November 2l, 1885. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
183 
very general, and where soil cannot be spared to form 
new sites for succeeding crops, the same land deeply 
trenched and liberally enriched, will answer well for the 
new plantations or sowings. A very mild heat, say75° for 
a bed of leaves, and 60° to 65 3 surface heat will produce 
crowns lor use freely. They have the crowns packed close 
and the roots laid out as flatly as possible, covered with 
2 ins. or less of fine soil, and gently watered are the 
chief wants of Asparagus when forced. 
A sowing of Broad Beans may be made during this 
month ; choose a dry and warm position, plant on the 
surface of the soil in rows 2 ft. or more apart, and cover 
the seed evenly, leaving the ground ridged over them. 
Peas are treated in the same manner, and may be sown 
(more thickly than in spring) wide enough apart to 
allow three rows of Beans to be sown between the rows. 
They both may have attention together, taking care 
that rats and mice do not take the seed ; a dusting of 
red lead, chopped'furze, or Barley chaff, are some of 
the preventives used against the depredators. Beet 
will be ill store-pits, or in a dry shed, cellar, or such 
position, and must not be forgotten ; but if still in the 
ground (ours is so) it had better be covered with soil, 
ashes, or some frost-proof material. — M. T. 
--- 
The Amateurs’ Garden. 
THE GREENHOUSE. 
Chrysanthemums. —The principal things now for 
the decoration of the greenhouse will be the Chrysan¬ 
themums, which must have abundant supplies of clear 
soft water, as dryness at the roots will cut short the 
beauty of the flowers, and so will a damp state of the 
atmosphere, to prevent which very slight fires should 
be kept when the weather is unfavourable ; but at the 
same time, it will be necessary to have the ventilators 
open to cause a circulation and keep the air cool. 
Camellias. —Amateurs and othersare often perplexed 
with Camellias shedding their buds, which the plants 
are very subject to, only under certain conditions, the 
one being an insufficiency of water, and the other too 
much artificial heat. Of the latter, Camellias 
are most impatient at this season, although they like 
it, and are greatly benefited by it when making their 
growth. This being so, the plants should be stood in 
the coolest part of the house, and kept there during the 
winter till they have done blooming, and if the soil is 
dry below, a good soaking should be given, and the same 
be repeated till the ball is moistened through. 
Sponging and Cleaning the Leaves. —Another 
thing that tells against the health and well-being of 
Camellias is allowing the leaves to become dusty or 
covered with dirt, which stops the breathing pores, and 
not only that, but disfigures and spoils their appear¬ 
ance, which a cleansing and sponging greatly improves. 
The way to carry this out easily and quickly is to 
syringe the plants overhead with clear soapy water, 
which will soften the dirty deposit and set it free, when 
a sponge may be passed over the foliage and the whole 
taken off, after which the leaves will be glossy and 
beautiful, and the flowers will be shown up by them to 
the greatest advantage. 
Carnations. —The perpetual varieties of these are 
indispensable for winter blooming, and should be largely 
grown, as they are very easy to manage, the only 
conditions necessary being a light position in the house, 
the most suitable situation being a shelf up near the 
glass, and a temperature of about 50°, and when so 
favoured they are sure to do well, if the plants are strong 
and have plenty of shoots. 
Schizostylis coccinea. —These, too, are valuable 
for this season of the year, as they flower freely and are 
very bright and showy, and being hardy only require 
the shelter of a pit or frame till the blooms are beginning 
to open. Anyone having plants of Christmas Boses 
outdoors may make them do good service by taking 
them up and potting them, as they are fine decorative 
subjects for the windows of rooms or to stand in the 
greenhouse, where the blossoms open large and of a pure 
white, and last long in perfection. 
Yiolets. —A few pots of Violets are charming, and 
if taken indoors now will keep in bloom the whole 
winter through, and be prized for their odour. The best 
kinds to grow are Marie Louise and Comte de Brazza, 
the first-named being a lovely blue and the latter 
white, and are both very sweet-scented. 
THE FLOWER GARDEN. 
