September 2, 1885. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
213 
crevice. Prior to this the woodwork should have been cleansed with soap 
and water, the glass with clear water, and the walls limewashed. Clear 
the borders both inside and outside of the old mulching material and the 
loose surface soil, and have a top-dressing of turfy loam with about a 
twentieth part each of bonemeal and wood ashes inesrporated. Any 
weakly Vines or those in an unsatisfactory state may be improved by re¬ 
moving the soil down to the roots and supplying fresh turly loam with an 
admixture of a sixth of old mortar rubbish and a twentieth part of half¬ 
inch bones, and a similar proportion of wood ashes, lifting any roots 
available for the purpose, and laying them out in fresh material not more 
distant from the surface than 6 inches. This is best done before the fall 
of the leaf. It is a mistake to allow Vines to become very dry at the 
roots, and comparative dryness is desirable, yet allowing the soil to get dust 
dry is highly injurious, as the young roots are much weakened if not de¬ 
stroyed. The borders : Outside borders should have a covering of some 
kind to protect them from the heavy autumn rains, which reduce the 
temperature considerably. Glass lights are much the best, as they throw 
off heavy rains whilst allowing the sun heat to warm the soil. These 
not being available, and they need only be used in the case of heavy cold 
rains, a covering of leaves and litter will he necessary after the weather 
sets in cold. If the lights have been removed they may remain off until 
heavy rain comes, when they should be replaced, ventilation being given 
to the fullest extent. It is well, however, to insure a thorough moistening 
of the inside border down to the drainage before replacing them. 
Vines in Pots for Early Forcing. —Those intended to be started early 
in November should now be completely at rest, the wood thoroughly ripe, 
the laterals cut close home, and the cane shortened to about 6 feet—more 
or less according to the situation of the plump eyes. The cuts must be 
at once dressed with styptic or knotting to prevent further trouble from 
bleeding, but keeping the soil rather dry at the roots of the Vines will 
reduce the tendency to bleeding. It is a mistake, however, to allow the 
soil to get dust dry. Keep them in a cool airy house. Later Vines in 
pots may be placed outdoors to harden the growth and induce rest, the 
south side of a wall or fence being preferable. 
Late Grapes —Continue a night temperature of 70° to 75° and 80° to 
85° by day, until the Grapes are thoroughly ripe, ventilating freely and 
keeping lateral growths closely stopped, a warm dry atmosphere with a 
free circulation of air being essential to good finish ; laterals allowed 
to grow only excite root-action, and consequently encourage late 
growth. Prepare for covering the borders, for late Grapes keep much 
better when the roots are not chilled by the autumn rains ; therefore 
larpauling, shutters, or thatched hurdles can be used when required. 
Young Vines. —Those that have made a strong growth are late in 
ripening, and should be assisted with fire heat, maintaining a minimum of 
65 u and a maximum cf 75° from fire heat, running up to 85° to 90° from 
sun heat, accompanying the artificial heat with a little top and be ttom 
ventilation so as to insure a circulation, increasing it proportionately with 
the sun heat. 
Cucumbers. —Shorter days necessitate closing the house earlier, also 
syringing earlier, so as to have the foliage fairly dry before dusk. Fire 
heat will also be necessary to maintain a temperature of 70° to 75° by 
artificial means, falling 5°, or to 65° through the night. Keep the growths 
fairly thin, removing old shoo's eo as to make room for young ones, and so 
keep up a succession of bearing wood. Stop them a joint beyond the fruit. 
Encourage root-action by a steady bottom heat of 80°, suiface dressings 
of lumpy loam and sweetened horse droppings, and afford liquid manure 
in a tepid state whenever water is required. Do not allow the fruit to 
hang after it becomes fit for uee, and avoid overcropping. 
Autumn Fruiters. —Afford every encouragement to these, stopping so 
as to insure an even spread of bearing wood. Remove the first fruits, 
also the male blossoms and tendrils. No shading will now be necessary'. 
Avoid syringing in the morning, and only use the syringe on bright 
afternoons, and then early and lightly, keeping the house damped as 
occasion requires. Admit air in moderation ; draughts must be avoided, 
as they chill and stunt the growths, and if no air is given the foliage 
becomes very thin and flabby when kept close, moist, and warm. Seek 
to ensure a sturdy thoroughly solidified growth by early and judicious 
ventilation whilst opportunity offers. 
Winter Fruiters. —Seed having been sown early in August the plants 
will now be fit to place out. The house must be a light one, and have 
means of securing a temperature or 70° to 75° in all weathers, also of 
securing a bottom heat of 80' to 90°. The first consideration is to 
thoroughly cleanse the house ; all soil previously used must be cleared 
out, and the whole of the interior scalded, if pt ssible, with boiling water, 
the woodwork washed with sofisoap, water, and a brush, the glass washed 
clean inside and out with water only, the walls lime-washed, and every¬ 
thing put into thorough repair. If rubble is used about and over the 
pipes for bottom heat, see that the material is clean, and if not, take it 
out, clean it by washing. Secure the drainage with a layer of turves 
grass side downwards. Put in hillocks or ridges of about 2 feet base, 
and 10 to 12 inches depth, and 1 foot across at top. Turfy loam laid up 
until the grass is killed, chopped up rather roughly two-thirds, fibrous 
tandy peat one-third chopped or torn up, rejecting any woody matter, old 
mortar rubbish freed of laths and other pieces of wood, the rough broken 
email one-sixth, charcoal broken so as to pass an inch sieve one-sixth, the 
whole thoroughly incorporated. The compost should be neither wet nor 
dry, and only made moderately firm. This material is equally suitable 
for plants in pots or boxes, which should be well drained, and only so far 
filled with soil that when the plants are introduced their seed leaves will 
be about level with the rim of the pots and as they will have some stem 
below the seed leaves, this will admit of earthing as the plants increase in 
growth. Very useful fruit can be had from plants in pots or boxes in 
bouses with a stove temperature. A quart of soot or any of the advertised 
fertilisers may be added to every bushel of the loam. Plant when the 
soil is warmed through, press the soil gently, and secure the plants by 
stakes reaching to the trellis. Ruh off the laterals to that height, and stop 
the leading shoot at about the second or third wire of the trellis. Shade 
from bright sun until established. Syringe lightly in the early afternoon, 
damp in the morning, noon, aod afternoon. Keep a day temperature of 
70° to 75°, rai-ing 10° to 15° from sun heat, and a night temperature 
of 70°, falling 5° through the night. Plants from seed sown early in 
August will give fruit in late autumn, but they must not be cropped 
much if they are to give a plentiful supply of fruit from Christmas to 
spring. 
