JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
120 
thing new that they introduce. Latterly, no matter how robust they 
arrive to him, after some time (I am now referring to the Zonals) the 
leaves exhibit whitish spots—I cannot say holes, for the fibrous part 
of the leaf-tissue remains, but the green is gone. I carefully examined 
them with a strong lens, but found no insect or larvae. The plants 
had not received too much water, nor was the water hard. Perhaps 
some reader can throw a light on the matter.—W. J. M„ Clonmel. 
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[By the most sldlful Cultivators in the several Departments .] 
HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 
Planting .—In so wet a winter the work of laying out and 
planting new gardens has been much retarded. Plum buds are 
already swelling ; so, too, are Gooseberries. Not a day should be 
lost in planting them, and take especial care to enrich the soil 
with a liberal mixture of old decayed manure to induce a prompt 
and free root-growth. Also cover the entire surface of each 
station with a thick mulching of long stable dung or litter, the 
object of this extra care being root-growth as early, or nearly so, 
as autumn-planted trees ; for if this has not begun when the sap 
stored in stem and branches is exhausted by the new branch- 
growth, it will sustain a severe check and do little good till 
midsummer. 
Pruning .—Go a second time over any work done hurriedly or 
by youDg hands. We have been doing much good in this way 
lately in removing decaying wood and dead spurs, which are 
favourite haunts of insects. Crowded growth, too, has had special 
attention. Many branches left on with advantage when the trees 
were younger have been cut off to afford space for the full de¬ 
velopment of spurs that are annually affording an increasing 
yield of fruit. A few sturdy branches with large spurs are 
decidedly preferable to many branches with very short spurs. 
So, too, is the free growth of standards strengthened, rendered 
more healthy, and eventually more productive of really fine fruit 
by timely judicious thinning. Leave all Filberts and nuts un- 
pruned till the male catkins are fully developed and a cloud of 
yellow pollen can be shaken from it to fertilise the pink female 
flowers. 
Training .—This is almost done for the present, a few Figs on 
a south wall being the last intentionally, because the buds swell 
more slowly than most other kinds of fruit. All the main 
branches are trained diagonally from the base, so as to give the 
tree the shape of a fan, and the lateral growth is tied along and 
across them neatly and tolerably close, so as to retain enough 
unpruned shoots all over the tree to afford a full crop of fruit, 
which comes near the tops of last year’s growth. 
Protection .—If bullfinches attack the buds of Gooseberry bushes 
netting should at once be used to keep them off. It is a good 
plan to erect a permanent framework around the Gooseberry bed 
for this purpose, as well as for netting against birds and wasps in 
summer. If wasps are troublesome in summer Nottingham net¬ 
ting is required, but for keeping off birds fine wire netting is 
decidedly preferable; it is more efficient, and in the end is 
cheapest, lasting for a lifetime, while fish netting has often to be 
replaced with new. Large beds of Heather near our garden prove 
so attractive to the bullfinches that we need no protection, and 
never lose a Gooseberry bud. This is a hint worth turning to 
account, and to which there can be no objection, for the Heather 
is an ornamental plant which comes freely from seed. 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Vines .-—Strict attention to stopping, tying, and thinning in 
the early house must be given, and the removal of surplus bunches 
be promptly done, it being well to under rather than overcrop. 
A night temperature of 60 J to 65° will be suitable, and 70° to 75° 
by day, advancing 5° to 10° more from sun heat. Close at 80°, 
and employ plenty of moisture about the house, and in ventilating 
be careful to avoid admitting cold air, which is often productive 
of rust. Where Muscats are forced early, so as to have them ripe 
in June, the house being started in December, they will now be 
nearing the flowering stage, and should have a night temperature 
of 65° to 70°, and a rise of 10° to 15° by day in favourable weather, 
closing the house on fine days at 80°. When the flowers ex¬ 
pand fertilise every bunch with pollen collected from Black Ham- 
burghs, which insures a good set; but the setting is not all in the 
[ February 8 1863. 
successful treatment of early Muscats, as to insure a satisfactory 
result the roots must have the benefit of a well-drained inside 
border that was mulched in the previous season so as to encourage 
an abundance of healthy roots at the surface, a clean healthy 
growth, and the wood thoroughly ripened. This is absolutely 
essential, as much of the present season’s result depends on the 
foundation laid in the previous year. 
