288 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
f April 6, 1882. 
previous for eight mouths out of twelve.—J. Gibson, Brentrey House , 
Weatbury-on-Trym, Bristol. [The spray is very fine, the variety very 
floriferous, and the plant is well cultivated. Are all the roots 
confined to the pot ?] _ 
One of the finest Stephanotis plants I have ever seen is in the 
Anerley Nursery of the General Horticultural Company, managed by 
Mr. Bause. The plant entirely covers a lean-to roof nearly 100 feet 
long and 25 feet wide. It is planted out, is perfectly clean, and must 
yield many thousands of flowers.—J. K. 
'qcj 
ft 
S WORK/o^theWEEK. ' 
vj .ini. 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
A GOOD breadth of Peas must be sown, selecting such varieties as 
Criterion, Telegraph, Telephone, Stratagem, and Best of All, also 
a successional sowing of Broad Beans — Monarch Longpod and 
Windsor. Choose a sheltered situation for a sowing of Celery ; those, 
plants which are raised outside are preferable for the general late 
crops to those grown under glass. Basil, Sweet Marjoram, and 
Summer Savory may be sown on a warm border, and replant herbs 
generally as necessary. Complete expeditiously the planting-out of 
autumn-sown Cauliflowers, Lettuces, Cabbage for summer use, and 
Tripoli Onions. 
Forcing Department. —Spring-sown Cauliflowers, Brussels Sprouts, 
Cabbage, Lettuce, &c., when well hardened may be planted out in 
the open ground. In planting at this season it is a good plan to 
draw drills 3 or 4 inches deep to place the plants in, as this affords a 
partial shelter from keen winds. Thin out Carrots and plentifully 
supply them with water. If necessary Potatoes must also be sup¬ 
plied with -water before earthing them ; but any that have tubers 
nearly large enough for lifting should be kept rather dry, as a too 
moist condition of the soil deteriorates the flavour. Prick out Celery 
plants into boxes or beds over a slight bottom heat. Pot Tomatoes 
and remove all side growths, one stem being enough. Make a sow¬ 
ing of French Beans in any pit cleared of early Potatoes or other¬ 
wise available, which will afford a supply long before those in the 
open ground. Cold pits or frames answer for this purpose, sowing 
in drills about 18 inches apart, thinning afterwards. Supply plants 
in bearing liberally with liquid manure. 
HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 
Apricots generally have now flowered, and the fruit is well set and 
swelling freely. Thinning will be necessary, removing the smallest 
and such as are badly placed. The foliage is also good, which will 
render heavy coverings unnecessary, but the materials should be kept 
at hand in case frost occurs. Attention must be given to the shoots 
in good time, removing any strong foreright shoots, and pinching such 
as it is not considered advisable to retain. Cut back any attenu¬ 
ated spurs, and thin them where they are too crowded. Peaches and 
Nectarines are in full bloom. In many instances the fruit is set and 
swelling freely, hence the necessity of affording the trees all the light 
and air consistent with safety. Disbudding is best attended to early, 
a3 soon as the shoots can be rubbed off, and if done in good time 
there is no need to do it so gradually. Remove those that have not 
fruit at their base, making a reservation of a shoot at the base of the 
current year’s bearing wood, and another at its extremity. The 
remaining shoots having fruit at their base should have their points 
pinched out at the second leaf, or, if that would crowd the tree with 
too much foliage, remove them. Young trees and those recently 
planted require the main branches disposed at a distance of 12 to 
18 inches apart, and shoots must be reserved about 18 inches distance 
along them for bearing, and originating at the required distance 
gvowths for forming the main branches. Plum and Cherry trees 
trained fan-fashion should be treated similarly, with the difference 
that the shoots for forming the main branches should be 0 to 12 inches 
asunder, and the side growths not required for extension stopped at 
the third leaf to form spurs ; the forerights unless strong being treated 
similarly, but any gross growths should be removed. Pears should be 
allowed a distance of a foot between the branches, and have all 
growths other than extensions pinched off at the third leaf. 
