184 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ August 24, 1882. 
filicoides, and Berberis japonica. Mr. Hardie, Mayfield, Falkirk, was 
awarded a vote of thanks for a large collection of Conifers and mis¬ 
cellaneous shrubs and trees. 
. ■w i 
If 
QJ 
S§ WORKW™WEElU 
nil Iwvrn 
HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 
The ground for fresh plantations of Strawberries should be prepared 
at once if not already done. Select ground in an open situation, 
manuring heavily and trenching as deeply as the soil will admit, for 
although the roots penetrate to a great depth under favourable con¬ 
ditions—a tendency that ought to be encouraged, as it enables the 
plants to better withstand the effects of dry hot weather, which so 
frequently proves injurious—yet to bring up much of the bad soil is 
not to increase its fertility, as until it becomes ameliorated by 
exposure and enriched by manuring it is positively injurious. The 
best plan to adopt when the good soil is shallow is to loosen the poor 
soil at the bottom of the trenches with a pick, and give a dressing of 
manure. The plants should be established in small pots or be care¬ 
fully lifted from the ground, the soil well firmed about them, and a 
good watering be given, and repeated as necessary if the weather 
prove dry. Runners and weeds should be removed as they appear. 
The Raspberry season being quite over the old bearing wood 
should be cut out, and the young canes thinned to four or six of the 
strongest and best placed, and to secure them against injury from 
wind in exposed situations they should be loosely tied to the stakes 
or trellises until they have completed their growth and well ripened 
the wood. 
Some bushes of the Red Warrington Gooseberry or other late 
variety should be netted, and if there be bushes against a north 
wall the fruits will retain their flavour better than those in the open. 
Red and White Currants retain their flavour much longer, and 
Morello Cherries will keep good until October. They must, however, 
be netted to exclude birds, and if wasps and bluebottle flies are 
troublesome they must be excluded by hexagon netting. 
Early Apples should be gathered before they become too ripe, or 
they will be mealy. The crop of these is unusually light, but we 
have on pyramids fair crops of Joanneting (white), Irish Peach, 
Devonshire Quarrenden, Worcester Pearmain, and Kerry Pippin ; and 
of kitchen varieties Stirling Castle, Carlisle Codlin, Lord Suffield, 
and Ecklinville Seedling. Birds are often destructive to the softer- 
fleshed varieties, even before the fruit is nearly ripe, the only remedy 
being their exclusion by nets. 
Apricots should have the protection of hexagon netting to exclude 
wasps and flies. The crop though light is of excellent quality. When 
the crop is all gathered examine the trees for any bare and attenu¬ 
ated spurs as well as long bare shoots, cutting them back to growth 
nearer the base or remove them altogether. Any dead or weak 
growth where crowded can be cut out, so as to give those remaining 
the full benefit of light and air to accelerate the ripening of the 
wood. Peaches and Nectarines will require looking over frequently 
for the regulation of the shoots, which are now growing rapidly, 
tying or nailing in the extensions ; but the other shoots, those for 
next year’s bearing, should as far as practicable be secured by twigs 
placed across the branches or wires, or be otherwise kept close to the 
wall to prevent damage from wind, and to give them the benefit of 
the warmth afforded by the wall. To effect this the growths must 
not be allowed to become too crowded, and any foliage overhanging 
the fruit must be turned aside or be shortened. Trees with fruit 
swelling should be assisted with copious supplies of water in dry 
weather. Peaches and Nectarines, Figs, Plums, and Pears ripening 
on walls will need daily attention, such fruits not being allowed to 
fall from the trees, as the experienced eye will experience little diffi¬ 
culty in detecting the indications of maturity, and by gently raising 
or moving such fruit it will separate from the tree without difficulty. 
All ripe fruit should be handled with the greatest care, as the 
slightest undue pressure or rough handling will inflict injury result¬ 
ing in deterioration of quality and appearance, also speedy decay. 
