Decembrb -22, 1888.] 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



731 



plant he moderately syringed, it will still further 

 clean them, and help them to overcome the ill-effects 

 of the smoking. Succession plants shiuldbe kept 

 steadily growing, and to prevent "drawing," afford 

 the house or pit plenty of air whenever practicable, 

 guarding against admitting frosty air. These plants 

 will not suffer so long as the temperature does not 

 drop below freezing, but 40° should be the minimum. 

 A close warm atmosphere is always injurious, and 

 speedily ruins the prospect of good bloom on Cine- 

 rarias. The latest seedlings will now be tit to pot 

 off, and probably into their flowering pots. Use, as 

 before recommended, a rich loamy soil, with a small 

 quantity of bone-dust or lish guano. Stand the 

 plants on a moist surface, but do not regularly 

 syringe them. 



Herbaceous Calceolarias require a similar course of 

 treatment, but the potting soil used may be of a 

 much heavier nature. One of the best places in 

 which to winter the Calceolaria is a light span-roofed 

 frame with a floor of coal ashes, and sufficient hot- 

 water pipe to keep out the lowest degree of frost we 

 may have. F. Boss, Pendell Court, BtetchvngUy. 



The Flower Garden. 



Teees and Shrubs. — Push forward all planting 

 operations when the soil is in a suitable condition. 

 Mulch newly-planted stun", and stake all such as 

 need it. In gardens where the planting operations 

 have already been brought to a close it will be 

 advisable to make a thorough inspection of the 

 established plants, noting those that are not flourish- 

 ing, and adopting measures to meet each ease. Large 

 unhealthy specimens mu6t have the surface soil 

 taken away down to the roots, anil without injury to 

 any of the latter ; and replace it witli good sound loam 

 and leaf-mould, mixed with some of the staple, 

 adding thereto peat for such as need it. A mulch- 

 ing of manure is in all cases of sickly trees, &c, of 

 great benefit. In the event of hard weather, 

 get in readiness for next season, shreds, labels, and 

 stakes. Give attention after frost to all autumn- 

 planted perennials in beds and borders, and let the 

 soil be pressed down firmly with the hands about 

 the spring bedders. 



Indoors. — Zonal Palargoniums and kindred sub- 

 jects which do not require a high temperature, 

 should be watered sparingly at this time of the 

 year, and top ventilation afforded on all favourable 

 occasions to prevent loss from damping. If wintered 

 in light airy houses, and stood on shelves compara- 

 tively near to the glass, such plants will give little 

 trouble. Keep the soil in the pots stirred and the 

 plants clean. 



Alternantheras, Colens, and Iresenes will require 

 closely looking after for some little time to come, 

 and ought to be in a temperature of not less than 

 60°. Verbenas and other small plants liable to get 

 attacked by aphides should be fumigated with 

 tobacco paper occasionally, to keep them clean. 

 Examine tuberous Begonias, Dahalias, Gladiolus 

 and Cannas, and let none suffer from extremes of 

 damp or dryness, and for some few weeks to come 

 keep them in a dark and cool place where they 

 will be secure from frost. •/. Horsefield, Heytesbury, 



Fruits Under Glass. 



Plums and Cherries. — These must be kept cool, 

 and the house well ventilated if they are under cover. 

 If attention to pinching was given duringgrowth there 

 will be little pruning now necessary beyond trimming 

 rough cuts. Get the trees cleaned as a safeguard 

 against insect enemies, and top-dress the balls with 

 loam, bone-dust, and lime rubbish. Prior to resur- 

 facing, remove all the soil as far as it is safe, and ram 

 in the fresh material. Give- every attention to 

 watering, but guard against excess, and do not let the 

 night temperature exceedoO . The forcing of Plums 

 and Cherries, if it can be so called, must be carried 

 out with the utmost caution, else the crop may be 

 suddenly and entirely lost. 



Melons. — A large heap of leaves and stable litter 

 should now be in a proper state of fermentation, and 

 ready to form into the bed for the earliest Melons. 

