November 18, 1880. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 467 
tory. Blue Peter, Little Gem, and Early Premium Gem are best for 
the purpose. They may be grown in boxes or pots. Where forcing 
is extensively carried on it is important to have a good supply of 
fermenting materials ready for immediate use, and now that leaves 
are obtainable this must not be neglected. Whenever the weather is 
favourable freely ventilate the frames containing Lettuces, Endive, 
Parsley, Cauliflowers, and Radishes, having the requisite protective 
materials at hand for prompt application in severe weather, but 
employ them only to exclude frost, for the hardier the plants are 
kept the safer they will pass the winter. 
FRUIT HOUSES. 
1 tries. Early and permanently planted Vines which are expected 
to furnish ripe Grapes by the end of May should have the final dress- 
ing, especially if there have been any scale or mealy bug, and what¬ 
ever is necessary in the way of repairing or cleansing the house must 
be completed at once. The house should be closed at the begin¬ 
ning of next month, and to economise fire heat and secure a moist 
genial atmosphere a good bed of leaves and stable manure in about 
equal proportions may be placed upon the borders and turned over at 
short intervals, adding fresh material as the heat decreases. Old 
Vines that have been forced some years start readily, but young 
Vines do not break so quickly, and should be started about a fortnight 
earlier or at once. The former also require more heat to induce 
growth, a temperature of 50® to 55® at night being suitable, and G5° 
in the day from sun heat. Old Vines will break freely and regu¬ 
larly with a temperature df 50° at night, but young Vines will need 
to have the canes slung in an horizontal position over the fermenting 
materials until the buds have started. The Vines must be syringed 
frequently during the day with water 5® to 10® warmer than the 
atmosphere of the house. Frequently turn over the fermenting 
material in the earliest house, adding fresh as the heat declines, and 
for Vines in pots plunged also maintain the heat by additions when 
needed. The latter may be placed on pedestals of brickwork in the 
bed. The earliest started Vines in pots may now have the tempera¬ 
ture increased a few degrees with advantage, increasing the atmo¬ 
spheric moisture proportionately. Not much ventilation will be neces¬ 
sary, and what is requisite should be given at the top of the house, 
and if some netting be placed over the ventilators it will prevent the 
in-rush of cold air. 
% 
Ripe thin-skinned Grapes such as Black Hamburghs still hanging 
cannot be kept too dry, affording moderate heat with liberal ventila¬ 
tion on fine days, maintaining a steady temperature of about 50®. 
This should be continued until the Vines are leafless, when, if plants 
have to be wintered in the house or the roof is not as waterproof as 
might be desirable, the Grapes had better be cut with portions of the 
stem placed in bottles and conveyed to the Grape room, or they will 
keep well enough in the house with such late varieties as Lady 
Downe’s. Late Grapes are now ripe or they never will be, nothing 
being gained by sharp firing to make up any deficiency after the wood 
is ripe ; the additional fire heat will probably only accelerate the 
shrivelling of the Grapes. If the defective finish be a consequence 
of overcropping the Vines may be eased by cutting a portion of the 
crop. 
Cherry House .—The lights removed from this structure must be 
replaced at once. Attend to pruning the trees, but if the shoots 
were stopped during the season of growth it will only be requisite 
to shorten those shoots back to about an inch from their base. The 
terminal shoots should not be cut back unless necessitated by lack 
of space, or when it is desired to increase the shoots next year. All 
decayed spurs must be removed. Young trees which are in course of 
formation will also require to have the central shoot cut back as may 
be necessary to provide the growths to fill up the allotted space with 
regularity ; the house should then be thoroughly cleaned, and the 
trees dressed with an insecticide. Train and tie the trees; remove 
all the loose material from the surface of the border and any inert 
soil from about the roots, but do not disturb them, finishing with a 
top-dressing of 2 to 3 inches thickness of good decomposed manure. 
Ventilate the house freely except during frost. To have ripe fruit 
early in May the house will need to be closed early in December. 
Cucumbers .—Cold easterly winds have necessitated sharp firing 
and the exercise of great care in the admission of air, which, whilst 
a little should be given at every favourable opportunity, it certainly 
should be excluded as far as practicable when it is brisk and cold. 
