January 6, 1870. J 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



subject to mildew; besides, somehow, they have not ripeDed 

 well of late years, although fifteen or twenty years ago I used 

 to see some fine bunches. They may do well under skilful 

 hands now, but not for the cottager, with, I may say, one ex- 

 ception, for I saw at Torquay, some three or four years since, 

 very fair black Grapes grown on the limestone rock, and they 

 looked remarkably beautiful. Aspect seems the greatest point to 

 regard in the simple culture of the Vine — a south or south-east 

 exposure is indispensable It matters not what style of train- 

 ing is followed, the motto should be, Plenty of room, not less 

 than a foot from shoot to shoot, and plenty of young wood ; 

 and if fine berries are required, thin them out to one-half their 

 number, not all on one tide of the bunch and none on the 

 other, but systematically, by taking out one here and there. If 

 mildew make its appearance, nothing is better than flowers of 

 sulphur and soot blown from a tube over the leaves. 



This brings me to the third of my suggestions, and that is to 

 ask all piovincial horticultural societies to offer prizes for open- 

 air Grapes, and care should be taken that the offer of prizes 

 be brought under the immediate notice of the cottager, as very 

 likely in some sheltered, out-of-the-way place there will be 

 Grapes in perfection. It would be valuable information if 

 some of your readers in different parts ef the kingdom would 

 state their opinions as to the drawbacks in open-air Grape- 

 growing. I have heard of good Grapes being grown in Mon- 

 mouthshire ; I have not seen any here — Carmarthenshire. — 

 J. T., Maagwytme, South Wales. 



FORCING PLANTS.— No. 7. 



Iris reticulata, a hardy herbaceous perennial, has fiue 

 flowers of a bright bluish purple blotched with yellow or orange, 

 the stems rising in tufts from 15 to 9 inches high. It is one of 

 the most beautiful of the Iris tribe, and blooms very early out 

 of doors, often amid the snow. It is one of the best'plants for 

 forcing, and of a colour much wanted. 



Good plants may be grown in 6 inch pots, and fine masses 

 by taking up two or three good plants in autumn and placing 

 them in a pan so as to form a mass. It is not necessary to grow 

 the plants in pots preparatory to forcing, though it is as well to 

 do so, as they are then not liable to any loss of roots, and 

 there is always an advantage in having the plants established, 

 for they are then provided with materials for a good start when 

 placed io. heat ; whilst those which are potted, unless removed 

 with balls, have to make many roots after the plants are started 

 into growth, and the flowers are sometimes poor in conse- 

 quence. 1, therefore, advise that good plants should be taken 

 up in spring before flowering, and placed in pots of sufficient 

 size, draining the pots well, and using a compost of light turfy 

 loam, and a third of old cow dung or well-rotted manure. The 

 pots should be plunged level with the rim in coal ashes in an 

 open situation, and an abundance of water ought to be given 

 throughout the summer, with occasional sprinklings overhead 

 in dry weather, keeping down weed?, and nipping off any 

 flower-stems. The pots should be lifted occasionally to keep 

 the roots from penetrating the plunging material. In autumn 

 all the plants will require is to have the tops trimmed, and a 

 surfacing of light rich soil. 



If plants are not established in pots, the best are taken up 

 from the open ground, and placed in pots sufficiently large 

 to hold the roots and a little soil, bnt not much, for half the 

 beauty of forced plants consists in having them in pots small 

 as compared to the size of the plants. In November they may 

 be placed in a cold frame, and should be kept rather dry until 

 taken into the forcing house, which they may be in December, 

 and at fortnightly or more distant intervals, up to March, the 

 natural season of bloom. Very gentle forcing only is required ; 

 they will bloom well in a light airy position in a house with a 

 night temperature of 40° to begin with, and in three weeks or 

 80 increased to 45°, and not exceeding 50'. The plants will 

 produce a succession of flowers for some time. After flowering 

 they may be hardened off, and planted out in the borders. 



Pinks. — These are not, perhaps, forced so much as they were 

 a few years ago, but they are nevertheless very desirable at an 

 early season, on account of their furnishing sweet-scented 

 flowers for cutting, and are, besides, very decorative. Good 

 plants may be had in November from pipings struck early in 

 June, and afterwards planted ont in beds of rich loamy soil, 

 well watered during the summer, and taken np and potted in 

 September, placing them in a frame with a brick under each 

 corner, and having the lights drawn on only during frosty 



weather and heavy rains. The best plants only should be se- 

 lected, and being so young 4J-inchpots will be sufficiently 

 large for the majcrity, but any large plants may have a larger 

 size ; C-inch pots are quite large enough for any extra-sized 

 plants. 



