^873.] 



CALENDAR. 



33; 



allowing it to fall to 70° by morning. 

 Winter-fruiting sorts, such as C. Roths- 

 child, Cayennes, and Jamaicas, that 

 liave been rested for the last month by 

 being kept cooler and drier, should 

 now be started by giving them an in- 

 crease of heat and moisture. These 

 will succeed those that started early 

 last month for autumn supply. All 

 that have bloomed off should be sy- 

 ringed overhead three or four times 

 weekly, avoiding wetting the crowns 

 if possible. These, and other fruit that 

 have not begun to colour, will now take 

 a good supply of manure-water. We 

 prefer guano to any other manure for 

 Pines, and to water with a weak solu- 

 tion every time the plants require 

 water, instead of giving stronger doses 

 occasionally. The early Queens will 

 now be all, or nearly all, cut. Encour- 

 age the suckers on these by giving the 

 plants a good watering, and allow them 

 to grow on the plants till they attain 

 size sufficient for 7 and 8 inch pots. 

 But be sure and give them plenty of 

 air along with the increased moisture, 

 or they will be soft and watery. See 

 that any of the young stock requir- 

 ing a shift are attended to before they 

 become pot-bound ; and always pot 

 w^hen the soil is in a medium state 

 of moisture, and pack the fresh soil 

 firmly round the ball. Any fruit nut 

 yet ripe, and that are required as soon 

 as possible, may be forced on with a high 

 temperature when it can be derived 

 from sun-heat. The thermometer may 

 be run up to from Oo" to 100" for a time 

 after they are shut up, with a corre- 

 sponding amount of atmospheric moist- 

 ure, at the same time airing freely by 

 day, or large unsightly crowns will be 

 the result. See former Caleudars re- 

 garding fruit that are ripening and ripe. 

 Grapes.— In all vineries where the 

 Grapes are not yet colouring, keep up 

 a good supply of moisture in bright 

 weather by frequent sprinklings of 

 the paths and borders. Shut up as 

 soon in the afternoon as the danger 

 from an overheat is past, giving a 

 corresponding amount of moisture 

 while the heat is high, but putting on 

 a little air for the night at 8 p. m. This 

 treatment is only advisable when the 

 weather is clear and bright, and a 

 maximum of air-giving is necessary by 

 day. On the other hand, when dull, 

 sunless weather prevails, be content 

 with less moisture, as with less heat it 

 is an evil. The temperature should 



not be allowed to sink below 75° at 

 night now, and for this end lires may 

 yet be necessary in colder weather in 

 some localities. See that all Grapes 

 swelling off that have their roots in 

 inside or elevated borders are not 

 allowed to suffer for want of water in 

 seasons of drought. Give them a thor- 

 ough soaking of manure-water, and 

 then mulch with half-decayed manure 

 or leaves ; and if dry weather prevails, 

 examine the border thoroughly in 14 

 daj^s after, and if dry, and inclined to 

 crack, give another watering. Of 

 course this should be discontinued 

 when the Grapes are ripe, adding 

 slightly to the mulching the last 

 watering. Vines in similar borders 

 should not be neglected after the fruit 

 is all cut. Many Vines are semi- 

 starved in dry seasons after the fruit 

 is cut. Keep the border moderately 

 moist, so as to keep the foliage healthy 

 till rain comes. Keep ripe Grapes 

 cool and airy, and examine the foliage ; 

 and if any red-spider exists, get rid 

 of it at once. Dryness at the root 

 and red-spider generally go hand in 

 hand, and are both very injurious to 

 Vines, inasmuch as under their influ- 

 ence the foliage gets destroyed, falling 

 off prematurely ; and the result is 

 seriously exhibited the following year. 

 Examine Grapes intended to hang 

 through the winter, and that have 

 been thinned a short time ago, and if 

 they appear too thick of berries, re- 

 move them at once. Bunches that get 

 I what is called jammed when fully 

 I swollen never can be kept successfully. 

 To keep Grapes well over winter they 

 ] should be thin enough to allow every 

 1 berry to be exposed to the air. Young 

 i V^ines planted this season should be en- 

 couraged to make as much foliage as 

 there is room without crowding, un- 

 less it be supernimierary Vines planted 

 with the view of giving a crop next 

 year, which should not be allowed to 

 make more than one or two lateral 

 leaves, and the main stem should be 

 stopped about 2 feet be3^ond the 

 length to which it is to be fruited this 

 season. We have planted a quantity 

 of the later class this season, struck 

 from eyes in spring, to be fruited ia 

 1874, placing two in the centre of 

 each 6-feet light, one of which is al- 

 lowed to run to the top of the house 

 before it is stopped ; the other is stop- 

 ped when little over half-way up the 

 roof. The former will crop the top. 



