490 



joubnaij op horticoijTURb and cottage qardenbb. 



[ Jane 28, 1877. 



take them throagh the mesbc? : indeed they will sometimes fly 

 Bgiinst the netting, and bo foiceit against the wall, and thas 

 reach the fruit. We shall attend to the Pear and Flam trees as 

 soon as we possibly an. Those that are horizontally trained 

 will not reciuire much attention except to cut out the young 

 wood, leaving only two or three eyes at the base. 



Frait trees in the open garden may be said to be a failare. 

 "We did fancy that as the Apple blossoms were not open when 

 the frost came they would not suffer much from its effects, bat 

 in this we have been disappointed. Soma of the shy-setting 

 Borts are almost without fruit; on none of them is there a full 

 crop, and a larger proportion than usuil seems inclined to drop 

 off. A few of those which have mopt fruit on them are Kentish 

 Codlin, Cellini, Hawthornden, Cox's Orange Pippin, Court Pendu 

 Plat, and Cockle's Pippin. These are usually free-setting varie- 

 ties. Plums and Pears are worse than last year. The Plam 

 crop especially may be said to be a complete failure : even Vic- 

 toria and the Ballaos are bare of fruit. The Strawberry crop 

 promises to be an unusually good one, and the earliest sorts are 

 now coming in. A thorough good watering will have a magical 

 effect upon the fruit. As soon as the water has been applied 

 a mulching of manure prevents evaporation. It is necessary to 

 net the beds entirely to save the crop from birds, for it is very 

 annoying to find the best fruit crushed with the beaks of thrashes 

 and other birds, which not unfrequently destroy more than they 

 carry away. 



PINE HOUSES. 



The nights have been so warm that we have done without arti- 

 ficial heat in these structures for some time. The thermometer 

 seldom falls below 63^ at night, even if a little ventilation is 

 left on at the highest part of the house. There are now plenty 

 of Queens ripening in the small house started about the first 

 week in the year, and seldom have we had them of such good 

 quality. The atmosphere is kept rather dry, and for some time 

 the temperature from sun heat has ranged about 85° or 90°. 

 The fruit keeps good two or three weeks after it is ripe, even 

 during hot weather — a sure sign of good quality. Queens do 

 not seem to receive any injury even if they are allowed to ripen 

 fully exposed to an almost tropical sun, but Charlotte Rothschild 

 and Smooth-leaved Cayenne suffer if tbe fruit is caught by a 

 fierce glare of sunshine : the symptDms are discoloration of the 

 i'ruit, and decay sets in as soon as it is ripe. The Queens for 

 fruiting next year in June have now been potted into their 

 fruiting pots. Ten and 11-inch pots are sufficiently large for 

 Queens ; 12 and 13-inch for those of more vigorous growth except 

 Jamaica and Montserrat, which may have the same sized pots 

 as Queens. It is necessary to press as much rich turfy loam as 

 possible into the pots, as the plants like firm potting, and it is 

 surprising to the uninitiated to see how much material can be 

 pressed into an 11-inch pot. After potting a bottom heat of 95° 

 or even 100° will be desirable to start the roots into active 

 growth. 



PEACH HOUSE. 



Just a word as to the treatment when the frait has been cleared 

 from the trees. The house must not be neglected even now. 

 In previous numbers the importance of clearing the trees from 

 insect pests was urged. Even if the trees are free from aphis 

 it is very unlikely that red spider is not present, and this pest 

 alone will soon cause the leaves to fall to the ground. It can be 

 cleared off by syringing with the gard>)n engine and applying 

 the water with considerable force. It is not easy to eradicate 

 aphis in this way, but two fumigations with tobacco smoke when 

 the leaves are dry will effect their destruction. The borders 

 must also have a good watering to plump up the buds for next 

 season's crop. If all gross leaf-growths have not been cut out 

 this ought to be done without delay. It is a great mistake to 

 allow them to remain. Very weak growths where they are 

 wanted to fill up a space ought not to be stopped, else they will 

 not have auy leaf buds. The only leaf bad usual on weakly 

 growths is that at the end. 



Late houses where the fruit is stoned may be closed early in 

 the afternoon, syringing the trees with water about the same 

 temperature as the house. A high temperature and moist atmo- 

 sphere suits the Peach when the fruit is swelling off. 



The new early Peaches, beginning with Rivers' Eirly Beatrice 

 and other sorts, such as Halo's Eirlyaud Early York for suc- 

 cession, are a boon to Peach forcers ; but there is also this dis- 

 advantage, that there is so long a period between the ripening 

 of the early and latest sorts, such as Walburton Admirable, that 

 justice cannot be done to both at the same time. The ripening 

 fruit requires a moderately dry atmosphere, and that just com- 

 mencing to swell ought to have it moist with a higher night 

 temperature. We do not reo )mraend planting later sorts than 

 Grosse Mignonne with the earliest sorts. 



GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. 



