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CALENDAR FOR FEBRUARY.

GREENHOUSE.

AIR, admit freely among hard-wooded plants, such as Erica, Epacris, Diosma, &c., when the atmosphere is clear, and the outside temperature from 35° to 40°. In damp, foggy, or frosty weather, it is better to use little firing, and keep the house more close, unless you have the means of heating, and so far drying, the air before it is admitted--the drying, of course, to take place only when the air is loaded with moisture. All these plants will now want more water, but do not give it in driblets; after doing it thoroughly, wait patiently until the soil is getting dry. AZALEAS and CAMELLIAS: place those swelling and bursting their buds in the warmest end of the house, and you may remove them to the coldest end when in bloom, Supply such rather liberally with water. Those to be retarded, keep as cool as possible. BULBS, CINERARIAS, and PRIMULAS, in flower, assist with manure-water; the double Chinese primula give a warm corner, as it is (especially the white) a splendid object when well grown, CALCEOLARIAS and GERANIUMS, keep at the best place for light and heat. All these soft-wooded plants require more heat than the hardwooded ones: the former shift as necessary. The forwardest of the latter, stopped and shifted before Christmas, tie out, and train. Place in flowering-pots those stopped some time ago, and now breaking; and stop more young plants for succession, to be shifted when the buds have broken again. FUCHSIAS, start some favourite kinds, if you can, in a nice, sweet hotbed, as at this season they stand heat well. Cut them well down, and thin the shoots afterwards to as many stems as you may require. Repot those for the greenhouse, by the end of the month, and prune unsparingly those intended for cottage windows had better remain in their winter quarters for another month. The same HOTBED would do for seeds, cuttings, &c; and also for starting some Achmines, Gesneras, and Gloxinias-the two former either in the pots in which they grew, or by removing the tubers, and placing them in pans with light earth, until they grow a little; thể latter either in their late pots before they spring, or, what will do as well, in fresh pots and soil; so that, whenever they start, they take hold of the fresh material. For FIRES, PROTECTION, DRESSING, and CLEANING, see last month. R. FISH.

FLOWER GARDEN.

ANEMONES, Sow; finish planting, b. and e. ANNUALS (Tender), sow in hotbed; admit air to daily; water slightly; cover with mats the glasses at night; (Hardy), sow in borders, e; for early blowing, sow in pots in a hothouse. AURICULAS, dress, and attend carefully those under glass, as the buds appear. BIENNIALS (Hardy), sow, e. BULBS, finish planting. CARNATIONS, plant, and shelter from cold winds. DAHLIAS, sow, and place tubers in hotbed, to break buds for slipping. DRESS borders generally. EDGINGS of Box, &c., may be planted and repaired. (See Jan.) EVERGREENS, plant in mild weather, e. GRASS, roll and sweep weekly. GRAVEL, roll, and weed in dry weather, weekly. HEDGES (Deciduous), plant, b.; (Evergreen), plant, e. HYACINTHS, shelter, for they begin to appear. MIGNONETTE, SOW in pots, and place in hotbed, or hothouse, and greenhouse, for succession. NEATNESS, attend to every where. PERENNIALS (Hardy), sow, e.; plant suckers, slips, and partings of roots; (Halfhardy) uncover, if frosts gone. PLANTING of flowering shrubs, complete. POLYANTHUSES, SOW; earth up with rich compost. POTTED SHRUBS, prune, shift, and dress the soil. PRUNE, the later it is done the more it checks the blooming. RANUNCULUSES, finish planting, b. and e. ROSES, manure with cow-dung. SOWING of tree and shrub seeds, complete generally. SUPPORT, with stakes, &c., newly-planted shrubs. TULIPS, shelter as they are now appearing. TURF may be laid.

Climbers, such as honeysuckles and jasmines, should be pruned and trained in the early days of the month. Reduce to moderate-sized patches such plants as phloxes, asters, veronicas, &c., otherwise they will occupy too much space, injure their neighbours, and harbour vermin. Herbaceous plants should be planted out from nursery beds into the borders without delay. Half-hardy shrubs, &c., may have their shelters partially removed, closing them up again at night, according to the mildness or inclemency of the season. D. BEATON.

ORCHARD.

