iSyi.] 



CALENDAR. 



193 



occurs that red-spider appears on early- 

 forced Vines just at the time of colour- 

 ing, and thiis pest must be sharply 

 ■watched and vigorously put down. 

 The most effectual remedy is to sponge 

 the leaves wherever it makes its appear- 

 ance : an active man with a sponge can 

 soon go over a vinery in this way. The 

 pipes may also be coated with sulphur, 

 and a little extra heat applied for a few 

 nights in succession. Syringing should 

 only be resorted to as an extreme mea- 

 sure, as it is a remedy that* can seldom 

 be applied without disfiguring the fruit, 

 to say the least of it. Where the roots 

 are mostly inside, as should be the case 

 in all very early-forced Vineries, red- 

 spider is not unfrequeutly brought on 

 by the roots being allowed to become 

 too dry ; and just as the first signs of 

 colouring appear, a good soaking should 

 be applied, and a slight mulching of 

 horse-dung, such as an old mushroom- 

 bed, applied regularly over the bor- 

 dei\ Succession-houses that have been 

 thinned, and in various stages between 

 that and colouring, may now be pushed 

 on with much less fire-heat than in the 

 dull bhort days of very early spring, and 

 they may therefore be kept somewhat 

 warmer : 7U° during mild weather, aud 

 65° when very cold at night, should be 

 aimed at in the case of Hamburgs and 

 vineries with a mixed assortment of 

 Vines. When the days are bright, keep 

 the fires low, and make the most of the 

 sun's power by shutting up early in the 

 afternoon, starting the fires just in time 

 to prevent the heat from sinking below 

 the proper temperature at 10 p.m. In 

 proportion as the days are long, and 

 with more light and air, the moisture 

 in the air may be increased, avoiding, 

 by every means, a damp stagnant at- 

 mosphere, the evil effect of which will 

 manifest itself by a rough wartiness in 

 the under-sides of the leaves ; and if 

 accompanied with a low temperature, a 

 far worse scourge in the shape of mil- 

 dew. Look over the Vines twice a-week, 

 and remove all lateral growths as soon 

 as they appear. In case the inexperi- 

 enced may not understand wi)at I mean 

 by this, I will so far explain by stating 

 that the shoots being stopped at two 

 joints beyond the bunch before the young 

 shoots are tied down, aud that the late- 

 ral growths on said shoots are stopped 

 just at the first leaf. This leaves the 

 large main leaves on the shoots, and 

 one leaf on the lateral growths, which 

 start from every joint of the main 



shoots. These give as many leaves as 

 can find room to grow without too nivich 

 crowding, and the Vines should not be 

 allowed to ramble beyond this growth. 

 To allow them to ramble, and then all 

 at once remove the growths, is bad 

 practice, and should be avoided; unless, 

 indeed, it may be allowed to a limited 

 extent when the fruit is stoning. Thin 

 succession-houses as soon as the berries 

 ai-e about the size of a Radish-seed, at 

 the same time removing all superabun- 

 dant bunches and thinning all free-set- 

 ting sorts sufficiently at the first thin- 

 ning. Muscats coming into bloom 

 may have the heat raised to 75° during 

 mild weather at night, until fairly 

 set. Cultivators recommend different 

 courses by way of getting Muscats to 

 set ; but it may safely be said that a 

 rather high temperature, with a free 

 circulation of air when in bloom, is the 

 most generally practised with success, 

 and under such treatment I have never 

 seen a failure. Late vineries should 

 not be retarded much beyond the first 

 week of April. Where there are any 

 Grapes still to cut, they should no 

 longer be left hanging, but cut and 

 kept as recommended in last month's 

 "Calendar," or as recommended in our 

 present issue by " C. K.," minus the ice 

 now, we hope. Where the bordei's of 

 late houses have been kept dry inside, 

 let them have a good soaking of tepid 

 water ; the surface being first stirred 

 up and left somewhat rough, or water 

 will not penetrate freely nor regularly. 

 See that newly-planted Vines do not 

 suffer for want of water, and rub off 

 superfluous buds as they break. 



Peaches and Nectarines. — Crops 

 that have passed the stoning stage 

 may be forced on more freely, and the 

 night temperature raised to 60° and 65°, 

 according to state of the weather. As 

 in the case of Vines, make the most of 

 sunny days by shutting up with sun- 

 heat early in the afternoon, giving the 

 trees a syringing with water at 80°. 

 Do not allow the trees to bring a killing 

 crop to maturity. It not only weakens 

 the trees, but the quality of the fruit 

 will not be so high ; a Peach to every 

 square foot is plenty for early -forced 

 trees. Water the inside borders with 

 manure-water made from cow or sheep's 

 manure. Tie in the young wood regu- 

 larly all over the tree, but avoid crowd- 

 ing in an unnecessary amount. Disbud 

 and pinch the young shoots in late 

 houses. Keep a sharp look - out for 