FRUIT HOUSES. 
Fine*.—See that the borders have plenty of moisture, particularly 
where Vines are bearing fruit. Supply tepid liquid manure, or 
sprinkle the borders with guano and wash it in with water at 90°. 
Grapes that have completed stoning, as also those beginning to 
colour, will be much benefited if in addition to a thorough soaking 
with tepid liquid manure at the roots the border is mulched with 2 or 
3 inches thickness of short partially decayed manure. Attend to 
disbudding, stopping and tying the growths as they advance in 
succession houses, and do not delay the thinning of the bunches and 
berries. Former instructions having been attended to, late Vines 
will now be growing. Maintain a moist atmosphere by syringing 
the Vines and available surfaces several times a day, and close with a 
moist atmosphere at 75°. Allow the temperature to fall to 55° at night. 
There should not be any longer delay in starting late Vines, as they 
require a long season of growth to insure their ripening perfectly. 
Figs .—The fruit of the earliest-forced Figs in pots is commencing 
to ripen, and will need increased ventilation, and syringing must be 
discontinued. Those trees with fruit still swelling should be assisted 
with weak liquid manure, syringing at closing time. Free ventilation 
in favourable weather must be strictly attended to. The earliest 
Figs where the trees are planted out are swelling rapidly, and should 
have a night temperature of G0° to G5°,and 10° more by day,allowing 
an advance from sun heat to 80° or 85°, with free ventilation above 
75°. The trees should be well syringed, and as they make rapid 
growth frequent attention must be given to stopping and thinning 
the shoots. As soon as necessary proceed with tying the shoots 
loosely, avoiding overcrowding by removing those shoots not re¬ 
quired. A good mulching of manure on the borders is beneficial, and 
a liberal supply of water should now be given. 
Pines .—Plants which started into fruit early in the year have now 
bloomed, and should be occasionally syringed at the time the house 
is closed for the day, but avoid damping the fruit of those which are 
in flower. Although abundance of light is essential to the success of 
the plants care must be exercised during the next few weeks in the 
case of houses having large squares of glass ; a slight shading for an 
hour or two at mid-day when the sun is powerful until the foliage 
has become inured to its influence will be beneficial. Ventilation 
must be carefully attended to, especially where a high temperature is 
maintained. A small aperture early in the morning will draw off the 
damp from the leaves, and thereby render them less susceptible of 
scorching, ventilating at 80° and closing with sun heat at 85°. Avoid 
indiscriminate waterings, but give supplies of weak liquid manure 
whenever the plants require it. As soon as the suckers appear 
remove all except one to each plant. Keep the air about the plants 
moist when the house is closed, the night temperature being 70^ by 
d ly, 75° artificially, and the bottom heat steady at 80° to 90°. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Greenhouse .—To obtain Cinerarias for autumn flowering seed must 
at once be sown in gentle heat, also seed of Primulas for autumn and 
winter flowering, employing good loam with a fourth of well-decayed 
manure or leaf soil and a little sand. Petunia seed of single and 
double kinds can be sown now and fine plants will be obtained for 
flowering in late summer. Chrysanthemum cuttings inserted some 
time ago are now ready for potting off. Those inserted singly in small 
pots should not be allowed to become rootbound, but be transferred 
to larger pots as necessary, keeping them in well ventilated cold 
frames. Calceolarias should be encouraged with liquid manure, 
fumigating frequently to check aphides. Pelargoniums producing 
their flowers would be benefited by liquid manure, and, the pots 
being filled with roots, the soil must not be allowed to become so dry 
as is advisable earlier in the season, or their foliage will suffer. 
Examine the plants weekly, and if aphides are detected fumigate at 
once, keeping the shoots well trained out. Plants required for July 
flowering should have the points of the shoots removed, and if in 
small pots transfer to others a size larger. Repot Fuchsias, stopping 
the shoots until the plants are sufficiently furnished, syringing every 
afternoon. Cuttings now inserted strike readily in gentle heat, and 
make useful plants for late summer-flowering in small pots. 