Sow early in this month, September, for raising plants to give a supply 
of fruit at Christmas and onward. Telegraph is one of the best, but it 
is being much confounded with other varieties by cross-breeding, 
that a true stock of the original Rollisson’s variety is not always secured. 
The seed is best sown singly in large 60-pots a little more than half filled 
with soil, and covered half an inch deep. Keep them well up to the 
glass, earth up as the plants grow, and transfer to 48’s when they need 
a shijft, placing a stick to each, to which secure the plant as it advances. 
Rub off laterals as they show, training with a single shoot. They will be 
fit to plant during the first fortnight of October. 
Pits and Frames .—The growth in these will need to kept thin as a 
safeguard against damp, and watering must be done early and judiciously, 
as damp and cold make short work of Cucumbers at this season. At 
closing time a light sprinkling may be given overhead, but it will not 
be much needed after this, or very little water, the plants getting enough 
moisture through the decay of the fermenting beds. The beds must be 
lined with stable litter, and a little air should be given at back to allow of 
any steam escaping. The temperature should he kept at about 65° at 
night. Employ a covering of mats over the lights on cold nights. With 
care Cucumbers will be obtained from these structures for many weeks 
to come. 
Strawberries in Pots. — Runners were not in some cases very 
accommodating this year ; they were late in forming from the lateness of 
the season, and retarded by the dry weather. Any not yet in their 
large-t pots should be attended without delay, the plants being given 5 or 
6-inch pots will fill them before winter, and, though not so large as those 
potted earlier, will give some fine fruit. Plants potted some time ago 
should be examined, and if making side buds these should be removed 
with a piece of hard wood so as to throw the vigour into the central crown 
or bud. If the plants grow vigorously liquid manure will not be necessary, 
but those that are weakly should be supplied with it twice a week. Re¬ 
move all runners as they appear, and loosen the surface of the soil especi¬ 
ally round the sides of the pots, so as to ensure the more thorough moisten¬ 
ing of the ball. As the plants grow, increase in foliage, set the pots wider 
apart. If red spider attack hold the plants separately inverted with one 
hand, and dust the under side of the leaves with the other with soot from 
a dredger, or apply softsoap solution, 2 ozs to a gallon, with a brush or 
sponge, to the under side of the leaves. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Liliums. —If the bulbs of L. candidum has not been potted for next 
season’s forcing, it should be done without further delay. Directly the 
flowers fade this variety recommences growing, and in a short time pushes up 
foliage from the base. Strong flowering bulbs may be lifted from the borders 
and placed in 6 or 7-inch pots, according to their size, and then placed outside 
until the approach of frost. If a cold frame can be given them they will 
advance more rapidly and require less forcing to bring them into flower 
afterwards ; the soil is aleo less liable to become saturated by heavy rains. 
This variety will do well in any good fertile loam with a little sand added, 
and about one-seventh of decayed manure. 
Lilium auratum. —Imported bulbs of this beaut ful but uncertain 
Lily can now be obtained and should be potted at once, then a good 
quantity of roots will be formed before winter. It is a good plan to lay 
them in sand or cocoa-nut fibre refuse for a few weeks after they arrive 
until it can be ascertained which of the scales are liable to decay. It is 
necessary to remove all decaying portions before they are potted. It is a 
good plan to allow the bulbs to remain in the fibre or sand until roots 
have been emitted from the base. Some care is essential in potting them 
when in this stage, or the tender fleshy roots will be broken. Pots the 
same size as advised for L. candidum will be suitable for this Lily. The 
pots should be well drained, and a good dash of coarse sand placed at the 
base of each bulb and the top slightly covered with soil. After potting 
no water will be needed if the soil is in a satisfactory state at starting. 
Place the pots in a cold frame, and cover with ashes or fibre until they 
commence growing from the centre of the bulb. Those that have been 
flowering in pots and are healthy should be placed in slightly larger pots. 
It is a great mistake to delay potting until later in the season, and then 
destroy a large quantity of roots by reducing the ball so as to place them 
in the same size pots in which they have been growing. Loose soil from 
the surface or about the roots that can be removed without breaking them 
may safely be done. These, after potting, must be plunged in cold frames, 
and the surface covered to prevent evaporation. This will keep the soil 
in a suitable condition for moisture, and the roots will make much better 
progress than if the pots are stood on the surface and watering resorted 
to. Pot this Lily in two-thirds good loam to one of leaf mould or peat, 
with sand added and one-seventh of decayed manure. 
Lilium Hamsi .—Bulbs of this Lily are now being offered at a much 
cheaper rate than previously, and larger quantities in consequence will 
