373 
THE COTTAGE GARDE NEE AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, March 26, 1861. 
rows 4 feet apart, putting laurel twigs 1 foot in height on each 
side of the rows, and staking as the work is done to prevent 
trampling the soil: obliged to stop by heavy rains. Removed 
all the litter from Celery-beds, and threw it with a few warm 
leaves in- a heap to ferment. Trenched out all the Ce’cry in 
very fair condition, and put it close together in a trench by 
itself, in order that the ground might be ridged up, caus'ng the 
manure in the bottom of the trench to be equally distributed ; 
and pricked out Cabbage, Cauliflower and Lettuce plants in a 
cold earth-pit, to be protected with hurdles with straw fattened 
on them very thinly. Pricked out Celery also in the small 
■wooden boxes, and sowed for succession. 
Gave up sprinkling Vines in small six-feet-wide pit, as the 
Sweetwaters are coming into bloom ;—may have a syringing when 
all set, but a good shaking to remove all remains of bloom is just 
about as well, and after that the leaves get no moisture except 
what they condense in the form of dew; night temperature 65°, 
with a good rise from sunshine when it occurs. In a sunny 
day drew a dry hand gently over the bunches in bloom, which 
we have found as good a plan as any for dispersing the pollen 
and causing a regular setting. Peaches are not doing so well as 
usual. The flowers were in many cases defective, and, though 
they set well, many refuse to swell and will eventually drop-off; 
And the heart in several getting black—a sure sign th; t the 
young fruit was not sufficiently formed. In such a sea: on as 
the last, the trees might have been better exposed in the last 
months of autumn instead of the glass being left on. When 
used to thick heavy crops, very little makes us grumble ; llit, as 
I am told to give all minutiae, it is only right that the slightest 
approach to failure as well as great successes should be recorded, 
and the reason given as far as possible. Regulated the first 
vinery, removing all shoots that would not be needed. A t'weet- 
"water will soon be in bloom, temperature from 58° to (5° at 
night. During the day if the sun will be so kind, temperature 
from 65° to 85°, giving a little air early, and shutting up e: rly to 
economise heat; but, for the coal bill, would keep a little air 
at the top of the house constantly. Removed Straiuberries done 
fruiting, placing them behind a fence with a few leaves packed 
between the balls, and, if cold weather, a spruce branch laid over 
them until they are well hardened ; the pots always at this 
season being wanted before they can be had, and these Straw¬ 
berry plants when planted out in the open ground a month 
hence, furnishing a fair gathering in the autumn and extraordi¬ 
nary crops the following year. As the shade gets dense, the 
fruiting plants must be removed to where there is abundance of 
light to give them flavour. A little sulphur placed on the 
heating medium is the best preventive in the case of red spider. 
Cleared three lights of a pit, the same as described for Cucum¬ 
bers the other week, and when the stiffish loam was heated, 
planted in it six Melon plants, two in a light. On the whole 
we find this better than one plant to a light; for, in the latter 
case, there is more difficulty in getting the requisite number of 
fruit set at once, and if only one or two take a prominent lead, 
farewell to the rest doing much. The Cucumbers turned out 
into the pit heated by hot water, and the hotbed of leavt s and 
dung are both doing admirably ; but the latter, though a sowing 
later, and, therefore, much smaller plants, show every appear¬ 
ance of beating the others. The average temperature at night 
has ranged from 60° to 65° ; but for the last few days it has 
been gradually falling until it reached 58°. The manure outside 
the box was, therefore, forked over a foot deep, and more dryish 
litter packed round to the top of the box. This has increased the 
top heat sufficiently without adding to the heat below the plants, 
which is warm enough. When manure is plentiful nothing beats 
these beds for Cucumbers and Melons. Potted some maiden 
plants of Peaches, Apricots, Cherries, Plums, &c., into pots, 
intended to train them as small pyramids, and ultimately fruit 
them under glass. 
