us a good oppor- 

 tunity to further earth-up Celery; to place full-grown, three- 

 fourths, and half-grown Lettuces in frames ; to sow Radishes ; 

 and to cover Endive for use three weeks hence. We have laid 

 down rather rampant Broccoli, and have protection ready for 

 a fine bank of Cauliflowers. 



FBUIT DEPABTMENT. 



We looked over the fruit-room. With us Pears ripen sooner 



