JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ December 18, 1884. 
r,58 
bonaceous ingredients of soil may be capable of some measure of simple 
oxidation; but it is apparently throu.’h the action of living agents that 
the oxidation of organic matter is chiefly brought about.” 
(To be continued.) 
EUCALYPTS AND OTHER EXOTICS AS OPEN-AIR PLANTS 
The island of Arran is now widely known to English as well as Scottish 
health-seekers as the sanitarium of the Clyde; but arboriculturists have 
.also noted with great interest the successful experiments of the Rev. David 
Landsborough of Kilmarnock, in rearing there, in the open air, tree deni¬ 
zens of sunnier climes. The peculiar chmatal conditions of the east coast 
of the isle make the severity of our winters as little felt as in any part of 
Britain. And consequently, at sites such as Brodick and Corrie, Eucalypts, 
Acacias, and Tree Ferns attain heights in the open similar to those gained 
in their native habitats. Mr. Landsborough reported at the November 
meeting of the Botanical Society of Edinburgh that a Blue Gum (Eucalyp¬ 
tus globulus) was now about 30 feet high, with a girth 1 foot 7^ inches 
thick; and a White Gum (Eucal 3 rptus coriacea), the seed of which was 
planted in the spring of 1879, is now 14 feet 6i inches in height, with a 
girth of 4^ inches. Both grow in the open at Lamlash. The mountain 
White Gum (Eucalyptus Gunnii) has at the same locality grown 3 feet 
10 inches in height; and the Alpine Gum (Eucalyptus alpina) has at Corrie 
attained a height of 3 feet. 
As is well known to our readers, similar experiments have hem made at 
Colintraive and other places of the neighbouring mainland of the Firth of 
Clyyde, which promised fairly had the sylvan strangers not been blasted 
by the hard recurrent frosts so characteristic of our fickle climate. Not¬ 
withstanding such past defeats, Eucalypt-growing is again being attempted 
at the Rev. Dr. Story’s, Roseneath; Mr. Secular’s, Tighnabruaich; and at 
Balinakill, Kintyre. If, as some think, we have gone into a cycle of warm 
seasons, the young plants may flourish till killed by some hard intervening 
frosts. The records of the past forbid us to hope that either the Blue or 
the Almond-leaved Gums shall ever in this country attain their normal 
heights of 330 feet or 430 feet respectively. Be this as it may, Mr. Lands¬ 
borough states that in Arran during the severe winter of 1879-80, not a 
leaf of the White Gum was even browned ; while branches from the Airan 
trees could bear favourable comparison with those exhibited at the Edin¬ 
burgh Forestry Exhibition from Antibes, in the south-west coast of France. 
Such strangers as the Cordyline indivisa, 12 feet 10 inches high, and 
Cordyline australis, 9 feet 7 inches high, are not in Arran even browned by 
frost. Neither are the Dicksonias, which flourish here. So do the Acacias, 
though one or two have succumbed. Camellias and Myrtles bloom abun¬ 
dantly.— {Forestry.) 
KITCHEN GARDEN, 
Many of the quarters are now becoming empty. Most of the autumn 
Cauliflowers have been cut, the stem leaves are being cleared ofif, and 
the soil dug roughly. Our soil is rather old, worms being abundant ; 
and as we find these trouble the Potatoes, Turnips, Carrots, Onion«, and, 
indeed, everything, we are giving the soil a slight dressing of gas lime 
previous to digging. This will effect a general clearance, and may be 
practised everywhere, as gas lime can be had cheaply wherever there are 
gas-works, and if used in moderation it is very beneficial. 
VeitcJi’s Self-protecting Broccoli .—This is now turning in well, and is 
an excellent successor to Veitch’s Autumn Giant Cauliflower. Frost is 
now very liable to destroy the heads, and they must be examined very 
frequently. When they are too email to cut draw the leaves together 
and tie them over the heads. So long as they are not spoiled by 
wet this will preserve them from frost. 
Brtmels Sprouts .—The buttons at the lower part of the stems are 
much larger than those at the top, and in gathering them the small ones 
should not be taken, as if left they will swell and be more useful in early 
spring. Where many of the leaves are decaying and hanging over the 
sprouts they may cause them to decay, and as dead leaves do no good 
they should be taken away. Where many of the sprouts have been 
gathered and little remains but a bare stem and the top, some may think 
they can be of no further use, and throw them away, but the tops are 
very hardy, and if left until spring they are as useful as young Cabbages. 
Should severe weather come they will bear it better than most vegetables. 
We regard the tops in spring as a good second crop. 
Parsnips .—Where these are now decaying on the crowns it will be 
best to lift and store them in a cool shed amongst fine ashes or sand. 
There they will not decay, and their qualities will be retained for several 
months. 
Jerusalem Artichokes .—These are always useful, and should have a 
comer in every garden. The stems have died, and are of no further use. 
They should be cut level with the soil and burned. The roots may then 
be lifted like Potatoes, removing all the largest for use, and store a quan¬ 
tity of the middle size ones for replanting. They are very prolific, disease- 
proof, and a few scores of seed tubers will keep up a large supply. Those 
being kept for ure may be stored with the Parsnips. Globe Artichokes 
have been unusually fine this autumn. Last week we cut a number of 
summer-like heads, but we do not like the plants to be so large and green 
at this season, and if severe weather comes they will require substantial 
protection. 
