THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, January 1, 1861. 
WEEKLY CALENDAR. 
Day 
Day 
Wkathhr nias London in 1860. 
Moon 
Clock 
before 
Sun. 
of 
M’ntb 
of 
Week. 
JANUARY 1—7, 1861. 
Barometer. 
Thermom. 
Wind. 
Rain in 
Inches. 
Sun 
Rises. 
8un 
Sets. 
Rises 
and Sets 
Moon’s 
Age. 
Day of 
Tear. 
i 
Tu 
Circumcision'. 
29.661—29.473 
deg. deg. 
56-43 
S.W. 
•08 
m. h. 
8 af 8 
m. h. 
IV 
m. h. 
53 af 9 
20 
m. 
3 
8. 
58 
1 
2 
W 
Erica carnea. 
29.689-29.671 
56-52 
S.W. 
•04 
8 
8 
0 af 4 
15 11 
21 
4 
26 
3 
3 
Th 
Rhododendron dauricum. 
29.305—28.861 
57-42 
S.W. 
•07 
8 
8 
2 4 
morn 
22 
4 
54 
3 | 
4 
V 
Winter Aconite. 
28.962—28.872 
50-29 
S.W. 
•03 
8 
8 
3 4 
33 
0 
( 
5 
22 
4 
5 
s 
Scotch Crocus. 
28.811—28.755 
43-36 
S.W. 
•11 
8 
8 
4 4 
4 
2 
24 
5 
48 
5 i 
6 
SUH 
2 Sunday after Chr. Epiphany 
29.831—29.175 
42—25 
N. 
— 
7 
8 
5 4 
28 
3 
25 
6 
15 
6 
7 
M 
Hepatiea. [Twelfth day. 
30.212-30.099 
43-28 
w. 
•02 
7 
8 
6 4 
49 
4 
26 
6 
41 
7 
Meteorology of the Week.— At Chiswick, from observations during the last thirty-four years, the average highest and lowest 
temperatures of these days are 42.1° and 30. 7° respectively. The greatest heat, 54’, occurred on the 7th, in 1845; and the lowest cold, 4°, 
on the 2nd, in 1854. During the period 139 days were fine, and on 92 rain fell. 
WORK FOR THE WEEK 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Cauliflower, if the autumn sowing failed it is advisable 
io sow in a box, to be placed in beat, and when the plants 
are of sufficient size to be pricked out in a frame or a 
slight hotbed. Celery, dig out trenches that they may 
receive the benefit of frost. Cauliflowers to be planted 
in them in the spring, with dwarf Peas or Lettuces on 
the ridges between, which will be off by the time the 
trenches are wanted for Celery. Mushrooms, the beds 
•out of doors will require to be carefully covered with 
litter and mats. Potatoes, if new Potatoes are wanted 
early, plant Ashleaved Kidney, Early Frame, or any of 
its varieties on a slight hotbed. If it is not convenient 
to plant them immediately, they may be laid in any warm 
place until they begin to sprout. Radishes, sow on a 
slight hotbed if wanted early. Sea-hale, cover up for a 
succession. Look over the store roots and fruits, and 
remove all decomposing matter. If frosty wheel dung 
into the quarters, turn composts, and other such opera¬ 
tions that may be done in such weather. 
FLOWER GARDEN. 
During the continuance of the present frosty weather 
but little can be done here ; however, where alterations 
and improvements are contemplated—such as making new 
walks or new flower-beds—such operations may be carried 
on. Should the weather be too severe for out-of-door 
work the time may be usefully employed in making 
brooms, cutting labels, pegs, nicking and painting flower- 
sticks, or any other article that you know will be wanted 
at a more busy season of the year. Rhododendrons and 
other such American flowering shrubs, if not growing as 
freely as they ought, would be benefited by a liberal top 
dressing of rotten dung or leaf mould, covering it with 
a little "fine soil, and working it into the ground around 
the ball near the extremities of the roots. 
STOVE. 
