534 VILLA GARDENING part vii 



Fernery. — Shift any choice young specimens that need more 

 room into larger pots ; keep a moist atmosjihere, and shade from 

 bright sunshine. Water freely. . 



Forcing Fruits — The Vinery. — The early Grapes will now 

 be ripe. Avoid making any dust in the house. There will be 

 less need for pinching back sub-laterals, as the growth will probably 

 be completed now. Pay attention to ventilation, and do not dis- 

 continue fires altogether. The late vinery will require artificial 

 warmth to keep the Grapes moving steadily on. Water inside 

 borders freely. Ventilate early in the morning to prevent spotting 

 and cracking. 



Peaches — Early House. — Give all the air possible, but with- 

 hold water. Gather the fruit a day or two before it is quite ripe, 

 and lay it on a sheet of wadding in the fruit-room. 



Orchard-House. — Use the engine freely every afternoon at 

 four o'clock, and close the house. Give an inch of air last thing 

 at night, and ventilate more fully in the morning. Top-dress plants 

 in pots. Keep the young wood thin. Thin the fruits to 8 inches 

 apart. Fumigate with Tobacco if insects appear. 



Pines. — About the middle of the month the whole stock should 

 be overhauled. Some will require repotting, others will do with 

 a top-dressing. Suckers to form successions will be taken from old 

 stools, and be potted singly in 48 or 32-sized pots, and plunged in 

 a bottom-heat of 75°. All the plunging beds should be renewed 

 with fresh tan, and a general rearrangement take place that will 

 last for the summer. The fruiting-house may run up at closing 

 time to 90°. Night temperature, 70°. 



Figs. — The chief aim now is to keep the foliage clean and 

 swell the fruit off" to a large size. The second crop will be swelling 

 rapidly. The second crop is generally more numerous, but the 

 fruits are not so fine. A sprinkling of artificial manure on the 

 borders or pots, and watered in, will be useful. 



Melons. — Peg out the leading shoots of the plants recently set 

 out, and pinch when the end of the rafters of the house or the 

 outside of the frame is reached. Set the crop as much as possilile 

 altogether. 



Cucumbers. — Toji-dress plants that have been some time in 

 bearing ; using a little artificial manure with the soil (about one 

 pound to a bushel). Set out more young plants for late bearing. 

 The frames and pits or houses from which the bedding plants have 

 been taken will be useful for late Cucumbers. Keeji the growth 

 thin, and cut the fruits before they get old, unless seeds are 

 required. Give a mild fumigation if there are any green-fly. 