All wall trees must be examined frequently for the securing in 
position extensions, and checking the growth of laterals by stopping 
and removing superfluous growths. Morellos should have the shoots 
laid in similar to Peach trees. Espalier, pyramid, and bush trees 
will need timely attention in removing or stopping lateral and super¬ 
fluous growths, which allowed to form unchecked at this season will 
accelerate root-growth and induce late growth unfavourable to the 
ripening of the wood and the plumping of the fruit buds. 
FRUIT HOUSES. 
Vines .—Late Vines started in March and assisted with fire heat in 
spring and summer in cold dull weather have the Grapes well ad¬ 
vanced, and instead of having to keep the Vines excited by sharp 
firing, as is the case with those started late in the spring, atmospheric 
moisture may be gradually reduced, and well-ripened wood with 
highly finished Grapes will be secured with just sufficient artificial 
heat to keep up a circulation of dry warm air. Where, however, late 
Vines were not started until April the Grapes will only be com¬ 
mencing colouring, and will need artificial heat to maintain a minimum 
temperature of 70°, and 80° to 85° in the daytime, with an advance of 
b° to 10° on bright days. A little air should be admitted constantly, 
and moisture kept from condensing on the berries by increasing the 
ventilation early in the day. To assist the swelling of the Grapes a 
good soaking of tepid liquid manure must be given the inside borders, 
and moderate air moisture be continued some time longer. Late 
Hamburghs will colour and ripen perfectly even if they do not begin 
to colour before the middle of September, but they will need a night 
temperature of 05°, and 75° by day artificially, with an advance from 
sun heat to 85° or 90°. In their case there must not be any lack of 
moisture in the inside borders, but the watering and damping should 
be done early, so as to allow of any superfluity passing off before 
night. Vines from which the Grapes have been cut should not be 
neglected, but have all laterals closely stopped and a dry warm atmo¬ 
sphere to insure the perfect ripening of the wood. Preserve the old 
foliage as long as possible, freeing it of any red spider or dust by an 
occasional syringing on fine evenings. 
Figs .—The second crop on early forced trees will now or soon be 
all gathered, when attention must be directed to the maturation of 
the growths. Water must only be given to prevent the borders 
becoming dry, and syringing may be discontinued except for the pur¬ 
pose of keeping the trees free from insects. A free circulation of 
warm dry air should be maintained in the house until the foliage in¬ 
dicates signs of ripening and dies naturally. Trees that are crowded 
with wood should at once be well thinned, so as to admit the free 
action of sun, light, and air to perfect the growths retained. 
Trees that afforded a crop of ripe Figs in June will now be furnish¬ 
ing another crop of ripe fruit, and should be encouraged by liberal 
supplies of tepid liquid manure, or, if the trees are too vigorous, 
clear water only should be given. The ripening of this crop will 
extend over a considerable time, during which a constant circulation 
of dry warm air should be secured. 
Melons .—Accelerate the growth of young plants by closing early 
with plenty of sun heat, syringing at the same time. Shading in the 
case of healthy and robust plants may now be nearly, if not quite, 
dispensed with, and less atmospheric moisture will henceforth be 
needed. If the last batch of plants are weakly assist with weak 
liquid manure about twice a week ; however, do not apply much 
stimulant until after the fruits are set, when earth up with a good 
compost. Continue to fertilise the female blossoms every day, main¬ 
taining a dry condition of the atmosphere and soil. Fruit ripening 
should have a warm dry atmosphere and but little water at the roots 
of the plants, but enough to keep the foliage from flagging. Secure 
a good sun heat in pits and frames by closing early, damping the 
foliage at the same time, and raise the fruit to the glass. 
Cucumbers .—Plenty of moisture and liberal feeding, and close 
attention in stopping, thinning, and regulating the growths, are 
essential to success. A little fire heat should be turned on on cold 
nights, not allowing the temperature to fall below 65°, and maintain 
it at 70° to 75° in the day artificially, and 80° to 90° from sun heat. 
