li : I'
’ ¡ r é l
"■'t i
Rouiine Culture. Collect earths, composts, and
m an u re s ; and] in general, finish digging among
herbaceous flowers by the middle of the month.
Asters and such like plants are often only checked
in their growth and flowering by the Irosts and
rains ; attend to them, as they are apt to be blown
about and be disfigured a t this season. In cuttmg
them over after the ground is dug, choosea dry day,
and obliterate the print.s of your feet with a fork.
Mow as occasion requires.
Store-room. (2194.') Look at such bulbsas youare
keeping for spring prir
planting.
Rees (ro 2221.).) Seetha S
t theseareproperlyprotected
7 S t r aw covers, or by being placed in the bee-
7. Flower-garden.— Hothouse department.
by straw pi
Glass case withmd artificial heat. (2628.) Take
care of alpines and the primula tribe. Also of the
annuals and perennials intended for forcing. Guard
against damps by admitting air ; and to do this
effectually, ahvays remove the sashes in the daytime
; or, if the frames, being in front of stoves, do
not admit of this, tilt or elevate them in front, as
high a t least as the plane of the sun’s rays a t noon.
Hotbeds and pits. (2630.) Go on forcing all mann
er of flowering shrubs, bulbs, and perennial plants,
and take in now and then a few pots of mignonette,
to keep up a constant supply in full flower for the
drawingroom. Blow Dutch roots in water-glasses
as before.
Greenhouse. (2641.) Medium temperature, with
fire-heat, 42°, maximum, 44°. Water sparingly ;
give air as the weather will permit; and see to
neatness. Take care to prevent mouldiness on the
surface of the pots, and to remove all weeds and
decayed leaves, these being highly injurious to the
plants.
Dry stove. (2642.) Minimum temperature, with
fire-hcat, 4-5°, maximum 50. Succulents require
very little water at any time, but especially at this
season.
Bark or moist stove. (2643.) Your medium temperature
may now be 65°, or less, b u t never exceeding
a minimum of 55°, and a maximum of 75°.
Lessen water and air, as light and heat are lessened.
See th at bulbs receive proper treatment, as these
will produce your finest spring flowers, especially
th e crinums aud amaryllidese.
8. Pleasure-ground and slimbbery.
Plant (5807.) deciduous trees, and shrubs of th e
hardier kind so long as the weather continues dry.
Prune and cul hedges. (5815.)
Protect delicate American trees, as magnolia, and
shrubs not yet fully acclimated, as the Chinese rose
Roll, mow, and sweep turf. Attend to fallen leaves.
(2534. and 2741.)
T u r f may still be laid, but it is now too late to
form or repair lawns bv sowing grass-seeds. (2534.)
Prepare for planting, by levelling, digging, trenching
&c. (2374. and 2513.)
9. Trees.—Nursery depaitment.
Fruit-trees. (2529.) Plant onlyin mild and rather
dry w e ather; mulch, water to settle the earth about
the roots, and stake as circumstances require, i o r- •
ward delayed work as to fruit trees, for after the
middle o fth e month it is better not to touch them
till l-'ebruary » u »
Ornamental trees and shrubs. Complete what
should have been done last month, as to planting,
laying, taking off layers, &c. (2435.) P ru n e the
more hardy sorts in th e lines, and protect such as
are tender, by the usual means.
Forest trees. Finish sowing th elarg er sorts before
severe w eather sets in. Complete all other nursery
operations for th e season, if possible. Pruning the
plants in lines may be the last operation. Gather
cones, acorns, masts, nuts, keys, and berries for immediate
sowings, or the loft or rot-heap, accordmg
to their natures, and your skill and circumstances.
(5959-, &c.)
10. Ti-ees. — Pennanent plantations and
park scenery.
Plant in all temperate weather, and moderately
dry situations. (5815.)
Thin, fell, and prune deciduous trees, as in last
month. Cut, plash, and repair hedges ; and more
especially the hawthorn kind. (5937.)
Dead fences of every description, except mortar
walls, may now be attended to ; but avoid
building, in December and January, even the simplest
wall. Frost is certain a t this season, and its
effects equally so. , , ,
Operate on ground, water, rocks, woods, and
timber erections; but by no means on buildings
, where mortar is used.
DECEMBER.
Weather
at
Average of
tbe 'lUier-
mometer.
Greatest
Variation
from tho
Average.
Avevago
of the
Barometer.
Quantity
of Bain.
REMAEKS.
Winter month. Sax. Cold, but dry. The gardener’s operations
are chiefly of tlie laborious k ind; but the days aro
short and tho nights long. In the last -week the young
gardener should examine himself as to his professional
and intellectual progress during the by-past year. If he
contents himself with merely being equal to his fellows,
he is lost; let him aspire at professional perfection, and
London
Edinburgh
Dublin
41 4
38 9
56 54
5 29 64
29 66
29 723
1-124 inch.
