January  7,  1904. 
JOURXAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
19 
trodden  firmly  as  each  layer  is  placed  on  it.  It  is  very 
important  that  the  beds  are  made  in  an  uniform  manner  ;  in 
order  that  the  heat  he  also  uniform  throughout,  give  the  bed 
a  sharp  angle  to  south. 
FORCING  ASPARAGUS. — Asparagus  may  he  successfully 
forced  on  tliese  beds.  It  will  be  advisable  to  ascertain  the 
condition  of  the  bed  before  the  roots  are  placed  in.  Four 
inches  of  soil  .should  be  placed  in  the  frame,  and  on  this  the 
roots  should  be  regularly  and  evenly  laid  out,  covering  them 
with  another  4in  of  light  soil.  It  will  be  wi.so  to  watch  the 
frame  carefully  for  some  days,  to  correct  any  sudden  fluctua¬ 
tion  in  the  temperature  vdiich  may  arise.  Three  and  four- 
year-old  roots  are  the  best  for  this  purpo.se. 
EARLY  LETTUCES.— A  .small  quantity  of  Cabbage 
Lettuce  should  now  be  sown.  It  should  be  treated  similar  to 
Cauliflower.  It  should  not  be  allowed  to  become  drawn.  Keep 
it  as  sturdy  as  possible  by  staging  near  the  glass  in  a  cool 
house  or  frame  where  the  fro.st  can  be  excluded.  Watering 
.should  be  carefully  done,  as  these  plants  are  liable  to  damp 
off.  The  old  Tom  Thumb  is  .still  one  of  the  best  for  this 
purpose. 
RHURARB  AND  SEAKAIjE. — More  roots  of  these  should 
be  covered  to  keep  a  supply  going.  The  material  should  he 
prepared  as  for  hotbeds,  and  .should  be  placed  carefully  round 
the  pots  and  gently  trodden  down.  See  that  light  is  excluded 
from  the  Seakale,  or  the  blanching  will  be  imperfect,  which 
will  spoil  its  appearance  and  cause  complaint  from  the  kitchen. 
IMore  may  also  be  taken  to  the  forcing  house,  keejiing  the 
Seakale  quite  in  the  dark. — A.  T.,  Cirence.ster. 
FJower  Garden. 
HERBACEOUS  BORDERS. — Many  clumps  of  perennial 
plants  of  a  strong  growing  character  may  be  lifted,  divided, 
and  replanted  now.  Take  the  opportunity  to  dig  the  ground 
well  over,  mixing  in  some  well  decomposed  manure  or  leaf 
.soil.  Other  plants  not  requiring  to  be  reduced  in  size  may  be 
tikmmed,  cleaned,  and  forked  between,  making  the  whole 
border  fresh  and  neat.  The  only  drawback  to  digging  now  is 
the  presence  of  bulhs  among  the  plants  in  a  perennial  border, 
.so  care  must  be  u.sed  if  the  position  of  the  bulbs  cannot  bo 
located.  If  more  desirable,  leave  the  forking  or  digging  until 
later,  when  Snowdrops,  Crocu.ses,  Hyacinths  and  Daffodils, 
Scillas,  Ac.,  are  appearing  above  the  ground. 
ROSES. — Dwarf  Roses  for  beds  and  borders  may  .still  be 
planted,  choosing  a  favourable  time  when  the  soil  works  well. 
NLilch  the  ground  afterwards  with  a  layer  of  littery  manure. 
Should  the  ground  have  to  be  prepared  before  ijlanting,  let 
it  be  done  thoroughly,  working  it  to  a  liberal  depth,  incorporat¬ 
ing  some  decomposed  manure  freely  with  it,  also  fresh  soil  if 
this  is  obtainable.  In  planting,  the  roots  should  be  spread  out, 
and  parts  that  are  injured  cut  cleanly  back.  Long  .shoots  may 
be  partially  .shortened,  but  close  pruning  must  not  be  done  at 
present.  Wall  Roses  should  have  old  wood  cut  out.  Long 
shoots  should  be  nailed  in  to  take  their  place,  shortening  them 
to  ripe  parts. 
