THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN," JanuaryJ3, 1801. 
WEEKLY CALENDAR. 
Day 
Day 
JANUARY 8-14,1861. 
Weather near London in 1860. 
Moon 
Clock 
1 
of 
M’nth 
of 
Week. 
Barometer. 
Thermom. 
Wind. 
Rain in 
Inches. 
Sun 
Rises. 
Sun 
Sets. 
Rises 
and Sets 
Moon’s 
Age. 
before 
Sun. 
Day of j 
Year. 
8 
Tv 
Snowdrop. 
30.294 -30.244 
deg. d-g. 
46-2: 
s.w. 
•02 
m. h. 
7 af 8 
m. h. 
8 af 4 
m. h. 
3 af 6 
27 
m. 
7 
s. 
7 
I 
8 
9 
W 
Helleborus hyemalis. 
30.233 -30.083 
47—2 
s. 
— 
6 
8 
9 4 
1 
7 
28 
7 
32 
9 
10 
Th 
Tussilago fragrans. 
30.162—30.134 
42—3 
N. 
— 
5 
8 
11 4 
47 
7 
29 
7 
56 
10 
11 
F 
Laurustinus. 
30.125-29.982 
43-3 
E. 
— 
5 
8 
12 4 
sets 
• 
8 
20 
11 
12 
S 
Cape Heaths. 
30.045 -30.028 
45— 3 t 
E. 
— 
4 
8 
13 4 
59 a 5 
1 
8 
43 
12 
13 
Sun 
1 Sunday after Epiphany. 
30.129-30.071 
42—3 1 
S.E. 
— 
3 
8 
15 4 
14 
7 
2 
9 
6 
13 
14 
M 
CEanothus azureus. 
30.032-29.899 
45—3) 
E. 
- - 
3 
8 
16 4 
25 
8 
3 
9 
28 
14 
Meteorology of the Week. — At Chiswick, from observations during the last thirty-four years, the average highest and lowest 
temperatures of these days are 41.6° and 31.0° respectively. The greatest heat, 54°, occurred on the 12th, in 1852 ; and the lowest cold, 4°, 
on the 14th, in 1838. During the period 133 days were fine, and on 105 
WORK FOR THE WEEK. 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
How that the frost has left us, it is advisable to look 
over and to remove all parts of Celery or other vege¬ 
tables that have been much affected, which will not only 
prevent what is left from rotting, but free the garden 
from an unsavory nuisance. Asparagus, make up a bed 
as wanted. The old plan of taking up the roots and 
planting them in a frame is very good, at least, thus early 
in the season. Cauliflowers, give plenty of air to plants 
in frames and under hand-lights, sprinkle wood ashes 
amongst them, they protect the stems in severe frost, and 
slugs do not like them. Potatoes, plant a quantity of an 
early sort in pots for forcing. They succeed best when 
started in rather a low temperature. Where draining 
is necessary, now is a good time to get on with it, the 
very worst soil and situation can be improved by drain¬ 
age, and wall trees of all sorts can be rendered fruitful by 
artificial borders. How is also a good time to keep 
burning and charring all the prunings of trees, shrubs, 
rubbish, sawdust, &c. Charred earth and wood ashes in 
good doses have a wonderful effect in restoring fertility, 
and keeping grubs and slugs in check. 
FETTIT GARDEN. 
Thin out the branches of old Apple, Pear, and Quince 
trees where too crowded, and scrape off moss, lichen, &c. 
Apply with a brush a thick paste of lime, soot, sulphur, 
and soft soap to the stems of young trees, to prevent 
hares and rabbits from peeling them. 
FLOWER GARDEN. 
