832 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ April 24, 1864. 
should be both plentiful and good. Between every two trenches there 
will be a space or ridge of soil 18 inches or more in width, and if Lettuces 
are planted on the apex of these they will be matured and cut before the 
Celery requires to be earthed up. Spinach, Turnips, or any quick-grow¬ 
ing crops may also be put on these ridges. 
Runner Beans. —The first row of these may now be sown. Sutton’s 
Giant White is a splendid variety. It is large in pod, prolific, and finely 
flavoured. A sunny position will forward them and agree with them well, 
as this crop is a tender one and requires a little extra attention early in 
the season. A cold soil will not suit the seed, as the plants will be weak 
and chilled-looking in such. 'When the soil is light and dry they are much 
better. The drill for the reception of the seed should be 2 inches deep 
and 9 inches wide. Sow thinly and cover with some light sandy soil. 
lomatoes under Glass. —These must be restricted, and when a good 
crop of fruit has been formed stop all growths, and the fruits will swell off 
all the better for it. Do not give young plants liquid manure yet, but 
supply it freely to those in full bearing. Plants intended for open-air 
culture should be hardened off by being placed in cold frames before April 
is out, and in a fortnight hence they should be placed in the open in a 
sheltered position previous to being planted out. 
Vegetable Marrows and Gourds should be treated in the same way. 
FRUIT-FORCING. 
Figs. — Earliest Forced Trees. —Figs started in November are now 
ripening, and to have them really good in quality considerable attention 
must be given to the house and trees, especially if the weather be cold and 
sunless. To secure colour the trees must have full exposure to light, and the 
means of admitting air freely with heat sufficient to allow of its being 
given in the coldest weather to prevent the condensation of moisture 
beneath the glass. In the treatment of the trees now remove all useless 
spray, thinning and stopping side shoots, and turning aside any leaves 
likely to shade the fruit. Although Figs require dry heat when ripening 
it must be borne in mind that the Fig is a gross feeder, and the roots 
require to be kept in a moist state through all stages, and this is best 
secured by mulching heavily with short manure or other non-conducting 
material after well soaking it with tepid liquid manure. The syringe, 
though it must not be used over the trees when the fruit is advanced in 
ripening, must not be entirely laid aside, as each time the ripe fruit is 
closely gathered a good washing with tepid soft water will greatly refresh 
the foliage and wood, and keep down red spider. The temperature may 
be now kept at 65° to 70°, and 10° to 15° higher by day from fire heat, 
and with bright sun 85° to 90°. Allow a circulation of air through the 
house constantly. 
Succession Houses. —Generous treatment will now be necessary in the 
supply of heat, moisture, and syringing twice a day. Stimulants in the 
form of liquid manure should be given when the trees require it. Keep 
all stopping and tying well in advance, and thin the crop where too 
heavy, as the fruit will not be fine with too heavy a crop, but the trees 
are often seriously injured. Most trees show, when in good condition, far 
more fruit than they are able to bring to maturity, and if the border 
becomes dry the trees will shed the whole of their fruit. 
Cherry House. —The fruit is now ripening rapidly; indeed, some of 
the most forward are fit to gather, and the fruit, whether ripe or ripening, 
must be kept free from moisture or it will crack and be entirely spoiled. 
The house, however, may be damped twice a day to maintain the health 
of the trees, leaving a little air on constantly at the top of the house to 
prevent moisture condensing so as to injure the fruit. Ventilate freely at 
all times under favourable external conditions, and when practicable allow 
a constant circulation of air through the house, and when the external 
conditions render this impracticable recourse must be had to the heating 
apparatus so as to ensure a circulation of warm and dry air. If black 
aphides appear they must be promptly exterminated by dipping the shoots 
or leaves affected in tobacco water, and rubbing them gently with the 
finger. Some netting will be needed over the ventilators to save the 
ripening fruit from the depredations of birds. As the shoots required for 
extension or filling up vacant space lengthen, tie in, but not too tightly, or 
it may produce gum, and stop those required for forming spurs at the 
fifth or sixth leaf. See that there is no deficiency of moisture at the 
roots, and trees in pots will need frequent attention. 
Peaches and Nectaeines. — Early Houses. —Trees in houses where 
the fruit is swelling should, to ensure it reaching a good size, and especially 
where time has been lost in the stoning process, be closed early on fine 
afternoons with liberal moisture, syringing the trees in the morning and 
again after closing at 2 to 3 p.m. It is essential that the fruit become 
dry before night, for water lodging thereon for any length of time will 
cause the skin to crack, and it is then spoiled both in appearance and 
flavour. Examine the inside borders, and on no account allow the soil to 
become dry, and with the large spread of foliage exposed to the action of 
the sun the strain upon the roots is considerable, and will need copious 
supplies of tepid liquid manure and mulchings, partly decayed manure 
being most suitable. Too much stress cannot be laid upon this, as from a 
deficiency of moisture at the roots premature ripening and loss of the 
fruit before it has completed its last swelling is to be attributed ; always 
taking into consideration the crop, as the fruit may not mature properly 
from an over-crop, or from a deficiency of water. Stopping beyond the 
fruit must have attention, and tying down so as to admit all the light 
practicable to the fruit, which should have any leaves turned aside or 
shortened, so that it receive the full benefit of the solar rays. Any 
dependant fruit should be raised and turned round to the light, so that its 
apex may be uppermost, supporting it in that position by thin laths fixed 
across the wires of the trellis. 
