February 26, 1885 ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER 
179 
•with sufficient space for every berry to swell to its full size without 
becoming wedgei. Allow a fair extension of the laterals above the 
bunches, keeping those below them somewhat closely pinched, so as to 
allow the buds at the base of the growth to become perfectly formed 
through their corresponding leaves having free access to light and air ; 
indeed, no more foliage should be allowed than can have exposure to light, 
and under no consideration must it be allowed to interfere with the princi¬ 
pal foliage. Give a thorough soaking of tepid liquid manure to inside 
borders, and mulch with a couple of inches thickness of short manure, 
supplying water frequently. Damp the house well at closing time, which 
should be early, allowing a rise after closing to 85° or 90°, observing 80° 
to 85° for closing, and commence ventilating from 70°, increasing with the 
solar heat, and keeping it through the day at 80° to 85° with bright sun, 
and 70° to 75° by artificial means in the daytime, the temperature being 
allowed to fall to 65° or eveu 60° on cold nights. 
Replanting Vines in Early Houses. —Where replanting has been 
decided upon no time should be lost in securing a stock of cut-back canes 
where a good propagating pit is at command. Eyes inserted now will be 
fit for planting in May, with every prospect of their filling the house with 
clean healthy rods this season. We consider, however, that cut-backs are 
preferable, though there is no objection to eyes started and grown in 
turves preparatory to planting. The border for early Yine3 should be 
inside, not more than -1 feet wide to begin with and 30 inches deep, rest¬ 
ing on good clean drainage, with drains to carry off the superfluous water. 
Good turf—light rather than stiff—ten bushels, old mortar rubbish one 
bushel, charcoal one, and crushed bones half bushel; the whole being 
thoroughly incorporated will form a lasting border. Supernumeraries 
may be introduced for fruiting next season, whilst the permanent Vines 
are making a stout growth for future bearing. 
Second House. —When the Vines are in flower they should not have a 
lower temperature than 60° to 65° at night, with a rise of 10° to 15° by 
day. Syringing must be discontinued, but avoid an arid condition of the 
atmosphere by damping occasionally, seeking to prevent the condensation 
of moisture by a gentle circulation of air, being careful to avoid a draught. 
All shy-setting varieties must be carefully fertilised, and even Hamburghs 
repay the trouble by the certainty of thereby obtaining evenlv formed 
berries. The temperature for Muscats in bloom may range 5° to 10° 
higher than the temperature indicated for other varieties, and a better set 
will be obtained by removing the surplus bunches before they come into 
flower. 
Succession Houses. —Syringe the Vines started early in the month two 
or three times a day, and when those that have been lowered from the 
trellis to induce them to break evenly have done so, secure them in position. 
Commence disbudding by removing the least promising breaks, but defer 
the final disbud ling until the best bunches can be determined upon. If 
water is needed afford it in a tepid state, and if the Vines are weak from 
heavy cropping employ tepid liquid manure. The temperature when the 
Vines are oming into leaf may range from 55° to G0° at night, 00° to 65° 
in the daytime artificially, and 10° to 15° advance from sun heat, observ¬ 
ing 65° as the point for admitting a little air, and closing for the day at 
75°. 
Midseason Houses. —The houses of midseason thin-skinned varieties 
may be closed early next month, the canes in the case of young Vines 
being depressed at the upper part to insure their breaking with regularity 
to the base. Syringe the rods two or three times a day, but allow them 
to become fairly dry before night. Fire heat only need be used to keep 
the temperature at 55°, and prevent its falling below 50° at night. Allow 
an advance of 10°, or to 65° from sun beat, and close the house at that 
degree. 
Late Houses of Hamburghs. —Keep these as cool as possible, excluding 
frost only, and observe the same with other thin-skinned varieties of a 
similar nature not wanted ripe before September or early autumn. They 
will start naturally in April, and can be advanced sufficiently by husband¬ 
ing the sun heat so as to ripen them at the time required with very little 
assistance from fire heat. 
Late Grapes. —These require a long season of growth, and late Vines 
should be started without farther delay. Examine Grapes in the fruit- 
room frequently for decayed berries, keeping the bottles filled with water 
as necessary, and expel damp by gentle fires and ventilation in the day ; 
otherwise keep as equable a temperature as possible, the nearer to 45° 
the better. 
Preparing for Planting Vines. —In all cases it is advisable to arrange 
for borders inside and outside, and the Vines should have the run only of 
the inside border until they fill it with roots, then they may be allowed 
to pass into the outside border. The best time to plant it is undoubtedly 
early in April, as the Vines then naturally start into growth; but all 
should be in readiness. If cut-backs have to be planted they should, if 
not already done, be cut back to a couple of eyes at once and dressed with 
styptic or patent knotting, and kept cool until they have started and made 
a couple of inches of growth, when they should be turned out of the pots, 
have the roots disentangled, spread evenly, and be supplied with water 
at a temperature of 90° to settle the soil about the roots. If the borders 
are ready, the Vines being cut back some time previously, they may be 
turned out at once— i.e., before they have started, and they may be 
accelerated in growth by a temperature of 50° to 55°. 
