thick. When the plants appear, the covering is raked off into the alleys every mild sun-shiny day, but always laid on again before dark. While uncovered, they must be guarded from the finches, which are fond of the seeds. The covering must be employed till all risk of hard frost is over, even up to the time the roots are fit for the table.

Spinach.-A bed or two of spinach should now be sown, to succeed the winter crop, which latter, if the spring be fine, soon runs to seed.

Carrot.-A small piece of Early Horn may be sown, to come in between those raised on a hot-bed, and the principal crop to be sown in March. Some gardeners sow their radish and this sowing of carrots on the same ground, as both are the better for covering, and the carrots will come on after the radishes are drawn.

The cauliflower, lettuce, and all other plants in frames, will require attention, at this time, to be kept healthy and safe from frost; and hotbeds in work require constant care to maintain the necessary heat, and give the necessary protection.

Regarding hot-bed forcing, it is quite superfluous to give anything like directions for their management at this season. To those who know nothing of the business, our calendarial advice would be of little service, because we are necessarily ignorant both of the state of the beds, and of the plants upon them, and without a knowledge of both, no sound advice can be given. On the other hand, those who are actually employed in such business need no advice from a distant quarter. The whole use of this portion of the Register is only a general remembrancer of the seasonal duties of a gardener, and which mementos, by-the-by, are very often useful even to the oldest and most practised hands.

Forcing cucumbers, melons, asparagus, carrot, potatoes, sea-kale, rhubarb, and all sorts of salad and seasoning herbs, are probably simultaneously going on in dung hot-beds, all requiring a world of care, skill, and vigilance, which must be redoubled if frost be intense, or snow-storms prevail. In such seasons, all the out-door work which we have alluded to above, must be deferred until the return of open weather, in which the first favourable opportunities must be seized to accomplish the several operations.

FRUIT GARden.

In this department there is nothing but executing what was advised to be done last month, in the open air. If vineries and peacheries are

begun, or about to be begun, these "bring their work along with them," which is unnecessary to point out. The pinery, too, is a constant object of attention, and especially if the successions are raised on dung-heat-a custom which is now very prevalent.

FLOWER GARDEN.

The business of the flower garden is very light at this time. The directions given last month are equally applicable now. Chrysanthemums, in the open ground, have bloomed beautifully this season; and the great number of new varieties now in cultivation ranks them as one of the most estimable of autumn flowers. The Green-house only requires to be kept free from damp and frosty air. Bulbs, tubers, roses, rhododendrons, &c., and all other plants in pots, wished to bloom early, may be now put into heat.

DESCRIPTION OF PLATE.

RODGERS' UNIQUE GOLDEN CRIMSON BIZARRE CARNATION.

THE first notice we had of this very beautiful flower was received from our valued correspondent, Mr. Dale, of Wirksworth. On receiving the drawing, we were forcibly struck with an idea that we had seen something of the kind before. This impression did not arise from any doubt we had of either Mr. Dale's judgment or veracity, nor from any overweening idea of our own opinion in these matters, for on showing the drawing to a very intelligent florist, he had a similar idea with ourselves. After many inquiries, however, and an examination of the late Mr. Sweet's "Florist's Directory," (the work in which we expected to find the figure above alluded to,) we found ourselves mistaken, there being no such figure, which was sufficient proof that Rodgers's plant is indeed a unique variety of carnation. It is certainly a stranger about London; the nearest approach to it is one of the lately introduced yellow picotees.

We shall be glad to have a further history of this interesting plant from Mr. Dale, who will be kind enough to say with whom it originated, whether it can be purchased, and at what price.

REMARKS ON THE WEATHER

FOR DECEMBER.

FROM the first to the tenth the weather was beautifully mild; and while the now numerous varieties of Chinese Chrysanthemums were ornamenting every garden and court-yard about London, and marketgardeners sowing their first crops of radish, reports were received that sudden frost had not only arrested some of our whalers in the North Sea, and frozen the upper part of the Baltic and the Russian rivers, but was also ravaging the vegetation of Germany, France, and even that of Spain ! On the latter-mentioned day, however, winter set in with a vengeance: the thermometer fell above fourteen degrees below the freezing point, which laid all tender vegetation prostrate. The frost was equally severe on the eleventh, but soon after began to relent, and passed away without snow or any rain to speak of.