Succession Houses .—Trees in the house started early in the year will 
have finished stoning, and when this is completed the treatment may be 
the same as advised above for early houses, with the addition of giving 
the fruit the final thinning. On trees in the house started at the beginning 
of February the fruit will not swell much during the stoning process and 
must not be kept too warm. Provide a night temperature of 60°, falling 
to 55° through the night, and keep at G0° to 65° from fire heat through 
the day, advancing to 75° from sun heat, ventilating from 65°, fully at 75°; 
do not allow a decline below this, but reduce the ventilation by degrees, 
and close at 75° for the day. Syringe well twice a day, and keep the 
inside borders supplied with water. Remove most of the smaller fruits 
that will not be required for the crop and which are not likely to stone 
satisfactorily. Thin out the shoots where too crowded, and tie down 
those originated from the base of the current bearing wood for next 
year’s bearing. These ought not to be closer than 15 to 18 inches, and a 
similar distance should be allowed between the main branches. Stop the 
shoots beyond the fruit to si, few joints, and remove any strong shoots, so 
as to cause an equalisation of the sap. Continue to disbud and thin the 
fruits in later houses, leaving few if any more fruits than will be required 
for the crop, as trees in good health under judicious management will not 
cast any or only a small per-centage in stoning. 
Trees in late houses have set every blossom, and will need close 
attention to the removal of the surplus fruit; this and disbudding must 
be done gradually. Fumigate moderately upon the first appearance of 
aphides. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Achimenes.-~ It would be difficult to name any flowering plants more 
suitable for the conservatory during the summer than these, and to have 
dwarf well-filled pans, and others in 5-inch and 6-inch pots for decorative 
purposes they should be raised from cuttings. Cuttings make much 
better plants than those raised from the tubers. The cuttings should be 
inserted in the pans and pots in which they are intended to flower in, for 
every one will strike root in a warm close atmosphere if shaded from the 
sun. It is not necessary to take the cuttings at a joint, for they will root 
as freely from the stem as the joint. After they are rooted and growing 
freely they should not be subjected to too much heat, or they will draw up 
quickly and half their beauty will be lost. 
Amaryllises. —These useful bulbous plants are so accommodating that 
they should be grown in quantity in all gardens where choice flowering 
decorative plants are required. They can be had in flower successionally 
for months, provided they are assisted to make their growth at different 
periods, and are, after resting, introduced in heat and brought into flower 
as required. Those that have flowered should have every attention and 
be encouraged to make strong vigorous growth in an intermediate 
temperature. They should be arranged as close to the glass as possible, 
and must not be kept in a confined atmosphere, or their foliage will not 
be dwarf and sturdy. The majority that are still at rest in the green¬ 
house are showing signs of growth, and may be shaken out and repotted 
without delay in good sandy loam and a seventh of decayed manure. 
These need not be pushed forward in heat, but can remain in the green¬ 
house and be brought forward into flower as required. From this time 
they should be watered whenever they require it. When in active growth 
Amaryllises require abundance of water both at the roots and over their 
foliage, and when their pots are full of roots they are benefited by liberal 
supplies of liquid manure. 
Kalosanthes. —For conservatory decoration these are not grown so 
much as they deserve, and when in flower they have a distinct appearance, 
and are very sweet-scented. Those prepared for flowering this season 
can now either be retarded or pushed forward. To retard them place 
half the batch in cold frames, and ventilate as much as possible, the 
remaining half should be kept in a night temperature of 45° to 50°. They 
should not be unduly forced in a close temperature, or their trusses of 
flower will be poor and the plants tall and weak instead of strong and 
compact. Give liquid manure freely as soon as the flower trusses are 
formed. Those cut back after flowering last year will not flower this 
season, but should, if they need it, be placed in larger pots, and stood in 
cold frames. Keep them close until they commence rooting, and then 
give abundance of air until they can be placed outside to finish and 
ripen their growths. To increase the stock select strong shoots from 
plants that will not flower, and insert them singly in 3-inch pots, placing 
them in an intermediate temperature until rooted. As soon as rooted 
pinch out the point of the young plants, which will induce them to form 
at least half a dozen shoots, which, if encouraged for a time in the 
temperature in which they are rooted, then placed in 6-inch pots when 
ready, grown under cool-frame treatment for a time, and finally ripened 
outside, will make grand flowering plants for another year. Kalosanthes 
do not require large pots, and succeed much better with feeding than 
overpotting. Employ a compost of good fibry loam, a seventh of manure, 
a little bone meal, and sand. 
SEASONABLE NOTES ON BEES. 
Our fear that we should not escape a spell of the cold east wind 
has been but too surely verified. After having had a splendid revel 
among the Willow blossoms and various early flowers, bees have 
