September 2D, 18S1. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
297 
should be protected from heavy rains. Free ventilation is necessary, 
closing the houses only to exclude frost or when heavy rains prevail. 
Midseason houses will soon be cleared of fruit, and if the wood of the 
Vines is not thoroughly brown and hard apply fire heat in the day¬ 
time, turning it off at night, and keep lateral growths in check by stop¬ 
ping them. Young Vines and those newly planted which have been 
allowed to ramble should now have some of the shoots cut off, being 
careful not to injure the leaves on the main rods, and maintain a 
warm well-ventilated atmosphere till the wood is matured. Late 
Grapes of all kinds ought now to be fully ripe ; if, however, there is 
any doubt as to their maturity, apply fire heat with a circulation of 
air constantly till all uncertainty is past. Late Hamburghs and other 
thin-skinned Grapes should have a little assistance from fire heat if 
necessary with adequate ventilation to ripen them ; but after the 
Grapes are rjpe a temperature of 50 c is ample. Examine ripe Grapes 
frequently for decayed berries, expelling damp, and preventing it as 
much as possible by occasional fire heat in the daytime with free 
ventilation ; night firing should be avoided as far as possible. 
Peaches and Nectarines .—The earliest trees are now entirely de¬ 
nuded of foliage, and should, if the branches have not already been 
loosened from the trellis, be at once attended to, the trees being 
entirely loosened from the trellis, and the woodwork thoroughly 
cleaned with soap and water, and the glass both inside and out 
washed with water only; the trellis should be thoroughly cleaned 
and the walls limewashed. If painting be necessary it should be 
done to allow of its hardening before the house is closed. The trees 
likewise should be washed with tepid water, or they may he syringed 
with water at 140° to 100°. If there be any scale, or the trees were 
infested with aphides or red spider, dress them with an insecticide. 
The main branches of the trees should first be secured in position, 
spreading them evenly over the trellis, and they may be secured 
with small tarred string, allowing sufficient space in the ties for the 
swelling of the branches. The distance between the branches on a 
properly trained tree will range from 12 to 18 inches, and the bearing 
wood should be evenly distributed between those, and trained about 
one-third across the space between the branch it originates from and 
the one adjoining ; this will allow space for the wood another season. 
No pruning will be necessary, as shoots of 5 or G feet length will be 
ripened to their points, and have fruit buds the whole length, and 
may be allowed to carry a fruit to every 12 or 15 inches of wood. It 
will therefore only be necessary to cut out superfluous or weakly 
shoots. The inside border should have the surface soil and old 
mulching removed, supplying fresh loam, to which has been added 
some bone meal, mulching the surface with 2 or 3 inches of short 
manure. A good watering should be given to the inside border if 
there be the least indication of dryness. The house should be kept 
open to the fullest extent, only closing it during the prevalence of 
frost. 
As cold rains may be expected soon the outside border should be 
protected with litter, or, what is better, tarpaulin or wooden shutters. 
The trees which ripened the fruit in June are nearly devoid of foliage, 
and may be treated similarly to the earliest, which ripened the fruit 
early in May onwards ; or if the lights have been removed they may 
remain off until the early part of November, when they should be 
replaced. Houses of later trees must have full ventilation, and any 
trees in late houses not ripening the wood well should be assisted 
with a little warmth, and will be advantageous likewise to later sorts 
ripening their crops. An occasional forcible syringing will be neces¬ 
sary to free the foliage from red spider. On no account must the 
trees lack moisture at the roots when ripening the wood, and any 
weakly trees should be afforded liquid manure. Any renovation of 
the borders or lifting of the trees must be attended to when the wood 
is mature and whilst bearing the foliage. 