2-598
2-916
1. Kalendar of animated nature round
London.
The mole (Ta lpa europæ'a) throws up hillocks ;
th e December moth (Eriogastcr pôpuli Sam.) appears
about the beginning, and th e yellow-line
quaker (Nôctua flavilinea Sam.) about the end, of
the month.
2. Kalendar of vegetable nature round
London.
Some of the last month’s plants continue in flower,
according to th e weather.
3. Kitcben-garden. — Culinary vegetables.
Sow (2415.) peas and beans, and a few radishes
(3.553. and 3708.), as for last month. Choose the
mildest weather, and consider th e final re sult as
extremely uncertain.
Protect (2645. ) beans sown thick for transplanting,
and parsley intended for daily use, with fe rn; celery
with litte r; any plants with litte r which you
have not been able to laud up, as artichokes, asparagus.
To save seed. Transplant cabbages, if you have
neglected it until so unfit a season.
Routine culture. Attend to this only in the best
weather, and chiefly in th e middle of the day.
Earth up peas and beans, or cover their stems with
ashes, sawdust, or old tan. E arth up celery when
dry. Tie up any endive, cardoons, and white beet
which has been neglected. 'Weed, b u t do not depend
on the hoe, and only attempt to stir dry
g rounds; as stirring clayey lands a t this season will
do much more harm than good.
Take up edible roots and full-grown vegetables
with esculent leaves, as the borecoles, and plant
the latter in sand in an open shed for daily use.
Destroy (2660.) slugs,snails,mice, an d o th e rv e r-
m1n.
Root-cellar, seed, and store-room. (2193. to 2195.)
See that these, and what they contain, be kept m
perfect order.
Ice-house. (2218.) Fill this, ifn o td o n elast m onth.
4. Hardy fruit department.
Plant (2529.) the hardier trees, as the apple, pear,
gooseberry, currant, &c. in mild weather.
Prune as directed for last month ; but remit the
operation in severe weather. (2548.) Partially unnail
or untie trained trees, and wash their boughs
and shoots, as well as the walls and trellises, with
any glutinous bitter fluid.
Routine cuUure. Trench, dig, and ndge up the
soil, but only in dry weather. T u rn over composts,
dung, and earth heaps. Prepare borders and orchards,
&c., for planting in spring. Recruit exhausted
soils by theapplicationor partial substitution
of such as is fresh and rich.
Destroy the larvæ of moths and every description
of garden enemies by the usual means. It is a great
mistake to suppose th a t very cold winters destroy
e ither the eggs of insects, or the seeds of weeds.
Wheu these are destroyed by natural causes, it is
almost always by unseasonable weather ; by the
prolongation of the autumn into the winter, m
consequence of the mildness of which eggs are
hatched or seeds germinated, which, under seasonable
weather, would have remained dormant till
spring ; or, in consequence of w inter weather occurring
after spring has commenced, and effecting
th e same destruction among young insects, as it
does among young plants. If this effect tako place
with native plants, it is not to be wondered at that
it should take double effect with exotics ; and hence
th e great and incessant care required from the
gardener.
Fruit room. Look over the loose fruit every ten
or twelve days.
Fruit-cellar. Keep this close to retain an even
low temperature, never under 32° nor over 40 till
May, the earliest period when it should be opened.
(2194.) Many gardeners have no fruit-cellar, and
in th at case one of the best modes of keeping the
finer sorts of apples and pears, is to pack them in
fern, in jars, or even in common flower-pots ; and
to place them in a chest or box of hay, or otherwise
to envelope them either in that material, or in straw.
The advantage of packing them in pots or jars is,
that one ja r or pot'can be taken out a t a time as
wanted for use, without changing th e temperature
of those which remain. We have no doubt that ice
put into j ars might be preserved in a similar manner,
and one ja r a t a time taken out as wanted, with
much less loss than by the present mode of keepmg
it in ice-houses.
5. Culinary hothouse department.
Glass case without artificial heat. (1989.) Sow
small salads, radishes, and lettuce ; if the weather
proves mild they may do some good. Weed, take
off decayed leaves, and give abundance of air m dry
weather. Protect in severe frosts, by mats or Utter.
Hotbedsandpits. (1990.) Begin to force asparagus
sow small salads, and transplant lettuce to be forced
forward. Use the transplanter, in order that no
check may be given, or any occasion for watering
produced. Preparecucumber-beds; o r.ify o u h a v e
begun, see to them. Light is the grand thing to be
attended to ; for heat, air, water, and earth you can
command at pleasure. Force mint, attend to mushrooms
and compost-making, procuring earth, manures,
&c. Cover up a t nights with all ca re; but
to alpines, and florists’ flowers in frames ; also to
annuals, as directed for last month.