APPLES (wall and espalier), finish pruning, b.; plant; sow for stocks. APRICOTS, finish pruning and protect carefully, b.; plani. BERBERRIES, plant. BLOSSOMS of early wali fruit, shelter in frosty and windy weather. CHERRIES, finish pruning and training; plant; graft, e. CHESNUTS, plant and sow. CURRANTS, finish pruning, b.; plant. CUTTINGS, plant, of gooseberries, currants, figs, filberts, mulberries, vines, &c. DRESS and fork over the earth of the borders, &c. FILBERTS, plant, hang male catkins, &c. GooSEBERRIES, finish pruning, b.; plant. GRAFTING, commence, if mild, e. SCIONS, collect ready for use. LAYERS, make of figs, vines, filberts, mulberries, and muscle plums, the last for stocks. MANURES, apply where required. MEDLARS, plant. Moss, on trees, destroy with brine, or urine. (See Jan.) MULBERRIES, plant. NECTARINES, finish pruning, b. ORCHARD TREES, finish dressing. PEACHES, finish pruning, b. PEARS, Sow for stocks, &e. (wall and cspalier); finish pruning; graft, e. PLANTING, generally complete, e, (wall and espalier), finish pruning; plant; graft, e. PRUNING, finish generally. QUINCES, plant. RASPBERRIES, finish pruning, b.; plant; dig between and reinove suckers. SERVICES, plant. STAND ARDS, finish pruning. STRAWBERRIES, clear and spring dress, and plant in moist weather, e. SUCKERS, for stocks, plant. TRENCH ground for planting. VINES may still be pruned, b.; cuttings plant. WALNUTS, plant and sow.

PLUMS

In collecting scions for grafting, remember that the principle is to cut them before the sap begins to circulate. They should be kept in a cellar, or other cool damp place out of doors, until the sap in the stocks for which they are destined is in motion. R. ERRINGTON.

FORCING AND PLANT STOVE.

AIR, admit freely when weather permits. BULBS, and other dry roots for succession, plant, b. BOTTOM-HEAT, attend to (See Jan.). CHERRIES, in blossomn, shade when sun is bright, a thick net answers well; disbud as required; day temp. keep about 60° maximum; night 45°. EARTH of borders, &c., stir occasionally. FIGs, when in leaf, require a day temp. about 60°. FLOWERING shrubs in pots, introduce for succession. HEAT must advance with light. KIDNEY BEANS, provide successions; use richer soil as the day lengthens (See Jan.). LABELS, renew, where required. LEAVES, keep cleaned; decayed and weeds clear away constantly. LIQUID-MANURE, apply to the roots of fruit-trees in forcing, if dry. PEACHES, and other fruits in blossom, should not be syringed; disbud; thin when too thick, and as large as peas; day temp. 60°; night 55°. move from bark-bed to pots; and generally regulate. SECURE ATMOSPHERIC MOISTURE. STRAWBERRIES, in pots, introduce for succession; bottom heat is useful; see that those in reserve are not injured by frost. THERMOMETER, for most stove-plants, may be at 70°, during mid-day, if bright. TOBACCO, give fumigations weekly, or oftener, if insects appear. VINES, treat as in Jan.; do not syringe whilst in blossom; thin berries; day temp. 70°; night 60°. WATER, give more freely than last month; keep in open pans, over pipes or flues, constantly. WATCH sedulously for the green fly and red spider; against the latier, sulphur and moisture are the best preventives, as well as cure.

PINES, re

GLOXINIAS, GESNERAS, and ACHIMENES, love atmospheric moisture, but the leaves will become spotted, if the sun shines brightly upon them while moist. It is now a busy time: shifting, top-dressing, pruning, and training, must be practised generally throughout the stove plants, wherever necessary. The air must be kept moister as heat and light increases, not only after shifting, but to answer the demands of the plants. Sowing exotic seeds, as the month closes; R. ERRINGTON. and propagation of cuttings attended to.

&c.

