306 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDEHER. 
[ September 80, 1880. 
condition. In doing this for fruit trees we mate stations from 10 to 
30 feet apart, the lesser distance being for such trees as closely pruned 
pyramids, the greater for unpruned standards. The best size for a station 
is 6 feet square, the soil being thrown out, the subsoil dug out to a depth 
of 2 feet 6 inches and carted away. If the subsoil is of clay, or similar 
substance likely to prevent superfluous water from passing freely away 
from the roots of the tree, a row of 2-inch common land drain pipes 
which have no sockets is first of all laid across the middle of the bottom 
of the station. The bottom is then covered with 6 inches of broken 
stones or bricks, care being taken not to disarrange the drain pipes, 
which we may state here are to be connected with the nearest drain by 
a convenient branch drain. In such a subsoil there should be a perfect 
system of drainage by drains 30 feet apart and 4 feet deep, if the sub¬ 
stratum admits of the work being well done at such a depth. The use of 
broken rubble at the bottom of the station is mentioned as a method we 
have found to answer fairly well. If, however, the bottom can be covered 
with concrete it is altogether preferable, ss the risk of roots growing 
downwards into the subsoil is avoided. Excellent concrete is made of 
one part of lime fresh from the kiln and six parts of fine rubble. This 
is spread over the bottom of the station to a thickness of 6 inches a3 it 
is mixed, the drain pipes being laid upon and pressed slightly into the 
concrete before it becomes hard. Upon the concrete we have 2 feet of 
fertile soil, in which the tree is planted with a feeling of certainty that it 
has an ample store of food for the next four or five years. We have had 
to resort to many makeshifts to get soil for our stations, the best general 
guide being the fact that fruit trees will grow well in soil which answers 
for the cultivation of vegetables. To insure porosity or mechanical 
division coal ashes can be had by everyone to mix with the soil, and if 
the soil is so poor as to require manure care must be taken to use old 
decayed manure, and to mix it thoroughly with the soil and ashes. At 
the time of planting the station soil should he fully 6 inches about the 
common surface to allow for the settlement which gradually follows the 
planting. 
For bush fruit the soil should be drained, trenched, keeping the subsoil 
below and bringing none of it to the surface, and mixing a heavy dressing 
of rich farmyard or stable manure and coal ashes with it. Mix enough 
manure with the soil to ensure an abundant supply of nutriment for the 
roots as they spread in the soil, and enough ashes to render it impossible 
for the soil ever to Bubside into an inert mass, in which the roots would 
perish. Only do this well, and you may plant Gooseberries, Currants, 
Raspberries, and Blackberries in it, with a feeling of certainty that your 
efforts will speedily be crowned with success. It is doubtless owing to 
poverty of the soil that we hear of so many failures with American 
Blackberries. Our first row of them was planted upon a trench filled 
with a fertile mass of garden refuse, turf parings, road sidings, weeds, 
stable, manure, coal ashes, and lime, turned over and well mixed before 
it was put in the trench. The result was absolutely wonderful, many 
bushels of fruit being gathered from a row some 60 feet in length the 
third summer after the planting. 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Pines. — Growing Stock .—Young plants will need free ventilation on 
all favourable occasions to maintain them in a healthy sturdy condition, 
keeping the bottom heat about the roots at 80°, and maintaining a 
temperature from fire heat of 60° to 65° at night, with 5° to 10° rise by 
day. Newly potted plants should have a bottom heat of 90° to 95°, with 
a view to the roots speedily penetrating the fresh soil. Water the plants 
whenever they require it, employing weak and tepid liquid manure, and 
avoid the use of the syringe too frequently ; merely sprinkling the paths, 
&c., morning and evening will suffice in all but very bright weather. 
Swelters .—Recently started suckers should as soon as roots are plenti¬ 
fully made be raised near the glass, it being essential that those intended 
to be wintered in small pots be brought on very gradually, but they mu 9 t 
not be withdrawn from the bottom heat, or only for a short time, so as 
not to give the plants a check. When the suckers started this autumn 
are well rooted pot them, draining the pots well. Employ the fibry part 
only of turfy loam, and do not tear it up too fine, but use it in lumps 
proportionate to the size of the pots. The strongest plants may be trans¬ 
ferred to the fruiting pots at once, the size of the pots proportioned to the 
robustness of the kinds. Jamaicas do well in 9 or 10-inch pots, Queens 
in 10 to 11-inch pots, Smooth-leaved Cayenne and similar varieties in 11 
to 12 inches, and Providence in 13-inch pots, which will afford fruit of tbe 
largest size. Where smaller plants and fruit are desired pots an inch or two 
less in diameter will answer. The plants not large enough for trans¬ 
ferring to the fruiting size should be shifted into 8-inch pots, in which 
they must be kept until spring. Plunge the plants in a bottom heat of 
90° to 95°, in which they must be continued until the roots have taken 
freely to the fresh compost, when they may he rained, a temperature 
of about 80° being afterwards sufficient. Fruiting plants should have 
a night temperature of 70°, 80° to 90° during the day, closing at 85°. 
