THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, February 19, 1861, 
WEEKLY CALENDAR. 
Day 
Day 
of 
Week. 
FEBRUARY 19-25, 1861. 
Weather near London in 1860. 
Moon 
Clock 
before ' 
Sun. - • 
of 
M’nth 
Barometer. 
Therm im. 
Wind. 
Rain in 
Inches. 
Sun 
Rises. 
Sun 
Sets 
Rises 
and Sets 
Moon’s 
Age. 
Day of 
Year. 
19 
Tu 
Crocuses. 
29.807—29.531 
deg. d g. 
47—25 
N. 
•04 
m. h. 
8 af 7 
m. h. 
20 af 5 
m. h. 
14 m 3 
10 
m. 
14 
8. 
50 
20 
W 
Ember Wef.k. 
29.498 -29.444 
42—31 
N.W. 
— 
6 7 
22 
5 
8 
4 
11 
13 
59 
51 , 
21 
Th 
Sun’s deelin. 10° 27? s. 
29.778—29.657 
42—31 
N. 
— 
4 7 
24 
5 
54 
4 
12 
13 
52 1 
52 
22 
F 
Orontium japonicum. 
30.051—29.918 
44-21 
N. 
— 
2 7 
26 
5 
27 
5 
13 
13 
44 
63 i 
23 
S 
Snowdrops. 
30.163—30.117 
45—20 
E. 
— 
0 7 
27 
5 
54 
5 
14 
13 
35 
54.4 
24 
Sun 
2 Sunday in Lent. St. Matthias 
30.150—30.085 
44—18 
S.E. 
— 
VI. 
29 
5 
15 
6 
15 
13 
26 
55 . 
25 
M 
Borago orientalis. 
30.104—29.801 
45—30 
S. 
•01 
56 6 
81 
5 
rises 
O 
13 
17 
f 56 
Meteorology of the Week. — At Chiswick, from observations during the last thirty-four years, the average highest and lowest 
temperatures of these days are 46.2’ and 32.0° respectively. The greatest heat, 59'’, occurred on the 25th, in 1830 ; and the lowest cold, 8°, 
on the 20th, in 1855. During the period 132 days were fine, and on 106 rain fell. 
WORK FOR THE WEEK. 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Asparagus, when the shoots have made their appear¬ 
ance in the frame, give plenty of air. Prepare beds for 
permanent beds if the ground works well; plenty of 
good rotten stable manure to be incorporated with it. 
Carrots, sow a small patch of Early Horn on a warm 
sheltered border where the soil is dry, and works freely. 
Those in frames to be thinned when an inch or two high. 
Cucumbers, the greatest attention should be paid to the 
state of the bed for the first fortnight after the plants are 
turned out; the watch-stick to be examined daily, as it 
is a much better criterion to judge by than a thermometer 
in the frame, which only indicates the heat of the atmo¬ 
sphere in the frame ; cover according to the heat of the 
bed. If it will allow of it, a small portion of air to be 
left on every night, which may be given in the evening 
if the frame has been closed for three or four hours. 
Horseradish, prepare the ground for planting ; dig it 
two spit deep; no dung to be used unless the ground is 
very poor. Jerusalem Artichokes, plant. Onions, plant 
the bulbs of last year that begin to grow; they will be 
found very useful where there is a scarcity of sound ones. 
They may also be planted for seed. Parsley, a sowing to 
be made as soon as the ground is in a fit state to receive 
the seed. Peas, make a sowing of Knight’s Dwarf Mar¬ 
row and some other approved sorts, recently noticed in 
The Cottage Gardener, to keep up a succession. 
Potatoes, plant some on a warm sheltered border, if the 
weather is mild and favourable. Parsnips, get in a good 
breadth in ground deeply trenched, with the manure at 
the bottom. If there are any old roots remaining in the 
ground they should be dug up before they begin to start, 
and laid in sand or dry earth to continue good for spring 
supply. Spinach, sow a few rows between the early 
Peas, if there is a scarcity of the autumn sowing. 
