476 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ December 13, 1864. 



The Hon. Mrs. Hood has furnished her drawing-room with 

 models of figures and groups in the various occupations 

 common to each country, and which are generally copied 

 from the Illustrated London News. The objects are distin- 

 guished for good taste and considerable skill. 



" A thing of beauty is a joy for ever. 

 Its loveliness increases ; it will never 

 Pass into nothingness ; but still "will keep 

 A bower quiet for us, and a sleep 

 Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing." 



The whole is under the excellent management of Mr. Pond, 

 the head gardener. 



WOEK FOE THE WEEK. 



KITCHEN GAEDEN. 



Proceed with former directions as regards manuring and 

 trenching, which are the principal operations at this season. 

 Gravel walks should come in for a share of attention. Sifted 

 coal ashes are an excellent material for the back walks, as it 

 bears the winter traffic well and is always pleasant to walk 

 upon. A coating of this material may now be given if they 

 are in a bad condition. Celery, take advantage of the first 

 dry day that may occur if the ground is in a rather dry 

 state, to earth-up closely any that may have outgrown the 

 previous soiling, and be prepared to protect the ridges in 

 case of severe frost. Dry stable litter answers very well for 

 this purpose. Parsley, endeavour as far as circumstances 

 will permit, to have a good supply under safe protection, for 

 there is generally a large demand for this, and in the event 

 of a severe winter it is difficult to save it by the ordinary 

 protection of hoops and mats. Peas, sow a few more, and 

 Beans, as succession crops, drawing earth to the strong of 

 the first sowings. A little dry charred earth is excellent, 

 laying it on each side of the stems. A few branching sticks 

 or spruce fir will defend them from cold cutting winds or 

 severe frost. 



FRUIT GAEDEN. 



It is always desirable to have as much of the pruning and 

 nailing done before the approach of spring as possible. Lose 

 no opportunity, therefore, of forwarding the operations, for 

 besides the advantage of having that kind of work done 

 before the busy season, the garden will present a much 

 neater appearance after the wall trees are nailed, the borders 

 made trim, the small fruit-bearing bushes pruned, and the 

 ground among them slightly forked over. See that the 

 standard trees which have been recently moved or root- 

 pruned are firmly secured against injury from winds, and 

 also let any root-pruning or transplanting remaining to be 

 done this season be executed as soon as possible. 



FLOWEE GAEDEN. 



The weather is still favourable for carrying out alterations 

 and where these are in hand they should be prosecuted with 

 the greatest possible dispatch. Planting and the removal of 

 large trees or shrubs 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 

 the wind, for these are often injured by being blown about 

 after planting, which a small stake and a few minutes' work 

 would prevent. Procure a stock of Briars for budding on 

 next season. Let the roots be well trimmed, cutting back 

 closely the strong ones, for these if left will be of little use 

 save to furnish an endless supply of suckers. As soon as 

 alterations are completed, and the beds and borders are put 

 in proper order for the winter, let a little fresh gravel be put 

 upon the walks if necessary, in order to render them firm 

 and dry for the winter. Plants of a tender habit in the 

 borders shonld have some litter, sawdust, or old tan spread 

 pretty thickly over the roots, and a few spruce fir or furze 

 bushes stuck round them. Creepers on walls or trellises 

 should now be nailed or tied-in. Those of a tender descrip- 

 tion should be protected. Examine pillar and trellis Roses, 

 and see if the soil wants removing, or the kinds changing. 

 For choice sorts roomy holes should be made, capable of con- 

 taining three or four barrowloacls of well-prepared soil. 

 Turfy loam of good quality is the chief ingredient, to this 

 add a portion of rich rotten manure and, if at hand, a little 

 sandy peat or leaf mould. 



GREENHOUSE AND CONSEEVATORT. 



