i8 79 .] 



CALENDAR. 



487 



them moderately moist at the root, | 

 and let the air moisture be regulated j 

 by the weather and amount of fire- 

 heat required to keep up the heat. 

 Air freely on all calm, mild days, and 

 see that the plants are not standing 

 too thickly together. A score of well- 

 grown sturdy plants will be more 

 satisfactory than thirty attenuated 

 specimens. Suckers recently potted, 

 and that have rooted, should now 

 have full sun and more air, and be 

 kept just damp at the root, but noth- 

 ing more. Pot more suckers as they 

 become lit. Let ripening fruit have a 

 free circulation of dry warm air about 

 them, and keep them drier now than 

 in summer, as they near maturity. 



Grapes. — All Grapes intended to 

 hang through the winter should be 

 ripe by the 1st of October; but it is to 

 be feared, started at the usual period, 

 they may be behind time this year. 

 If so, let them be more freely tired, 

 and keep up a circulation of dry warm 

 air about them till they are quite 

 ripe. If any lateral growths have 

 been left on the Vines, they had 

 better now be removed, leaving only 

 one or two leaves to each. Look over 

 all Grapes that have been ripe for 

 some time, and remove any shrivelled 

 or mouldy berries as soon as they 

 present themselves. Keep everything 

 about the vinery dry; and on days 

 when the ventilators can be freely 

 opened without admitting damp, put 

 some heat into the pipes early in the 

 day, allowing them to cool before 

 night. All Vines from which the 

 Grapes have recently been cut will, 

 after so wet and sunless a summer, be 

 the better for special treatment in the 

 way of extra fire-heat and a circula- 

 tion of dry warm air about them. 

 If any superfluous laterals exist, re- 

 move them, so that light and air can 

 play freely about the foliage and wood. 

 Vines planted this year, and that have 

 made strong wood, should also be 

 treated in this way, so as to make sure 

 of being well ripened. All Vines from 

 which Grapes are expected next April 

 and May should be pruned immedi- 

 ately, and all about them and the 

 vinery put in proper trim for a start 

 by-and-by. Pot - Vines intended to 

 be forced to yield ripe Grapes in April 

 and May should, by the beginning of 

 this month, be thoroughly ripe. But 

 owing to the sunlessness of the season, 

 many of these may not be so ripe as 



they should be, in which case they 

 should be placed in a light position, 

 where, by means of tire-heat, they can 

 be subject to a circulation of dry 

 warm air for a few weeks. It is 

 better to do this, and start them a 

 fortnight later than usual, than to 

 begin with them in an imperfectly 

 ripened condition. AY here new bor- 

 ders for planting Vines next spring 

 have to be made, it would be well to 

 store the soil for them in some place 

 where it can be kept dry, and be in 

 good condition for putting into the 

 borders in early spring. 



Peaches. — Apply fire -heat to all 

 strong-growing trees till the wood is 

 well ripened. Look over trees from 

 which fruit has been recently gathered, 

 and remove all superfluous shoots, so 

 as to let light and air play about all 

 the foliage and wood. Should this 

 month be colder and damper than 

 usual, late Peaches under glass will be 

 benefited by fire -heat : it will cause 

 them to swell better and improve the 

 flavour. Where new borders are to 

 be made and young trees planted, the 

 work should be done so that the trees 

 may be planted just as they begin to 

 shed their leaves. Any young trees 

 that have made strong unfruitful 

 shoots should be lifted and replanted 

 at the same time. Keep the earliest 

 trees cool and well aired. 



Melons. — Late crops should have 

 the night temperature about 72°, and 

 when ripening, warmth and dryness 

 are indispensable to good flavour ; but 

 avoid allowing the soil to become so 

 dry that the foliage flags before the 

 fruit are perfected. 



Cucumbers. — Keep up a genial 

 growing atmosphere, not allowing the 

 heat to sink below 70° or rise above 

 75° at night. Less moisture will be 

 required in the soil and atmosphere 

 as the days shorten and the sun loses 

 power. At the same time, the plants 

 must be supplied with sufficient to 

 keep them fresh and in a growing 

 condition. Thin out all growths that 

 are crowding the trellis — leaving, of 

 course, the youngest : stop them at 

 every joint, and do not over-crop. 



Figs. — Keep trees from which the 

 fruit are all gathered drier at the root, 

 and, provided the wood is well ripened, 

 keep them cool ; but young strong- 

 growing trees should be kept warm 

 till they ripen properly. Remove all 

 growths not required for properly fur- 