KITCHEN GARDEN,

ARTICHOKES, defend from frost. ASPARAGUS, plant in hotbed, and attend to that forcing. BALM, plant. BEANS, plant; earth up, and transplant from frames, e. BEETS, SOW a little for early use: plant for seed and dig up for storing any left in the bed. BORECOLE, sow, e. BROCOLI, sow, e. BURNET, SOW, e. CABBAGES, plant; sow; and plant for seed. CARROTS, SON in a hotbed, b., to draw young; plant for seed, e. CAULIFLOWERS, in frames, stir earth about; look for slugs, &c.; plant in borders, if mild, e,: sow, m.; prick out. CELERY, dress and earth up; sow in a hotbed or warm border, e. CHERVIL, SOW. CLARY, SOW, e. COMPOSTS, prepare and turn over. CORIANDER, SOW. CORN SALAD, SOW. CUCUMBERS, attend to those forcing; prick and plant out; and sow in hotEARTHING-UP, beds. DILL, sow, m. DUNG, prepare for hotbeds. perform when necessary. ENDIVE, transplant in frames; lanch. FENNEL, SOW or plant. GARLICK, plant. HORSE-RADISH, plant. JERUSALEM ARTICHOKES, plant. KIDNEY BEANS, SOW in hotbed, LEERS, plant for seed; sow, e. LETTUCES, transplant from frames, e.; sow in hotbed, b.; in border, e.; prick out in hotbed. LIQUORICE, plant and dig up. MELONS, attend to in hotbeds; sow; and prick out. MINT, force in hotbed; plant. MUSHROOM BEDS, attend to; make day temp. 60° to 65°. MUSTARD and CRESS, SOW, e. ONIONS, Sow main crop, m., if soil light and situation warm, otherwise defer this till next month; clean winter erop; (potato), plant. PARSNIPS, store winter sanding; plant for seed. sow; earth up; stick; plant in hotbeds, b. PENNYROYAL, plant, e. POTATOES (ashleaved), plant in hotbeds and borders; start others in any warm place for future planting. RADISHES, SOW in hotbeds, b., and in open ground, e. RAPE (for salading), sow; (Edible-rooted), sow. RHUBARB, Sow in peat, for future transplanting. SAGE and SAVORY, plant, e. SALSAFY, SOw, e., in small quantity, for early use. SAVOYS, sow, in. and e. SCORZONERA, Sow, e., in small quantity, for early use. SHALOTS, plant. SKIRRETS, SOW, e. SPINACH, weed; sow, m. SORRELS, sow and plant, e. TANSY, THYME, and TARRAGON, plant, e. VACANT TURNIPS, plant for seed; sow, e. GROUND, dig; weed, &c.

PEAS,

In sowing Radishes this month, if a sheltered south border is selected, and the surface is covered with ferns, reeds, or straw, the crop will be almost as early as that from seed sown in frames. Garlic and Shalots, being very liable to decay if excessive wet weather occurs, should be fixed on well-drained ground, on the top of ridges, and be manured with charred vegetable refuse. Smooth the surface of the ridge, scatter over it some charred refuse and a little lime, and then merely stick in the end of the bulb. In light soils, plant in November or October. Spinach in drills may be advantageously sown now, and at all times between every two rows of Peas. The ground is thus economized, and the shade from the peas continues the spinach longer in a state fit for table use.

LONDON: Printed by HARRY WOOLDRIDGE, Winchester High Street, in the Parish of St. Mary Kalendar; and Published by WILLIAM SOMERVILLE ORR, at the Office, No. 2, Amen Corner, in the Parish of Christ Church, City of London.-January 31, 1850.

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10 SUN SHROVE SUN. Q. VIC. M., 1840. Grey Lagg Primrose flowers.

12T 13 W

Weather near London
in 1849.

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Fine.

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S.W. Fine.
W. Fine.

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T. 48°-38°. S.W. Fine. T. 51°-32°. S.W. Rain. T. 49°-33°. S.W. Fine. T. 520-25°. S.W. T. 51°-22°. N. Fine. SHROVE TUESDAY. Blackbird's song begins. T. 44°-21°. LENT BEGINS. ASH WED. Partridge pairs. T. 42°-24°. QUINQUAGESIMA, or SHROVE SUNDAY.-The first Sunday in Lent (which this year occurs on the 17th instant) having been distinguished as Quadragesima, or fortieth-for reasons to be explained next week-the Church appropriated the three weeks preceding to the gradual introduction of the Lent Fast. Having so appropriated them, the three Sundays in them received names significant of their situation. Thus, reckoning by decades, or tens, the Sunday preceding Quadragesima was called Quinquagesima, or about the fiftieth day before Easter; the second Sexagesima, or sixtieth; and the third, Septuagesima, or seventieth.

