June 19, 1884. J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
495 
mixture of soil, soot, lime and water, and dibble them into their places. 
This operation will keep the plants fresh, and few insects will attack the 
roots with such a compound about them. Kale, Savoys, Brussels Sprouts, 
and Winter Greens should be treated in the same way, and the sooner 
the better. 
Turnips. —Sow a large quarter of Veitch’s Red Globe for use in 
September and October. Thin out young crops, use as many roots as 
possible of those which are ready, as they will not remain long tender, 
cool, and sweet. Pull up all those going to flower, and fill up the ground 
with other crops. 
Late Peas. —The sowing of these should now be completed. Suttons’ 
Latest of All is what its name implies, and is also one of the best. 
Moderately rich cool soil is the best to sow in now. Clear off early crops 
as soon as the pods have been gathered, use the stakes for latter ones, and 
fill the ground with other crops. There should not be a square yard of 
unoccupied ground in any garden at this time. Peas being grown for 
exhibition should have the points taken off each stem just above the 
second or third pods, and give abundance of strong liquid manure at 
the roots. The pods should be well filled, no empty corner at the end, 
and at the time of showing they should be well developed, yet tender 
and green. 
Small Salads. — These must be sown frequently now, especially 
Mustard and Cress, and Lettuce also require attention in this way. A 
pinch of Endive seed should be sown to produce a few heads in the 
autumn, but it is too early to deal with the main crop. 
Watering. —This is now receiving more attention from us, as the 
weather has become warm and dry, but we entirely disapprove of sur¬ 
face dribblings, but when water is required a thorough drenching is 
given, and no more is needed for a long time. Newly planted Celery 
often stands in need of water until established. Peas are greatly bene¬ 
fited by it, and so are Kidney Beans and Cauliflowers. 
Mulching. —This is another good practice, and many vegetables are 
greatly benefited by it. Peas and Beans delight in having a layer of 
manure placed along each side of the row, and Cauliflower and others of 
the class thrive admirably when their stems are surrounded with manure. 
A mixture of lawn cuttings, horse droppings, and decayed refuse is most 
suitable for mulching vegetables. 
Vegetable Marrorcs. —These are now showing plenty of flowers, but at 
first many of them fail to form fruit. A good remedy for this is to pinch 
the point out of each shoot just before the blooms open, and when it is 
seen that there are many fruits on the stem. Fertilising the flowers also 
helps to make them swell, and dryness at the roots will spoil all. 
Hoeing. —No one will make a mistake in doing this now. “ When 
there is nothing else to do, always hoe” is our order at this season, and 
there are many advantages connected with the practice, as an open 
clean surface is beneficial to all crops. 
Rahing. —Many who pay more attention to dressing and keeping than 
sound cultivation devote much time to raking between their kitchen 
garden crops at this season, but more harm than good results, as, except 
on the score of appearance, raking and making the surface very fine is 
superfluous work. 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Vines. — Late Houses. —The final tying-out and thinning of late Grapes 
will require close attention, otherwise surplus bunches and rapidly 
swelling berries will rob the fruit which it is intended to leave for ripening. 
The best time for thinning is the early morning and in the cool of the 
evening; but at those times care must be taken that the hand does not 
come in contact with the berries, as this, though it may not show any 
immediate effect, very often plays an important part at the finish. 
Colouring depends to a great extent upon the removal of surplus bunches, 
and finish is the result of careful thinning of the berries. It is imprac¬ 
ticable to lay down any rule for thinning, as the Vines even of the same 
variety differ, somi finishing much finer berries than others. The aim 
should be a selection of the perfectly fertilised berries, leaving them 
suflieiently numerous to form a compact cluster that will hold itself in 
form when laid on the dish. 
Watering. —When Vines are in active growth the roots must have 
moisture; if it is not given at the surface the roots will strike down in 
quest of it. Hence it is better to keep them within the influence of air and 
sun by liberal surface supplies. Vines swelling off their crops should have a 
good soaking with tepid liquid manure or guano water at the rate of 1 lb. to 
20 gallons of wa^er, applying it at a temperatu r e of 90°. These remarks 
apply more particularly to inside borders, but outside borders that are well 
drained should have similar attention in dry weather. In wet weather 
outside borders will not of course need water, but they ought to he 
mulched so as to keep the surface moist, attract and keep the roots 
there. 
Temperature. —Fire heat will only he necessary to keep up a minimum 
of 65° for Hamburgh? and 70° for Muscats, which should be accompanied 
with a circulation of air to keep the moisture from condensing on the 
leaves and berries. Increase the ventilation to 70° for Black Hamburghs 
and 75° for Muscats, allowing the temperature to advance with the 
increased solar heaq keeping it at 85° to 90° for Muscats, and 80° to 85° 
for Black Hamburghs through the day with sun heat, and close early with 
plenty of moisture in the house, sprinkling the borders and paths with 
clear liquid manure. 
Young Vines Jor Next Year's Early Fruiting. —When the Vine’, 
whether in pots or planting out in borders, give indication of ripening, the 
ventilation should be increased with a gradual reduction of moisture, but 
there must not be any attempt to ripen them suddenly by withholding 
water, though the supply will need to he lessened, and the foliage must he 
preserved clean and healthy as long as possible by the free use of the 
syringe. 
