148 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. t August 12 , isso. 
ripe all laterals may be cut away, and some of tbe longest sboots be 
shortened back, but the final pruning must be deferred until the 
leaves are for the most part down. The present is a good time to 
renovate the borders of early houses ; and where the roots are in both 
inside and outside borders one of them may be taken out and fresh 
compost supplied without fear of losing next season’s crop, providing 
the work be quickly and carefully done, the house kept close and 
shaded if necessary until the roots have commenced growth. If not 
considered necessary to entirely renew the border the old surface 
soil should be removed and good loam applied, mixing with it a little 
charcoal or wood ashes and some half-inch bones. Young Yines 
planted this season should be encouraged with moisture and heat 
and a free extension of the laterals, as the main object the first season 
is to secure vigorous root-formation and a few ripened eyes at the 
base of the canes for cutting back to. Be careful as yet in the treat¬ 
ment of late varieties, such as Lady Downe’s, Alicantes, and Muscats, 
as the change from dull weather to bright sun in a few hours may 
do serious injury, maintaining a temperature of 70° at night, and 
ventilating freely in the daytime. Hasten by every possible means 
any Grapes now in a later stage than colouring ; but with the Grapes 
well advanced give an abundance of air in the early part of the 
day, closing sufficiently early in the afternoon to allow an advance 
to 90°, and before night ventilate, allowing it to remain all night. 
For heavy crops swelling off, supply abundance of liquid manure 
at a temperature of 80° to 90° to the internal borders, and keep 
the atmosphere well charged with ammonia by damping all surfaces, 
where it can be done without spotting the Grapes, every evening 
with guano water, 1 oz. of guano to a gallon of water. Yines with 
crops colouring and finishing off must be freely ventilated, admitting 
air at night, employing fire heat when necessary, as a warm dry 
atmosphere is indispensable to perfect finish in Grapes. 
Peaches and Nectarines. —Trees that have been forced early for a. 
number of years acquire a tendency to premature development, 
notable in this res 2 iect are Early York and other early varieties. 
This can only be lessened by allowing a moderate extension of the 
laterals, and the exposing the trees to the external air by the removal 
of the roof lights, or it may be arrested by the maintenance of a dry 
atmosphere and a somewhat dry condition at the roots; but this 
tends to premature ripening of the foliage, which is as bad if not 
worse than the loss of a few buds. With the trees fully exposed the 
foliage will ripen off freely, and where the roof lights are not move- 
able admit air to the fullest extent, maintaining a good moisture in 
the internal borders, and damping the house occasionally in hot 
weather. Some of the foliage of the trees in the earliest forced house 
will now or shortly begin to drop off, but do not accelerate this by 
brushing over the trees, only remove such as are ripened, for the 
purpose of destroying any insects they may harbour. Trees showing 
indications of weakness should have the roots bared and the soil 
removed, supplying some rich rather strong loam, with a small pro¬ 
portion of half-inch bones and wood ashes, which should be made 
firm, following with a good watering. Damping the trees occasionally 
will facilitate speedy root-action ; and in case of lifting the roots, as 
may be necessary if they are deep, and laying them in fresh soil 
nearer the surface, shade from the bright sun will be necessary, with 
a rather close and moist condition of the house. It is as yet too 
early to plant fruit trees, yet all trees for Peach houses should be 
removed thereto before the leaves have fallen, indeed as soon as the 
wood is in a condition to admit of it without danger of shrivelling. 
It is not, however, too soon to select the trees for planting, having 
them marked at the nurseries for removal when in a suitable condition. 
Some of the best and most reliable are Hale’s Early, A Bee, and 
Royal George in Peaches, with Lord Rapier and Elruge Nectarines 
for early forcing ; and for successional houses, in addition to those 
named, are Early Grosse Mignonne, Stirling Castle, Grosse Mignonne, 
Noblesse, Bellegarde, Barrington, Prince of Wales, and Walburton 
Admirable in Peaches ; and of Nectarines, Murrey, Rivers’ Orange, 
Violette Hative, Stanwick Elruge, and Albert Yictor. To help trees 
in succession houses to ripen the wood they should be looked over 
after the fruit is gathered, and the shoots where too crowded well 
thinned out, as well as the shoots that have borne fruit this season 
and are not required for extension. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Camellias. —The general stock will now be setting their flower buds, 
and any requiring repotting should be attended to in this respect 
before the buds are too much advanced. As to soil, good sandy loam 
full of fibre is the best, and where this cannot be obtained moderately 
fibrous peat may be employed, but on no account employ old loam or 
peat, as either long stacked will have the fibre decomposed. Do not 
break it up too fine, add sand to the extent of about a sixth, em¬ 
ploying the potting stick so as to make the soil as firm as the old 
ball, merely removing the crocks and the soil not occupied by roots. 
