JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
July 7, 1881. ] 
17 
in the evening of hot days, and well supplied with water at the roots, 
especially those carrying full crops and with the roots restricted. 
Yines trained to walls should have the growths closely nailed in, 
not allowing them to become too crowded, but train in rather thinly 
and keep the laterals closely stopped, in order to obtain every advan¬ 
tage in the way of increased temperature which the wall may afford. 
Figs should have similar attention, rubbing oft’ foreright and all 
superfluous growths, taking out the points of all shoots except ex¬ 
tensions at the fifth leaf, and keep them well secured to the wall. 
Outdoor fruit ripening must be protected by nets or in some other 
way from the ravages of birds. Ground intended to be planted with 
Strawberries should, as it becomes cleared of early Potatoes or Peas, 
be prepared by well manuring and trenching. It is not usual, 
except for forcing, to layer the plants in small pots, but it is advisable 
to obtain strong well-rooted runners, which if turned out when they 
have filled the pots with roots where they are to remain, will sooner 
become established and afford a full crop of fine fruit another season. 
The best varieties with us are Pioneer, Yicomtesse Hericart de Thury, 
President, Sir Joseph Paxton, Dr. Hogg, Elton, Lucas, LTnser Fritz, 
and Loxford Hall Seedling. 
FRUIT HOUSES. 
Peaches and Nectarines .—The fruit being all gathered in the earliest 
houses attend still to syringing the trees to dislodge red spider if it 
has obtained a footing, and if there be any scale syringe with water 
at 120°, holding in solution 4 ozs. nicotine soap to the gallon. For 
dislodging red spider the garden engine is more effectual than the 
syringe. The roof lights should be removed from the earliest houses 
so soon as the buds are fairly plump, but avoid over-development, 
which is more to be guarded against than immature wood and im¬ 
perfect bud-formation in early houses. If the lights cannot be taken 
off and the trees exposed to rain, the inside border must be well 
watered ; and an occasional supply of liquid manure will greatly 
assist weakly trees, or those that have carried heavy crop3, in 
forming plump flower buds. Air must be admitted fully both at the 
back and front of the house day and night. In succession houses 
where the fruit is swelling after stoning the syringe must be employed 
vigorously to keep red spider in check, having the trees free of the 
pest by these means or the application of an insecticide by the time 
the fruit commences ripening, when the syringing must cease, main¬ 
taining a good moisture by damping the border frequently. Give air 
freely in all favourable weather, and close early with plenty of mois¬ 
ture, so as to enable the fruit to swell to a good size as well as to 
economise heat; admit, however, a little air at the top of the 
house constantly. Attend regularly to tying down the shoots as 
they advance, thin out any superfluous, pinching in laterals on strong 
growths. See that there is not any deficiency of moisture in the 
borders, giving when necessary a good watering, and supply weakly 
trees or those carrying heavy crops with liquid manure, and mulch 
the surface of the borders. If mildew appear dust with flowers of 
sulphur, discontinue syringing for a time, and admit air freely. 
Figs .—The first crop in the early house with the trees planted 
out are now all gathered, and the treatment advised in a former 
calendar will be in force, under which conditions the second crop 
will advance rapidly ; and as there is sure to be plenty of fruit it 
must, if not already done, be freely thinned, reserving those for the 
crop at the base of the shoots. Syringe the trees freely twice a day, 
red spider being unusually prevalent this season. Trees in pots as 
well as those in restricted borders will require water frequently 
and copiously, and on every occasion mix a little guano with it, 
about 1 tb. to twenty gallons of water. Tie-in the shoots to the 
trellis as they advance, stop as necessary, removing those not re¬ 
quired, and regulate those retained, so that sun and air may mature 
them. In houses with the fruit ripening maintain a free circulation 
of dry warm air to insure its ripening perfectly. Trees in pots which 
will be required for early forcing must not now be neglected, but 
be attended to regularly in watering with liquid manure, syringing 
them occasionally to keep down red spider. 
FLOWER GARDEN. 
