57G 



THE GARDENER. 



[Dec. 



stock now being treated off with the 

 best results at a temperature not ex- 

 ceeding 55° for at least six weeks at 

 the dullest part of the year. If these 

 are becoming crowded, it is much better 

 to sacrifice a few plants in order to 

 make room for the rest, than to let 

 them stand too thickly. At this season, 

 when autumn fruit has been mostly 

 cut, more room can generally be given 

 to young stock. Where early Pines are 

 an object, a number of the earliest and 

 most likely to start should now be 

 subjected to a temperature of 70° at 

 night, with S° or 10° more when there 

 is a blink of sun by day, the bottom- 

 heat to be kept ranging from 85^ to 90°. 

 If these have been wintered so far, as 

 directed in former Calendars, they will 

 be dry at the root, and require to be 

 watered, after being a few days in the 

 temperature named. Keep the atmos- 

 phere generally moist, but not to such 

 an extent as will cause condensed 

 moisture — if the roof be flat — to fall 

 into the centre of the plants. The 

 remainder of the next season's fruiting- 

 plants may still be kept rather dry, and 

 at a temperature ranging from 55° to 

 60° for the present. Continue to sup- 

 ply to those swelling their fruit a rather 

 moist atmosphere, a temperature of 

 70° in the air and 85° at the root. 

 Examine the individual plants weekly, 

 and water those that require it, so as 

 to keep the soil in a moderately moist 

 condition. Suckers on stools from 

 which the fruit have recently been cut 

 should now be potted, and if plunged 

 in a brisk bottom-heat and temperature 

 of 65°, in a light pit, they will soon 

 root, and make fine plants for shifting 

 as a succession to those potted six or 

 seven weeks ago. If these are strong, 

 and potted now into 6 and 7 inch well- 

 drained pots, according to their size, 

 using turfy soil, they will grow in these 

 till Ma}^ and can then be shifted at 

 once into their fruiting-pots. Where 

 there are what we shall term half-sized 

 plants — that is, plants in 8-inch pots — 

 well rooted, we would have no hesita- 

 tion in shifting them after the middle 

 of the month into 11 -inch pots ; push 

 them on, plunged thinly in a light place, 

 with the view of fruiting them in 

 autumn of 1872. 



Grapes. — Continue to keep a strict 

 watch on all Grapes that are still hang- 

 ing, as directed last month. Where it 

 become? a necessity to introduce plants 

 requiring water into vineries where the 



fruit still hangs, it will be best to cut 

 the fruit with a portion of the wood at- 

 tached, and put them in bottles of 

 water in a dry room, where the temper- 

 ature can y)e kept steadily about 40°, 

 after which the Vines can be pruned 

 and dressed as recommended in former 

 Calendars, the house cleansed, or, if re- 

 quii-ed, painted ; the border top-dressed, 

 and then lilled with plants that do not 

 require a temperature above 40°. As 

 soon as the early-started Vines fairly 

 bui-tit their buds, raise the temperature 

 ' a few degrees, and when the young 

 growths are half an inch long raise the 

 night temperature to 60°, and that of 

 the day to 65° in mild weather. Pot- 

 Vines that are required very early may 

 have a degree or two more, but it is far 

 safest not to force too huniedly, while 

 the days are so short, cold, and dull ; 

 but to get well under weigh, and be 

 ready for more rapid work when there 

 are longer days and more heat from the 

 sun. High night temperatures are not 

 desirable, and where hard forcing has to 

 be done, it should be done chiefly with 

 day, and if possible sun, light. A great 

 many vineries are started this month, 

 and instead of repeating last month's 

 directions in reference to starting them, 

 we refer our readers to them. Prune, 

 and otherwise get ready for starting 

 succession-houses. Now is a favourable 

 time for making preparations for plant- 

 ing young Vines in spring, where such 

 is Contemplated. The chief source of 

 success undoubtedly is, a good border 

 on a good site. Perfect di'ainage is of 

 great importance, and it should be so 

 perfect that stagnant water, or water 

 from adjoining ground or streams or 

 ponds, will be an impossibility. In wet 

 localities we w^ould recommend a third 

 of the border to be above the ground- 

 level, if the soil is naturally heavy and 

 damp. We do not, however, approve 

 of shallow borders, and would not make 

 a Vine-border less than 3 feet at the 

 front of the vinery, sloi^ing to 2^ feet, 

 or 2 feet 9 inches, at the extremity of 

 the border. As to soils, we have come 

 to the conclusion that mixtures of such 

 as loam and ordinary yard-manure or 

 leaf-mould are an evil in the case of 

 many plants besides the Vine. For 

 Vines, however, we would recommend 

 a sound loam, with some crushed bones, 

 and, it may be, horn shavings ; and 

 all other stimulating material to be 

 afterwards applied in the shape of top- 

 dregsings. ^ 



