THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, February 26, 1861. 
813 
WEEKLY CALENDAR. 
Day 
Day 
FEB. 26-MARCH 4, ’861. 
Weather near London in 1860. 
Moon 
Clock 
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 
Year. 
26 
Tv 
Winter Aconite. 
29.558-29.150 
deg. deg. 
53 -35 
S.W, 
•40 
m. h. 
54 af 6 
m. h. 
33 af 5 
m. h. 
57 a 7 
17 
m. 
13 
s. 
6 
57 
27 
W 
Periwinkle. 
29.611—29.106 
58 -30 
w. 
•07 
52 
6 
34 
5 
27 
9 
18 
12 
56 
58 
28 
Th 
Primrose. 
29.679—29.258 
51 -27 
AV. 
•01 
49 
6 
36 
5 
55 10 
19 
12 
44 
59 
1 
F 
Crown Imperial. 
30.016—29.928 
52 21 
W. 
_ 
47 
6 
38 
5 
morn. 
20 
12 
32 
60 
2 
S 
Fritillary. 
30.040—29.968 
49 -30 
S.W. 
— 
45 
6 
40 
5 
21 
0 
21 
12 
20 
61 
3 
Sun 
3 Sunday in Lent. 
30-063—29.925 
51 -23 
S.W. 
•14 
43 
6 
42 
5 
42 
1 
( 
12 
7 
62 
4 
M 
Violet. 
29.820—29.721 
51 -32 
W. 
•30 
41 
6 
43 
5 
50 
2 
23 
11 
54 
63 
Meteorology op the Week. —At Chiswick, from observation during the last thirty-four years, the average highest and lowest 
temperatures of these days are 48 71 and 34’ respectively. The gre itest heat, 64’, occurred on the 28th, in 1846; and the lowest cold, 18°, 
on the 1st, in 1854. During the period 138 days were fine, and on 100 rain fell. , 
WORK FOR THE WEEK. 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Articholces, if the weather continues mild give them 
their spring dressing. Basil, sow this, and also Mar 
joram, in pans or pots, to be placed in heat. Beans. 
earth up the early-sown crops. If any were sown ia 
boxes place them where they can have an abundanc) 
of air night and day to harden them off for plantin ■ 
out. Cabbage, the autumn plantations to be filled up ; j 
fresh ones to be made. Sow more seed, to produce plant ; 
for summer and autumn use; also seed of the Red fo • 
pickling. Cauliflower, if seed was sown early on a hot¬ 
bed the plants should now be pricked out on a sligki 
hotbed, or in a cold frame where they can be protected. 
Cucumbers, the present mild and favourable weather wil! j 
greatly conduce to the health of the plants, as it will j 
allow of the admission of fresh air daily without fear 0 " 
receiving injury. Close the frames early in the after¬ 
noon, and let them remain shut down till the evening, 
when a little air may be given for the night as recom 
mended before. After linings have been renewed keep 
up a constant watch on the state of the bed. Lettuce, 
fill up any vacancies that may occur in the autumn 
plantations. Sow some seed of the Cos in a warm border 
Peas, harden off those sown in pots or boxes previous to 
planting out; place them in a cold frame, and let the | 
lights remain off night and day in mild weather. Earth 
up the early crops when the soil is dry. Radishes, 
make another sowing, to succeed the sowing made in 
the beginning of the month. 
FLOWER GARDEN. 
Where edgings are required for flower-borders they 
should be planted immediately. Box, Daisies, Thrift 
Pansies, the Gentianella, and even the Camomile are al 
used for the purpose. Finish planting all deciduous 
shrubs. Plant out Wallflowers, Sweetwilliams, Canter¬ 
bury Bells, Foxgloves, Columbines, Pinks, Carnations, 
and all other such biennials and perennials without de¬ 
lay. Get all alterations and the laying of turf finished 
as soon as possible. Fasten the roots of Pinks, Poly¬ 
anthuses, &a., that may have been raised by the late frosts 
and give them a top dressing of rich vegetable mould 
Beds of Ranunculuses should be planted without delay 
if not already done. 
STOVE. 
Increase the temperature and moisture as the days 
lengthen. Pi*epare tan or other fermenting material for 
renewing the bottom heat. Start such plants as Stepha- 
notis, Dipladenia, Clerodendrons, both the young and 
the old plants, in a nice bottom heat. Pot Gloriosa 
superba in light, rich soil, putting two strong tubers in 
each pot, and plunge them in a brisk heat until the shoots j 
appear. Also, start young plants of Ixoras, Franciscea 
macrophylla, and young plants of all kinds, to make 
progress in good time; but the older plants that have ! 
set their buds should receive but little or no excitement. 
Begonias and all other free-growing plants to be now 
No. 648.— Yol. XXY. No. 22. 
propagated for autumn blooming. Prick off carefully 
into small pots the various sorts of Achimenes and 
Gloxinias, as they appear, in the store-pots or pans ; they 
delight in a moderate bottom heat at this season. 
GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. 
Continue former directions here as to temperature and 
ventilation. Proceed with the potting of young plants, 
using the soil tolerably rough, with plenty of sand and 
drainage; to be kept rather close until they have made 
fresh roots. As the weather is now favourable, endeavour 
to get all the plants that require it shifted without further 
delay, taking care to moisten the old ball throughly be¬ 
fore they are shifted, and also to guard against too much 
water. 
FORCING-PIT. 
Remove all Hyacinths, Tulips, Roses, Narcissi, Lilacs, 
Azaleas, and other such forced flowers from the pit a3 
soon as the blossoms begin to expand. Continue to in¬ 
troduce Roses, Hydrangeas, Pinks, Carnations, Rhodo¬ 
dendrons. Shakeout Erythrinas, Salvia patens, Fuchsias, 
&c., and place them on bottom heat. Sow Balsams, 
Cockscombs, and Globe Amaranths. 
PITS AND FRAMES. 
Pot off Calceolarias, Verbenas, and all such like plants 
that have stood the winter in store-pots; to be shifted 
into small pots of light soil, and then placed in a very 
gentle bottom heat. Also, look out specimen plants for 
vases. See that plenty of dwarf young plants are at 
hand—such as Petunias, Lobelias, Campanulas—that are 
useful for baskets and vases. Those who have not yet 
attended to the propagation of plants for bedding out 
must now begin with all possible despatch to put in 
cuttings of Salvias, Petunias, Fuchsias, Verbenas, Scarlet 
Geraniums, &c., so as to have good plants for bedding 
out in May. A nice sweet bottom heat of dung or tan 
will answer very well for the purpose. W. Keane. 
DOINGS OF THE LAST WEEK. 
Digging, trenching, and other matters of routine as last 
week. Cut down number of strong-staked pyramidal Rose 3 
that stood in rows with Hollyhocks, many of the hardiest even 
being killed to the bottom. I hope that most of them may 
break again from the roots or stool. Hollyhocks seem pretty 
sound below the ground, having had a shovelful of dry, burnt 
rubbish thrown over every stool, which so far kept them dry 
and free from frost. 
Shifted Cucumbers from small 60-pots into large 48’s, and 
potted off singly those last sown, using light sandy loam and 
leaf mould, well aerated and warmed before using it, and kept 
all in a single light for reasons given last week. 
Kept potting off variegated Geraniums from the cutting-.boxes 
in which they had stood thick during the winter, as room could 
be got for them, where there was a little heat. These, when 
the little pots are nearly filled with roots, will be turned out 
into portable wooden boxes—say 9 inches by 30 inches, or into 
temporary beds to be protected with spare old sashes, calico, 
