246 
THE GARDENERS’ AND NATURALISTS’ CALENDAR FOR DECEMBER, 
more, while in the latter case it may he 10° or 20° be¬ 
low the freezing point; practical experience in such 
cases is alone the safe guide ; aim as mnch as possible 
at the standard we have laid down. In severe weather 
keep sufficient fires in the late houses to exclude the 
frost. If the outside borders are not already protected, 
cover them at once. We do not, however, advocate 
covering borders in order to send heat into them, hut 
for the purpose of keeping that already in them from 
escaping; therefore do we advise their being covered 
immediately. 
Strawberries. —If the directions given in our last 
respecting the winter storing of these have been fol¬ 
lowed out, their roots will be perfectly safe; hut, in 
order to keep the frost from the crown, we recommend 
some hurdles or pea-stakes to he placed in front of the 
plants, hut a little distance from them ; in very severe 
weather some straw or litter should he thrown over 
these. By this means we keep our plants from ever 
getting frozen; besides, no matter what the weather 
is, we can always get out some plants when wanted 
for forcing. The first hatch of plants should now he 
introduced into the early peach house or vinery; hear 
in mind they cannot have too much light; therefore 
they must he placed near the glass : nor can they have 
too much air, unless in severe frosty weather. 
M. S. 
[ application of green or unfermented manure to the 
l inin gs, or by an unfortunate mouse taking shelter in 
the frame, and thereby admitting the rank steam so 
destructive to vegetable life. To prevent this, act 
upon previous directions and make good preparations 
for all demands; where manure is scarce and plenty of 
leaves at hand they will he found excellent to mix 
with the dung. Previous to making up beds or lin¬ 
ings, let the leaves he collected as early as possible and 
stacked in heaps in readiness. 
Stir up the surface of the seed-bed two or three 
times a-week, as that prevents any foulness or damp 
collecting on the surface. In potting the plants, use 
light peaty soil; they will root more freely in light 
soil than heavy, and are less likely to damp off; avoid 
giving water for some time after potting. Stir up the 
linings and top up with sweet hot manure; that will 
help to dry the damp atmosphere arising from the bot¬ 
tom heat. 
The covering by night must he regulated by circum¬ 
stances, such as heat of bed and external atmosphere ; 
over-heat must he prevented by due attention to air by 
night, otherwise the plants will elongate without add¬ 
ing substance, which is detrimental to their after well¬ 
doing. AY. T. 
FRUIT-GARDEN.—OUT-DOOR DEPART¬ 
MENT. 
Cucumber Souse. —This will now he an object of 
great interest, and as this has been one of the most 
beautiful autumns I ever remember, it must he charg- 
able to the gardener if everything fri the Cucumber- 
house is not what it ought to he ; with the fruit-hear¬ 
ing plants swelling off their fruit free from gum, and 
the younger plants growing vigorously towards the top 
of the house. 
If the weather continues mild, he sparing with the 
fires by night, as the plants will become stiffer, and in 
the end more robust, by a comparatively low night 
temperature. My maximum night temperature at the 
present time is 65°, and day temperature from 70° to 
80°. I take great precaution to impregnate the fruit 
when dry, and never allow more fruit to bloom upon a 
plant than I intend it to mature, as it only exhausts 
the plants to no good purpose. The atmosphere must 
be kept moist, but the roots enjoy an intermediate state 
of moisture. If they are too chy they produce in great 
abundance small blossoms at every joint, if they are 
too moist they appear yellow and transparent, which will 
terminate in a dwindling decay of the whole plant. 
Stopping and thinning the fruit-bearing plants, must 
have strict attention, to remove every useless shoot on 
its first appearance; for as light is, at all seasons of 
the year, a most powerful agent in the healthy develope- 
rnent of all the vegetable creation, so it will require 
great diligence on the part of the gardener at this dull 
season of the year, to see that every ray of light is 
admitted that is under his control. The glass must 
have frequent washing to remove any particles of dirt 
or small insects that may accumulate to obstruct 
the light. If a supply of fruit is most required in the 
months of February and March, it will prove of great 
service to the plants to pinch off all the fruit up to the 
middle of January; the plants will then he able to 
carry a larger crop of fruit than if they were allowed to 
bear fruit at Christmas. 
Dung Beds. —In all the operations to be performed by 
a gardener, perhaps there is not one which causes more 
anxiety than the cultivation of the Cucumber in dune: 
beds for early purposes, for, if Cucumbers are required 
by the middle of March, it will he necessary to com¬ 
mence and sow the seeds early in December; and 
often, after two months’ toil and anxiety, in one night 
the whole of the plants are destroyed by the injudicious 
Beach , Nectarine , and Apricot .—Pruning and nailing 
may he proceeded with when the weather is mild, but 
during frost it should be avoided, as the operation lace¬ 
rates the sap vessels, and frequently causes the shoots to 
die back. I am aware that some gardeners do not 
regard the state of the weather, and even recommend 
pruning and nailing when frosty ; but as I have expe¬ 
rienced its bad effects on the trees above-named, it is 
necessary to caution others. I believe the dying back 
of the shoots is often ascribed to other causes when this 
is the real one. 
Apple and Fear. —As those against walls are very 
generally trained horizontally, I would strongly recom¬ 
mend iron studs to be driven in the wall at regular dis¬ 
tances, to fasten the branches to. Those studs are now 
nearly as cheap as cast-iron nails, and are certainly 
preferable for several reasons. If the present plan of 
fastening the trees to walls with studs and nails was 
entirely discarded, it would be better for them. Nature 
never intended that the branches of a tree should be 
twisted and distorted as they are, and that only merely 
to please the eye. 
Strawberry. —The British Queen I believe to be one 
of the best flavoured grown ; but unfortunately it is in 
some soils and situations an indifferent bearer, and in 
others the apex of the fruit remains green and hard 
after the main part of it is quite ripe. As this sort has 
neither of these objectionable qualities in some places, I 
think it quite possible to overcome them in others. It 
is now generally believed that there is a peculiar tender¬ 
ness in the plants of this sort, and that they require 
some protection dining winter; those, therefore, who 
are partial to this variety, should immediately slightly 
cover the plants with fern, pea-haulm, straw, or any 
other light material. 
Orchard .—As favourable opportunities occur, cleanse 
the stems and prune the standard frees. This is gene¬ 
rally a very neglected part of the fruit department; the 
trees have little attention paid them after the first few 
years they are planted; consequently, the fruit becomes 
small, and the flavour of it indifferent—the result of 
leaving the branches too thick to admit the sun and air. 
From the time of planting the trees they should be 
regularly looked over every year, the branches thinned, 
and those which cross the centre of the free cut out. 
Every pains should be taken to have a well-balanced 
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