160 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. t February 23, isss. 
FRUIT HOUSES. 
Peaches and Nectarines .—The trees in the earliest forced house 
have the fruit in a forward condition, and thinning must not longer 
be delayed. A fruit to every square foot of trellis covered by the 
trees is ample where fine full-flavoured fruit is in request ; and if the 
trees be in good health there is little danger of the fruit being cast in 
stoning, very vigorous trees being more liable to this than those with 
the wood short-jointed and well ripened. As the shoots advance in 
growth they must be carefully tied in, attending to this early, so that 
those starting from the base of the current year’s bearing wood and 
intended to displace it may be given the requisite position without 
danger of breakage. Shoots reserved for drawing the sap to the 
fruit should be stopped to a few inches of growth, and closely pinched 
at the first joint afterwards. Avoid laying in too much wood, over¬ 
crowding being inimical to sturdy growth. Syringe morning and 
afternoon to keep red spider in check, and if aphides appear fumigate 
moderately when the foliage is dry. The temperature until the 
stoning is completed should not exceed GO 0 to G5° by day and 70° to 
75° from sun heat, the night temperature being maintained at 55° to 
50° for the next few weeks. Some tepid liquid manure applied to 
the inside borders will assist the fruit in swelling. 
The trees started early in the year have set the fruit, and will need 
to be syringed occasionally on fine afternoons to assist in removing 
the old blossoms. The temperature should be kept at 50° to 55° at 
night and 55° in the daytime artificially, advancing to 65° from sun 
heat, above which ventilate freely. Disbudding must be completed 
as soon as possible, and when the shoots reserved at the base of the 
current year’s bearing wood are sufficiently advanced they should be 
carefully heeled in, so as to give the desired inclination to the growth. 
When the fruit is the size of small marbles it should be moderately 
thinned, removing those on the under side or at the back of the 
trellis, and commencing with the smallest, doing this gradually so as 
not to give any check. Weakly trees must be assisted with liquid 
manure, and the surface of the border may be mulched with 2 or 
3-inch thickness of manure. 
The trees usually started early in this month are now in full 
blossom, and should be attended to daily in impregnating the blossom 
either by shaking the trellis or directly applying the pollen from the 
anthers to the stigmas by means of a brush. Where the blossom is 
superabundant run the hand downward at the under side of the 
shoots so as to rub off those on that side, and this will lessen the 
weakening tendency of over-blooming. In order to obtain a good set 
turn the heat on in the morning so as to secure a day temperature 
of 50° to 55° with ventilation, allowing an advance to G0° or G5° 
from sun heat. Maintain a genial condition of the atmosphere by 
damping available surfaces other than the trees in the morning and 
afternoon of fine days. The night temperature should be kept at 
45° to 50°. Supply the inside borders when necessary with water at 
the same temperature as the house. 
The blossoms of the trees usually coming into flower in March are 
now expanding, and a little heat should be turned on in the morning 
to secure a temperature through the day of 50° and allow of a circu¬ 
lation of air, the night temperature being maintained at 40° to 45°. 
Later houses should be kept as cool as possible, but after the flowers 
expand retarding must not be attempted. See that there is no de¬ 
ficiency of moisture in inside borders, watering weakly trees with 
tepid liquid manure. 
Cherry House .—Of all stone fruits the Cherry is the most impatient 
of fire heat, especially in the early stages of growth. The season, 
however, so far has been very favourable, but little fire heat being 
needed. Keep the temperature at 45° through the day with fire heat 
and 40° at night. Syringe the trees on the morning of fine days, and 
damp the surface of the borders whenever they become di-y, and 
cover them with 3 inches thickness of partially decayed manure. 
Now the buds are opening keep a sharp look-out for aphides, and 
fumigate repeatedly. 
FLOWER GARDEN. 
Yiolas are deservedly much esteemed for bedding. To grow them 
well they require a moisture-holding soil, hence the ground should 
be well prepared by trenching and working in some well-decayed 
manure. Similar preparation should be made of beds intended 
to be planted with Calceolarias and other moisture-loving plants. 
