Deoember 2, 1886. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
505 
much more bulky when left until they are three parts developed, and 
when cut small and young they do not possess that distinet flavour so 
conspicuous and valuable in good Mushrooms. 
Hotreds. —These are most valuable to the vegetable grower, and in 
the early spring months it is almost impossible to get on without them. 
They are excellent for raising all early vegetables, and care should be 
taken that a quantity of material for their formation is always provided. 
The best materials for making them are stable manure in a littery state, 
and the leaves of trees and old vegetables. It may be a little too early 
yet to make the beds, but it is not too soon to collect the material, and a 
quantity should be placed in a heap ready for use. It may be mixed and 
turned twice weekly during the next fortnight or three weeks. 
Cauliflower Plants.— Since the very early Cauliflowers were 
introduced we have not been quite so particular about having a large 
quantity of autumn plants, as those raised in spring are ready for use 
almost as soon as any that are kept over the winter. Yet the old plan of 
Bowing in autumn and keeping the plants in frames or under handlights 
in winter is a good one, and we would not like to give it up altogether. 
Those planted in the frames some time ago are now growing freely, and 
may be very freely ventilated day and night when the weather is mild. 
The tops may be taken off the handlights during the day when the plants 
have become established, and on no account should they be kept close, as 
this will soon make them so tender that many of them will perish before 
the winter is over. Late plants may still be lifted and placed under 
cover, and any which are left out should be protected during frost or 
snow. 
Winter Protectors.— Now that December is here, and the shortest 
days are at had, frost, snow, and cold weather generally may be expected, 
and everything should be ready to protect crops which will not bear ex¬ 
posure. Hoops, mats, straw, hay, fern, and any material of this sort will 
all be found most useful for covering Celery, Lettuce, Endive, Parsley, 
roots, &c., and the secret of successful protecting is not to put it on until 
it is wanted, keep it on as long as necessary, and move it immediately it 
is no longer required. 
Veitch’s Self-protecting Broccoli.— This is a gem in December. 
It is now coming in as freely as Cauliflowers in July ; the heads are 
medium in size, compact, excellent in quality, and always acceptable in 
the kitchen. It should be grown by everyone who uses vegetables in 
December. Turn the leaves down over the small heads to protect them 
from frost, and cut them all as soon as they are 5 inches or 6 inches 
across. If trimmed and the end of the stem be put in damp sand in a 
cool place they will keep fresh for three or four weeks. 
Savoys.— -These are indispensable vegetables at this season. They 
are extremely hardy, and never fail to prove useful where the soil is rich 
enough to grow them. The Drumhead is a large variety, and finds 
favour with some on this account, but it is very coarse and unfit for a 
good dinner-table. In this respect we find the small ones always in 
demand, and amongst these Webb’s Little Wonder merits special mention. 
It may be grown 15 inches apart each way, when the firm heads will 
almost touch each other, and when sent to the table they form such a 
delicious dish that they will be accepted freely when the larger-growing 
varieties and others of inferior quality would be rejected. 
FRUIT FORCING!. 
Figs. —Earliest Trees in Pots .—A commencement should be made 
without delay to insure ripe fruit at the end of April or early in May. 
The trees, if not started, must be again dressed with an insecticide, care 
being taken not to rub off the young fruit. Place the trees in a mild 
bottom heat, the pots being on pillars of loose brickwork, so that they 
will not settle with the fermenting material. The beat about the pots 
must not exceed 65° until the trees are fairly in growth, whilst the top 
heat may be 50° to 55° at night, and 65° by day, the trees and house 
being damped in the morning of fine days and again early in the after¬ 
noon ; but it must be done sufficiently early to allow of the trees getting 
fairly dry before night. Water must be given at the roots to keep the 
soil thoroughly moist, and not less in temperature than that of the fer¬ 
menting material about the pots. 
Planted-out Trees .—When the foliage has fallen the trees should be 
pruned. Shoots which have attained the limit of the trellis must be cut 
back to where the succeeding shoots Btart, in order that they may occupy 
their places in the ensuing season. Cut away entirely all elongated spurs, 
reserving, however, as may be desirable, a few of those which are short- 
j anted and fruitful. The trees after pruning should be loosened from 
the trellis ; and after thoroughly cleansing the woodwork with soap and 
water, the glass with Clearwater, an l the walls limewashed, adding a 
little sulphur, wash the trees with soapy water with a brush and after¬ 
wards with some insecticide, avoiding pigments that leave a thick deposit 
upon the shoots, and when this is completed tie the trees to the trellis, 
not t io tightly. If the trees have not been lifted lightly point the border 
over, the loose material being removed, and a top-dressing about 3 inches 
thick given of short partially decayed manure. The houses can hardly 
be too freely ventilated, only when frost prevails they must be closed. 
Peaches and Nectarines.— Earliest House .—Since the introduc¬ 
tion of very early Peaches forcing has been considerably facilitated. 
