THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, Mabch 12, 1861. 
Day 
of 
M’nth 
Day 
of 
Week. 
MARCH 12—18, 1861. 
12 
Tu 
Kerria japonica. 
13 
W 
Snowy Mespilus. 
14 
Th 
Daphnes. 
F 
Magnolia conspicua. 
16 
S 
Anemones. 
17 
Sun 
5 Sunday in Lent. 
12 
M 
Adonis vernalis. 
WEEKLY CALENDAR. 
Weather near London in 1860. 
Barometer. 
Therm >m. 
29.490 -29.393 
29.528 -29.462 
29.510-29.398 
29.823—29.756 
30 010—29.932 
30-044—29.995 
29.972—29.962 
deg. deg. 
45—3') 
47—31 
47—25 
49 -35 
55— 38 
56— 45 
55—33 
Wind. 
Rain in 
Inches. 
S.W. 
N.W. 
W. 
N.W. 
N.W. 
W. 
W. 
•12 
•03 
•19 
•01 
Sun 
Rises. 
Sun 
Sets. 
Moon 
Rises 
and Sets 
j 
Moon’s 
Age. 
Clook 
before 
Sun. 
Day of 
Year. 
m. h. 
m. h. 
m. h. 
■ 
m. s. 
23 af 6 
57 af 5 
24 a 7 
1 
9 54 
71 
20 6 
59 5 
32 8 
2 
9 37 
72 
18 6 
VI 
41 9 
3 
9 21 
73 
16 6 
2 6 
50 10 
4 
9 3 
74 
14 6 
4 6 
57 11 
5 
8 46 
75 
11 6 
6 6 
morn. 
6 
8 29 
76 
9 6 
7 6 
2 1 
7 
8 11 
77 
Meteorology of the Week.— At Chiswick, from observations during the last thirty-four years, the average highest and lowest 
temperatures of these days are 50.7 and 33. 5° respectively. The great: ,t heat, 67’, occurred on the 12th, in 1841: and the lowest cold, 13°, 
on the 13th in 1845. During the period 139 days were fine, and on 99 r lin fell. 
WORK FOR THE WEEK. 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Asparagus, top dress the beds with light, decomposed 
manure, and fork them lightly over, taking care not to 
injure the crowns. The beds intended for new planta¬ 
tions to be frequently turned, to be in readiness for 
planting the young roots as soon as they have started into 
active growth. Beans (Broad), plant Early Mazagans, 
as most of the November sowings have been destroyed 
except where they were well protected. Beet, sow 
in drills a foot apart. Broccoli, sow seed of the Early 
Cape, Grange’s, Walcheren, &c., in a frame, to bring on 
early, and some in open, rich ground. Caulifloivers, 
plant out under hand-glasses. Prick out seedlings in 
frames when they are large enough. Sow seed in a gentle 
heat. Do not let those under hand-glasses, or in frames, 
or the young seedling plants that maybe pricked out, 
suffer from exposure to the cold north-east wind, so pre¬ 
valent at this season of the year. Cabbage, sow, and 
the plants that have survived the winter to be planted 
out. Capsicums, sow on a hotbed. Carrots, sow for 
principal crop. Dig the ground deep, break it up well, 
and let it be the lightest in the place. Leelcs, the same 
as advised for Onions. Onions, 30w the general crop on 
rich ground in an open situation, either in rows 9 inches 
or 1 foot apart, or in beds, as in the market gardens, from 
3 feet to 3 feet 6 inches wide, and foot-alleys between for 
the convenience of weeding. Peas, sow in warm situa¬ 
tions, and earth up any that may have survived the 
winter. The transplanting of those that have been for¬ 
warded in pots to be proceeded with as fast as they are 
hardened by gradual exposure. Parsnips, sow as ad¬ 
vised for Carrots. Potatoes, plant for a principal early 
crop while the ground continues in good working order. 
FLOWER GARDEN. 
