JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
230 
[ September 7, 1882. 
may fail to set unless the atmosphere of the house he kept rather 
dry. We grow a variety of fine-foliaged plants and Ferns under 
our Tomatoes, the temperatures of the house ranging on most occa¬ 
sions from 55° to 60° by night to 60° to 65° by day, the ventilators 
being slightly opened for a short time towards the middle of every 
mild day. In this manner, and by attending closely to the water¬ 
ing with tepid water varied with liquid manure, and top-dressing 
whenever exhaustion is apparent, that healthy growth can be 
maintained which may be relied upon for perfecting moderate 
crops throughout the winter and spring, or till such times as the 
house may be wanted for other purposes. We make three annual 
sowings ; the first in January for plants to be fruited in pots 
during April, May, and June ; the next in April for plants to be 
fruited in boxes in Peach and other somewhat cool houses during 
July, August, and September ; and the last in August or early in 
September for the winter supply. Any fruits of the late autumn 
crop there may be unripe in October are cut and hung up in 
bunches in a warm house to ripeD, and these and any we may cut 
green at the end of September from the few we have on the open 
walls and ripened similarly prove of service in maintaining the 
supply till the house-grown produce is fit to use. Tomatoes may 
also be ripened in boxes placed before the kitchen fire whenever 
convenient, or on a rack at a safe distance above the fire. 
Not a little depends upon the choice of varieties. After hazing 
tried all the catalogued varieties we have arrived at the conclusion 
there are none to equal the old corrugated sorts for house culture. 
The newer varieties, principally of American origin, are nearly all 
very smooth, large, and handsome in appearance, but for quality 
and fruitfulness are inferior to such as the old Large Red, of which 
there are some excellent selections offered, the best probably being 
Earley’s Defiance. The Dwarf Orangefield, if obtained true, will 
be found very productive and good in quality, and the same may 
be said of Keye’s Prolific. The Conquerer, a ribbed American 
variety, is very prolific, grows to a good size ; while, if a smooth 
sort is preferred, Hathaway’s Excelsior is recommended. Selected 
kinds of Trophy or its synonym are the worst that can be grown, 
as but few succeed in setting good crops, and connoisseurs do not 
admire the quality of the fruit. 
A difficulty is frequently experienced in setting good crops 
during the dull autumn and winter months even with notorious 
free setters. Every care should be taken that the plants receive 
no check in any way, and by closely rubbing out all superfluous 
growth the bunches of bloom will be encouraged to develope 
strongly. A drier atmosphere maintained and frequent smart taps 
given towards midday or about an hour after air has been given 
will distribute the pollen and ensure a good set. If this fails the 
blooms may be lightly touched over with a camel’s-hair brush. 
We invariably secure good sets ; in fact find it necessary to thin 
out the bunches, as a constant if comparatively light supply is 
preferable to occasional gluts, which result if extra heavy crops 
are allowed to mature at one time.—W. E. G. 
MANURE FOR VINES—CRITICISM. 
No one rejoices more than myself to be informed that the 
quality of Standen’s manure is not lowered, for I do not like 
losing an old and trusted friend. 
That a parcel I had last spring was faulty I am certain, but it 
is satisfactory to know that, as far as the proprietors can guarantee 
it, “ the ingredients and manipulation are precisely the same as 
when introduced twenty years ago.” 
“ Inquirer,” I think, is hardly fair when he makes it appear 
that I “ once thought I could grow Vines as well without lime as 
with it.” Of course I knew before I commenced that lime was 
a necessity for Grape culture ; my error was in thinking there was 
already sufficient lime in the natural soil, and which I owned that 
I ought to have found out before, as there was plenty of evidence 
to the contrary. But having voluntarily exposed my weakness in 
this and other points for the purpose of preventing learners falling 
into similar errors, I did not expect men of the calibre of 
“Inquirer ” to take advantage of it by rather enlarging on the 
facts and holding me up to ridicule. 
Again, as to the quality of Standen's manure. Although there 
was only two months between the two statements appearing in 
the Journal, there was a much longer time between the writing 
of them, and there was a difference in a whole season as to the 
results spoken of. 
Of course I do not expect to convince your correspondent as to 
the value of earth-closet manure in the face of the evidence of the 
great authorities he mentions ; but I may tell him there are many 
practical men who could say much in its favour, and my faith in 
it will tempt me to use it and wood ashes alone to a portion of 
my Vines till such time as they show signs of failure, and when 
that happens I will be candid, as I have endeavoured to be all the 
way through, and will freely acknowledge it. 