Alexander and Waterlo >, both of good size and high colour, ripen fully 
four and not unf requently six weeks in advance of Royal George, the 
surest and most extensive forced kind, the two first being also consider¬ 
ably in advance of Gale’s Early, which had to some extent superseded 
Royal George for esrly forcing, in fact is planted in the same house so as 
to have a succession. Early Beatrice precedes Hale’s Early in ripening a 
foitnight or three weeks, and is about equal with Alexander and Waterloo 
in respect of earliness, but is very much smaller, but bright in colour, and 
forces remarkably well. Early Louise and Early Rivers are liable to 
crack at the stone and be worthless. This is considered to be due to 
imperfect impregnation, and pollen is advised to be taken from other 
varieties and applied to the stigmas of Early Louise and Early Rivers, 
which necessitates growing varieties in the same house that do not ripen 
simultaneously. All except Early Louise and Royal George have large 
flowers, the pistils being considerably longer than the stamens, and it 
is considered on this account that Early Rivers splits at the stone, and the 
others do not set satisfactorily when subjected to early forcing. In the 
face of this we have to place Early Beatrice and Hale’s Early, both with 
large flowers that set freely, though neither is remarkably prolific of 
pollen. Early York, which clearly is of the Royal George race in part 
and Grosse Mignonne of the other, is also subject to over-development of 
the buds, and we are driven to the conclusion that no Peaches of the 
Noblesse or paler coloured fruit of the Grosse Mignonne race are suitable 
for very early forcing. By forcing the buds are perfected in the dog 
days, and are hurried, whereas our experience points to their requiring 
time, and no lack of aliment, and as such are not suitable for early forcing 
in houses having fixed roofs. When the roof lights are moveable, so that 
the trees can be exposed after the fruit is ripe and the trees hardened, 
there is less danger of over-development of the buds ; in fact, they retain 
the buds and develope perfect blossoms. Apart from those considerations 
our experience justifies our not advising the starting of any Peaches with 
large flowers and a pale coloured skia before January, and then bring 
them foiward very gradually. 
The introduction of the very early Peaches has completely revolutionised 
forcing. Such varieties as Early Beatrice ripen in advance of Hale’s 
Early by a fortnight or three weeks, and four to six weeks ahead of Royal 
George. Instead of commencing forcing operations in early December 
where the houses are planted with such kinds as Hale’s Early and 
Royal George to have ripe fruit in May and early June, houses 
planted with Alexander and Waterloo need not be started until 
the new year to have fruit ripe at the same time. There is a 
clear gain of a month. With the early house planted with such varieties 
as Early Beatrice, Alexander, and Waterloo, forcing commenced early in 
December will afford ripe fruit at the end of April; with Hale's Early 
and Royal George the fruit will not be ripe before the middle of May and 
after. We are aware that Alexander and Early Beatrice have been 
ripened at the end of April from the new year as a starting point. If 
fruit is wanted in April or early May with certainty, commence forcing 
with the very earliest varieties in early December; if later varieties obtain 
(and they are superior in quality to the very early sorts), for fruit to be 
ripe in May, forcing must commence at the same time, so that we must be 
ruled by that we have to work. 
The earliest house having been closed as advised, fire heat should now 
be applied. The night temperature should not exceed 50° in the mildest 
weather without free ventilation and not from fire heat, only using it to 
afford a night temperature of 40° to 45°, 50° by day in sharp weather, and 
55° in mild, with 65° from sun, the best results being obtained by gentle 
excitement in the early stages. Admit air at 50°, and increase it with the 
sun heat, having it full at 65°. Syringe the trees and every available 
surface morning and afternoon until the bloom buds are showing colour, 
after which syringing the trees must be discontinued, but the sprinkling 
of the bouse, walls, and paths continued as before. Avoid a close atmo¬ 
sphere, admitting a little air at the top of the house to prevent moisture 
beiog condensed by the glass. The inside borders will require to be 
watered with water slightly warmer than the mean of the house, making 
sure that every part of the soil is properly moistened. Outside borders 
will be benefited by lights or shutters to throw off heavy rains and snow 
in addition to a covering of bracken or litter. 
Cucumbers. —Most failures with winter-fruiting Cucumbers is 
attributable to a deficiency of heating surface. Cold weather necessitates 
sharp firing, which where there is little piping dries the atmosphere more 
than is good for the foliage, the fruits becoming stunted and swelling 
indifferently, and where the pipes are in close proximity to the roots the 
soil is dried too much for healthy growth. One of the greatest evils in 
all houses requiring to be kept at a high temperature is too little heating 
surface, the water in the pipes requiring to be kept up to near boiling 
point, which is very inimical to vegetation and highly wasteful of fuel. 
Be careful in giving air, affording it, however, whenever a favourable 
opportunity offers, but excluding it when the external air is sharp and cold. 
In bright but cold weather turn off the top heat when the sun is powerful 
and likely to raise the temperature beyond 80°; in such weather damp the 
house morning and afternoon, closing early. Care must be exercised in 
damping so as not to wet the embryo fruit, or they will damp off. Water 
will be required at the roots about twice a week. A temperature of 60° 
to 65° at night is suitable, and 70° to 75° by day. 
The winter fruiters or plants from the August sowing, and planted out 
in September, will have grown to the extent of the trellis, or nearly so 
Unless there is undue vigour in the plants they should not be allowed to. 
fruit for a few weeks. Attend frequently to stopping and thinning, also 
tying the shoots, avoiding overcrowding and overcropping as the two 
greatest evils. Subdue canker with quicklime rubbed well into the 
affected parts. R-move decayed and bad leaves promptly. If mildew 
appears dust with flowers of sulphur. Aphides are best overcome by 
moderate fumigation on consecutive evenings. 
THE FLOWER GARDEN AND PLEASURE GROUNDS. 
Roses on their own Roots.— These, unf rtunately cannot be bough 1 , 
or otherwise we shrnld plant no worked Roses on our heavy land. If 