 If composed largely of leaves, so much the better, as 

 the heat will be steady and lasting. Let the Melon- 

 house be thoroughly cleaned, and every surface well 

 coated with hot limewash, into which a handful of 

 flowers of sulphur has been stirred. When the fer- 



menting material is brought in let it be trodden quite 

 firmly, so as to prevent much immediate subsidence, 

 as well as to equalise and prolong its warmth. On 

 the top, place a few turves grassy side downwards, 

 and at intervals of 2 feet construct little mounds of 

 loam, leaf- mould, and old Mushroom-bed manure; 

 into each of these drop two or three seeds — Pen- 

 rhyn Seedling and Best of All will be found reliable 

 varieties. Let the night temperature be kept at 

 65° — 70°, being ruled in this matter by the prevail- 

 ing weather. Allow a rise of 75° — 60° by day. 



Cucumbers. — Guard against overcropping, and 

 keep an outlook for thrips and aphides. Allow the 

 plants to grow freely, so as to induce root action ; 

 attend to top-dressing with loam, leaf-mould, and 

 spent Mushroom-bed manure, at the same tempera- 

 ture as that of the house. Whenever the roots 

 appear on the surface, keep the night temperature at 

 G")° on cold nights, and 70° on mild ones, but when 

 cold winds and frosts prevail, have recourse to cover- 

 ing the glass with Frigi Domo or mats. During 

 dull days raise the temperature to 75° by fire-heat, 

 and during steady sunshine at 85°, with air. Admit 

 a little daily when the weather permits its being 

 done safely. Where there is no Cucumber pit no 

 time should be lost in getting a hot-bed made, if 

 this be not already done. It will require to be about 

 feet high, and 4 feet wider than the box, to pro- 

 duce the requisite temperature. When the heat 

 subsides to 90° the seeds may be placed in a little 

 mound in the centre of each light. Some loose 

 litter in as dry a state as possible shaken around the 

 bed will prevent the escape of heat. The glass will 

 require covering up with mats, and in very hard 

 weather, with litter as well under the mats to secure 

 a temperature of 70° to 75° ; a trifle of ventilation 

 must be afforded day and night. 



Strawberries, — The Strawberry plants recommended 

 to be placed on a bed of leaves last month, will have 

 made a start to grow, and when the flower-spikes are 

 discernible remove the plants to a shelf close to the 

 glass and afford them a temperature of 50° — 55°. 

 Do not exceed the latter figure until the plants are 

 out of bloom and the fruit set. Keep the roots in a 

 moist state, but not wet. Introduce successions from 

 the open ground every fortnight. In the absence of 

 pit accommodation the shelves at the top of Peacl.- 

 houses may be made use of for the plants. Examine 

 each pot, to ascertain the state of the drainage, and to 

 see if worms are in the soil, pick off decayed leaves and 

 scrub the pots clean. Where the plants are started 

 in houses, wire shelves are the best, as every facility is 

 thereby afforded for syringing; this is important, as 

 the slightest check soon causes red-spider to put in 

 appearance. Aphides must also be destroyed by 

 fumigation before the blossoms open. W. M. Baillie, 

 Luton Hoo. 



The Hardy Fruit Garden. 



Cherries. — The pruning of all Cherry trees should 

 now be done, the trees on walls being nailed or tied 

 soon afterwards. The pruning of dessert Cherries 

 should always be done as far as possible in the 

 summer, as the too free use of the pruning-knife in 

 winter is conducive to gumming. Summer-pruned 

 trees will now only require to have the spurs 

 shortened back to two buds. Young trees will 

 require their branches to be thinned and regulated, 

 and in Bigarreaus a space of 8 or 9 inches should be 

 left between each main branch, but those in the 

 varieties of Duke Cherries may be left closer together. 

 In nailing trees leave ample room iu the shreds for 

 the swelling of the wood, and avoid driving the nails 

 where they will come in contact with the bark, this 

 being a fruitful source of gumming. The Morello 

 and Kentish varieties require a different sort of 

 pruning, as these bear on the young wood of the 

 preceding year. Look the trees carefully over, 

 removing such of the oldest branches as can con- 

 veniently be spared, and retaining as many of the 

 young shoots as may be laid in without undue 

 crowding. Bushes will require a general thinning, 

 the removal of dead wood, and for dessert varieties 

 the spurs should be shortened back as advised for 

 wall trees. Where Vines are grown against walls 

 out-of-doors they should now Vie pruned to two or 

 three eyes, and nailed anew to the wall. 



Insects. — The present is without doubt the best 

 time in the whole year in which to exterminate the 

 insects which are injurious to fruit trees, as more 

 drastic measures may be used now the trees are at 

 reat than when growing. In this district the winter 

 moth is again very prevalent, and the males may be 



seen flying about in great numbers in the gloaming. 

