MAY. 



641 



MAY. 



Red Spider, &*c. The great enemies of 

 fruit-forcing are insects. Strict watch must 

 now be kept for the red spider ; if allowed 

 to establish itself on the vines now begin- 

 ning to ripen their fruit, it will seriously 

 compromise next year's crop. The thrip 

 is a still more insidious enemy, and its 

 destruction is both difficult and expensive. 

 On large-leaved plants, such as the vine, if 

 not very numerous, it may be kept down by 

 carefully washing the infected leaves with 

 weak tobacco water, using a soft sponge 

 for the purpose, that the leaves may not be 

 injured ; but on peaches, strawberries, and 

 even when numerous on the vine, nothing 

 will serve to destroy them but repeated 

 fumigations with tobacco. 



Vinery Earlier Crops. The earlier 

 crops now coming forward will be colour- 

 ing ; they must be kept perfectly dry, and 

 have as much air as can be given safely, 

 the temperature of the house being main- 

 tained at 65 or thereabouts. The most 

 important part of the vine's growth is be- 

 tween the breaking and the setting of the 

 fruit ; for the formation of sound, healthy 

 wood and perfect bunches they should be 

 assisted by artificial means during that 

 stage of their growth. 



Vinery Foliage. When the grapes in 

 the early house are cut, great care should 

 be taken to preserve the foliage in a healthy 

 condition for the next three months, by fre- 

 quent syringing, to keep down the red 

 spider, which the dry air of the house during 

 the ripening of the fruit will have encou- 

 raged. The success of next season's crop 

 will mainly depend on this after-treatment. 

 If the foliage is unhealthy, or the vines 

 weakly, and new wood is required to furnish 

 healthy leaves, the growth should be stopped 

 when three or four joints are formed. 

 Abundance of air and light are indispen- 

 sable auxiliaries. Keep the houses contain- 

 ing grapes ripe or ripening very dry, and 

 admit air liberally. 



Vinery Later Crops. Ham burgs, and 

 the more hardy grapes, will require to be 

 kept near 65 as a night temperature as 

 they approach the time of flowering ; but 

 the more delicate varieties will require an 

 additional 5 as they get into bloom ; and 

 this heat should be maintained till the 

 berries are wholly set, when a slight diminu- 

 tion of temperature may take place, accord- 

 ing to the time when the crop is wanted. 



Vines in Pots. Where it is intended to 

 grow vines in pots, select the necessary 

 plants now; those raised from last year's 

 eyes being best for forcing. Cut them 

 down and pot them in 12- or 14-inch pots, 

 using a compost composed of good turfy 

 loam, mixed with a little rotted dung. 

 Place them in a cool house or pit to break ; 

 afterwards place them in a house where 

 they can be trained near to the glass. 



Vines, Management of Growing. Regij. 

 late the growing vines so as to keep them 

 as evenly balanced as possible. To effect 

 this, keep the lower spurs on a par with 

 the upper ones, and allow them to grow for 

 some time before they are stopped ; this 

 will help to counteract the flow of sap up- 

 wards, and to balance the growth of the 

 tree. Thinning, stopping, and tying in 

 should now be done daily, watering freely, 

 and some sorts with more delicate foliage 

 require shading for a few hours about noon. 

 About the middle or end of the month 

 remove any fermenting material whioh may 

 have been left on the borders of the early 

 houses, and give a dressing of decayed 

 turf or rotten dung, spreading it over the 

 surface to preserve the roots. 



May. Greenhouse, Work in. 



Alonsoas, Heliotropes, &c. These, like 

 fuchsias, require liberal shifting to enable 

 them to grow well and make fine plants. 

 The treatment should be precisely the 

 same, due regard being had to the differenr 

 habits of the different plants. 



