JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
June 14, 1883. ] 
501 
principal prizetakers for Roses. Messrs. Kelway & Sons, Langport, 
and Hooper, Covent Garden, for hardy flowers. Exotic flowers and 
Orchids being chiefly shown by Mr. A. Gibson, gardener to T. E. 
Burnaby-Atkins, Esq., Halstead Place, Sevenoaks ; W. Jones, H. 
James, and E. Morse, Epsom. 
Fruit. —The display of fruit was fairly good, the competition being 
keen in most of the classes. Grapes were well shown, the chief 
prizes for black Grapes being taken by Mr. G. Aslett, gardener to 
C. Butler, Esq., Warren Wood, Hatfield ; Mr. C. Herrin, gardener to 
J. N. Hibbert, Esq., Chalfont Park, Slough ; Mr. J. Bolton, gardener 
to W. Spottiswoode, Esq., Coombe Bank, Sevenoaks ; Mr. W. Bates, 
gardener to J. E. Meek, Esq., Poulett Lodge, Twickenham, and Mr. 
M. W. Dixon, gardener to Sir S. M. Wilson, Searley, Uckfield. 
The principal prizewinners for white Grapes were Mr. E. P. Feist, 
gardener to R. Ashton, Esq., Bishopsgate House, Staines ; Mr. A. 
Johnstone, gardener to the Marchioness of Camden, Bayham Abbey, 
Lamberhurst; and Mr. C. Herrin. Mr. Fry, The Gai-dens, Haydon 
Hall, Pinner; Mr. J. Newcomb, The Gardens, Park Wern, Swansea ; 
and Mr. J. Harris, The Gardens, Singleton Abbey, Swansea, staged 
the winning Pine Apples—very fine fruits ; Messrs. Hopkins, Holli¬ 
day, and Goldsmith taking the prizes in that order for Melons. Peaches 
were of good colour but moderate size, Messrs. Robins and Bones having 
the best; Messrs. T. Rivers & Son,Sawbridgeworth, staging a collection 
of twelve dishes of Peaches and Nectarines, which were highly com¬ 
mended. Nectarines were good. Mr. Kemp, The Gardens, Albury 
Park, Mr. G. Holliday, gardener to J. Norris, Esq., Castle Hill, 
Bletchingly, and Mr. Bones were the prizetakers. Messrs. Goldsmith 
and Hickle, Lebanon House, Twickenham, were the chief exhibitors 
of Strawberries. 
Mr. Fry, gardener to S. J. Baker, Esq., was first in the class for 
miscellaneous fruits with two good Pine Apples, Mr. S. Lyon, gar¬ 
dener to Sir E. H. Scott, Bart., Sundridge Park, Bromley, being second 
with a grand dish of Violette Hative Peaches. 
Miscellaneous. —A great number of groups of plants were con¬ 
tributed by non-competing exhibitors, the four central groups being 
remarkably handsome. The following medals were awarded. Small 
silver-gilt medals to Messrs. Veitcli & Sons, Chelsea, for a choice 
collection of new and rare stove and greenhouse plants very taste¬ 
fully arranged; to Mr. B. S. Williams, Upper Holloway, for a magni¬ 
ficent group of Orchids, Ferns, and fine-foliage plants ; to Messrs. 
J. Laing & Son, Forest Hill, for a bright group of Tuberous Begonias, 
Caladiums, Dracaenas, and Palms ; and to Mr. J. T. Peacock, Sudbury 
House, Hammersmith, for a most beautiful bank of Orchids, chiefly 
consisting of Odontoglossum vexillarium, with Adiantum, Isolepis, 
and small Caladium argyrites ; a large silver medal to Mr. Ebbage, 
gardener to J. Bockett, Esq., Stamford Hill, for a fine group of 
Orchids, and a large bronze medal to Mr. J. Sutton for several 
specimen Orchids ; a bronze medal to Messrs. H. Cannell & Sons, 
Swanley, for six stands of Pelargonium and Verbena flowers ; a large 
bronze medal to Mr. H. Hooper, Bath, for collections of Pyrethrums 
and Pansies; a large silver medal to Messrs. Barr & Son, Covent Garden, 
for an extensive collection of Irises, Pyrethrums, and hardy flowers ; 
A large bronze medal to Messrs. Kelway it Son, Langport, for a hand¬ 
some collection of Pyrethrums single and double. A small silver 
medal to Messrs. Hooper & Co., Covent Garden, for collections of 
Pyrethrums and Irises. A large bronze medal to Messrs. Paul & Son, 
Cheshunt, for Oleanders and Parqueritte Roses. A certificate of 
merit to Messrs. J. Carter & Co., Forest Hill, for a collection of Tro- 
pseolums. A large bronze medal to Mr. Wiggins for a collection of 
Cattleyas. A similar award to Mr. Salter for four fine specimens 
of Utricularia montana, well flowered; and a bronze medal to Mr. H. 
Heims for a group of Cattleyas. 
a 
WORKjwheWEEK,. ' 
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[By the most skilful Cultivators in the several Departments .] 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Pines. —Young growing stack must at this season have par¬ 
ticular attention in order to keep the plants vigorous and sturdy. 
