JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
March 22, 188S. ] 
243 
A night temperature of 60°, with 5® more in the day from fire 
heat, ought not to be exceeded, with a rise of 10° to 15° on sunny 
days. In dull sunless weather a few degrees lower will be safer 
than an increase of temperature by fire heat alone. Syringe the 
trees twice a day with tepid soft water, as spring water is likely 
to leave a sediment on the fruit and seriously disfigure it. Admit 
a little air early, gradually increasing it as the sun heat increases, 
until the maximum for the day is reached ; yet be cautious in ad¬ 
mitting air by the front sashes in cold windy weather, as cutting 
draughts may have disastrous results. Tie-in young growths as 
they advance, and avoid overcrowding, which is one of the great¬ 
est evils in Peach-forcing. Stop the laterals at the first joint, and 
shoots retained to attract the sap to the fruit at the second or 
third leaf, and to one leaf afterwards as it is produced. Train the 
leading shoots their full length, and do not stop them until the 
limit of the trellis is reached, as the wood can hardly be too strong 
provided there is plenty of room for exposing the foliage fully to 
light and air. 
Proceed with disbudding in succession houses, leaving no more 
shoots than will cover the trellis evenly at 12 to 18 inches apart; 
and shoots from the base of the present bearing wood, and to take 
its place next season, must not be overcrowded. Tie down the 
shoots and thin the fruit by degrees, leaving those most favour¬ 
ably situated for swelling to maturity. Green aphis, if it makes 
its appearance, must be destroyed by fumigation on calm evenings, 
having the foliage dry. Trees in succession houses must be well 
supplied with water whenever the borders show symptoms of dry¬ 
ness. Syringe twice a day, and keep the temperature at 55° to 
60° by artificial means, with 10° to 15° rise from sun heat. Trees 
in flower should have a temperature of 50° to 55° by fire heat, and 
G0° to 70 from sun heat, ventilating freely ; and where bees do not 
visit the flowers shake the trees, or, better, brush the flowers over 
with a camel’s-hair brush on fine days. Syringing will not be 
needed, but the floors and borders should be damped twice daily, 
as a genial condition of the atmosphere is essential to the health 
of the trees. 
Late houses are now in fine bloom and promise well. These 
should be kept well ventilated and the atmosphere dry, as the 
blossom will endure a low night temperature provided the house 
is dry, but frost should be excluded ; and to secure a good set the 
temperature should be raised to 50° in the daytime, air being 
admitted on all favourable occasions. 
Melons. —These, despite the weather, have made good progress, 
and the earliest are swelling freely. They have been earthed, and 
the full complement should now be given if not already done. 
Stopping the growth at every joint as it is made must be the order 
of the day, and where the shoots are likely to interfere with the 
principal foliage they must now be well thinned. Remove all 
flowers, and place tables or other means of support to the fruits 
before they become very heavy. Examine the soil at the roots, 
and see that the plants do not suffer by want of water ; and as they 
will now be in condition to take a little weak liquid manure, it 
should be given in a tepid state, avoiding watering close to the 
stem to avoid canker, which if it appear should have quicklime 
rubbed well into the affected parts. Keep the bottom heat steady 
at 80° to 85°, maintaining a night temperature of 65° to 70°, 70° to 
75° by day, and a maximum of 90° from sun heat, admitting a 
little air early, but avoid currents of cold air. Syringe twice a 
day in bright weather, but only damp the paths and walls on dull 
days. Keep the evaporation troughs filled with liquid manure. 
Attend to stopping, tying, and thinning in succession houses, and 
impregnate the blossoms on fine days. 
Cucumbers .—Attend to tying, stopping, and thinning the shoots, 
and remove superfluous fruit, as nothing so enfeebles the plants 
as overbearing. Plants in full bearing require copious appli¬ 
cations of liquid manure, especially those having the roots in a 
somewhat confined space. Syringe the plants freely on fine 
days, wetting every part, as cleanliness is essential to their health¬ 
fulness. Admit air early but cautiously, avoiding cutting winds, 
and close early with plenty of atmospheric moisture. Keep 
the bottom heat at from 80° to 85°, night temperature 65° to 70°, 
allowing an advance from sun heat to 85° or 90°. Add more soil 
to the ridges or hillocks as the roots protrude. Keep the evapora¬ 
tion troughs charged with liquid manure. Remove from the 
plants any unsightly or damaged leaves as quickly as they appear, 
and keep a sharp look-out for insects, and if they appear promptly 
apply approved remedies. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Orchids .—In this department top-dressing and repotting where 
necessary should be pressed forward with all possible speed. The 
pots prepared for the reception of the plants should be well and 
liberally drained by half or three parts filling them with broken 
crocks, according to the different requirements of the plants. 
