May 14, 1874. ] 



JOOBNAL OP HOBTICULTUKB AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



38P 



parasites leave iu a healthy condition at the base of the young 

 i,'rowthfl allowed to be eateuup with red spiderlater iu the seasou. 

 Iu the first place, aphis must uot be alloweil to iucrease ou the 

 trees. Those most liable to be attacked are Peaches, Nectarines, 

 Plums, and Cherries. The trees must be watched, and as soou 

 as there are any signs of the pest they must be destroyed by 

 syringiuj^ the trees with water iu which soft soap has been dis- 

 solved, aud some tobacco juice added. This ought to be applied 

 pretty .strong, and moderately hot. It is best to ascertain before 

 using the mixture whether it is stroug euough to destroy the ily 

 without injuring the leaves ; this can readily be done by dipping 

 an iufested shoot in the solution, aud the result will be apparent 

 in a few hours. Some of our own trees had been neglected for a 

 week or two, aud the leaves had to a large extent become curled 

 up, sothat it was not possible to reach the insects with the syringe, 

 and it became necessary to go through the tedious operation of 

 hand-washing. The insects on the l?lum trees were green, and 

 seem to be more tenacious of life than the black apliis, which 

 yearly attacks the Morello Cherries on the north wall ; these 

 were seen to iu time, and the result has been much more satis- 

 factory. We have also been hand-picking the Apple maggot 

 from the dwarf trees. This insidious enemy seems to be un- 

 usually numerous in our neighbourhood this year. We tried 

 dusting the trees with dry lime, hot from the kilns, one year, but 

 this did uot seem to have any appreciable effect upon them. 

 The best advice it is possible to give is, " Destroy all that is 

 possible now, and during summer pick-off all Apples from the 

 trees that are attacked during summer, and have all those that 

 drop from the trees gathered aud destroyed." The thermometer 

 ha?, fallen very low on several occasions during the past week — 

 ou four occasions to ao", the weather haviug continued cold at 

 the same time. Probably some of the Apple blossoms have 

 suffered, but on inspection it does not appear that any of them 

 have received the least injury. 



Strawberries iu beds are now coming into blossom. The 

 plants are strong and healthy ; ouly oue variety has suffered 

 from frost — Amateur, a new sort recently sent out. Ou looking 

 down the row of this variety the centres of many of the blossoms 

 were black. This variety has not been satisfactory on our light 

 soil ; it was the first to be attacked with mildew last season, and 

 many of the fruits were spoiled by it. On the other baud it is 

 one of the most free-bearing sorts we have, and the fruit is of 

 excellent flavour. On heavy soils it may be free from the faults 

 complained of. 



FORCING HOUSES. 



Vineries, — In early houses, where the fruit is ripe, the atmo- 

 sphere should be kept dry, and the ventilators be open front aud 

 back all ni^iht; air freely in the day. If previous instructions 

 have been attended to, and plenty of water given to the roots at 

 the time the berries began to colour, it will not be necessary to 

 water the roots until all the fruit is cut, unless it is desirable 

 that the Grapes should hang longer than usual, say for three 

 mouths after they are ripe ; to prevent the fruit from shrivelling 

 it will then be necessary to water the roots, using it clear, but 

 not iu large quantities. In our early house, where the fruit is 

 colouring, the night temperature is maintained at 6.5°, with air 

 ou at the back of the house ; the atmosphere is also kept rather 

 moist. It is astonishing to see gardeners still recommend a very 

 dry atmosphere in vineries as soon as the fruit begins to colour. 

 Can they give a reason for it ? If the atmosphere is dry, and, 

 as is oft-times the case when the roots are inside, the border is 

 also dry, the Vines will become unhealthy, the berries small in 

 size, wanting in finish and flavour, and, what is of the utmost 

 importance, the wood will not ripen well for next seasou. In 

 the best-managed houses that are forced early some of the 

 berries will be shanked, and in the case of shy-setting varieties 

 there are always a few stoneless berries ; these ought to be cut 

 out with a pair of scissors. Attention to a few minute details 

 of this kind serves to make a considerable difference iu the 

 general appearance of a house of Grapes. 



It is necessary to again allude to tying, training, and stopping 

 the growths of Vines iu late houses, and to repeat the caution 

 that the young and succulent shoots must not be brought down 

 too fast to the wires, else many will snap. Though it has been 

 cold it was not necessary to have any artificial heat in the 

 houses ; but now that the flowers are opening, the Hamburgh 

 and Lady Downe's houses are kept at not less than li.j", nor more 

 than 70° at night. Muscat, Gros Guillaume, and Mrs. Piuce's 

 Black Muscat are 5° higher. Many gardeners recommend 

 lowering the temperature. A writer in a contemporary finds his 

 Muscats set as freely as Hamburghs with a night temperature 

 during the flowering period of from .51° to 56°. This is worth 

 knowing, as we never yet found Muscats set as freely as Ham- 

 burghs. Another celebrated grower of Muscats told us that he 

 poured water on the bunches daily from the rose of a waterpot 

 during the flowering period. Two of the most celebrated Grape- 

 growers in Britain, Mr. D. Thomson, of Drumlanrig, aud Mr. 

