86 



JOTTENAL OF HOBTIOtTLTTJEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



[ August 2, 18M. 



•windows, and are 4 feet long, 6 inches wide, and 4 inches 

 deep, and will hold four dozen plants each. In filling them 

 begin at one end, and after placing 2 inches of rather rough 

 compost at the bottom of the bos, put the first plant an inch 

 from the end and side in one corner ; then two more plants, 

 one in the opposite corner lite the first, and the other plant 

 in the centre. Put the soil neatly round these, and then 

 put in another row 3 inches from the first, and so on to the 

 end. The plants are then well watered and placed on a 

 shelf, or in any light airy situation from which frost is ex- 

 cluded. In April they are transplanted into cold frames 

 with a ball of earth to each, and about 3 inches apart every 

 way, the lights being kept close for a few days to encourage 

 root-action ; afterwards air is admitted daily and water 

 given, and they ought to be well hardened by the third week 

 in May, when they may be taken up with balls and planted 

 in their final quarters. It should be borne in mind that if 

 severe frosts occur some protecting material is necessary to 

 be placed on the frame at night. The points of the shoots 

 should be nipped out to make the plants bushy : this ought 

 to be done in March, before the plants are transplanted into 

 the cold frame. 



Though the above systems answer very well where there 

 is a greenhouse, yet there are those who have not such con- 

 veniences : but even they may have their hundreds of Ge- 

 raniums. To accomplish this is not difficult ; for if cuttings 

 be taken early in August, and inserted in the open ground 

 in any light soil to which a little leaf mould and sand has 

 been added and the whole well mixed, they will strike root 

 quite as freely as pieces of Dock roots, if the soil about 

 them is kept moist and a little shade afforded from bright 

 sun. By the middle of September these may be taken up, 

 potted into 60-sized pots, and wintered in a greenhouse, 

 potted in March into 48' s, stopped a week afterwards, hard- 

 ened off by placing out of doors in turf-pits in April, and 

 protected from frost by mats or other covering. Where no 

 greenhouse exists boxes about 3 feet long, 6 inches wide, 

 and 3 inches deep inside measure, should be provided, and 

 a few holes bored in the bottom to allow the water to escape. 

 On the bottom of each box 1 inch of the rougher parts of 

 the compost should be placed, and then an inch of fine 

 compost, consisting of turfy loam three parts and leaf mould 

 one part, with a free admixture of sand. Into this box the 

 cuttings are put in as close together as possible without 

 actually touching each other, soil being placed around them 

 neatly, and to within half an inch of the upper edge. They 

 are then watered, and placed under a hedge, wall, or in 

 some other warm sheltered situation. 



"When frosts sufficient to cut off Dahlias and other tender 

 plants in open situations occur, the plants must be removed 

 in-doors. Any spare room will do providing there is a 

 window to admit light and air ; but as very few have a room 

 to spare r the boxes may have to be placed inside on the 

 window-board, but if there be no such support, or if there is 

 danger of injury to the window-boards, neat iron brackets 

 may be used for placing the boxes on, whilst a loose bottom 

 will do all that is necessary to preserve the window-board. 

 In such situations the greatest care is necessary not to over- 

 water the plants, but to keep them dry at the root, and 

 give no more water than is just necessary to keep them from 

 losing their leaves. If the windows have a southern aspect 

 it will be all the better, for an hour's sun will suggest the 

 possibility of giving a little air, which in mild weather is 

 best done by placing the boxes outside on holdfasts driven 

 into the wall, where they will enjoy the fresh air, and the 

 heat of the sun reflected by the wall. Whenever the tem- 

 perature permits of their being placed outside, it should 

 be done, always taking care to remove them inside before 

 the air is cooled down to freezing-point. When very severe 

 weather sets in, and the plants are likely to be frozen by 

 their close proximity to the window, even if shutters be em- 

 ployed, it is easy to remove the plants to a secure place, 

 as a kitchen, at night, and in the day also until such time as 

 the weather changes, when they, of course, may be returned 

 to their proper quarters. If brackets are provided, there 

 will be no necessity to remove the boxes, but only to take 

 them down until the shutters are closed, when they will, of 

 course, be placed on the brackets again, and the plants will 

 sustain no injury if a fire has been in the room during the 

 day. Now, with a box of plants in every window, or some 



of them, a nice stock of Geraniums may be safely preserved 

 over the winter. 



