412 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ November 6, 1895. 
trellis, cutting back those shoots that have reached the upper part of 
the trellis or limit, to where the succeeding shoots start. Remove any- 
elongated spurs, reserving such as are short-jointed and fruitful. The 
house should be thoroughly cleansed, washing the woodwork with hot 
water ; washing the walls afterwards with quicklime and sulphur. 
Wash the trees with soapy water, and afterwards dress with an insecti¬ 
cide. Then secure the trees to the trellis, allowing room for the growth 
of the branches, forking the surface of the border slightly, remove the 
loose material, and apply a top dressing of short partially decayed 
manure about 2 inches thick, and if dry afford a good watering. Venti¬ 
late freely at all times, except when frost prevails, which is best excluded, 
employing no more artificial heat than is necessary. 
Succession Houses. — Prune and cleanse the trees without delay, 
•especially where insects have obtained a footing. Complete any lifting, 
root-pruning, &c,, remembering that Figs with the roots restricted or 
limited to a somewhat small area are more manageable and fruitful than 
those with an unlimited root area. Any unfruitful trees should be 
rather severely root-pruned, and the roots restricted to moderate sized 
borders, depending more on active feeders near the surface, encouraged 
by mulching, than a large extension of roots. 
Pines. —Afford liberal ventilation to houses or pits containing young 
plants whenever the weather is favourable, as keeping the houses con¬ 
stantly closed and saturated with moisture is more injurious than 
beneficial. Water will not be required frequently, yet the plants must 
be examined every ten days, watering such as require it, as too great 
dryness is more injurious than is credited. In the fruiting department 
lose no opportunity of closing the house at 85°, keeping the night temoera- 
ture at 70°, or a few degrees less in cold weather. Remove all the 
superfluous suckers, retaining one only, the best on each plant. Suckers 
on successional plants that appear before the fruit is visible should be 
removed, unless an increase of stock is urgent. At this time of year it 
is usual to make new beds of fermenting materials for the young plants. 
Tan is unquestionably the best material, a good substitute being found 
in Oak or Beech leaves, which should be collected as dry as possible. In 
forming beds of leaves they should be firmly pressed ; tan, on the other 
hand, should be placed lightly together. 
Cucumbers. —Secure to the plants a regular temperature of 70° at 
night, 5° less on cold nights, 70° to 75° by day, advancing to 80° or 85° 
with sun heat. Admit a little air at the top of the house whenever the 
weather is favourable ; but it must always be done without lowering 
the temperature, it being better to shut off the top heat for an hour or 
two when the sun is powerful than to admit air when the winds are 
sharp and cold. Judicious and moderate ventilation is, however, bene¬ 
ficial in carrying of£ steam cr accumulated moisture, and in imparting 
flavour to the fruit. The syringe may be laid aside except for damping 
the walls, paths, &c., in the morning and afternoon in warm, bright 
weather, keeping the evaporation troughs filled with liquid manure. 
The water or liquid manure given to the roots must be of the same 
temperature as the house, as also must the soil that is added to the 
beds. 
Encourage the autumn fruiters now in full bearing with copious 
supplies of liquid manure, not too strong or too often, taking care to 
avoid overcropping by removing the fruit as soon as it is full-sized for 
table, and all deformed fruit when seen. Go over the plants at least 
once a week for the removal of bad leaves, stopping one joint beyond 
the show of fruit, cutting away superfluous growths. 
Winter fruiters should not be allowed to fruit now, or their energies 
will be so impaired that they will not show and swell fruit at the new year 
onwards : therefore let them advance well up the trellis before stopping, 
training the side growths evenly and not too thickly, as it is important 
that the foliage have good exposure to light and air. To impart 
vigour to the main branches stop at a few joints of growth. If fruit 
must be had stop at one or two joints beyond the show of fruit, allow 
few male blossoms and no tendrils, removing them as fast as they 
appear, and add fresh warmed soil as often as the roots have fairly 
covered the surface of the bed. If mildew appear dust with flowers of 
sulphur, and subdue aphides by frequent but moderate fumigations 
with tobacco. Red spider will not give trouble if an ammonia-charged 
atmosphere is maintained ; but it must not be too strong, and thrips 
are evidence of too dry an atmosphere. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Crotons. —Where a sufficient stock of young plants has not been pre¬ 
pared, well coloured side shoots may still be" rooted singly in small 
pots. The shoots must be cut off where the wood is soft, and then they 
will root quickly in brisk heat. If the wood is hard they will be a long 
time before roots are formed at this season of the year. Plants that 
are well coloured and large enough for the purpose for which they are 
required should be kept where the temperature is 55° to 60°. This 
will prevent their making fresh growth, which would spoil their appear¬ 
ance, for the majority of varieties will not colour foliage made after 
this date. Plants that it is intended to grow into larger specimens 
next year should not be confined at their roots. These will produce 
.abundance of fresh roots, and be in the best possible condition for 
making free growth early in the year Plants from which heads and 
side shoots have been removed may be cut back a few joints, and 
thoroughly washed with petroleum and water, one ounce to the gallon. 