Turnips, sow some seed of the Early Dutch on a gentle 
hotbed, or on a warm border where the soil is light and 
dry. All vacant ground to be trenched or dug as quickly 
as possible, and the portions marked off for the dif¬ 
ferent crops ; they will be ready for sowing at a favour¬ 
able and opportune time. 
FLOWER GARDEN. 
Fork the beds and borders, and plant where intended 
the flower-roots, trees, and shrubs, and sow the different 
sorts of annual flower-seeds where the ground is dry, and 
in a mellow state. Increase the stock of herbaceous 
perennials by parting the roots. Plant Carnations, Pinks, 
and Picotees in beds or borders where they are required 
to remain for flowering the ensuing summer. Plant 
Anemones and Ranunculuses in open, dry weather to 
flower this season. Protect Tulips and other bulbous 
roots from severe frost, especially those that are ad¬ 
vancing above ground. Hedges, where wanted, may 
now be planted of any sorts of deciduous or evergreen 
kinds for fences, shade or shelter. 
FRUIT GARDEN. 
If the several directions previously given have been 
No. 647.— Yol. XXV.iNo.;21. 
followed, the pruning, tying, and training of espalier and 
other fruit trees will now be finished, the fruit quarters 
manured and forked up, and the trees that were in¬ 
fested with moss and lichen dressed. Look to the Fig 
trees ; prune and train those that require it, tying or 
bending the strong shoots down to induce them to push 
out a number of very short-jointed bearing shoots. Pro¬ 
vide grafts for next month. 
STOVE. 
Increase the atmospheric moisture in proportion to the 
increase of heat and light. Look closely after insects; 
the snails are very fond of young buds and tender shoots at 
this season. Some of the Ipomceas, Echites, Pergularias, 
the Stephanotises to be pruned in, fresh potted if neces¬ 
sary, and plunged in a moderate bottom heat, using but 
little water until the root action has made some progress. 
The Echites are more especially liable to suffer from the 
free application of water. 
GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. 
We would advise, after the late very severe weather, 
a free circulation of air, accompanied by as much atmo¬ 
spheric moisture as can be managed without drip. Many 
plants from long confinement, and especially where per¬ 
sons entertain a fear of giving air, will be drawn, and, 
having received so much artificial heat, the leaves of many 
will assume an unhealthy appearance. Continue the 
treatment of plants as lately advised. 
FITS AND FRAMES. 
The plants in these structures will require to be care¬ 
fully watched, as the wai-mth produced by the increased 
power of the sun is apt to induce growth at the expense 
of constitutional vigour : it is, therefore, desirable to keep 
them as cool as may be consistent with safety from frost, 
with free admission of air in favourable weather; and if the 
air is very keen and cutting the lights to be opened on 
the side least exposed, and in such a manner as to prevent 
the cold air from acting injuriously on the plants. 
W. Keane. 
DOINGS OF THE LAST WEEK. 
Fine weather, reminding one of the smiles of April. Stole 
away for a day to see what the frost had been doing amongst 
Rose growers, lovers of the sombre Pine tribe, and advocates 
of orchard-houses as the cheap and effective resources of the 
million. As respects the two former, found much to grieve and 
sadden the spirit amid destruction of the beautiful, and wrecks 
of the lovely and much-prized. As respects the latter, found 
that scarcely anything had suffered that had received the shelter 
of the glass, and the dry and quiet air of the orchard-house; 
while companions of similar things in the garden and against 
walls had been thoroughly injured for the season, if not ruined 
altogether. With a continuance of such seasons as the present 
and the end of 1859, covering with glass must be looked upon 
as the most economical means for securing crops of many desirable 
1 things. But we cannot enter on these matters here. 
The work done has been chiefly matter of routine—digging, 
trenching, nailing where practicable, and potting off singly, chiefly 