After the late frost and snow but little can be done 
here at present except where alterations are going on, 
and then the trenching of ground for planting may be 
proceeded with, but it will be advisable to keep the 
frozen or snow-saturated surface at the top, for if thrown 
into the bottom of the trenches it will remain cold for a 
long time. Keep the walks and grass as neat as possible 
to compensate in some measure for the want of flowers 
at this dull season. Look over the beds of Pinks and 
Pansies. Plants that have but lately been removed are 
very liable to be raised by the frost, these must be care¬ 
fully fastened by pressing the soil gently about them 
when it is tolerably dry. Carnations in beds to be also 
carefully examined, and, if loose, to be fastened and 
cleared of dead leaves, which when lodged on the plants 
are injurious to them. 
STOVE. 
Although all the plants now at rest will require to be 
kept dry, they will also require to be* looked over 
frequently to see that they do not suffer for want of 
water, especially those near the pipes or flues. Orchids 
may be potted, fitted in baskets, or tied up to logs at 
any time, or when out-door work cannot be done. The 
temperature to be about 60° by day and 50° by night. 
GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. 
The temperature of the greenhouse not to be raised much 
Ho. 641.— Yol. XXV. Ho. 15. 
rain fell. 
above 40°, the watering to be done early in the day, and 
the plants to be frequently looked over to keep them free 
from dead leaves, insects, or soddened mould in the pots. 
Keep the conservatory at a temperature of about 45° by 
night, raising it to 55° in the day, with plenty of air at 
every favourable opportunity. Remove flowers as soon 
as they become shabby. Stove plants will take no injury 
for a few day 3 in this temperature, but hard-wooded 
greenhouse plants, such as Heaths, should not be retained 
more than a few days in such a temperature. If not 
already done, prune, train, and clean the creepers on the 
rafters, &e. 
FORCING-HOUSE. 
Remove the plants from this house to the conservatory 
as soon as the flowers expand, and introduce others for 
succession, placing them first at the cool end of the house 
so as to excite them gradually. Maintain a fresh-growing 
moist temperature from 60° to 65°, give air warmed before 
it gets to the plants at every favourable opportunity. 
Keep up a moist atmosphere unless the weather is very 
dull. 
FITS AND FRAMES. 
If the young stock in these structures had been pro¬ 
tected from the late severe frost, they may now receive 
all the air and light possible in fine days, and attention 
to keep them free from decayed leaves, drip and damp. 
Abundance of air to be given to Mignonette and Violets 
when the weather is favourable. Auriculas in frames to 
be watered occasionally in fine weather, being careful to 
remove any water that may be lodged in the heart of the 
plant which at all times has an injurious effect. 
W. Keane. 
DOIHGS OF THE LAST WEEK. 
The frost on Christmas night though severe, was not within a 
long way of that on Christmas eve. On Wednesday the weather 
was much milder, and a light skiff of snow during the night kept 
the thermometer only a few degrees below freezing, bat at daybreak 
on Thursday, and on to ten o’clock, it rapidly fell to 16° and 
18° below freezing. Snow a few inches on Friday, and more on 
Saturday, and gradual thaw with south wind on Sunday and 
Monday. To-day (Jan. 1st) heavy mist, with the wind again 
in the north, and every prospect of clearing up for frost again. 
The precautions used have saved the conservatory from frost. 
No cold pits have been uncovered. I have merely peeped into 
them and feel sorry to state that I fear the Calceolaria am- 
plexicaulis is much injured from deficiency of covering. I once 
was served in the same way ten years ago, and since then before 
this year I always housed that tender kind, where there was the 
means of giving a little fire heat in severe weather. I was just 
delaying until the most of a late crop of Grapes should be cut 
to get room for doing so. With plenty of litter I could have 
saved them easily ; but people near London can form little 
idea how scarce—nay, almost impossible, it is to get anything of 
that kind you want in a hurry in the country. The frequent 
turning of the little litter, and the few skiffs of snow will make 
all other things pretty right. It the frost continues we must try 
and have a little more covering, and continue breaking and 
turning the surface. We know that with the above exception 
everything else is pretty safe, and, in cold pits of brick or turf, 
