248 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
CALENDAR FOR FEBRUARY 
GREENHOUSE. 
Air, admit freely among hard-wooded plants, such as Erica, Epac- 
ris, Diosma, &e., when the atmosphere is clear, and the outside tem¬ 
perature from 35° to 40°. In damp, foggy, or frosty weather, it is 
better to use little firing, and keep the house more close, unless you 
have the means of heating, and so far drying, the air before it is 
admitted—the drying, of course, to take place only when the air is 
loaded with moisture. All these plants will now want more water, 
but do not give it in driblets ; after doing it thoroughly, wait patiently 
until the soil is getting dry. Azaleas and Camellias : place those 
swelling and bursting their buds in the warmest end of the house, and 
you may remove them to the coldest end when in bloom. Supply such 
rather liberally with water. Those to be retarded, keep as cool as 
possible. Bulbs, Cinerarias, and Primulas, in flower, assist 
with manure-water; the double Chinese primula give a warm comer, 
as it is (especially the white) a splendid object when well grown. 
Calceolarias and Geraniums, keep at the best place for light and 
heat. All these soft-wooded plants require more heat than the hard- 
wooded ones : the former shift as necessary. The forwardest of the 
latter, stopped and shifted before Christmas, tie out, and train. Place 
in flowering-pots those stopped some time ago, and now breaking; 
and stop more young plants for succession, to be shifted when the 
buds have broken again. Fuchsias, start some favourite kinds, if 
you can, in a nice, sweet hotbed, as at this season they stand heat 
well. Cut them well down, and thin the shoots afterwards to as many 
stems as you may require. Repot those for the greenhouse, by the 
end of the month, and prune unsparingly : those intended for cottage 
■windows had better remain in their winter quarters for another month. 
The same Hotbed would do for needs, cuttings, &c.; and also for 
starting some Achimenes, Gesneras, and Gloxinias —the two former 
either in the pots in which they grew, or by removing the tubers, and 
placing them in pans with light earth, until they grow a little ; the 
latter either in their late pots before they spring, or, what will do as 
well, in fresh pots and soil; so that, whenever they start, they take 
hold of the fresh material. For Fires, Protection, Dressing, 
and Cleaning, see last month. R. Fish. 
FLOWER GARDEN. 
Anemones, sow ; finish planting, b. and e. Annuals (Tender), 
sow in hotbed; admit air to daily ; water slightly; cover with mats 
the glasses at night; (Hardy), sow in borders, e; for early blou-ing, 
sow in pots in a hothouse. Auriculas, dress, and attend carefully 
those under glass, as the buds appear. Biennials (Hardy), sow, e. 
Bulbs, finish planting. Carnations, plant, and shelter from cold 
winds. Dahlias, sow, and place tubers in hotbed, to break buds for 
slipping. Dress borders generally. Edgings of Box, &c., may be 
planted and repaired. (See Jan.) Evergreens, plant in mild wea¬ 
ther, e. Grass, roll and sweep weekly. Gravel, roll, and weed in 
dry weather, weekly. Hedges (Deciduous), plant, b.; (Evergreen), 
plant, e. Hyacinths, shelter, for they begin to appear. Migno¬ 
nette, sow in pots, and place in hotbed, or hothouse, and greenhouse, 
for succession. Neatness, attend to every where. Perennials 
(Hardy), sow, e; plant suckers, slips, and partings of roots ; (Half- 
hardy) uncover, if frosts gone. Planting of flowering shrubs, com¬ 
plete. Polyanthuses, sow; earth up with rich compost. Potted 
Shrubs, prune, shift, and dress the soil. Prune, the later it is done 
the more it checks the blooming. Ranunculuses, finish planting, 
b. and e. Roses, manure with cow-dung. Sowing of tree and 
shrub seeds, complete generally. Support, with stakes, &c., 
newly-planted shrubs. Tulips, shelter as they are now appearing. 
Turf may be laid. 