SHROVE, or COLLOP MONDAY, is so called because eggs and collops, or slices of bacon, were the usual flesh-meat partaken of upon this anniversary, to avoid the necessity of cooking à joint just at the commencement of the Forty-days' Fast. It is synonymous with the Carnival, and all its follies, still celebrated in Roman Catholic countries, and which name is a corruption of the Latin words Carni vale, and literally means Good-bye to flesh!

referring to our Saxon ancestors' word for confession (shrive or shrift); to its being the evening before the commencement of the Lent fast; and to the prevalent dish of the day. Why the day should have been made the slaughter-time of poultry-why cocks should have been thrown at, and hens thrashed to death with a flail if they had not commenced laying eggs by this day-seems unexplainable; and we can readily understand, therefore, why the French traveller concluded that "the English eat a certain fried cake on Shrove Tuesday, upon which they immediately run mad, and kill their fowls."

ASH WEDNESDAY still retains the name given to it by our Roman Catholic ancestors, who had dust sprinkled on their heads by the priest, whilst he repeated the words, "Remember thou art ashes, and to ashes thou shalt r turn."

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METEOROLOGY OF THE WEBK.-The average highest and lowest temperatures of the-e seven days, during the last twenty-three years, are respectively 44.8° and 32.°. During the same years there have been, during the same days, 74 on which rain fell, and 87 were fine. The highest natural temperature was 65° on the 10th, in 1841; and the lowest 8° below Zero, or 35° below the freezing point of water! on the 11th, in 1345.

FEB.

1841.

1842.

1843.

1844.

1845.

1846.

1847.

1848.

1849.

29.500

29.395

29.786 29.993
29.697 29.890
0.11
0.26
29.816 30.038
29.786

29.272
29.177

29.959

29.932

29.574

29.997

29.950

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30.396
30.308

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30.024

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0.06 30.463

29.512

29.892

R.

0.11

29.164
0.06

29.934

30.113

29.358

29.027

30.380

0.40

0.01

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NATURAL PHENOMENA INDICATIVE OF WEATHER.-Those best &Cquainted with horses have observed that they foretell the approach of rain by starting, and being more than usually restless, on the road. Jackdaws are also said to be more than ordinarily clamorous before rain. These birds, says Dr. Forster, frequent the society of rooks, going out with them to feed, as if being conscious of their greater sagacity in finding out, and their greater power in turning up their food, they wished to benefit by those advantages.

INSECTS-The Saw fly family (Tenthredo) is very apt to be mistaken for one very closely allied, also furnished with saws, with which to open places for the reception of their eggs, but called by entomologists Hylotoma. The species in this genus are larger than those of the Tenthredo, and are markedly distinguishable by having their antenne three-jointed, those of the Tenthredo genus having nine at the least. The Hylotoma rosa, or Rose-fly, is injurious to the rose in two several modes; it makes a long incision with its saw in the young shoots, during June and July, filling the wound with eggs, placed end to end, yet with sufficient space between each two to allow for their increase of size, as the caterpillars within them grow. These come forth in July and August, feeding upon the parenchyma of the young shoots, as well as upon that of the leaves This caterpillar is one of the very few in which pulsation has been observed. Having but a scanty stock of silk, this caterpillar weaves a very fine outer cocoon, in the form of an oval net, to exclude the ants, which would otherwise destroy it in the chrysalis state; and, with this net, spins one still finer, in which its body is wrapped whilst passing through that state. It emerges as the perfect fly in the following June; and appears as represented in our drawing, but of the size shown by the cross lines. The head and thorax are black; the abdomen, yellow; and a broad black margin is on the front edge of each fore wing.

