August 25,1881. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 185 
are well advanced in growth. Sow Lettuce for transplanting to 
stand the winter for spring and early summer use. Stanstead Park 
is a good Cabbage variety, Lee’s Hardy Green being also fine, and in 
Cos varieties Brown Bath (black-seeded) and Hicks’ Hardy "White are 
suitable. 
Any spare ground should be planted with Coleworts, and prepara¬ 
tion be made for planting early Cabbage. Ground that has beer, 
occupied with spring Onions answers well for this crop, and being in 
good condition no manure need be applied, merely pointing it over to 
secure an even surface, giving a dressing of two parts lime to one 
each of soot and salt, applying the mixture at the rate of half a peck 
per rod. This will induce a sturdy growth in the plants. They 
should be placed out as soon after this as possible, planting them 
about 15 inches apart in rows 18 inches asunder, or, if large heads 
are wanted, the distance must be increased by 4 to G inches each way. 
Globe Artichokes that have been two or three years on the ground 
have now ceased bearing and should be removed, and if young plants 
were planted early in spring they will now be bearing and will give 
heads for some time, yielding a good early crop next season as well 
as furnishing suckers. A supply of herbs should be cut when tho¬ 
roughly dry and hung up in a dry airy place. Tomatoes must have 
all growths short of the flowering stage removed, keeping all lateral 
growth closely pinched or removed, so as to concentrate all the ener¬ 
gies of the plant on the swelling of the fruit, that giving indications 
of ripening being detached from the plants and placed in a dry warm 
place under glass to accelerate the ripening process. Second early as 
well as the earliest varieties of Potatoes have completed their growth, 
and should be lifted at the first favourable opportunity, selecting 
those required for seed, which should be placed thinly in a cool airy 
shed, storing those required for use n a dark cool place. Varieties 
for winter use are not much growm in gardens, and very properly, as, 
owing to the richness of the ground required for the growth of high- 
class vegetables, the growth of the haulm is so rank that unless 
p’anted much wider apart than is necessary in poorer soil and more 
open situations they do not afford good results, and are sooner affected 
by disease. The crop should be lifted directly the disease appears in 
the haulm, for if left until this is much affected the mischief will be 
done. 
FRUIT HOUSES. 
Vines .—Late Grapes are well advanced in ripening where attention 
has been paid to starting them in good time, and assisting them at 
the starting and during growth, as indicated in former directions. 
Instead of having to maintain sharp firing in the dull short days of 
late September and October, as will be the case with houses that 
were started late in the spring, atmospheric moisture may now be 
gradually reduced, and well-ripened wood with highly finished fruit 
will be secured by the employment of sufficient artificial heat to main¬ 
tain a circulation of dry warm air. Those Grapes about colouring 
must have a temperature of 70° to 75° constantly, advancing to 85° 
or 90° by day in favourable weather, giving a good soaking of tepid 
liquid manure to inside borders in the early part of the day, so as 
to allow of surplus moisture passing off before night. From this 
time until the Grapes are perfectly ripened a circulation of air must 
be secured day and night. Late Black Hamburgh Vines, the fruit of 
which is colouring, must not lack moisture at the roots, though the 
supply must be carefully regulated as the season advances. A tem¬ 
perature of G5° at night and 70° to 75° by day, with 10° to 15° rise 
from sun heat, will be all that is needed to ripen them. Give fre¬ 
quent attention to stopping lateral grow'ths, but Vines carrying 
heavy crops may have a little freedom given the laterals to keep the 
roots active, which is one of the best preventives of shanking, but 
in no case must the laterals interfere with the due exposure of the 
principal foliage to light and air. Houses of ripe Grapes, the wood 
of the Vines being mature, need only have a little fire heat by day 
to admit of a change of air, examining the Grapes frequently, and 
remove decayed berries, and keeping the border in a moderately 
moist condition. 
