THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, November 23, 1858. Ill 
WEEKLY CALENDAR. 
Day 
of 
M’nth 
Day 
of ' 
Week. 
NOVEMBER 23—29, 1858. 
Weather 
Barometer. 
near London in 1857. 
Thermom. Wind. 
Snn 
Rises. 
Sun 
Sets. 
Moon 
R.andS. 
Moon’s 
Age. 
Clock 
after Sun 
Day of 
Year. 
23 
Tu 
Echeveria Scheerii. 
29.497—29.359 
52-40 
S.W. .36 
34 af 7 
IV. 
48 af 5 
18 
13 
26 
327 
24 
W 
Epacris nivalis. 
29.493—29.189 
49—25 
S.W. .12 
35 
7 
59 af 3 
13 7 
19 
13 
9 
328 
25 
Th 
Epacris impressa. 
29.555—29.512 
44—32 
E. .01 
37 
7 
58 
S 
44 8 
20 
12 
51 
329 
26 
F 
Erica distans. 
29.575—29.479 
46—40 
N.E. .10 
38 
7 
57 
3 
13 10 
21 
12 
32 
330 
27 
s 
Erica pilularis. 
30.020—29.775 
47—28 
N.E, — 
40 
7 
56 
8 
37 11 
€ 
12 
13 
331 
28 
Sun 
Advent Sunday. 
30.124—30.084 
48—32 
N.E. .02 
41 
7 
55 
3 
morn 
23 
11 
52 
332 
29 
M 
Erica Caffra. 
30.102—29.980 
47—34 
E. | — 
43 
7 
54 
3 
56 0 
24 
11 
31 
333 
Meteorology of the Week.— At Chiswick, from observations during the last thirty-one years, the average highest and lowest 
temperatures of these days are 47.0° and 34.1°, respectively. The greatest heat, 60°, occurred on the 28th, in 1828 ; and the lowest cold, 18°, 
on the 26th, in 1849. During the period 118 days were fine, and on 99 rain fell. 
GARDENING OPERATIONS EOR THE WEEK. 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
We would direct particular attention to the advantage 
to he gained by mulching, or covering the ground witli 
any short rotten litter, or leaf mould, particularly around 
all lately planted trees and shrubs; the object is to 
shut in, or rather to prevent, the departure of the re¬ 
maining ground heat of the past summer. With cold 
winds and sharp frost acting upon the soil, a progressive 
loss must ensue for the next two or three months, unless 
counteracted in some degree by mulching. 
Asparagus (to force).—The beds, either in frames or 
pits, used for growing Melons or Cucumbers during the 
summer, and now exhausted of their heat, will be the 
best in which to plant the Asparagus. The roots should : 
be three or four years old, taken up carefully, packed ; 
closely together when planted, and covered, five or six 
inches, with any light soil. Linings of well-prepared 
dung to be applied round the beds, when a gentle genial 
heat will be communicated to the roots, and the shoots j 
will grow slowly and strong. When the shoots begin to 
appear, a large portion of air must be daily admitted, as 
the weather will permit, to give a green colour and good , 
flavour to them. As the heat acts more quickly on the 
sides, and gradually extends to the centre, a regular 
succession of shoots is produced. By such treatment it 
will be fit for table in three weeks. 
Brussels Sproltts. —It is usual to cut off the top, or 
head, about-ten or fifteen days before gathering from the 
stem. The dead leaves to be removed, but retaining all 
the green ones, as they serve to protect the young side 
sprouts. 
Cabbage. —Draw earth to the stems of the autumn 
plantations, as it invigorates, and prevents them being 
loosened by the winds. 
Mushroom Beds. —If out of doors, should be protected 
with a thick covering of straw, and mats laid over that, 
to protect them from wet and frost. When the straw is 
wet, it should be replaced with dry. 
ERUIT GARDEN. 
Apples, Cherries, Pears, and Plums— In pruning, 
retain the best-placed shoots of last summer in vacant 
places, removing worn-out and irregular branches and 
dead wood; and lay in, and nail to the wall, the shoots at 
their full length, from four to six inches asunder. 
Apricots, Peaches, and Nectarines. —In pruning, 
leave a sufficient supply of the best-placed side and 
terminal shoots, and cut out all foreright and super¬ 
abundant ones, and all unfruitful and useless old wood ; 
shorten all the young branches that are left about one- 
third, and the weaker ones cut shorter; then nail the 
whole tree regularly, laying the branches about three or 
four inches apart. 
ELOWER GARDEN. 
As Gravel Walks in good condition contribute to 
give a cheerful appearance, and attract to the more 
frequent enjoyment of the flower garden and pleasure 
No. 530. Yol. XXI. 
groimds, in favourable winter weather, it is necessary, 
where weeds are still making their appearance on the 
surface, to remove them by hand-picking. The hoe and 
rake should be avoided as much as possible at this season 
of the year, as they do more harm than good, by breaking 
up the surface, which is not always effectual for the destruc¬ 
tion of the weeds. Walks, which are overrun with Liver¬ 
wort,or the various Mosses, had better be dug over with the 
spade ; then raked and rolled smooth, they will maintain 
a neat and clean appearance for some months to come. 
If gravel is easily procured in the neighbourhood, a thin 
sprinkling all over the surface, before rolling, would be 
of great service. 
Box Edging. —Now is a good time for taking it up, 
and replanting. 
Carnations and Picotees. —The florist’s labours are 
now drawing to a close for the season. Being framed, 
and in their winter quarters, the chief demand on his 
time and attention will be to give air to his plants in 
favourable weather. 
Dahlias. —They should all be got up by this time, and 
their tops cut off; and, having been exposed, under cover, 
in a dry, airy place, will be ready to store away, as re¬ 
commended a fortnight ago. 
Laying down Turk. —This is the best season, both for 
facility and success. If the ground is newly made, it 
will require to be perfectly solid before laying down the 
turf, that it should not give way afterwards. When laid 
down, to be well-beaten all over by the turf-beater, to 
close all the edges of the turf, to flatten out the surface, 
and to level down all inequalities. 
Tulips, we will suppose, are safely planted. It will be 
advisable to keep heavy falls of rain from the beds, by 
means of mats stretched on hoops for this purpose, and 
which will also be useful for protecting them from severe 
frosty weather. William Keane. 
HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY’S ERUIT AND 
ELOWER SHOW. 
St. James’s Hall, November 17th. 
The greatest difference of this show of fruit from that 
of last year, at Willis’s Rooms, was in the greater 
number of ripe Pears and Apples on the present occa¬ 
sion. In other respects, the Pines, Grapes, Melons, 
Cucumbers, Oranges, and small fruit, were much the 
same as I put them down last year. But the miscellany 
of extras, which occupied the end tables and lower 
regions at Willis’s, did not half pay for the trouble ; and 
that experiment was not now repeated, to the great 
comfort of the Judges and the reporters. The next dis¬ 
tinguishing feature, on my entering the gallery of the 
Hall, to take a bird’s-eye view of the whole, in order to 
see the kind of taste that might be displayed in the new 
arrangement for fruit and flowers, was to find out and see, 
with my own eyes, that the Hall was supported with 
borrowed pillars, and supports of various lengths, heights, 
and thicknesses just at the commencement of the 
