APRIL VILLA GARDENING 529 



for table decoration and general furnishing. Provide a good stock 

 of Lycopodium denticulatum and small Ferns. 



Forcing Flowers and Propagatincj. — This house may soon 

 be turned to some other account now. It comes in well for 

 Tomatoes or Cape Gooseberries if desired. Strong plants of either 

 or both, put out now, will soon make headway ; neither of them 

 require much root-room. Cuttings of all kinds of bedding plants 

 may be rooted, and seeds of such tender annuals as Stocks, Asters, 

 Marigolds, etc., sown. Anything in seed pots that are large enough 

 to handle should be picked off. 



Forcing Fruit — Grapes. — Finish thinning Grapes as fast as 

 they become tit, and be careful not to injure or handle the berries. 

 Pinch back all sub-laterals. Keep inside borders moist. Give 

 air as soon as the sun strikes full upon the house — a small opening 

 at first, to be gradually increased. The shoots of late Grapes should 

 be tied down and the leaders pinched. Render all the assistance 

 l)ossible in setting, so as to secure well-shaped bunches. Night 

 temperature, 60^ to 65°. 



Peaches. — Thin out the fruits to 8 or 9 inches apart, leav- 

 ing them as far as possible on the upper side of the trellis. 

 Syringe twice a day with soft water, same temperature as the 

 house. Ventilate early, and close at half-past three in afternoon. 

 Feed with licpiid manure as often as is necessary to keep the 

 border in a moist healthy condition. Fumigate with Tobacco if 

 there are any green or black aphides present. On the first indica- 

 tion of mildew, use sulphur in the syringing water. Tie down 

 young wood as it progresses. Night temperature, 55° to 60°. 



Pines.— In syringing avoid wetting ripening fruits, or those in 

 blossom ; and in watering also withhold water after the fruits 

 begin to colour. With the lengthening day swelling fruits should 

 have an increase in the atmospheric temperature, especially at 

 closing time in the afternoon, letting the thermometer run up on a 

 warm sunny day to 80° or 90°, with j^lenty of moisture in the 

 atmosphere. Night temperature may continue from 65° to 68° ; 

 fruiting-house, 60° to 65° successions. 



Figs. — Keep the young wood tliin, and regularly pinc-licd back 

 to five leaves. Trees on trellis should be regularly tied in, and luitil 

 the fruit begins to ripen the syringe should be used freely to keep 

 the foliage clean and encourage growth. Figs in pots will need 

 a good deal of liquid manm-e to encourage the fruit to swell. 

 When tlie fruit is in blossom a rather drier atmosphere should be 

 maintained. This period may be known by the expansion of the 

 eye of the fruit. Night temperature, 65°. 



Melons. — Keep up a moist healthy warmth, both bottom and 



