1^73.] 



CALENDAR. 



529 



ders protected from drenching rains, 

 A good plan in the case of those 

 not to be started till February is to 

 cover the border with a thin layer 

 of leaves, and then cover with 

 wooden shutters or tarpauliug. 

 Prune all Vines from which the 

 leaves have fallen and the fruit 

 is cut, and clean and dress them, 

 and otherwise prepare the Vineries 

 for starting as advised last month. 

 Introduce a bed of fermenting leaves 

 and litter into the inside of Vineries 

 to be started by the end of the month, 

 and when it begins to heat turn a 

 portion of it daily : the heat so gen- 

 erated keeps up the temperature for 

 a time, at first without much fir- 

 ing, and the steam so created is 

 favourable to the swelling buds. It 

 will be well also to cover the outside 

 border with a sufficient depth of 

 leaves and stable-litter, which, if it 

 does not put much heat into the 

 border, will at any rate prevent 

 radiation. Start the Vines with a 

 temperature of 55°, and sling the 

 tops of the Vines down to the same 

 level or below that of the top of the 

 front lights, thus bringing the tops 

 of the Vines into the same tempera- 

 ture as their lower parts, otherwise 

 the Vines will be apt to break at the 

 top before the bottom buds push, and 

 the latter will in consequence be 

 .weaker. Do not increase the tem- 

 perature in the case of pot-Vines that 

 have been put into heat last month. 

 Take every advantage of any sun- 

 shine that may occur, and shut up 

 the house under its influence, and so 

 lessen the amount of fire-heat. When- 

 ever the Vines burst their buds, 

 which they will produce two at an 

 eye, cut off the weakest as soon as 

 it can be done. See that all boilers 

 and pipes are in proper working order 

 in succession Vineries before they are 

 required. 



Peaches. — If there are any leaves 

 hanging about trees in late houses, 

 give them a brush occasionally with a 

 hair broom and bring them off. When 

 forcing is to be commenced by the 

 beginning of December, the trees 

 should be pruned ; all the glass, wood, 

 and wirework, either well-scrubbed 

 ■^ith soap - and - water or painted. 

 Dress the trees with the usual coating 

 of sulphur, soot, and clay, especially 

 if there has been any spider about 



them last season. Fork up any inert 

 soil from the surface of the border, 

 and replace it with fresh loam and 

 some half -inch bones ; and in the case 

 of trees that are established and bear- 

 ing heavily, add some horse-droppings. 

 If the inside border is dry, give it a 

 good soaking of tepid water towards 

 the end of the month, and protect the 

 outside border, as in the case of early 

 Vines. If the house is started the 

 end of this month, 40° to 45° will be 

 heat enough to begin with. 



Figs. — If any of the very late sorts 

 are yet to ripen, let the atmosphere 

 be dry, and the temperature 60° to 

 Qo°. Prune, dress, and tie the trees in 

 early houses, and keep them cool and 

 moderately dry at the root. Pot- 

 plants may be stored in any shed or 

 orchard-house, where severe frost can- 

 not reach them. Trees that have 

 their roots circumscribed to a small 

 space, should have the surface soil 

 removed, and a top-dressing of half 

 loam, half well-decayed manure. 



Cucumbers. — Proceed to force cau- 

 tiously, now that the days are short 

 and sunless ; from 65° to 70°, accord- 

 ing to the weather, will be a high 

 enough night-temperature, allowing 5° 

 more by day. Keep the glass clean, to 

 admit as much light as possible. The 

 water at the root, and in the air, must 

 be decreased in proportion to light and 

 heat. Put on a little air every day. 

 Do not allow the plants to bear many 

 Cucumbers at a time, or it will cripple 

 their energies. Continue to stop young 

 growths at every joint, and remove 

 deformed fruit at once. Green-fly 

 frequently makes an attack at this 

 season, and it must be destroyed by 

 two or three weak fmnigations, instead 

 of one stronger one. Mildew some- 

 times shows itself at this time also ; 

 dusting with flower of sulj)hur is the 

 best remedy for it. 



Strawberries in Pots. — Protect 

 these from heavy rains ; an orchard- 

 house or Peach-house, where they will 

 not be exposed to severe frosts, or cold 

 frames, are good places for wintering 

 them ; but where such quarters can- 

 not be afforded them, stack them by 

 laying them on their sides, packing 

 about the pots with sawdust or 

 ashes in the form of a Potato -pit — 

 the crowns outwards of course. In 

 this way they can be protected when 

 necessary with straw or mats. 



