March 3, 1892. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
171 
amount by the conditions of the external atmosphere. Employ fire 
heat only to maintain 50° throupch the day, relying on sun heat for 
advancement, and maintain a night temperature of 40° to 45°. The 
blossoming over and the fruit swelling recourse may again be had to 
syringing, but avoid keeping the tre’S dripping with water, always 
allowing the foliage to become fairly dry before night. Keep a keen 
eye on aphides and promptly fumigate, or syringe the trees with 
quassia water. This may be made by steeping 4 ozs. of chips over¬ 
night in a gallon of soft water, boiling fifteen minutes, and dissolving in 
it as it cools 2 ozs. of softsoap, straining and adding water to make one 
gallon, as some liquid is lost in boiling. Look carefully over the trees 
for grubs ; one kind, a species of Tortrix, rolls itself up in the leaves, 
and can be eradicated by squeezing between the thumb and finger, 
but the other becomes encased on the under side of the leaves, giving the 
appearance of being scalded, and from the leaves it passes to the 
Cherries, eating and spoiling them. The only remedy is to search for 
and destroy the grubs. Supply wa'er or liquid manure to the border as 
required, keeping trees in pots well supplied, and afford top dressings of 
rich material. Finch side growths at the fourth or fifth leaf, heeling in 
extensions or growths required to cover vacant spaces. 
CtJCUMBERS.—Light and sun heat increase the evaporation, neces¬ 
sitating a greater supply of atmospheric moisture, therefore damp the 
house twice a day, and syringe the plants lightly early on bright after¬ 
noons. On cold nights 65° is ample, but in mild weather allow 5“ more, 
maintaining 70° to 75° by day, and 80° to 85° or 90° from sun heat, 
closing early so as to increase the heat to 90° or more. Afford liquid 
manure once or twice a week, always tepid, never too strong. Cut the 
fruit directly it is large enough, as it deteriorates by retention and 
weakens the plant. Cucumbers keep fresh for several days with the 
stalks inserted in a saucer of water. Stop the shoots one joint beyond 
the fruit, thin the fruits well, removing superfluous growth, tendrils, 
bad leaves, and male blossoms. Ventilate early and carefully, avoiding 
draughts and depressions of temperature. 
Plants in Pits and Frames .—These have had a hard time, the tem¬ 
perature being with difficulty kept up without a superabundance of 
moisture. Cover the lights at night, and prepare materials for fresh 
beds and for lining, sowing seeds as occasional plants are required. 
Melons.—A ridge about 2 feet wide at the base with the top flat¬ 
tened, so as to give a depth of 10 or 12 inches, is preferable to hillocks, 
though these may be made about the same in diameter as the width of 
the ridge, and its depth at the places where the plants are to be put 
out 2^ to 3 feet apart. The soil should be firm, and when warm plant¬ 
ing may be done, keeping the seed leaves clear of the soil. The leading 
shoots should be taken up without stopping until two-thirds the distance 
is reached they are intended to travel, then pinch out the point of each, 
and rub off the laterals to the height of the trellis. Some varieties show 
fruit freely on the first laterals, and as early fruit is a main feature 
with the plants, allow them to remain, taking out the point at the joint 
above the fruit at the time of fertilising the blossom. To allow all the 
laterals to remain would very much overcrowd the foliage, therefore rub 
off whilst quite young every alternate one. If the laterals do not show 
fruit at the second or third joint pinch them at those points, and the 
succeeding growths will show fruit. Train the growths thinly and 
regularly, so that every part is equally furnished with foliage, all having 
due exposure to light. 
Melons in Pits and Frames. — Plants to have the shoots trained 
over the surface of the bed should be stopped at the second leaf before 
or after planting-out, causing two shoots to follow, and these in turn 
being pinched will give four shoots, two to be taken to the front and two 
to the back of the frame. Other growths that appear near the collar of 
the plants should be rubbed off whilst quite young, not encouraging 
any laterals nearer the stem than 6 inches, as it is necessary to keep 
the collar clear. Stop the principal shoots when within a foot of the 
sides of the pit or frame, thus throwing vigour into the laterals, and the 
growths must not be crowded. The laterals will show fruit at the 
second or third joint, and they should be pinched one joint beyond the 
fruit, but not until the blossom is fertilised. Little water will be 
required, nevertheless maintain the soil in a moist state, but avoid a 
saturated condition. Cover the lights with double mats at night, and 
see that the linings are regularly attended to, renewing as required. 
Prepare material for fresh beds and linings. Three parts Oak, Spanish 
Chestnut, or Beech leaves, and one part stable litter make the hest beds, 
mixing the materials about a fortnight before it is desired to make the 
beds. In a few days it will be seen whether there is enough moisture to 
insure fermentation ; if not turn the whole, and sprinkle with water or 
liquid manure so as to moisten the mass, and when in good heat turn 
the heap outside to inside, two or three turnings being required at 
intervals of about four days. Maintain the bottom heat at 85° to 90°, 
taking care, however, to prevent overheating. 