SHRUBS  AND  TREES. — The  pruning  of  all  the  ordinary 
deciduous  and  evergreen  shrubs  may  be  effected  now,  also  the 
branches  of  deciduous  trees  shortened  or  thinned  out  where 
necessary.  The  leaves  beneath  may  be  raked  off  or  dug  in 
where  this  can  be  done  without  disturbing  the  roots  of  the 
permanent  occupants.  In  pruning  .shrubs  it  is  be.st  not  to 
cut  them  in  too  formally,  especially  evergreens.  Some  will 
require  little  or  no  pruning.  Transplanting  where  required 
may  be  done  if  the  specimens  can  be  lifted  with  balls  of  soil 
and  roots.  Deciduous  trees  and  shrubs  may,  as  a  rule,  be  suc- 
ce.ssfully  planted  now.  Prune  damaged  roots,  and  spread  the 
fibres  they  have  well  out  in  the  soil. 
GARDEN  PATHS. — This  is  a  suitable  season  to  repair 
garden  paths  which  have  become  worn  or  washed  into  an  un¬ 
even  condition  by  rain.  Should  there  be  plenty  of  surface 
gravel  this  may  be  turned  over,  the  roughest  stones  I’akod  off, 
then  level  and  roll.  Catch  pits  ought  to  be  emptied  of  the 
material  which  has  washed  into  them,  and  the  drains  made 
clear.  Paths  which  require  fresh  gravel  must  have  the  old 
surface  broken  up  and  re-formed,  then  spread  on  a  libeval  thick¬ 
ness  of  gravel,  2in  or  3in  sufficing  in  most  cases  where  there  is 
already  a  suitable  foundation.  Remove  when  raking  level  any 
large,  rough  pebbles,  and  roll  with  a  heavy  roller. — E.  1).  S., 
Gravesend. 
• - <•••> - 
Dyeing  Lycopodium. 
For  dyeing  dry  or  faded  Lycopodium  a  mineral  green  is  used, 
costing  about  12s.  6d.  per  pound.  One-half  teaspoonful  of  the 
dye  to  a  wash  boiler  about  three-fourths  full  of  hot  water, 
thoroughly  dissolved,  makes  the  solution  in  which  the  green 
should  be  dipped.  After  dipping  fifteen  or  twenty  bunches  of 
the  green  add  more  water  and  the  same  proportfb^  bf  the;  dye. 
Spread  the  bunches  in  a  warm  place  to  dry.'  '  -  • 
The  Weather. 
Rainfall  for  1903  at  Alton. 
The  rainfall  as  registered  here  for  the  past  record  wet  year 
has  been  exceptionally  heavy.  Taken  every  morning  at  nine 
a.m.,  the  record  is: — Jan.,  2.94in;  Feb.,  2.08in  ;  Alarch,  4..5.5in  ; 
April,  2.99in ;  May,  3.39in ;  June,  2.96in;  July,  4.35in ;  Aug., 
4.49in  ;  Sept.,  3.14in;  Oct.,  ii.37in ;  Nov.,2.33in;  Deo.,4.70in; 
total  for  year,  49.29in. — Wilmot  H.  Yates,  Rotherfield  Park 
Gardens,  Alton,  Hants. 
Rainfall  for  Year  1903  in  Glasgow  District. 
The  reports  of  the  rainfall  for  last  year  in  this  neighbourhood 
are  very  interesting,  and  will  give  an  idea  to  those  living  in  more 
favoured  districts  what  we  p^qi’  mortals  have  to  suffer.  When 
it  will  be  seen  that  out  of  36o  flays  185  were  wet,  during  which 
time  55.52in  of  rain  fell,  I  think,  piost. people  will  at  lea.st  extend 
to  us  their  sympathy.  This  is  equal  to  half  of  the  year  being 
more  or  less  wet.  The  average'  rainfall  since  1868  has  been 
something  like  36in,  except  1872,  which  is  the  wettest  on  record, 
with  a  fall  of  .56.18in.  There  were  only  two  whole  weeks  of  sun¬ 
shine  during  the  year,  a  state  of  matters  which  goes  to  show 
how  persistently  Nature  gave  vent  to  her  tears.  Of  all  the 
months  of  the  year,  October  gives  the  highest  rainfall,  being 
8.29in,  and  had  only  two  diy  days.  Out  of  August,  September, 
October,  and  November,  there  were  only  33  dry  days — a  state 
of  matters,  perhaps,  unprecedented  in  the  memory  of  the  oldest 
living  man  or  woman. --D.  C.,  Hamilton. 
Sussex  'Weather. 
The  total  rainfall  for  the  past  month  at  Abbots  Leigh,  Hay- 
ward’.s  Heath,  was  2.43in,  being  0.35in  below  the  average.  The 
heaviest  fall  was  0.52in,  on  the  7th  ;  rain  fell  on*  twelve  days. 
