' rcre < c: <:. c cc co> '<r cc crz « CC « c cc c c ccccc occot/cc . c ccttc CeT c c c<c Cccc re . ccc d e ccccccc c c«a&c« c C C C CC C C C (C CCCCCC C 4fcc< cc c '. c cc< c c c cc cc cc cc: c c<j<-> c c C'CCv. c c cc c c cccxccc; c ccc - CC C c C C c C Cc c CC CC CC C CC< ccc cc <L- •'<'«:• c C C.(C < C S-k cc «c ^L . C ^T C CC C C CCC « CCC r CCICC C CIO —3G c .*C_ C < - r cccc Qvc«: c cc c cC c .- c<c *r: c cc c cC c c rc « cyc~c :c ccc c CC- THE UNIVERSITY J CCCC r cccc <c c ^-CCCC ' cCc .^^ ^C< cccc< ccc . OF ILLINOIS . CC < -cc *r< ccc < CC :CC c ccc( XC-1 c c< <:. ccc « ccc * < Cd c. rccc - LIBRARY cr CC C'cccc ^C z' :cc c cccc ccc Ccc ^r 6M CCCC C C ( ' < c cCCC CL ' C <CCC C^rfti-sr C <C CCC ^ ccc. c < C .< C C rn <? ' <•<:( CCc V c C<_fC( <C .'C <sir <f ccCC <c cC C< 'C<r <r c CCC7 C «ic ccccCCcc rc < cr« cc CCCc C fc cccc c <L- c r cc •< «L~ Cc C r re c<T CCc c C< c c cc r<" CC <- #"< ^r cc C c cc cc cc c: (Cc .<? < c CC r c «" c Cc cc <<i <C C c C-C <c &c*L£TJl c ( C-Ccc L<3 cc<c:cc.- ' <XZ$ c «tr <r<cc c c -*lCc c «Cc < c <«. XLCLCC^ccC fe«rrcc c c- LCC C c< <crcc; c tc, c«« <"C ccC < ? r- «.. r«r ^cc « (YCC ccrcc « cr <r <r CCCCCCc coccc -<fcc r £" >yy **< cc<<-- <c 5 c<£ <c*^ <i CS&C ^ C <~<- x_< lc«^S <y <r < .<f c r_c«c c :< %i c f-< c « c <L> <r nfcr.-'c ^p c -^ rctrc «t < c? C CC < ' <Z rt-C C C C C_ "< 'C ^^^ ^?^ac « s^ *- r^:" PLAIN INSTRUCTIONS IN GARDENING A CALENDAR OF OPERATIONS AND DIRECTIONS FOR EVERY MONTH IN THE YEAR. BY MRS. LOUDON Elefonuf) Is & it ton. LONDON: JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET. 1874. TO THE MEMORY OF N J. C. LOUDON, ESQ. F.L.S. H.S. Z.S., ETC. ETC. (--'(CO WHOM THE AUTHOR OF THE FOLLOWING PAGES OWES ALL to THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE SUBJECT SHE POSSESSES), O (Tf)is 3!S3orfe is ocDtratfO CO »o BY HIS AFFECTIONATE WIDOW, » J. W. L. 296671 PREFACE. As the rapid sale of the previous editions of this work affords the surest proof that it has met the wants of those for whose use it was designed, it may be asked why I have now made so many alterations and additions. My answer is, that I have done so in order that my book may keep pace with the improving spirit of the times. For this reason, I have rewritten the chapter on manures, and made various other alterations to meet the present views of scientific men as regards chemistry when applied to horticulture. It is true that, in most cases, the results are the same as prac- tice has long dictated ; but it is pleasant to find theory and practice agree, which was not always the case formerly. In fact, the most interesting feature in the new doctrines is, that they explain scientifically why practices suc- ceed, which formerly appeared quite at variance with theory. The other alterations are of minor import- ance, but they are numerous ; and, in fact, every page has been carefully read over, and improved to the utmost of my power. J. W. LOUDON. Bayswatee, Jan. 20, 1851. CONTENTS. Page IXTBODUCTIOy .1 CHAPTER I. Stirring the Soil 3 CHAPTER II. On Soils and Manures: including the Formation of Hotbeds 20 CHAPTER III. Sowing Seeds. — Planting Bulbs and Tubers.—Trans- planting and Watering 35 CHAPTER IV. Modes of Propagation by Division ; viz. Taking off Suckers, Making Layers and Cuttings, Budding, Grafting, and Inarching 58 CHAPTER V. Pruning, Training, Protecting from Frost, and Destroy- ing Insects 95 VU1 CONTENTS. CHAPTER YI. Page The Kitchen-Garden.—The Management of Culinary Yegetables 115 CHAPTER YII. The Management of Fruit Trees 166 CHAPTER YIII. The Flower-Garden, and the Culture of Flowers . 