As to flowering plants, removed Azaleas, in pit in bloom, to 
conservatory; also, a quantity of Cinerarias in bloom from a 
coldish pit, giving those in the house plenty of cold water, and 
using water heated a little for Azaleas, &c., in bloom. Removed 
large Fuchsias from first house of Vines to the second, so as to 
give them full light and less heat. Filled the Btage of first 
house with fresh-potted plants of Ivy-leaved and other small 
Geraniums just to get them to root a little in fresh soil. ^ Moved 
pots, boxes, and pans of cuttings from beds and frame< after 
being struck, into cold pits. Turned out semicircular, drain- 
tiles full of fresh-struck Verbenas with the balls entire int j light 
rich soil, with a very slight Jieat below them to. encourag; them 
to grow stronger in order to get more cuttings, as they must 
have frequent toppings for cuttings before the middle of May ; 
and put in cuttings of Heliotropes, and almost everything of a 
bedding character that could be found. Filled the earth-pit 
under spare sashes with Calceolarias, planted in rows about 
3| inches apart, and commenced with a cold earth-pit, planting 
cut those that were inserted so late in autumn as not to be struck 
before the severe frost at Christmas, but which erenow a perfect 
thicket, requiring removal; these are covered with calico just 
as I have mentioned above for the Potatoes, and in a very severe 
night thero will be straw hurdles or loose straw placed over the 
calico. We have had beds of Calceolarias planted in this way, 
that, having a little water given at planting, wanted scarcely any¬ 
thing doing to them until within eight days of being turned out 
into beds, &c. Then the cloth would be rolled off for the day 
to thoroughly harden them ; but before that a sufficiency of light 
passes through the calico, and the rays of the fiercest sun are 
blunted, and enough of air passes continually from side to side. 
| In very hot days a slight skiff from a syringe might be given; 
but in weather not very sunny we have had the plants flourish¬ 
ing under such covering as well as could be, and no water given, 
and no moving of the calico for four or six weeks on a stretch. 
If any better makeshift plan than this can be suggested, com¬ 
bining economy and utility, I shall be glad to hear of it. Sowed 
a few flower seeds of the tenderer annuals,' as Lobelias, Perilla, 
&c., and placed the pots under the Vines in the Vine-pit. Will 
defer sowing the general stock of half-hardy annuals for a week 
or ten days, as they are much injured when much kicked and 
knocked about before planting. The last remark applies par¬ 
ticularly to such plants as Tropceolum, especially pelegrinum, 
and Convolvulus, Zinnias, and even Stocks, &c. The yellow- 
feathered Cockscombs (Celosia pymalis), was much admired last 
season, but I failed to ripen a single seed ; and the seedsman 
tells me “not to be bad.” Surely some one must have been 
more successful. My plants stood too long in tl*e greenhouse 
for seed. Sowed also Capsicums and Tomatoes, but they too 
would have done in a week or ten days. When room is limited 
it is not merely sowing, but what are you to do with the seedlings, 
that must be thought about.—R. F. 
GARDENING IN LONG ISLAND, NORTH 
AMERICA. 
“ After several months’ absence from home I found much to 
occupy my attention in gardening matters and comparing my 
foreign notes with home plantings and experiences, and delayed 
taking up my usual readings of garden or floricultural magazines, 
&c., until the winter was fairly upon us with its snows and frosts. 
“ It was with some surprise, therefore, and much pleasure, that 
I noticed your kind message with that of Mr. Taylor, in your July 
Number, wafting across the wide waters an apology quite un¬ 
called for, but which I appreciate none the less, as it is in true 
keeping with that genuine politeness which seems to distinguish 
those cunning and loving in garden-craft above their fellows. 
I should have been much gratified w r ith the opportunity to have 
gone over the splendid grounds at Shrubland in company with 
Mr. Taylor; but, aside from the necessity of my return to London 
on the same day when the bees swarm, other matters must give 
way to the necessity of looking after their welfare, and this I 
perfectly understood; besides, I have a tolerably quick eye for 
effects, and by myself sketched off here and there some ideas 
well worked out there, which at some future season I hope to 
reproduce here on a smaller scale. By-the-by, the post of Mr. 
Taylor can be no sinecure. I was too early to see the beds all 
planted ; but I saw enough to appreciate the labour of head and 
hands which must be gone through with to carry out the full 
stocking and arranging of that beautiful park and gardens. 
This reminds me that those only who have attempted to accom¬ 
plish any particular effects in gardening can appreciate such 
effects properly. Especially is this the case in this country, where 
the examples of high gardening are so lamentably few, although 
apparently increasing. 
“ In return for the many liiuts I am so constantly receiving 
from your weekly contributions to The Cottage Gardener, I 
propose to give you an occasional experience of our own 
planting; for although our climate varies from yours very 
sensibly, yet the extremes meet—as, for instance, your winter of 
1860-61, seems to have been down to our average of Fahrenheit, 
and you may yet have a summer which may correspond. And, 
