April 22, 1875. 1 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENEU. 



317 



there is a moist heat, and they will not be long in coming up. 

 The moss must be taken off, and great care exercised in this 

 yoang state. The son is liable to scorch them off, therefore 

 gentle shade is necessary until they are established in pots to 

 themselves. 



Those who grow Cockscombs will have a grand display in 

 August by sowing the seed now, and raising the plants in a dung 

 frame ; sown in a similar manner to the preceding plant, but 

 the soil may be a rich loam and not peat, and after this they 

 need a strong heat to bring them to perfection, including a 

 gentle bottom heat. It is a beautiful and lasting flower of easy 

 culture, and I am afraid it is becoming neglected, hence my 

 reason for calling attention to it. Balaams should also be sown 

 now in pots of similar soil to the Cockscomb, and be grown on 

 as fast as possible in a frame and kept near the glass to prevent 

 drawing; bat although these will thrive in a pit, they will take 

 up much more room, and they also like a circulation of air 

 amongst the pots as well as the branches when they have be- 

 come established ; if they are grown in a dung frame throughout, 

 which is a very convenient way for those with small conveni- 

 ence, the frame must be set on bricks and elevated at the back 

 to have the benefit of Bun and light, and let the air circulate 

 underneath the frame. 



Gesnebas and Achimenes. — These are very essential for late 

 flowering, and the last ot them should now be potted in light 

 soil, shaking the old soil from the tubers and picking out the 

 best for potting, setting several into the pot according to its size, 

 and covering them over lightly, and start in the gentle heat of 

 a frame or house. After the foliage is made keep the moisture 

 from them while the sun shines, or take means to shade them, 

 or the leaves soon become spotted and look bad. Some of the 

 tall-growing sorts may require stopping in order to secure side 

 shoots and dwarfness. This operation will necessitate their 

 being kept in a growing atmosphere after the others have ad- 

 vanced more towards flowering. — Thomas Record. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST AND WORK FOE THE 

 PRESENT WEEK. 



HAEDY FKUIT GARDEN. 



Casual allusion was made two weeks ago to protecting the 

 blossoms of fruit trees from frosts. The fine weather we were 

 enjoying at that time has been succeeded as usual by east 

 winds and a much lower temperature. On Wednesday the 14th 

 Fahrenheit's thermometer registered 5' of frost. Many of the 

 standard Plums are in blossom ; Plums, Cherries, and Pears on 

 the walls are also either in full flower or are well advanced to 

 that point. Now as to the means used to protect from frost. The 

 trees are simply allowed to take their chance this year. When 

 the weather is dry and the air still a few degrees of frost does 

 little damage to the blossoms. The main object of placing 

 screens over the trees is to keep the blossoms dry. A coping 

 projecting from the wall 9 inches or a foot will do this to a 

 certain extent, but it will not save the trees from driving rain, 

 sleet, or snow. The canvas, as has been already suggested, 

 must be arranged so that it does not touch the blossoms. Placing 

 spruce branches amongst the blossoms has been recommended 

 for wall trees and for small or medium-sized specimens in the 

 open garden. They may do a little towards sheltering the flowers 

 in a calm night, but even with a very moderate gale of wind 

 they would be blown about amongst the blossoms, so that they 

 would be very materially damaged. As to the trees in the open 

 ground, unless they are small Ijushes or pyramids but little can 

 be done to them to be effectual : if canvas is put over them it 

 must be removed during the day. A few years ago we had a frame- 

 work made and put over some of the choicest Pear trees ; a 

 canvas screen was made to pull over this and to fit tightly, and 

 was allowed to remain over the trees from the time the first 

 blossoms opened until the fruit was set. It was found on com- 

 parison that the trees uncovered were healthiest, and also that 

 the fruit set best on the uncovered trees. Shading too closely 

 predisposes the trees to the attacks of insect pests. 



The operation of grafting should now be performed. Pears 

 on the Pear stock, and Apples on any stock — Crab, Paradise, 

 Doucin, &c. The grafts were saved at the time of pruning and 

 stuck into the ground at the bottom of the trees. They are now 

 starting into growth, but not so much as the trees to be operated 

 upon. The methods of grafting described in horticultural works 

 are very numerous, but two — viz., crown and whip grafting, are 

 quite sufficient for all the purposes of the ordinary gardener. 

