i i ■ . £*t . 
THE COTTAGE GARDENEtR AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, May 25, 1858, ail 
WEEKLY CALENDAR. 
Day 
of 
Mth 
Day 
of 
Week. 
MAY 25—31, 1858. 
% 
Weather near London in 1857. 
Sun 
Rises. . 
Sun 
Sets. 
Moon 
R.andS. 
Moon’s 
Age. 
Clock 
afterSun 
Day of 
Year, 
Barometer. 
Thermo. 
| 
Wind. 
Rain in 
Inches. 
25 
Tu 
Whit Tuesday. 
29.492—29.384 
69—40 
E. 
.05 
57 af 3 
56 af 7 
22 af 2 
12 
3 
24 
145 
28 
W 
Ember Week. 
29.629—29.520 
70—38 
S. 
— 
56 3 
57 7 
38 2 
13 
3 
18 
146 
27 
Th 
Jacksonia grandiflora. 
29.780—29.846 
73—36 
s.w. 
— 
55 3 
59 7 
rises 
© 
3 
12 
147 
28 
F 
Kennedya prostrata. 
29.835—29.573 
74—50 
E. 
— 
54 3 
0 8 
41 9 
15 
3 
5 
148 
29 
S 
King Charles II. Rest., 1680. 
29.984—29.881 
66—49 
N.E. 
— 
53 3 
1 8 
34 10 
16 
2 
58 
149 
30 
Sun 
Trinity Sunday. 
30.027—29.985 
63—39 
N.E. 
.01 
52 3 
2 8 
13 11 
17 
2 
50 
150 
31 
M 
; 
Marryatta nigricans. 
30.062—30.023 
68—32 
E. 
” 
51 3 
3 8 
43 11 
18 
2 
42 
151 
Meteorology of the Week.— At Chiswick, from observations during the last thirty-one years, the average highest and lowest 
temperatures of these days are 67.1° and 46.3°. respectively. The greatest heat, 91°, occurred on the 28th, in 1847 ; and the lowest cold, 
29° on the 25th, in 1839. During the period 128 days were fine, and on 91 rain fell. 
GARDENING OPERATIONS FOR THE WEEK. 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
The stumps of Broccoli to be cleared away, and the. 
ground dug. 
Broad Beans. —Top them as soon as the pods begin 
to form at the lower part of the stem. After a shower 
of rain, earth-up the successional crops. 
Brussels Sprouts—P rick out the early sowing, to 
strengthen them before they are finally planted out. 
Carrots.— Sow the Early Horn, to draw young 
during the summer. 
Cauliflower. —If very large heads of the early 
crop are required, manure water to be given liberally; 
hut if only moderate size is preferred, the manure 
water may be dispensed with. Sow seed, to come into 
use in October and November. 
Cucumbers, under handglasses, to he pegged down, 
as they advance in growth. When they require it, to 
be watered in the morning of a fine day. Sow seed for 
succession, and for Gherkins. 
Onions. —Thin, leaving the strongest from four to 
five inches apart. Plant the thinnings, if wanted; they 
succeed well when transplanted in showery weather. 
Parsley. —Sow, and thin out the plants of the early 
sowing, six inches apart. 
Peas.—S ow. If dry weather, water the open drills 
when the seed is sown, to retain the moisture; and, as 
soon as the early crops begin to pod, a liberal supply 
of water will forward and increase the produce. 
Potatoes appearing above ground, to be earthed-up, 
to protect them from frost, if it should occur. 
Radishes. —Sow, and water freely in dry weather. 
Savoys and Scotch-kale— Prick out some of the 
earliest sowing, and shade for a few days, until the 
plants have taken fresh roothold. 
Scarlet Runners. —Sow the main crop. 
Sea-kale, —Remove the pots, or covering, as soon 
as done with, and dig between the rows. 
Spinach. —Thin the early crops. 
Tomatoes. —Plant out under a south wall, or fence. 
FRUIT GARDEN. 
Fruit Trees. —Divest them gradually of their su¬ 
perfluous shoots, and ply the engine, or syringe, to 
destroy insects, and to cleanse the fruit and trees of 
dead flowers, cobwebs, &c. 
Strawberries.— Water freely, if growing in a dry 
situation. 
FLOWER GARDEN. 
Annuals.— Thin out, leaving in each patch in the 
borders, from three to six plants, according to the 
natural habit of each plant. 
Bedding-out Plants. —Begin with Calceolarias , 
Verbenas, scarlet Geraniums , &c., leaving Heliotropes, 
Dahlias, AnagalUs, and such things as are very sus¬ 
ceptible of injury from frosts, until the latter part of the 
month. A few branches, stuck in the beds, will be of 
service in protecting them from the drying effects of 
bright sunshine, and will frequently ward off a degree 
of frost that, to unprotected plants, would be destruc¬ 
tive. For the mixed system, the Flower of the Day 
Geranium, with the old Verbena venosa, is recom¬ 
mended ; the variegated Mint, with Emma, or any 
other such blue Verbena ; the blue Lobelia resting 
on the foliage of the pink Ivy-leaved Geranium. The 
object is foliage, with strong, and, as far as possible, 
complimentary contrasts of colour. 
Carnations and Picotees to be staked, tying up 
the shoots regularly as they spindle. 
Chrysanthemums. —Put in cuttings, in light soil, 
under a handglass ; to be shaded. 
Cinerarias going out of bloom, to he placed in a 
cold frame for suckers. 
Herbaceous Plants, such as Phloxes, &c., thin the 
shoots; each shoot to be properly staked, instead of 
being bundled together, and tied to one stake. 
Pinks. —Continue to remove exuberant shoots, and 
thin the buds, removing any that are small, or mal¬ 
formed. If insects appear, brush them off, in pre¬ 
ference to bruising them on the buds, or stems. 
Trees and Shrubs, recently transplanted, to he 
watered occasionally at the roots, and over-head with 
the engine, or syringe, on the evenings of bright 
days. William Keane. 
THE ORIGIN OF GUANO. 
It has always been our opinion, from many con¬ 
siderations, that guano is not principally formed from 
the excrements of sea fowls ; and we have that suspicion 
strengthened by the communication with which we 
shall close these notes. 
We have never felt satisfied, that birds would con¬ 
gregate in such countless multitudes as to form these 
accumulations of guano ; and we always raised the in- | 
quiry—Why do the birds flock there ? Certainly, not 
merely for the purpose of depositing their excrements ! 
Then, we also observed, that the analyses of guano, 
and its very appearance, agree better with the sup¬ 
position that it is the remains of decayed fat and flesh, 
than of the same organic products after being digested. 
The following is the analysis of some guano from 
the Chincha Islands, presently to he mentioned :— 
Water.8*5 
Sulphate of potash.C'O 
Muriate of ammonia ..... 3’0 
Phosphate of ammonia . . ... 14 - 2 
Sesqui-carbonate of ammonia . . . l'O 
Sulphate of ammonia . . . . . 2’0 
Oxalate of ammonia ..... 3-3 
Organic matter . . • • • • 18*5 
Silica ....•••• 1*2 
Urate of ammonia . ..... 14 - 8 
Oxalate of lime . . • • . .1*0 
Subphosphate of lime . . . . . 22 0 
Phosphate of magnesia and ammonia . . 4-5 
1000 
No. 504. Voi. XX, 