Constant care and attention are necessary in this as in every other 
department to secure neatness. Weeds must be destroyed by fre¬ 
quent hoeing and raking. Lawns will need the machine run over 
them at frequent intervals, and the edge3 of walks and beds require 
to be neatly trimmed with the edging shears. Take advantage of 
rain to roll gravel walks, keep them as smooth and firm as prac¬ 
ticable. Beds that have been mulched show a marked contrast to 
those that have not; the plants, having grown freely, require but 
little attention as regards weeding and watering. Peg down all 
kinds of trailing plants as they advance in growth, encouraging them 
and all others to cover the beds as quickly as possible. In watering 
Calceolarias pour the water between the plants instead of over the 
leaves, as this as well as heavy rains weigh down the flower heads 
which may be obviated by twigs of some light kind thinly placed 
amongst the plants before they bloom. The weather has been too 
dry for carpet-bedding plants, and unless watering is attended 
to the progress is very small. Confine the plants to the lines or 
spaces allotted to them, so that the design may be well defined. 
Subtropical plants cannot in warm weather be overwatered, but 
mulching with well-decayed manure will lessen the necessity for it, 
and encourage surface-rooting and free growth, upon which depends 
the beauty of these plants. Stake and tie securely as they advance, 
treating Dahlias and Hollyhocks similarly. Pinks and Carnations 
should be neatly staked before they become too forward. Push 
forward the propagation of these by layers and pipings, choosing an 
old spent hotbed for the latter on which to place the handlights, in¬ 
serting the cuttings in sharp sandy loam; keep them well shaded, 
and sprinkle occasionally to keep the atmosphere moist. Boses 
must be well supplied with water or liquid manure, and the flowers 
as they fade should be removed, shortening backja little those of the 
Perpetual class as they cease blooming, and encouraging them in 
every possible way to make free growth and insure good autumn 
blooms. Cuttings of Boses root freely if ripened wood is selected, 
inserting them in sharp sandy soil in frames or handlights kept close, 
shaded, and sprinkled daily. Briars and other stocks will soon be suffi¬ 
ciently forward for budding, which should preferably be done in dull 
or after moist weather, as the bark then separates freely. Select 
buds on wood that has borne flowers, as these are more mature than 
such as are obtained from quick-growing barren shoots. In extract¬ 
ing the wood from the bud care should be taken that the bark is not 
bent too sharply or bruised, for if this be done the bud is sure to turn 
black and fail. For such varieties as Marechal Niel trained to 
walls cut out the old flowering wood, laying-in this year’s young 
wood to replace it for next year’s bloom. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Stove .—The present is a good time to examine the general stock of 
stove plants to see what may need increasing, it being preferable in 
many instances to propagate young plants and discard those that 
have been used some time. Cuttings of most hardwooded plants 
will now root freely if inserted in sandy soil, placed in a close frame, 
and shaded until rooted, when they should be gradually inured to 
the air of the house, and be potted-off singly, keeping"them slowly 
growing through the winter. These will be in an advanced state by 
spring, and calculated to make a good growth. Gardenias, Ixoras, 
Tabernsemontanas, Medinillas, Bondeletias, Bougainvilleas, Clero- 
dendron, Combretum, Stephanotis, Thunbergias, Dipladenias, and 
iEschynanthuses strike freely at this season. 
The successional batch of Euphorbia and Poinsettia cuttings in¬ 
serted some little time ago will now be rooted, and should at once 
be transferred to large pots, as it is important they do not remain so 
long in small pots as to become stunted, otherwise a free growth can 
hardly be expected afterwards. Poinsettia cuttings may be inserted 
as they are obtainable, and in a rather close frame they will root 
freely and make dwarf plants very useful for decorative purposes. 
Any choice varieties of Gloxinias may now be propagated by leaf- 
cuttings, which root better now than earlier in the season, when they 
are soft. 
The earliest-flowered Ixoras if placed in a brisk heat will grow 
and flower again, and will be found extremely useful for cutting 
during the autumn. If the pots are well filled with roots afford 
weak clear liquid manure, being careful not to apply it too strong 
or the roots will be injured. I. aurantiaca and I. coccinea are the 
best for this purpose. 