Rhubarb Forcing .—This may now be general where plenty of well- 
developed roots and crowns exist. A simple way of bringing it on is to 
turn empty casks upside down over the crowns, and then cover the casks 
with warm manure. It requires a good heap to cause growth, and the 
best way is to force a number of roots close together, when a large hot¬ 
bed may be thrown over them, and this will not only warm the air in the 
interior of the casks, but it will penetrate the ground and throw a heat 
into the roots to hasten the top growth. When the roots are lifted for 
forcing it spoils them very much for the following season, and many be¬ 
come useless, but this manner of forcing does them very little harm^ 
especially if the tender crowns are not exposed too suddenly in early spring. 
Seakale ; This may be treated in the same way, and there are special 
forcing pots for both which are excellent for the purpose ; but where these 
cannot be had in sufficient quantity old boxes and casks may be resorted to. 
Hotbed Material .—Hotbeds will soon be in general demand, and now 
is the time to see to securing the material for their formation. Littery 
manure from the stable and fallen leaves from the trees are the best of 
all materials for hotbeds, and quantities of both should be collected in 
heaps near the frame grounds. Where these are scarce the old vegetable 
leaves from the kitchen garden may be added to them to increase the 
heap. The whole should be thrown together and thoroughly mixed several 
times at intervals of a few days before attempting to make any beds or to 
fill deep frames. 
Early Carrots .—Carrots of the French Horn type are amongst the 
most delicious of all vegetables. They can be forced freely, and a frame 
or two of them should be grown in every garden. The earliest may be 
sown now. Where there is a frame from 3 feet to 4 feet deep fill from 
2 feet to 3 feet of its depth with hotbed manure. Make this very firm, 
and then cover it with 6 inches or 8 inches of sandy soil. Make this firm 
too, and then sow the seed broadcast thinly. A slight covering of pure 
river sand should then be placed over the seed and put the lights on. In 
a fortnight the young plants will be showing, and in cold nights they 
should be protected by covering the glass. A little air may be admitted 
on fine days, but little or no water will be required for some considerable 
time. We like deep frames for early sowing, as the whole of the manure 
is kept under cover, and retains the heat much longer than an exposed hot¬ 
bed ; but where there are no deep frames a hotbed should be made up in 
the usual way, and put the frame and sow the Carrots on the top. 
Peas .—Those sown a few weeks ago are now through the soil, and 
care must be taken that they are not destroyed by vermin. Mice must 
be trapped ; snails kept off by slight dustings of lime ; and pheasants, 
which are our greatest trouble, must be kept away at aU cost, as they will 
clear a row of Peas quickly. Wire-guards are effective, and quantities of 
old Pea stakes laid down over the rows are useful. Another way is to 
stake the rows at once, and put the sticks in so closely that the pheasants 
cannot get through them. 
Seed Potatoes .—Give the early ones which have been in heaps more 
room and light to insure the shoots being robust. Those for immediate 
planting in hotbeds should be spread out in a house or pit where they will 
have a little heat and plenty of light to start the growths. We like 
to plant our January Potatoes with the stems about 3 inches in length, 
and dark green in colour. 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Cherry House. —The house having been cleaned and put in thorough 
order, it ought now to be closed if it were not done early in the month, 
and during the present month the temperature should be maintained at 
40° by fire heat at night, and not more than 45° by artificial means at 
that time ; and in the daytime 50° by artificial means, or when the weather 
is mild at 55°. If the temperature rises above 55° a little ventilation 
should be given, and continued until it recedes to it again, when the 
house should be closed. With sun heat the temperature may rise to 65°, 
above which ventilate fully, adjusting the range of temperature by 
increasing or diminishing the supply of air according to the weather. 
Syringing scarcely will need to be done more than once every day unless 
sunshine prevails, when an extra application may be necessary, and 
instead of keeping the trees constantly dripping with moisture damping 
available surfaces occasionally will afford the necessary moisture in dull 
weather. It is imperative that sufficient moisture exist in the borders, 
and it must be given without delay, or after growth takes place fresh 
roots will speedily be made. If the trees are cultivated in pots the 
watering should not be neglected, but they should be seen to and the 
supply accorded according to the requirements. Although trees in pots 
under careful treatment produce excellent crops, preference is given tO' 
the system of planting out, because the trees are less liable to suffer from 
inattenti )n in watering and are altogether less trouble. 
Vines. —Late Houses .—Late Grapes should be examined twice a week 
for decayed berries, the house being kept dry and cool as may be consistent 
with the safety and preservation of the fruit. When thoroughly ripe and 
the Vines are clear of foliage a mean of 50° is a very good temperature for 
late Grapes until the time arrives for cutting, as anything much below 
this is liable to foster fungus and decay, and fire heat to maintain a night 
temperature exceeding it will most likely cause the berries to shrivel' 
after the fall of the leaves. No further delay must be made in getting 
the Grape room ready for the reception of the Grapes, as the latest ought 
to be cleared off the Vines by the first week in January, and a week’s 
steady firing with ventilation is necessary in many places to draw out 
damp and dispel it from the room. Bottling and managing Grapes is now 
BO well understood, and the certainty with which they may be kept for 