Pansies and Yiolas struck in the autumn may now be planted in their 
permanent quarters. Calceolarias, if wintered in store pans or boxes, 
should be planted out in cold pits or frames. Edgings of Cerastium, 
Golden Thj-me, and other hardy plants can be taken up and relaid 
as required. Herbaceous Phloxes require attention, thinning out the 
shoots freely, leaving the strongest so as to secure fine heads of 
bloom. If the plants are old they should be divided, replanting in 
ground well enriched with manure. Carnations, Picotees, and Pinks 
must be cleansed, and the soil firmed about them. Wistarias, Cle¬ 
matises, Roses, and other climbing or trellis plants may be pruned 
and regulated, leaving the strongest and best ripened wood to be tied 
in. Roses such as Marshal Kiel and Cloth of Gold should have the 
best and ripest shoots laid in full length, removing only the unripe 
points, as the flowers of these varieties are borne on the young wood. 
Forward such operations as relaying turf and Box edgings, plant¬ 
ing deciduous trees and shrubs. The ground amongst shrubs may 
be lightly forked over, but it is a mistake to dig deeply among choice 
shrubs, which, mutilating and destroying the surface roots, is inju¬ 
rious. Prune and thin out any common sorts unduly encroaching 
on choice kinds. Many plants which from neglect have become 
straggling should be cut well back, and they will break again and 
form good heads ; but if a timely and judicious use of the knife for 
a few seasons be practised the plants may be made to assume almost 
any form desired, and if once the growth is equalised they will retain 
the same form with but little after attention. In pruning shrubs 
the chief aim should be to avoid formality and unnatural shapes- 
The ground amongst shrubs is much enlivened by introducing quan¬ 
tities of spring-flowering plants, such as Winter Aconite, Snowdrops, 
Primroses, and Daffodils, disposing them in masses. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Greenhouse .—The young stock of greenhouse hard wooded plants) 
such as Boronia serrulata and B. pinnata, Correas, Epacrises, Pimeleas, 
Gompholobiums, Leschenaultias, and Hedaromas, should be repotted, 
employing good fibrous peat with about a sixth of silver sand. Do 
not disturb the roots more than is necessary to remove the old drain¬ 
age, for no attempt must be made at reducing the ball, and ram the 
fresh soil in very firmly. Plants with healthy roots may have a shift 
of 3 or 4 inches, but any that are rootbound must only have a moderate 
shift now, giving another later on when they have rooted into the 
new soil. Pinch out the flowers of any that it is desired to grow on 
quickly, and bring down the strongest shoots in a horizontal position, 
and there secure them, so as to lay the foundation of a good specimen. 
Any large plants that are rootbound can now be transferred to larger 
pots, and if the potting be carefully performed it will not interfere 
with their flowering. Place them on some material that can be kept 
moist, shading lightly during very sunny weather, have plenty of 
moisture in the atmosphere, and do not admit any air at the side of 
the house. 
Liliums must not remain under stages or other dark places after 
they are pushing through the soil, but must be removed to a good 
light position so as to prevent them becoming drawn, and secure 
sturdy growth well furnished with leaves to the bottom, or they have 
a very poor appearance. Epacrises which have flowered should 
have the seed pods removed, and be cut back if they require it, placing 
them in a little heat to assist their growth, and damping overhead 
occasionally. Primulas, Cyclamens, Cinerarias, and similar plants 
advanced for flowering should have weak liquid manure, and any 
plants in comparatively small pots for the size of the plants be simi¬ 
larly assisted. Yallotas now starting into growth need copious sup¬ 
plies of water. 
Pelargoniums as they fill their pots with roots must receive more 
water, not allowing the soil to become dry, or the leaves will suffer ; 
the fancy varieties do not require so much root moisture as the more 
robust varieties. Keep the plants near the glass with free ventilation. 
Calceolarias should be potted as they require it, medium-sized plants 
in 6 or 7-inch pots being most useful; but any vigorous plants not 
yet showing flower may be grown into fine specimens by shifting into 
8 to 10-inch pots, and when they have rooted into the new soil.assist 
with liquid manure. Fumigate occasionally and moderately. 