Cucumbers. —The most important point now is daily attention to the 
management, and as the weather is suitable without resort to fire heat, 
the plants are growing rapidly, and will require thinning two or three 
times a week to prevent overcrowding. Stop one or two joints beyond 
the fruit, and remove all surplus and ill-shaped fruit, as overcropping is 
injurious to the continued fruitfulness of the plants. Use the syringe 
early in the morning and at the time of closing in the afternoon, after 
which the temperature may rise to 90°, and after the house has been 
closed about three hours admit a little air for the night. Commence 
ventilating at 75°, increasing it with the sun heat, keeping through the 
day at 80° to 85° or 90°, and close at 80°. Syringing will be sufficient to 
keep red spider in check, but if it should obtain a hold syringe with clear 
sulphur water late in the evening, well wetting the stems, foliage, and 
walls, and shade early the following day, and if the spider be not subdued 
repeat the syringing. Supply tepid liquid manure at every alternate 
watering, and afford a top-dressing of lumpy loam and a fourth of well- 
decayed manure. Shade only to prevent flagging. 
Plants in Pots and Frames. —These will need to be examined twice a 
week for stopping, thinning, and regulation of the growths, never suffering 
them to become overcrowded. Employ glasses for keeping the fruit 
straight and free of the blanched hue, which is produced by close^contact 
with the soil. Admit air early in the morning—a little at 75°, and 
increase it with the solar heat, closing at 85°, damping overhead at the 
same time, and if the temperature rise to 90° it will be an advantage. 
Keep the temperature through the day at 80° to 85° from sun heat. Water 
will be needed at the roots about twice a week, and if liquid manure be 
necessary apply it without wetting the foliage. Aphides are sometimes 
very troublesome, and the best mode of destroying them is by fumigation, 
but the plants must be prepared for it by allowing the foliage and bed to 
become dry and reduce the temperature. Fumigate lightly, and on two 
or three consecutive evenings, and be careful to have the smoke cool, so 
as to prevent scorching. Syringe early the following morning and shade 
before the sun affects the foliage. The same remedy is applicable to 
attacks of thrips. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Allamandas. —These plants, as well as Clerodendrons and Bougain¬ 
villeas that are grown in pots and trained upon trellises, can be used for 
decoration in the conservatory or any other cool structure kept gay with 
flowering plants. The two former should not be removed until they are 
well in flower, while the latter if allowed to develope its beautiful bracts 
in a cool temperature are much lighter in colour than when expanded in 
stove heat. Previous to the removal of these plants they must be care¬ 
fully prepared by gradually hardening them, for upon this the duration 
of the flowers depends. When these plants are used in cool structures 
the supply of water to the roots must be regulated with caution, for they 
will not need such liberal supplies as would be the case if kept in the 
stove. 
Acliimencs. —The earliest started plants are now in full beauty, and 
may be carefully hardened for decoration in the conservatory. In this 
structure they are much more beautiful than in the stove, for they do 
not become drawn so quickly. Their growth is slow and sturdy, con¬ 
sequently they flower with such freedom that they are highly effect.ve 
amongst Pelargoniums, Calceolarias, and other flowering plants. Ibe 
specimen pots and pans raised by inserting cuttings thickly together are 
decidedly better than those raised from the tubers, although a week or 
two longer in coming into flower. A very large stock can soon be raised 
by employing cuttings, for a few pans of tubers started early in the year 
will yield batches of cuttings in succession through the whole year. No 
plants are more easily grown and none more useful and beautiful for the 
various purposes of decoration. Numbers of these should be grown for 
conservatory decoration during the summer months instead of so many 
Zonal Pelargoniums. . . 
Crotons. —Plants that have become too tall for decoration in 5 and 
6-inch pots should be headed down and their tops rooted, these strike 
freely in close moist heat at this season. In order to maintain a supply 
of these plants in the best possible condition for decoration, a few should 
be propagated at intervals of a few weeks, for as soon as a plant becomes 
tall and unfit for the purpose the top should be rooted without delay. 
To have these plants well coloured for decoration they should be grown 
in full sunshine and close to the glass. Ventilate in preference to 
shading, closing the house or pit in which they are grown early in the 
afternoon. It is difficult to imagine any plants more unsightly than 
Crotons for decoration when badly coloured. 
Braccenas. —These plants need almost constant attention m propaga¬ 
tion when required in small pot? for room and other decoration. Heads 
make the best plants, as they are furnished at the base with well- 
developed foliage, which is not the case with those raised from roots and 
the stem. It is almost impossible to maintain a supply of good heads 
for this purpose where many are used and injured in rooms. Ihe only 
system by which this can be accomplished is to raise plants from the 
stem and roots and grow them on until they form good heads, which 
should be taken off and rooted. The tops of these plants root freely in a 
cool moist house if shaded from strong sud, in fact very much better than 
they will do in a propagating frame. 
Nepenthes. —Cuttings that are inserted as advised some time ago are 
now rooted, and, if gradually hardened to the more airy condition of the 
house in which they are to be grown, may be placed in baskets G inches 
square or into larger pots. When grown suspended from the roof the 