When the days are getting longer the boxes should be 

 placed on brackets or holdfasts in the south wall daily by 

 8 a.m., when the thermometer exceeds 40", and be taken 

 under cover by 5 p.m., and this treatment must be continued 

 daily (weather permitting) until the beginning of April, when 

 the plants, after remaining stationary during the winter, 

 will be showing signs of growth. If turf can be had in suffi- 

 cient quantity to make a wall round a square bed 6 feet by 

 4 feet, we have only to choose a warm, sheltered, open situa- 

 tion, and to form a sod wall 1 foot high in front, and 18 inches 

 at the back, with ends to suit, so that there will be a gentle 

 slope from the back to the front. Within this 3 inches of 

 leaf mould is placed and worked into the soil about 6 inches, 

 and if the soil be light and sandy it is all the better, but if 

 it be heavy an inch deep of river sand spread over the sur- 

 face and well worked in, will much improve the staple. 

 Taking the plants up with balls out of the boxes, plant them 

 in the turf-pit in rows 4 inches apart, and 3 inches asunder in 

 the rows. Give a gentle watering, and if any old lights are at 

 command place them over the pit, but if not, sticks must be 

 used to support some protection such as mats. The cover- 

 ing should vary in thickness according to the state of the 

 weather, be put on early in the evening, and remain on in 

 the morning until the sun has subdued the frost, and the 

 air becomes warm ; but should the frost continue all day do 

 not remove the covering, for the plants will not be injured 

 by being kept in the dark, if they do not grow. _ What 

 watering is required should be given in the morning, so 

 that the plants may be dry before night. As the weather 

 becomes warmer the plants will grow rapidly, and must, 

 therefore, be well supplied with water. They will need no 

 protection except from frost. By the beg innin g of June 

 they will be fit for transplanting into the flower garden, 

 taking them up with a ball, having previously trodden be- 

 tween the rows and given a good soaking of water. 



By this simple treatment some nice beds may be fur- 

 nished with the hardier kinds of Scarlet Geraniums, as 

 Crystal Palace Scarlet, Lady Eokeby, Little David, Tom 

 Thumb, Trentham Scarlet, Spitfire, and Christina. These 

 with most of the Zonale and hardier kinds of variegated 

 Geraniums will strike out of doors quite as freely as under 

 glass, only they are longer in doing so. Most of them re- 

 quire to be put in by the second week in August at the 

 latest, or they will not root well. Some of the better kinds 

 of scarlet and variegated Geraniums will not do any good 

 under such treatment, it being at the best a precarious 

 method, and it should never be resorted to unless other 

 means are not at command. Cuttings of most Geraniums, 

 however, will strike root in the open air if inserted from the 

 1st of June to the second week in August, after which they 

 must be placed under glass. 



I now come to the most pleasant part of the business, for 

 I have to treat of the propagation and preservation of old 

 plants under glass or otherwise, but I must leave this for 

 another communication. — G. Abbey. 



{To be continued.) 



CHICKENS vekstts GEEEX FLY. 

 I am anxious to add my testimony to that of " Wiltshire 

 Eectok," in your Number of July 19th, with regard to the 

 utility of chickens in a garden. This year my Peas, as 

 everything else, have been covered with blight, and I have 

 many times seen the chickens, perched upon the Pea sticks, 

 eating the green fly as fast as possible, and when my man 

 is picking the Peas, the chickens follow him, and so surround 

 him thathe is in constant fear of treading upon them, in 

 order to seize on the green fly as they are dislodged by the 

 shaking, and fall to the ground. My experience is, that up 

 to six weeks old, chickens do much more good than harm in 

 a garden. — A. K. C. 



Orchard-house Produce. — I hasten to correct an in- 

 accuracy in the statement I made in last week's Journal 

 relative to the sale of Peaches and Nectarines in Covent 

 Garden from my orchard-house : instead of SO dozen in five 

 days, I find from my gardener's account there were only 71 

 dozen, and that 42}- dozen have been since sold.— Amateur. 



