38 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. l Ja mmry 12,1882. 
single blooms to form a bunch,” or “ three bunches of flowers as 
cut, number of blooms not limited,”—E d.] 
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FRUIT HOUSES. 
Vines .—Early Yines will now require great care in ventilating the 
houses, taking advantage of every favourable opportunity; at the 
same time avoid admitting cold currents of air. Rather allow the 
temperature to rise somewhat higher. When the external air is very 
cold nail some netting over the openings of the ventilators so as to 
lessen its rush into the house. Disbud and tie down the shoots 
before they touch the glass, and when stopping allow as many joints 
beyond the bunch as will insure an even supply of well-developed 
foliage. Due regard must be had to the extension of the lateral 
growth, it being of great importance that the principal leaves have 
full exposure to light and air. Yery early Vines in pots will require 
the berries thinning when the size of small peas, and all superfluous 
bunches removed, supplying tepid liquid manure liberally, and dressing 
the surface of the soil with rich material. Early houses, as the Yines 
come into flower, should be kept a few degrees warmer, and a little 
drier as the flowers open, avoiding overcropping, removing super¬ 
fluous bunches early. Inside borders will need tepid water applied 
to them whenever requisite in quantity sufficient to moisten them 
thoroughly to the drainage. Do not allow the fermenting material 
on outside borders to decline in heat, but that inside may be allowed 
to cool and be gradually removed, the border being surfaced with 
horse droppings, but not too fresh, for the ammonia arising therefrom 
will be too powerful for the foliage. Damp the Vines and floors in 
houses recently started, keeping the temperature at about 55° arti¬ 
ficially, and 60° to 65° by day from sun heat. 
Proceed with pruning and dressing Vine3 in succession houses as 
the fruit is removed. Remove the loose bark only, and after wash¬ 
ing with soapy water dress with an insecticide, the house being 
thoroughly cleansed previously. Remove the loose surface soil and 
supply fresh loam with which has been incorporated a sprinkling of 
bone meal and wood ashes, keeping the house well ventilated except 
when frosts prevail. Late Grapes should have a mean temperature 
of 45°, ventilating on fine mornings, with a little fire heat, keeping 
the house close when the weather is damp, examining every bunch 
occasionally, and remove all decayed berries. Well-ripened bunches 
of thick-skinned Grapes may be removed to a dry room kept at a 
temperature of 40° to 45°, where they will keep quite as well as if on 
the Yines, cutting the bunches with as much wood attached as can 
be spared, and placing the ends in bottles filled with soft water and a 
piece or two of charcoal in each ; this will admit of the Yines being 
pruned and a rest being given before starting, which should not be 
delayed later than early March. 
Pines .—Plants which completed growth early last autumn and 
have been treated as advised in our autumn calendars under this 
head are now showing fruits, and these will ripen at a time when 
they are most valuable. When the fruit is fairly started they may 
be assisted in favourable weather by increased heat in the daytime, 
allowing the temperature to rise to 80° by sun heat before ventilating, 
maintaining the temperature at 85° or 90°, and closing at 85°, the 
night temperature being advanced to 70°, and 75° by day from fire 
heat, but if the weather be severe the artificial heat must be 5° less. 
Supply moisture by damping cool surfaces, but damping heated 
surfaces or between the plants must be avoided. The heat at the 
roots should be kept steady at 80° to 90°. Examine the plants about 
once a week, and water those requiring it liberally with liquid manure 
at 85°. Let the night temperature for fruiting plants range from G0° 
to 65° at night, G5° to 70? in the daytime artificially, and 75° to 80° 
from sun heat, ventilating slightly when sunny, and taking advan¬ 
tage of every opportunity to close with a little sun heat. Other 
stock should be kept slowly growing in a night temperature of G0°, 
falling a few degrees on cold nights, G0° to G5° in the daytime, with 
a few degrees rise from sun heat, keeping a moderately dry condition 
both at the roots and in the atmosphere for the present. 
