282 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENEB. 



t AprU 8, 18?5. 



plants can be planted on well-prepared ground they will produce 

 a crop of fruit in the autumn. The roots, being matted firmly 

 together, forming a ball impenetrable to water, must be loosened 

 out with a pointed stick, and the mould ought to be very firmly 

 pressed round the roots when planting. 



FRUIT AND KOECING HOUSES. 



Vineries. — We have finished thinning the Grapes in all the 

 houses. This is an operation that will not stand over. The 

 berries in their early stages swell so rapidly that unless they are 

 thinned-out, as soon as ready, the quality of the fruit ia "deterio- 

 rated. Blacli Hamburgli, Buckland Sweetwater, and all free- 

 setting varieties are ready for thinning in ten days after the first 

 flowers on the bunch are observed to open. Muscat of Alex- 

 andria, Canon Hall Muscat, Golden Champion, "nd all the shy- 

 Betting section cannot be done until it is perceived what berries 

 are set ; this will be about four or six days longer than the 

 others. It requires some experience to know how many berries 

 may be removed, and it is much the best way to thin-out the 

 whole at once. Many persons make a second thinning just 

 before stoning, and it is desirable to look over the bunches at 

 that time, as even with the best management some of the 

 berries maybe too much crowded, or a few badly-formed berries 

 recjuire to be removed. 



The growing shoots are now tied down into their places, and 

 it is necessary to look over the Vines once in ten days, and to 

 stop back any growths that have been formed ; but if the Vines 

 are carrying a good crop of fruit but little growth will be made 

 after the berries are thinned-out. 



Late houses that have not received any artificial heat, except 

 so much as kept the frost out, are now starting into growth. No 

 bedding plants should be in the house at this time, but if it ia 

 required a few pot Roses, or any other plants requiring to be 

 forced, may be placed in the house until they ai"e likely to be 

 injured by shade from the leaves. Camellias that have finished 

 flowering may also be started into growth here; the moist 

 atmosphere and daily syringing is congenial to them, causing 

 a healthy vigorous growth. 



Pot Vines intended for early forcing next year should now be 

 pushed along with a high temperature, the leaves to be freely 

 exposed to the light, and suQioient space allowed for them to 

 develope themselves. Plants crowded together in a tin bed will 

 not give satisfaction. The strongest and best-ripened canes are 

 produced if the pots are placed on a stage over hot-water pipes, 

 not plunging the pots at all, and they will be strong enough, ii 

 the compost is good, without any manure water being used. The 

 cines ought to be traiued-up close to the glass, but not so close 

 that the leaves come in contact with it. Syringe the leaves 

 daily to keep them free from spider. 



Orange Trees in Pots. — As it is not necessary to have a house 

 entirely devoted to Fig trees to obtain a small supply of Figs, 

 in the same way a few dishes of delicious home-grown Oranges 

 may be obtained from half a dozen pot plants placed in a house 

 with a high temperature, the only stipulation being that they 

 are not under the shade of Vines or other dense-foliaged plants 

 which are trained to the roof. Tangierine Oranges are the 

 eirliest to ripen, but fruit that is just now set will not be ripe 

 until November ; and later sorts, such as St. Michael's and Maltese 

 Blood, will not be ripe iintil Christmas. The only insect pest 

 that is any trouble to us is the brown scale, and the best way to 

 bluish it is by hand-washing. If the trees are pretty well free 

 from it now, vigorous syringing daily will keep the leaves clean 

 and the plants healthy all through the summer months. 



CJREENHOUaE AND CONSEKVATOIIY. 



There ia no lack of flowers at present in this department. 

 Tae late Camellias are unusually fine, and any Azaleas that have 

 been forced retain the flowers in good colour ao much longer 

 now than they do if allowed to open without any forcing in 

 June. Deuti;ia gracilis with its clustering sprays of snowy white 

 flowers lasts long in beauty if the plants are kept cool and shaded 

 from scorching sunshine. 



Much of our time has been taken up in preparing Hyacinths, 

 Tulips, iVc, for exhibition. Tulips require nothing more than 

 a slender stick to support the flower stalk ; the flowers are also 

 tied round with a strip of matting to prevent the petals from 

 being shaken off during transit. The Hyacinth spikes are tied 

 to a wire support, and no dressing is allowed except to arrange 

 the bells with a cedar pencil. Many of the sorts have the bells 

 naturally drooping, but the best exhibition varieties are those 

 that have them stand out in a horizontal position, ao that the 

 spike forms a cone narrower at the top than the base, and regu- 

 larly covered with perfectly shaped bells. Stiff healthy foliage 

 is quite as essential to success as well-formed large spikes. 



any of the Hyacinths exhibited this year were faulty in this 

 respect, the foliage being so weak that it hung quite over the 

 pots. Thia is caused by keeping the plants in a house badly 

 ventilated or too far from the glass. Even it it is necessary to 

 push on the plants to have the flowers open before a given day 

 they ought to be placed quite near the glass, and a little venti- 

 lation ahoald be allowed ia the house all night, and the atmo- 



sphere of the house should not be too much charged with 

 moisture. 



Stage Pelargoniums are now growing vigorously, the most 

 forward cf them showing their flower trusses. The plants are 

 not large, being such as are best adapted for decorative purposes. 

 They will each produce from ten to thirty trusaes of flowera. 