Hotbedsandpits. (5131.) Go on forcing shrubs and
flowers, and blowing bulbs in water; renovate by
linings, where necessary. If you have begun in
October to force roses, you will have them as well
as bulbs in blow by the middle of the month. See
to bulbs in water-glasses, and take care to keep up a
succession of roses, bulbs, and most popular forcing-
flowers and shrubs.
Greenhouse. (5119.) Minimum temperature 42°;
maximum 44°, with fire-heat. Water sparingly;
live air freely in good weather, and remove decayed
leaves as they appear.
D r y stove. (5125.) Minimum temperaturefor this
month 45°; maximum, with fire-heat, 50°. The
more severe the weather out of doors, give less water
ith in ; but give air freely in fine weather.
B a rko rm m st stove. (5126.) Keep a medium heat
of 6.5°, or 58°, and lessen water and air. Attend to
routine culture: but the grand thing at this season
is, to keep the fire-heat as regular as possible; for
the ratio of increase of heat from flues, after they
are heated to a certain extent, is such as often to
overheat the house, and scorch or desiccate the
p la n ts ; and hence, in our opinion, one of the many
■ • " ■ u-»advantages of adopting stearn.or hot water.,. .broj fo_ v,..^^.^Jich
the pipes can never be heated much above 200'-'.
8. Pleasure-ground and shrubbery.
avoid damps, by always giving a little air on fine
days, and all night, when there is danger of steam of
(3045.) Keep a steady heat ; but little air
or water will be wanting, except to the kidneybeans
and strawberries which you set in last month.
Forcing-houses. Go on with th e routine culture,
for houses which you have begun to force; and dig
and prepare the borders of the others, but it is too
late lor pruning or repairs.
6. Flower-garden. — Open-gromid department.
Protect as directed for last month, and be liberal
in the use of ashes, rotten tan, litter, &c., to the
roots of the more tender plants ; as to the beds of
florists’ bulbs, tender and half-hardy shrubs, as
China roses, hydrangeas, ¿fee., where such plants can
be ventured in the borders.
Routineculture. Preparecomposts, manures, and
simple soils, and tu rn them over frequently. Much
of the value of all composts and soils, at least for the
florist, depends on their being sweet and mellow ;
which is only to be attained by time and frequent
turnings. Attend to neatness m the application of
litte r, ashes, and other protecting materials.
Store-room. See th a t the frost is completely ex cluded.
(2195.)
7. Flower-garden. — Hothouse department.
Glass case without artificial heat. (5118-.) Attend
P/rtnr as in last month. (5807.)
Prune (2543.) in fine weather.
Praieci as before. (2645.)
Routine cuUure. Rake up leaves, and sweep them
from the lawns and gravel. Repair walks, and roll
th em ; see that water stand on no part of their sur-
L a y down turf, if you cannot help i t ; but this is
not a good season ; September and March are the
best.
Prepare for planting by trenching, digging, &c.
(2513.) Rods and poles for tying up plants and for
twiners, spray or sticks for sticking climbers, as the
sweet-pea, &c.
9. Trees.— Nursery department.
Fruit-trees. (2548.) Complete neglected work as
far as weather will permit; but if the season Is
severe, defer it till February. Prepare tallies, &c.
Ornamental trees and shrubs. (2546. and 2651.)
Finish delayed work and attend to protecting tender
sorts. .See to the seeds in store, and prune only in
very fine weather. Prepare tallies, labels, sticks,
stakes, poles, rods, spray, fronds, and other materials
of culture and management. Collect composts,
earths, and manures, and tu rn over those you have
got, so as the frost may thoroughly penetrate them.
Foresttrees. (5959.) Attend to tn ero t-h e ap , seed-
loft, and compost-ground; and plant, or take up, or
prune only in fine weather: much depends on the
season, and other circumstances.
10. Trees. — Pennanent plantations and
park scenciy.
Plant (5918.) only in fine weather, unless thorn-
hedges, or large trees of common sorts, with balls
of earth.
Fell and prune (5959. and 5921.) where the trees
are not for transplanting, nor of the barking sorts.
Thin out coppice-wood, for poles, stakes, &c.
(5920.)
Prepare for planting by the usual processes, and
by fencing and draining. (5955.)
Operate on ground and rocks, but not on buildings.
11. Hedges in gardens, park scenery, or
plantations.
AU deciduous hedges may be pruned and repaired
during this and the preceding and followmg
months. They ought ahvays to be moulded into
such a form th at the base should be several inches
wider than the to p ; otherwise they are certam te
become naked below. A hedge C ft. high may be
2 ft. wide at the base, and 1 ft. at the top. Hedges
should uever be clipped, but always cut with the
hedge b ill; unless we except hedges of privet,
furze, and th e like, but even in these cases the
cutting shears (y5g. 395. or 396.) should be used,
and not common shears, which bruise off the shoots,
instead of cutting them.