Figs .—To obtain ripe Figs about the middle of May forcing planted- 
out trees should be commenced at once, the temperature being kept 
at 50° at night and 55° in the daytime from fire heat, and G0° to 65° 
from sun heat, ventilating freely at that temperature, and syringing 
the trees in the morning and afternoon in bright weather. The 
border, if not moist, must receive a good soaking of water at 85°. 
The Figs in pots started in early December have now formed young 
shoots, and the sturdier they can be kept by exposure to light and 
air the greater will be the likelihood of a satisfactory early crop. 
The night temperature should be kept at 55° to G0°, and 60? to G5° by 
day from fire heat, and 70° to 75° from sun heat. Water as necessary 
with tepid liquid manure, and replenish the fermenting materials in 
the bed so as to keep the heat steady about the pots at 70° to 75°. 
Syringe morning and afternoon, and when the shoots are 5 or G inches 
in length the points should be pinched out. 
Cherry IIouse.—K the house was closed about the middle of last 
month fire heat may now be applied to maintain the night tempera¬ 
ture at 40°, which should not be exceeded, and 45° in the daytime 
artificially, advancing 5° to 10° or more by sun heat with full ventila¬ 
tion. Attend to watering the border as necessary, also those trees in 
pots. 
Cucumbers .—Maintain a night temperature of G0° to 65° and 70° to 
75° by day, advancing with sun heat to 80° or 85°. The external 
air being mild a little ventilation may be given at the top of the 
house when the temperature inside is over 75°, but if the air outside 
be cold and cutting it is better to allow the temperature to rise a little 
more, as a few degrees excess from sun heat will do no harm pro¬ 
vided the atmosphere is not too dry. Trim the plants at least twice 
a week, removing all weakly and exhausted growths, reserving as 
much of the young bearing shoots as can have due exposure to 
light, stopping them one or two joints beyond the fruit. Young 
plants coming into bearing should not be overcropped. Assist them 
by removing the tendrils and staminate blossoms, and with copious 
supplies of liquid manure about twice a week; as the roots protrude 
add a little fresh loam in a lumpy state and previously warmed, 
making it moderately firm. Damping the floors about 8 A.M. and 
2 r.M. will be sufficient for the present. Seed may now be sown for 
raising plants to place out at the end of next month or early in March. 
Where there is no suitable house for the purpose, the supply of fruit 
having to be relied on from dung-heated pits or frames, a bed of fer¬ 
menting materials that will accommodate a one-light or two-light box 
should now be made, the materials having been previously prepared. 
The bed should be about 18 inches wider than the frame, and will 
need to be about 5 feet high at back and 4 feet in front. When the 
heat has risen level the surface and place in a few inches depth of saw¬ 
dust, spent tan, or other loose substance as plunging material. The 
same bed will serve for raising Melon plants for pits and frames. 
PLANT HOUSE. 
Forcing House .—The earliest Roses in a little moist heat without 
pruning will soon afford flowers, the best varieties for this purpose 
being the Tea-scented—as Niphetos, Souvenir d’Elise, Devoniensis, 
Madame Falcot, Monsieur Furtado, Gloire de Dijon, and Duchess of 
Edinburgh. These should be followed by another batch of plants 
prepared in the ordinary manner, both of Tea-scented and some of 
the freest-flowering Hybrid Perpetuals, for affording a succession of 
blooms. Place the plants in a temperature of 50° by artificial means, 
and damp them occasionally, ventilating upon every favourable 
opportunity. Regulai'ly introduce to the forcing house more Hya¬ 
cinths, Narcissus, and early Tulips, assigning them a position on a 
shelf within a short distance from the glass to keep them sturdy. 
The other bulbs should not be allowed to remain too long plunged in 
ashes, or they may become drawn. When the pots are well filled 
with roots, and the tops have pushed about an inch, they should be 
removed to a cool house, excluding the light from them partially for 
a few days, when they may be placed near the glass. Lily of the 
Yalley according to the demand must be placed in heat. Single 