20f CHAPTER IX. Management of the Lawn, Pleasure-Grounds, and Shrubbery of a small Villa 251 CHAPTER X. Rockwork, Moss Houses, Rustic Summer-Houses, Rustic Baskets, and Fountains 272 CHAPTER XL Window Gardening, and the Management of Plants in Pots in small Greenhouses 289 CHAPTER XII. Calendar of Operations 323 GARDENING FOR LADIES. INTRODUCTION. It is scarcely possible to imagine any person more completely ignorant of everything relating to botany and gardening, than I was at the period of my marriage with Mr. Loudon; and as I found all his family and friends thoroughly acquainted with both subjects, it may be easily conceived that I was soon heartilv ashamed of mv ignorance, and anxious to remove it as rapidly as possible. Botany appeared too diffi- cult for me to attempt ; but I thought I might easily learn a little of gardening and of plants ; and as my husband's time was very much occupied, I endeavoured first to teach myself from books. This, however, I soon found was no easy task. Good books on gardening are generally written for professed gardeners, who are supposed to know all the elementary parts beforehand ; and most of the books for begin- ners contained only arbitrary directions, for which no reasons were given, and which, as they did not apply in all cases, only seemed to bewilder me. In this dilemma I was obliged to apply to my husband, and though, of course, he was as anxious to teach me as I was to learn, we found unanticipated difficulties at B I INTRODUCTION. every step ; and we both soon discovered the truth of the apparent paradox, that it is not enough to know any art or science to be able to teach it, and instead of wondering that I had not obtained all the information I wished from books, it seemed strange that I had found them of any use at all. It is so very difficult for a person who has been acquainted with a subject all his life, to imagine the state of ignorance in which those are who know nothing about it, that a profes- sional gardener has rarely patience to teach anything to an amateur. It is necessary to be a full-grown pupil, as I was myself, to understand the wants of those in a similar situation ; and it requires to have an able and never-wearied instructor, such as I had, to explain the reasons for every rule, to make rules generally ap- plicable. In the following pages I have endeavoured to embody the substance of the instructions I received from my husband ; but as these in- structions were given now nearly twenty years ago, and as gardening is a progressive science, I cannot say I have confined myself to them. On the contrary, I have endeavoured to make my readers acquainted with every improvement that has taken place ; always, however, explain- ing, as far as I have found it possible, why the changes I mention have been adopted. CHAPTER I. STIRRING THE SOIL. Diggixg. —Every one knows that the first ope- ration of the gardener, whether a new garden is to be made, or merely an old one replanted, is to dig the ground ; though but comparatively few persons are aware why this is so essential. When a piece of rouoh ground is to be taken into cultivation, and a garden made where there was none before, the use of digging is obvious enough ; as the ground requires to be levelled, and divided by walks, and thrown up into beds, to give it the shape and appearance of a gar- den, which could not be done without stirring the soil : but why the beds in an old garden should be always dug or forked over before they are replanted, is quite another question, and one that it requires some consideration to answer. When any soil, except sand or loose gravel, remains unstirred for a length of time, it be- comes hard, and its particles adhere so firmly together as not to be separated without manual force. It is quite clear that when soil is in this state, it is unfit for the reception of seeds ; as the tender roots of the young plants will not be able to penetrate it without o-reat difficultv, and neither air nor water can reach them in suffi- cient quantities to make them thrive. When a b 2 4 STIRRING THE SOIL. [CHAP. I. seed is put into the ground, it is the warmth and moisture by which it is surrounded that make it vegetate. It first swells, and the skin with which it is covered cracks and partly peels off: then two shoots issue from the vital knot (a point easily discoverable in large seeds), one of which descends and is called the root, while the other ascends to form the leaves, stem, flowers, and fruit. This is what is meant by the germination of the seed, and this may be effected by the aid of heat and moisture alone, as is done with mus- tard and cress, when raised on wet flannel in a saucer.