Carnations to be potted into the blooming-pots; give 
them a gentle watering, and place the pots upon slates or 
boards in an open airy situation ; plant out the remainder 
into beds or borders. Beds of Ranunculuses, Anemones, 
and bulbs of all sorts, should be planted. The late severe 
winter has caused many vacancies on rockwork which 
should now be filled up. The various species of Alyssum, 
Arabis, Aubretia, Astragalus, Saxifraga, Draba, Sedum, 
and Iberis are suitable for rockwork, as also the dwarf 
species of Campanula, Dianthus, Veronica, Saponaria, 
dwarf Phloxes, &c. 
FRUIT GARDEN. 
Prepare to protect the blossoms of wall trees. Com¬ 
mence grafting as soon as the bark separates freely from 
the wood. 
stove. 
Finish the shifting of all specimen plants as quickly as 
possible, and keep a sharp look out for insects. Keep up 
a brisk-growing moist temperature — say from 65° to 
75° by day and from 55° to 60° by night, and to shut up 
early. 
GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. 
Continue to shift the greenhouse plants as you see they 
want it, and if the plants are well rooted and in good 
health do not be afraid of giving them a liberal shift; 
place the plants by themselves after they are shifted, and 
keep that part of the house rather moist and close for a 
i time until they begin to take root; after which they may 
be freely exposed. Damp the house twice or thrice on 
clear days by sprinkling the floor, and a slight syringing 
on clear mornings about twice or thrice a-week will be 
of service. 
FORCING-PIT. 
Continue to remove the plants as soon as the flower- 
buds begin to expand. Stop the barren shoots of Roses. 
Take care that no plant suffers for want of water. In¬ 
crease atmospheric moisture by syringing on most after¬ 
noons. 
PITS AND FRAMES. 
Keep up a nice growing heat in the cutting-frame. If 
the linings are getting cold turn them to the bottom, and 
add some well-fermented dung. Continue to put in 
cuttings of the plants previously and lately recommended. 
Sow tender and half-hardy annuals. Pot off Dahlias as 
they are struck. Shade from sun Auriculas in frames, 
and give air; but exclude rain and frost. Thin out the 
pips when they are too close, to give increased size and 
strength to the remainder of the truss. Prick out into 
pans or boxes the successional sowing of half-hardy 
annuals. Young seedling plants of all sorts, as soon as 
they can be well handled, to be pricked out into pots or 
pans an inch apart, to accelerate their growth. 
W. Keane. 
DOINGS OF THE LAST WEEK. 
Digging when the weather would permit, having long 
found that digging or trenching heavy land when wet is worse 
than labour thrown away. With the exception of Peas and 
Beans nothing has been sown hi our heavy soil. There is no 
greater error than sowing seeds when the ground is in a wet, 
clammy state. Most small seeds get so' coated as to rot from 
being unable to get access to air. If the soil is nice and dry 
and pulverised, this never happens. Future rains pass through 
the soil freely without filling up the air-vents ; but soil when 
wet and clammy, when sown or planted, if of a stiff nature, 
can scarcely be made open and porous for that season; the fork 
or hoe seem to have lost their power over it. In all such cases 
deferring operations until the ground is in good order will be 
true economy as respects time. In such cases where the seeds 
must be got in, it is of importance to have a little dry material 
to cover them with. A charred heap of all kinds of rubbish is 
useful for this purpose. ! - " '7^ 
A row of bush pyramidal Pear trees that used to bear im¬ 
mensely show few blossom-buds this season, partly owing to 
the heavy crops, the dull weather of last summer, and chiefly 
to not being disturbed about the roots for several years. The 
ground was, therefore, dug about them, a gool opening kept, 
and all the roots going straight down either cut or raised. I 
was surprised at the size some of these straight-down roots 
had attained in a few years. A little fresh soil was battered round 
No. 650.— Vol. XXV. No. 24. 