Vines from which the Grapes have been cut must not be neglected, 
but the laterals be closely pinched, and if there is any doubt about 
the maturity of the wood a warm dry atmosphere must be main¬ 
tained until the wood is completely ripened. To insure the preser¬ 
vation of the old foliage until this is effected an occasional syringing 
may be resorted to, to cleanse it from red spider. The Vines for early 
forcing must have the outside border protected from heavy rains ; if 
ventilation has been fully provided for some time and the laterals 
have been kept well back the leaves will now have fallen, or, if not, 
shorten back some of the shoots, and by the middle of next month 
they may w'ith safety be pruned. Any top-dressing or renovation of 
the border must not be delayed. Young Vines intended for fruit¬ 
ing next season should have a moderate shortening of the laterals, 
providing a circulation of dry -warm air, especially if the wood is 
not already brown and hard, but on no account must the ripening of 
the wood be induced by a parchingiy dry condition of the soil at the 
roots. 
Melons .—Continue attention to former instructions as regards 
general treatment. Young growing plants, and those with the fruit 
swelling, should be syringed in houses facing south at about 3 P.M. 
and the lights closed, the temperature not advancing much over 90°, 
but in span-roofed houses facing east and west the operation may be 
deferred half an hour later. Shading can, if the plants are able to 
bear the sun without flagging, be dispensed with, but on no account 
must the plants be allowed to flag. As the days become shorter and 
the nights colder less atmospheric moisture will be necessary. If 
the latest plants are w'eakly supply liquid manure twice a week, but 
if they are vigorous do not apply any stimulant until the fruit is set 
and swelling, then earth-up with a good compost, and feed liberally 
until indications of ripening appear. Fire heat will be necessary to 
secure a temperature of 70° to 75° by day and on cold nights, falling 
to 65° in the morning. Persistent attention must be paid to ferti¬ 
lising the blossoms, maintaining a dry condition of the atmosphere to 
insure a good set, and if the weather be dull allow a circulation of 
dry warm air. Pits and frames must be closed early, and damp the 
plants lightly at that time on fine days, raising the fruits cn pots so 
as to expose them to the sun when advanced for ripening. The last 
batch in these structures have set their fruit, and to encourage their 
swelling freely linings will be necessary to secure a bottom heat of 
80° to 85°, and top heat of 70° to 75°, placing mats over the lights on 
cold nights. A much lessened degree of moisture will be necessary 
now' that the weather is becoming colder, and this applies both to the 
soil and atmosphere. Fruit ripening can hardly be kept too dry, and 
a circulation of w'arm air secured by lining will improve the quality. 
Cucumbers .—The autumn fruiters must have liberal treatment, add¬ 
ing a little fresh soil as the roots extend, encouraging surface ropts, 
and preserving a firm condition of the bed. Syringe at 3 P.M., and 
close the house at the same time. Fire heat may be needed to insure 
a night temperature of G5° to 70°, and 75° by day, with an advance 
from sun heat to 80°, 85°, or 90°. Other plants require similar treat- 
ment as regards heat and moisture, keeping the growths fairly thin, 
and regularly stopped at one joint beyond the fruit, removing bad 
leaves and exhausted growths. In pits and frames be careful not to 
overcrowd the foliage, stopping the shoots a joint or two beyond the 
fruit. Be careful to avoid a cold moist atmosphere, which results in 
the fruit damping at the point. Afford linings to allow’ of ventilation 
to dispel damp. 
TLAKT HOUSES. 
Cinerai ias .—Plants raised from seed sown early must now be finally 
potted, G-inch pots being most useful for general decoration, 7-inch 
pots for large specimens. Turfy loam w’ith a fifth of thoroughly 
reduced manure is a suitable compost. Place the pots on ashes in a 
pit or frame, supplying water freely, and when the pots are filled 
with roots afford w'eak liquid manure. The plants should be near 
the glass, and have air freely, with slight shade from bright sun for a 
few hours at mid-day. Aphides must be kept under by fumigating 
moderately. Pot-off later seedlings, transferring to larger pots before 
they become rootbound. Detach suckers from named sorts, also 
double varieties, and pot singly in 3-inch pots, standing them on 
ashes in a cold frame, shading them until established. 
Primulas .—Those from seed sow'n early must be transferred to 
6 and 7-inch pots. Good fibrous loam, with a fifth of well-decayed 
cow dung and a sixth of sand, form a good compost. Afford good 
drainage, and pot them firmly. Place them on ashes in a pit or frame, 
and afford a slight shade from bright sun, ventilating freely, and 
