534 



THE GARDENER 



[Nov. 



this season ia productive of large 

 crowns, which are a great disfif^nremeut 

 to Pines. When more fruit ripen 

 thon are required at any given time, 

 they can be kept for a long time by 

 removing the plants, without cutting 

 the fruit from them, to a dry room 

 where the temperature is about 50°. 

 Take good care of all fruit that may 

 ch.ince to show this month. These, 

 kept in a temperature of 70° all wdnter, 

 will come in very acceptably in t^pring, 

 when Pines are generally scarce and 

 much appreciated. Get covering ready 

 for covering pits during severe weather, 

 which is nnich to be preferred to keep- 

 ing up temperature by hard firing. 

 Frigi domo is excellent for this pur- 

 pose. 



Grapes. — November is perhaps the 

 most critical month for Grapes of the 

 whole keeping season. Damping off is 

 generally a greater enemy now than 

 in the following months. Look care- 

 fully over the bunches at least three 

 times weekly, and remove every berry 

 that shows the least signs of decay, for 

 one mouldy berry destroys many more. 

 Hamburgs especially require this care. 

 Make fii'es sufficient to warm the pipes 

 slightly on the morning of fine days, 

 giving air at the same time, so as to 

 expel the damp. The practice of 

 making fires only in damp days is jjro- 

 ductive of more evil than good. It 

 just causes the moisture to condense 

 on the cold surface of the berries, 

 instead of, as on fine days, sending it 

 out of the house. When frost occurs, 

 keep the temperature about 45°. There 

 should not be a plant requiring water in 

 vineries where fruit is hanging in win- 

 ter, although this is advice easier given 

 than practised in those days of num- 

 berless plants. Prune all Vines that 

 have cast their leaves, remove all the 

 loose bark and dress them, and other- 

 wise clean the vineries as directed last 

 month. Presuming that the early 

 vinery has been primed and otherwise 

 prepared for starting this month as 

 directed in former Calendars, a 

 quantity of leaves mixed with a little 

 stable - litter should now be formed 

 into a bed or ridge in the centre of the 

 house. This will soon ferment and 

 heat, and a portion of it should be 

 turned over every day so as to create 

 a little steam or moisture. This body 

 of warm material will, in ordinary 

 weather, keep the temperature suffi- 

 ciently high, with little or no fire- 



beat. Where this can be practised, it 

 is by far the surest way of getting 

 Vines to break regularly and strongly 

 at this season ; and if the roots are m- 

 side, they also derive some warmth from 

 the bed. The outside border should 

 bo thorougldy covered up with 2 feet 

 of leaves and litter, and either thatched 

 or covered with shutters to throw ofif 

 the rains. Sling down the Vines 

 from the rafters, so that the top part 

 of them be brought into the same 

 temperature as the lower parts, 

 which will assist in getting them 

 to start more regularly over their 

 whole length. Syringe them gently 

 twice a -day with tepid water. Pot- 

 Vines started last month may still be 

 kept at 55° at night until they break, 

 when they will require 5° more heat. 

 In their case make the most of every 

 ray of sunshine that occurs, as in all 

 forcing the less artificial heat used to 

 keep up a given temperature the better. 

 Examine the outlet or main drains 

 from all Vine -borders, and see that 

 they are acting properly. In wet dis- 

 tricts it is an excellent plan to cover 

 the whole of the outside borders with 

 wooden shutters, or some material that 

 will effectually protect the border and 

 roots from rains. We believe that in 

 the course of a few years corrugated 

 iron, the same as is used for roofing, 

 would prove the cheapest material that 

 could be used. See that all heating 

 apparatus is in tight repair and acting 

 properly before severe weather sets in. 



Peaches. — Lose no time in getting 

 those that are intended to be started 

 next month pruned and tied. If there 

 has been any red-spider about them 

 last season, dress them as directed 

 for Vines last month. Remove the 

 surface-soil from the border, top-dress 

 with rotten manure, and cover over 

 with an inch or tw'o of soil ; and if the 

 border is dry, give a good soaking of 

 water, and towards the end of the 

 month shut up the house, and keep the 

 temperature from falling below 40°. 

 Treat the outside as directed for Vines. 



Cucumbers. — We have now long 

 damp nights and dull sunless days, con- 

 ditions very trying to Cucumbers. The 

 temperature should range from 65° at 

 night to 70° by day, with a few degrees 

 more when the sun shines. Water 

 and moisture in the air must be more 

 sparingly applied : give a little air on 

 all favourable occasions. Do not allow 

 the plants to bear more fruit than are 



