JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
June 9, 1881. ] 
473 
liquid manure if necessary, and mulching with short manure or other 
rich compost. Pinch the shoots as soon as three or four leaves are 
formed, rubbing off any strong growths, and stop extensions at the 
sixth leaf, the leaders of pyramids being stopped when 12 inches of 
growth is made. Train in the extensions of cordons and espaliers 
their full length, and stop the central shoot of those trained hori¬ 
zontally at 12 inches of growth. Raspberries must have the suckers 
that spring from the stools reduced, reserving about six of the 
strongest to each. A mulching of manure or an application of liquid 
manure will be highly beneficial in improving the size, quality, and 
continuance of this fruit. A similar mulching to Gooseberries and 
Currants would be found advantageous to the crop. 
FRUIT HOUSES. 
Peaches and Nectarines .—Trees with fruit swelling should be well 
watered and the border mulched so as to maintain an equable 
condition of moisture at the roots, and a genial condition of the 
atmosphere may be secured by keeping the surface of the borders 
well damped. Syringe the trees twice a day so as to have the foliage 
perfectly free from red spider when the fruit commences ripening. 
Attend to ventilation early in the day, and lose no opportunity of 
securing a free circulation of air. In late houses the shoots must be 
tied down as they advance, stopping all lateral growths to one leaf, 
and allow no more shoots to remain than can have full exposure to 
light and air. Directly the fruit has stoned in succession houses the 
final thinning must be performed, not leaving more than a fruit to 
every square foot of trellis covered with growth. Remove any 
leaves that shade the fruit too much, and raise the fruit by means of 
laths across the wires, so that the sun and air may colour them. 
When all the fruit is gathered in the earliest house admit air to the 
fullest extent, and after a fortnight of this treatment it will be ad¬ 
visable to take off the roof lights altogether, syringing forcibly to 
keep down red spider. The current year’s bearing wood not being 
extensions should be cut out, and where the growths are crowded 
thin them, allowing no more to remain than will give bearing wood 
for next year at 12 to 18 inches distance. 
Figs .—Continue attention to the instructions recently given until 
the present crop of Figs is fully perfected, when it will be neces¬ 
sary to gradually produce a more genial condition of the atmo¬ 
sphere to accelerate the second crop of fruit. Syringe the trees 
twice daily, damp the house, and water the border when needful, 
mulching if not already done. Attend to stopping, tying, and 
regulating the growths, and by no means allow the latter to be 
overcrowded. Thinning the second crop should be attended to 
in good time, and unless the trees are very vigorous it should not 
be done sparingly, as too heavy a crop is not only exhausting to the 
tree but the fruit is inferior in size and quality. Early-forced trees 
in pots in a weakly condition should have the fruit entirely removed, 
retaining the trees in the house until the wood is well matured, when 
they may be placed outdoors in a warm situation, and if well mulched 
and watered they will be in excellent condition for early forcing 
another season. The pots should be placed on a bed of ashes and be 
surrounded with the same, syringing overhead occasionally during 
hot dry weather. Later-started crops will now be rapidly approach¬ 
ing maturity, and when the fruit commences ripening they must have 
the same treatment as advised for the early-forced Figs— i.e., syring¬ 
ing must be discontinued and ventilation secured. 
Pines .—Plants that were transferred about last September into the 
pots in which they are intended to fruit will now be showing signs 
of fruiting, but if such is not the case bring the plants together and 
subject them to a comparative state of rest for the next five or six 
weeks, lowering the heat at the roots to 75°, maintaining a free 
circulation of air whenever the weather is favourable. Artificial 
heat will hardly be necessary, but it must be resorted to, to prevent 
the night temperature falling below 60°. Water must not be with¬ 
held, but whenever a supply is needed afford it liberally. The small 
suckers which were kept in small pots during the winter months 
should be kept growing until the pots are well filled with roots, 
when, if necessary, they may be subjected to the treatment advised 
for the larger plants, and these will afford a successional supply of 
fruit. 
