438 



JOURNAL OF HOETICrLTUBE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEB- [ November 29, 1864. 



and when applied in small quantities at the tip of a leaf it 

 runs down the veins, in which especially are nestled the 

 young of the Scale insects or Mealy Bugs. 



WOEK FOE THE WEEK. 



KITCHEN GABDEN. 



Callages, hoe between the earliest-planted, and also be- 

 tween Lettuces, &e. This should be frequently done to 

 growing crops throughout the winter, as by keeping the 

 surface loose and open frost is prevented from penetrating 

 to any great depth, and the roots are kept in a more active 

 state. Cele>~y may hare a final earthing-up when the soil 

 is dry, if the weather has prevented its being done before. 

 Cardoor^s may also be treated in a similar way. Leeks, they 

 should have more earth drawn to them before frost sets in. 

 They are an excellent vegetable when well blanched. Peas, 

 whenever the ground becomes dry put in a second crop of 

 an early sort, as also Mazagan Beans. If Peas are sown in 

 the open quarters the drills should be protected by a ridge 

 of earth kept to the north or east of the rows. Keep down 

 mice by trapping, they are troublesome to early-sown crop3 

 of the above. Radishes should be sown either singly or with 

 the Short Horn Carrot on a dry warm border in beds. The 

 Early Frame or Short-topped is best at this time. Cover 

 the beds with straw or litter till the seeds germinate, when 

 they should be uncovered every day when not frosty. Sea- 

 kale, the old plan of forcing Sea-kale was a most expensive 

 and unsatisfactory mode, expensive on account of the 

 breakage of pots, and the loss of labour, and unsatisfactory 

 on account of the want of more perfect control over the 

 whole proceeding. The best as well as the most economical 

 plan is to take up the roots and force them in a body, after 

 the manner of Asparagus. To accomplish this, it is of course 

 necessary to grow the roots strong, for the especial purpose, 

 and in the kitchen garden. Such roots being available, 

 they may be forced in any structure from which light and 

 the severity of the weather are excluded. The roots can be 

 either forced in frames with a double mat nailed down over 

 the class, or under the mere wooden box; but the best 

 place is the Mushroom-house. A sunken pit is necessary, 

 and this should be a yard in depth — that is, 2 feet for the 

 fermenting material, and 1 foot or nearly so, for the crowns 

 to rise, with any opaque covering considered necessary. The 

 strongest fermenting material is placed at the bottom, with 

 a slight covering of old leaves, the crowns are set thereon 

 as thickly as they can stand, and filled up between with old 

 tan. If at the beginning the heat is too strong it is reduced 

 by the application of cold water, repeated if necessary, and 

 when the crowns are 3 inches long all the remaining bottom 

 heat is done away with by the application of cold water ; 

 this renders the Kale stronger, and retards it for succession. 

 Bhubarb may be forced in a similar way. This, however, 

 may be placed in large pots, and set on flues or other warm 

 surfaces. Asparagus requires the same treatment, but it 

 should have 4 inches of soil over the crowns, for if the stalks 

 be long exposed to a low temperature, they will be hard and 

 of inferior flavour. 



FETTTT GABDEN. 



Where orchard trees have been left for some years un- 

 pruned, the hand-saw will be required to thin out the larger 

 branches. Keep the middle of the trees open to admit air, 

 and to promote the formation of fruit-buds on the interior 

 Dranches. It is, however, a bad practice to leave any de- 

 scription of fruit tree to itself, as it would in all cases pay 

 the cultivator to prune once a-year at least. Push forward 

 pruning, nailing, and tying espalier trees, and suchlike 

 tedious operations, as fast as the weather and circumstances 

 will admit. 



JLOWEE GABDEN. 



Let lawns be well rolled when sufficiently dry for the 

 purpose. Every part of the turf should be frequently swept 

 during the winter. Nothing adds so much to the enjoyment 

 of pleasure-ground scenery as well-kept turf, and when con- 

 nected with evergreen shrubs an agreeable relief to the 

 dreariness of the season is afforded, which renders the loss 

 of more attractive plants less to be resretted. At the same 

 time see that the walks are kept dry and firm, in order that 

 they may at all times be comfortable to walk upon. 