Chrysanthemums and most of the flowering stock will 

 require frequent attention in watering. The leaves of Ca- 

 mellias, Oranges, &c, are liable to a dark scum : this should 

 be cleaned away with a sponge at this period especially, as 

 the chief interest among pot plants depends in a great 

 measure on cleanliness, both with regard to the leaves and 

 pots. Take care when frost arrives that the Heaths do not be- 

 come too dry of a sudden. The best preventive of this is to 

 be very shy in applying fire heat. "We have already alluded 

 to the ill effects of humidity and stagnant air in plant-houses 

 as evils to be guarded against most particularly at this ■ 

 season, but these are of minor importance compared, with one 

 of our own creation, evidence of the existence of which is 

 not unfrequently seen in the drawn and unhealthy occu- 

 pants of greenhouses — we allude to heat, which, judiciously 

 applied, is, of course, of the first importance, but employed 

 without judgment becomes a fertile cause of the evils above 

 described. It must be borne in mind that a spring or sum- 

 mer temperature, without the sunlight of the one or the 

 other, is altogether an anomalous state of things, and one 

 which cannot be pursued consistently ; with things so sus- 

 ceptible of such influences as plants, above all, high night 

 temperature should be avoided. We are convinced of the 

 value of the practice of employing night coverings,^ and of 

 thus dispensing in a great measure with the use of fires. 

 stove. 

 Some of the early-ripened tall Cacti may now be intro- 

 duced either in the stove or forcing-pit, and receive a liberal 

 watering to commence with. Do not encourage any fresh 

 growth at this period, rather aim at that kind of manage- 

 ment which will serve to consolidate the growths already 

 made and to develope the blossoms of the late-flowering 

 plants in a proper way. 



FORCING-PIT. 



This is a capital period at which to introduce a consider- 

 able bulk of things for genuine forcing purposes. Rhodo- 

 dendrons, Azaleas, Persian Lilacs, Moss and Provence Roses, 

 Sweet Briars, Honeysuckles, Kalmias, Daphnes, Rhodoras, 

 the more advanced Hyacinths, Narcissus, Tulips, &c, may 

 now be fairly started. A sweet bottom heat of 80°, and an 

 atmospheric temperature of 65°, will be necessary, whatever 

 the structure. One thing may be here observed, and that is 

 — that it is in vain to introduce anything unless properly set 

 for bloom. This points to the necessity of a special summer's 

 training, as advised in proper season in this calendar. 



PITS AND FRAMES. 



Look over the plants carefully, at least once a-week, and 

 remove decaying leaves, &c, which, when left, only encourage 

 damp and mildew. See that the frames are well banked up, 

 so as to be proof against any ordinary frost, and do not 

 neglect covering up securely at night. — W. Keane. 



DOINGS OE THE LAST WEEK. 



KITCHEN GAEDEN. 



Chose a dry day for wheeling a little rotten dung on to 

 alleys, quarters, &c, to be used as wanted, reserving the 

 chief of such work for dry frosty weather. Packed up Carrots, 

 Beet, &c, in sand and dry earth in sheds. Protected Cauli- 

 flower, earthed-up Cabbages, and strewed the ground with 

 dry burned rubbish, especially near the plants, which will 

 alike protect them from severe frosts, and set slugs and 

 snails adrift. If this fine mild weather continue much 

 longer, we will just move up the most fprward Cabbages in- 

 tended for spring with the point of a steel fork so as to 

 snap the extreme roots, and then fasten the earth firmly 

 about them. This will check growth, and diminishing luxu- 

 riance will render the plants more sturdy for meeting a 

 severe frost. Protected" Artichokes with some litter round 

 the crowns, which we find had been neglected. Cleared 

 Asparagus ground of faded tops and weeds, and covered 

 with a dressing of rotten hotbed dung, consisting chiefly of 

 decayed leaves, the virtues of which will be washed to the 

 roots by rains ; but, as stated the other week, summer is 

 the right time for helping the Asparagus. 



Aspwagus Forcing.— Gave plenty of air to Asparagus 

 coming on in a common hotbed. We mentioned the other 

 week that we had forced this vegetable in rather too large 