 They are in 7 inch pots; each of the branches ought now to be 

 supported with a neat stick. Smaller plants propagated in the 

 autumn will produce better truasea of bloom in flinch pots than 

 if they were potted into those of a larger size. 



Green fly has been detected on the young growths, and the 

 house will be fumigated with tobacco amoke the first calm night. 

 It is great waste of expensive material to fumigate hothouses in 

 a gale of wind. Wetting the roof of the house with water from 

 a syringe closes many of the laps on the glass. Remove all 

 decaying flowers at once; brush the stages at least once a- week; 

 study cleanliness and neat arrangement, avoiding overcrowding 

 the plants, which to the initiated is always suspicions, aa it ia 

 generally a cloak to hide badly cultivated plants. 



Plants that are no longer required in the house, such as Roses, 

 Deutzias, and, indeed, any flowering ahruba that have been 

 forced, though hardy enough in themselves, must not be placed 

 out of doors, or the yonng growths will be injured. If no cool 

 glass house is available for them they ought to be sheltered 

 from cold winds and frost by a canvas house, turf pit, or some 

 similar arrangement. When cold east winds prevail with sun- 

 shine it is best to admit but little air, rather using the shading 

 to keep down the temperature. 



Summer-floweriug, New Holland, and other hard wooded plants 

 should be examined daily. They must not be crowded with the 

 more rapid-growing softwooded subjects, and particular care is 

 required in applying water at the roots. — J. Douglas. 



HORTICULTUBAL EXHIBITIONS. 

 Secretaries will oblige us by informing us of the datea on 

 which exhibitions are to be held. 



Jersey. — May 5th, Roses June 16th, Autumu October 13th, Chrysanthemums 



November 10th. Major Howell, Spring Grove, St. Lawrence, Hon. Sec. 

 Bath.— May 12th, September Ist and 2u(i. Mr. B. Psaraon, 13, Milsom 



Street, Sec. 

 CavbTAL Palace Cosipanv.— Flower Show, May2;ilh; Boso Show, Jane 19th; 



Autumn Fruit and Flower Show, September 7th to 9th— Sec, F. W. 



Wilson. Bees and their appliances, September 21st to 23rd — Sec, J. 



Hunter. 

 CovESTRV.— May 31bt. Mr. T. Wigslon, 3, Portland Terrace, Lower Ford 



Street, Sec. 

 Leeds.— Juno 9th, 10th, aud llth. Mr. J. Blrkbeck, DelphLane, Woodhouse, 



Leeds, Sec. 

 Burton-upon-Tkent.— June 16tb. Jlr. Wm. Shave, Bond Street, Sec. 

 Glasgow.— June 16th, September 8th. Mr. F. Q. Dougall, 167, Canning 



Street, Sec. 

 Farehaji. — June 23rd. Mi-. H Smith, Sec. 

 ExETEB (Rose Show). — June 2oth. Mr. J. N. Gray, Queen Street Chambers, 



Hon. Sec. 

 Wisbeach.— June 30Lh. Mr. C. Parker, Hon. Sec. 

 Maidstone.— (Roses), June 30th, at Viuters Park. H. Benstead, Esq., 



Hon Sec., Rose Club, Mill Street, Maidstone. 

 Spalding. — July 1st and 2nd. Mr. G. F. Barrell, Hon. Sec. 

 SouTHGATE. — July 3rd. John Miles, Esq., Hon. Sec, Southgate, K. 

 Durham and Northumberland. — To be held at Elswick Park, July 7th 



and 8th. Mr. B. Eevely, Sec. 

 NoTiiNGH^si. — Rose Show, &c., July 9th aud 10th. Apply to Alfred Kirk, 



Municipal Oflices, Nottingham. 

 Tqnbridge. — July 14th. Mr. "W. Blair, Free Press Office, Hon. Sec. 

 Wimbledon.— July 15th and 16th. Mr. P. Appleby, 5, Linden Cottages, 



Sannyside, Wimbledon, Hon. Sec 

 Darlington. — July 16th, at Southend. William Hodgson, Sec. 

 Brecon.— July 22ud. Mr. W. J. Roberts. Sec. 

 Cleckheaton. — Julv 24th. Mr. S. H. Williamson, Hon. Sec. 

 Preston.- July 28t'h and 29th. Mr. W. Troughton, 4, Church Street, 



Hon. Sec. 

 SouTHA.MrTON.— July 3l3c and August 2nd. Mr. C. S. Fuidge, 32, York 



Street, Lower Avenue, Sec. 

 Bahsoate.— August 25th. C. D. Smith, Esq., 8, Marme Terrace, Margate, 



Hon. Sec. 

 Dundee.— August 26th, 27th, and 23th. Mr. R. McKelvie, 51, Beform Street, 



Sec. 

 South of Scotland.— To be held at Dumfries, September 8rd. Mr. J. 



Blount Dinwiddle, 11, Buccleuch Street, Dumfries, Hon. Sec. 



TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 



J. Wills, F.R.H.S., Onslow Crescent, South Kensington.— 

 Catalogue of Noio and Choice Stove and Greenhouse Plants. 



G. Van Geert, Rue de la Province, Antwerp. — Hardy Trees 

 and Shrubs. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 

 *,* All carreapondenoe ahould be directed either to "The 

 Editors," or to "The Publisher." 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 subjeets them to un- 

 justifiable trouble aud expense. 



