252 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ March 27, 1884 
made of it. When work cannot be done on the soil, forward it as much 
as possible elsewhere, and when good days do occur get all hands to the 
vegetable quarters. This is the only way progress can be made in 
changeable weather. 
Herbs. —These should now have attention. They are important in all 
kitchens, and gardeners should be well stocked with them. Mint delights 
in a rich soil; but when the roots have been planted they need not be 
disturbed again for many years : but an annual top-dressing of short 
manure should be put all over the surface every spring. This should be 
done before growth is much advanced. Sage and Thyme are easily pro¬ 
pagated from seed, which should be sown now in good soil. Sage may 
also be increased from cuttings, and large plants of Thyme may be divided 
and planted anew. As young healthy well-furnished plants of both may 
be secured in these ways, old specimens should never be allowed to 
remain. Sweet Basil must be raised from seed sown under glass ; then 
plant in a frame and grow in this way. Bush Basil is hardier and may 
be raised in the open, and so may Borage, Burnet, Dill, Horehound, 
Fennel, Marjoram, Purslane, Savory, Skirret, and Sorrel, all of which 
should find a place in every herb border. 
Potatoes. —Early ones in frames must have plenty of air admitted to 
them on all favourable occasions. Dig up those matured and refill frames 
with young Celery and other plants. Protect any coming through the 
soil in sheltered corners should frost occur. Varieties of all descriptions 
may now be planted. We are now putting in Schoolmaster, and other 
late varieties will follow as soon as possible. Admit plenty of air to 
seed tubers, as this will harden them and make the shoots, which are now 
pushing freely from all of them, robust and healthy. 
Peas. —Spring-sown Peas now require to be earthed up and staked, 
It is an advantage to keep them always upright. When neglected and 
allowed to fall over through not being staked in time they never do so 
well afterwards. Varieties such as Telegraph, Telephone, Giant Marrow. 
Stratagem, Pride of the Market, and Webb’s Electric Light should be 
sown now to fruit in July. Open the drills wide, put plenty of manure 
in, sow good seed thinly, and the growths will certainly be robust and 
plentiful. Dwarf varieties in frames or under glass should have abund¬ 
ance of air, as too much heat and a close atmosphere are not conducive 
to fertility. 
Turnips. —Some of these are sown in February and many in March; 
but those sown previous to this time may seldom prove profitable, as they 
are so liable to flower before bulbing. Now they are safe to form useful 
produce, and the Early Munich or Snowball should be sown. Give them 
good soil, a favourable situation. Make the drills 2 inches deep, 15 inches 
apart. Sow thin and tread the soil over the seed as firmly as possible. 
The latter operation is a capital one to make the bulbs come a good shape 
and clean. 
Globe Artichokes. —The material which has been round the collars of 
these plants as protectors during the winter should now be forked into the 
soil about the roots. To secure large succulent heads—and no others 
are valuable—they must have rich soil, and if the mulching material has 
not much of this property left in it add more good manure. 
French Beans. —Plants in pots are now bearing profusely. Give 
them plenty of liquid manure when the crop is forming. Throw away 
the old plants immediately they cease fruiting and supply young ones. 
No more need be sown in pots in warm houses ; but seed may be planted 
in ordinary frames amongst good soil, and if glass lights are placed over 
them they will soon grow and bear much fruit before any which can be 
grown in the open. Osborn’s is one of the best sorts to sow in a frame, as 
it does not grow tall and it is very prolific. Seed sown in a frame now 
will bear fruit by the end of May. 
Tomatoes. —Plants of these, whether in beds or fruiting pots, must be 
restricted in growth. When growing in close warm houses at this time 
they are liable to make much superfluous wood, and would soon overrun 
a large space with unfruitful shoots, but these should be constantly cut 
away, and confine the plant to one or two bearing stems. These will 
bear a cluster of fruits every few inches and be more profitable than a 
large plant. Supply those bearing heavily with liquid manure twice 
weekly. Plants in 3-inch pots may be potted into 6-inch ones. Prepare 
a good batch of plants for planting in the open in May. These are better 
kept dwarf and not in too much heat. 
Celery. —The main crop of this should be put in. If a slight hotbed 
can be made up to sow on have it by all means ; otherwise sow seed in 
houses or pots, and bring the plants forward in pit or vinery. A gentle 
heat will do. Keep the young plants near the glass. Always water well. 
Early plants should now be standing 3 inches apart in small pots, boxes, 
or frames. Admit plenty of air, and avoid checking them in any way. 
Young plants in frames, such as Cauliflower, Lettuce, &c., must have 
more air, as they should be hardy enough to bear planting in the open in 
a few weeks hence. 
Leeks.— Sow a good patch of Henry’s Prize, St. David, or Mussel¬ 
burgh in a rich soil, from which they can be conveniently transplanted 
by-and-by. 
FRUIT-FORCING. 
Peaches and Nectarines.— Earliest House. —Where such varieties 
as Alexander and Early Beatrice are grown these have stoned and are 
swelling their fruit, to encourage which afford copious supplies of tepid 
liquid manure to the roots, and syringe twice a day, being careful to have 
the fruit dry before night, as moisture allowed to remain upon it some time 
will spoil the appearance of the fruit. Do not, however, raise the tempera¬ 
ture until the other trees in the house have completed the stoning, keeping 
it as equable as possible until the trees have passed this critical process, 
which in the case of such varieties as Hale’s Early, A Bee, and Royal 
George, and of Nectarines Lord Napier and Advance, w T ill not take long 
after this to be affected. In the meantime keep the temperature at 60° or a 
few degrees less on cold nights, 65° by day and 5° to 10° higher from sun 
heat. Give air early, but only a little, and gradually increase it as the day 
advances until the maximum is reached. Be careful in admitting front 
air, particularly in windy weather, as cold cutting draughts are likely to 
prove disastrous, if not fatal. Tie in young growths as they advance, 
leaving plenty of space in the ties, a3 tight tying frequently causes gum. 
