281 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY 
GENTLEMAN, February 
1860. 
WEEKLY CALENDAR. 
1 Day Day 
of of 1 
M’nth Week. 
FEBRUARY 7—13, 18G0. 
Weather 
Barometer. 
near London in 
Tliermom.! Wind. 
1859. 
Rain in 
Inches. 
Sun 
Rises. 
Sun 
Sets. 
Moon 
Rises 
and Sets 
Moon’s 
Age. 
Clock 
bef. Sun 
Day of 
Year. 
7 
Tu 
Tussilago forfaria. 
29.322—29.279 
43—23 j S. 
32 af 7 
57 af 4 
rises 
© 
14 
24 
38 
8 
w ! 
Veronica hedercefolia. 
29.480—29.430 
45—33 S. 
,10 
30 7 
59 4 
28 a 7 
16 
14 
27 
39 
0 
Th 
Fraxinus excelsior. 
29.478—29.303 
47—36 S.W. 
.14 
29 7 
V. 
54 8 
17 
14 
29 
40 
10 
F 
Queen Victoria Married 1840. 
29.460—29.417 
50—85 S.W. 
; .09 
27 7 
2 5 
21 10 
18 
14 
30 
41 
11 
S 
Hippophad rhauraoides. 
29.569—29.526 
50—41 i S.W. 
.04 
25 7 
4 5 
49 11 
19 
14 
31 
42. i 
1 12 
Sun 
Sexagesima Sunday. 
29.747—29.608 
51—41 S.W. 
.22 
23 7 
C 5 
morn. 
20 
14 
30 
43 
IS 
M 
Viola canina. 
29.897—29.747 
51—33 | S.W. 
I 
.08 
21 7 
8 r. 
13 l 
€ 
14 
30 
44 j 
Mf.teorot.ooy op the Week.— At Chiswick, from observations during the last thirty-three vears, the average highest and lowest 
temperatures of these days are 45° and 31.6° respectively. The greatest heat, 05°, occurred on the 10th, in 1831 ; and the lowest cold, 1°, 
on the 10th, in 1856. During the period 131 days were fine, and on 100 rain fell. 
IN-DOOR GARDENING OPERATIONS FOR 
THE WEEK. 
GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. 
As plants naturally, after their season of rest during 
the winter, now begin to grow, it is advisable to shift the 
young stock, and all others that require it, into fresh 
soil, by which they will be the better enabled to progress 
to a healthy-blooming state without check or hindrance. 
Although from this time to the middle of March is to be 
considered the most favourable season for a general shift, 
nevertheless it may he necessary to shift some plants 
more than once or twice during their season of growth. 
Climbers. —To be attended to, removing weak and 
dead wood, and cutting back to three or four eyes where 
an increase of young shoots is desirable. To be fre¬ 
quently syringed, to keep down red spider, as they are 
more liable than other plants to he infested by them. 
STOVE AND ORCHID-HOUSE. 
The advice given for the shifting of the general stock 
of greenhouse plants will also be applicable to the fresh 
potting of the stove plants. 
Begonias.— Being of free growth they delight in fresh 
soil, consisting of equal parts of sandy loam and leaf 
mould. As a general rule they are repotted in February 
and August; but exceptions are sometimes made, and a 
shift is given whenever the roots become cramped or 
matted in the pot. The knife to be used cautiously, 1 
unless with the tall-growing sorts. 
Gloxinias. —To be now started, if not done as advised 
a fortnight ago. When planted press the roots gently 
on the surface of the soil, and give them no water for 
some time; as the moisture in the soil will be sufficient 
at first until they begin to grow, when a little may be 
given, and the supply to be gradually increased as they j 
advance in growth. When potted to be removed to a 
frame of pit where the temperature is about 60°. 
Luculia gratissima. —To be potted in a compost con¬ 
sisting of half turfy loam, one-fourth turfy peat, and one- 
fourth leaf mould, with good drainage. 
Musa Cavendishii.— To be repotted in a compost 
of turfy loam, vegetable soil, or well-rotted manure, and 
a small portion of sand, with plenty of drainage. To be 
plunged in a brisk heat in a bark-bed, and to keep the i 
roots moist. 
Many of the Orchids may now he potted, and then I 
placed in the warmest part of the house. The plants that 
are not shifted to be supplied with a little fresh material, 
taking care that the embryo buds are not covered. Look 
over the fastenings of all that are on blocks, or in baskets, 
and renew the wires where necessary. The temperature 
to be about 65° by day, allowing it to range to 70° or 
75° by sun-heat. 
FORCING-HOUSES. 
Cherries. — Keep up the temperature from 50° to 
55° while the trees are in bloom, with as little variation j 
as possible. The trees not in flower to be frequently J 
syringed. | 
Cucumbers. —The greatest attention should be paid to 
the state of the bed for the first fortnight after the plants 
are turned out; the heat-stick (a stick stuck into the 
bed) should be examined, being, as it is, a much better 
criterion to judge by than a thermometer, which is gene¬ 
rally used to indicate the heat of the atmosphere in the 
frame ; cover up according.to the heat of the bed. If it 
will allow it, a small portion of air should be left on 
every night, which may be given in the evening after the 
frame has been closed for two or three hours. Keep 
up the heat by stirring, renewing, or topping-up the 
linings ; and attend to the stopping of the plants, and the 
earthing-up of the hills, as the roots make their appear¬ 
ance on the surface. 
Melons. —Pot off the plants when the seed-leaves are 
fully expanded. 
Peaches. —When the trees have set their fruit, give 
the roots, if growing inside the house, a good watering 
with liquid manure, mixed with soft hot water, so as to 
he of the temperature of the house, or a little above it. 
The syringe to be used several times a-day in clear, mild 
weather as soon as the fruit is set. 
Pines. —Pot the succession plants. If the pots are 
full of strong, healthy roots, pick out the crocks care¬ 
fully without injuring them, leaving the hall entire, and 
giving them a good shift. But if unfortunately many of 
the roots are dead, shake the ball entirely away, and cut 
out all that are dead, preserving such as are alive and 
healthy, and potting them in fresh soil. 
Strawberries. —Keep up a succession by placing a 
few dozen pots in a gentle heat once every fortnight or 
three weeks. 
Vines. —All laterals to he stopped in diie time, and 
all useless buds and branches to be removed ; the leading 
shoots to he tied in regularly, and the hunches to be 
thinned. No more bunches to be left on each Vine than 
it is likely to bring to perfect maturity. About one 
dozen bunches are a good average crop for each rod. The 
temperature to range from 55° to 60° at night, with an 
increase of 5° to 10° during the day. and even higher 
during sunshine. William Keane. 
GRAFTING GERANIUMS—ROSES on MANETTI 
STOCKS. 
This time three years, or rather a month later than 
this three years since, as will he seen at pages 413 and 
414 of the seventeenth volume of The Cottage Gar¬ 
dener, “ The Doctor’s Boy ” gave the planting of two 
kinds of flower-beds on the principle of “ a more econo¬ 
mical character than is practised in large establishments.” 
The spring-bedding being grafted on the planting-out, or 
summer planting, in a wise and practical manner. He 
also then and there affirmed, “ that striking Roses is 
n6 more difficult than striking Gooseberry-cuttings,” 
owing to the “ woodcut of the pots and cuttings ” which 
appeared in a former number of The Cottage Gardener. 
And then and there also, he, “ The Doctor’s Boy,” ex¬ 
pressed an earnest wish for “ the same treat respecting 
No, 593,—Vop, XXIII. No. 19. 
