548 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ December 18,1890, 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Figs .—Earliest Forced Trees in Pots. —Early Figs are best secured 
from trees in pots, as a slight warmth at the roots is highly beneficial, 
but even this has its disadvantages, as when the heat at the roots is 70° 
•or more during the early stages of growth that is forced too rapidly, 
therefore see that the heat at the base of the pots is not more than that 
until the leaves are unfolding, when the temperature may be 75°, or 
even 80° at the base of the pots. The temperature of the house should 
be gradually increased to 60° at night, 65° by day by artificial means in 
•severe weather, 5° more in mild weather, and 70° to 75° with sun heat 
and moderate ventilation, closing at 75° ; but be careful not to bring on 
the trees too rapidly, especially in dull weather, as foliage produced 
under such conditions is not of stout texture, but thin, and liable to 
scorch under bright sun and to invite red spider. Water in a tepid state 
must be applied to the roots as required, and the trees and house must 
be syringed morning and afternoon, so as to have the foliage dry b efore 
nightfall, damping the house later in the day if the atmosphere has 
become dry. 
Vines. — Early Forced Vines in Pots. —Fermenting materials in the 
pits must have attention, and if the pots are placed on pillars frequent 
additions of fresh material should be made as the heat declines. The 
beat about the pots must not exceed 70° to 75°, and the temperature of 
the house must be raised gradually after the buds commence swelling 
from 55°, so as to have it about 60° to 65° by the time they are coming 
into leaf, allowing an advance of 5° to 10° by day, carefully admitting a 
little air at 70°, and close early. Disbud as soon as the bunches can be 
•detected, reserving the most promising. Stop the laterals about two 
joints beyond the bunches. The laterals proper, or those on rhe growth 
of the current year, should be removed up to the bunches, and those 
beyond allowed to extend as the space permits without crowding, it 
being essential that the foliage retained have full exposure to light and 
air, and no more than that encouraged. Usually a couple or three 
joints of extension in the laterals are sufficient for fruiting Vines in 
pots, the crop preventing much further extension. Where fermenting 
materials are employed the necessity for the application of moisture will 
•not be so great as where the heat is obtained solely from hot water 
pipes. Evaporation troughs should be filled with liquid manure or 
■guano water, 1 lb. of guano to twenty gallons of water, which may be 
•employed for damping the floors after closing the house, or early in the 
afternoon. 
Early Forced Houses. —The buds of Vines started last month now 
■showing signs of swelling, the inside borders should have another good 
watering at the roots, applying it at a temperature of 80° to 90°, old 
Vines being accelerated in root activity and in the early swelling of 
their crop by watering at the beginning of their growths with tepid 
liquid manure. Avoid making the soil sodden by needless waterings, 
outside borders will not require watering. Raise the temperature 2° to 
3° in the course of a few days, not exceeding 60° to 65° by artificial 
means until the Vines are in leaf. In quick forcing (which is not 
generally satisfactory), and where the Vines are thoroughly established 
and have had a long rest, growth may be induced by a brisk moist heat 
•of 70° to 75°, continuing it until the Vines have fairly started growing, 
when the temperature should be allowed to fall to 60° to 65°, with 5° to 
10° rise in the daytime, it being important whilst the foliage is being 
made that a moderate temperature be employed, in order to secure short- 
jointed wood and stout, well-developed foliage. Young Vines that have 
not been forced will need to be brought down into a horizontal position 
to insure their breaking regularly. Some well-fermented short stable 
manure and leaves placed in ridges on the inside border will afford a 
genial moisture and warmth, and lessen the necessity for frequent 
•syringing. Keep material on outside border replenished with fresh 
material as may be required. 
Cherry House. —To have Cherries ripe in April the trees must now 
be started. Be sparing of fire heat at the commencement, not employing 
■it unless absolutely necessary to maintain the temperature at from 35° 
to 40° at night and 40° to 45° by day, ventilating when the temperature 
is about 50° to 55°. Close the house at 50°. Syringe the trees and 
available surfaces early on fine afternoons, so as to admit of the buds 
becoming dry before nightfall. The border will be sufficiently moist 
through the removal of the roof-lights, if not it must have water to bring 
it into a thoroughly moist state. Trees in pots if at all dry will require 
repeated supplies of water to secure the thorough moisture of the soil to 
the base of the pots. 
Strawberries in Pots. —When the crowns commence swelling, 
and the trusses of bloom appear, the temperature may be advanced a 
few degrees by day. A temperature of 50° to 55° at night is sufficiently 
high for the present. Syringing the plants gently in the early part of 
fine days will be advantageous. Examine the plants daily, and apply 
water to all those which require it. Keep a sharp look out for aphides, 
and if any appear fumigate the house on two consecutive evenings, or 
at this time of year it may be practised in the evening and early the 
following morning. It is absolutely essential that the plants be per¬ 
fectly free of aphides before the flowers expand, as they are very 
susceptible of injury from fluctuations in heat and moisture, therefore 
in fumigating take care to deliver the smoke cool. 
