462 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ November 16, 1882. 
being impressed into the freshly laid pathway. A curb of brick or 
plank soaked in petroleum serves to keep the edges even. Sometimes 
the walk is made slightly lowest in the middle in order to keep the 
edges as dry and free from danger of crumbling as possible. If the 
surface should crack during the summer following it should be well 
brushed over with tar on a warm dry day to till all fissures, and if 
sand is sprinkled over it can be immediately used. An old broom 
serves to do this well and quickly. It is said, we know not how true, 
that a little sulphuric acid put into the tar serves as a thickener and 
drier. A heating of the tar before using answer the purpose probably 
as well. This sort of path is easily kept clean, and all rain runs off. 
A gallon of tar will suffice for about 8 square feet of coating 2 inches 
thick .—(New York Tribune.) 
HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 
Where trees against walls have lost their leaves commence prun¬ 
ing and nailing at once. Apricots are usually the first to lose their 
leaves, closely followed by Cherries, Plums, and Pears. Where time 
can be spared it is desirable to loosen the trees from the wall. When 
time cannot be spared for the entire disengagement of the trees they 
should be carefully examined to see that none of the ties or shreds 
are too tight. Any old bare wood should be cut out and young 
trained in its place, also thinning the spurs where too crowded, and 
shortening any spurs that have grown to a considerable distance 
from the walls. This in most instances is all that is required for 
Apricots where summer-pruning has been duly attended to. Plums 
will only need any attenuated spurs shortened, and where too 
crowded judiciously thinned, whilst shoots more than 3 inches long 
should be cut back to a couple of joints from their base, but any 
short stubby shoots should not be shortened. Cherries and Pears 
should be treated similarly. Trees in course of formation must have 
the main shoots disposed 9 to 12 inches apart, and be trained in their 
full length unless their extremities be unripe, when they should be 
shortened to firm ripe wood. The central shoots will likewise need 
to be cut back to originate shoots at suitable distances for furnishing 
the trees. If the trees have been infested with aphides or other 
insect pests it will be advisable to dress the wall as well as the trees 
with an insecticide. Half a gill of petroleum mixed with four gallons 
of water will prove fatal to most insect larvae. For scale on Pear trees 
whale oil is efficacious, and it is equally so against American blight 
or woolly aphides. After the trees have been pruned, nailed or tied, 
the loose surface soil should be removed down to the roots, and a 
good dressing given of good rich compost; turfy loam, with an equal 
proportion of well-decayed manure, and about a twentieth part of 
charred vegetable refuse intermixed will be beneficial. Borders that 
have received heavy dressings of manure for vegetable crops will be 
benefited by a dressing of unslaked lime. Half a bushel per rod will 
be a suitable quantity, pointing it in. 
The season so far has been very unfavourable for planting fruit 
trees on heavy soils. With a change for the better no time should be 
lost in planting the trees contemplated j but with the soil in a wet 
state it will be preferable to defer planting until spring, this especially 
applying to cold heavy soils. 
STRAWBERRIES IN POTS. 
The earliest batch of these will now have well-developed crowns, 
and be at rest so far as top growth is concerned ; but the roots are 
still in a more or less active state, and under no circumstances must 
they be allowed to suffer by want of water, it being necessary that 
they be kept in a thoroughly moist condition. The plants intended 
for early forcing should be moved to a cold frame, the pots being 
plunged in ashes, the lights only being employed in case of heavy 
rains and when frost prevails. Plants for successional forcing will 
succeed very well plunged to the rim of the pots in ashes in a shel¬ 
tered situation open to the sun, where protection can be given them 
in severe weather, a little dry litter being all the protection that is 
needed. See that none of the plants lack moisture, as a dry condition 
of the soil is very injurious. 
FRUIT HOUSES. 
