THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, February 14, 1860. 295 
WEEKLY CALENDAR. 
Day 
of 
Day 
Weather near London in 1859. 
Moon 
of 
FEBRUARY 14—20, I860. 
Rain in 
Inches. 
Sun 
Sun 
Ilise3 
Moon’s 
Clock 
Day of 
M’nth Week. 
1 
Barometer. 
Thermom. 
Wind. 
Rises. 
Sets. 
and Sets 
Age. 
bef. 
Sun 
Year. 
14 
Tu 
Viola hirta. 
29.869—29.566 
48—28 
S.W. 
.02 
19 af 7 
10 af 5 
32 
2 
22 
14 
28 
45 
15 
W 
Vinca minor. 
30.089—29.987 
50—43 
s.w. 
.06 
17 7 
12 5 
43 
3 
23 
14 
25 
46 
16 
Th 
Pulmonaria officinalis. 
30.069—30.025 
58—40 
S.W. 
— 
15 7 
13 5 
40 
4 
24 
14 
22 
47 
17 
F 
Ulmus campestris. 
30.184—29.992 
56-36 
s.w. 
.01 
14 7 
15 5 
22 
5 
25 
14 
18 
48 
18 
S 
Ulmus montana. 
30.276—30.209 
47—27 
N.W. 
— 
12 7 
17 5 
56 
5 
26 
14 
14 
49 
19 
Sun 
Shrove Sunday. 
30.351—30.238 
48—42 
N.W. 
.02 
10 7 
19 5 
20 
6 
27 
14 
9 
50 
20 
M 
Sun’s declin. 11° 5's. 
30.290-30.225 
52—26 
W. 
.04 
8 7 
21 5 
38 
6 
28 
14 
3 
51 
Meteorology of the Week.— At Chiswick, from observations during the last thirty-three years, the average highest and lowest 
temperatures of these days are 45.1° and 32.2° respectively. The greatest heat, 57°, occurred on the 13th, in 1850 ; and the lowest cold, 9 J , 
on the 14th, in 1855. During the period 156 days were line, and on 75 rain fell. 
IN-DOOR GARDENING OPERATIONS FOR 
THE WEEK. 
GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. 
The plants occupying tlie beds in the conservatory to 
be arranged, cleaned, and pruned. If the health or habit 
of a plant, or other considerations, should render it de¬ 
sirable to prolong the season of blooming, the pruning 
may be postponed for a week or two longer. Continue 
to pot Cinerarias, Calceolarias, Pelargoniums, and all 
other such plants when they fill their pots with roots. 
To be then kept close for some days until fresh root- 
action begins. Green fly to be kept down. 
Y erbenas. —Put them in heat, to get cuttings ; as also 
Heliotropes, and all other such plants, of which there is 
a scarcity, for bedding-out purposes. 
STOVE AND ORCHID-HOUSE. 
Increase the moisture and temperature gradually as 
the days lengthen. Start old and young plants of Clero- 
clendrons, Dipladenias, and Steplianotis, in a sweet bottom 
heat. Rondeletias to be cut in, and started in the same 
manner. 
Shift all Orchids that are starting into growth. As a 
high temperature causes a premature and unhealthy 
growth it is advisable to keep up a healthy atmosphere 
of from 55° to 65°, with an increase of a few degrees in 
sunshiny weather, when a little air, if only for a very 
short time, should be admitted; but be careful to avoid 
draughts at this early period of the year. All growing 
plants to be watered at the roots only, being careful not 
to allow any water to lodge in the axils of the leaves 
to cause decay. To preserve the roots of some Orchids 
in a healthy state it is necessary to grow them on blocks 
of wood ; the blocks to be made proportionate to the 
specimens they are intended to bear; and the heel of the 
plant to be placed close to the end of the log, to give as 
much space as possible for the plant to grow upon. The 
following thrive well on blocks without moss :— Barkeria 
spectabilis, Leptotes bicolor, Phalcenopsis amabilis, and 
Sophronitis cernua, the Brassavolas, the Cattleyas, nearly 
all the dwarf Epidendrums, all the Lselias, and nearly 
all the dwarf Maxillarias and Oncidiums, and all the 
Scliombergias. 
FORCING-HOUSES. 
Cucumbers. —Attend to the thinning and stopping, 
and impregnate the fruit blossom when open. 
Figs. —Gare to be taken that cold currents and sudden 
changes of air are excluded from the trees. The roots 
to be well supplied with water, and the trees to be occa¬ 
sionally syringed overhead. 
Peaches. —When set, thin the fruit and shoots as 
required; to be done gradually, a little at one time, to 
prevent any sudden and injurious change in the system 
of the tree. A liberal supply of moisture to be kept up, 
with a temperature ranging Rom 55° to 65° and 70’ by 
sunheat. A drier atmosphere is advised for trees in 
bloom ; the bloom to be thinned if the trees are weak ; 
and if shy setters, to be artificially impregnated, using 
a camel-hair pencil for that purpose. 
No. 594.—You. XXIII. No. 20. 
Pines. —Be watchful about the bottom heat, and lose 
no time in raising the pots nearer to the surface if an 
approach to a burning temperature is apprehended. To 
be thoroughly watered when they require it, and to be 
syringed overhead in the morning and evening of every 
clear day unless the plants are in bloom, or ripening 
their fruit. Any crowns, suckers, or small plants 
not well established will do well in a pit or frame 
on a bed of leaves, or well sweetened dung, where 
they will make a rapid and vigorous growth during the 
summer. 
Vines. —Attend to last week’s instructions as to stop¬ 
ping all laterals, &c., and thinning the bunches in good 
time ; and tie up all the principal shoulders with soft 
strands of matting. Never allow the head or hand to 
touch the berries. Give them plenty of air-moisture 
during their swelling season; to be discontinued when they 
begin to colour. Shy-setting sorts—such as the Black 
Damascus, Cannon Hall Muscat, &c.—will set better by 
thinning the blossom-buds before expansion, by which 
a more regular and compact bunch will be produced. 
Late Vines should be pruned and dressed; and if not 
frosty the lights to be removed, which will retard their 
breaking, and benefit the trees. William Keane. 
THE LONDON HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
Never have we faltered in the expression of our opinion 
that the London Horticultural Society is capable of 
being one of the nation’s institutions. Gardening is one 
of the prevailing tastes of the people,—it is loved and 
practised by the tenants of palaces as well as of cottages, 
—and is a source of pleasure, health, and profit to all. A 
national Society, in which the people could trust that it 
would be studious and energetic to promote this object 
of their general interest, could not fail of being sustained 
by them ; and the London Horticultural Society has 
hitherto declined, because it was not trusted. The tastes 
and objects of the few, and the most expensive depart¬ 
ments of gardening, only were fostered by it; a costly, 
ruinous, and unproductive expenditure was indulged in, 
and hence the Horticultural Society of London fell into 
difficulties, and became an aged,decrepid, effete institution. 
But we will not retread that distasteful path; “ let by¬ 
gones be bygones,” and let us look forwards, not back¬ 
wards. 
It will be gratifying to all who are interested in the 
advancement of practical horticulture to know that the 
Council have decided upon a complete change in the 
working of the Society. The course that has now been 
determined upon by the Council is not a partial change 
in some one department—not a mere patching up of a 
piece of old machinery to be set going for a few months 
till some other part snapped or got twisted, and brought 
the whole again to a stand-still. The change that 
has been effected is a thorough and radical reconstruc¬ 
tion—all the parts so aptly fitted, that it will not be the 
fault of the Council if they do not work as one harmo¬ 
nious whole. 
