228 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



[Am. is, 



That tbe perfect condition of this genus depends upon 

 a partial exclusion of intense sun-light, must be known to 

 all who have experience in its culture under artificial 

 means. If a plant is placed in the open ground where it 

 is exposed to intense light for only half the day, its foliage 

 and flowers will be much more perfect and healthy than 

 when they are exposed to the unintermitting glare of a 

 summer's sun. Again, place two plants under equal con- 

 ditions of exposure to intense sun-light, and give one a 

 screen for a few hours each day, or grant it but the boon 

 of a gentle syringing morning and evening, when sultry, 

 and in this, as In the former case, the benefit of a partial 

 shade and cool atmosphere will be sufficiently obvious. 

 The genus, in fact, consists of beautiful under- shrubs, in 

 their native country occupying at one time the fore-ground 

 of lofty and luxuriant vegetation, and at another gracing 



shady recesses and streams. 



Though the general habit of this favourite plant is such as 

 to enable it to withstand exposure better than many others, 

 it is only on condition that the supply of moisture is 

 equal to its rapid absorption. When properly treated, 

 few plants better deserve the character of M pross feeders." 

 The essential conditions required for its •• perfection of 

 beauty " are heat, shade, and moisture. It is also capable, 

 to a great extent, of assimilating food from materials in a 

 gross and partially-decomposed state. 



Bottom-heat is not essential further than as a means of 

 maintaining a uniform and humid atmosphere. The 

 period from which the present paper dates (March) is 

 one which all who possess'a Vinery or forcing-house may 

 render convenient for its earliest growth. Where the 

 communication of heat interferes with a maintenance of 

 the necessary moisture, by the pipes or flue being too near 

 the stage upon which the plants are placed, the following 

 means are efficient in this and all similar cases. Where 

 occasional excessive humidity is required for the young 

 growth of plants, a platform of trellis-work is preferable 

 to one of slate or stone. Fill up the interstices of the 

 trellis-work with Moss (wedged in longitudinally), and 

 over the entire surface add a heavy layer of the same 

 material (the latter having been repeatedly immersed in 

 boiling water, or heavily watered, in order to destroy 

 slugs, &c.) ; over this place inverted pots or pans, upon 

 which the plants are placed, their elevation being in pro- 

 portion to the absence of light in front, or its distance 



above. 



If it is necessary to raise the material, place bricks flat- 

 ways at each end across the platform, to the elevation 

 ■wished for, and add a bead, or curb, on the side next the 

 path ; then fill up with Moss, as before ; and, in order to 

 give a neat appearance, finish with a surface of coarse 

 river sand or coarse gravel. By watering the surface of 

 these materials an atmosphere will be maintained sufficiently 

 humid for Fuchsias, Calceolarias, Lobelias, &c. &c. to 

 luxuriate in during the early spring months, and capable 

 of counteracting the injurious effect of dry, intense beat. 

 — William Wood, Pine Apple-place. 



(To be continued). 



is a double thickness of old mats, with a little mulching ; ] 

 a wide coping on the wall is very essential, and a canvas 

 covering drawn over them at night in the early part of 

 their erowth is of great benefit to them. If it is desirable 

 to increase the stock, if cuttings of well-ripened wood are 

 taken off in spring, and potted singly in small pots, 

 plunging them in a warm Cucumber-frame, and re-potting 

 them two or three times, they will attain a large size in 

 one summer. With these cuttings, as with the trees at 

 all ages, bottom-heat and water is everything. 



Fig. I. 



ON THE CULTIVATION OF THE FIG. 



In compliance with the request of several of my friends, 

 I publish my mode of managing the Fig, for the benefit 

 of amateurs and young beginners; and if the following 

 simple rules are strictly attended to, I am confident that 

 the result must be abundance of delicious fruit with them, 

 as it has been with me here, for the last fourteen years, 

 where there is a good Fig-house, and many plants in pots. 



The Fig-wall here is not extensive ; but I will com- 

 mence with it, as it is of greatest importance to the 

 amateur, and those who have little or no glass. I have 

 tried several aspects for the Fig, but I find the south-east 

 to be the best. I have likewise tried several sorts, but, 

 finding them all inferior to the Nerii, I have discarded all 

 others from the open wall. The best soil for this fruit is 

 sandy maiden loam and turf mixed together, without 

 manure of any kind, over-luxuriance being a great evil in 

 their culture. I would advise all who are about to plant 

 a Fig-wall, to form the borders about three feet wide and 

 three feet deep, having a good drainage of any rough 

 material. At the front of this a wall four inches and a 

 half thick, running parallel with the other, should be 

 brought up to within two inches of the surface, the 

 intervening space being walled across, so that each tree 

 may have its own division. This prevents over luxuriance, 

 and causes them to fruit more freely. Any old trees that 

 are growing strong and that do not bear well, might have 

 their roots pruned back) in autumn, and walled in as 

 above described. By doing this early, it would afford the 

 tree time to provide itself with new feeders ; and by open- 

 ing a trench in the front of the wall, about the end of 

 March or beginning of April, and applying a pretty brisk 

 lining of leaves and long litter for a few weeks, it would 

 greatly assist the crop for that season, and establish the 

 trees for the following. W r ater occasionally with soft 

 water, and after the fruit has attained three-fourths its 

 size, two or three good waterings of liquid manure will 

 assist materially in bringing the fruit to a larger size. 



