08 
THE COTTAGE G 
AKPENEU ANP GOPN TBY GENTLEMAN'S GOMEANION. Man \ 
enemies they 
have been 
voured by 
the absence 
to encourage 
very much, 
Again, and _ .. , 4 . 
favourable than before, in so far as the manipulation 
concerned ; for it is not unlikely but we may have a 
succession of cold rains, or slight frosts after rains, 
which will render the ground extremely unpleasant to 
work upon. Added to this, there is a "fear that some 
over with lime. soot, wood ashes, and in some cases 
effective for a time, but must be re¬ 
sharp frosts are in store for us at the time when the 
mass of our orchard fruits are in blossom, which may 
destroy all our hopes that way ; but even if this should 
prove a groundless alarm, still there is almost a cer¬ 
tainty that insects of various kinds will abound, to the 
destruction of young plants just vegetating, or, it may 
be, of trees blooming or fruit setting ; for a mild spring 
is always prolific of animal life, which must have a sub¬ 
sistence somewhere, and very often they select plants 
which we cannot well spare: hence their destruction; 
while a lato spring frost is equally fatal with fruit-tree 
blossoms when their flowers are enticed out before their 
usual time by the general mildness of the season, and 
as frosts are always most destructive when preceded by 
rain, which is the usual accompaniment of a mild spring. 
Cold, dry winds are less fatal than frosts, or even when 
the latter do accompany 
them 
damage is com 
sulphur, will be „ . 
posted, and, unless the plant grows also during the time 
ef its application, the remedy will be inoperative ; ter a 
continuous coating ot tine, powdery matter on delicate 
leaves will clog them up to their entire destruction. 
Hence the frequent complaints we hear that such and 
such a crop is gone, in suite of the many, perhaps daily, 
dressings it has had. Alas! the functions of the poor 
little plants are sealed up by the sticky matter with 
which they are encased, and the bulk, if not the whole 
of them become victims to the treatment 
When there is reason to suppose that a young brood is 
likely to Vs attacked iu the manner deset t: is a good 
practice to sprinkle the beds pretty thickly over with 
lime and soot a few days after sowing the seed, or just a 
day or two before the youug plants vegetate, and net to 
wait until you can see some of them, as it is likely a 
good mauy of them may be gone by then. A good 
dressing at that time will render the ground less palatable 
to the locomotion of all crawling insects, and by its 
accompanie 
drv, cast or north-east winds are also beneficial fertilisers 
of the ground, which, being dug up roughly, is searched 
In the case of Carrels and some other crops it would 
be better not to sow too early in a moist season, as the 
the 
is 
ing ones, as corn, Beans, aud Peas, do not always 
vegetate in a satisfactory manner; but if they do get 
above ground they have fewer enemies to contend against 
than they would if their vegetation was assisted by the 
kindly spring showers, which have obtained a sort of 
poetic character amongst us—a commendation more 
applicable next month than this. 
The above remarks are made with a view of guarding 
the inexperienced against being deceived by the un¬ 
seasonable mildness of the weather with which we are 
crops of other things must, however, be protected in 
some way as above, and may be had in sufficient 
quantities to meet the requirements of the family. 
Of the fruitfulness of the ensuing summer I am not 
sufficiently vested with the gifts of prophecy to speak: 
but those who pretend to have a foreknowledge that way 
argue the probability of an abundant orchard-fruit season. 
Apple*, Pears, and Cherries , they tell us. will be as plen¬ 
tiful as they were scarce last year, while small fruits may 
be expected about as usual. What little 1 have seen of 
often visited at this season, and probably may be during them has certainly not led me to expect a heavy Gooseberry 
this month, enticing people to plant out tender, delicate crop; but it may be an average one. and Currants may be 
plants before their proper time. It is also not unusual good. Wall fruits in general look wed. and orchard 
in such cases to attribute the failure of the crops to the fruits show plenty of bloom : but during the last few 
seeds, which may perhaps be as good as can be. and 
may have produced a crop, seen only by those having 
sharper eyes than we have. Crops of Carrots are often 
annihilated this way. Lettuce, Caulijlotcer, and almost 
all small seedlings are similarly destroyed. Duirf Kid . 
and Scarlet Bwtiner Beans are not proof against the 
years the white silver moss on the trees has made rapid 
strides. Many comparatively young trees now look 
aged, and evidently are fast hastening to a premature 
decay. In another paper I will explain the means I 
have taken to arrest this eviL In the meantime lei us 
hope that the fruit crop of 1857 may be a tolerably 
attacks of these pests to gardening, aud annual flower- plentiful one. To wish for an extraordinary one 
seeds of most kinds fall a victim to their depredations, be almost inviting the scarcity of 1556 in 1558, 
would 
depredation 
That several of these things suffer iu a dry. cold season 
as well 1 will not deny, and if it be very dry many seeds 
will not germinate at all; but my purpose here is to 
show that the mild, apparently fine-growing weather 
we have at the time I write is fraught with more mis¬ 
chief than is generally supposed, aud, though the ground 
as we 
seldom see two heavy crops in succession, although two 
J. Hobson. 
or more indifferent ones often fall together. 
A very Goor Ezcelpi for Pickling a Ham of it 
is not soddened with rain, it is cold, and only such plants Porxi ' s weight.— Take salt petre, E oz.: ground pepper, 
__ — _ _ __ ___ ____ 1 « 1 M t « 1 AW • -» 1 1 Vv • a 1 1L FI . _ it _ t _ 
make any progress as are little affected bv the cold. 
Grass certainly grows, and robust crops, as Beans, Peas, 
and the whole of the over-year’s crop of Greens, Broccoli. 
&c., keeps pace with the times; but small crops do not 
get on so well, and I have not seen a good riot of earlv 
Peas this season. The ravages of insects and other 
koz.; treacle, ^lb.; common salt. 1 lb. Hub the ham 
all over every day for a month, and then add Cairk rian 
essence, 1 oz. Hub again for another fortnight; then 
take it out of the piez^e, and send it to the taker to dry, 
no: to smeke. 
