The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1855-11-27 00:00:00

HORTICULTURE.

FLOWER GARDEN.---Choice plants in the borders
intended to be protected for the winter by slightly
covering the roots, &c., should be seen to at once.
Moss, when it can be obtained in good thick flakey
pieces is, perhaps, the best article that can be used for
this purpose ; but unless it can be procured in pieces
of some thickness, it is not so good as spent tan, coal
ashes, or half decayed leaves. Also see to getting
fuschias, and such things as are usually protected for
the winter by covering, secured against frost before it
is too late. Dry fern is an excellent material for
coveting the stems, &c. of plants that require a slight
protection in winter, and is, doubtless, the least ob-
jectionable as regards colour of anything at command;
but this is not easily procurable in many neighbour-
hoods, and probable the best substitute is straw that
has been exposed to the weather sufficiently long to
darken its colour. Choice sorts of hollyhocks, of
which there is not a sufficient stock of well established
young plants in pots, should be taken up, potted, and
placed under a glass for the winter ; for these cannot,
with safety, be trusted to the mercies of a severe
winter, and plants taken up and potted now, and win-
tered in a cool house, will be exceedingly useful for
furnishing cuttings; and these, if got in early in spring,
will make splendid plants for next season. Where
alterations are in hand, push these forward with all
possible despatch while the weather continues favour-
able for out-door operations. Be very careful to
secure transplanted things against the wind, especially
plants of any size, which should never be lett until
they are properly staked or otherwise made fast, for
when this is put off it frequently happens that the
roots get injured through the plants being rocked
about by the wind. Get any projected alterations
among the shrubbery or herbaceous borders done in
readiness for cleaning up as soon as the leaves are
down ; also get ground intended to be planted with
dahlias and hollyhocks next season deeply trenched
and ridged up so as to expose the soil as much as pos-
sible to the weather, putting in plenty of good rotten
manure, especially where the hollyhocks are to stands
for these require a deep rich soil.
KITCHEN GARDEN.—A sowing of peas and beans
to afford the chance of a very early crop should be
made at once, choosing the most sheltered bit of
ground at command, which should also be of a light
dry nature. In favoured localities it is usual to sow
somewhat earlier in the month, but we have seldom
seen any advantage result from sowing before the 20th,
and have frequently had those put in early in the
month cut up, while those planted later survived the
winter uninjured. In the event of such a winter oc-
curring as the last two, these will be destroyed as a
matter of course, but neither the labour nor the ex-
pense of the seed, which will be the only loss, is of
much account, and we have frequently had first-rate
crops from November sowings, and they are certainly
much less trouble than raising the plants under glass
in spring. Use an early hardy sort, such as the
Daniel O'Rourke. The foreino•° of seakale and
rhubarb must now be attended to ; and, provided
there is a good stock of strong roots, a supply of these
will be easily kept up. Where there is room to spare
in the mushroom-house, this forms a very suitable and
convenient place for forcing these. The roots should
be placed on a slight bed of warm dung, filling up the
spaces between them with old tan, or the soil and
manure mixed from an old mushroom bed, giving a
good waterinc, to wash it in amongst the roots. The
bottom-heat should not be allowed to exceed 70°, as
too much heat is not favourable to securing strong
growth, and, except for the first crop, it may be dis-
pensed with altogether. Take advantage of wet days to
make fresh mushroom beds, and clearing out those that
are spent ; also collect and prepare droppings for form-
ing fresh beds, by spreading them in any shed, and
turning them every day until they are sufficiently dried
to prevent excessive fermentation after putting up.