ORCHARD HOUSE. 
The different kinds of Apricots, Cherries, Peaches, Pears, Plums, 
and Nectarines are now fairly set, and should be syringed every 
evening unless the weather is unusually cold. The syringing is 
indispensable for the Peach, Nectarine, Cherry, and Plum for some 
time to come ; the other kinds of fruit trees are less liable to attacks 
of aphides. The syringing if forcibly done will mostly be effectual, 
but on no account must the aphides be allowed to exist and spread, 
recourse being had to fumigation or the application of an insecticide. 
During fine weather the ventilators should now be open from 6 a.m. 
to 6 P.M., affording abundance of water to trees planted out as well 
as to those in pots. Thin-out the fruit of Apricots if necessary, 
also that of Peaches and Nectarines ; attending to this matter with 
respect to Cherries, Plums, and Pears, a moderate crop of fine fruit 
being every way preferable to a heavy crop of inferior quality. 
Trees in pots should have a top-dressing of rich material, and those 
planted out should have a surface-dressing of decayed manure. 
Attend to stopping irregular growths. 
FLANT HOUSES. 
Orchids .—Ventilation must be attended to so as to have the foliage 
of the plants dry about the middle of the day, being careful not to 
allow a current of cold air to come in contact with them. If 
any disease is noticed lose no time in examining the roots, cutting 
away any diseased parts, and apply a little quicklime, keeping the 
plant drier for a few days. Phalasnopses grown in pots or baskets 
should have very little moss, as the roots delight to cling to the pots. 
An ordinary greenhouse during the summer months is more suitable 
for Dendrobium nobile, Lselias acuminata, albida, autumnalis, fur- 
furacea, and majalis, than the Mexican house, as, unless exposed to 
sun and air, they do not flower freely. Plants of Lselia cinnabarina 
may be top-dressed or repotted as necessary before starting into 
growth, using rough peat and giving plenty of drainage, watering 
freely after growth is fairly started. They do best at the coolest end 
of the Cattleya house. Epidendrums must have plenty of air, and ex¬ 
pose them to the light as much as possible. Plants of Calanthe vestita 
that have filled the pots with roots may be shifted into larger pots, 
employing leaf soil and well-decayed manure, or if not desirable to 
repot them afford weak liquid manure at every alternate watering. 
Syringe morning and evening freely, and grow them in plenty of 
light, keeping the foliage free from scale by sponging. 
Stove. —Winter-flowering plants are apt at this season to receive a 
check from inattention to their requirements through the pressing 
demand for immediate attention in other departments, but whatever 
check the plants now receive will be injurious to the flowering. 
Gesnera cinnabarina, G. exoniensis, G. zebrina, and G. zebrina splen- 
dens are amongst the most useful of winter-flowering plants, and 
must be encouraged to make stout sturdy growth. A single strong 
conn is best for a G-inch or 7-inch pot, and for a 9-inch pot five to 
seven may be employed. It is essential that they be as near the 
glass as possible, with only sufficient shade to prevent scorching. 
Euphorbia jacquinimflora cuttings inserted some time ago are now 
ready for transferring to 4-inch pots, employing fibrous loam. Old 
plants that have been headed down and repotted should be encou¬ 
raged to grow, stopping to induce them to branch freely. Eranthe- 
mum pulchellum is valuable for its blue flowers, and though they are 
not very durable in a cut state, it is often made worse by not being 
grown in full light. Spring-struck cuttings should be shifted into 
6-inch pots, employing equal parts of loam and peat with a liberal 
admixture of sand. 
The swarming of bees well understood appears to a thoughtful 
mind singular and wonderful. The more the insect world is 
studied, and the farther the researches of men extend into the 
habits and instincts of insects, the more wonderful their history 
becomes; but where in the realm of Nature can we find a parallel 