In order to effect this the plants should be divided into two or 
three sections, as under ordinary arrangements it is impossible 
for the sake of appearance to give the plants the positions most 
suitable for them, the stronger-growing kinds coming in for the 
best positions— i.c., that is the back rows, whilst the Queens, &c., 
from their dwarfer growth are placed in front. Now the Queens, 
to do them justice, should have a structure to themselves, Smooth 
Cayenne and Charlotte Rothschild being grown together. The 
taller section, as Jamaicas, Enville, Montserrat, Prince Albert, 
and Black Prince, should be placed together. Except for bottom 
heat little artificial heat will be required, the former being kept 
steady at 90°, for unless a genial warmth be maintained at the 
roots the growth of Queens and similar tender kinds will not be 
satisfactory ; besides, with a proper bottom heat a low night 
temperature occasionally will not be injurious or arrest the 
growth, but 70° at night should be the rule. Commence venti¬ 
lating so soon as 80° is reached, and close at 85° to 90° from sun 
heat. Keep the house when it is closed well moistened, and 
sprinkle the plants overhead two or three times a week as the 
weather may dictate. Water the plants with regularity, only 
applying it when it is absolutely necessary, and then thoroughly. 
Continue giving every encouragement to fruiting plants. 
Melons .—As delicious and cooling fruit Melons are deservedly 
esteemed. Frames and pits that have been cleared of bedding 
plants can be utilised for increasing the supply. A slight warmth 
afforded by a fermenting bed about a couple of feet high, the 
materials being well sweetened previously, will help the plants 
wonderfully, but the frames may be placed on a south border 
or other position where they will have the full sun, and a barrow¬ 
ful of soil placed in the centre of each light, forming it into a 
hillock, flattened in the centre so as to reduce the depth of soil 
there to a foot. It should be made firm. Keep the lights closed 
for a few days, which will warm the soil, and after pressing the 
soil firmly about the plants give a gentle watering. If the weather 
be bright shade for a few hours at midday until the plants become 
established. Very little water will be needed, as the plants have 
no bottom heat; indeed none beyond sprinkling the soil at closing 
time on fine afternoons will be necessary until the fruit is set and 
swelling freely. A little fresh soil should be added to the sides of 
the hillocks as the roots protrude. A little air should be given 
about 8 a.m. and increased with the heat, maintaining at from 
80° to 90° during the day, closing at about 8.30 P.M. with plenty 
of atmospheric moisture, but avoid wetting the plants on the 
stems next to the collar, which must also be kept dry. Rub off 
all growths except four, training these to the back and front 
respectively, and do not allow laterals to form nearer the collar 
than 6 inches, and to prevent too crowded growth rub off every 
alternate lateral. Stop the leading shoots when a foot from 
their allotted space, commencing impregnating the flowers when 
three or four fruit blossoms on a plant are expanded, stopping the 
shoots at the same time one joint beyond the fruit. 
In houses and pits with plants in various stages of growth, 
stopping, thinning, and otherwise regulating the shoots will 
require frequent attention. Houses in which the fruit is approach¬ 
ing maturity should be freely ventilated, and a rather warmer and 
somewhat drier atmosphere maintained, whilst in houses which 
have set and are swelling off their fruits the syringe should be 
employed freely twice a day in favourable weather. 
Cucumbers. —Plants that have been producing fruit since spring 
will be greatly benefited by the application of a top-dressing of 
three parts lumpy loam and one part of thoroughly decomposed 
manure, giving the whole a thorough soaking with weak tepid 
liquid manure. Thin the shoots well, and remove as much of the 
old growth as can well be done without removing too much 
young growth, and re-arrange those, retained. Syringe twice a 
day during bright sunny weather, and close early in the after¬ 
noon, so as to make the most of sun heat and economise fuel. 
Attend regularly to stopping, tying, thinning, and re-arranging 
the shoots, removing old growths as far as practicable, also mis¬ 
shapen fruit, avoiding overcropping as the greatest of evils. See 
that the plants do not suffer by want of water at the roots, but 
be careful not to give too much. 
HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 
The thinning of Peaches, Nectarines, and Apricots is now nearly 
at an end. Assist the swelling fruit and wood growth, which now 
goes briskly on, by frequent watering at the roots, and keep the 
foliage clean by occasional syringing with clean water, taking 
especial care to direct the water well amongst the foliage, for it is 
upon the under side of the leaves that red spider most frequently 
becomes established. Figs are so abundant this year that a 
moderate thinning of the fruit is advisable. In doing this, 
branches fastened so closely that the fruit has not room enough 
to swell should be loosened, as much fruit is often spoilt by 
inattention to this matter. The fruit of many sorts of Pears is 
now sufficiently forward for thinning. Let this be done with 
judgment and moderation. Large kinds may have the clusters 
reduced to from one to three fruit, but such sorts as Doyenne 
d’Etd, Seckle, Dana’s Hovey, and Winter Nelis require very little 
thinning. The aim of an ordinary fruit-grower for table or 
market is to produce an abundant crop of fine, handsome, full- 
flavoured fruit, and not a few only of extraordinary size for the 
exhibition table. 
Pay particular attention to all young fruit trees, stopping the 
young growth promptly where necessary, and training that which 