Protecting Plants. —There are many plants that 
are generally regarded as hardy, and which are suf¬ 
ficiently so to stand in ordinary mild winters, but 
suffer severely, and often get killed during sharp frosts; 
and as it takes many years to replace some of the best 
of them, those of most value should be protected, and 
so made safe from the weather. It is surprising what 
a little covering will do this if the right material is 
chosen, and properly applied, the most suitable being 
that of a nonconducting nature, such as fresh fallen 
leaves, dry sawdust, or cocoa nut fibre; the first named 
being of value for packing round the crowns or collars 
of Shrubs, Pampas Grass, and Tritomas, or any large 
plants of that class that require bulk to afford them 
much shelter. As, however, dry, light leaves get blown 
about and displaced by the wind, it is necessary to 
secure and fix them where wanted, which may easily 
be done by placing a few branches of laurel or other 
evergreen closely around them, which not only keeps 
them in position but hides them from view. Where 
sawdust and cocoa nut fibre come in so handy and use¬ 
ful is for bulbous subjects or other things of lowly 
growth in beds or borders, where a few handfuls may 
be thrown over or laid round the plants to be protected 
in very quick time. 
Roses. —Among the first to feel the effect of a low 
temperature are the Tea Boses, which have been grow¬ 
ing very late this year, and, as a consequence, are 
more tender than usual, and unless well cared for, the 
losses in them are sure to be great. To prevent the 
destructive action of frost on these plants, thebest way is 
to mulch, which keeps the soil from becoming ice-bound, 
and preserves the collars of the plants and their roots 
from the grip of the enemy. For mulching the beds, 
or putting round the bushes, nothing answers better 
than short stable manure, which lies light, and, there¬ 
fore, does not unduly obstruct the air ; and as it contains 
much vegetable matter it wards off cold by preventing 
rapid evaporation, and so keeps the earth warm. 
Lawns. —To have a garden, however small, in any¬ 
thing like good keeping and pleasing to the eye, the 
lawn or grass plot must be in trim, and if not in this 
desirable condition, the present is the right time to take 
out the hills and holes and make it so ; but to do this 
properly, if the inequalities of surface are great, the 
turf must be taken up, and the general surface levelled, 
and the flag relaid again. The way to get a good firm 
bottom, without any further settling, is just to break 
down the high parts and rake and ram the soil so 
moved into the low, which is far better than digging 
the ground over, and takes up much less time in per¬ 
forming. 
Cutting the Grass. —In cases where the grass has 
been allowed to get long, the machine should be run 
over it once more ; as to leave it in that state not only 
makes the herbage come coarse, but the Lawn will look 
bad all winter. To get a fine close herbage the roller is 
a great help, and it is necessary to ply this implement 
often to keep down wormcasts, which are a great eye¬ 
sore at this season ; but they may, in a great measure, 
be prevented by watering with lime water, soon after 
rain, which will cause the worms to turn out from the 
soil, when they may be collected and carried away. 
THE FRUIT GARDEN. 
Planting Fruit Trees.— The weather being still 
mild and open, planting operations should be pushed 
on with all speed, as every week’s delay now is so much 
loss, and tells seriously against the success and well¬ 
being of the trees, which if not got in soon are sure to 
break weak, and be slow in becoming established. 
Sorts to Plant: Amateurs in taking up a catalogue 
must be sorely puzzled as to what kind to select, and 
it would be a good work if the members of the Fruit 
Committee, or some other body, could sit in judgment 
and strike out of the lists all worthless and inferior 
sorts, as there are so many in cultivation that cannot 
be otherwise than disappointing, even in the most 
favoured soils and districts, and which are utterly bad 
in most places. 
These remarks apply more particularly to Pears and 
Apples, short select lists of which have been already 
given, and now one of Plums, Peaches, Nectarines, 
Apricots, and Cherries shall be added, that those 
wanting any of either may know what to plant. 
Plums, Dessert varieties : Greengage, Kirk’s, Jefferson, 
Coe’s Golden Drop, Reine Claude Violette, Reine 
Claude de Bavay. Plums, Culinary : Prince of Wales, 
Prince Englebert, Queen Victoria, Pond’s Seedling. 