Climbers, such as honeysuckles and jasmines, should be pruned and 
trained in the early days of the month. Reduce to moderate-sized 
patches such plants as phloxes, asters, veronicas, See., otherwise they 
will occupy too much space, injure their neighbours, and harbour 
vermin. Herbaceous plants should be planted out from nursery beds 
into the borders without delay. Half-hardy shrubs, &c., may have 
their shelters partially removed, closing them up again at night, ac¬ 
cording to the mildness or inclemency of the season. D. Beaton. 
ORCHARD. 
Apples (wall and espalier), finish pruning, b.; plant; sow for 
stocks. Apricots, finish pruning and protect carefully, b.; plant. 
Berberries, plant. Blossoms of early wall fruit, shelter in frosty 
and windy weather. Cherries, finish pruning and training; plant; 
graft, e. Chestnuts, plant and sow. Currants, finish pruning, 
b. ; plant. Cuttings, plant, of gooseberries, currants, figs, filberts, 
mulberries, vines, &c. Dress and fork over the earth of the bor¬ 
ders, &c. Filberts, plant, hang male catkins, &c. Gooseber¬ 
ries, finish pruning, b.; plant. Grafting, commence, if mild, e. 
Scions, collect ready for use. Layers, make of figs, vines, filberts, 
mulberries, and muscle plums, the last for stocks. Manures, apply 
where required. Medlars, plant. Moss, on trees, destroy with 
brine, or urine. (See Jan.) Mulberries, plant. Nectarines, 
finish pruning, b. Orchard Trees, finish dressing. Peaches, 
finish pruning, b. Pears, sow for stocks, &c. (wall and espalier); 
finish pruning; graft, e. Planting, generally complete, e. Plums 
(wall and espalier), finish pruning ; plant; graft, e. Pruning, finish 
generally. Quinces, plant. Raspberries, finish pruning, b.; 
plant; dig between and remove suckers. Services, plant. Stan¬ 
dards, finish pruning. Strawberries, clear and spring dress, and 
plant in moist weather, e. Suckers, for stocks, plant. Trench 
ground for planting. Vines may still be pruned, b.; cuttings plant. 
Walnuts, plant and sow. 
In collecting scions for grafting, remember that the principle is to 
[January 31. 
cut them before the sap begins to circulate. They should be kept in 
a cellar, or other cool damp place out of doors, until the sap in the 
stocks, for which they are destined, is in motion. R. Errington. 
FORCING AND PLANT STOVE. 
Air, admit freely when weather permits. Bulbs, and other dry 
roots for succession, plant, b. Bottom-heat, attend to (See Jan.). 
Cherries, in blossom, shade when sun is bright, a thick net answers 
well; disbud as required; day temp, beep about 60 ° maximum; 
night 45°. Earth of borders, &e., stir occasionally. Figs, when in 
leaf, require a day temp, about 6o°. Flowering shrubs in pots, in¬ 
troduce for succession. Heat, must advance with light. Kidney 
Beans, provide successions; use richer soil as the day lengthens 
(See Jan.). Labels, renew, where required. Leaves, keep cleaned; 
decayed and weeds clear away constantly. Liquid-manure, apply 
to the roots of fruit-trees in forcing, if dry. Peaches, and other 
fruits in blossom, should not be syringed; disbud ; thin when too 
thick, and as large as peas ; day temp!" 60 °; night 55°. Pines, re¬ 
move from bark-bed to pots; and generally regulate. Secure At¬ 
mospheric Moisture. Strawberries, in pots, introduce for 
succession ; bottom heat is useful ; see that those in reserve are not 
injured by frost. Thermometer, for most stove-plants, may be at 
70°, during mid-day, if bright. Tobacco, give fumigations weekly, 
or oftener, if insects appear. Vines, treat as in Jan. ; do not syringe 
whilst in blossom ; thin berries; day temp, 70 °; night 60 °. Water, 
give more freely than last month; keep in open pans, over pipes or 
flues, constantly. Watch sedulously for the green fly and red spider; 
against the latter, sulphur and moisture are the best preventives, as 
well as cure. 
