214 
onion crop the succeeding year; and for winter 
coleworts, or early spring cabbage, to succeed the 
onions. 
The outsides of the celery banks should be slightly 
protected for the next five or six weeks, and a fine, 
open, drying day chosen tor the last earth being ap¬ 
plied to the latest crop. Keep a watchful eye over 
the early brocoli crops. If the weather continues 
severe, a handful ot pea-haulm, fern, or dry mulch 
of some kind, placed over the heart of each plant, 
forms a very good protection. 
Sea-kale succession, of a small portion at a time, 
or only to the extent which is absolutely necessary 
to keep the requisite supply, should be covered with 
fermenting materials, and carefully attended to, in 
order to observe that a kindly and moderate warmth 
about it is maintained. The roots which have been 
taken up and forced, as previously recommended, 
may be beneficially assisted by the application of 
tepid liquid manure, and be made to produce several 
good cuttings. Forced rhubarb may be assisted in 
the same way, and succession of roots, placed in heat, 
will keep up any desired supply. 
Routine Work. —Fermenting materials should now, 
by all possible speed, be collected together, and well 
wrought, so as to be in readiness for as many various 
purposes as at the coming season may be required for 
training operations. Cucumber-beds, in frames or jiits, 
not heated by tank or pipes, will require strict atten¬ 
tion, by the application of good, well-mixed hot ma- 
teiials, as additions to the linings; and one uniform 
heat must be well maintained. Slight hotbeds should 
be made, in succession, lor asparagus, potatoes, ra¬ 
dishes, &c.; and small salad should be sown in succes¬ 
sion, in pans, and placed in a little warmth of some 
kind. Kidney beans may now be sown on well-pre- 
pared hotbeds; and tamous early crops may thus be 
procured. Broad beans, likewise, may still be planted 
as extensively as required, according to the directions 
alieady given ; and peas, also,ot the early kinds, may 
be sown to any extent. Those that are already up, 
keep well mulched up with dry earth, &c.; and, if 
annoyed with mice, adopt some of the methods we 
have already described for destroying them. The 
sparrow, too, is often found to be a very troublesome 
pest to the young peas; and, as soon as the pea is 
to be seen peeping through the earth, this little bird 
will make sad destruction among them. At the same 
time, no bird can be more easily frightened: the only 
thing is, to keep a watchful eye upon the peas, and as 
soon as they are breaking through the earth, strain a 
string ot worsted, of any colour, from end to end of 
each row, keeping the thus strained worsted from four 
to six inches above the peas in the row, which will 
effectually prevent the sparrows touching them. Spi¬ 
nach and lettuces are otten also attacked by the same 
bird in small gardens in early spring; but the above 
will always form an excellent protection. 
Plant spearmint either on small hotbeds made for 
the purpose, or in pots, or large pans, according to the 
supply required. It a large supply of green mint is 
required, then make a slight hotbed for the purpose; 
but, if a small supply only be needed, a few plants 
may be potted, and placed either in the cucumber-bed 
or other heated structures. James Barnes & W. 
MISCELLANEOUS INEOEMATION. 
OUR VILLAGE WALKS. 
At this season we turn, with pleasure, to every ever¬ 
green tree; and among those that we possess, the spruce 
fii has striking beauty. We are apt to disregard itdur- 
[ January 17, 
ing the period when other trees are in leaf—-it is gene¬ 
rally smothered up with the foliage of those that are 
grouped round it, and most frequently its lower 
boughs are destroyed, from various causes; so that 
it is overlooked, or passed by with little notice. But, 
in its unmutilated richness, it is a very beautiful and 
graceful tree, and invaluable during winter. It is a 
livelier and more sprightly looking variety of the fir 
tribe than the Scotch fir, and is very ornamental in 
places where it either stands alone, or at such a dis¬ 
tance from others, as to preserve its lower branches 
in full vigour. It then spreads gracefully, and is 
green and healthy, and full of beauty. The cones 
are very ornamental in shape, and, in some of the 
varieties, they stand upright on the boughs, which 
has a very peculiar effect when the tree bears them 
thickly. These cones make excellent fuel; and I 
have been told, that when they only are used to feed 
the fire for smoking bacon, it receives improved fla¬ 
vour. I have never tasted any that has been smoked 
in this manner; but I remember a gentleman who 
always used them, as he considered them far superior 
to wood for that purpose. It may be interesting to 
those who can procure a sufficient quantity of fir 
cones, to try this experiment; and it would be a 
means of employing little children safely, and use¬ 
fully, to pick them up. 
The spruce fir, in its rich greenness and quiet 
dignity, forcibly reminds me always of the beautiful 
figure, used by the prophet Hosea, to describe the 
perfections of the glorious Head of the church—“ I 
am like a green fir tree; from me is thy fruit found.” 
So many sjmcies of fir were known in the Holy Land, 
that writers have ever differed as to which was re¬ 
ferred to in this striking passage; but I am contented 
witli gazing on the tall, sweeping elegance of the 
spruce, and fancying it the dim, imperfect picture of 
Him who is “ altogether lovely.” Even in some 
of our secluded country walks, we meet with a group 
ot these beautiful trees—and though they are then 
generally stripped of their lower boughs, and are, 
consequently, less beautiful, yet they still stand 
clothed in rich foliage, amid the dry and leafless 
trees of winter, reminding us of one who is “ the 
same yesterday, to-day, and for ever,” and who will 
shine with perfect splendour when the destruction of 
all things comes. It tells us, too, that when all 
earthly pleasures fail—when the tilings that may 
have made us happy, fade and die around us—we ] 
have still “ a Saviour, and a great one,” whose glory 
and whose perfections fade not, and in whom alone 
we can find a fulness of joy, that no man can inter¬ 
meddle with. From Him, also, is our “ fruit found;” 
so that our weakness and unworthiness need not be 
mentioned, when we cast ourselves upon Him who is 
“ our righteousness.” Let us always consider this 
when we see the green waving boughs of the beauti¬ 
ful spruce, and its tapering stem, pointing to heaven. 
Let us not be content to gaze on the objects round 
us simply as objects, but as subjects for thought and 
profit. The lingering leaves that still cling to the 
desolate boughs, flitter round us as the sudden gust 
shakes them from their slender hold, and remind us 
that “ we all do fade as a leaf.” They warn us, too, 
that all the bright things that decorate our earthly 
existence, are as fleeting and perishing, as dry and 
wortliless as the leaves, when their vitality is with¬ 
drawn from them, it is not the bright sun, nor the 
sweet fresh air, nor the soft summer showers that 
give them life; neither can these preserve them from 
decay. The living principle is deeply seated, beyond j 
human ken; the obedient sap obeys the impulse of 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