Stop gross shoots when they have made about 15 inches of growth, or 
remove them altogether if likely to interfere with an equal diffusion of sap 
and growth throughout the tree. Keep laterals somewhat closely pinched, 
and avoid overcrowding as the greatest of evils in fruit culture. 
Succession Houses. —Disbudding must be proceeded with, thinning the 
fruit by degrees, leaving those which are most favourably placed for 
swelling and colouring. Tie down the leading shoots and those at the base 
of the current bearing wood for supplanting it in next season’s fruiting. In 
the house started early in January the fruits are swelling fast, and as they 
advance it will be advisable to remove most of those that will not be 
required. The thinning both of the fruit and of superfluous growths must 
be done gradually. A night temperature of 55° to 60° and 10° to 15° rise 
from sun heat will be suitable, losing no opportunity of admitting air, 
especially in the early part of the day, and close early with plenty of 
moisture in the house. Syringe twice a day, and see that there is not any 
deficiency of moisture in the inside borders. In the house started in 
February proceed carefully, judiciously, and progressively with disbudding 
and thinning the fruit, removing the growths on the strongest first, and the 
smallest fruit, especially that on the under side or back of the trellis. 
Late Houses. —The late trees have been in flower some time ; indeed, 
some of the trees have set their fruit. Air will need to be admitted very 
freely, as from the forward condition of the trees the fruit will otherwise 
ripen along with the third or fourth succession house, or the one that is 
usuallv started in March. Peaches submit to a low night temperature, 
providing the atmosphere is dry and frost is excluded, but a temperature 
of 50° by day should, if possible, be secured to them, as the organs of 
fructification are seriously impeded in their offices when subjected to pro¬ 
longed cold. Keep a sharp look-out for aphides in all structures, and 
destroy them by fumigation, but be careful m its application so as not to 
injure the tender foliage. Where there is a great set of fruit, which is a 
common occurrence this season, remove most of that on the under side of 
the branches. 
Figs. — Early Trees in Pots. —In dull sunless weather a certain amount 
of caution is necessary in the application of stimulants, for although the 
Fig be a gross feeder and roots rapidly, lessened supplies will be needed 
than when the weather is bright. Syringing in such weather will also need 
moderating, paiticularly in the afternoon, especially in houses that are 
close and low, for under no circumstaqces is it prudent to allow moisture to 
remain on the trees after daylight. In dull weather all watering should 
be performed before or directly after breakfast, by which time the heat of 
the day should be attained so far as that from fire heat is concerned, and 
on no account must the trees be allowed to suffer from insufficient supplies 
of water. Syringing in such weather must be performed between 1 and 
2 p.m., doing it thoroughly, so that red spider may not increase. Attend 
well to the thinning and stopping of side shoots, as these play an important 
part in the second crop, but this more particularly applies to trees planted 
out than to those in pots, which last, however, must not be kept much 
crowded in the head, or the fruit will be poor and sparse. 
Early Forced Planted out Trees. —Train all leading or terminal shoots 
in their full length where space remains to be filled. Do not, however, 
permit crowding, but keep the side growths duly thinned and stopped, a3 
if formed into spurs they are an important factor in the second crop. 
Endeavour to obtain short-jointed wood by careful ventilation on all 
favourable occasions, and avoid a high night temperature, especially in 
cold weather. In ordinary weather the night temperature may be 60°, a 
few degrees less in cold weather or a few degrees higher in mild weather 
will not matter. Allow a rise of 10° from fire heat in the daytime, and 
keep at 75° or 80° through the day from sun heat. Give air at 75° or a 
very little on sunny mornings at 70°, increasing it with the solar heat, and 
close at 80°. Water the borders copiously, keeping the mulching moist 
so as to encourage surface roots. 
Succession Houses. —Trees in inside borders should have good mulch¬ 
ings of short or half-decomposed manure, so as to encourage surface roots, 
giving a good watering with tepid water afterwards, and keep the mulching 
constantly moist, alike to keep the roots at the surface and to keep down 
red spider. Syringe twice a day on fine days, but early in the afternoon 
only on dull days. Stop side shoots at the fifth or sixth leaf, remove 
superfluous growths so as to avoid overcrowding, train and tie as growth 
proceeds, following the extension system if space permit and fine fruit is a 
primary consideration. Young trees intended for pots should he stopped 
at 14 to 15 inches from the base, and all the buds taken out from the axils 
of the leaves except two or three of the uppermost. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Dahlias, Salvias, and Cannas. —If roots of these are placed in heat 
and covered with soil they will break freely, and may either be divided into 
several pieces with a shoot and small portion of roots attached, or firm 
cuttings of the two former may be struck in heat and will form the best of 
plants by the time they are required. The former are easily raised from 
seed sown in heat, and this is the cheapest method of securing a good 
variety of single Dahlias. Sow in pans of light soil and place in a hotbed. 
Phloxes. —The early-flowering forms, such as Miss Robinson, Princess 
of Wales, Mrs. Downie, and others, are really beautiful when well grown 
