August 4,1881. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 113 
In the case of Muscats at the early summer exhibitions we must, 
I suppose, be content to see them green, for they have never to my 
knowledge been shown otherwise, and I think it is a pity they 
should be invited at all before the end of July. But Hamburghs 
are just as easy to colour in April as in September. They are not, 
perhaps so easy for everybody to grow in the winter months as 
they are in the summer, but any person having grown them at 
any time of the year, and brought them in good condition through 
the stage of stoning, the question of colouring is then merely a 
matter of air and light acting on a good supply of healthy foliage; 
and I should not be afraid to say that if a house of Hamburghs 
were given over to me at this stage in a moderately healthy con¬ 
dition as to foliage, that I could ensure the colouring of all such 
berries as would not shank. The process would be a very simple 
one. I should first take great care that the quantity of fruit was 
not in excess of the capabilities of the foliage. There can be no 
rule laid down for this, as one good substantial leaf in full sun¬ 
light is worth more than a dozen flimsy ones which are partially 
shaded. What would be a heavy crop for one Vine where the 
plants are close together might be a light crop for another where 
more space is allowed. Next I should see that the border was 
never dry, and lastly that the house was never without ventilation 
unless for an hour or two when a cold spell of wintry weather 
came on suddenly. 
A minimum temperature of 65°, with a rise of 80° by sun heat 
if the fruit has to be hurried in ripening, and all the air con¬ 
tinually that these conditions will allow without admitting a cold 
draught or necessitating too much hard firing, is the treatment 
recommended. The colouring cannot take place without a con¬ 
stant change of air. The colder the outside temperature the smaller 
of course must be the aperture for ventilation, and in frosty or rough 
weather sufficient air will often enter through the laps of the glass 
during nights and dull days ; but this constant stream of fresh air 
till we find some better method at this particular stage is an im¬ 
perative necessity. When Grapes of the Hamburgh class are not 
forced, and there is no necessity to hurry them, the simplest way 
to ensure colouring is to leave them open night and day. There is 
far too much opening and closing of ventilators with most of us. 
The thick-skinned Grapes, such as Lady Downe’s and Alicante, 
which are intended to be kept through the winter for use in Feb¬ 
ruary, March, April, and May, require a higher temperature at 
this stage than is necessary for Hamburghs, and they will do with 
a less amount of ventilation when once the stoning process is 
over. The colouring of this class of Grapes should commence at 
the end of July or the first week in August, and a minimum of 
not less than 65° should be kept for two months afterwards. If a 
little veutilation can be allowed all night so much the better, 
but it is an absolute necessity to have some before the tempera¬ 
ture rises in the morning. 
Muscats, to colour them well, require similar treatment to the 
thick-skinned varieties, but there is this difference between them 
—all black Grapes will colour without direct sunlight on the fruit, 
but the Muscat of Alexandria and its allies of the same colour 
will not; they must therefore be trained wider apart, and if neces¬ 
sary the leaves where they shade the bunches must be tied back. 
I think, too, that no class of Grapes better pays for an extension 
of growth beyond the bunch than this ; G feet apart is near enough 
for the rods, and the growths should be allowed to meet, but not 
to overlap or become crowded.— Wm. Taylor. 
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HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 
Apricots, although they promise to be of excellent quality, are 
very scarce. Plums on trees trained to walls are rapidly swelling ; in¬ 
deed some of the early kinds, such as July Green Gage, St. Etienne, and 
De Montfort—three of the best dessert Plums preceding Green Gage 
—are nearly ripe. Early Elvers in the open is in an advanced stage 
for ripening. This is an excellent early culinary Plum, and one of the 
most certain croppers. Keep the leading shoots of wall trees closely 
nailed in or tied, continuing to remove or stop superfluous or fore¬ 
right shoots, so as to admit light and air to the principal shoots and 
secure the thorough ripening of the wood. Treat Vines against walls 
in a similar manner, so as to admit the sun and air freely to the fruit, 
which should be kept rather close to the wall, and the berries on 
each bunch carefully thinned out. Examine ripening fruit, such as 
Apricots, Peaches and Nectarines, and remove them before they fall 
from the trees, the fruit being benefited than otherwise by keeping 
them a day or two in an airy fruit room before being sent to table. 
