95 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, May 15, 1860. 
WEEKLY CALENDAR. 
Day Day 
of of 
M’nth Week. 
MAY 15—21, 18G0. 
Weather 
near London in 1859. 
Moon 
Sun Rises 
Sets, and Sets 
— 
— 
— 
Barometer. 
Therrfiom. 
Wind. 
Rain in 
Inches. 
Sun 
Rises. 
Moon’s 
Age. 
Clock 
afterSun 
Day of 
Year. 
15 Tu 
16 W 
17 Tu 
18 F 
19 S 
20 Sun ' 
21 M 
_:_ 
Tillaea muscosj. 
Polycarpon tetraphyllum. 
Ascension. Holy Thursday. 
Slierardia arvensis. 
Asperula odorata. 
Sunday after Ascension. 
Sun’s declin. 20° 18' n. 
29.955-29.861 
29.896—29.765 
29.701—29.718 
29.742-29.631 
29.692—29.G49 
29.709-29.G99 
29.938-29.843 
64-41 
64—46 
56—46 
60—47 
67-49 
60- 46 
61— 41 
N.E. 
N.E. 
N. 
N. 
S. 
N. 
N.E. * 
.04 
.10 
.00 
.30 
.19 
10 af 4 
8 4 
7 4 
5 4 
4 4 
3 4 
1 4 
43 af 7 50 1 
44 7 2 2 
46 7 10 2 
47 7 31 2 
48 7 50 2 
50 7 sets 
51 7 24 a 9 
24 
25 
26 
27 
2 S 
© 
1 
3 54 
3 53 
3 51 
3 49 
3 46 
3 43 
3 39 
136 
137 
138 
139 
110 
111 
142 
Meteorology op the Week. —At Chiswick, from observations during the 
temperatures of these days are G5.6 3 and 43.1° respectively. The greatest heat, 8G" 
on the 15th, in 1850. During the period 139 days were fine, and on 92 rain fell. 
last thirty-three years, the average highest and lowest 
, occurred on the 17th, in 1S33; and the lowest cold, 25 ’, 
WORK FOR THE WEEK. 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Protect tlie seeds from birds and slugs; old hurdles 
wattled with green Spruce branches, when placed upon 
fresh-sown seeds, will protect them from birds, and the 
fallen foliage of the Spruce is thorny, and unpleasant to 
the slugs. Throw on dustings of soot or lime in addi¬ 
tion. Asparagus: The practice of allowing the young 
shoots to grow to some inches in length out of the ground 
before cutting is becoming more generally adopted, and 
ought to he universal; an inch or an inch and a half 
below the surface is quite enough. Do not permit any 
to run up at present, not even weak ones; and give the 
beds occasionally a supply of manure water, with a little 
salt dissolved in it. Battatas edulis, plant on a warm 
border. Cucumbers, sow in a gentle heat for ridging out 
in due time. Dwarf Kidney Beans, plant out on a 
warm sheltered border any that have been forwarded 
in pots.. By potting a few in the manner usually adopted 
for forcing, and retaining them in heat for a time, and 
then standing the pots close under a south wall, they will 
come into bearing some time before those sown now, 
more especially if occasional applications of liquid manure 
are given to them. Sow the main crops, getting the 
ground previously in a well-pulverised state. Mustard 
and Cress, sow every four or five days. Melons, plant 
for a late supply. Permit only a proportionate quantity 
of leaves by stopping in good time and distributing the 
chief stems at equal distances. Peas, make full sowings 
of the most approved Marrows for successional supplies. 
Turnips, sow, and thin the early sowings. Vegetable 
Marroivs, sow in a gentle heat. 
FLOWER GARDEN. 
Auriculas, if seed is wanted, place a few of the best 
in a southern aspect under hand-glasses, and keep them 
at some distance from the other kinds. When selecting 
them choose young plants of good habit and circular 
properties, and remove every pip that is inclined to be 
in any respect faulty. Give them plenty of air, and the 
benefit of gentle showers. Carnations and Picotees, 
water in the morning during the continuance of dry 
weather. Stick the plants. Sow seed in shallow pans, 
placing clean green moss over the surface: this prevents 
the soil becoming hardened, and expedites the germina¬ 
tion of their seeds, to be removed when they begin to 
vegetate. See that the standard Poses are properly 
secured against high winds. Go over all that had been J 
budded last season, and remove all buds and suckers that 
proceed from the stock. The inserted buds that have 
made shoots to be stopped to three joints, which will 
cause them to take a firmer hold of the stock, and will 
greatly increase the size of the head. 
FRUIT GARDEN. 
Water all fruit trees that have been planted this season, 
and give them a good mulching of rotten dung. Moderate 
disbudding, or rather thinning, the shoots to be persevered 
in, to be now removed with a sharp knife, and not brokefl 
No. 607.— Yol. XXIY. No. 7. 
off, as the shoots are acquiring consistency. The fruit 
of Peaches to be thinned out where necessary, and the 
strongest shoots, intended to remain, to be tacked in. 
STOVE. 
Attend to shifting specimen plants of Clerodendrons 
and other such gay and popular stove plants. Encourage 
the growth of young plants for autumn display : the 
Begonias will be found valuable for the purpose. Venti¬ 
late freely both by night and day, and keep up a moist, 
free-growing atmosphere. 
GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. 
Syringe the young plants occasionally, and sprinkle 
the vacant parts, so as to keep up a moist atmosphere. 
Such plants as the Boronias, Eriostemons, Leselienaultias, 
&c., would now do better in a frame or pit where, while 
they have free ventilation, they could be protected from 
cold draughts. Cinerarias, sow seed for spring decora¬ 
tion. Chinese Primroses, sow seeds. 
PITS AND FRAMES. 
Lose no time in finishing propagating and finally hard¬ 
ening off the half-hardy plants intended for the decoration 
of the flower garden. We would advise to postpone 
transferring them to the open ground until next week, as 
it sometimes happens that a few fine days are so tempting 
for the operation that they are planted out, and a short 
but blighting change takes place, when regrets are un¬ 
availing. AY. Keane. 
ARRANGING COLOURS AND PLANTING 
GERANIUM-BEDS. 
Harness a farm horse half an hour before his usual 
time and he will eat double, or make double the use of 
his jawbones in that half hour; he knows it must be 
done then, or not till the day is over; so plain sailing, 
one would think, is the easiest thing in the world; but it 
is not half so easy as putting the cart before that horse. 
So it is in our line. More will be done from the middle to 
the end of May, when the harness is on, in the way of 
arranging flowers and colours, sizes and shades, heights 
and distances, contrasts and combinations, plain sailing, 
and putting the cart foremost, than has been done, or 
could be pushed on for the last six months at a guess. 
The question is now, Are there time and inclination to 
look over and digest the rules and laws which have been 
laid down, and explained, for the proper execution of the 
fashionable ways of exhibiting our skill in the arrange¬ 
ments of our flower gardens P The planting must be 
done, and that quickly, whether the arrangements have 
ever been considered or not. Just like going to a wed¬ 
ding, or for being presented at Court, and the effect is just 
the same. You may have that cart loaded with the best 
and finest fabrics of the four quarters of the globe, just 
as wfe possess the flowers of the same regions; but if 
they are not made to the cut and fit of the fashion of the 
day, for weddings, and for Court presentations, depend 
lipon it the more you have of them the better you will 