This will free them from scale if any exists upon them. The small 
scale to which these plants are subject can be readily destroyed by 
one or two applications when they have no young tender foliage upon 
them. If the stock plants are clean, Crotons should be grown to the 
size they aie required without recourse to SDonging, which, however 
carefully done, is sure to injure the foliage to a certain extent. Stock 
plants that are slightly pruned back will soon burst fresh growth buds, 
when they may be potted if confined at their roots. With plenty of 
active roots and a moderate amount of root room the cuttings wi’l be 
free and vigorous in comparison with those from plants that have been, 
pot-bound for some months. Plants that have growths upon them 
and are intended for the same purpose may also be potted, and what 
are only small shoots now will be well developed shoots in spring. 
Keep the temperature for the general stock of these plants from 
G0° to 65° at night according to the weather. 
Dieffenbachias. — Potting is often discontinued when autumn 
arrives, but it is a great mistake when the object is to advance the 
plants. Plants that need larger pots at the present time will be seriously 
checked if left until the turn of the year. Repot those plants that 
need more root room, and although growth will be slow they will make 
roots freely, and be ready for potting again towards the end of January. 
Plants that have become tall may have their tops taken off, and will 
root freely in brisk heat. Cuttings with bold foliage at the top will 
make large plants quickly in spring. If the old stems are required 
for stock stand them amongst other plants in a heated structure 
until after the new year, when they may be cut into lengths and placed 
into pans or boxes. 
Dracaenas. —Those that it is necessary to grow into larger plants 
whether warm or cool varieties, should not be confined at their roots. 
Those raised from the stem during May and June may be placed into 
5 and 6-inch pots ; while those raised later may be placed into 4-inch pots. 
If they are to be used for decoration in these sizes when ready surface some 
with Selaginellas, others with a few seedling Ferns, and others with a 
mixture of both and Panicum variegatum, small rooted pieces of the 
latter should be used. This adds materially to their beauty when used 
singly in vases. Plants of large growing kinds that are well rooted in 
6-inch pots may be placed into 8-inch. To do these plants well they 
should never be confined at their roots until they have been given their 
final shift. 
Gardenias. —Those that are well rooted in thumbs may have their 
points removed, and be placed into 4-inch pots. If kept in brisk heat 
they will be bushy little plants by spring. Plants that are swelling and 
forming their flower buds should be kept in a temperature of 60° to 65° 
at night. Do not allow them to become dry at their roots, but water 
them carefully, and avoid giving them cold water, strong stimulants, or 
syringing them with strong insecticides, or else the flower buds will be 
deformed and fail to give satisfaction. A check from any cause 
should be avoided, and the roots kept active if large bold flowers are 
required. 
Poinsettias. —Plants that have commenced to develop their bracts 
should be grown in a temperature of 65° until they are thoroughly 
developed, when they can be carefully hardened and used in any posi¬ 
tion. Give these plants weak stimulants every time water is needed, or 
better still, apply a little artificial manure to the surface of the soil 
about once a week. Do not keep later plants in a higher temperature 
than 58° at night. Nothing is gained by hurrying these and Euphorbias, 
for they will be invaluable during December and until the end of the 
year. 
Allamandas. —Keep plants that are growing in a temperature of 60° 
to 65°, and encourage them by giving weak stimulants frequently. Top- 
dress the plants with manure if confined at their roots ; they will soon 
take possession of it, and flowers will be produced freely for some time 
to come. Keep perfectly dry plants that are to be starting into growth 
towards the end of next month. They should not be in a lower tempe¬ 
rature than 50°. 
Pandanus Veitchi. —Strong suckers may be taken off and inserted 
in small pots. Place a little sand at the base of each, and stand them 
in any warm house ; it is not necessary to place them in the propa¬ 
gating pit, for they root equally as well outside. Those that are growing 
too large for 5, 6, and 7-inch pots may be placed into 10-inch. Plant 
the surface of the soil with Nephrodium molle, or small pieces of 
Microlepia hirta cristata. Either look well, and add wonderfully to 
the appearance of these plants when used in large vases singly. The 
variegation of the plant is shown to perfection with a groundwork 
of green beneath. However carefully Mosses and Ferns may be 
arranged about the base of the plant, they never look so well as when 
they have grown naturally in that position. This plant bears room 
decoration well, and may be kept in for three or four weeks at a time 
without injury. The Ferns may suffer slightly, but both are free 
growers, and a few weeks in a warm house are sufficient to restore them 
again to health. 
Acalyplias. —Root singly in small pots a number of cuttings ready 
for growing in spring, or to form good heads for re-rooting. These 
are useful plants for table, room, or conservatory decoration. They 
grow readily, and colour beautifully if exposed to the sun. They are 
probably best grown on a single stem for most purposes, but handsome 
bushes can be formed for large vases by inserting four or five cuttings 
in a pot and growing them together without pinching until they are 
18 inches high. When the plants begin growing keep them separate 
by placing a stake to each, so that the leaves will form naturally round 
the stem. If good tops are used for cuttings the lower leaves will arch 
gracefully downwards and half hide the pots. Where small cuttings 
are used the plants can be potted down without injury, for they root 
freely from the stem. 