3I(don Houses. — In these more moisture is necessary, therefore 
sprinkle every available surface, except the hot-water pipes and plants, 
in the morning of bright days, and again at closing time or early in the 
afternoon. Ventilate carefully, avoiding currents of cold air, and place 
some hexagon netting or coarse scrim canvas over the ventilators when 
the outside air is sharp. Maintain a night temperature of 65°, 5° more 
in mild and 5° less in cold weather, a rather low night temperature being 
better than a high and dry one, yet it must not be of long duration or 
the plants become stunted in giowth. The day temperature should be 
kept at 70° to 75°, rising to 80° or 85° from sun heat, and closing early 
so as to raise it to 90° or more, and keep the bottom heat steady at 80°. 
Sow seed for raising plants to sustain the succession and shift seedlings 
into larger pots, or add soil as the plants advance; stop those for frames 
at the second rough leaf, but not for trellises. 
Strawberries in Pots. —The earliest plants now ripening their 
fruit should have a drier and more freely ventilated house, but there 
must be no sudden change, or the fruit will not finish well. For 
swelling, the temperature should be 65° at night, and 70° to 75° by 
ilay, advancing to 80° or 85° with sun, and plenty of atmospheric 
moisture, and after the fruit changes colour the atmosphere should be 
kept cooler and drier, so as to insure flavour. The second batch of 
plants have set well, and been thinned, a matter too frequently 
neglected. This enables the plants to produce gr.and fruit, half a 
dozen fine berries being better than a dozen small, but regard must be 
had to the variety, for half a dozen on La Urosse Sucrbe has its 
equivalent in a dozen on Vicomtesse H6ricart de Thury. Give liquid 
manure copiously, as often as required, examining the plants twice, and 
in bright weather three times a day, for the purpose. Plants in 
vineries and Peach houses come on successionally, and need not be 
moved except to meet special requirements. Strawberries of the larger 
varieties placed in span-roofed frames afford grand fruit a fortnight to 
three weeks earlier than those in the open ground. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Fittonias. —In 2-inch pots these are useful little plants for various 
forms of decoration. They root readily at almost any season of the year, 
and may be inserted in the pots in which they are to be grown, and few 
dwarf plants are more effective when associated with small Ferns or 
Selaginellas. The two varieties, arranged together as a front margin to 
the stove or Orchid house, are very pleasing, and the close moist 
atmosphere of the latter suits them admirably. They are more 
beautiful when grown in low Orchid pans 4 inches across than when 
employed in ordinary pots. When arranged at the front of a group of 
plants these low pans can be tilted so that the plants with their finely 
marked leaves reach to the base. 
Soiierilas. —These are not so useful on the whole as Fittonias, never¬ 
theless where choice plants are grown and appreciated for their chaste 
beauty a few of these should be included. A few pans in the stove or 
in the Orchid house are certainly an attraction. These plants grow very 
well in small baskets in close moist shaded houses. For this purpose the 
cuttings should be inserted in pans and the plants subsequently dibbled 
in the b.askets, using as a compost rough peat moss and sand. If dewed 
over twice daily after they are rooted and placed in the baskets they 
soon cover the material in which they are grown. 
Bertolonias. —A stove scarcely seems furnished without a few of these 
foliage plants. Young plants that have passed the winter well in small 
pots may be placed into 4-inch, which are large enough for them to 
develop beautiful leaves. [Side shoots on larger plants that were 
retained, if inserted in small pots in moss and sand, will root quickly in 
the propagating frame. The atmosphere of the stove is too airy and 
dry as a rule for these plants, and, until they are developed, we grow 
them in handlights in the house. 
Panioum variegatum. —For many forms of decoration the old Panicum 
is invaluable. Associated with Selaginella csesia, it is unquestionably the 
best edging to the stove, or any warm house, that can be employed. 
Those rooted in autumn, and now in 60’s, may be placed in 5-inch 
pots, and before the end of the season the growths will hang from the 
stage to the ground. Cuttings may be also inserted in 5-inch pots. This 
plant is suitable for baskets, and in a few months these have a very 
attractive anpearance. 
Selaginella ccesia. —Established plants should be broken up and 
placed in 5-inch pots in any light sandy soil. These will start freely in 
a vinery where the temperature is 55°, and when they have started into 
growth they can be taken to the stove or any position in which they 
may be required. 
Nejgenthes. —Plants that have grown tall should be cut down to within 
6 inches of the base. The stem may be cut into lengths of two leaves 
to each; these if inserted in sphagnum moss and sand, and plunged in brisk 
heat in the propagating frame, will soon root. Plants which have made 
four or five leaves, and are not required for stock, may be pinched ; 
this insures their breaking and pitchering freely. If they are allowed 
to “ run away ” they soon cease to produce pitchers. When the plants 
are grown in baskets and need larger ones it is the best plan to place the 
old baskets inside the new, and then fill in with rough peat, lumps of 
charcoal, and sphagnum moss. These plants are subject to thrips, and 
the best method of eradicating them is to tie the basket in a piece of 
close tiffany, and then syringe thoroughly over a tank conta,ining a 
solution of tobacco water. If the basket is not covered the thrips drop 
into the moss, and are not long before they establish themselves on the 
plants again. 
APIARIAN NOTES. 
The Weather in Lanarkshire. 
Dull days have prevailed of late. The night temperature has 
varied from 28° to 32°, and the day temperature 32° to 38° ; but 
