1871.] 



NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



489 



early and well - ripened Vines, and 

 they require to have a higher tempera- 

 ture to excite them than two months 

 hence — 55° at night will be necessary. 



Peaches. — Where new borders and 

 fresh plantations of trees are contem- 

 plated, this is an excellent time to 

 transplant the trees, just as they are 

 beginning to show their leaves. There 

 is, however, danger in beginning too 

 early ; for if not sufficiently matured, 

 the process of removing them will 

 cause the wood to shrivel. Trees 

 planted a season or two ago, and that 

 have grown too grossly, may now be 

 partially lifted and root-pruned. Keep 

 trees that are well ripened well aired 

 and cool, but where the wood is rather 

 green a little fire-heat will much assist 

 their ripening. 



Melons. — Late crops will now re- 

 quire more assistance from fire-heat. 

 The night temperature should not be 

 less than 70°, and when ripening 

 warmth and dryness are indispensable 

 to anything like good flavour. Melons 

 can now be kept longer, after being 

 ripe, in the frait-room than in warmer 

 weather. 



Cucumbers. — Keep up a genial 

 growing atmosphere, not allowing the 

 temperature to sink much below 70° 

 at night ; give air in the early part of 

 the day, and shut up early with same 



heat, and lessen the moisture in the 

 soil and atmosphere as the season 

 becomes more dull and sunless ; but 

 where the roots are near the hot pipes, 

 see that over-dryness of soil is not 

 allowed. Stop them at every joint, 

 and do not allow them to become over- 

 crowded, which produces a thin weakly 

 foliage, which is much more apt to 

 damp off as the weather becomes more 

 damp and sunless. Do not allow them 

 to bear too much fruit at one time. 



Figs.— Generally speaking, all Figs 

 are gathered by the middle of this 

 month, and the trees may be kept drier 

 at the roots and the house cool, but see 

 that extreme dryness of soil is not al- 

 lowed. All wood not required to fur- 

 nish the trees for next season had bet- 

 ter be removed at once. Early plants 

 in pots should now be protected from 

 heavy rains. 



Strawberries in Pots. — If former 

 directions have been attended to, these 

 should now be ready to burst their 

 pots with roots, and have large well- 

 ripened crowns. During heavy rains, 

 lay the pots on their sides, if they can- 

 not be placed in cold pits or frames. 

 When plants are late, place them in 

 pits or frames, in a warm light place, 

 and put glass over them to induce them 

 to mature their growth better than if 

 left in the open air. 



Inquirer. — Sow your Alpine Strawberry-seed in February, in boxes, in a tem- 

 perature of 55° to 60°, and as soon as they can be handled prick them off in frame, 

 or handglasses 2 inches apart each way. About the middle of May transplant 

 them with balls on to good well-worked soil, and they will bear a crop in Septem- 

 ber and October of the same year, and the following year will be most prolific. 

 The best is the Scarlet Alpine. The way to prepare Strawberry-seed for sowing 

 is to wash away all the pulp from the seed ; dry it, and keep it in a dry place till 

 spring. 



A Subscriber. — Your Grapes are evidently suffering from what is known as 

 "shanking," for which a great many causes have been assigned. We believe 

 that anything that injures the constitution of the Vine will cause shanking,— such 

 as over-heavy cropping, ill-matured wood and roots the previous season, drought, 

 and over-much wet at the roots. If your wood is not hard and brown, fire your 

 vinery till it is, and give a circulation of air. See that there is no stagnant 

 water about the roots, also that in a dry season the border is not allowed to get 

 too dry. Crop moderately and keep red-spider at bay, and, all other things being 

 ecjual, your Grapes should not shank. Very likely your dropping to fire suddenly 

 in cold weather paralysed the system of your Vinee, and they have rebelled as 

 described. Avoid sudden checks. 



2 M 



