Jano 4, 1868. ] 



JOUKNAL OF HOKTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENER. 



411 



However generally applicable tis remarks, and the having the 

 foliage dry in the evening before much artificial bent is given 

 we consider to be of first importjince, still that will not ex- 

 plain the mystery how these two lights iu the pit have been 

 similarly affected for some years in the case of Melons, and 

 nothing else, whilst the other three lights have generally 

 escaped. If there be any diiTerence in the artificial heat, that 

 heat must be lowest iu these two lights, as farthest removed 

 from the boiler. 



On a very sunny afternoon lately we noticed that the brick 

 end of the pit inside was rather whiter than we like in 

 summer, and we thought that the reflection of heat from the 

 whitish surface in the afternoon might have something to do 

 with this parching-up and scalding of the older leaves. A 

 brush and some soot water soon darkened the wall sufficiently 

 to make it an absorber rather than a reflector of sun heat, but in 

 the two following mornings the large leaves iu the plant nearest 

 the end were as bad, if not worse, than before. We have trained 

 strong vines from plants planted 5 or (1 feet from tlie end to 

 fill the space, and these as yet are untouched in this way in 

 their foliage. In this case the mystery is to us a mystery still, 

 though we hope to benefit, and many more will be likely to do 

 so, from Mr. Hall's very appropriate remarks as to dryness of 

 the foliage, especially in early forcing. 



The dung frames have tiioroughly beaten the pit this season 

 as to Melon-cutting, but, then, the pit was planted later, and, 

 besides, the rats made such havoc with the young fruit. These 

 rats found their way chiefly through the wall plate, and in addi- 

 tion to taking a ferret all through the beds every night, to leave 

 at least some scent behind him, we shut him up in one of the 

 worst haunts some nights. But as a hint to those with lots of 

 young game near at hand, we may mention that the ferret 

 scratched a way for himself up the wall, and made a hole 

 through the somewhat-soft wall plate, and was only found after 

 being at liberty a couple of days. There can be no question 

 that the trail of the ferret gives a notice to the rat that he had 

 better be out of the way. 



After one of the hottest days last week, with the thermometer 

 85° in the shade, a blight seized some of our fruit trees, at- 

 tended with hone;/ lieu-, and lots of insects, especially on the 

 Cherries. In this case the honeydew appeared before the fly, 

 green or black. Some insist that the fly is the cause of the 

 honeydew ; wo are inclined, on the other hand, to consider that 

 the fly is a consequence rather than a cause, and that it comes 

 to partake of the sweet food thrown out by a debilitated state 

 of the tree. The observation of the circumstances at the time 

 clearly showed that the trees were unable to meet the vast 

 amount of evaporation demanded from their perspiring surfaces 

 in such a high temperature, and that there was in consequence 

 a thickening of the juices of the plant, and the more sugary 

 part in a viscous state was forced through the foliage, which 

 for a time would arrest the very free perspiration. This in 

 cultivated trees would, if let alone, do this too much, and hence 

 the syringe and the sponge are used in extreme cases to remove 

 it. It appears less frequently under glass than in the open air, 

 as under glass plants are not exposed to such sudden extremes. 

 When the leaves are thoroughly varnished with honeydew they 

 are as incapable of performing their functions as if covered 

 with a coating of glue or isinglass. We did not do all that was 

 necessary in the way of syringing, &o., but will have more time 

 to lash those out of doors well before this meets the eye of the 

 reader. Clean soap water one evening, followed by clean water 

 the evening following, wUl generally make all right out of doors 

 if persevered with. 



In our orchard houses in these very hot days we prevented 

 extreme heat by just sprinkling the outside glass with water 

 coloured by whitening, and sprinkling with water the floor 

 inside. 



Vineries. — Thinned Grapes when cool in the second vinery, 

 and have most of the plants out of the first. In the late 

 vinery the weather has been everything for Yiues in bloom and 

 setting, and that with only a brisk fire heat in the few dull 

 days when we had rain. The sun has been powerful enough 

 to give a temperature from 75° to 85° during the day, and that, 

 with damp paths and floors slightly sprinkled, gave a nice 

 temperature for setting, with sun heat alone, and a moderate 

 application of air, chiefly at the top of the house. Muscats 

 have just had a dry hand pulled gently along their bunches — a 

 practice which is a good one. This should be done when the 

 sun shines brightly, and a few minutes will suffice to go over a 

 great manj- bunches. 



