264 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
{ October 3, 1878. 
drought of the following spring or summer presses on them’ 
Espaliers, pyramids, or cordons may be planted parallel with the 
Kitchen garden walks, and from pyramids we have frequently seen 
the leading shoots trained to an arch over the principal paths, 
forming a pleasing avenue. 
WORK FOR THE WEEK. 
HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 
Late Plums are very valuable. Autumn Compote is in use at 
the end of September or October, Belle de Septembre follows in 
October, and Coe’s Late Red succeeds. The best of all the late 
Plums for culinary purposes and for preserving is Wyedale, which 
usually is not ripe until the middle or end of October ; it is very 
hardy, succeeding in cold localities. White and new large Bullace 
are not despisable for tarts in late October or early November. 
Yellow Damask, Imperial de Milan, Bonnet d’Eyéque, Blue Im- 
pératice, and Late Rivers are desirable late Plums for dessert. 
Coe’s Golden Drop and Ickworth Impératrice will mostly be ripe 
now. They should be gathered when quite ripe, placing them 
singly upon the shelves of a light airy fruit room, where they will 
‘keep in condition for some time, some esteeming them most when 
somewhat shrivelled. Apples and Pears as they become ripe 
must be gathered carefully, as it is not possible for the fruit to 
Keep if it be carelessly handled. The late gales have greatly 
injured the Apple crop. The only sorts that have borne any- 
thing like a crop this season with us are Keswick Codlin, Lord 
Suffield, Holland Pippin, Cockpit, Norfolk Bearer, Hunthouse, and 
Crimson Queening ; and Northern Greening, Devonshire Quarren- 
den, King of the Pippins, and Cockle Pippin are the only dessert 
kinds with a fair crop. In a future issue we will name a good 
selection of fruits for autumn planting. 
Strawberries—Plants that were planted out during the sum- 
mer from the pots in which they had been forced will be setting 
and swelling the autumn crop, and should be mulched with litter 
to keep the fruit clean and be netted over. If the autumn be fine 
they often afford acceptable fruit, which, however, is improved in 
quality when covered with glass. We have known good fruit 
obtained by taking up the most promising plants with balls and 
putting them in rich compost, placing them behind a north wall 
for a few days, eventually transferring them to a house with a 
temperature of 50° min., abundantly ventilated. If the plants 
only promise indifferently in the open for an autumn crop remove 
the trusses, and clear away all runners so as to afford the crowns 
every facility to obtain strength for next season’s crop. 
Watering Strawberries in pots for the coming forcing season must 
not be neglected; though plants in well-drained soil in the open 
ground do not suffer from continued rains, yet those in pots are 
seriously injured by continued needless waterings, especially those 
required for early forcing, still they must neverbe dust-dry. Any 
that have the soil very wet and remain so for a time without 
watering should have the drainage seen to, as worms or the ma- 
terial upon which the pots are placed choke the outlet, rendering 
the soil sodden, in which no plants will thrive. The crowns are 
often numerous in some kinds, especially Black Prince and Vicom- 
tesse Héricart de Thury, a number of small crowns clustering 
round the central one. The small should be removed so soon as 
they can be laid hold of with the finger and thumb, leaving the 
centre or strongest crown. This will concentrate all the vigour 
of the plant into the chief crown, and though there will be fewer 
trusses of bloom there is no need to fear a deficiency of crop, and 
It is essential that a forced Strawberry be large and red. 
FRUIT HOUSES. 
Pines—To maintain the sturdy healthful appearance of young 
growing stock free ventilation is necessary, maintaining the bottom 
heat about the roots at 80°, watering the plants whenever they 
require it, employing weak liquid manure occasionally, and ayoid- 
ing the use of the syringe too frequently ; merely sprinkling the 
paths, &c., morning and evening daily will suffice. Fire heat must 
be resorted to to maintain a night temperature of 65° to 60°. 
Newly potted plants should haye a bottom heat of 90° to 95°, 
with a view to the roots speedily penetrating the fresh soil. Re- 
cently started suckers should, as soon as roots are plentifully 
made, be raised near the glass, it being essential that those in- 
tended to be wintered in small pots be brought on very gradually. 
Fruiting plants should have a night temperature of 70°; 80° to 
90° during the day, closing at 85°. When the suckers started this 
autumn are well rooted they should be potted without delay, 
draining the pots well. Employ the fibry part only of turfy loam, 
and do not tear it up too fine, but use it in lumps proportionate to 
the size of the pots. The strongest plants may be transferred to 
the fruiting pots at once, the size of the pots being proportioned 
to the robustness of the kinds. Jamaicas do well in 9 or 10-inch, 
Queens in 10 to 11-inch pots, Smooth-leayed Cayenne and similar 
Kinds in 11 to 12-inch, and Providence in 13 or 14-inch pots, which 
‘will afford fruit of the largest size. Where smaller plants and 
fruit are the object aimed at, pots an inch or two less in diameter 
willanswer. The plants not of a size fit for transferring to the 
fruiting pots should be shifted into 8-inch pots, in which they 
should be kept until spring and then be transferred to fruiting pots, 
Figs.—All the trees in pots outdoors intended for early forcing 
should be examined to see if any require shifting into larger pots 
or top-dressing, which should be done before the leaves fall. 