Pines .—The most useful structures for the general requirements of 
Pine plants are properly heated and ventilated pits or small houses, 
as with little labour they afford the most suitable atmospheric con¬ 
ditions ; but the closeness of these structures wall at this season 
necessitate strict attention to the ventilation, or the plants soon 
become drawn and weakly—a condition that is irremediable, and 
should be strictly guarded against by commencing to ventilate a 
little at the top of the house at 65°, and unless the temperature in 
the house falls below that degree the ventilation should be con¬ 
tinued throughout the day. When external influence raises the 
temperature in the house to 75° a free circulation of air should be 
allowed through the house or pit. Keep the plants near to the glass, 
and do not crowd them : 60 9 at night is a suitable temperature 
for all young stock to be kept gently moving through the winter, 
falling a few degrees when the weather is severe, and 65° in the day¬ 
time by artificial means. The heat should be kept steady at the 
roots at 80°. Avoid too much moisture in the house. If the plants 
are in fermenting beds sprinklings will not be necessary, but water 
—weak liquid manure—must be given whenever the plants become 
dry. If there be likely to be a scarcity of suckers for starting next 
March it will be advisable to keep for this purpose those which are 
ready now, as well as recently potted ones, which thrive best wintered 
in 5-inch pots. Instead of potting the suckers now ready it will be 
best to keep them on the stools after the fruit is cut, cutting off the 
leaves and placing the suckers in a moist pit with a bed having a 
slight bottom heat and a temperature of 55° at night and 60° to 65° 
by day, keeping near the glass and moderately dry at the roots. 
Continue former instructions in other departments. 
Vines .—The excessive rainfall and consequent saturation of soil 
and atmosphere have caused an unusual amount of damping, par¬ 
ticularly in Hamburghs and other thin-skinned varieties. Slight 
fires will be necessary in the daytime to allow of ventilation, but 
an equable temperature should be maintained as far as practicable; 
45° at night being suitable for Hamburghs and 5° more for Muscats. 
Although a dry atmosphere is advisable it must not be produced 
by too much fire heat, or the Grapes will shrivel, a similar result 
accruing from too dry a condition of the internal borders. These 
should be neatly covered with straw or mats, which will keep the 
soil in a good condition as to moisture. Outside borders, it is pre¬ 
sumed, have been covered with shutters, lights, or other protective 
material against rains some time ago, if not it must not longer be 
delayed. Vines from which the fruit has been cut should be pruned > 
and not being required for plants should be kept cool by free venti¬ 
lation, merely excluding frost, as a few degrees of frost will not do 
them any harm. Remove the inert surface soil down to the roots, 
and add good loam and a few half-inch or crushed bones. The house 
must be thoroughly cleansed and the Vines dressed, especially if 
they have been inf asted with red spider or other insect pests. 
Frequently turn over the litter in very early houses, and replenish 
as the heat declines by working in fresh material direct from the 
stables. Similar remarks apply to outside borders, which if not 
covered with fermenting materials should at least have shutters or a 
good covering of straw or dry fern, with a slope so as to throw off 
heavy rains, and prevent the roots of the Vines being chilled and a 
predisposition given to shanking and other ills. The earliest-started 
Vines in pots and houses will be showing signs of breaking, and 
should have the temperature increased to 60° at night and G5° in the 
daytime artificially, advancing to 75° from sun heat. Very little 
ventilation will be needed for some time to come, giving it when 
necessary at the top of the house. 
Cucumbers .—Careful attention in the admission of air will be 
needed for some months to come; and as no opportunity should be 
lost of affording a little, it should not be admitted so as to lower the 
temperature, and certainly ought to be excluded when the air is cold, 
a few degrees extra warmth from sun heat being better than a cold 
current of air. A night temperature of 65° or 60° on cold nights 
will be sufficient, with 70° to 75° in the daytime. In dull foggy 
weather be very sparing of moisture, and cease to charge the eva¬ 
poration troughs, but in bright weather a good amount of mois¬ 
ture will be necessary. Cut over the foliage regularly every weekj 
