March 8, 1877. ) 



JOURNAL OF HOBTICULTDBE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



WEEKLY CALENDAR. 



PEACH FOBCING.— No. 7. 



' S the period of the year has arrived when 

 forcitig operations are in progress tbis Bub- 

 ject may be seasonably resumeil. I will 

 discuss it under four cardinal heads — mois- 

 ture, ventilation, disbudding, and pruuiug. 



MolSTUEE. — From the closing of the house 

 to the flowers expanding the trees are to be 

 sprinkled in the morning and afternoon, 

 except when the weather is very wet and 

 foggy, it being better in such weather to 

 damp the floor and every available surface other than the 

 trees, which affords sufficient moisture and is infinitely 

 better than keeping the trees dripping with water. The 

 evaporation troughs ought also to be filled with water, 

 and should never be empty from that day forward to 

 artificial heat being discontinued. My evaporating troughs 

 are equal to about half of the extent of the heated surfaces 

 of the pipes. 



After the first blossoms expand syringing so far as the 

 trees are concerned is, until the fruit is set and swelling, 

 discontinued ; but the whole available surfaces of the 

 house are sprinkled with water in the morning and after- 

 noon, which with the moisture constantly being eva- 

 porated from the troughs secures all that is needful for 

 tbe maintenance of the blossom, for if the atmosphere be 

 very dry, no moitture atforded by sprinkling or from 

 troughs, it is certain that the Ijest results will not follow. 

 " Ob, but a dry atmosphere is neceseaiy for Peach and 

 other blossoms at the time of setting," some may remark. 

 If by a dry atmosphere is meant such as we have in an 

 nnheated bouse, or one only heated so as to exclude frost 

 or during bright fair weather when the trees outdoors are 

 in blossom, I agree in the definition of a dry atmosphere ; 

 but the moisture in such houses (though no syringing bo 

 resorted to) and outdoors is fully equal to that of a house 

 sprinkled twice daily and with evaporating troughs con- 

 stantly giviug off moisture. We must take into considera- 

 tion tbe altered ciroumetances of trees started in Novem- 

 ber or December and dependant from first to last upon a 

 temperature maintained by artificial heat. Instead of 

 the moisture in the latter case being injurious I am cer- 

 tain it might, wlien there arc no evaporating troughs, 

 little piping requiring to be! highly heated, and bright 

 weather prevailing, be advantageous to the setting to 

 syringe the trees occasionally. It is moisture in a mea- 

 sure that supports the petals and feeds the stamens. It 

 ia dryness which contracts and moisture which expands 

 the pollen cases, causing their bursting and effecting fer- 

 tilisation. With a parched atmosphere the petals soon 

 drop, the anthers are lean, and a good syringing in such 

 cases is often beneficial. It is not now my practice to 

 syringe Peach trees whilst in blossom, for with the mois- 

 ture had from the troughs and tbe sprinklings, I have 

 in the brightest and most severe weather the moisture 

 required, and to syringe would be to convert the pollen 

 into paste, hindering instead of furthering its dispersion. 

 What Peaches need at setting is a congenial atmosphere, 



Ho. 882.- Vol. XXXII., Nsw SKaiss. 



moist but not stagnant. If anything a parching dryness 

 is likely to be more injurious than a moist atmosphere or 

 syringing ; but the main thing is to keep the atmosphere 

 whilst the setting is taking place from being close — stag- 

 nated. That moisture is not inimical to the setting hatu- 

 rally of any of the order BoBacese may be inferred from so 

 many having their parts exposed directly upwards as if to 

 receive descending moisture — rain or dew. At the same 

 time we cannot but admit water driven against the under 

 surfaces of the leaves to be diametrically opposed to 

 nature. It is not, therefore, so foreign to nature to sy- 

 ringe a Peach when it is in blossom as to force water 

 twice every day against the under side of its leaves after 

 the fruit is swelling. It is done, of course, to prevent red 

 spider obtaining a footing — a hold that it will not let go 

 until driven by a force it cannot resist. 



After the blossoms are set I am not in a hurry to resort 

 to syi'inging the trees, but wait until the fruit commences 

 swelling and has attained the size of a horse bean. The 

 house is nevertheless kept sprinkled with water twice 

 daily, the evaporating troughs never empty ; and I would 

 not even then resort to driving water against the under 

 side of the leaves bad not experience taught that it must 

 be done if the leaves are to be kept free from red spider. 

 The syringing twice daily is resorted to after the fruit ia 

 fairly swelling, and is continued daily until ripening com- 

 mences, and the house is then damped twice a-day, and 

 the evaporating troughs are not allowed to be dry so long 

 as artificial heat is applied. 



A good syringing is given the trees after the fruit 

 is gathered, and is continued every evening so as to 

 thoroughly subdue the red spider ; for upon continuing 

 the foliage in a healthy state until the wood is completely 

 ripe depends future crops. If there is no red spider there 

 is no need of the syringe. In respect of the temperature 

 of the water for syringing I have a preference for it of 

 the same temperature as that of the house, but am only 

 particular in this matter whilst the fruit is young, having 

 often given a thorough downpour over the trees as well 

 as against their under surfaces with water from a hose- 

 pipe as much as 20° below the temperature of the house 

 without experiencing any evil consequences. I do not, 

 however, recommend the water used for syringing to be 

 lower in temperature than that of the house. 



VENTn..vTioN. — When the first blossoms expand an 

 opening of about half to three-quarters of an inch is given 

 the whole length of the house at top constantly day and 

 night whatever the weather may be, and as tbe whole of 

 the front lights open and do not fit very closely, so that 

 even when they are closed air will pass in in proportion 

 to that escaping by the upper opening. This increase 

 of air is regulated by the temperature, as has been pre- 

 viously alluded to. I do not agree with raising the 

 temperature artificially for the mere purpose of admitting 

 air in large volumes — that, in my opinion, being tanta- 

 mount to "doing evil that good may come." All that ia 

 intended by ventilation is the prevention of a stagnant 

 atmosphere on the one hand, and preventing the tem- 

 perature rising too high on the other. 



No. 1484.— Vol. LVII., Old Seeie s. 