 W. Thomson, of Clovenfords, recommend aud practise the 

 higher night temperatures, and we uover expect to see bettor 

 Muscats than we have seen under their management. The 



other systems may be better, but we have not yet been able to 

 summon courage enough to try them. Do not keep an overdry 

 atmosphere ; sprinkle the paths aud surface of the borders ouco 

 or twice daily. 



Peaeh House. — There is little can be said about Peaches that 

 are being forced, the treatment required is very similar to that 

 of a vinery. Where the fruit i.i ripe and ripening it must bo 

 looked over daily, carefully gathered, and placed in a flat- 

 bottomed basket ou a layer of cotton wadding. The basket 

 should then be conveyed to a cool place. A friend recently told 

 us that Peaches would keep about six weeks if carefully gathered 

 and placed in an i:;e-house. Many contributors and readers of 

 this Journal have abundant opportuuity to try this ; would they 

 kindly do so aud report the result? [Will they not be flavour- 

 less'?] Red spider will take advantage of the drier atmosphere 

 and disuse of the syringe. Nothing can be done to destroy it. 

 until all the fruit is gathered, when the trees may be deluged 

 by the garden engine. Iu late houses it is well to thin the fruit 

 in good time. Keep the syringe at work night aud morning, 

 and if it is desirable to hasten the ripening of the fruit, shut-Ui) 

 about i p. 31., earlier or later as the day is cold or hot. 



PLANT STOVE. 



The principal work hero has been tying aud thinning the 

 growths of climbing plants, and battling with insect pests. No 

 good plants or flowers cau be produced if they are not kept 

 clean. The flowering plants, such as Ixora3,Franci3ceas, Stepha- 

 notis and others of this class are some of them in full beauty, 

 aud others are coming on. A very moist aud high temperature 

 is not now desirable. Orchids are also much better iu a cooler 

 and drier atmosphere when in flower, they will last sometimes 

 two or even three weeks longer in beauty, and, as is very often 

 the case where there is only oue house both for growiug aud 

 flowering the plants, much may be done to prolong the flowers 

 by exercising care in syringiug, and not to have an over-moist 

 atmosphere. 



FLOWEB GAKDEN. 



When the weather is favourable in the second week of May, it 

 is time to commence getting the bedding plants out — that is, if 

 they are in condition — stout healthy plants that have been in 

 the open air at least three or four weeks previously. Begin, of 

 course, with the hardiest plants. Calceolarias, Zonal Pelar- 

 goniums, the plain-leaved section first, to be followed with the 

 variegated varieties ; Lobelias, Verbenas, and Ageratum, are 

 all comparatively hardy. Let the lights be removed from all 

 plants in frames in the day at least, aud also at night if there is 

 no sign of frost. The ground is not at present in condition for 

 planting-out, being too dry. If rain do not come iu a few days 

 it will be necessary to water the ground just before putting tho 

 plants out. Most of the plants employed iu carpet-bedding are 

 comparatively hardy, and if not i)lanted-out it may be done at 

 once. Echeveria metallica may be damaged by rough weather 

 early in May, but E. secuuda and E. secunda glauca are suffi- 

 ciently hardy, as well as the larger proportion of the Sedums. 

 Subtropical plants are best in a position where they can be 

 covered with glass lights until the first week in June. — 



J, DoUGL.iS. 



PROVINCIAL HORTICULTURAL EXHIBITIONS. 



[SECBETAME3 will oblige US by informing us of the dates ou 

 which exhibitions are to be held. Although we cannot report 

 them fully, we shall readily note anything especially excellent, 

 and we wish for information ou such specialities to be sent 



to us.] 



MAY. 



Cambri'iKCEhlre 20 



Royal Horticultural of Ireland . . 21 



Manchester 22 to SO 



Southampton 2.5 



Blackburn 25, 26, and 37 



Devon and Exeter 29 



JDNr. 

 Glasgow and "West of Scotland . . o 



Dndercllft S 



St. Austell 3 and 4 



Coventry and Warwickshire 8 



Bath and West of England ..8 to 12 



Leeds 10, 11, and 12 



Gloucester and Cheltenham 11 



JUNE 



Koyal Oxfordshire lij 



Chertsey 17 



Burton-on.Irent 17 



Thorne 17 



Jersey 17 



Guildford 17 



York 17, 18, and 19 



Fcrmoy 18 



Nell tingham 21 



E.II.S. of Ireland 25 



Oiiiiibridgeshire 25 



Thetford 25 



Iliswich and E. of England 25 and 26 



Devon and Exeter (Rosea) 26 



Boston 30 and July 1 



TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED, 



Downie, Laird, & Laing, Staustead Park, Foivst Hill, aud 

 17, South Frederick Street, Edinburgh.— Jlei(?rj^;#/we Catalogue 

 of Florists' Fli.'wers, Stove and Greenlwvue Plants, dc. 



T. Bunyard & Sons, Maidstone and Ashford. — List of Bedding- 

 out Plants, New Ho^es, <i'c. 



James Carter & Co., 237 and 238, High Holborn, London.— 

 Garter's Select List of Plants for 1874. 



B. S. Williams, Victoria and Paradise Nurseries, Upper Hoi 

 loway, London. — Catalogue of Plants for \^li. 