WITHOUT Waiting for further information, as the
time for purchasing PARSNIP and CARROT seed is at
hand, we think it right to give the warning con-
tained in the following letter. It is dated Jersey,
January 19, 1850, from a writer of high scientific
attainments, and is worthy of consideration :-
:-

"My attention has been called to a parasite on

No. LXXI., VOL. III.

the root of the Parsnip and Carrot, by a gentlemanfarmer of this island, remarkable for his spirit of research, and anxiety for the improvement of this his native land. On his showing me the parasite attached, I recognised the scaly, tuberous extremity of an Orobanche, which had inserted itself into the side of the fleshy tap-root, and had, apparently, much reduced its size-giving a lanky appearance. The information he received from the farmer, on whose

ground it grew, was, that "the bulk of the roots of parsnips and carrots attacked by this parasite was reduced in plumpness by one-half;" and, from the one I saw, I believe such to have been the case; and, in what remained, there was more woody-fibre, and less saccharine, and other nutritious matter, than in ordinary roots. I should have wished to reserve this communication until I had opportunity to make more minute inquiries, both as to the state of the affected roots and of the identity of the parasite, but as the season for issuing parsnip seed is approaching, time is precious; and I would request you to use your influence in persuading farmerswhose crops have suffered by this new pest-from sending seed of diseased fields into the market. The sufferer-a Jersey farmer-declared that the portions of his crops which were affected sprang from seed obtained in England; but Islanders do not easily overcome their prejudices.

"This Orobanche-which according to Vaucher's nomenclature, would be O. Pastinace, or in English might be named Nicolle's Broom Rape, in compliment to the gentleman who called my attention to it is new to me, although I had found an Orobanche growing on an Eryngium maritimum in this island, which I pointed out to the late zealous botanist Dr. Graham, of Edinburgh, when on a visit to Jersey. And I deplore the appearance of it the more, as parsnips and carrots are the only moist winter vegetables which do not communicate a disagreeable flavour to the milk of cows fed upon them. And I hope, that in extracting the pith of these remarks in an editorial notice, you will be able to check the progress of this new tax on the farmers' industry."

Many of our readers will not understand what is the Orobanche, or Broom Rape, and, consequently, will be unable to determine whether their parsnips and carrots suffered from its attack. It is a parasitical family of plants, which has not hitherto been thoroughly examined by botanists, and the only works upon the subject are Michelis' Treatise, published at Florence, in 1723, and Vaucher's Monographie des Orobanches, published at Geneva. in 1827. The very name is a mistake, meaning literally "The Vetch Strangler," as if these parasites confined their attacks to the vetch or tare tribe. This is so far from being the case, that we see our Jersey correspondent found one on the sea holly (Eryngium maritimum); Dr. Rosburgh describes another as infesting the roots of the China sugar cane; and others have been found on those of the common bramble, wood chervil, ivy, and other widely differing plants. In England, the most common species is the larger broom rape (O. major), whose pale purplish spike of flowers-not unlike that of some of the wild orchises-is very frequently seen in June growing close to the stem of the furze and broom, upon the roots of which it usually fixes, and preys upon their sap. The stem of this Orobanche is of

a rusty colour, tinged with purple, about the thickness of a small finger, varies from six to eighteen inches in height, and is without leaves; the root is fleshy, sometimes bulbous, and when adhering to the

roots of the furze and broom, "it claspeth aboute them with certaine lyttel roots on everye side, lyke a dogge holding a bone in his mouth ”—(Linn. Trans., 174). It belongs to the Didynamia Angiospermia class and order of the Linnean system.

It has been doubted, whether the Orobanches are really parasites, and it is quite certain that some of them are not, for they are found growing in soil away from other plants. But, on the other hand, it is equally certain that some are parasitical, and nourish themselves upon the sap of other plants. Thus, Dr. Turner, already quoted, says he has seen "all the natural juice clean drawn out" of clover by an Orobanche, probably O. minor; we have seen O. major without any fibres, but those imbedded in the roots of furze; and if this species on the parsnip and carrot, in Jersey, be established, another will be added to what Dr. Turner emphatically calls these "choke weeds."*

We doubt the fact of the seed of the Orobanche being introduced with that of the parsnip or carrot; but, as prevention and every caution is desirable, we recommend those who grow them extensively to wash the seeds in two or three waters before sowing. The seeds of the Orobanche are probably in the soil, and if so, fallowing, and paring, and burning, seem the only remedies. We shall wait for fuller information before we notice the subject again; and we shall be obliged by any person communicating to us any relative facts.