 The caterpillars of this moth cause more destruction to 

 our Apple trees than any other insect we have in 

 this country ; and trees that have been badly infested 

 with them last spring and summer should receive 

 special attention. As soon as the trees are pruned, 

 the prunings, leaves, and any rubbish laying about 

 under the trees, should be raked up and burnt ; then 

 bind a broad strip of brown paper or old cloth 

 round the stems, and secure it there by means of 

 twine, after which smear it with cart-grease, gas-tar, 

 or something of a sticky nature, renewine it again 

 and again as it gets hard. The female moth, which 

 has abortive wings and cannot therefore fly, will thus 

 be prevented from crawling up the trees, and they 

 will be found sticking on the band. I find that 

 cart-grease is the best thing for the purpose, as it 

 remains effective for a considerable time before 

 hardening. 



For Apple and Pear trees that are affected with the 

 mussel scale, or American blight, a good dressing of 

 the stems and branches with petroleum emulsion, 

 applied in a cold state, is very efficacious. For 

 making petroleum emulsion the followingare the in- 

 gredients :— To 1 pint of petroleum add k lb. of soft- 

 soap, and place in a bucket, over which pour 

 h gallon of boiling water, and by the forcible use of 

 a syringe, mix the whole well together for about ten 

 minutes. A painter's brush should be used for 

 applying it, avoiding as much as possible the buds. 

 For brown scale, paint the trees with the following 

 home-made mixture : — Take equal quantities of 

 sulphur, soft-soap, soot, clay, and add sufficient 

 water so that when all is well mixed together it will 

 be of the same consistency as paint. 



As soon as the nailing of Cherry and Plum trees 

 is completed the walls as well as the trees should 

 be thoroughly washed by means of the garden- 

 engine, with soap-suds or soft-soapy water. Choose, 

 if possible, a mild day for doing it, so that the trees 

 become dry again before nightfall. 



Gooseberry and Currant bushes that have been 

 attacked by the caterpillar should, after pruning, 

 have all the soil under the bushes removed to the 

 depth of 4 or 5 inches taken away and buried deeply 

 in another part of the garden. Place fresh soil 

 under the bushes, and give the surface a good dress- 

 ing of newly-slaked lime or spent gas-lime. The 

 bushes may be either dusted over or syringed with a 

 mixture of soot and lime, as a means for preventing 

 bud-picking by the birds. A. Ward, Stobs Edith Pari', 



The Kitchen Garden. 



Outdoor Mushroom Beds. — These beds, if made 

 early in the autumn, will require examining occa- 

 sionally to remove any Mushrooms that may be fit 

 for use ; but this work should only be carried out on 

 mild days, uncovering only a small space at each time, 

 and returning the litter as quickly as possible. The 

 thickness of the covering of litter, mats, tee., should 

 be varied, according as the outside temperature is 

 high or low, and the length of time the beds have 

 been made. Succession beds may still be made, if 

 precautions can be taken against getting the mate- 

 rials wetted by rain or snow. 



Tlie Miulirooi/i-house. — As the beds become ex- 

 hausted they should be removed, and new ones made 

 up, the new materials for which will assist in keep- 

 ing up the temperature, as well as affording a genial 

 atmosphere for those beds now cropping. Any beds 

 which are not coming into bearing as soon as was 

 expected may be hastened by havingacoveringof clean 

 straw placed over them. It is frequently the case that 

 in Mushroom-houses, through defects in construction, 

 it is almost impossible to get any produce without this 

 covering. Any beds that require water should always 

 have a slight coveringof hay put on previously, and the 

 waterwarmedtoatemperatureofS.j . Itisagood plan 

 to put a little liquid-manure or a tablespoonful of car- 

 bonate of ammonia into each gallon of water, the 

 hay be removed again after a few hours or left on 

 according to circumstances. Beds that have ceased 

 bearing may often be restored to partial fertility again 

 in a few days by this means. A steady temperature of 

 55° should" be maintained in the house ; and that 

 without the aid of tire-heat, if possible. This may 

 not always be achieved, although much may be done 

 to raise the warmth of the house by building up new 

 beds as previously alluded to. In no case let the hot- 

 water pipes get too hot— but merely warm, and dry- 

 ness in the air must be counteracted by keeping the 

 floor wet. W. H. Divers, Ketton Hall, Stamford. 



