488 



THE GARDENER. 



[Oct. 



and earliest of them becoming pot- 

 bound before sprins/, it is better to give 

 them a small shi:t, and eive them a 

 little more room between plants, than to 

 allow them to be cramped in small pots. 

 "With the decline of sunshine and heat, 

 the amount of moisture, both in the 

 Boil ai)d air, requires to be graduMlIy 

 reduced. Just keep the soil from be- 

 comiui^ mealy dry. Succession plants, 

 intended to fruit early next season, will 

 now have well filled their pots with 

 roots, and in other respects be in a 

 well-matured condition, and must be 

 kept in a state of comparative rest for 

 the next three months. Drop the tem- 

 perature to 60^ at night by the end of 

 the month, and the bottom-heat should 

 be proportionately low — 75° to 80° is 

 quite sufficient to keep the roots in 

 good condition. When with sun-heat 

 the day temperature exceeds 70°, give 

 air to prevent it rising to an exciting 

 degree. If the pots are plunged firmly 

 to the rim, they will require very little 

 water through the winter, and no more 

 should be given than is necessary to 

 prevent the soil from becoming dust- 

 dry. Keep a moist atmosphere in pits 

 or houses where fruit are swelling, and 

 range the night temperature from 70° 

 to 75°, according as the weather is mild 

 or cold ; and shut up the house early 

 on the afternoons of fine days, running 

 the temperature up to 85° for a time, 

 and gently sprinkle the plant overhead 

 every other day when the weather is 

 bright. See that no check is allowed 

 from want of water at the root, but 

 avoid over-waterintr, e-pecially if the 

 soil be rather tenacious than otherwise. 

 Keep the bottom-heat at 85°. If it is 

 dependent entirely on leaves or tan, 

 and if it has decliaed much below 85°, 

 let some fresh tan or leaves be mixed 

 into the top of the bed, and replunge 

 the plants again. Pines never swell 

 their finit properly after this season, 

 unless the bottom-heat is kept steadily 

 at the point named. Ripe fiuit can he 

 kept for a month or more in first-rate 

 order, if they are removed to a dry 

 fruit-room. Suckers of smooth Caj"- 

 ennes and other autumn and winter 

 fruiting sorts can be taken oflF and 

 potted as they become large enough. 

 They will root and establish themselves 

 before winter, and will not be so likely 

 to become drawn as when left to grow 

 on the parent plant. 



Vines. — All Grapes intended to 



hang through the winter should be 

 perfectly ripe by the 1st of October, 

 and where they are not so let them be 

 assisted with lire heat, and a circula- 

 tion of dry warm air. Look over all 

 Grapes that have been ripe for some 

 tinje two or three times a-week, and 

 wherever a mouldy berry appears 

 remove it at once, before it taints 

 otheis. Keep everything about them 

 as dry as possible by occasional fires, 

 and a free circulation of air ou fine 

 d;iys, and by keeping the house shut 

 when it is wet and foggy. Keep Vines 

 from which the fruit is all cut cool and 

 well aired, unless in cases where the 

 wood is not perfectly ripened, such as 

 young vigorous -growing Vines, which 

 should be fired till the wood is per- 

 fectly brown and hard. Green leaves 

 and brown wood is a very desirable 

 condition, while brown leaves and 

 green wood is the most undesirable. 

 Vines planted this year, and that have 

 continued to grow till now, should be 

 ripened foithwith by the application of 

 a little extra fire-heat, and, if at all 

 crowded, by the removal of some of the 

 lateral gro^Yth, to allow a free play of 

 light and air about all their parts. 

 Vmes from which Grapes are to be 

 ripened early next year should be 

 pruned immediately, if not already 

 pruned. Remove all loose bark from 

 their stems, but avoid the " s^craping- 

 to-the-quick " system. If there has 

 been any spider on them this season, 

 scrub them with a hard brush and 

 water, and then coat them over with 

 sulphur, cow-dung, and clay, in equal 

 proportions, and of the consistency of 

 thick paint. Thoroughly clean all the 

 wood and glass, remove the surface 

 soil, and replace it with fresh soil, so 

 that all may be in readiness to start 

 forcing next month. If pot-Vines 

 have been standing outdoors, remove 

 them to some place where their roots 

 can be protected from heavy rains. 

 Where very early Grapes are required, 

 the earlust of these may be started 

 towards the middle or end of the month; 

 and if they can be plunged in bottom- 

 heat, they will start into growth sooner. 

 If they have been cut or pruned in any 

 way, dress the wounds twice over with 

 f-t\ ptic, or they will be apt to bleed. 

 Put a few more into heat than are re- 

 quired for the space, in case any of 

 them fail to show well. It is use- 

 less to start thus early with any but 