WITH very great pleasure we give prominent insertion to the following excellent communication, and hope that our readers may be benefited by further instructions from the same intelligent writer:

"In treating of the cultivation of plants not indigenous to this country, Mr. Beaton has judiciously referred to their original habitations, and to the peculiarities of their several climates. From personal experience I can attest, that his treatise on the Oleander is perfect, as I have seen it growing in its wild state in the south of Spain, under the precise circumstances described by him. Indeed I do not remember ever to have passed a bridge in Andalusia where the Oleander was not to be seen.

"From a little incident which happened to me in this country, I can also well understand the difficulty of obtaining bulbous roots at the Cape, at the proper time when their removal from the ground ought to be effected. Having seen in the south of Spain some very beautiful flowers of the Orchis, and having ascertained the locality in which they grew, I set out accordingly in search of them; but I was soon brought to a stand still from my horse sticking fast in stiff clay. I was, therefore, constrained to postpone my attempt until the ground became harder, which an Andalusian sun soon effected. Taking a second departure, I

Dr. Carpenter says that, "in many parts of Flanders, the farmers are altogether deterred from the cultivation of clover by one species of Orobanche, of which the seeds lie dormant in the soil, until it is made to support plants upon which the parasite can grow, and which it then attacks vigorously" (Vegetable Phys. and Bot., 215). If this be the case with all the parasitic species, then either paring and burning, or sowing a crop on which the seeds will vegetate, and then sacrificing this, are the only apparent remedies.

found the treasures I was in search of, and very beautiful things they were. I then marked the ground-intending to return later in the season, when the tubers might be safely removed. Towards the decline of the summer, I accordingly renewed my task; taking with me a bag to contain the tubers, and a garden-trowel to extract them from the earth-for I intended to bring away a mighty spoil. No difficulty was encountered in finding the land-marks I had previously placed; for I should explain, that the plants grew in vast uncultivated plains, which, probably, had remained untilled since the expulsion of the Moors. Having, then, found the plants, I proceeded to exhume them; but my first effort to force the trowel into the ground revealed the difficulty of the work I had undertaken. My strength of arm having proved insufficient to force the trowel into the earth, I therefore endeavoured, with the assistance of a large stone, to accomplish my purpose; and in this way I succeeded in obtaining a tuber or two. But my poor tool could not long sustain the heavy concussion of the stone, and was soon broken; I therefore returned re infectâ. It may be noted, that botanising in Andalusia is somewhat of a perilous undertaking, as the lonely traveller may expect to be suddenly surrounded by banditti, who, if they spare your life, will assuredly strip you of your property. The merchants at Gibraltar, when they ride into Spain, invariably carry a doubloon, as a douceur to these gentlemen.

"I wished to say a few words on the subject of grape-growing in Andalusia, but I dare not encroach farther on your indulgence: I will merely mention the remarkable fact, that the grapes which produce the magnificent raisins we receive from Malaga never receive a drop of rain from the time that the berries are formed, in May, until the period of their being gathered, in September. Except the dew, the only moisture they receive during the subsequent period of their growth is derived from the dank vapour of the sirocco wind."

Our worthy correspondent should be informed, that ground orchids, if possible, should be removed during the time they are in flower, and not like the irids, and other bulbs, when they are at rest. No one knew this better than our lamented friend, the late Mr. Cameron, of the Birmingham Botanical Garden, when he lived at Bury Hill, in Surrey; in which neighbourhood some rare British orchids have their only habitation. He was in the habit of gathering them for distant friends; and he always made choice of their flowering time for removing them.