Strawberries in Pots. —Watering the plants must not be neglected; 
but though plants in well-drained soil in the open ground do not suffer 
from continued rains, yet those in pots are seriously injured by continued 
needless waterings, therefore only supply water as necessary, not allowing 
the plants to flag, but allow the soil to become dry before any is given, 
then afford a thorough supply. This more particularly applies to the 
varieties intended for early forcing, which should soon be given the pro¬ 
tection of frames, only using the lights in frosty weather and to throw off 
heavy rains and snow, ventilating freely when the weather is mild. Any 
plants that have the soil very wet, and remain so for a time without 
watering, should have the drainage seen to, as worms, or the material on 
which they are placed, choke the drainage or outlet, rendering the soil 
sodden, in which no plant will thrive. Expel worms from the pots with 
lime water, and rectify the drainage where defective. The crowns are 
often numerous in some varieties, especially Vicomtesse Hericart de Thury, 
a number of small crowns clustering round tbe central one. The small 
crowns should be removed sideways with a wedge-like piece of hard wood 
without injuring the leaves or central crown. This will concentrate all 
the vigour of the plant into the chief crown, and though there will be 
fewer trusses of bloom, there is no need to fear a deficiency of crop. 
There is nothing like a loose surface for Strawberries in pots, which 
prevents the soil leaving the sides of the pots, and admits of the water 
passing equally through the “ ball ” and moistening it thoroughly. A 
little dried horse droppings or cow manure rubbed through the hands 
applied to the surface of the pots will keep all right there. Remove all 
runners as they appear, also weeds, and do not allow the plants to suffer 
through insufficient supplies of water. The plants must have plenty of 
space for the full exposure of the foliage to light and air, which is 
essential to a sturdy growth and plump well-developed crowns. 
Autumn Fruiters .—Encourage these with a little weak manure, and 
in the case of heavy rains when the fruits are ripening, the plants should 
be placed in frames with abundant ventilation, which will improve the 
quality of the fruit. Late plants of La Grosse Sucrde and Sir Harry 
are showing and swelling admirably, both being considerably in advance 
of Vicomtesse Hericart de Thury, which, though a free bearer, is small, 
yet when well thinned the fruit is improved in size and quality. Any 
of the autumn fruiters not required for some time yet may be retarded 
by placing them on a north border. Good fruit may bo had by taking up 
some of the most promising of the planted-out forced Strawberries and 
placing them in rich compost in pots. Arrange them in a frame kept close 
until they are rooted, then ventilated freely, and afterwards place them on 
shelves near the glass in a house with a minimum temperature of 50° and 
a freer circulation of air. 
Cucumbers. —The plants for winter fruiting should be planted so 
soon as they are ready. A good bo'.tom heat is essential to success, 
whether it be obtained by the aid of fermenting materials or hot-water 
pipes ; but a somewhat higher temperature is needed to commence with if 
fermenting materials are used, as the heat will decline, and there should 
be hot water in the bed to keep up the bottom heat when that of the 
fermenting material declines. The soil must consist of light turfy loam 
with a third of fibrous peat, a sixth of old mortar rubbish, and a tenth of 
charcoal, the whole well incorporated. For imparting vigour later rely 
on liquid manure and surface dressings in preference to employing manure 
in the compost. 
Autumn Fruiters .—Maintain a healthy and vigorous growth, being 
careful not to overcrop the plants. Secure a mean temperature of 75° or 
65° at night, 70? to 75° by day artificially, and 80° to 90° from sun heat. 
Avoid a close moist atmosphere by ventilating, and avoid cold drying 
currents. Be sparing in the use of water, especially over the foliage, 
keeping a genial condition of the atmosphere by damping available sur¬ 
faces in the morning and afternoon, but gradually reducing the moisture as 
the days shorten and the sun heat declines. Add a little fresh soil abjuc 
once a fortnight to the hillocks or ridges previously warmed, applying 
weak tepid liquid manure once or twice a week as may be necessary, 
fumigating moderately on two or three consecutive evenings in case of 
an attack of aphides. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Zonal Pelargoniums .—To have a good quantity of these in full bloom 
early in November the plants should be housed without delay. Yellow 
leaves and flowers that are showing should be removed and the plants 
placed for a time in a light airy structure. If possible top-dress with a 
little rich soil, but if the pots are full of soil and will not allow of this 
being done, a sprinkling of Standen’s or some other artificial manure will 
prove beneficial. The remainder of the stock that it may be necessary 
to retard as long as possible should be in some convenient position 
where they can be covered with mats or tiffany in case of frost. 
Young stock iu 3-inch pots for spring flowering may have the points 
of their shoots pinched so that they will commence growth again 
before winter. Place these on a shelf close to the glass in a cool airy 
structure. The same remarks apply to double varieties that have been out¬ 
side since they were rooted, and are intmdedfor supplying cut blooms 
during the spring months. These plants should be in such a state at 
their roots that they will stand without potting until early in January. 
If they are likely to become root-bound before that time a small sh ft 
should be given at once. Pot them firmly in loam, sand, and one- 
seventh of manure. 
Ivy-leaved Varieties .—Tnese are very useful for affording winter 
flowers, and the plants provided for this purpose should be placed 
under cover with Zonal varieties. Young stock for spring flowering 
should have their shoots well pinched back, and be placed on a shell 
for the winter in a cool airy place where growth will only be slow. 
These plants draw up weakly if allowed to make growth during the 
dark days of winter. 
French and Fancy Varieties .—Frames are too damp for these, and 
they must be removed without delay to a light airy house where the 
temperature during the winter can be kept from falling below 45°. 
The earliest plants should have their shoots pinched for tbe last time, 
and be given a small shift if they need it, so that they will be in good 
condition for placing in their largest pots early in January. Press the 
soil firmly into tbe pots to prevent a soft growth. Later stock that 
has been rooted singly in small pots may be placed at once into 3-inch. 
The shoots of these must be pinched from time to time as occasion re- 
