May 1, 1884. J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
351 
spring we shall be more deliberate than usual, both for the sake of the 
fruit, and also because the prominent foreright shoots screen the other 
shoots in some degree from cold and blister. As the weather softens 
remove protecting netting or screens, so that the foliage may have the full 
benefit of light and air, and may by such safe exposure become better 
able to withstand the effects of any subsequent recurrence of harsh cold 
weather. 
Shelter .—Never was there a spring when the importance of shelter and 
situation was more fully exemplified than the present one, and now is the 
time to mark any deficiency in either of them, and to decide upon such 
remedial measures for next planting season as may be possible. It is the 
trees in damp low-lying and exposed situations that have suffered most 
lately, while those upon higher slopes or with thorough wind screens have 
passed through the trying ordeal with comparative impunity. A row or 
two of tall trees around a fruit garden may serve to break the force of the 
wind somewhat, but several rows are requisite to do it effectively, and even 
that is insufficient for a large fruit garden, which should have intersecting 
hedges about 60 feet apart. We cannot too often call attention to the 
value of Thuia Lobbi for this purpose. 
Hellebore Ponder .—A powder made from the root of the White Helle¬ 
bore (Veratrum album) is now in general use for the destruction of the 
sawfly caterpillar, which eats the leaves of the Gooseberry and Red 
Currant. It is shaken over the foliage, and undoubtedly kills this trouble¬ 
some pest, but it is a deadly poison and can hardly be used with safety 
among bushes where the green fruit is likely to be picked. We prefer to 
avoid the risk and practise hand-picking and smashing the caterpillars. 
A boy will look over all the bushes of most gardens in a few hours, and if 
taken in time they are easily kept under. 
Strawberries .—The dry weather has been favourable for keeping down 
weeds, which come freely now between the rows of Strawberry beds. Do 
not put litter between the rows till the fruit is swelling, in order that the 
beds may be left as free from weeds as possible during the fruiting season, 
and that sewage may be applied as long as possible. 
FRUIT-FORCING. 
Vines. — Early Houses. — Early Grapes now ripening will require 
moderate lire heat to keep up a circulation of air, rather dry and warm by 
day, allowing it to fall to about 60° at night. Although a somewhat dry 
atmosphere is advisable when Grapes are ripening, excessive dryness must 
be guarded against, as this will seriously affect the foliage, and early 
Vines with ripe fruit will need considerably more water than late ones ; 
and it is absolutely essential to keep the foliage of early Vines in good 
condition as long as possible, so as to prevent too early maturity, and con¬ 
sequently early rest and constant starting into growth a second time long 
before it is considered expedient. In order to prevent too early ripening 
of the foliage, not only keep the soil moist, but allow as far as practicable 
a moderate extension of lateral growth, and this in combination with the 
shade thereby secured will insure the fruit keeping on the Vines in much 
better condition, there being no fear of damage to early Grapes from 
moisture providing the house be freely ventilated. Gradually remove the 
spent fermenting material on outside borders, leaving a good mulching as 
a protection for the surface roots, and the summer rains will wash down 
the properties of the manure, stimulating surface-rooting, which in its 
turn will induce the production of lateral growth, and so prevent prema¬ 
ture ripening of the foliage. 
Midseason Houses .—The Vines in these have set their fruit and have 
been thinned. Those that are swelling should be well supplied with tepid 
liquid manure, and, to encourage surface roots and roots from the collar, 
should be well mulched with short partially decayed manure and kept 
moist, but the damping of the mulching material must not be given in 
lieu of periodical saturations of the border, which should be given as 
occasion requires, so aB to pass the drainage. Allow a moderate exten¬ 
sion of lateral growths, always being careful not to allow them to crowd 
the principal foliage, but where the roof is covered evenly with foliage, 
and there is not room for extension without crowding the principal foliage, 
keep it closely stopped. Avoid overcropping as the most fatal to good 
finish, and if there be any doubt about the crop being too heavy for the 
Vines to finish satisfactorily, give the Vines the benefit at once by 
removing the surplus bunches. The houses should be ventilated in good 
time in the morning, give a little early so as to allow of accumu'ated 
moisture being dissipated before the sun acts powerfully on the foliage. 
Begin to ventilate rather freely when the temperature is 75°, and keep it 
through the day at 80° to 85°, closing at the latter with a thorough damp¬ 
ing of available surfaces at the same time, and after being closed a few 
hours a little air may be given for a short time, and the temperature 
allowed gradually to decline, so that 65° or 60° is recorded through the 
night, a low night temperature being very much better than a high one. 
Muscats and others of a similar character that have just set their fruit 
will require careful thinning as soon as the properly fertilised berries take 
the lead. If more bunches have been left until after flowering than will 
not be required for the crop—a common and bad practice—no time ought 
to be lost in removing them, as there are no Grapes that show so greatly 
the effects of an overcrop as Muscats. They may swell right enough, but 
they never colour well Muscats are also gross feeders even for Vines, and 
must have abundant supplies of tepid liquid manure with heavy mulchings, 
and the lateral growth should be allowed to extend as far as space admits. 
This must not be carried too far, as light is absolutely essential for the 
principal wood and foliage, also for the fruit of this particular Grape, as 
it seldom colours perfectly beneath densely crowded foliage. Early 
Muscats are sometimes scorched at this time of year when the sun is 
powerful, which can, however, be prevented by maintaining a rather warm 
freely ventilated atmosphere, or a little constantly, particularly in the 
early part of the day. Where these Grapes are beginning to 
colour maintain a circulation of rather dry warm air through the 
house constantly, and a temperature through the day of from 80° to 
90°, or 95°, and 70° to 75° at night if the ripening is to be accelerated, but 
they will ripen more evenly if allowed a little more time, affording rest at 
night by allowing the temperature to fall to 65°. 
