42 THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. [February, 



eyes sliould tlien be plunged in a bed liaving a bottom-lieat of about 80° 

 and a top temperature of from 65° to 70°. Another good metliod, wliere a 

 quantity of eyes have to be propagated, and wliere tliere is convenience for 

 adopting it, is to prepare a small portion of tbe bed itself -with suitable soil, 

 and to place tbe eyes there at once, removing them and potting them off 

 as they become fit. This is an economization of space in the propagating pit, 

 which in the spring season is always much crowded. A most excellent plunging 

 material is cocoa-nut refuse, over hot-water tanks, and the eyes themselves root 

 most readily into this material when mixed with a little sand, only the roots 

 formed do not make a sufficiency of fibres, so that they remove badly. The soil 

 should be gently watered after putting in the eyes, and be just kept moist, but 

 not at any time allowed to become soddened. When these eye-cuttings com- 

 mence to form a callus, the buds will at the same time be bursting. Then is the 

 only delicate and critical period, for every part is tender and easily destroyed. 

 It is necessary at this period to be extremely careful as to the watering and the 

 temperature. Once, however, get the top growing, and the roots to reach the side 

 of the small pot, as in fig. 3, and they are comparatively safe, and this, if all cir- 

 cumstances have been favourable, should be in about a fortnight after putting in 

 the eyes. About the time that the first leaf is fully developed, Avhen they are 

 about two inches high, they should be potted into five-inch jDots, and from that 

 time grown on rapidly. — A. F. Bareon, ChiswicJc. 



EARLY VARIETIES OF FRUIT. 



•n^ry^E. THOMSON, in his article (p. 19) on the introduction of early varieties 

 ^lIJJIJ^ of fruit, has ventilated a very important question to all growers with 



W houses where little artificial heat can be given. Having some experience 

 o or 



^, in growing here, in a long glass-covered wall, a collection of the earliest 

 varieties of Peaches and Nectarines, as well as hardy early grapes, I have thought 

 that a list and description of them might be of use to growers forming a collection. 

 The early varieties of seedling Peaches and Nectarines raised by Mr. Elvers 

 are a great boon to cultivators who have orchard houses or peach houses 

 only slightly heated, or with no artificial heat at all. By growing these 

 they can have a succession of ripe fruit from the middle of July until the 

 mid-season varieties ripen, which may be kept up till the end of October with 

 the latest sorts in favourable summers. With me, in the past summer, Early 

 Beatrice ripened on July 18, followed hy Early Louise and Early Rivers. Early 

 Silver succeeded in the beginning of August ; and Hales Early .^ Early Yorh., Early 

 Grosse Mignonne, and 3falta, made a good succession. My earliest Nectarines 

 were Fairchild's Early., a very small old kind, but useful for its earliness ; Lord 

 Napier., one of Mr. Elvers' new early varieties ; and ILinfs Tawny, a well-known 

 old variety. All these ripened in August in the same house as the Peaches, 

 and were succeeded in September by Elruge, Albert Victor, and Pine-apple. 

 The only artificial heat they had was at flowering time, and that was only 8° 

 above the external temperature. 



