Jai^tjary 8. 
COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION. 
259 
healed, and the constitution of the tree less injured by 
the pruning than at any other period of its existence. 
T. Appleby. 
(To he continued.) 
I 
WORKS TO BE PERFORMED ABOUT THE 
NEW YEAR. 
With the commencement of a new year a new series 
of duties arises. The atniOS))here usually brightens up, 
and though the cold be more intense in the middle 
of January than at any other time, still there is the 
cheering prospect of finer days coming. Outward vegeta¬ 
tion, of course, cannot be expected to make any advance, 
but the increased sunshine has a beneficial effect on 
plants under glass, wliicli are certainly improved by it, 
and when once the “ dark days ” are fairly over, there 
is less to fear from “ damp,” mildew, and the other 
symptoms of decay, which a long series of sunless 
days more or less encourages in all vegetation not in 
luxuriant growth, which few things are at this season. 
To the kitchen-gardener the 1st of January has, 
also, its peculiar duties. In the open ground, the forcing 
of Sea-kale and Rhubarb is more easily accomplished 
after the turn of the days than before, and, proportion¬ 
ately, still more so as the season advances; the ground 
that is vacant, but which has either been ridged, or 
rough dug. will also be benefited by being again 
turned over, the operation being performed while the 
ground is so far frozen as to bear the tread of the party 
performing the work. Many other duties are called for 
at this time, which will be more mentioned in detail.* 
The middle and latter part of December having been 
more than usually severe, weather prophets have been 
foretelling an old-fashioned winter, as they term it; or, 
in other words, one like that of last year. Whether it 
turn out so or not, certain, however, it is, that we 
have had more frost before Christmas than we often 
have in the whole winter; consequently, where ample 
protection was not afforded to tender or' half-tender 
jdants they inust have jiorished completely. Now, 
though the saving of a cjuantily of half-hardy flowering 
])lants may be an object worth trying for, it is always 
better to have them killed outright early in the winter, 
than struggle to save them until the spiing, and then 
for them to be carried off; concluding, therefore, that 
most things of a half-hardy description arc completely 
killed, there remains no dilficulty in solving the question. 
What is next to be done ? because the total destruction 
out-doors renders it plain that the very utmost must 
be made of those kept inside, to replace them again. 
In mild winters, the Yellow shrubbn Calceolarias hn.wQ 
often stood the frost with very little injury, and bloomed 
early in the season, but this season frost seems to have | 
killed them already; consequently, I have had them I 
taken up, and the ground put in order for other things, j 
and I shall have to depend on the young brood for the | 
supply of next year, which, of course, are always 
prepared in the autumn in the proper quantity; but as ^ 
this winter’s severity has, most likely, already destroyed 
all such things as were not properly protected, and, i 
possibly, may have killed some things which could not I 
well be spared ; it is, therefore, advisable to consider \ 
well in time how they can be replaced. I 
As bel’ore observed, the destruction of tender bedding- j 
plants is an advantage rather than otherwise, when it is 
complete and early in the season, as the appearance 
they often present for a long time, when only ])artial]y 
injured, is certainly not inviting. But when an un¬ 
expected frost destroys, or irreparably injures, an un¬ 
tried Biuus, or valuable shrub, which has been but a 
short time in its present position, there is some regret 
then shown at not having covered it up in time. 
This, however, cannot be remedied after it is done, save 
so far as to cover it up before a thaw takes place; and 
let that covering be prolonged as much as possible. 
Usually, shrubs or trees planted in spring, not making 
much growth ea.rly in the season, continue to grow till 
late, and the imperfectly-ripened wood falls a prey to 
frost. In the kitchen-garden. Nature usually prepares 
the tender herbage there to endure a sharp host, by 
preceding it with more or less of cold weather, thus gra¬ 
dually inuring the herbage for what is to follow; and, 
by an admirable arrangement, small or young plants 
stand the winter better than larger ones. VVe see Wheat 
and other cereals stand better when not too “flush,” as 
the local tcriu will have it; and in the garden, our own 
Peas and Beans are subject to a like law. The Peas 
which were sown the middle of November are not 
likely to be too forward, for some frosts at the end of the 
mouth, with the very sharp ones since, have prevented 
their coming up yet, and it is not likely that they will 
do so to take any harm from the cold. Another enemy, 
however, must be guarded against, which are mice; 
trapping before they do any mischief is better than 
trusting to it after they have began. Should the Peas 
begin to make their appearance above ground, the best 
covering, in severe weather, is barley chaff, which, being 
light and open, is also very obnoxious to slugs and 
such like enemies. Coal ashes are also a good thing 
when free from sand, as the angular points this sub¬ 
stance preseuts, when viewed through a microscope, 
must make it very unpleasant to these arch-depredators. 
After frost has 
way, 
and a general thaw taken 
their having 
place, it would be well to exaujine the plants that have 
been covered up, as the covering matter sometimes 
w'ants adjusting, but by no means take it off until some 
days after it is completely thawed, as the plants will 
not, in general, stitfer so much from confinement 
as from a hasty exposure. Nevertheless, a gradual 
change m8.y be taking place, and tender plants in 
frames, &c., must not be kept too long in confinement. 
This, likewise, applies to seedling Radishes, young 
Potatoes, and other things. French. Beans we suppose 
to be at all times provided with a fire-heated structure 
in winter, which, of course, admits of 
light and air at all times. 
'The early ])art of January is also a good time to 
plant such things as Garlic and Shallots, when the 
weather is mild, but the autumn is quite as well on dry- 
soils ; covering the bulbs with soil is deep enough. 
Their general hardihood is such as prevents their taking 
much harm from cold, but they need not be planted 
out in very severe weather. 
Another crop of Peas may be put in now, if not done 
about Christmas, and a like sowing of Long-pod Beans 
at the same time; but, in both instances, let due regard be 
paid to succeeding crops, as the present crop might be 
sown on the open square, and not on the south border, 
which cannot well he spared for that purpose for more 
than one crop; therefore, before commencing the 
general cropping of the season, it would be well to 
consider what would be best for the general welfare of 
the whole, giving, at the same time, due attention to 
the changes of cropping one year after another, which 
have been recommended in 'The Cottage Gardener 
at various times. 
To those who still adopt the old-fashioned mode of 
heating a Cucumber frame by dung (and there are 
many such), the beginning of January is a very good 
time to begin ; only, Avhen the quantity of that fer¬ 
menting article is limited, it would be as well to defer 
making up a frame until later, say the ist of February; 
for although there is a whole mouth, it is questionable 
whether there be a week’s dilfereuce in the gathering of 
the first fruit. So comparatively slow is the progress 
