52 



Gl.EANINGS ON HOK'nCULTUKE. 



Standard fig-trees will thrive well in the orchard-house, if 

 planted in pots similar to those used for apricots and peaches 

 with holes at the bottom. 



ON GROWING MUSHROOMS, 



When a melon-bed is prepared for the plants, sow the mush- 

 room spawn on the sides of the hills, and on the surface of the 

 bed ; and when the melons are over, and the bine is decayed, 

 put on the hghts, and keep them close, taking care to water the 

 mould moderately when it becomes dry, or expose it to any gentle 

 shower, for too much wet will destroy the spawn. At the period 

 the bed is taken away, procure and dry the s})awn against the 

 return of Spring. The roots of the melons will not be in the 

 least injured ; and the catsup obtained from these nmshrooms is 

 far superior to any other, being high-coloured and of finer 

 flavour. 



CONCRETE GARDEN- WALKS. 



In the first place, break up your old gravel-walk, and if the 

 foundation be good, put on a quantity of lime, about an inch 

 thick ; then replace the coarse part of the gravel, after it has been 

 sifted, to the thickness of two inches, and a rise in the centre 

 of three inches ; then finish by one inch of the fine-sifted gravel 

 — roll it well, and you will have no more trouble with weeds. 

 This simple plan I have adopted in our flower garden, and it has 

 answered far beyond my expectation. When made, the weather 

 should be dry; and although the frost may have some effect upon 

 these ivalks, and loosen the surface in a slight degree, yet the 

 roller will soon make them as firm as Roman cement. 



A foundation of broken stones is the best — well drained ; and 

 even should the walks or roads be much used by wagons or 

 carts, if t/te sfo/ies be small, the wheels will make no impression. 

 Storms have no effect upon these roads or walks, as long as 

 they are kept well rolled and drained ; and nothing can be 

 cheaper. I used fresh slacked lime, and when required, watered 

 it prior to the two inches of rather coarse gravel being put on the 

 walks ; the roller was then immediately passed over them, the 

 lime then rose amcmgst the round stones in the gravel, and set 

 them firmly in their proper level, prior to the fine gravel being 

 finally placed upon the walks, which will not require anything 

 more than an inch of the latter for the next five years. 