When the Grapes on Vines in pots have been thinned the laterals 
below the bunches should be closely stopped, while those above 
the fruit may be allowed freer growth, providing there is space 
for the foliage. Avoid overcropping, quality being of more im¬ 
portance than quantity. Top-dress with rich loam and decayed 
manure, having rims of zinc fitting inside the pots and about 
4 inches deep. In case the pots are on pedestals of brickwork 
with a strong heat below from fermenting materials, the latter 
being placed loosely around the pots, liberal supplies of tepid 
liquid manure should be given ; and where the pots are to 
remain undisturbed until the Grapes are ripe the roots may be 
allowed to have the run of the bed, and they will enable the 
Vines to swell off the fruit satisfactorily. In order to obtain a 
supply of Grapes from the end of July another house should now 
be closed, following instructions given in a former calendar. Late 
Vines which had the Grapes removed from them early in January 
should be closed not later than March, and preferably from the 
middle to the end of February, the inside border at the time of 
closing being supplied with water at a temperature of 90°. If 
fermenting material be introduced it will be advantageous from 
giving off moisture and ammonia-charged vapour, as well as 
lessening the necessity for fire heat, the temperature needing to 
be kept at 55° at night and 65° in the day. Late Hamburghs may 
be kept cool and allowed to break naturally, as with very little 
assistance their fruit can be ripened perfectly in September. 
Cherry Ilrvse .—Continue previous directions as to temperature ; 
and in order to destroy any green or black aphides which have 
escaped at the time of the annual dressing, it will be well to 
fumigate the house on two or three consecutive evenings before 
the flowers are fully expanded. When the flowers are open and 
the pollen ripe apply it with a camel’s-hair brush to the stigmas, 
it being most efficacious when it is light and dry, as will be the 
case on fine days after air has been admitted a short time. 
Melons .—A quick, but at the same time a sturdy, growth is 
essential, and to effect this sufficient top and bottom heat must 
be at command, and by ventilating on all favourable occasions 
a sturdy and consolidated growth will be effected ; but an un¬ 
broken current of cold air will do irreparable mischief, and must 
be broken by some small-mesh material, as that of scrim canvas, 
placed over the ventilators. Dung frames should be covered 
with a double thickness of mats at night, and the linings attended 
to as required. Sow seed for succession. 
Cucumbers .—The night temperature may now be kept at 65° 
to 70°, and 80° to 90° with sun, admitting .a little air on all 
favourable occasions, closing early in the afternoon of sunny 
days ; with plenty of atmospheric moisture, and tepid liquid 
manure judiciously applied to the roots, they will make rapid 
progress. Maintain a clean growth, and crop lightly. Young 
plants may now be placed out in the ridges or hillocks in the 
Cucumber house, it having been properly and thoroughly cleansed, 
and the soil introduced a few days previously. Press the soil 
around the plants, a stick being placed to each and secured to 
the first wire of the trellis, shading for a few days if the sun be 
bright to prevent flagging. See that the linings of dung-heated 
frames are properly attended to according to the weather, and to 
meet demands cf this kind keep a good supply of well-mixed 
leaves and dung in readiness. 
Figs .—Nothing is gained by accelerating the forcing of Figs in 
the early stages, but sharp firing often encourages red spider, 
which should be closely watched for, syringing the trees twice a 
day to keep it under. Stop all gross shoots at the sixth leaf, and thin 
the shoots and useless spray, that the young spurs and fruit may 
have the benefit of air and light as the season advances. Thin 
the fruit as soon as the most promising and best placed can be 
decided upon for the crop. Continue the temperatures advised in 
our last calendar. Encourage trees in succession houses by apply¬ 
ing fire heat and moisture through the day, keeping the borders 
well mulched and affording plentiful supplies of water to the root j , 
but avoid a high night temperature in the early stages of growth, 
more particularly in severe weather. Plants struck from eyes 
last season should now be encouraged with heat and moisture, as 
future success depends on their making an early well-ripened 
growth. Ground suckers should be removed ; stop the strong 
shoots and train the leads to straight stakes, stopping those in¬ 
tended for pyramids at the sixth joint of growth. Eyes may now 