The  maximum  temperature  was  Sldeg,  on  the  9th  ;  the  minimum, 
20deg,  on  the  3rd.  Mean  maximum,  41.28deg;  mean  minimum, 
33.22deg;  mean  temperature,  37.25deg,  which  is  2.42  below  the 
average.  The  total  rainfall  for  the  past  year  has  exceeded  all 
others  since  the  beginning  of  the  record  in  1880.  That  year 
gave  us  the  next  heaviest  amount,  viz.,  36.15in.  The  average  for 
the  twenty  years,  1880-1900,  was  29.75in  ;  thus  we  have  an  excess 
over  the  average  of  10.17in  for  the  year.  In  an  account  of  the 
rainfall  of  1877,  by  the  late  G.  J.  Symons,  of  Camden  Square, 
and  published  in  the  Journal  of  Horticulture  in  January,  1878, 
I  find  that  in  that  year  Mr.  Wm.  Comber,  of  Bulcombe  Place — 
three  miles  north  of  Hayward’s  Heath — registered  40.90in  of 
rain.  I  have  no  record  of  the  year  1879,  which  was  a  very  wet 
summer,  and  has  often  been  referred  to  by  farmers  and  gardeners 
in  this  district  as  the  “worst  year”  they  can  remember.  Can 
anyone  say  if  it  was  wor.se  than  187 /  ? — R.  I. 
Temple  House  Gardens,  Great  Marlow,  Bucks. 
The  register  of  rainfall  here  for  December,  1903,  was  2-57in.,  and 
for  December,  1902,  l'40in.  The  max.  temperature  for  December, 
1903,  was  50deg  on  the  9th  and  22nd.  and  the  min.  23deg  on  the  31st. 
The  max.  for  December,  1902,  was  57dcg  on  the  17th  of  the  month, 
and  the  min.  21deg  on  the  6th.  1  herewith  enclose  register  of  rainfall 
for  the  year  1903 ;  our  yearly  average  is  27-50in. 
Rainfall  in  1903  at  Temple  House  Gardens.  Bucks. 
Rain  gauge:  Diameter  of  funnel,  5in. ;  height  of  top,  above  ground 
1ft.,  above  sea  level  105'9ft. 
Month. 
Total  Depth. 
Greatest  Fall  in  24  Hours. 
Number  of  Day.s 
on  V  hich  u  01  or 
moi  e  fell. 
.Tanu.ary  .. 
Inches. 
....  2-97  .... 
Depth. 
..  C-74  .. 
'  Date. 
_ 4th _ 
.  23 
February . . 
....  1-00  .... 
..  0T7  .. 
23rd  &  27lh 
.  14 
March  .... 
....  3'57  .... 
..  O-.'it  .. 
Mil  ife  23rd 
.  21 
April . 
....  2-06  .... 
. .  O'tiO  . . 
..  28th  .. 
.  10 
May  . 
....  3-91  .... 
..  0-84  .. 
. .  snth  . . 
.  18 
June . 
.  ..  6-59  .... 
..  1'73  .. 
..  inth  .. 
.  10 
July . 
. 4-91 _ 
..  104  .. 
..  17th  .. 
.  18 
August. . . . 
....  4-00  .... 
..  1'17  .. 
..  24th  .. 
.  21 
September. 
....  2-49  .... 
..  0-54  .. 
..  10th  .. 
.  16 
.  21) 
October  .. 
....  8-83  .... 
..  1-26  .. 
..  27th  .. 
November . 
.  ..  1-43  .... 
..  ITl  .. 
..  27th  .. 
.  lU 
December.. 
_  2-o7  ..•• 
..  0-75  .. 
..  lO'.h  .. 
.  15 
Total . 
....  44'S6  .  .. 
21/ 
—  George  Groves. 
“My  Garden  Diary.” 
Messrs.  Sutton  and  Sons  have  once  again  issued  their  little 
booklet,  which  indeed  gardeners  have  come  to  expect  at  the 
beginning  of  each  year.  It  is  not  a  book  for  the  pocket,  but  for 
the  desk  or  for  reference  in  the  potting  shed,  where  it  is  generally 
hung.  Each  month  has  its  cultural  reminders  and  a  blank  space 
for  memoranda.  The  remedies  for  insect  pests,  given  at  the 
back,  will  be  generally  appreciated,  as  will  be  the  lists  of  annuals. 
