I873-] 



CALENDAR. 



45 



as a close warm atmospliere would soon 

 ruin the crop. If the tubers are sprung 

 a little before planting they will be all 

 the better. Keep up regular supplies 

 of French Beans by sowing a few every 

 fortnight or ofteuer. Mushroom-beds 

 are better when made up frequently. 

 Asparagus, Seakale, Rhubarb, and 

 Chicory may also be taken in frequent- 

 ly in smaller quantities when regular 



supplies are wanted. Look well after 

 slugs and other depredators among 

 early vegetables. Seed orders will now 

 be under consideration. We would 

 say to the inexi^erieuced, do not be led 

 away by great "bargains," which are 

 realised in print only. Get seeds from 

 men of known respectability, and econo- 

 I my is secure. M. T. 



POECING DEPARTMENT. 



Pines. — If ripe Pines are required 

 in May and June, it wiU now be neces- 

 sary to set agoing the required num- 

 ber of the earliest Queens that matured 

 their growth early in autumn, and that 

 have been rested by being kept dry 

 and cool for some time past. Select 

 those that have thick collars, and that 

 have short, sharp - pointed leaves 

 compactly set in their centres, and 

 plunge them in a light place in a bot- 

 tom-heat of 85° to 90°. In mdd wea- 

 ther the atmospheric heat may range 

 to 70" ; but when cold, 65'' is high 

 enough, for this month at least. When 

 the temperature exceeds 75° with sun 

 by day give a little air. As each row 

 is plunged, remove all soil in which 

 there are no roots from the surface of 

 the pots, and replace it with a firm 

 layer of turfy loam and horse-droppings 

 in equal proportions ; and as the soil 

 will be dry, give them a full watering 

 with water coloured with guano, at a 

 temperature of 85°. After this give no 

 more water at the root than is just 

 necessary to keep them from becoming 

 very dry ; for if the plants have any 

 tendency to grow without showing 

 fruit, much water will in crease it. Keep 

 succession fruiting-i)lants quiet for 

 another month at least ; 55° to 60° at 

 night, with a bottom-heat of 75°, is 

 sufficient for these at present. All low 

 pits that can be covered from dusk till 

 dawn should be covered with mats or 

 f rigidomo when the weather is cold and 

 windy. Whenever the day tempera- 

 ture exceeds 65°, give all suckers a little 

 air for a few hours daily. Some of the 

 earliest-potted suckers of last season 

 may require shifting early in February 

 before they become pot-bound. The 

 necessary number of pots for shifting 

 them shoidd be washed, if not new, 

 and soil should be put into some place 

 to warm by the end of this month. 

 Ten or eleven inch pots are sufficiently 

 large for early Queens. Fruit that are 



swelling off require careful attention 

 at this dull season. Avoid an over- 

 moist atmosphere, or the crowns will 

 grow to an unsightly size : at the same 

 time, sufficient moisture must be 

 given to prevent a parching air. Keej) 

 them steadily moist at the root. The 

 night temperature, in mild weather, 

 may rise to 70° ; a few degrees less 

 when hard tiring is required. 



Vines. — The past season was a very 

 unfavourable one for late Grapes. They 

 were ripened with little sunshine and 

 too much moisture in outside borders, 

 and are on that account destitute of 

 fleshiness and sugar, and have not 

 kept very well. Look over every 

 bunch three times weekly, and re- 

 move every trace of damped or mil- 

 dewed berries. Keep the temperature 

 steadily ranging from 40° to 45° at 

 night, accordmg to the weather. Keep 

 the ventilators shut when it is wet or 

 foggy, and on line days increase the fire- 

 heat and ventilate freely, so that the 

 warm air may carry off the moisture. 

 Where only a few Grapes are now left, 

 it is a good plan to cut them, with a 

 portion of the stem attached, and put 

 them in bottles of water in which a 

 few pieces of charcoal have been droj)- 

 ped, and put them in a cool dry fruit- 

 room where there is a steady temjiera- 

 ture of 40°. In this way Grapes keep 

 well, and the vinery can be used for 

 other purposes, and the Vines pruned. 

 All Vines from which the Grapes have 

 been cut should be pruned at once. 

 After pruning, if they have been in- 

 fested with red-spider last season, re- 

 move every portion of loose bark, but 

 avoid scraping them to the "quick," 

 and wash them well with Fowler's In- 

 secticide, using a hard brush, and 

 afterwards dress them over with usual 

 dressing of suli)hur, soft-soap, and to- 

 bacco-water, reduced to tbe consistency 

 of paint, with clay and cow-dung. AVe 

 do not recommend this scraping and 



