The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1850-08-20 00:00:00

OPERATION'S FOR THE WEEK

Plant- -1); iartment.—The plan adopted by many of
growing camellias in a warm house till the flower buds
are set, and then to turn them out of doors, has not our
approbation. Better, if room cannot be found in the
greenhouse when the buds are fully matured, to erect
something like a " makeshift," which at the least may
protect the plants from the drenching rains they must
have experienced lately. This we know to be the prac-
tice of many ; still there are those, who for want of a lit-
tle exertion or to save a trifling expense, allow the system
to continue. Whenever shifting is required let it be
done. Camellias, which require top-dressing only, should
also have it ; for this purpose we use decayed turf, with a
good portion of sand. Stir up the old surface and remove
it before adding the compost, and then (thanks to the
porosity of the material) try with a scrubbing brush to
improve the appearance of the pots. Remove to the
greenhouse, and use the syringe once or twice a week, as
judgment may direct. Lift, with care, a plant or two of
Weigela roses from the reserve ground, and get them
prepared for spring flowering. This is a most useful
plant for the amateur, if potted now and allowed a place
in the greenhouse through winter ; it will flower well,
early in the spring without further trouble. As it is easily
propagated from cuttings, we would expect plants of this
description to be both plentiful and cheap in the nurseries.
Azaleas, for forcing, ought to have their flower-buds full
and well set ; if so, a cold pit, or something approaching
to it, answer for them, t'll appearance of frosty
weather. The Persian lilac is still a favourite for early
work : this is as it should be, let us not discard an old
friend for the sake of a phantom, which may owe its
existence to the broad sheet of a newspaper ; its sweet-
nes, w 2:f cure it a place early i,l the season for some
time to come. Pay all attention to the young stock of
Cinerarias and Calceolarias ; one great means of encou-
ragement is to repot always in good time. Should the
ball of roots once get thoroughly matted, a long time
must elapse before a recov. ry from the stunted state takes
place. Primulas and double violets ought to be looked
to, made free in their pots, and their foliage kept clear
from insects. _ _ _

Kitchen Garden.--The principal crops of celery will
soon require blanching. To accomplish this, if tiles are
not to be had, proceed in the following manner :—Tie up
the leaves of the individual plants, and clean off any de-
cayed matter from the stem ; procure a couple of boards
about one foot in depth, and of a manageable length,
place them on each side of the row, leaving a space of
two or three inches between them and the plants ; fill in
this space with sand, which is the best material for the
purpose I know of. Back up the boards from the ridge
in the usual manner; when this is finished, remove the
boards to the space next to be operated upon. Early
potato seed will require getting up; they may be left in
an open shed for a week or two; when the superfluous
moisture is dryed out of them, and well picked over, place
them in their winter quarters, always bearing in mind,
that the thinner they lie the better chance they have of
keeping sound. In our various crops, up to this date, we
have not met with a diseased potato, which is more than
we have been able to say during the last six years. Not-
withstanding, the utmost vigilance ought to be exercised ;
and whenever disease appears first in the stalk, if the crop
is worth saving, let it pulled up and carried off. The top
of the drill made sharp with soil from the furrow, and
the crop left to mature itself as it best may.
Fruit Department.—The Muscat of Alexandria vine
requires more sunshine to bring its fruit to perfection
than any other grape I know of. Others will colour well,
and have a tolerable good flavour, although grown in the
shade, not so the muscat of Alexandria, except the rays
of the sun shine fully upon the bunch. The bright
amber colour is wanting; and we have a strange idea
that without its presence the superior flavour of the
muscat cannot be got. On this account we advise the
leaves to be gently put aside, without injuring them, and
if possible the individual berries fully exposed.

—rep—
BEBBINGTON HORTICULTURAL AND
FLORICULTURAL EXHIBITION SOCIETY.

The exhibition of this society took place in the beautiful
grounds of the Royal Oak Ferry Hotel, on Thursday last.
The weather was delightful, the gardens in excellent
order, and the company numerous and select. Amongst
the crowd of fashionables present, we noticed Mr. and
Mrs. Fielden, Mrs. Aspinall, Mrs. Clay, the Rev. Rector
Campbell, Rev. Chas. Barton, John Mathew, Esq., John
Finch. junior, Esq., Chas. Mac Iver, Esq., J. B. Mars-
den, Esq., and family, F. St. John. Esq., and lady, Mrs.
Bowring and family, H. Banning, Esq.,
Thomas Branch,
Esq., and family, Wm. Robinson, Esq., and party, Dr.
Scholfield, Rudd, Esq., lady, and party, Mrs. Swan