These late Vines have never seen the syringe or water on 



the canes or foliage. Most likely, when all the bunches are set 

 we shall give the house a good syringing to clear off more effec- 

 tually all the remains of bloom, ite. The rods or stems gene- 

 rally break as well without damping or syringing as with it in 

 the case of late Vines, and our water is generally such that we 

 are afraid to use it much among Vine foliage. What rises as 

 vapour from floors and pathways will be as clear and free from 

 sediment as if distilled. 



We notice on some of our Peach trees already a greyish-like 

 appearance on the foliage, the result of sediment from frequent 

 syringinga with water, not so pure as we would wish it. Per 

 dread of the red spider we have been afraid to avoid syrinying 

 altogether in the case of the I'each, as we have long done in 

 the case of the Vine ; but when we have tried Peaches on a 

 smaller scale under glass, and paid extra attention to syringing 

 liaths, floors, exposed walls, &c., before shutting-up, we did not 

 find that the red spider was very troublesome, the foliage was 

 bright green to the end of the season, and often in the morn- 

 ing the points and even edges of the leaves would be hanging 

 with tiny dew drops. 



Of course where water is clear and pure, free from earthy 

 and chalky sediment, the syringe or garden engine is a great 

 refresher and promoter of cleanliness ; but when water holds 

 such sediment, however clean it looks, it will leave the foliage 

 anything but bright green at the end of the season, then it is 

 well to know that we may do with less syringing if we do 

 not soak our floors and borders, so as to paralyse root-action 

 if the roots are there, but use about the same quantity of 

 water in syringing the exposed surfaces as we would have done 

 over the trees. In a hot day this may often be done at mid- 

 day with advantage. The plants absorb the vapour as it rises, 

 and distressing perspiration is for a time lessened, and such 

 slight waterings on the ground or floor wUl never encrust a 

 leaf with an earthy sediment. 



We would not advise any reader to enter so fully into these 

 remarks as to keep the syringe at rest as respects foliage, but 

 we would certainly like if some of our enthusiastic amateurs 

 would try a few trees in a small house with little or no syring- 

 ing overhead, and report faithfully the result. Very trifling 

 circumstances often lead to great changes in practice. But for 

 such considerations as those referred to by Mr. Hall, and the 

 knowledge that the Melon comes naturally to fine maturity 

 with moisture enough below, but little moisture overhead, we 

 might have gone on syringing Melon plants every night. But 

 for water not free enough from sediment when frequently used, 

 we might have syringed Vines overhead night and morning 

 before they began to colour, as we used to do, though we are 

 not aware that any bad result has attended the disuse of the 

 sprinkling over the foUage, and it is seldom, indeed, that we 

 have seen red spider on Vines even with no syringing. 



From what little we know of the very varied climates of 

 Persia, its excessive colds and burning heats, its hard clays 

 and sterile sands, we should come to the conclusion that the 

 finest Peaches and agricultural produce would be obtained 

 from its northern parts, where in summer the climate is 

 warm and moist. The latter produced more from exhalations 

 from the marshes, and from the Caspian, than from the rain- 

 fall at that period of the year. Such gentlemen as Mr. Burton, 

 of Hatfield, who could tell us from their practical observation, 

 under what circumstances the Melon and Peach thrive best, 

 and produced the richest fruit in such a country as Persia, of 

 which the Peach is popularly supposed to be a native, might 

 give us much help in the culture of such fruits here. True, 

 under artificial circumstances, as under glass, we may, and, as 

 in the case of the Pine Apple, do succeed all the better by 

 not following too strictly the teachings of Nature ; but still, the 

 circumstances under which plants thrive best when grown in 

 their natural habitats always furnish us with valuable ideas 

 for regulating our practice, though it might be unsuitable to 

 imitate these circumstances exactly. The idea we would wish 

 to throw out for consideration is, whether in this comparatively 

 dull and variable climate of ours, we do not in our bouses have 

 rather too much of the shower bath over the foliage, and 

 whether that practice even when the water is pure, does not 

 help to give size at the expense of flavour in the case of fruit, 

 and spongy watery wood instead of smaller but firm shoots. 



In addition to the Vines referred to, we may mention that per- 

 haps the finest flavoured Melons we ever grew were thus treated. 

 Strong plants in 7-inch pots were used, just beginning to rnu 

 freely. They were turned out into rather stiff fresh soil — in 

 fact a clayey loam, and made somewhat moist before planting, 

 so that it was beaten pretty firmly together, and trodden firm 