More plants should be placed in frames or in a house from which 
frost is excluded, so that they will be fit to draft into houses as required, 
but they must not be kept dry, and the pots must be plunged if there 
is danger from frost, as it is absolutely essential that the roots be kept 
from damage of any kind. Remove the decayed leaves, loosen the 
surface soil, and top-dress with horse droppings rubbed through a sieve. 
The drainage should be attended to, and if necessary rectified, and the 
pots washed. The plants may be introduced during the next three 
weeks to a Peach or to a Strawberry house if one be available. La 
Grosse Sucree, Vicomtesse Hericart de Thury, Noble, Auguste Nicaise, 
Sir Harry, and President are suitable varieties. Sir Joseph Paxton in 
some places is very liable to mildew, but where it succeeds it is or.e of 
the best forcing varieties started at the new year and afterwards. 
Plants for introducing later on will be quite safe in their quarters out of 
doors plunged in ashes to the rim, and a light covering may be given of 
dry fern or litter in severe weather, removing it in mild weather. 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Sowing Peas. —All who own gardens are anxious to have Peas 
ready for gathering at the earliest possible date in spring. We have 
found that October and November sowings give early plants, but these 
plants are often checked, and by March more backward than they were 
in December. The December sown Peas are of a different stamp. Sown 
about the middle of the month the plants appear in January, are a few 
inches high in February, and by March they are in fine order to advance 
with the improving weather. These Peas will bear sooner than any 
that can be raised in spring, except under glass. South borders well 
exposed to the sun should be chosen for sowing Peas in December. 
They should have moderately rich and very firm soil, and the rows 
should be 8 feet apart, as when one row shades the other podding will be 
retarded many days. Only the earliest round-seeded sorts should be 
sown in winter. We have formed trenches, and sown in these thinking 
they would afford shelter, but the young plants suffered more from the 
damp confined in these than they did by the greatest exposure. We do 
not sow any of the early dwarf Peas at this time, but prefer those which 
are not less than 3 feet in height. 
Broad Beans. —The above remarks also apply to these, but the 
very long podded sorts are useless for sowing as a first crop. They do 
best in a somewhat stiff, but not a wet soil, and the seed should be 
sown a little thicker now than in summer. 
Mushrooms. —The severe weather is retarding the cool beds, but it 
has not caused them to cease bearing, not even in an open shed, where 
the temperature is only a few degrees more than in the open, but all 
beds in a heated house should have a thick coating of litter in cold and 
frosty weather. This not only increases the temperature in the bed, 
but prevents the surface from drying, which is very important. All 
beds should be so covered whether they have come into bearing or 
not. Continue to collect material and form beds as fast as possible, 
as the demand for Mushrooms is now unlimited, and a profusion of 
them will cause a scarcity of other vegetables to be less felt. 
Frost and Vegetables. —Our thermometer registered 10°, 13°, 
and 15° on three successive nights. This has caused green vegetables 
to shrink very much. Fortunately we had cut and stored all the 
Broccoli that showed heads amongst the foliage, and we have as many 
of them in a shed as will last over Christmas. This is a great 
advantage. Endive and Lettuce are destroyed in the open, but those 
in frames which were covered with mats are sound. Winter Spinach 
has suffered, but although the plants appear much injured, they will 
produce a bountiful supply in April and May. The tops of Celery 
have suffered a good deal, but the part under the soil is quite sound. 
To prevent the frost from injuring this crop a quantity of straw, hay, 
or bracken should be thrown lightly over the top of the ridge, and 
this may be removed when the weather is mild. 
Roots for Present Use. —Parsnips, Salsafy, and Jerusalem 
Artichokes may now be used. We do not send many of them to the 
kitchen so long as there is a good variety of other vegetables, but prefer 
to keep them in reserve for times of scarcity. Unfortunately the 
Parsnips are very much rusted on the crowns this season. This we 
attribute to the excessive dampness of the soil, and we have no cure for 
it. The decayed parts are cut off before the roots are sent into the 
kitchen. The Salsafy always remain sound during the winter, and is 
most useful. We dig up a quantity of roots when frost is anticipated, 
but allow the bulk to remain in the ground, and dig them as required. 
The Jerusalem Artichokes are treated in the same way, and they too are 
most useful, as they are extremely hardy, and never diseased, while they 
can be used in a variety of ways in the kitchen. This is a winter vege¬ 
table deserving of more extended culture, and should be grown in all 
small gardens. 
Turnips. —We have had to supply some cooks that objected to 
Swedish Turnips, but fortunately our present one does not, and there is 
no difficulty in keeping up a supply in the hardest of weather. White 
and yellow Turnips that have attained a large size do not keep so well 
during frost as small bulbs, and all that have attained a good size would 
be better pulled up and stored in a cool shed. Chirk Castle, the best of 