 If it is necessary to head-down an undesirable variety of Apple 

 or Pear the large branches must be crown-grafted. From two 

 to four grafts may be inserted on each crown, and the modus 

 operandi is very simple. Slits corresponding to the number of 

 grafts to be inserted are made in the bark from where the branch 

 was severed. The scions are prepared very much the same as 

 for whip-grafting, and pushed down at the slit between the bark 

 and the wood. Whip-grafting is adopted when the wood to be 

 operated upon is the same or nearly the same thickness as the 

 graft. It is only necessary that the bark of the scion and stock 



come in contact at one side ; if it meets at both sides all the 

 better. The scion is cut in a slanting direction, the cut to be 

 about 2i inches long, and a corresponding cut is made on the 

 stock. The work ought to be done with a sharp knife, as the 

 cleaner the cut is the better will be the union. It is also usual 

 to make notches to correspond on stock and scion ; but this is 

 not necessary, as, if the work is well performed, the joining is 

 so perfect that the wind will not break the tree over at the 

 anion. 



FBUIT AND FORCINO HOUSES. 



Vineries. — The earliest house now receives more ventilation 

 and less moisture in the atmosphere, as the fruit is colouring. 

 The surface of the borders and paths are sprinkled with water 

 daily, generally in the early part of the day. Were the days 

 warmer more moisture would be applied. It is not possible to 

 say how much moisture should be evaporated from the surface 

 of paths, borders, &C., as the quantity required in a day of bright 

 sunshine with a drying east wind is out of all proportion to the 

 requirements of the house when the weather outside is of the 

 opposite character. The borders outside (protected by water- 

 proof shutters) and inside received a good watering with manure 

 water. We calculate to give as much water at each watering as 

 would correspond to a rainfall of 2 inches. 



Guano of the best quality is a good stimulant for Vine borders ; 

 it is merely sprinkled over the surface before commencing to 

 water, and the large quantity of water applied will carry the 

 stimulant to a considerable depth. It is yet too early to remove 

 all the covering from the outer border, but all the manure has 

 been removed, except so much as covers the surface to the depth 

 of about 3 inches. The shutters are still retained ; in the day- 

 time it would be as well to remove them, if they could be re- 

 placed again at night, but this makes too much extra work 

 for us. 



Examine aU the laterals to see that they are firmly fastened 

 to the wires, as the weight of the bunches not unfrequently 

 break a weak fastening, and on one occasion we found a fine 

 bunch of Muscats nearly ripe lying on the ground from this 

 happening. Our lively little friend the red spider has appeared ; 

 it can be destroyed by painting the hot-water pipes with flowers 

 of sulphur, soot, and a little soft soap ; but great watchfulness 

 is necessary, or the fruit may be injured. We generally make 

 an attempt to wash the leaves by hand with a sponge and soapy 

 water, but this is tedious work, and requires as much care as 

 the other, as a careless person makes a sad mess of the bloom on 

 the Grapes with his coat sleeves or by bobbing his head or hat 

 against the bunches, or if he does not first wring the water out 

 of the sponge mayhap the dirty soapy watei? is allowed to drip 

 on the berries. 



Late houses are now demanding all our attention in tying and 

 training the growths. The instructions how to do this was fully 

 described when the earlier houses were done. The inside 

 borders have received two waterings with clear water; rain 

 water is undoubtedly best, but owing to the deficient rainfall of 

 the last two months we have had abeady to draw upon the 

 pump for a supply. 



If it is intended to inarch any of the Vines with another 

 variety now is the time to look out for a suitable growth. It 

 ought to be trained into the place where the new sort will 

 occupy, and it must not be stopped at the same time that the 

 side growths are. The intended variety may be grown on 

 either in the same or in another house, and when both young 

 rods are from 5 to 6 feet in length they may be joined together 

 by slicing a portion about 4 inches long from each, fit them 

 neatly together, and tie tightly with matting. In two weeks the 

 fastening must be slackened, as the Vines grow rapidly. When 

 the union has taken place the plant inarched from may be parti- 

 ally severed from the Vine close to the union, and in two or 

 three weeks more it may be cut off. 



As the weather is very changeable, much attention is re- 

 quired in airing and maintaining the proper degree of moisture. 



Peach Houses. — In the earliest houses where the fruit is 

 stoned and taking the second swelling a high temperature may 

 be kept up with a corresponding amount of moisture in the 

 house. Syringe the trees morning and afternoon, and if there 

 is any traces of red spider the water must be applied with con- 

 siderable force. The water should be exposed to the atmosphere 

 of the house a few hours before using it. The best way is always 

 to keep a pot or two filled ; they may stand upon the hot- water 

 pipes. The roots should have a good watering also at this time, 

 and probably no more will be required until the fruit is gathered, 

 when the border may have a good watering, and the leaves be 

 thoroughly washed with the garden engine or syringe. When 

 the fruit shows signs of ripening cease to syringe, and give 

 more air, and reduce the night temperature to (iO° or less, it may 

 be 70° at the time the fruit is swelling. 



GHEENHOUSE AND CON.SEKVATOKY. 



Chrysatithe>nu7ns now require considerable attention. Plants 

 intended for specimens are now being potted and trained ; it is 

 necessary that they receive no check to their growth through 

 becoming pot-bound, and the young shoots must he bent down 



