July 8, 1888. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
31 
have it really fine. Such thinning is of course only meant for the crop on 
trees, keep under close pruning, and so trained as to be comparatively 
dwarf tree’. It is precisely on such trees that we ought to see fruit in full 
perfection of size, form, and colour, because they are so easily of manipu¬ 
lation. The branches are either short and stout or are made secure to 
supports, so that there is little if auy risk of the fruit being shaken off 
by wind. 
Watering. —The weather is our best guide in watering fruit trees. If 
we would have a full flow of sap we must at least water freely once a 
week, and this supply of liquid food comes best to our hand in the form of 
house sewage. Everyone having a fruit garden near a house can com¬ 
mand a daily supply of it, and a li'tle watchfulness and care will soon 
enable you to see how much is necessary. If the soil is porous and well 
drained there need be no fear of overdoing it while the fruit is swelling. 
Do not forget that moisture evaporates quickly from the soil in summer, 
and that to wait till it becomes dry and hard before watering is to run 
much risk of seriously checking the growth. When sewage cannot be 
had some plan or other will suggest itself for making liquid manure. 
We once found ourselves without sewage and without means of obtaining 
artificial manure; but necessity taught us to make a hole sufficiently 
large enough for our purpose in the soil itself. The bottom and sides were 
sufficiently puddled, plenty of sheep dung obtained from an adjacent 
pasture was thrown into it; it was then filled with water, and we had a 
liquid manure which, to judge from its effect upon the trees, could not 
well be surpassed. We used it to such good purp se through ut a hot 
dry summer that it always comes to mind when we hear complaints of a 
•want of means to overcome difficulties. “ Where there’s a will there’s a 
way.” 
Strawberries. —The fruit is swelling fast, and means must be found 
to cover the soil so as to keep the fruit clean. A little clean litter is 
all that is required for an ordinary crop ; but where fine fruit of 
such sorts as Dr. Hogg, Cockscomb, or Marguerite are grown we prefer 
wire supports with some litter over the soil to prevent splashing from 
heavy rain. Large fruit lying upon straw or litter soon spoils in a wet 
summer—become either musty or rotten and unfit for use. Pay close 
attention to time of ripening of each sort, and see if it is possible to 
improve your selection in any way. By having Black Prince upon a 
eunny bank, and Loxford Hall Seedling upon a north border as well as 
out rn the full sunshine, with such intermediate sorts as Keens’ Seedling, 
Sir Joseph Paxton, Lucas, James Yeitch and Helena Gloede, you may 
•extend the season by some weeks. 
Baspberries. —Seduce the number of suckers by judicious thinning 
to at ut as many as will be wanted for fruit-bearing next year. Do not 
be satisfied with either a small crop or small fruit. Raspberries require 
very rich well-drained soil, with plenty of sewage during the growing 
season. 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Late Grapes. —Examine these without delay for the final thinning, 
giving the berries ample room for swelling, which should he such that air 
can pass through the bunches and admit of a ready scrutiny for decayed 
berries. Keep the Vines free from all gross laterals, not allowing them to 
make strong entangled growth and have to remove it in great quantity. 
It only gives a check to the roots, and is one of the chief causes of shank¬ 
ing. Afford copious supplies of water or liquid manure, and mulch with 
light open material. 
Young f ines. —Afford water liberally at the roots, mulching and 
keeping it moist so as to encourage surface roots, maintaining a moist 
atmosphere by frequent sprinklings of available surface, and syringe the 
Vines on fine afternoons, closing early to attain a heat of 90° or 95°. 
^ entilate early and freely through the early part of the day to insure a 
short-jointed thoroughly solidified growth, and allow the laterals above 
the wo«d the Vines are to be cut back to, to ramble at will. Do not allow 
any interference with the principal leaves that feed the buds at their 
base expected to fruit nex t . season. They must have full exposure to 
light and air, and be kept clean and healthy as long as possible. 
Pot I incsfor Early Forcing .—The growth being completed, lessen the 
supplies of moisture; discontinue syringing, moderating the supply of 
water at the roots ; admit air freely, and afford all the light practicable to 
the principal foliage. If the canes do not ripen well keep through the 
day at 85° to 95° by moderating the ventilation, and admit air freely at 
aight. 
Peaches and Nectarines.— Early Houses.— The fruit being cleared 
off syringe forcibly to dislodge red spider. Cut away all shoots that have 
oorne fruit, except extensions, and do not leave more shoots than will be 
required for next year’s fruiting. Winter pruning should be abandoned. 
he roof lights not being moveable ventilate to the fullest extent possible, 
and give the inside borders thorough waterings with liquid manure, which 
will help the trees to plump the buds. If the roof lights are moveable take 
them off about the middle of the month. Rain has a peculiarly invigorat¬ 
ing effect on forced trees, and the borders become thoroughly moistened 
in autumn. 