This sudden visitation has given opportunity to fill the ice-houses, and has put gardeners on the alert to protect vulnerable crops, and also put them on their guard against future attacks, which every day may be expected; for though we have had frequent changes from sharp to mild air since the frost-and changeable weather is always expected in the last quarter, or about the change of the moon-yet the present direction of the wind, blowing keenly from the north, the threatening aspect of the sky, and the cheerless face of the earth, at this moment partly covered with snow, are all indications that winter is confirmed, and therefore frigifuges and the festive comforts of the season must enable us to wait with patience the return of spring.

December 20th, 1835.

PAXTON'S

HORTICULTURAL REGISTER,

FEBRUARY, 1836.

HORTICULTURE.

ON THE SHRIVELLING OF GRAPES.

January 5th, 1836.

SIR,-IN reference to the "shrivelling of grapes," I beg leave to add a few remarks to those of Mr. Denyer, not only with the view of supporting his statements, but also to mention the result of my experience, for the benefit of my "younger brethren."

A range of houses was placed under my care some years ago, where the grapes produced had been bad coloured and shrivelled. I forced them two seasons, and, although those berries which did swell were well coloured, yet the extremities of the bunches shrivelled. Mr. Judd had stated in the "Transactions," that inattention to airing the houses was the cause. Several gardeners of high repute, to whom I mentioned the circumstance, were of the same opinion. As, however, I had been duly initiated into the routine of forcing, and had attended to these houses myself, I knew the imperfection could not arise from any such

cause.

From several observations I had made, very similar to those mentioned by Mr. D., I came to a similar conclusion, viz. that it originated in a want of energy in the root, and which, as he has justly stated, might arise from a variety of causes. In my case, I conceived it to arise from a poor, cold border. The border, I was informed, had been duly drained when it was made; but, as the situation of the garden was low, and the subsoil strong clay, and an excavation having been made for the border, it was not difficult to understand that the roots must suffer from VOL. V.NO. LVI.

G

cold. Moreover, the border was shaded by a row of espalier trees, which grew a short distance from it. I had not the opportunity of raising the roots to the surface; I therefore removed the apple-trees, lowered the walk at the front of the border, and, as the stems outside of the house were naked, I laid a covering of decayed leaves and dung on the surface. By these means the roots were ultimately acted upon by the genial rays of the sun. Within the houses, I left but a thin crop of grapes, and a limited supply of wood for the succeeding year. The result was most satisfactory.

My usual practice now is, to dress the border every summer with decayed leaves and a little loam. In a cold, wet season, I leave but thin crops; in a dry, hot season, good crops. When the latter is the case, I supply the roots with water most abundantly, without any fear of paralysing their efforts. The grapes produced are generally admired for their size, colour, and flavour.

To young gardeners I would say, do not be too anxious for a great crop in your first effort. Endeavour to ascertain the capabilities of your vines. Attention to the ripeness of the wood and the circumstances of the place, will very much assist you in this particular. If you are required to make new borders, elevate them as much as you conveniently can, particularly if the site be low and damp. A bed of compost from eighteen to twenty-four inches is quite depth enough. Extend the roots horizontally, as much as circumstances will admit.

To gentlemen may I be allowed to say, desire to have good fruit rather than great abundance: make every allowance for local circumstances, and the natural difficulties your gardener has to contend with. Do not place implicit reliance on the writings or the sayings of any man, merely because he has obtained a degree of notoriety;-many write and talk from no other motive. Mr. Judd, I fear, is amongst the number. Why, every gardener of ordinary observation knows that when the "cuticles of the berries" are acted upon by the sun's rays, it is by the concentration of the rays acting like a burning-glass, and injuring only the part where the focus strikes: hence we see the side next the sun injured the other side perfect. I have, indeed, known grapes really scalded by vapour heated to a great degree; but that is different thing to the "shrivelling of grapes."

a very

As far as I have observed, when grapes are injured from external causes, the berry discovers it first. In the "shrivelling of grapes," the defect is first exhibited in the pedicle.

G. P. R.