432 



THE GARDENER. 



[Sept. 



the Vines, and remove all lateral 

 growths, if any have been allowed 

 during the process of stoning, and up 

 to the colouring period. It is now 

 desirable that a free play of air 

 should be allowed about every leaf 

 and bunch. Look over ripe Grapes 

 weekly, and remove any shrivelled 

 or decaying berries, and keep the 

 house cool and dry. If wasps or Hies 

 attack the Grapes, lose no time in 

 ])utting hexagon netting over the 

 ventilating openings. As we have 

 often directed, let the borders of all 

 Vines from which the fruit has just 

 been cut be examined, and if the roots 

 are not found near the surface, remove 

 the old inert soil down to the roots, 

 and replace it with fresh loam, bone- 

 meal, and manure, so that while the 

 foliage is yet healthy on the Vines, the 

 roots may bite upwards. As this has 

 in some districts been a cold and 

 wet summer, it may be necessary 

 to apply fire - heat after the crop 

 is all cut, in order to thoroughly ripen 

 the wood, without which all other 

 points are useless. Pot - Vines in- 

 tended to be started in December 

 should be shortened back to the length 

 desired, and be placed in some cool 

 airy position. See that they do not 

 at any time suffer from becoming over- 

 dry at the root. Young vigorous- 

 growing Vines that were planted last 

 and this year should be fired until the 

 wood is hard and brown. If the 

 lateral growths of these are at all 

 crowded, shorten them back to let 

 light and air play about all their 

 parts, but do not remove much foliage 

 suddenly. Now is a good time to get 

 and stack loam, that may be required 

 for new borders for another season. 



Peaches. — Trees from which the 

 crop has just been gathered, if grow- 

 ing strongly, should have a circulation 

 of warm air about them ; and should 

 the weaclier prove sunless, let artificial 

 heat be applied to this end. If there 

 be any signs of red-spider about them, 

 give them a few vigorous washings 

 with water, in which a handful of 

 flower of sulphur is mixed. Remove 

 any superfluous shoots that may have 

 been tied in, so that air and light can 

 act on all parts of the trees. Late 

 crops in cool houses will now be ripen- 

 ing, and will require to be examined 

 every day, and all ripe fruit carefully 

 gathered. If this be neglected, the 

 fruit are apt to fall off and get bruised. 



Protect them from flies and wasps ; 

 and any leaves that may be shading 

 the fruit should be pushed aside, so 

 that it may be properly coloured by 

 exposure to light. See that the bor- 

 ders do not become over-dry if they are 

 inside. 



Figs.— Let trees swelling off crops 

 be encouraged by waterings of man- 

 ure-water. Give plenty of air to those 

 ri))ening, and syringe trees from which 

 all the Figs are gathered, to keep the 

 foliage clean and healthy. Plants in 

 pots from which the second crop 

 is all gathered may be placed in a 

 sheltered warm spot outdoors; but 

 see that they are never allowed to 

 suffer for want of water. 



Melons. — Keep fruit that have got 

 to the ripening stage well exposed to 

 sun and air, and rather drier at the 

 root, but not to such an extent as will 

 cause the plants to suffer before the 

 fruit are ripe. Keep the night tem- 

 perature at 70°. Plants swelling off 

 crops may be watered with manure- 

 water; but be careful not to over- 

 water at this season when the fruit 

 are full -sized, or they may burst. 

 The best way is to mulch the surface 

 of the soil, to prevent its drying so 

 often. Fire-heat at night will now be 

 necessary for Melons in all stages, to 

 prevent the temperature from sinking 

 below 70°. 



Cucumbers. — Plants raised from 

 seed or cuttings last month for winter 

 fruiting should be planted out this 

 month. A rather moderately light 

 soil, and not too much of it, is best 

 for winter Cucumbers. Expose them 

 to as much light and air as possible, 

 in order to produce robust plants 

 that will stand the trying ordeal of 

 dull damp weather by-and-by. Plants 

 now in full bearing should be watered 

 with liquid manure. Keep the heat 

 from 70° to 75°, according to the 

 weather. If the temperature is al- 

 lowed to fall too low at this season, 

 mildew is apt to be troublesome, and 

 all symptoms of it should be checked 

 by dusting the affected parts with 

 sulphur. 



Strawberries in Pots.— If former 

 directions have been carried out, these' 

 will have well filled their pots with 

 roots ; and should the weather be 

 bright and dry, give them manure- 

 water three times weekly. Keep 

 them free of runners and weeds, and 

 see that they do not get crowded. 