STOVE. 



This will require a very liberal ventilation now, increasing 

 fire heat, if necessary, in order to accomplish it. Still apply 

 moisture to the air, although in a diminished degree ; but 

 withhold moisture entirely from the roots of deciduous 

 Orchids, or those sinking into a state of repose. If there is 

 any fear of a scarcity of bloom next May, a portion of the 

 Aehimenes and Gloxinias should be repotted at once, and 

 placed in a warm part of the house, choosing such as have 

 been longest at rest ; and a few Clerodendrons, Allamandas, 

 a plant or two of Echites splendens, and Dipladenia crassi- 

 noda, may also be started. Let Ixoras and all other hard- 

 wooded plants that have made sufficient growth, be kept 

 rather dry at the root, in order to check their growth, and 

 induce a tendency to form bloom-buds, but do not let the 

 soil in the pots become so dry as to affect the foliage. 



G3EEXHOCSE AND CONSEEVATOSY. 



Should dull weather continue, occasional fire heat will be 

 required for the plants in these houses. The fires should be 

 lighted in the morning, in order that the houses may be 

 thrown open during the day to promote a free circulation of 

 air. This will dry up damp and help to keep the plants in 

 a healthy state. Let the surface soil of the pots be slightly 

 stirred to remove moss and promote free evaporation from 

 the surface. 



PITS AND FEAiTES. 



With the assistance of a garden frame, and some stable 

 manure or tan to furnish a gentle heat, Hyacinths may 

 be had in flower at Christmas, and with a good stock of 

 bulbs the display may be kept up till April or May. For 

 early forcing the" bulbs should be planted in September, as 

 recommended at that time : those to flower in spring should 

 be planted in October, November, and December. The best 

 pots are the 4S-size for one bulb, and the 32-sized pot for 

 three bulbs. It may be well to add that three bulbs grown 

 together in one pot produce a much finer effect than single 

 bulbs. The soil should be one-half fresh loam, decomposed 

 horse or cowdung, with a small portion of clean sand well 

 intermixed. If, however, this cannot be obtained, then the 

 lightest and richest at command must be employed instead. 

 Fill the pots lightly with the prepared compost, and place 

 the bulb upon the surface, slightly pressing it into the soil. 

 After giving a liberal watering set the pots out of doors on 

 a place where perfect drainage is secured, and cover them 

 with about a foot of old tan. After remaining there about a 

 month or five weeks the bulbs will be sufficiently rooted to 

 render it safe to remove them to a gentle bottom heat of 

 about 55°. It is necessary to be careful that the roots are 

 not allowed to penetrate the fermenting material. A sit- 

 ting-room window forms a suitable situation for Hyacinths 

 while in bloom, and the beauty will there be longer in fading 

 than in most places. — W. Keane. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST WEEK. 



KITCHEN GAEDEN. 



Trtt.t> to clean it up a bit, but the dripping weather pre- 

 vented us doing more than clearing the walks of leaves; 

 taking up Asparagus for an early bed, filling merely one 

 light at first, as we have rather encroached on our stock in 

 previous years, and must dispense with having it so early 

 for a year or two, until the stock fit for forcing is larger. 



Artichokes, Globe. — Cut over the stems, and placed some 

 long litter over each stool, and then a fe"w spadesful of soil 

 over it to keep it in its place. It is safest to give these 

 this little protection, especially in heavy soils. The assur- 

 ance of their hardiness will be a poor compensation for the 

 want of a supply if, from trusting to that assurance, the 

 plants should be "killed by a severe frost. We have known 

 them stand uninjured and unprotected for several yeare, 

 and then, after another season,~not a bit of the old plants 

 was left alive. 



Sea-kale. — Took up a lot, squeezed the roots into pots, 

 and placed them in the Mushroom-house. It would be 

 easier to place them in a bed at once; but placing the 

 plants in pots permits of their being moved as desirable, 

 either into a little bottom heat, into a cool dark place when 