Peaches: Alexander, Royal George, Alexandre Noblesse, 
Bellegarde, Barrington, Sea Eagle, Walburton’s Ad¬ 
mirable. Nectarines: Lord Napier, Elruge, Pine 
Apple, Pitmaston Orange, Humboldt. Apricots: 
Moorpark, Peach, Hemskirke. Cherries: Governor 
Wood, Black Eagle, Frogmore Bigarreau, Elton. 
Cherries for Cooking : May Duke and Morello. 
Positions to Plant In.— The dessert kinds of 
Plums do best if they can be planted against, and 
trained on an east or west wall or fence, but the 
cooking sorts will succeed well grown as bushes, pyra¬ 
mids, or standards in any sheltered part of the garden. 
Peaches and Nectarines must have a very warm 
sunny aspect, such as south, south-east, or south-west 
walls, if grown outdoors, otherwise the fruit will not set 
and ripen properly, and the same with Apricots, which 
come very early in bloom. Cherries require a similar 
position to Plums, and the culinary kinds may be 
planted either as bushes or standards. 
Soil and Preparing. —The kind of soil most suit¬ 
able for all stone fruits is a deep sandy loam, and the 
only preparation this requires is trenching, as manure 
of any kind only does harm by inducing the trees to 
make gross wood, which stops fertility, as when in that 
unruly condition of health and strength flower buds are 
not formed, and it is only by transplanting or root- 
pruning that they can be brought round to bear. 
THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. 
Trenching. —-The beneficial effects of trenching 
ground that is used for vegetable crops can scarcely be 
overrated, as the deep stirring allows the roots of the 
crops to get down, and the plants under such favourable 
circumstanees are then able to find the food they 
require, and withstand the effects of dry weather. 
This being so, any land that is now vacant should be 
at once broken up, but in doing this it is important 
that the sub-soil be not brought to the top, especially 
if at all poor, stiff, or bad, as it takes a long time before 
it is fit to seed in, a condition that can only be brought 
about by exposure to the frost and air, which sweeten 
and disintegrate the parts, and after a season or two 
with the help of manure, render the whole agreeable to 
the roots of young plants. 
The way to set about the work is to take out a wide 
opening to the depth of 1 ft. or more, according to the 
nature of the ground, and wheel it to the part where 
the operation will finish, ready for filling in, when the 
bottom of the trench so made should be dug up, and if 
any rubbish-heap stuff can be worked in at the same 
time, all the better; after which the top of the next 
opening can be thrown on, and the work so continued 
till the whole is complete, leaving the surface rough for 
the weather to act on. 
Potatos.— The very worst thing that can be done 
with Potatos whether for seed or cooking, is to pit them, 
for if wanted for the first named purpose, the warmth 
they naturally generate when laid together in a mass 
and covered, causes them to sprout, which seriously 
weakens and exhausts them, and if required for eating 
the flavour is spoiled. The most suitable place for 
those intended for planting, is on broad shelves in some 
light airy shed, where they should be spread out in 
single layers and not covered with anything, except 
temporarily, when there is danger from frost ; while 
those for cooking keep best in a cool dark cellar laid on 
the floor, and there it is necessary to turn or move them 
occasionally to prevent them from sprouting, and thus 
losing much of their starch. 
Chicory and Endive. —Those who happen to have 
a stock of these useful saladings, will find it a good 
plan now to put a few roots or plants from time to 
time in some warm place in the dark, where the 
Chicory will soon grow, and the Endive will become 
beautifully blanched and ready for use. 
Lettuces. —These also do well treated in the same 
way, but both Lettuce and Endive if getting at all large, 
should be in cold frames, or so protected that they can 
be sheltered from frost. 
Celery.— As hard weather may now set in at any 
time, Celery should be earthed up as high as the heads 
will bear, only leaving just the tops out, and if severe, 
by and bye it will be necessary to further protect, by 
throwing a little loose litter along the crown of the 
ridge. 