I have still another critic (“ J. S. W.”) to notice ; but as he only 
accuses me of dishonesty and falsehood I will merely refer your 
readers back to the answer given him in this Journal three weeks 
ago, feeling “ I can safely leave the verdict with those of the 
public who understand such matters.”— Wm. Taylor. 
[As both “J. S. W.” and Mr. Taylor agree in leaving the 
“ verdict with the public,” the controversy referred to in the last 
paragraph of this article naturally ceases.] 
TREE FERNS. 
Thirty years ago Tree Ferns were comparatively scarce in this 
country, and were only to be found in very large establishments 
and botanic gardens ; but within this last twenty years I may 
venture to say that hundreds of tons of these Ferns have been 
imported, and at present a brisk trade is going on amongst our 
leading nurserymen in providing them to meet the ever-increasing 
demand. 
What conservatory of any size would be complete without a 
pair or two of Tree Ferns and a few good-sized Palms ? Anyone 
that has visited the Crystal Palace could not fail to appreciate 
the remarkably fine Dicksonias that are to be seen there, and are 
so well adapted for the positions they occupy, giving a cool and 
refreshing appearance to their surroundings. At Kew also, in 
what is called the temperate house, there are some grand speci¬ 
mens of Cyatheas and Dicksonias, and when seen from the gallery 
they are objects not likely to be soon forgotten. At Gunnersbury 
Park there was a few years ago a pair of Dicksonia antarctica, 
supposed to be the finest in the country, and no doubt they were. 
I will not pretend to give the dimensions of them here in case 1 
may under-estimate them, for they are giants compared with what 
I had seen before. At Sir G. Macleay’s, Pendell Court, there are 
also some very fine specimens. 
The most useful species of all Tree Ferns is undoubtedly Dick¬ 
sonia antarctica. This is by far the most common in collections, 
and well adapted for conservatories and cool houses. It requires 
little or no shade provided the temperature is not too high and 
will stand a little frost with impunity. The size of the stems 
would suggest that enormous pots or tubs would be required for 
their well-being, but such is by no means the case. If large or 
medium-sized stems are imported they may at once be placed in 
pots or round tubs well drained and only a trifle larger than the 
stem itself, so that sufficient room is given to work a little soil 
between the stem and inside the pot or tub. They should be 
potted moderately firm, using good fibry peat and loam in equal 
parts, with a little silver sand. After they have started freely 
into growth copious supplies of water will be necessary, and par¬ 
ticularly up the stems, for good-sized Fern stems are all alive with 
active fibres. Care must be avoided that they never suffer from 
being kept too dry. In the tubs or pots that they are first placed 
in I have seen them remain till the tub has become thoroughly 
decayed, thus proving that very little pot room is necessary. The 
best plan, however, to grow this very valuable Fern is to plant it 
out, after being well established in pots, in a thoroughly drained 
border. 
D. fibrosa, a New Zealand species, is a very useful Fern, and 
should find a place in all collections. It is much dwarfer than 
D. antarctica, the stem not attaining nearly the size of the latter. 
The stipes are very short. The fronds are 3 to 4 feet long, rhom¬ 
boid, tripinnate ; the central pinnae lanceolate, 6 to 9 inches long, 
the stem being covered with dense bright brown scales. 
D. squarrosa, another New Zealand Fern, is a desirable species. 
The stipes are about a foot long, clothed with soft, spreading, 
fibrillose scales ; fronds oblong-deltoid, tripinnate, the texture of 
which is rigidly coriaceous. 
There are many species of Alsophila that are worth growing, 
but in this note I only intend to name a few of the best. A. aus¬ 
tralis is perhaps one of the most popular species in cultivation. 
In its native habitat it attains the height of 50 feet or more, but 
slender. A. excelsa, a native of the Norfolk Islands, is said to 
attain the height of from GO to 80 feet, surmounted with a hand¬ 
some crown of fronds. It appears to be a much larger and stouter¬ 
growing plant than the latter, both being well suited for high 
houses. 
Cibotium, or, as now classed, Dicksonia, includes two or three 
species that are extremely useful and ornamental. C. Schiedei is 
amongst the most useful of Tree Ferns for exhibition purposes. 
The peculiar arching habit of the fronds give it a very graceful 
appearance. The fronds are tripinnate, light green above, and 
very glaucous beneath. It is a native of Mexico, where the stem 
attains the height of from 10 to 15 feet. 
