138 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ February 12, 1885. 
discovered its dainty buds. This fact of particular birds repeatedly going 
to the same tree is noteworthy ; a little time and pains given at the outset 
to their destruction may save the treo from further depredations. The 
mild weather has induced an early development of catkins upon the 
Filberts. As soon as pollen is plentiful enough to impregnate the female 
blossom, not a day should be lost in doing the pruning. This brings the 
winter pruning to an end once more, and fruit trees of all sorts should now 
be as trim, neat, and clean as pruning, training, and dressing can make 
them. The dressing of the branches of old fruit trees is often carried to 
a hurtful extreme. Examine the bark of an old Apple tree that is 
covered with lichens, and it will be found soft and pliant to the touch, 
and if laid open with a knife it will be found perfectly healthy. Such trees 
generally have the branches thickly set with fruit buds, and with a favour¬ 
able spring the crop of fruit is abundant. 
Strawberry Beds .—The strong plants of fruiting beds look full of 
promise for the coming season, with foliage of a large size and green 
sturdy appearance. The runners were cleared off these beds, manure pu; 
between the rows and dug in immediately after the last fruit wa3 gathered. 
A quick sturdy autumn growth of roots, foliage, and crowns followed ; 
the plants were then in the best possible condition to pass safely through 
winter weather, and to produce plenty of fine fruit next summer. It is 
by thus supplying the unmistakeable wants of the plants in autumn that 
we insure a full crop of fruit next year. Timely culture is the best culture, 
leading to the highest possible results. We long ago proved that to leave 
the soil between the rows undug, in heavy land, and apply a top-dressing of 
manure in autumn was bad practice—bad indeed did we find it, for what 
with hard sodden soil about the roots, and an army of slugs attacking the 
crowns from the snug winter quarters which the manure afforded them, 
we lost hundreds of plants, and the fruit crop of the remainder was any¬ 
thing but satisfactory. New beds may now be made with the strong 
plants established in nursery beds in a mixture of leaf mould and coal 
ashes, out of which they are lifted with such large balls of compost and 
roots that they sustain hardly any check, and will yield a little early 
fruit this season. Although this is a very good way of making new 
Strawberry beds, it is not the best way, but in small gardens where space 
cannot be bad for making beds of the earliest runners in summer, it 
answers best to plant the early runners in nursery beds, and to transplant 
them carefully now, rather than to make beds with late runners which 
cannot be well established in the soil before cold weather sets in, and 
from which no fruit can be had till the second year after planting. 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Vines. —Early Vines in Pots .—When all the Grapes on these have 
been properly thinned keep the laterals below the bunches closely stopped, 
those in advance of the fruit being allowed more freedom, provided there is 
room for tying them to the trellis. Be careful not to overcrop, but 
remove surplus bunches, leaving no more than the Vines with liberal 
treatment are likely to finish well. If the pots are placed on brick 
pedestals the fermenting materials should be placed loosely about the 
pots, so as to prevent the heat rising above 80°. Liquid manure may be 
supplied liberally, weak and tepid. In order to be able to surface-dress the 
soil have rims of zinc about 4 inches deep to fit inside the rims of the pots, 
filling these with turfy loam and decayed manure in equal parts. If the 
Vines are to remain until the Grapes are ripe allow the roots to pass into 
the plunging material, as the fruit will be fine in size in proportion to the 
number of feeders. Damp the houses two or three times a day, but avoid 
wetting the pipes when hot, or it may lead to rust; also avoid admitting 
cold currents of air for a similar reason, breaking the force of keen winds 
by some wool netting tacked over the ventilators. 
Early House .—Close attention must be given to stopping, tying, and 
thinning. It is necessary that superfluous bunches be rein wed before the 
berries have swelled much. In taking account of the crop it will be 
necessary to consider the size as well as the number of bunches, as a 
reduction in number of bunches does not always correspond to a 
reduction in weight when the Grapes are ripe. Allow a free extension of 
the laterals above the bunches, always bearing in mind that laterals only 
are valuable when the foliage is exposed to light. Supply tepid manure 
water to the inside border liberally, and mulch with short manure. 
Early Muscat House .—Where these were started in December and 
have been steadily progressing they will have reached the flowering stage, 
and, assuming they have a house to themselves properly heated, they 
should have a night temperature of 65° to 70°, with a rise of 10° to 15° by 
day, and in bright weather keep it at 80° to 85° during the day, and if the 
temperature rise to 85° or 90° after closing it will be advantageous. As 
the Vines flower every bunch should be carefully fertilised with Black 
Hamburgh pollen. To grow Muscats well they require very liberal treat¬ 
ment) and in the case of early ones they may have the benefit of a well- 
drained inside border. It is little use expecting Muscats to set well unless 
the border has been well mulched through the previous growing season, 
the roots thereby being kept at the surface and the wood thoroughly 
ripened. 
Midseason Houses .—Vines in these should be started according to the 
t me at which the Grapes are wished ripe. Those started now will have 
the fruit ripe in July. The inside borders should be rendered thoroughly 
moist by repeated supplies of tepid water, and in the case of weakly Vines 
with liquid manure. The night temperature should be 50° to 55°, and 55° by 
day artificially if dull and cold, or 60° to 65° with sunshine. Young canes may 
be depressed to insure their breaking evenly to the bottom. Syringe twice 
a day, morning and early afternoon. Damping the floor with tepid liquid 
manure will afford an ammonia-charged atmosphere inimical to insects 
and encourage a good break. Ventilate so as to change the atmosphere 
at least once a day. 