Gloxinias, Gesneras, and Aciiimines, love atmospheric mois¬ 
ture, but the leaves will become spotted, if the sun shines brightly 
upon them while moist. It is now a busy time : shifting, top-dress¬ 
ing, pruning, and training, must be practised generally throughout 
the stove plants, wherever necessary. The air must be’ kept moister 
as heat and light increases, not only after shifting, but to answer the 
demands of the plants. Sowing exotic seeds, as the month closes ; 
and propagation of cuttings attended to. R. Errington. 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Artichokes, defend from frost. Asparagus, plant in hotbed, 
and attend to that forcing. Balm, plant. Beans, plant; earth up, 
and transplant from frames, e. Beets, sow a little for early use; 
plant for seed and dig up for storing any left in the bed. Borecole, 
sow, e. Brocoli, sow, e. Burnet, sow, e. Cabbages, plant; 
sow ; and plant for seed. Carrots, sow in a hotbed, b., to draw 
young; plant for seed, e. Cauliflowers, in frames, stir earth 
about; look for slugs, &c.; plant in borders, if mild, e. : sow, m.; 
prick out. Celery, dress and earth up ; sow in a hotbed or warm 
border, e. Chervil, sow. Clary, sow, e. Composts, prepare 
and turn over. Coriander, sow. Corn Salad, sow. Cucum¬ 
bers, attend to those forcing ; prick and plant out; and sow in hot¬ 
beds. Dill, sow, m. Dung, prepare for hotbeds. Earthing-up, 
perform when necessary. Endive, transplant in frames; blanch. 
Fennel, sow or plant. Garlick, plant. Horse-radish, plant, 
Jerusalem Artichokes, plant. Kidney Beans, sow in hotbed, 
See, Leeks, plant for seed; sow, e. Lettuces, transplant from 
frames, e.; sow in hotbed, b.; in border, e.; prick out in hotbed. 
Liquorice, plant and dig up. Melons, attend to in hotbeds; sow; 
and prick out. Mint, force, in hotbed; plant. Mushroom Beds, 
attend to ; make day temp. 60° to 65°. Mustard and Cress, sow, 
e. Onions, sow main crop, m., if soil light and situation warm, 
otherwise defer this till next month; clean winter crop; (Potato), 
plant. Parsnips, store winter standing; plant for seed. Peas, 
sow ; earth up ; stick ; plant in hotbeds, b. Pennyroyal, plant, e. 
Potatoes (ashleaved), plant in hotbeds and borders; start others in 
any warm place for future planting. Radishes, sow in hotbeds, b., 
and in open ground, e. Rape (for salading), sow ; (Edible-rooted), 
sow. Rhubarb, sow in peat, for future transplanting. Sage and 
Savory, plant, e. Salsafy, sow, e., in small quantity, for early 
use. Savoys, sow, m. and e. Scorzonera, sow, e., in small quan¬ 
tity, for early use, Shalots, plant. Skirrets, sow, e. Spinach, 
weed; sow, m. Sorrels, sow and plant, e. Tansy, Thyme, and 
Tarragon, plant, e. Turnips, plant for seed ; sow, e. Vacant 
Ground, dig; weed, &c. 
In sowing Radishes this month, if a sheltered south border is se¬ 
lected, and the surface is covered with ferns, reeds, or straw, the crop 
will be almost as early as that from seed sown in frames. Garlic and 
Shalots, being very liable to decay if excessive wet weather occurs, 
should be fixed on well-drained ground, on the top of ridges, and be 
manured with charred vegetable refuse. Smooth the surface of the 
ridge, scatter over it some charred refuse and a little lime, and then 
merely stick in the end of the bulb. In light soils, plant in Novem¬ 
ber or October. Spinach in drills may be advantageously sown now, 
and at all times between every two rows of Peas. The ground is thus 
economized, and the shade from the peas continues the spinach longer 
in a state fit for table use. 
London: Printed by Harry Wooldridge, 147, Strand, in the 
Parish of Saint Mary-le-Strand ; and Winchester High-street, in 
the Parish of St. Mary Kalendar; and Published bv William 
Somerville Orr, at the Office, 147, Strand, in the Parish of 
Saint Mary-le-Strand, London.—January 31st, 1850. 