The material used for drainage should be washed clean. Pay 
particular attention to the drainage, for if this is deficient and 
water be allowed to stagnate and make the soil sour the root3 
will not long remain healthy. Aerides, Vandas, and Sacco- 
labiums may be commenced with, and should always be operated 
upon just before they start into growth, also Cattleyas and Lmlias. 
If any of the above have become tall they can, if the top roots 
are healthy and abundant, have the lower portion removed and be 
lowered in their pots. When the plants are turned out of their 
pots remove all decomposed material from amongst their roots. 
The above thrive best when the pots in which they are grown 
are nearly filled with crocks, and charcoal carefully laid amongst 
their lower roots, the others elevated above the rim of the pots 
with living sphagnum. Dendrobium nobile, D. Wardianum, 
D. crassinode, and others that have commenced growth can also 
be repotted or placed in larger baskets if they require them. 
Use for these two parts of fibrous peat to one of moss, with a 
moderate proportion of charcoal and a little sand ; the last is not 
required for those growing in baskets. Phalasnopses do best in 
baskets or in pans suspended from the roof, and if they require 
larger sizes nearly fill the baskets used with charcoal. Place 
over this a little moss, and then fill in amongst the roots with the 
same material and broken charcoal or small crocks. The moss 
will grow freely if these plants receive that abundant supply of 
water they really require while in active growth. Suspend them 
in the most moist and shaded position in the house in which they 
are grown. Afford these plants a temperature of 65° by night, 
with a rise of 5° or 10° by day. 
Many Cattleyas and Oncidiums, with Dendrobium thyrsiflorum, 
D. densiflorum, D. suavissimum, and others of this type, may still 
be at rest; but this entirely depends upon the time they completed 
their growth or the date they are wanted to flower. When wanted 
in flower late, and retarding is necessary, give a long season of 
complete rest. It is much better to retard the plants now than 
when they have started into activity, and the season’s growth be 
injured in consequence. Those that have started into growth 
should have a night temperature of 60°, with a corresponding rise 
of 5° or 10° by day. Cattleyas and others still at rest may have a 
lower temperature of 5° or io 0 by night, while Dendrobiums can be 
kept quite cool if dry at the roots and cold draughts are avoided. 
Water Cattleyas carefully, for they require less moisture at the 
roots while in active growth than do many Orchids. If over¬ 
watered and the atmosphere is overcharged with moisture they are 
not unfrequently subject to spot. 
Nearly all the occupants of the cool house, if they have been 
subject to a night temperature of 50°, may now be potted and 
top-dressed without delay. Give Odontoglossums and Masdeval- 
lias equal parts of fibrous peat and moss to grow in, with a little 
charcoal broken small. Ccelogynes succeed well in a similar com¬ 
post, while Lycastes, Epidendrums, and Maxillarias may have two- 
thirds of good peat to one of moss, with coarse sand and charcoal 
added. Do not give the plants water for two or three days 
prior to repotting, and water carefully afterwards until the 
roots have commenced working. The blinds should now be pre¬ 
pared and drawn down for a few hours during the brightest part 
of the day over Odontoglossums and other shade-loving plants 
that have been repotted. 
Greenhouse .—To have a fine display of Chrysanthemums next 
autumn and winter propagation should now be attended to. The 
present time is early enough to insert cuttings for all decorative 
purposes and for supplying cut flowers, and can, if inserted at 
once, be grown rapidly from the time they are rooted without 
any check. No advantage is gained by rooting the plants earlier 
for these purposes. Insert the cuttings singly in small pots and 
place them in handlights in a temperature of 50° to 55°, shade 
from strong sun, and keep them close and moist until they are 
rooted. Where large bushes of Pompons or any dwarf-growing 
varieties are wanted insert two or three cuttings in one pot and 
grow them together. As soon as the young plants are rooted 
pinch out the points and harden them gradually, so that by the 
time they are ready for 4-inch pots they can be placed in cold 
frames. 
Sow seed of Chinese Primulas for early autumn flowering in 
pans or pots liberally drained and filled with a light compost 
consisting of half leaf soil. Scatter fine leaf soil freely over the 
surface of the pans, and then sow the seed without covering it; 
water with a fine-rose can, and cover with a square of glass, 
placing them in heat, shading the pots from the sun. On no 
account must the surface of the soil become dry, and if it can be 
kept moist without being watered the seed will germinate the more 
freely. The pots, therefore, should always stand on a moist base, 
and not on open trelliswork or the dry shelf of a greenhouse. 