Late Houses .—The Grapes having been cut at the beginning of the 
year, the Vines pruned, the house cleansed, and the border surface- 
dressed, they will have had a season of rest, and as late Grapes require 
as a rule a long season of growth to finish their crops satisfactorily for 
keeping, they should be started so that the fruit will ripen during August 
and September. Hence the houses must be closed by the end of this 
month, and where the Grapes are wanted for use during the early winter 
the Vines should be started at once. At closing, the borders inside should 
be well watered at a temperature of 90°. The Vines will need syringing two 
or three times a day, and if fermenting materials are at command make 
up a bed in the house, which will save fire heat and generate a moist 
ammonia-charged atmosphere very favourable to the Vines breaking 
strongly. The night temperature may be kept at 55°, and between that 
and 65° by day, by which a gradual advauce will be made with every 
prospect of the Grapes becoming thoroughly ripened. 
Pines. —Fermenting Beds .—As a medium of affording heat to the 
roots these are the best, and as the usual practice is to take out and 
replace or make up such beds just before winter, and to incorporate the 
materials employed so as to insure the heat generated being as steady and 
as durable as possible. These beds will again require attention and must 
be renewed as soon as the weather is favourable. Towards the close of 
the month a batch of suckers may be started, and the requisite attention 
given to any that require it, as repotting, for which timely preparation 
should be made by having the soil in a fit state. 
Succession and Fruiting Plants —As there is now more light and sun 
heat it will excite the plants into growth, and when this is apparent a 
slight increase of the artificial temperature should be made. Fruiting 
plants must have every attention to insure vigour by maintaining a proper 
degree of humidity, also taking advantage of every gleam of sunshine to 
keep the temperature to 90° or 95°, closing the house early in the day. 
Melons. —Plants from seed sown at the beginning of the year, and 
which were given a shift at the end of the last month, will now be ready 
for planting on the ridge in the Melon house. Care should be taken ti 
have the soil sufficiently moist, so that they turn clean out of the 
pits. Press the soil firmly around each plant, but keep it from the 
base or collar, as it may from becoming too damp cause canker in the 
stems. Secure the sticks to which the plants are trained to the first wire 
of the trellis. Water will not be necessary if the soil be in suitable 
condition, and if absolutely needed it must be given wdth great caution. 
Much, however, depends upon circumstances. If the bottom heat is 
supplied by fermenting materials very little water will be needed, 
especially in dull weather, but where it is furnished by hot-water pipes 
water will be required more frequently. On bright sunny days syringe 
lightly, and close early in the afternoon with a temperature of 85°, rising 
to 90°. 
Cheery House.— The temperature may now range from 40° to 45° on 
cold nights, and 5° more when the weather is mild, 50° by day artificially 
if dull, and 5° more if mild, advancing 10° to 15° from sun heat and a free 
circulation of air. Before the flowers expand syringe thoroughly with an 
insecticide, clear and not too strong quassia water being the best, as it 
leaves no stain and prevents insect attacks. 
Planting Young Trees .—Complete any necessary alterations at once. If 
fresh trees have to be introduced they must be planted now, and means 
should be provided for shading them when they start into growth. It is 
well to have trees that have been some three or four years trained to wall c , 
and that have been annually lifted so as to move with perfect safety. 
Such trees fruit at once, and with proper attention to surface-mulching 
keep up the growth without check, so that fruit is had the first season. 
Such trees are far superior to those one or two years cut back, which 
experience a great check in moving, and when they start they make 
stronger long-jointed growth, which lays the foundation of gumming, to 
which trees grown on the moderately progressive system are not subject. 
THE FLOWER GARDEN AND PLEASURE GROUND. 
Bedding Plants from Seeds .—There are several kinds of bedding 
plants that may be raised from seed ; and although the plants in some 
cases may not be so reliable, especially as regards habit of growth, as are 
those obtained either from cuttings or by division, they will yet be found 
very useful. The strains of Petunias, Verbenas, Lobelia=, Ageratum°, 
Pentstemons, Tuberous-rooted Begonias, Antirrhinums, Phlox Drum- 
mondii, Marigolds, Tropasolums, and others, have all been much im¬ 
proved of late years, and all may be safely employed in filling the various 
beds—always, however, supposing a particular even growth is not consi¬ 
dered necessary. Besides these flowering plants there are several fine- 
foliaged kinds that are propagated either solely from seeds or may be 
thus raised by those who have no old plants to furnish cuttings or divi¬ 
sions. These include Cannas, Acacia lophantha, Chammpeuces, Cen- 
taureas, Solanums, Wigandias, Japanese Maize, Cinerarias, Ricinuses, and 
Grevilleas. It is yet too early to sow seed of the majority of the above, 
but there are a few kinds that either do not germinate very quickly or 
the seedlings are of slow growth, and these should be sown early in 
February. 
Verbenas .—Mixed beds of these are frequently strikingly beautiful, one 
packet of seed usually including a great variety of variously coloured 
flowers. Seedlings, too, are generally more robust in habit, succeeding 
where perhaps plants raised from cuttings would fail. The seed is, as a 
rule, rather slow in germinating ; but if it is new and a brisk bottom heat 
is available, no difficulty should be experienced in securing plenty of 
seedlings. Sow the seed at once on the surface of a pan of light sandy soil, 