Figs. —Figs in pots intended for early forcing must at once have 
attention ; and as it is not advisable to shift the trees into larger pots 
a few inches of soil should be removed from the base of the balls, 
cutting back the roots, and making the drainage good, supplying 
fibrous loam, to which has been added a sixth of road scrapings and a 
twentieth of crushed bones. The loose surface soil also must be 
removed, and from the roots at the sides of the pot, not disturbing 
them too much. The materials can hardly be rammed too firmly 
Water thoroughly, and place the plants in a house where they can 
have plenty of air. Fig trees planted out should be kept drier at the 
roots, but avoid extreme dryness. When the second crop is gathered 
keep the house cool and dry, ventilating fully except when frost 
prevails. Hoot-pruning or partial lifting being required it should be 
attended to as soon as the leaves give signs of maturity and whilst 
yet upon the trees. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Azaleas .—Plants that were forced into flower by the new year and 
alter wards at once started into growth had the growth completed in 
good time, and have been moved to a cool house or given a sheltered 
situation outdoors. If these are required to flower again by Christ¬ 
mas they must not be kept too long in cool quarters, but should have 
a house with a temperature of 45° to 50°, so as not to necessitate so 
much heat later on. Such varieties as A. Borsig and Narcissiflora 
flower early naturally, and are very desirable. A. alba, Fielder’s 
White, and vittata elegans also force readily. They do not require 
much training or tying. If any fixed shading has been used it should 
now be removed, so as to give the plants all the light possible for 
maturing the wood and buds, as without this it is useless expecting 
fine trusses of large flowers. The later-flowering plants should at 
once be tied into the required form, as if done before growth is quite 
complete the points of the shoots will assume their natural upright 
position. 
Camellias .—Plants that flowered about this time last year, and were 
encouraged with heat and moisture to make and complete an early 
growth, have their bloom buds now swelling, and should be given a 
temperature slightly warmer than an ordinary greenhouse, or about 
50°, in which the flowers will expand freely. Plants not likely to 
come into flower by the time they are required from the buds being 
in a backward condition, should be kept in a similar temperature to 
those being brought into flower, with a little moisture in the atmo¬ 
sphere ; but there must not he any attempt at forcing, or the plants will 
start into growth and the flower buds will fall. Where these plants 
have been placed out of doors after their buds were set they should 
be taken in before there is danger from frost or heavy rains; the 
latter, from causing the loss of the roots, will induce the buds to fall. 
Thoroughly cleanse the foliage of any dirt that may have accu¬ 
mulated from insects or other cause. 
Hardwooded Plants .—These must at once be placed in their winter 
quarters, and after such a season as the present should be in fine 
condition, and from the v'ell-matured w r ood be better able to resist 
attacks of mildew. See that every plant as it is taken in is free from 
this pest. Any plants infested should be laid on their sides and 
thoroughly syringed with sulphur water, which can be made by 
putting water in a tub with 3 ozs. of flowers of sulphur to every 
gallon of water, stirring well every day for four days, employing the 
clear liquid, and being careful to keep it from the roots of the plants, 
or it will do serious injury. The lightest positions should be given 
such plants as Boronias, Gompholobiums, Phoenocomas, Pimeleas, 
and Tremandras, elevating them near the glass, and do not crowd 
them, or the plants will lose their lower leaves or be very much 
weakened. Epacrises and Eriostemons will bear a lower temperature 
than most others, but they should have a temperature of 40° to 45°, 
and for Leschenaultias the temperature must not often fall below 
45°, whilst for the general stock 3G° to 40° artificially is suitable. 
Heaths should, if no separate structure exist for them, be placed at 
the coolest end or w r here more air can be given, but a separate house 
is much the best. The present is a good time for potting any Heaths 
that require increased root space, being careful to have the soil of 
the old ball thoroughly moistened through before moving, ramming 
the new soil quite as firmly as the old. No shading will be needed 
at this season, and no side air should be given for two or three 
weeks. Water will hardly be necessary for a few days after potting. 
Cyclamens .—Encourage free growth by a genial atmosphere and 
temperature of 50° to 55°. Keep the plants near the glass, and 
supply clear weak liquid manure. The present is a good time to sow 
seed in pots or pans of good turfy loam with about a fifth of leaf 
soil and a free admixture of sand. The young plants obtained should 