Except in the case of young small trees it is not desirable to in- 
crease the size of the pots, but remove a few inches of soil from 
the bottom of the balls, cutting back the roots, and replacing the 
soil removed with fresh. The surface soil must also be removed, 
removing all the loose portion, and replace with the requisite 
fresh material, which should consist of turfy loam with about a 
tenth of old mortar rubbish or road scrapings added, and for the 
top-dressing a fourth of well-decomposed manure. After this give 
a good watering, and place the trees in an airy situation under 
cover before frost or heavy autumn rains set in. The second crop 
of Figs in the latest house will soon be all gathered, and the trees 
should be kept drier at the roots; but avoid extreme dryness, 
which is pernicious; keep the house cool and dry, ventilating 
fully except when frosts prevail. If any lifting or root-pruning 
be necessary it should be done as soon as the leaves fall. 
: FLOWER GARDEN. 
Heavy rains, foggy nights, and chilly weather soon work the rnin 
of the floral display. It is high time to see to the safety of such 
plants that require preserving. Pelargoniums of the bronze, 
tricolor, and other variegated-leaved varieties winter very in-_ 
differently if frost-bitten. Suitable quarters should be a low span- 
roofed house in which the plants can be near the glass, have 
plenty of light, and a temperature of 45° to 50°. It is undesirable 
on account of the slow growth of many varieties to head them 
back; simply removing any crowded growth, and stripping them 
of the leaves, the remaining shoots may be left at full length with 
a view to a supply of early cuttings in spring. The green-leaved 
yarieties are more hardy, but they do better taken up before they 
are much frosted, cutting them well back, the roots being short- 
ened, and pottedsin pots no larger than to hold the roots. They 
flower more freely than young plants. To saye room they may 
be cut back and placed rather closely in boxes. We do not save 
any but the one-year-old plants. 
Where it is desirable to preserve the plants in the beds as long 
as possible some kind of light protecting material must be at 
hand to throw over them when needed. Succulents, such as 
Echeveria metallica, Kleinias, Pachyphytums, Sempervivum 
tabulzforme, and others of that class, are very liable from the 
vigour induced by planting out to be injured by frost. Hither 
they must be lifted before frost or protected from it, otherwise 
they winter very badly. Those that have been recently propa- 
gated, as well as Coleuses, Iresines, and similar tender plants, 
should be placed under cover at once. 
Hyacinths, Tulips, and other spring bulbs plant without delay. 
There is nothing like planting early, so as to admit of their 
becoming well rooted before winter. Many plant late and com- 
plain of the bloom, the fact being the bulbs have not a chance, 
besides the best are gone before the order is given. If manure is 
used bury it well down, not allowing it to come in contact with 
the bulbs. 
Fill up the gaps in the mixed border caused by the decay of 
annuals with Brompton Stocks, Wallflowers, and other sweet or 
gay spring or early summer-flowering plants, transferring bien- 
nials to their flowering quarters. Press forward the planting of 
evergreen trees and shrubs, and so soon as the leaves fall off the 
young deciduous trees the trees may be planted with advantage, 
it being better done soon than when the autumn is advanced and 
the soil wet and cold. Grass appears not to cease growing, 
though fallen leaves mar its beauty. Keep the broom going if 
neatness be wanted and roll frequently, mowing at least once 
more. Walks will require to be frequently swept and well rolled, 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Greenhouse-—Show and fancy, also spotted and regal Pelar- 
goniums that have been shaken out and repotted, and after that 
placed in cold frames or pits, should at once be moved into the 
house in which they are to be wintered. They are best in a house 
by themselves, elevated so that their tops will not be more than a 
couple of feet from the glass, and sufficiently far apart to allow 
the light to reach the lower leaves. When the shoots are 3 or 
4 inches long they should be tied out. Afford no more water than 
to prevent the foliage flagging. If kept wet the plants go too 
much to leaf. Zonals that have been kept in comparatively small 
pots for winter flowering should be placed under cover at once in 
a dry airy pit for the present, where they may remain for a short 
time before required for flowering, when they should be removed 
to a light house and have a temperature by artificial means of 50°. 
Salvias must be housed before frost and have a temperature of 
45° to 50°. If kept cold the flowers are liable to fall off. Bouyar- 
dias that have been planted out must be carefully lifted and potted, 
placing them in a cold pit, shading them from bright sun for a few 
days and sprinkling them overhead, afterwards removing them to 
a light position in a house with a temperature of 55° to 50°, and 
they will bloom through the winter. Itis desirable to divide such 
plants as those into batches and introduce them to heat at inter- 
yals. Solanums that have been planted out should be lifted forth- 
with and potted in 6 or 7-inch pots. They do well in light turfy 
loam, placing them in frames at the north of a wall, keeping the 