Such fruits as Cherries, Gooseberries, Strawberries, Ac., should not be 
gathered until they are required. Protect Morello Cherries from 
birds. Net a sufficient number of bushes of Eed Warrington or 
other late Gooseberries, also Red and White Currants, to preserve the 
fruit to a late period. Mats, though often employed, are very unsuit¬ 
able, as they exclude air and light; hexagon netting is most suitable 
for the purpose, the fruit not being deteriorated in flavour as when 
covered with mats. Runners of Strawberries may be potted as they 
can be obtained for forming new plantations or forcing. Spare no 
effort to keep down weeds in the open quarters or elsewhere by sur¬ 
face-hoeing in the spaces between the trees. 
FRUIT HOUSES. 
Peaches and Nectarines .—The full exposure of the foliage to the 
influence of sun and air is of the greatest importance in the culti¬ 
vation of these, and indeed all fruit trees. This is necessary from the 
commencement of growth, with a proper admission of air, so as to 
secure the solidification of the wood and thick-textured or leathery 
leaves, which are more proof against insect attacks and less sus¬ 
ceptible of damage from adverse atmospheric conditions than attenu¬ 
ated wood and foliage. As soon, therefore, as the fruit is gathered 
no time should be lost in cutting out wood on which the current 
year’s crop was borne ; and where there is any approach to over¬ 
crowding the shoots should be well thinned. To maintain the foliage 
in a healthy condition syringe forcibly, so as to subdue red spider 
and preserve the foliage healthy. If there be any scale apply an 
insecticide. The border also must bo kept in a thoroughly moist 
condition, and an occasional application of tepid liquid manure will 
assist weakly trees to plump the flower buds. The lights should be 
continued over the trees, air being admitted day and night until the 
buds are developed, when it will be advantageous to remove the 
roof lights. 
FLOWER GARDEN. 
Where there is an abundant supply of water, and it has been used 
liberally along with mulching the surface of the beds, the plants are 
now making an effective display and should be frequently examined, 
removing faded flowers and bad foliage. Carpet beds will need 
attention in pinching and pegging. Propagation will soon have to 
be commenced, beginning with Tricolor, Bronze, and variegated Pelar¬ 
goniums, for if deferred until late in the season they do not root 
freely on account of their succulent growth. Three cuttings may 
be inserted in a 3-inch pot, and placed where they will have protection 
from heavy rains, but otherwise fully exposed to sun and air. 
When the variegated kinds are in, a commencement should be 
made with the green-leaved varieties. It being undesirable to 
commence cutting the plants directly they commence filling the 
beds, a reserve garden from which cuttings can be taken without 
interfering with the beds is a valuable adjunct where numbers of 
bedding plants are required. Stock plants being kept of Alternan- 
theras, Coleus, and Iresines, cuttings should at once be taken ; they 
strike freely in a cold frame kept close and shaded from sun, and 
when established should be moved to a house where there is a tem¬ 
perature of not less than 55°. Verbenas, Petunias, Lobelias, and 
Ageratums strike freely at this season in a cold frame kept close and 
shaded, hardening them well off so as to have strong established 
plants by the autumn, as such winter more satisfactorily than those 
struck later in the season in heat. See that border plants have the 
needful support in staking and tying, also Hollyhocks and Dahlias, 
as well as the taller-growing subtropical plants, giving those abun¬ 
dant supplies of liquid manure in dry weather. Pipings of Pinks may 
still be inserted, and any that are rooted planted out where they are 
intended to blcom. Proceed at once with the layering of Carnations 
and Picotees, and sow seed in pans or boxes. The summer bloom of 
Roses being over or nearly so, cut in all straggling shoots, and give 
every encouragement to the plants to make young wood for autumn 
flowering. Cuttings of ripe wood inserted now will strike freely in 
sandy soil under handlights, kept close and shaded until rooted. We 
prefer them on their own roots for massing, especially where the soil 
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