With regard to training, it is of minor importance ; but 

 us most people are desirous of having a uniform system, 

 the accompanying figure represents a fine tree of the 

 Nerii ; the other exhibits a mode of training equally suit- 

 able for tbe Fig against a waH. The walls here are not 

 flued, and consequently the trees derive no assistance 

 from any but solar heat. My system of pruning is merely 

 to thin the branches where they are too thick, and to 

 admit plenty of light and air. The points of any branches 

 that indicate too luxuriant a growth, are pinched out. 

 The tree will show how young bearing wood is procured 

 when the branches get too long, or begin to have a naked 

 appearance. ^ What I nse for covering the Fig in winter 



Fig. 3. 



Fig. 1 is taken from a fine tree of Nerii, at Hewell. 2 shows 

 where the long branches are cut back to produce young wood. 



Fig. 3 is taken from a fine tree that I had the care of many 

 years since, which looked remarkably well when growing in 

 summer. 4 merely shows where the laterals are tied to the old 

 wood. 



The Fig-house — At this place is a structure entirely 



devoted to the growth of the Fig ; it is 33 feet long, 14 feet 

 wide, and 11 feet high at the back, which is trellised with 

 wire, two inches from the wall. The trees on this wall are all 

 fan-trained ; the roots are walled in, as recommended for the 

 open wall, excepting that the spaces are narrower, being only 

 two feet wide, and two and a half deep ; the path leading 

 through the house rests on this partition wall. Between 

 this path and the front is a border for small standards and 

 circular-trained trees, ranging from three to five feet high ; 

 these are all walled in with rough stones, for the same 

 purpose as already stated ; the sorts in this house are the 

 Nerii, brown Ischia, large white Genoa, and one called 

 Kennedy's Fig, but the greater part is the Nerii. I 

 generally prune them in the latter part of February, but 

 this is a very trifling operation where they have been pro- 

 perly attended to in summer, being only to cut out here and 

 there a superfluous shoot, or to shorten one back to any 

 naked or unfurnished part, in order to procure a supply 

 of young shoots. I then have the whole forked over 

 between the trees, giving them a good watering with pure 

 water. After this is done small fires are lighted, keeping 

 the temperature at 50° Fahr., and syringing morning and 

 evening with tepid water. Air is given plentifully in fine 

 weather, and when the fruit begins to grow, the tempera- 

 ture is raised to 55°, then to 60°, and soon progressively, 

 about the same as for Vines. For the first six or seven 

 weeks water is given only in such quantity as to keep the 

 soil moderately moist, but afterwards more freely. 



When the fruit is about half grown, I commence water- 

 ing freely every morning, and generally about twice a 

 week with liquid manure, which I find of great service. 

 As soon as the young shoots have attained the length of 

 four or five inches their points are pinched out ; this shoot 

 is what we call the "second crop wood" for the latter 

 part of summer, or autumn, according as the forcing was 

 commenced early or late. During the growth of the 

 second crop of fruit the tree produces a second shoot, 

 from three to six inches long, which, when properly 

 ripened, contains the crop in the embryo state through 

 the winter for the following spring. A short time before 

 the first crop of fruit is ripe, the watering overhead is 

 discontinued, and abundance of air is given ; when tbe 

 Nerii begins to ripen, the sugar will drop from the fruit 

 down the leaves like honey; in short, the fruit of the 

 first crop has considerable resemblance to small bladders 

 of honey. As soon as practicable, the watering overhead 

 is again resumed in every part of the house where the 

 fruit is not approaching maturity. The succession of 

 fruit in this house generally lasts about four months. The 

 winter management here is merely to keep the borders 

 moderately dry, and to prevent frost from entering. Where 

 houses are about to be heated with hot water, above all 

 things have a pipe to run under the path at the back in a 

 sort of gutter ; the pipe may be laid five or six inches 

 under the level of the border ; this has a very beneficial 

 effect on the Fig, even under Vines ; with this they bear 

 most abundantly, and with great certainty. At Sir H. H. 

 Goodrich's, at Studley Castle, two Vineries were planted 

 at the back, as above described ; and, last year having 



several opportunities of seeing them, I was much pleased 



with the. abundant crops of fine fruit they produced 7 ^i 

 Mr. Dytch, the gardener, informed me that tW £f 

 houses had supplied them well all the summer * n A ° 



Culture of Figs in Pots.-Tnose who wi*h to?*" 

 Figs in pots should have their plants examined as earl^ 

 the autumn, or winter, as possible ; and those D hn J*iA* 

 have 

 them 



the spring iwrroug jii eaiiuarj ur reoruary, as thev 

 be wanted. The pots should be plunged in a half. "^ 

 tan or leaf bed, either in a pit or forcing-ho U je. $Pf ]f 

 neither of these can be had, prepare a small bed of let 

 and manure, and place a deep frame over it, plun°inr JS 1 

 plants to such a depth as to enable the roots to have* 

 or 10° more heat than the tops. By doing this the roati 

 are put in action first, which causes the embryo fruit to 

 come forth in such a strong, healthy manner as will eniore 

 a good crop after the fruit is fairly shown ; the plants mat 

 then be removed to any forcing. house where they can 

 have plenty of light and air, — if they can be plunged in 1 

 gentle heat so much the better. It should always be 

 borne in mind that the Fig, in a growing state, is alma* 

 an aquatic, therefore little danger is to be apprehended 

 from over watering, but Berious mischief may arise from 

 not attending to this ; for, if ever the soil gets thoroughly 

 dry when the fruit is far advanced, some evil will be sore 

 to result from it. — /. Markham, Hewell Gardens. 