Camellias do not require so much root room as most plants. 
Primulas .—Plants from seed sown in spring should receive their 
final shift without delay, pots 7 or 8 inches in diameter being suffi¬ 
ciently large, whilst good plants may be grown in 6-inch pots. A com¬ 
post of good fibrous loam four parts, decayed manure, leaf soil, and 
sand each a part, thoroughly incorporated, will suit them well. They 
should be placed in a house, pit, or frame close to the glass, ventilating 
freely, and shading in sunny weather. 
Cinerarias. —The earliest plants intended for large specimens may 
now be shifted into 8 or 9-inch pots, but for general decorative pur¬ 
poses those in 6-inch pots are the most useful. Turfy loam, with a 
fifth of thoroughly decayed manure and a sprinkling of sand, will 
suit them. They should be placed on ashes in a well-ventilated pit 
or frame, being shaded from bright sun. Cleanliness from aphides 
is of primary importance in Cineraria culture, therefore dip the plants 
in tobacco water, or fumigate moderately upon their first appearance. 
Cyclamen. —The plants will now be freely rooting, and should be 
shifted into larger pots where necessary, merely removing the crocks 
and any soil not occupied with roots. Any plants that do not require 
shifting should have the drainage rectified, the surface soil being 
removed and fresh compost supplied. Good fibrous loam with a fifth 
in equal proportions of decayed manure and leaf soil, with a sixth of 
sand, will suit them well. They should be kept in a pit or frame 
with moderate ventilation. Young plants should be shifted into 
larger pots, and growth encouraged by keeping them rather close. 
FLOWER GARDEN. 
The almost incessant rains during the past month have been very 
unfavourable to the production of bloom, but Yiolas and Verbenas 
have succeeded well. Pelargoniums have plenty of foliage but few 
flowers. This tendency to over-luxuriance may be lessened by re¬ 
moving the old leaves so as to allow the air and light to solidify the 
growth. Although unfavourable for the flowering varieties of Pelar¬ 
goniums those grown for the beauty of their foliage w r ere never 
perhaps finer, the moist atmosphere and subdued sunshine suiting 
them admirably. Flower gardens are now expected to be at their 
best. Every care should be taken to have them in good order. 
Rough edges of lawns must be trimmed, and the grass frequently 
mown, keeping all as trim as possible. Tie and support the various 
border flowers as they advance in growth, removing dead flowers and 
seed vessels. Pipings of Pinks may still be inserted, and any that 
are rooted may be planted out. Carnations and Picotees if not yet 
layered should be attended to, and sow the seed as soon as ripe in 
pans. Roses are now nearly over ; the straggling shoots should be 
cut in, and every encouragement given the plants to make young 
wood for autumn blooming. 
Propagating Bedding Plants. —Cuttings of the choice varieties of 
Pelargoniums—tricolor, bronze, and variegated—should at once be 
inserted, as if deferred until late in the season failure is inevitable. 
They should be inserted round the sides of pots placed on ashes in a 
frame in the full sun, the lights only being employed to afford shelter 
from heavy rain. After they have been attended to the Zonals 
should be commenced, for though it may be disagreeable to cut the 
plants directly they begin to look well, yet it is advisable to start 
betimes so as to have well-rooted sturdy plants before winter. \ er- 
benas, Petunias, Ageratums, etc., strike freely in a cold frame kept 
close and shaded from bright sun, the plants so raised being hardier 
and winter better than those struck later on in heat. If stock plants 
of Iresines, Coleuses, Alternantheras, &c., were not kept for propa¬ 
gating, cuttings should at once be obtained. 