We may further corroborate this testimony by the following quotation from the Gardeners' Magazine (vol. iii. 377), being the experience of Mr. W. Swainson, who said, "So far back as the year 1816, I brought with me on my return from Sicily, between 200 and 300 roots of species (of orchids) indigenous to that island; nearly the whole of which flowered the succeeding year, in the greenhouse of the Liverpool Botanic Garden, and in those of several of my friends. The method I adopted was as follows:The plants were taken up in full flower, at which period the tuber or bulb for the following year had not begun to throw out its roots; the earth was carefully removed from the tubers, and the plant laid

in a shady, cool, dry room, for about three weeks, when they were lightly packed with hay in a perforated deal box." In this assortment of Sicilian orchids were seven species of described orchis, five species of ophrys, and two species of serapias," with three or four other species apparently new." In No. 150 of the Botanical Register (1827) it is said of these ground, or terrestrial, orchids, that Signor Mauri sent a collection of them from Rome to the Horticultural Society, in 1826; the roots dried, and packed in a paper like seeds; and that" they all succeeded perfectly, although when the roots arrived in England they were so shrivelled in appearance, that it was not expected that they would have survived." We hope this experience will not be lost on botanical collectors, like our correspondent T. O. And we wish it had been stated at what stage of their growth those roots sent from Rome were taken up to be dried. At any rate, it must be of considerable importance to the collectors of this singular class of plants to know that they can be removed while they are yet in flower.

THE FRUIT-GARDEN.

MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS.-So many are the applications to THE COTTAGE GARDENER for advice of an off-hand character, that our weekly remarks will occasionally, of necessity, assume in this department a calendarial character; and it is very probable that this may be quite as acceptable to the generality of our readers, whom we are in duty bound to endeavour to please. We, therefore, this week handle a variety of matters-whether in doors or out of doors, matters peculiarly applicable to the season, for we must no longer think of winter; spring-cheerful spring is at hand, giving activity to our hands, and elasticity to our spirits. Away, then, we say, with all lethargic feelings! and, once more, let us buckle on our armour and prepare in earnest for the coming campaign.

PROTECTING APRICOTS.-This valuable fruit is noted for early excitement; the first beams of a returning spring have a powerful effect on their blossom-buds. They are, moreover, very tender, as is well known; and our purpose in adverting to them is to show, that with all our caution we are not sufficiently careful in attending to the needs of this most valuable adjunct of the confectionary and the dessert. There can be no doubt, that were apricots throughout the kingdom protected as they ought to be, and as soon as they ought to be, the produce would be doubled; taking the average of seasons. Of course, we shall hear of expense. There is, however, such a thing as a niggardly economy-" spoil a ship for a ha'poth of tar," is an adage of as much weight now as it was a couple of centuries ago. Let any one consider the cost of building walls, of making borders, of procuring and carefully trimming the young trees, and then say if such expensive processes ought to be nullified by a trifling fit of economy, at the eleventh hour. Besides, canvas, bunting, or other ordinary covering, is not so expensive when its durability under careful management is taken into consideration. Canvas, for instance, will last for at least six years. It costs about sixpence per square yard; and an apricot tree occupying, we will say, twelve square yards, will, of

course, require an outlay of six shillings; or, in other words, it will cost one shilling per annum to ensure a crop on the pet apricot, nursed, it may be, by the fire of the parlour, or other room behind the wall on which it was trained. Why, twelve good moorparks at one penny each will pay the cost; and surely a good covering will, if of any use, secure this amount.

We are perfectly aware, that many persons think that covering does no good; we confess to a very different opinion. We have covered the trees of all kinds for the last twenty years, and we have left every year a portion uncovered, but the balance is much—very much—in favour of covering. Anomalous results sometimes occur; after all our pains we may still miss a crop of fruit; and this, we fear, leads persons of impatient feelings, and under the sting of disappointment, to forswear all coverings. We, therefore, advise our apricot growers to be on the alert in the first week of February—to prune their trees and to apply some protection instantly.

NARROW-WINGED RED-BAR MOTH.-Before covering up, let us advise a strict search for the eggs of those caterpillars which so much infest the leaves of the apricot, and which are familiar to everybody who has cultivated this fruit.* This is an insidious enemy indeed, for the first leaves of the apricots are half devoured, in general, before the damage is attended to. And, again, all the worse, because hundreds-who do not, and indeed cannot thread that nicely graduated course, which in horticultural pursuits leads from causes, (apparently trifling in their commencement) to most serious effects-suffer this insect rogue to esta blish himself before they adopt precautionary measures. To return then to the eggs: they may be found at this period in little circular patches, of more than a score together, attached to the bark of the principal shoots. They require a good eye to hunt them out; and their appearance is that of an oval spot of paste, indented all over by the protuberant swelling of the advancing eggs; in fact, if a letter was sealed with a patch of paste instead of wax, and a very diminutive ladies' thimble used to impress it, instead of armorial bearings, such would convey an idea of this little dotted Pandora's box. Such we have been taught to consider the source of the apricot caterpilliar; and such, under that impression, we make a point of hunting for, as before remarked.