Now that there are plenty of flowers in the beds and borders 

 ont of doors we are not quite so anxious to have an abundant 

 display in the greenhouse. Of course there are plenty of places 

 where it is expected that a good display should be kept up all 

 the year loaud; bat, aa we have frequently hinted, this cannot 



be done unless there are a proportionate number of smaller glass 

 structures wherein to grow-on the plants, both hard and soft- 

 wooded, when they are not in flower. We have been engaged 

 picking off the withered flowers from Azaleas, Pimeleas, and 

 other hardwooded plants that have done flowering, and also 

 stopping the growths of some of them for the last time. We 

 have urged the importance of stopping the vigorous growths of 

 fruit trees ; it is equally or perhaps more important to do so in 

 regard to hardwooded plants. To form good specimens constant 

 attention mast be given to tying the growths into the be».t posi- 

 tion, and also tj stopping them, so that the specimen may be 

 equally balanced throughout. You most not stop the growths of 

 fruit trees after July, and we would not stop the growths of any 

 flowering hardwooded plant after that month. Some specimens 

 are also much liable to the attacks of red spider, and this must 

 be carefully watched for, and the plants that are infested must 

 be laid on their sides and be thoroughly syringed with soapy 

 water. This must be allowed to drain oS, and then the plants 

 in two or three hours should be syringed with clear rain water. 

 Syringing with clear rain water daily will prevent red spider 

 from doing auy injury. Many plants are subject to mildew, and 

 this parasite does great damage if it is not destroyed in good 

 time. Many species of Cape Heaths are extremely susceptible 

 to its attacks, and we generally know which of them are likely 

 to be attacked, and are on the outlook for it. A dusting with 

 dry flowers of sulphur destroys it in its early stages, and the 

 plant does not suffer. We are not over-particular as to times 

 and seasons for potting, but generally perform the operation 

 when the plants need it; and if it is carefully done and the 

 plants are subjected to a proper course of treatment afterwards 

 they do not suffer any check. Pelargoniums are in full flower, 

 and as the trusses fade they are removed, as nothing is more 

 unsightly than decayed leaves or flowers on plants in a green- 

 house or conservatory. 



In a shady corner of the house are Filmy Ferns and terrestrial 

 Orchids. The Ferns require to be further protected by a glass 

 enclosure, so that a very moist and rather close atmosphere may 

 be provided for them. We have tried the American Pitcher- 

 plants in the space with the Todeas, Hymenophyllums, &c., but 

 find it rather too close, and the open stage suitable for the 

 Orchids is rather too dry. Cypripedium speotabile is one of 

 the most lovely of the species, and should be in every collection 

 of plants, as it is so easily grown. Orchis foliosa requires the 

 same treatment, and as a background to them some of the 

 Gleichenias grow most vigorously and form handsome speci- 

 mens with a temperature even in winter just a little above the 

 ordinary greenhouse, and they require to be syringed twice 

 daily. 



FLORIST FLOWERS. 



The hot weather has brought on the Finks, Carnations, and 

 Ficotees at a very rapid rate. The Pinks are now fully in bloom, 

 and are finer than we have ever had them. The lacing on some 

 of the best sorts is perfect, and such varieties as Dr. Masters, 

 Shirley Hibberd, and others of that type have flowt-rs quite as 

 large as the bestgrown Carnations and Picotees. Letters from the 

 north state that the Raunncnlus is in fine bloom, and those who 

 wish to retain it as long as possible will shade with light canvas. 

 The Tulip bloom is now over, even as far north as Kirkby 

 Malzeard. See that the beds do not become overrun with 

 weeds, and when the leaves wither the roots must be lifted and 

 storeil in the usual way. A box of blooms has arrived from 

 the Rev. F. D. Horner containing some charming new breaks, 

 especially in bybloemens and roses. The ground colour is pure 

 and transparent like the finest porcelain, and free from spot or 

 bar, and the petals are beautifully feathered. — J. Douglas. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 

 ',* All correspondence should be directed either to "The 

 Editors," or to " The Pablisher." Letters addressed to 

 Mr. Johnson or Dr. Hogg often remain unopened unavoid- 

 ably. We request that no one will write privately to any 

 of our correspondents, as doing so subjects them to un- 

 jastifiable trouble and expense. 



Books (Pur;).— " The Fera Manual" and "Indoor Gardening." They are 

 published at our office. 



Turnips Running to Seed (H. F. C). — Daily copious watermg is the 

 moat effectual preventive. 



Nitrate of Soda (Wr^t. C. W.). — It would benefit the lawn. Apply it 

 now, and in the quantity we Bpecified. 



Rose Show tJ. Browat't — We can give no more infurmatiou than th»t we 

 have already pnblishol. Write to the Rev. H. Honeywood Dombrain, West- 

 well Vicarage, Ashford, Kent. 



PaoPAOATiNO TitiuoLoR Pkt.argoniuhs (A. S. C). — We would plant 

 them uat in rich li,<ht ,»oil. and tike the cuttings bs soon as thpy are largo 

 eaoQgh. Lift tbe plants in September and grow them on during winter in 

 Ilea*, and a great number of cnttioga will be produced, which jou might 

 strike and have r^-Mdy for planting by beiding-out time. 



Roses IN THE House {C. C).— We fancy, notwithstanding all tbe care 

 you have bestowed upon yooi plants, that the want of light and probably all 



