September 26, 1878. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 24 
“a 
them in a vinery from which the Grapes are cut, for affording a 
supply in severe weather. Some of the August-sown Chervil, 
carfully lifted and planted in boxes or pots and treated similarly 
to the Parsley, will be found very useful in winter. Prick into 
handlights Cauliflower plants from the August sowing so soon as 
they can be handled, selecting the strongest. The situation 
should be a warm but open one, and if the soil be light take out 
a spade deep and replace it with rather strong turfy loam to 
insure sturdy growth. The plants must have full exposure, em- 
ploying the lights only in case of frost. The smaller plants prick 
out in cold frames during the second week in October. Sow 
Radishes upon a warm border. 
FRUIT HOUSES. 
Vines.—Late Grapes ought now to be fully ripe; if, however, 
they are not apply fire heat until they are thoroughly ripened, 
there being more to fear from having them immature than over- 
ripe. Thin-skinned kinds of Grapes, as Hamburghs, will require 
frequent looking over for the removal of decayed berries. Damp 
being the cause of this evil expel it, or what is better prevent it 
by fire heat in the daytime, with free ventilation, turning the 
heat on in the morning and off again in the afternoon, as a too 
warm atmosphere at night is undesirable. Vines that ripened 
the fruit at midsummer and afterwards will now probably have 
all or nearly all the fruit cut. If there is any doubt as to the 
condition of the wood as to ripeness, turn on the heat by day 
with abundant ventilation and off at night, not, however, re- 
ducing the ventilation. This will induce the Vines to ripen-off 
kindly, lateral growths being kept well pinched. Young or this 
year’s planted Vines allowed to ramble will have formed strong 
canes and may have a part of the surplus growths removed, being 
careful not to damage the principal leaves—i.e., those at the base 
of the buds on the main rods, maintaining a warm dry atmosphere 
freely ventilated until the wood is brown and hard, then allow 
the Vines to go to rest. Vines in pots other than those intended 
for very early forcing should now have the wood brown and hard, 
and be placed against the south side of a wall or fence, but it is 
not desirable to allow the roots to be deluged with heavy rains. 
Lay the pots on their sides, or cover them with some material to 
throw off the wet. 
Peaches and Nectarines——The second early house will have the 
trees in an advanced state, the foliage turning yellow and falling. 
The border, if the roof lights are not moveable and have not been 
removed, must not be allowed to become too dry, but should be 
kept in a moist state. Syringing should be discontinued, but in 
the later houses with the foliage still fresh an occasional syring- 
ing will be necessary to free it of red spider. When the fruit is 
all gathered from the trees in the late houses the shoots should be 
thinned out where overcrowded, as well as those which have borne 
fruit, cutting them out to a successional shoot at the base. It will 
be desirable to turn the heat on by day if the wood be at all un- 
ripe, admitting air freely, but turning the heat off at night. The 
borders must not be neglected for water, as lack of that element 
would only tend to premature ripening and immature buds. In 
the latest houses of all, which are not nearly so frequent as they 
deserve, the late kinds will be ripening or ripe, and will be much 
better flavoured than that grown against open walls. In the case 
of dull cold weather a little fire heat will be necessary to ripen 
them thoroughly and afterwards to harden the wood, accompanied 
with abundance of air. Late Admirable, Stirling Castle, Walbur- 
ton Admirable, Rackmackers, and Mr. Rivers’s seedlings—Prin- 
cess of Wales, Sea Eagle, Lord Palmerston, Radclyffe, Golden 
Eagle, and Osprey, to which must be added the Salwey, are all 
fine late sorts. Desse Tardive, though a good late Peach, is super- 
seded by Radclyffe. These October Peaches are very valuable, 
the Salwey often not being ripe until late in the month. 
Peach Trees in pots, which are desirable for affording very early 
fruit, should be repotted if it be required without further delay ; 
but it is not desirable to do this unless the trees have been forced 
for some years, and have grown in size disproportionate to the size 
of the pots. The roots should be disentangled around the sides of 
the ball with an iron prong or fork, the drainage removed, and 
the surface soil picked out amongst the roots. If larger pots 
are required do not give a large shift, in no case larger than to 
admit of an inch or two of fresh soil around the reduced ball. In 
many cases the trees may be returned to the same size of pot. 
Provide efficient but not excessive drainage; ram the compost 
(turfy loam laid up for two or three months) to reduce the grass 
chopped up moderately small, adding a tenth part of old mortar 
rubbish and a fifteenth part of half-inch bones, all well incor- 
porated ; this should be pressed very firmly around the ball, leay- 
ing about an inch clear space for holding water. A good watering 
should then be given, the pots stood upon a hard bottom imper- 
vious to worms, placing ashes around the pots to their rim, and 
cover the surface of the pots 3 inches deep with litter or cocoa 
refuse. The situation should be an open but sheltered one, where 
- they may remain until required for forcing. Trees only a year or 
two in pots will not require potting or interfering with at the 
roots, but’should be stood outside, plunged as advised for those 
repotted after removing the old surface dressings, and applying 
a little fresh soil just to cover the roots. Some of the best for i 
this purpose are Early Beatrice, Early Alfred, Hales’ Early, 
Early Grosse Mignonne, Merlin, Royal George, Grosse Mignonne, 
Violette Hative, and Noblesse. Of Nectarines Lord Napier, Stan- 
wick Elruge, Elruge, and Violette Hative. 