To have large plants, the pipiogs struck in summer mnst be 

 planted-out in beds in September, at from 9 to 12 inehes apart 

 every way, the ground being well and deeply dug, and enriched 

 with old cow dung, leaf soil, or well-rotted manure, but this ad- 

 dition of manure should be given at an early period, Hbat by 

 frequent turnings it may become well mixed with the soil. 

 They should be watered in dry weather during the following 

 summer, and the flower-stems must be cut off as they appear. 

 Thus, flowering will be prevented, and growth will be com- 

 pleted early. Early in September the plants should be potted 

 in (') or 8-inch pots according to their size, draining the pots 

 well, as copious waterings will be required. A compost of turfy 

 loam without admixture is sufficiently rich, but if the loam be 

 heavy, sand should be freely added. After potting, a gentle 

 watering should be given, and the pots set on ashes, and if 

 covered with a frame and lights all the better, as they can then 

 be shielded from heavy rains and frost, at which times only 

 the lights should be drawn on, and even then air should be ad- 

 mitted, particularly when it is necessary to draw on the lights 

 to ward off heavy continuous rains. 



In November the forcing may begin. The plants must have 

 a position near the glass, and free admission of air daily 

 in mild weather. The distance from the glass ought not to 

 exceed 18 inches. Water should be given ratter sparingly at 

 first, but when the plants are growing freely the watering 

 should be more copious, and at all times the soil should be 

 moist. After the flower-stems appear weak liquid manure may 

 be given at every alternate watering. For the first fortnight 

 the temperature at night may range from 40° to 45°, within the 

 next ten days or a fortnight it may be increased to 50°, and a 

 temperature between 50* and 55°, which latter ought not to be 

 exceeded, will bring them into flower in about six weeks from 

 their introduction into the forcing house. Other plants should 

 be introduced at intervals according to the requirements of the 

 establishment for flowering plants. No plants need be intro- 

 duced after March. If the winter prove severe the plantB in 

 the frame ought to have their pots protected by placing dry 

 hay or litter around them, and a covering of mats or other 

 material over the lights. 



After flowering the plants are usually thrown away, and this 

 course I advise ; for they are of no further use for forcing, and 

 younger plants are better for out-door planting. 



Paddington, Albemarle, and Pheasant's Eye, are among the 

 best of the old varieties for forcing, aDd Anne Boleyn is good 

 for succession. Latterly we have had some excellent addi- 

 tions to the forcing varieties : — Rubens (Turner), of dwarf 

 habit, and very free-blooming; deep pink with a crimson 

 centre. It cannot be too much grown, whether for forcing or 

 in borders, as its blooms are the finest of all for cut flowers. 

 Lord Lyon (Clarke), lilac rose, centre of the flowers and base 

 of the petals marked with rrsy crimson. The flowers are very 

 fragrant. Napoleon III. (Henderson), crimson scarlet, habit 

 good, free-blooming, and fragrant. Most Welcome (Henderson), 

 white ground, crimson centre, the middle of each petal laced 

 or margined with red. The flowers are very fragrant. It is a per- 

 petual kind like the Tree Carnations. Optima (Wallace), dark 

 purple, a very bold flower, with smooth petals of good sub- 

 stance, and free perpetual blooming, and robust habit. Add to 

 these Anne Boleyn, and we have half a dozen of the best sorts 

 for forcing, Rubens aud Lord Lyon being the best for early 

 forcing, and the others keep up a succession. 



Carnations — These are but seldom forced, but they may be 

 forced as easily as Pinks, and though it is usual to grow them 

 in pairs for forcing, they should be potted singly. Cloves are 

 the best forcing kinds. 



The layers should be potted singly in ii -inch pots in Sep- 

 tember, and should be set in an open sheltered situation, and 

 covered with a frame, with its corners resting on bricks, so 

 that the plants will have an abundance of air when the lights are 

 shut np to protect them from heavy rains. At all other times, 

 except during frost, the lights should be drawn off. In severe 

 weather mats should be thrown over the glass, and the bricks 

 removed; these need not be replaced until March, but the 

 plants must have air in mild weather, even when rainy, by 

 tilting the lights. Water, but only when the soil is dry, and 

 carefully avoid spotting the foliage by watering overhead, or 

 in consequence of letting it be wetted by rain. In winter water 



