i Day 
of 
Mtli 
Day 
of 
Week. 
! 11 
Tu 
12 
W 
j ! 13 
Th 1 
1 14 
F 
15 
S 
16 
Sun 
I 17 
M 
1 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, May 11, 1858. 
WEEKLY CALENDAR. 
70 
MAY 11—17, 1858. 
Weather near London in 1857. 
Barometer, i Thermo. Wind. 
Gardoquia multiflora. 
Gastrolobium speciosum. 
Ascension. Holy Thursday. 
Gastrolobium obovatum. 
Gompholobium augustifolium. 
Sunday after Ascension. 
Grevillea acuminata. 
29.765—29.623 
30.027—29.934 
30.054—30.002 
29.975—29.950 
30.085—29.994 
30.134—30.082 
30.080—30.022 
72—38 
75— 31 
72—49 
71—40 
80—45 
78—41 
76— 37 
E. 
S.W. 
N.E. 
E. 
E. 
W. 
S. 
Rain in 
Inches. 
.30 
.04 
.00 
.00 
Sun 
Rises. 
Sun 
Sets* 
Moon 
R.andS. 
Moon’s 
Age. 
Clock 
afterSun 
Day of 
Year. . 
16 af 4 
36 af 7 
3 af 3 
28 
3 
52 
i3i ; 
15 4 
37 7 
19 3 
29 
3 
53 
132 | 
13 4 
39 7 
sets 
© 
3 
54 
133 
12 4 
40 7 
11 10 
1 
o 
O 
55 
134 
10 4 
42 7 
21 11 
2 
3 
55 
135 
9 4 
43 7 
morn. 
o 
O 
3 
54 
136 
7 1 
45 7 
0 12 
i 
4 
3 
53 
137 
Meteorology of the Week.— At Chiswick, from observations during the last thirty-one years, the average highest 
temperatures of these days are 63.8° and 41.2°, respectively. The greatest heat, 86°, occurred on the 15th, in 1833 ; and the 
25°, on the 15th, in 1850. During the period 134 days were fine, and on 83 rain fell. 
and lowest 
lowest old, 
GARDENING OPERATIONS EOR THE WEEK. 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
If any vegetable crops have failed, no time should 
be lost in sowing more seed. 
Artichokes, Globe.— Plant, for producing a late 
supply of heads. 
Basil, that had been forwarded in pots, or boxes, 
may be transplanted, in showery weather, on a warm 
border. 
Beans. —Sow Taylor s Broad Windsor, or any other 
approved sort. Earth-up the early crops ; and if the 
weather continues dry, give them a good watering 
before you do so. 
Broccoli.— Sprinkle the seed-beds with soot, or 
wood-ashes, to protect the young plants from the 
attacks of the fly; and with quicklime, if there are 
any indications of slugs having done any injury to 
them. 
Carrots. —Thin. If the first main crops have failed, 
sow seed of the Parly Horn immediately. 
Cucumbers.— When the linings are renewed, w ater 
should be given frequently around the insides of the 
frame, as a large portion of the roots of the plants will be 
found there. Trenches to be prepared for handglasses, 
to be two feet and a half w T ide, and one foot below the 
surface, laying the soil as a bank on each side, to be 
filled six inches above the surface with dung that had 
been frequently turned over to allow the rank steam 
to pass off, leaves, and short grass well mixed toge¬ 
ther, to be covered with some light soil, particularly 
where the handglasses are to stand, and the rest to be 
some prepared soil mixed with a portion of what came 
out of the trench. The bed to be made three or four 
days, to allow the heat to ascend, before the soil is 
put on it, and then to be put on twice, about three or 
four inches thick at each time, with an interval of a 
few days between the times. 
Parsley.— Thin the early sown as soon as the plants 
are up. It is by thinning them six inches apart that the 
finest curled is produced. A few old plants may be 
selected for seed. 
Peas.— Sow. If the weather continues dry, give a 
good soaking of water before sticking the advancing 
crops. 
Potatoes. —Hoe between the rows as soon as they j 
appear above ground. 
Scarlet Runners. —Sow in the open ground. 
Spinach. —To be thinned as soon as possible after 
it is up ; otherwise it will very soon run to seed. 
Turnips.— Sow the Stone, to come into use in July 
and August. Thin the early crops. 
ERUIT GARDEN. 
Currant and Gooseberry Bushes to be closely 
examined for the caterpillars, or their eggs that are 
to be found on the leaves before they are hatched. 
Hand-picking is the most effectual way to destroy 
them. 
Wall Trees. — Continue to disbud ; and if they are 
infested by green fly, syringe them with tobacco-water 
and soapsuds. 
FLOWER GARDEN. 
Where walks require to be re-gravelled, it should 
be done before dry weather sets in. 
Annuals, Hardy*. —Sow* for late flowering. 
Antirrhinums, Pentstemons, Stocks, &c., that have 
been gradually hardened off, to be planted where they 
are to bloom ; as also any remaining stock of biennials 
or perennials. 
Bedding Plants to be hardened off as quickly as 
Xoossible. When removed from the pits and frames, 
to be placed where they can be covered at night, in 
| case of necessity ; and also to take care that they are 
not injured by too sudden exposure to bright sunshine. 
The plants, if not already so, should be made entirely 
free from green fly by tobacco-smoke, before they are 
removed from under glass. Any backward stock to 
be encouraged to make free growth, in order to get 
them strong before planting-out time. 
Advantage to be taken of showery w*eather, to give 
the grass and walks a good rolling. The destruction 
of weeds, and perfect neatness, to be maintained in 
this department. William Keane. 
HORTICULTURAL SOCIETIES MEETING. 
May 4th. 
This, the only May meeting of the Society this 
season, was held for the exhibition of Azaleas, and 
collections of stove and greenhouse plants in sixes, 
and these to be in pots not larger than common gar¬ 
deners could use on the stages of a snuggery green¬ 
house, or little stove in a framing ground. Also, for 
a new move in the right direction, copied by the new 
Council from the Crystal Palace vases round the 
basin of the Crystal fountain ; the Crystal Palace 
people themselves having also copied those vases from 
the rustic baskets of mixed plants out in the cottage 
gardens, for the last thirty years. This style having 
been “ elevated into a principle,” as the French would 
say, at the Crystal Palace, it was very proper to offer 
prizes for the best designs in that style, in order that 
the principle might be understood by the Fellows, or 
such of them as are just beginning to feel their way 
into genteel gardening, out of a luxurious and ex¬ 
pensive taste for vulgar show, without principle. 
When a rustic basket was filled with Geraniums, 
Pelargoniums, Fuchsias, Calceolarias, and many other 
such “ furnishing ” plants, and set out on the lawn, 
on the stump of an old tree, or on three legs of its 
own, it v*as called the “Rustic Basket;” but, to get 
away from rustic notions, the Society, very wisely, 
adopted a new name for the receptacle—a French 
name, of course,— -jardinieres, and which is pronounced 
shar-de-nyare. 
Well, it was just as the seer told me in the dream, 
No. 502. Vol. XX. 