Vines Intended for Early Fruiting in Pots. —These will now or ought 
to be fit for shifting into the fruiting pots. Tne pots should be 12 inches 
in diameter, clean, well crocked, and the compost good rough turfy loam, 
a little old lime rubbish, and a sprinkling of crushed bmes, potting 
firmly, and half plunge in a bottom heat of 80° to insure speedy root- 
action, keep close, and shade from bright sun for a few days, after which 
expose them fully and train near the glass, so as to insure short-jointed 
thoroughly solidified growth. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Zonal Pelargoniums. —Young plants that have been wintered in 3-inch 
poks on a shelf near to the glass in a night temperature of 45° may now 
be olaced into pots 2 and 3 inches larger. The soil should be pressed 
firmly into the pots to insure a sturdy growth ; the compost should consist 
of fibry loam, one-seventh of decayed manure, and sand. After potting 
supply water carefully and place the plants in a temperature of 50° to 55°, 
the latter being sufficiently high during the day. They should be ar¬ 
ranged near to the glass until they are rooting freely, when ventilation 
should be given on all favourable occasions. Under this treatment the 
plants will soon commence vigorous growth, and in a short time will 
produce their large trusses of brilliant flowers which will be found invalu¬ 
able for conservatory decoration. Double varieties grown principally for 
supplying flowers for cutting, and which have been wintered in small pots 
in a similar manner, may be placed in the same sized pots as advised above. 
These, when established, may be pinched again and brought forward 
under cool conditions. This, however, depends entirely upon the time 
the plants are wanted in flower. If wanted early give them the treatment 
advised above. The stock of these plants may now be increased by cut¬ 
ting*, which root freely on a shelf near to the glass in a temperature 
of 60°. The cuttings should be inserted singly in sandy soil in thumb 
pots. 
French and Fancy Pelargoniums. —The earliest plants potted some 
time ago and now thoroughly established should have commenced active 
growth. The plants must be arranged near to the glass in the temperature 
indicated for Z mal varieties. The shoots may be tied out, but not stopped 
again if wanted in flower as early as possible. Water carefully until the 
plants show signs of flowering, when a little stimulant may be given, 
clear soot water being very good for these plants ; it acts quickly, and 
imparts to the foliage a fine dark appearance. Pinch the shoots of suc- 
cessional batches when 3 or 4 inches in length, and strike a batch of 
cuttings in heat for late flowering. 
Petunias. —Double varieties that have been wintered in 3-inch pots 
near to the glass should now be bushy little specimens with their pots 
full of active roots. These will be useful in 5-inch pots for decoration, 
and will be early if allowed to come forward into flower, again pinching 
their shoots. Use a similar compost to that recommended for Pelargo¬ 
niums, which, if pressed firmly into the pots, insures sturdy specimens. 
If leaf mould be employed they are liable to grow soft and tall. They 
will come forward rapidly after potting if subjected to the same treat¬ 
ment as the Pelargoniums. Heliotropes in small pots should be repotted 
and given similar treatment. A batch of cuttings of both the former 
and the latter can be inserted and placed in the propagating frame until 
rooted, and then grown on for succession. 
Fuchsias. —Plants that have been rested should now be pruned, watered 
at their roots, and started into growth in a temperature of 45° to 50°, a vinery 
or Peach 'house being a good place for them. Very little water will be 
needed at the roots if the plants are syringed over the foliage twice 
daily. Young plants from cuttings rooted in autumn and established in 
small pots may now be placed in 5-inch pots, a very suitable size in 
which to flower them in a small state, and placed in a temperature of 
about 50°. Supply the plants with a small upright stake, and use for a 
compost good loam, one-third of old Mushroom-bed refuse, and sand. 
Solanums. —Plants that are past their best and are required again in 
early autumn, should now be pruned and started into growth in a similar 
temperature to the Fuchsias. When they have commenced growth turn 
them out of their pots, reduce the roots one-half, and repot in the same 
size pots in a mixture of fibry loam, one-seventh of manure, and sand. 
When rooting freely in the new soil grow the plants for a time under cool 
greenhouse treatment until they can be placed in cold frames. A good 
batch of cuttings may be inserted in sandy soil, and will root freely in 
the close propagating frame. From cuttings inserted at once and grown 
on without a check, good berried plants by autumn may be produced. 
Chrysanthemums. —Cuttings of these useful plants should now be in¬ 
serted, whether required for large blooms or for purposes of decoration. 
Select strong sturdy cuttings and insert them singly in small pots, as 
nearly every one will root, and the plants are not checked afterwards in 
the operation of potting. These cuttings should be struck if possible 
where a slight bottom heat can be given and the tops kept moderately 
cool. If rooted in a moist close atmosphere the tops commence growth 
before roots are formed ; but, on the other hand, roots are first formed, and 
a stout sturdy growth follows. 
THE FLOWER GARDEN AND PLEASURE GROUND. 
Climbing Roses. —Under good treatment there are no more serviceable 
plants than these. With us they are the first to yield good blooms 
for cutting, and the Teas especially continue to flower more or less till 
very severe frosts damage Ihem in the early winter months. It is the 
comparatively young and vigorous growing plants that are much the 
most profitable ; but instead of these we more often see miserable half- 
starved plants that are both unsightly and useless. These should be at once 
removed and their places filled with strong plants of such sorts as Gloire 
de Dijon, Climbing Devoniensis, Safrano, Marechal Niel, Madame Berard, 
Homer, Alba Rosea, Souvenir d’un Ami. Rubens, and Madame Lambard, 
all being either Teas or Noisettes, and Cheshunt Hybrid may well be in¬ 
cluded. Give the preference at this late date to plants in pots to any that 
may be lifted from the open ground. As the positions in which these 
Roses are planted are usually the hottest and driest in the garden—v:z., 