It is advisable to cover plant-houses with mats, or any 
other material suitable to protect them from very severe 
weather. All stove plants, except a few Orchids and 
some bulbs, should now be comparatively at rest. A 
temperature of 55° will be sufficiently high in sharp 
.frosts. No more water to be given than will merely 
prevent them from flagging. Climbers in pots to receive 
attention in tying and stopping, so as to make them cover 
dhe whole of the wire trellis. 
GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. 
As the surface soil in pots soon gets exhausted by re¬ 
peated waterings, and as repotting is not advisable in such 
weather, the only thing that can be done at present is to 
remove the soil from the surface of the pots, and after 
having loosened the next layer down to the roots with a 
pointed stick, to replace it with fresh compost, when the 
next watering will carry the more sandy parts down among 
the roots. Use no more fire heat than is indispensable, 
and be careful to counteract its drying effects by evapo- 
rating-pans or by sprinkling the borders, &c., to prevent 
No. 640.— Vor. XXV. No. 14. 
a parching state of the atmosphere. Get soil for potting 
purposes under cover and fit for use at any time that it 
may be wanted. Early-forced bulbous plants should now 
be introduced to take the place of the Chrysanthemums. 
These will make a gay appearance until the forced shrubs 
are in flower. Watch for the appearance of green fly, 
and as soon as observed smoke the house with tobacco. 
Spare and dirty pots to be washed, and crocks to be 
broken and sorted. 
PITS AND FRAMES. 
Plants in these structures, if not heated, will sustain 
no injury in frosty weather if they are covered for weeks 
together ; and even if the plants become frozen it will be 
better that they should remain covered, and be allowed 
to thaw gradually than that they should be suddenly 
exposed to a heated atmosphere. If the plants are in a 
comparatively dormant state they will not sustain injury 
if light is excluded for a time. Plants that have been 
excluded from the light and air, if only for a few days, 
must not be too suddenly but very gradually inured to 
free exposure. Advantage to be taken of mild days to 
give air freely; but cold draughts to be avoided at all 
times. If any dampness is observed amongst the plants 
work thorn over, and remove all dead leaves, moss, and 
all litter apt to cause damp. Give water very sparingly. 
Plants in windows keep from frost, and do not allow them 
to draw by close confinement in a warm room ; wash 
leaves, to remove filth ; water sparingly, and in the morn¬ 
ing, use tepid water. Cactus and such succulent plants 
scarcely require any. W. Keane. 
DOINGS OF THE LAST WEEK. 
I AM not so sanguine on this point as our “ Kilmarnock 
Subscriber,” nor yet do I fully agree in the value put upon it 
by our worthy conductors, and yet I think there may be some 
good derived from it. I fear if commoner people will not be 
satisfied with what is done in a conservatory and a greenhouse, 
but will wish the same tale to he applied to other portions ot 
gardening. Some years ago, I could have clone the whole matter 
more justice, but for reasons which I need not mention, garden¬ 
ing is not now carried on to the same extent—in other words, we 
are getting too economical to furnish in our weekly operations a 
fair criterion of what others should do where there is every 
encouragement given, and mere moderate expense no object. I 
think, however, that a few notes may not be unacceptable; for in 
all departments this last week lias been a very trying one, and 
more especially in one department here—the conservatory or 
greenhouse, owing to the boiler giving way. 
This day week wa3 much the same as respects weather as wc 
had experienced for some time past—moist and dull, with little 
or no sun. Air was, therefore, given all day to pits and frames 
containing bedding plants, &c., and left on all night when likely 
to be mild. By propping up the sashes back and front there 
was a free circulation, and no dew or rain could get in. If the 
clay was sunny for a few hours the sashes were all pulled back, 
so that the sun should dry and harden the tiny things. Oppor¬ 
tunity was also taken to pick oif any damped or decayed leaf, 
and a dusting of equal parts of lime, dry, rough sand, and dusty 
charcoal was thrown among them to render the surface dry, and 