Late Houses .—The Vines have made rapid growth of late, although 
as a rule they have started weakly this season, and there is a tendency 
to form loose bunches or to run into tendrils. This is invariably a 
consequence of unripened wood, due to the practice of reserving fire 
heat in spring instead of having the Vines forward to admit of their 
receiving the full benefit of the summer sun, for to grow late Grapes 
well they require a long season of growth, and need more time to ripen 
than other Grapes. Vines that exhibit the tendency to run into tendrils 
should be kept somewhat drier, bringing the shoots down to the wires 
and stopping to within two or three eyes of the fruit, the best time to 
do this being in the afternoon of fine days when the growths are somewhat 
soft. Close early, making the most of sun heat. 
Vines in Pots .—Give these every encouragement to make clean short- 
jointed growth by training them near to the glass, and ventilate freely on 
all favourable occasions, so as to insure thick leathery foliage, so that the 
eyes at their base may be properly developed, which they never do when 
their leaves are thin and flabby. Stop the laterals at the first joint, 
afterwards allow them to extend ; they may depend or otherwise, only 
they must not in any case interfere with the access of light to the 
principal leaves and canes. Stop the main shoot or cane when about 
8 feet long, and allow less lateral extension at the upper part than at 
the base. If there is convenience Vines from eyes or cut-backs intended 
for early work next season may be planted out in narrow prepared 
borders, and these will give much better returns than those grown 
exclusively in pots. They should be planted at ab rut 2 feet 6 inches 
distance apart; a span-roof hou^e about 12 feet wide will accommodate 
a row of plants on each side, the bed not needing to be either wide or 
deep. Where late spring planting is contemplated it should be attended 
to at once, as the stronger the canes the more certain are they to fruit, 
neither Grapes nor clean short-jointed wood being had from half-ripened 
wood, the encouraging of late growth in young canes being anything but 
furthering of a satisfactory growth another season. 
Melons .—Where the fruit is ripening it is necessary to mantain a drier 
and more airy atmosphere in order to insure good-flavoured fruit; con¬ 
sequently a little air should be left on at night, as a confined atmosphere 
is a cause of cracking, and deteriorates the quality of the fruit. Secure 
to succession houses a night temperature of 65° to 70°, admitting a little 
air at 75°, and add to it, but allow the temperature with the addition to 
advance to 85° or 90, and reduce it with the decline of the sun heat, 
closing the house for the day at between 3 and 4 P.M. with plenty of 
atmospheric moisture in the house. 
In the case of plants in pits or frames add some more soil to the sides 
of the ridges or hillocks as the roots push through the soil, repeating as 
necessary until the allotted space is filled. Young plants ought not to 
become root-bound before they are planted out, for if they once become 
stunted they do not make free growth afterwards ; hence if the position 
they are to occupy is not ready for them shift them into larger pots. 
THE FLOWER GARDEN AND PLEASURE GROUND. 
Propagation of Hardy Bedding Plants .—There are several hardy or 
nearly hardy plants that are very serviceable and effective in summer 
bedding arrangements. Included among these are Festuca glauca and 
Dactylis glomerata variegata, two very pretty Grasses ; Golden Thyme, 
very pretty when well coloured and in a small state ; Polemonium 
cmruleum variegatum, creamy variegation and good for clumps or inner 
lines; Veronica incana, Cerastium tomentosum, Antennaria, Sedum. 
glaucum, S. acre elegans, all dwarf carpeting sorts with white or greyish 
foliage ; Sedum Lydiurn, Mentha Pulegium gibraltarica, Herniaria glabra, 
close-growing green carpeting plants; Scellaria graminea, Spergula 
pilifera aufea, golden carpeting plants, the latter moss-lilce and extremely 
pretty ; and Ajuga reptans, purple leaves, dwarf-growing. All may be 
freely divided, and every small piece with a few roots attached, if dibbled 
in rather thickly in good light garden soil and watered they will become 
strong and well rooted by the time they are wanted for the flower garden. 
The carpeting sorts, such as Sedums, Herniaria, and Mentha, may be 
again divided prior to being permanently planted—in fact, they cover the 
ground more neatly if small pieces are dibbled in thickly, rather than 
planting in larger patches. Polemonium caeruleum var. is rather slow- 
growing, and the side shoots of these are best taken off with a few roots 
attached, Dotted off singly in 3-inch pots, and placed in a cold frame till 
established. The fruit borders or any convenient places in the kitchen 
garden will do for all the rest of the above-mentioned plants. 
Dahlias .—Where these were started in a cold house or frame they 
will now be sufficiently advanced to admit of their being increased either 
by cuttings or division. The former are best taken off with a heel, and 
when about 4 inches long placed singly in the centre of 3-inch pots filled 
with sandy soil and placed in a rather close dry heat till rooted. Cuttings 
will strike without a heel, but not if the stem be hollow. I he old stools 
or crowns may be cut into several pieces, or as many as can be had with 
a single growth and tuber attached. Pot them singly into whatever size 
pot they can be comfortably placed, fairly good soil being employed, and 
they should be arranged in a close frame until recovered somewhat, when 
they should be gradually hardened off. Seedlings in pans and in heat to 