During bright sunshine in such weather turn off the top heat so a 3 
to lessen the need for ventilation, and maintain a good amount of 
moisture ; but in dull weather, especially when foggy, be very sparing 
of moisture. Examine the growths regularly every week in stopping 
and thinning, removing bad foliage. During severe frosty nights the 
covering of the lights will lessen the need for sharp firing, and this 
will prevent the distressing effect of a parching atmosphere, which 
is never so disastrous as during the night. 
Pines. —Strict attention must be given to the ventilation of pits or 
houses containing young stock, as the plants will soon become 
weakly. To keep young stock slowly growing temperatures of 608 
at night, falling to 55° on cold mornings, and 65® in the daytime, are 
suitable. At 65° admit a little air at the top of the house or pit, and 
unless the temperature falls below that point continue the ventila¬ 
tion throughout the day. When by external influence the tempera¬ 
ture attains 75® allow a free circulation of air through the house, 
keeping the plants near to the glass, and allow each plenty of space, 
maintaining the heat at the roots steady at 80°. Do not have too 
much moisture in the house, and water the plants whenever they 
become dry with weak liquid manure. If there is likely to be a defi¬ 
ciency of suckers for starting in spring keep those which are ready 
now either by detaching and potting them in 5-inch pots, or prefer¬ 
ably preserving the suckers on the stools of the plants after the 
fruit is cut, and place them together in a moist pit near the glass in 
a bed having slight bottom heat and a temperature of 55° at night, 
keeping them moderately dry at the roots. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Stove .—Gardenias that are desired to flower shortly if well fur¬ 
nished with buds may be placed in a brisk moist heat of 708 in a 
light position, and not too saturated with water at the roots, or the 
buds will fall. With sufficient stock the highly fragrant flowers of 
these plants can be had all the year round, but during the [winter 
they are most acceptable. G. intermedia is by far the best variety) 
the flowers of G. citriodora when mounted also being fine for 
bouquets. Some of the winter-flowering plants—such as Poinsettias, 
Aphelandras, Centradenias, Eranthemums, Justicias, Plumbagos, 
Sericographises, Centropogons, Thyrsacanthuses, and winter-flower¬ 
ing Begonias—should be brought gently forward in a temperature of 
60° to 65°. Abundance of light is essential; indeed, they cannot be 
too close to the roof lights, providing they do not touch the glass. 
The reserve stock of the above intended for successional flowering 
must not be neglected or allowed to remain where they be chilled and 
lose their roots, or the flowers will be unsatisfactory. A tempeia- 
ture of 50° to 55® will suit them, giving no more water than is neces¬ 
sary to keep the leaves and roots from being injuriously affected. 
Euphorbia jacquiniaeflora must be kept in the lightest position the 
house affords, or the flowers will be of an orange red colour instead 
of the fiery scarlet, for which it is so much prized. Where* a miscel¬ 
laneous collection of stove plants have to be accommodated in one 
house it becomes a difficulty to manage the whole satisfactorily, as 
some are being brought on for successional flowering during the 
winter whilst others are at rest. Market growers, who grow but 
few plants and have houses for each, do them much better than the 
private grower. Where, however, all have to be placed together a 
compromise is needed both in heat and moisture, arranging those at 
rest at the cooler end of the house, and those requiring more heat at 
the warmer end, using as far as possible the moisture at this end, 
and not here admitting any air, giving it only a the coolest end. 
Plants partially deciduous—such as Clerodendrons, Aristolochias, 
Bougainvilleas, and Allamandas—may be fo weeks] without water, 
but the wood must not be allowed to shrivel. Stephanotises should 
also be kept dormant by dry treatment, yet the leaves must not 
become very flaccid or they will fall. Evergreen plants, such as 
Ixoras and Gardenias, must have a sufficient supply of water to keep 
the foliage in good condition. Ixoras, Dipladenias and Allamandas 
should never have a lower temperature than 65° at night. 
I Cyclamens .—Those plants that are now producing their flowers 
