217 
THE COTTAGE GARDENEE AND COUNTEY GENTLEMAN, January 15, 1801, 
WEEKLY CALENDAR. 
Day 
of 
M’nth 
Day 
Weather near London in 1860. 
Moon 
Clock 
of 
Week. 
JANUARY 15-21,1861. 
Barometer. 
Thermom. 
Wind. 
Rain in 
Inches. 
Sun 
Rises. 
Sun 
Sets 
• 
Rises 
and Sets 
Moon’s 
Age. 
before 
Sun. 
Day of 
Year. 
S8-HE !• i 
15 
Tu 
Fuchsias. 
29.874-29.716 
deg. deg. 
51— n 
S. 
s.w. 
•24 
m. h. 
2 af 8 
m. h. 
18 af 4 
m. h. 
34 af 9 
4 
m. 
9 
S. 
49 
15 
16 
W 
Azalea indica. 
30.164-30.138 
48—16 
s.w. 
— 
1 8 
20 
4 
42 10 
5 
10 
10 
16 
17 
Th 
Daphne odorata. 
30.170-29.973 
46—13 
S.E. 
— 
0 8 
21 
4 
50 11 
6 
10 
30 
17 
18 
F 
Hyperium creticum. 
29.801-29.602 
39—’4 
S.W. 
•09 
VII. 
23 
4 
morn. 
7 
10 
49 
18 
19 
S 
Pogonia glabra. 
29.679—29.569 
47— 0 
S.AV. 
•11 
58 7 
24 
4 
0 
1 
D 
11 
8 
19 
1 20 
Sun 
2 Sunday after Epiphany, 
29.3S4—29.225 
48—17 
S.W. 
•32 
57 7 
26 
4 
10 
2 
9 
11 
25 
20 
21 
M 
Sun’s declin. 19° 50.' s. 
29.227-28.782 
49-34 
s.w. 
•16 
56 7 
28 
4 
20 
3 
10 
11 
42 
21 
_ 
Meteorology op the Week.— At Chiswick, from observations during the last thirty-four years, the average highest and lowest 
temperatures of these days are 42.5° and 31.0° respectively. The greatest heat, 60°, occurred on the 19th, in 1828 ; and the lowest cold, 4'5 J 
below zero, on the 19th, in 1838. During the period 141 days were fine, and on 97 rain fell. 
WOEK FOE THE WEEK. 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Little more than we have previously recommended can 
he done in this department during the present state of 
the weather. Wheel manure on the borders and quarters 
where it is wanted. Beans (Broad), soak them in warm 
water for six or eight hours. Sow in pots or boxes, to 
be got forward in heat, then removed to a cool frame or 
house to be hardened off before planting out. Cauli¬ 
flowers, if the plants are injured by the frost a sowing 
should be made directly, and forwarded in a warm place. 
Cucumbers, prepare dung for the main early beds. Make 
a small seed-bed for raising the plants. Lettuce, the 
same as advised for Cauliflowers. Onions, look over 
them, and remove all that are any way decayed. Beas, 
to be treated as advised for Broad Beans. 
FECIT GARDEN. 
The pruning of orchard trees is an operation that is 
too frequently neglected, and the result is that the heads 
of the trees get so crowded with wood that fruit can only 
be expected to be produced on the extremities of the 
outer branches, and the thicket of worse than useless 
spray which the trees have to support is injurious both 
to the size and quality of the fruit, and also to the general 
health of the trees : therefore it is advisable to give the 
trees a careful pruning, thinning out the inner branches 
with a liberal hand. Prepare soil, &c., that may be 
wanted for planting young trees, and get it laid down 
where it may be needed. The planting to be deferred 
for a month or five weeks longer. Also, proceed with the 
pruning of fruit bushes, &c., when the weather permits. 
FLOWER GARDEN. 
