158 THE FLORIST. 



by sowing and pricking in annuals, adjusting their height to suit the 

 plants around them. Beds of German Stocks, and the fine French 

 Asters, which for brilHancy of colour are unequalled, should be pricked 

 out into frames or shallow pots, for final transplanting towards the end 

 of the month. 



Fruit Forcing. — The last fortnight has been more sunny and favour- 

 able for early colouring Grapes, at which stage, air in more liberal quan- 

 tities may be given ; in the earlier stages of forcing, while the Vine leaves 

 are tender, do not permit cold chilling currents of air to act directly on 

 either the leaves or young fruit ; considerable attention in managing 

 the admission of air, to prevent this, is necessary. Bring on the suc- 

 cession Vineries as wanted, aiming at a night temperature of 65^, 

 while the Vines are in bloom, for such hardy kinds as Hamburghs, &c. ; 

 5° higher or thereabouts for Muscats. These latter require a high and 

 dry temperature, to set their fruit, so as to form compact bunches. 

 After the Vines are out of bloom, the house may be kept damper by 

 frequently wetting the floors, walls, &c. The same treatment should 

 likewise be enforced with Vines breaking, and up to their period of 

 blooming ; we do not ourselves syringe much after the buds progress 

 into leaf, but keep the internal atmosphere damp by the above means. 

 Late Grapes will now be breaking, and the usual routine of disbudding, 

 training, and stopping the shoots, must be attended to. Thin the 

 bunches of all Grapes, as soon as the berries can be clearly distinguished, 

 leaving those which have the shortest foot-stalks, as they usually pro- 

 duce the largest berries. The protecting materials of borders, if not 

 removed before this, should at once be cleared off, forking the borders 

 slightly over afterwards. 



Fruit, Hardy. — Nailing, &c., will be all done. This season the 

 bloom of Peaches and Apricots has opened so late that we have 

 dispensed with protecting them ; the winds are certainly cold, but so 

 dry that at present we see no injury likely to arise from leaving the 

 blooms to their fate. Peaches we never saw in finer bloom, nor yet 

 some kinds of Apricots. Pears are variable ; a vast number of trees 

 were last autumn attacked with the sooty blight, which caused the 

 premature loss of their leaves ; some kinds made a feeble growth late, 

 but generally speaking the blight injured the chances of a crop this 

 season ; where such w^as not the case they promise well. We have, 

 however, no trees yet in bloom (the 21st), so the chances are greatly in 

 their favour. Apples promise an abundant show of bloom, and as we 

 had only a very shght crop last season, we in all likelihoods shall have 

 a large one this. The disbudding of wall trees must be proceeded with 

 as the buds advance ; this should not be done all at once, but a few 

 only taken off at one time ; reserve sufficient to fill up the wants of 

 the trees, and in suitable places. Pay particular attention to keep down 

 the aphis, which may be expected to appear with the young leaves. 

 Tobacco water, mixed with sulphur, and laid on the wall between the 

 shoots, is a good preventive ; timely washing with weak tobacco w^ater 

 is the best remedy. Water newly planted trees. 



Hollyhocks. — Finish planting seedlings, also plant out named 