Melons.—Be careful in the application of water; but the last 
batch with the fruit swelling must not be allowed to become dry at 
the roots, keeping up moderate moisture by damping every morning 
and at closing time, earthing up the plants as required, removing 
all superfluous growths as they appear, maintaining a temperature 
of 70° to 65° at night, 70° to 75° by day, up to 85° or 90° with sun, 
keeping the bottom heat at about 80°. Fruit ripening will be the 
better of a little extra fire heat and a little air constantly ; a dry 
state of the roots, but not so dry as to cause the leaves to flag, 
accelerates the ripening process. In dung-heated pits and frames 
no water will be required after this ; keep the frames well lined, 
admitting a little air constantly, which with the fruit raised well 
above the surface of the bed will do muchto impart flavour. Any 
fruit it is wished to keep for a time should be cut when changing 
with a good portion of stem and be kept in a dry airy room, or if 
wanted ripe at once they may be placed in a warm airy house in 
the full sun, and they ripen better than in frames or pits devoid 
of artificial warmth. 
Cucumbers.—The autumn fruiters must have careful attention, 
affording copious supplies of liquid manure. removing superfluous 
male blossoms and tendrils, avoiding overcropping, and not allow- 
ing the fruit to hang too long. The syringe should only be em- 
ployed at closing time on bright afternoons. Earth-up the roots 
as the plants advance in growth from time to time. Pinch-out 
the growing point one or two joints beyond the fruit, going over 
the plants at least once a week for that purpose, retaining no 
more foliage than can be fully exposed to light. All waterings 
must be given at the same temperature as that of the roots. Pot 
off the winter fruiters directly they are large enough to be 
handled, plunging the pots in bottom heat until the plants are 
established, then raise them near the glass, maintaining a tempe- 
rature of 70° at night, 75° by day, with an advance from sun 
heat of 10° to 15°. The fermenting materials, if such are used 
for bottom heat, must be in preparation for the formation of 
the beds for this batch in due time. For producing a good supply 
of frnit in late January or early February seed should be sown at 
the beginning of next month. Plants in dung-heated frames or 
pits must have the linings renewed as required, the foliage kept 
rather thin, the Vines well stopped, and no more water should be 
given than to secure healthy moisture for the roots, placing mats 
over the lights on cold nights. 
PLANT HOUSES, 
Stove-—Amaryllises like a long season of rest, both the decidu- 
ous and evergreen or Hippeastrum section ; and though the former 
lose their leaves it is undesirable to gradually dry them off, it 
being as injurious to them to be allowed to become dust-dry as to 
those that retain the foliage in winter. The latter must not be 
allowed to become so dry when at rest as to cause the leaves to 
flag, or they will soon perish, dryness at the roots of either de- 
scription of plants materially weakening the bulbs. They should 
be kept on shelves with the soil moderately moist. Urceolina 
aurea will be throwing up for bloom and must be kept moist, for 
though it blooms before the leaves the soil must not be allowed 
to become dry. The Jate Achimenes and Gloxinias should have 
positions near the glass and not overwatered, yet enough to keep 
the soil moist, or the flowers will be short-lived. Any that are 
becoming shabby should be placed in light situations and dry, 
with a little water occasionally until the tops go off. Gesneras of 
the zebrina section and Tydzas should have light airy situations, 
a rather warm temperature and moderate moisture, affording them 
weak liquid manure occasionally. Eucharis wanted to flower late 
should be kept rather dry in a temperature of 55° to 40°, a good 
growth having previously been made. 
Aquatic plants are useful alike as objects of beauty, also afford- 
ing flowers for cutting from. Nymphzas cerulea, cyanea, rubra, 
dentata, and Deyoniana, Nelumbium speciosum—are all capital 
for the base of stands in table decorations. Limnocharis Humboldti, 
Pontederia crassipes, P. cordata, Pistia stratiotis, and Papyrus 
antiquorum, the latter and Nelumbium being upright-growing. 
A tank of about 12 feet in diameter with a depth of about a foot 
of rather strong turfy loam will answer their requirements, with 
from a foot to 18inches’ depth of water. The Nymphzeas are best 
grown by themselves, as the upright growers require space. They 
require very little attention and are very interesting, flowering 
over a lengthened period. 
Nepenthes are coming in for their share of attention, and no 
plants are more deserving. This is undoubtedly the best time to 
secure stock, as they suffer considerably in transit if removed 
during growth or in cold weather. The best description of house 
to grow them in is a low span, such as is employed for growing 
Cucumbers, for the practice of growing them at a distance from’ 
the glass and heavily shaded is now exploded. All they want is 
shade to prevent scorching, and the temperature, moisture, and 
ventilation of an ordinary stove ; but are better grown by them- 
selves, as in stoves they are often assigned positions unsuited to. 
them. Given the same treatment as house-grown Cucumbers 