ON THE CULTIVATION OF GRAPES IN POTSL 



{Continued from page 213.) 



The next consideration is the time when you wish your 

 Grapes to ripen ; this being ascertained, it is easily known 

 when forcing ought to commence. It may be stated that 

 Vines under the above-mentioned treatment will be readvfor 

 forcing early in November, and consequently will ripen their 

 crop by the end of March. As the principal use of Vinci 

 in pots here are kept to occupy the houses (where Vines 

 are planted on the outside) during the period that they ire 

 inactive, say from November to May, those in pots are 

 generally forwarded in their first stage in auy pit or house 

 whose temperature may happen to suit them, and, fioallT, 

 when the wood of the permanent Vines is sufficiently 

 ripened to allow of their being placed outside, the pots 

 are taken in and arranged in their places on shelves 

 put up for the purpose ; by these means the houses are 

 of far more use than if they remained empty nearly half 

 the year. However, the precise mode in which the Vi 

 are to be fruited depends on the kind of houses thecu 

 vator has at his command ; a flued pit answers well ; hit 

 the best description of houses is that which admits the 

 rays of the sun to pass through it in the winter at as netr 

 right angles as can be. Such a house, admitting considerably 

 more light during the winter months, is much more suit- 

 able for such a plant as the Vine than low flat bona. 

 Whatever the house is, if not perfectly ready for the Vines 

 when you wish to begin forcing, get them placed in i idotg 

 frame where you can give them a moist heat of 5j , tins 

 will cause their buds to swell regularly, and prepare them 

 for their removal to the fruiting-house, when ready, with- 

 out losing time. Previous to losing their leaves in tie 

 autumn, they may, if thought advisable, be disbudded « 

 Roberts' system, leaving a few more buds than you want 

 bunches ; but one objection to this system is, that if by oy 

 accident through the winter the bud should get injured, » 

 leaves a blank which, had the next buds remained, mig» 

 easily have been supplied. , ~ 



The number of bunches that may be left on eaco *» 

 will depend on the soil, size of the pot, &c. When the !*• 

 are strong, and No. 2 pots are used, I usually leave ■*■ . 

 seven bunches on the Hamburgh, the same on the a™> 

 water, and one or two more on the Muscadine. u 

 Vines are not so strong, four or five bunch es on - 

 Hamburgh will be sufficient. It is much better 

 have rather fewer bunches and the berrie * h f J^ 

 coloured, than ill-coloured puny bunches, which L."^ 

 the case when too many are left on the \ ine ; , , „ 

 from being placed in the house, presuming twr 

 be swelled, must have their temperature raised iro 

 fire-heat to 65° when in bloom, and it will be better ^ 

 heat by night is never exceeded ; of course on ^ ^ 

 when there is no likelihood of sun-heat, tue nc 

 house should be raised 5- or 10° by ar ^'^^ 

 Air should be admitted by some means or oiner * ^ 

 early ; this is of consequence, or the leaves arc ^ ^ 

 damp and their texture being so extreme y tnin, ^.^ 

 hot sun and drying winds of March act on w ^ 

 they often burn and shrivel, and consequently » ^ ^ 

 to swell off the fruit or give it colour. » m "f in s0 nie 

 the Vines are in a fruiting state, manure-** f * 

 shape or other must be frequently given, v ? i|IBl fr 

 made of various ingredients, but in whatever way jfl| 



it ought to ferment before using and should d e n^ rf ^ 

 pure state, and at a temperature equal, at lease, ^ ^ 

 house. The draining from farm-yards is «l"n ^ m 

 safe. I use manure-water, made by pouring ; b(>r< . 



water on equal parts of sheep or deer dung an df>gl 



., : : »isf «.«__! lw n lnmn of fresh lime, _^ j j 



efic* 



rain-water. 



is ben 



A very weak solution of S ua J Vanish* 



but great caution is required in using it. ^ immeij 



during the period of active growth, wn freqUC n* 

 quantity of dung- water Vines will take. * fcf 9 



watered them twice a day with it, and thi • iY . - 

 placing bottom-pans or feeders under trie P ^ ^ 

 done. If the dung-water is properly cle * re . wn <o * 

 it may be given twice for fresh water on ^ 



Grapes are fully swelled, and beginning w ^^ ^ 

 must be more sparingly applied, using ^ ^ 



The flavour of Grapes is often , *P oll ™°' cr v*** 