Succession Houses. —With the fruit taking the last swelling syringe 
forcibly to keep down red spider ; indeed, the trees must he cleansed of 
this pest if there be any before the fruit commences ripening, either by 
means of the syringe or the application of an insecticide. Supply liquid 
manure abundantly to inside borders, unless the trees are gross, when it 
-"only aggravate the evil. Mulch inside and outside borders, keep¬ 
ing the material moist so as to have the roots active near the surface. 
*v, erl a constantly, and increase it early in the morning with 
the advancing sun, keeping through the day at 80° to 85 p with sud, and 
•closing sufficiently early to rise to 90" or 95°, and admit a little air | 
before night. As the fruit approaches ripening ventilate more freely, and 
do not allow eo great a range of temperature. Keep water from the fruit, 
but maintain a good moisture by damping available surfaces, especially 
on hot days. Tie and regulate the growths, having the fruits well exposed 
to the hip. Stop laterals to one or two joints of growth, and avoid over¬ 
crowding. 
Late Houses .—Train the growths thinly, keep laterals closely pinched, 
and stop gross growths so as to cause an equal distribution of the Bap and 
growth over the trees. If not restrainable by pinching remove them 
altogether. Reduce the fruits to the number that will be required for the 
crop, and keep the temperature steady by liberal ventilation on all 
favourable occasions. Syringe to keep down red spider, water and mulch 
inside borders, also outside if the weather be dry. Be guided in the use 
of liquid manure by the condition of the trees. If not too vigorous and 
carrying heavy crops liquid manure will be necessary, yet not so much as 
for weakly trees, but keep it from trees that make strong wood and have 
a tendency to become over-luxuriant. 
Cucumbers. —A few seeds may now be sown for late summer and 
early autumn fruiting. The plants from this sowing will be fit to plant 
out in about a month. They do well in frames, and come in useful where 
plants, from having been in bearing some time, are exhausted. Plants in 
full bearing must have attention in thinning exhausted growths, removing 
tad foliage, stopping, tying, and regulating so as to keep up a succession 
of bearing wood. Add a little fresh soil to the surface from time to time, 
and light mulching of stimulating material. Syringe at closing time, and 
maintain a good moisture all day ; it is infinitely better than shading. 
Avoid too much moisture in dull weather, it only makes the growths soft 
and the foliage more susceptible of injury on a bright period ensuing. 
Afford liquid manure copiously once or twice a week, according to circum¬ 
stances. Close early or at 85°, and so as to gain 5° to 10°, and only 
employ fire heat to prevent the temperature falling below 60° at night. 
Avoid overcropping, especially with young plants, and co not allow the 
fruit to hang too long, as these exhaust the plants and prevent in a great 
measure a good and continuous supply. 
SECTION RACKS AND HOW TO MAKE THEM. 
( Continued from page 15.) 
To make six racks, each 15 inches by 14 inches by 
inches (inside measure), fitted with shutters and bars at the 
bottom, 17 feet 8 inches of 11-inch wood will be required, 
and when a board of half inch wood of this size is obtained 
it must be cut with the greatest care, for one little mistake 
may throw out all our calculations. A rack of 15 by 14 
inside or 16 by 14 outside measure will require 60 inches of 
wood 4£ inches wide for four sides alone or 30 inches of 8£, 
but it will suit our purpose better to use wood 11 inches wide, 
as then not only shall we have the two sides and ends—and 
one end is loose to form the shutter—but also the permanent 
end of 21 inches high to retain the glass and shutter as before 
explained, and in addition 21 inches remaining after the 
16-inch sides have been cut to form two strips for nailing along 
the base of the rack to sustain the sections, leaving only two 
others to be provided. To make six racks then 15 feet of 
11 inch wide wood is required, and to this an addition of 32 
inches to provide two more—1J inch strips for each rack 
and also the small pieces required for filling in the spaces 
left between each of the strips must be made—so that in all 
17 feet 8 inches of 11 inch wide wood must be procured, and 
from this can be cut all the material we require. Half-inch 
good white wood can easily be bought at 24d. the running 
foot, a “ width ” of 11 inches being a carpenter’s foot, of 
that the cost of the wood will be 3s. 8d., and if to this is 
added a day’s wage at 5s. and 103. for nails and extras, if 
any can be discovered, we get 9s. 6d. ; thus the difference 
between purchase price and home manufacture is, taking the 
average, 10s. 6d. Two can be made for the price of one 
purchased, and 5s. be pocketed by the maker instead of being 
sent away and lost. 
It may be well to give a few hints on how to proceed in 
cutting the wood in case any misapprehension has been 
occasioned. The wood being 11 inches wide will cut two 
sides of 4^ inches each, and leave 21 inches, and from this 
width of 2^ inches two strips are cut for nailing along the 
bottom of such sides, these strips being planed down so as to 
leave any bee space the apiarian may prefer. Next two ends 
