340 



THE GARDENER. 



[July 



FORCING DE 



Pines. — Should the weather be such 

 as horticulturists like aud generally ex- 

 pect in Jul}', the necessity for using fire- 

 heat, to keep temperatures Bufficit-ntly 

 high for Pines in all stages of growtl), 

 will be in some localities superseded 

 by the more natural and invigorating 

 heat of the sun. At the same time, if 

 a period of dull, wet, and comparatively 

 cold weather should occur, careful at- 

 tention must be paid to the atmosphere 

 of all Pine pits and stoves, and the 

 pipes should be heated so as to keep 

 the atmosphere from becoming stag- 

 nant, and from sinking much below 

 the maximum temperature. Succes- 

 sion-plants now in their fruiting-pots 

 and growing rapidly require to be very 

 carefully supplied with air, so as to pre- 

 vent a weak and sappy growth. The j 

 state of the weather at this season gen- ' 

 erally admits of a more liberal supply j 

 of air being given. Those intended for 

 early fruiting next year should, by the 

 end of the month, be large plants, with 

 their pots well filled with roots, and re- 

 quiring careful attention in the matter 

 of water, so that they do not at any time 

 get too dry, and consequently receive 

 a check that may be the cause of their 

 starting this autumn. On the after- 

 noons of fine days these aud all succes- 

 sion stocks should be syringed through 

 a fine rose, so as to moisten the surface 

 of the leaves without causing much 

 water to accumulate about the axils of 

 the leaves, and produce a tendency to 

 throw up suckers, and divert their ener- 

 gies from the centres. The night tem- 

 perature should range at 75°, and when 

 the nights are cold it may drop to 70° 

 at 6 A.M. Although much opposed to 

 shading Pines, it is sometimes necessarj^ 

 to prevent their becoming wiry and 

 brown when the weather is intensely 

 bright. Hexagon netting will generally 

 be found sufficiently thick material for 

 this purpose. Avoid the use of mats or 

 thick canvas, for of two evils a little 

 brownness of the leaf is pi^eferable to 

 a weak watery growth. Early-started 

 Queens will now be all cut, and the 

 suckers they have produced ready to be 

 potted : 6 and 7 inch pots will be suffi- 

 ciently large for these. For soil, use 

 fresh turfy loam with a few bones mixed 

 with it. In plunging these give them 

 plenty of room, and keep them near the 

 glass. Shade when bright till they 

 make roots 2 inches long; and when 

 they begin to grow freely, give plenty 

 of air to keep them stocky. If fruiting- 



PARTMENT. 



plants for another year be scarce, some 

 of the finest of these early suckers may 

 be potted into their fruiting-pots by- 

 and-by, and successfully fruited next 

 sumuier. Where a quantity of fruit 

 are ripe at one time, they can be kept 

 a long time by removing the plants to a 

 cool fruit-room. Fruit swelling off may 

 be pushed on if necessary with a high 

 temperature from sun-heat by shutting 

 up early. The thermometer may rise 

 from 95° to 100° for a while, with a cor- 

 responding amount of moisture. "Water 

 them liberally with manure-water, and 

 syringe them overhead every fine after- 

 noon. If a stock of fresh soil for next 

 year is not already stored, now is a good 

 time to do it. A calcareous loam from 

 an old pasture, taken to the depth of 4 

 inches, is the best. Store it in some 

 place where it can have full air, but not 

 exposed to wet. 



Grapes. — As houses get cleared of 

 the fruit, we would reiterate former 

 directions, and urge the necessity of 

 keeping the foliage healthy and active 

 as long as possible. Eed-spider must 

 be prevented by keeping the house 

 cool by frequent vigorous syringings, 

 and by preventing the borders from 

 suffering for want of moisture. Grapes 

 intended to hang through the winter 

 should be carefully examined, and if 

 the berries are at all likely to be too 

 thick when they attain their full size, 

 thin them a little more, taking the 

 berries that are smalle.^t, and those 

 that crowd the centres of the bunches. 

 When they are too thick, it is difficult 

 to prevent them from moulding during 

 damp winter weather. If this month 

 should be dry, all Vines swelling and 

 ripening their crops should be well 

 watered two or three times, and the 

 borders mulched. We are convinced 

 tljat if this were more general the 

 ravages of spider would be less so, and 

 Vines would better sustain their vigour. 

 Muscats, even in the most favoured 

 localities, should still be fired at 

 night to keef) the minimum night-heat 

 from falling below 75°, and the atmos- 

 phere from becoming stagnant and un- 

 wholesome. Leave a little air on all 

 vineries throughout the night, especially 

 as soon as the Grapes show the first signs 

 of colouring. Piemove all fresh lateral 

 growths as they appear. Young Vines 

 not yet in bearing, but intended to 

 bear next year, should be stopped 

 when they reach the top of the house, 

 and their lateral growth confined to 