These things done, the covereng had best be applied every evening, unless very inild; but by all means, let it be drawn up in the day, if only for a couple of hours, unless the weather is very severe. We must now turn to matters connected with in-door affairs, or, in other words, forcing.

FERMENTING MATERIALS.-It is of the very first importance to all those who use fermenting materials in pits, frames, or houses, to have a mixture always ready, at this period above all others. Materials for the linings for hot-beds of cucumbers, melons, earlypotatoes, &c., always retain a more durable heat by being mixed previously to use; and consequently, in an equal state of fermentation. We are now supposing the case of those who have it in their power to use a considerable amount of tree-leaves with their manure. A mixture of two-parts leaves to one-part stable manure, makes a valuable material. Our practice is, to suffer the manure in the stable-yard to accumulate about Christmas. When drawn into the garden-yard, it is all shaken over, and the shortest of

A figure and description of the moth, with its eggs, will be found at page 81. It will be seen that it is the Pædisca angustiorana— or, Narrow-winged Red-Bar;"- and we refer our readers to the account of its habits in that page.

the droppings taken out; these we, in general, employ as top-dressing on any of the vine borders immediately; and ultimately they get mixed up with the fermenting material, which warms and protects the roots of the vines. The remainder is thrown into a huge heap, near the leaves, and suffered to reach what is termed a fiery pitch of fermentation; when it is immediately broken up, and mixed with those leaves in the manner before described. Such a heap, in a sheltered nook, will retain its heat for a great length of time, and will answer almost any purpose-building either the body of the hot-bed or furnishing linings to it afterwards. When used as lining, a little long litter should be shaken over it when the linings have been disturbed, to prevent the leaves blowing about the garden.

CUCUMBERS.-We may as well offer a little advice to the amateur on this head. In our last notice of them (at page 163), we adverted to the building the bed; we now pass on to the ridging-out, confining ourselves at present to the dung-bed. As before observed, the chief danger to be apprehended is from burning-that is, from a greater heat occurring at their roots than they are able to bear. We cannot ⚫ say precisely to a degree how much they will bear, but we can affirm that ninety degrees, in the soil where these roots are situate, is the greatest amount that should be allowed at any time-indeed, eighty degrees will be found amply sufficient at an early period, provided all other points are right.

Now, how to obviate this burning is the great point for consideration to the early forcer. We before said, that the dung must be well worked, and that it is good practice to introduce a column of unfermentable material beneath the centre of each hillock of plants. We may now suppose the bed ready for introducing the soil-and this is done piecemeal by most good cultivators, forming, at first, merely hills, as they are termed, in the centre of the bed; this enables the cultivator to apply water with facility, during the time the greatest violence may be expected in the fermenting naterials, which generally extends over the first fortnight or three weeks. In forming the hills, our practice is to excavate a considerable hollow immediately beneath each hill, half the depth of the bed; and this we fill up to the level with new turf, cut into squares of nearly six inches. These do good service in a variety of ways; they prevent fermentation of the bed from gathering too much power (which it is apt to do) in the centre of the bed, at the very point susceptible of most injury. They also form a secure drainage all through the summer, ensuring a draught of moisture through the centre of the bed in case of need. Added to this, they form an excellent pasture-ground for the cucumber roots, which readily penetrate them. These things done, we pile our composts in a compact hillock-the surface about ten inches from the glass. This is better than nearer, for when put too close, the frame soon wants raising; and this is an operation to be avoided in the earlier stages of forcing, as there is danger of rank steam getting in.

CUCUMBER SOIL.-As to the best kind of compost, opinions vary. Many of our best cucumber growers, in late years, have used a compost for very early work composed, in the main, of a moory earth, of dark character. And no doubt the plan is good; for it would he folly to use the strong loamy composts, which are required to withstand the heat of a long summer. The moory soil being dark, readily absorbs heat; and it also readily parts with moisture; it is, moreover, a fine medium for the roots to penetrate. We

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