Any of the shrubbery borders that may require a 
dressing of fresh soil, leaf mould, or other such light 
vegetable manure, to be attended to while the -weather is 
favourable for such work. Avoid wheeling on grass. As 
soon as the frost leaves, any ornamental planting neces¬ 
sary should be proceeded with. Clean, dress, and dig 
borders, and renew soil where necessary in the beds. 
Sow seed of Auriculas in pots or pans, to be protected in 
a cold frame or under a hand-glass. Pinks do not suffer 
much from still frost; strong cold winds are far more 
injurious. Any protection that can be given to break 
this force will be attended with advantage—such as 
branches of fern placed on the northern or eastern side 
of the bed, or between the rows. 
STOVE. 
As the late severe weather has necessarily caused 
strong fires to be kept up, it is advisable to see that none 
of the plants are suffering for want of water ; for, although 
the surface of the pots may appear moist, the bottom roots 
may, nevertheless, be perishing, let a few plants, there¬ 
fore, be turned out of the pots and examined, especially 
at the hottest part of the house. A few Achimenes, 
Gesneras, Gloxinias for early blooming may be started, 
being watered and. placed in a hotbed-frame or forcing- 
Ho. 642.— Vol. XXV. Ho. 16. 
pit. When they begin to grow, to be turned Dut of their 
pots, and each root potted singly in a small pot in a 
mixture of leaf mould, loam, and sand. The pots to be 
returned to heat until the plants have taken fresh root, 
and then to be taken to the stove again, and repotted as 
often as they may require it. Dry off Gesnera zebrina. 
Propagate Clerodendrons by cuttings of the old wood, 
and start a plant of each kind for early blooming. 
GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. 
The nearer the temperature of the greenhouse can be 
kept at 40° the better, but never in severe weather to 
exceed 458 ; and by such treatment the plants will re¬ 
quire to be watered but seldom, and then only when the 
plant is flagging for want of it. Pot Amaryllids. Be- 
move potted Cape bulbs to heat. Eepot Cinerarias and 
Pelargoniums. Pot Tropseolums in full-sized pots at 
once. A few of the most forward Fuchsias may now be 
pruned and started in heat for a stock of cuttings. 
FORCING-PIT. 
Keep the temperature, with a moderate supply of 
moisture, by night at 60°—let the maximum be 65°. 
Get in Moss and other Eoses, to keep up a regular 
supply ; also Persian and common Lilacs, Azaleas, Lily 
of the Valley, Hyacinths, and other bulbs, hardy Ehodo- 
j dendrons, Daphnes, and Deutzias. 
PITS AND FRAMES. 
Examine your stock, and such plants as you are short 
of should now be placed in a gentle heat for the purpose 
of exciting their growth for cuttings. Verbenas, Petu¬ 
nias, Lobelias, Heliotropes, and other such plants suitable 
for filling beds, borders, and baskets, to be looked after 
in good time. The various composts that will soon be 
required for potting purposes will be benefited by being 
frequently turned over during dry frosty weather. Such 
composts should not be allowed to become wet either 
from exposure to rain or snow. W. Keane. 
DOINGS OF THE LAST WEEK. 
As I expected, the thaw was arrested and a keen frost set in 
on this evening, eight days ago. The frost has not yet been so 
severe as on Christmas-eve, and the following day; but though 
we have had frequent fallings of snow, we have not had above 
one inch and a half altogether, and the thermometer several 
mornings has been 16° and 18° below the freezing-point. 
Saturday night and Sunday night have been very severe, and this 
morning we have 17° below freezing, and a thick rime and a 
south wind, and during the day a bright sun, the south wind as 
yet brings no sign of a change. In such weather it is worse than 
useless to send men to work at anything out of doors, that they 
cannot keep themselves warm and comfortable at. If thorough¬ 
going workmen are desired in fine weather, their health and 
comfort must be considered in cold, wet weather. A workman 
worth having knows and feels that, and will pet uwordingly. 
The outside work, therefore, has been confined to a little wheel¬ 
ing, wood-splitting, cutting up twigs for lighting fires, maG ig a 
bed chiefly of leaves for early Cucumbers, and sowing anoti.e 
