246 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ March 31, 1892. 
advisable to use protective material prior to flowering, in order to retard 
as long as possible advancing buds. This need only be done on warm 
sunny mornings by drawing down blinds of tiffany or canvas in front of 
the trees. When the flowers have attained to the point of opening 
further efforts at retarding are useless, and opposite conditions must 
be afforded, admitting all the light and air possible on suitable occasions, 
with protection from frost, wet, and cold winds. Do not destroy the 
hardiness of the flowers by too dense coverings, or retain material over 
the trees too long. 
Meai^s of Protectiox, —Wide coping boards fixed on the top of 
walls at an angle sufficient to carry off wet easily, and projecting far 
enough to admit the securing of material to them without touching the 
trees when suspended, are necessary. Feather-edge boards are among 
the best, as they afford an opportunity for confined air to escape. 
Protecting material of a very heavy nature is undesirable. In many 
naturally sheltered and warm districts fish netting answers well. If a 
quantity can be procured use it folded double or treble. For late trees 
in cool positions it is often sufficient to ward off suddenly sharp frosts. 
It is easily fixed, requires little attachment at the base to keep it in 
position by reason of its weight, and can remain constantly suspended 
before the trees, just securing it here and there along the bottom edge 
so that it hangs tightly and stationary. In cold exposed districts nothing 
less than tiffany, cotton, scrim canvas, or frigi domo will effectively 
protect. Whatever of this nature is employed must have rings attached 
to the material for running up rods or wires fixed on the edge of the 
coping boards. This admits of easy removal to one side for the inlet of 
light and air. 
Disbuddixg Flowers op Peaches, Apricots axd Nectarines. 
—These stone fruits usually produce more flowers than can possibly set, 
or if they do so, swell forward to a safe size before thinning of the 
young fruit is necessary. It follows, therefore, that some systematic 
disbudding of the overplus is necessary, not only to relieve the trees but 
to strengthen those left. Eemove all misplaced buds such as those at 
the back or reverse side of shoots, as well as the weakest of double 
flower buds and imperfectly formed single buds wherever situated. In 
doing this, however, care must be taken not to dislodge wood buds, 
especially those near the base of shoots. 
Protecting Fruit Buds from Birds.— Sparrows, bullfinches, 
linnets, chaffinches, skylarks and goldfinches are troublesome to fruit 
buds. The two first named are, perhaps, the most numerous and do the 
greatest amount of damage. They attack wall trees as well as standard 
bushes and others. Netting trees over where it can easily be 
accomplished secures them against attacks. Fish netting or galvanised 
wire netting may be used. Fish netting is the best for walls where 
Plums, Cherries and Pears are planted. Large standards cannot be 
very well protected. 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Vines. — Succession Houses. —.Stopping, and tying the shoots will 
need attention. Work of this kind must not be allowed to fall into 
arrears, as large reductions of foliage are highly pernicious, and growths 
neglected in tying are apt to snap when brought down. Where the 
space is somewhat restricted stop two joints beyond the bunch, pinching 
the laterals to one leaf ; but where there is space for extension allow 
four or five joints beyond the fruit, permitting the laterals to extend so 
as to insure an even spread of foliage having exposure to light, avoiding 
overcrowding. After the available space is occupied keep the growths 
stopped to one joint, as large reductions of foliage at one time are very 
prejudicial. Supply water or liquid manure to the inside border in a 
tepid state, and ventilate freely on all favourable occasions, particularly 
early in the day, avoiding cold draughts, and closing early with plenty 
of moisture. 
Late House. —Late Grapes started as previously advised will be 
swelling their buds. Syringe the Vines freely twice daily, and every 
surface ought to be damped in the morning and at closing time, so as to 
insure a good break by a genial condition of the atmosphere, closing 
the house with plenty of moisture at 75°. Young canes may need 
depressing as the sap rushes to the upper part and the lower eyes break 
unevenly, even young rods require to be brought into a horizontal 
position for a time. Inside borders will need repeated waterings to 
bring them into a thoroughly moist condition, but avoid needless 
waterings. Outside borders must have sufficient protective material to 
prevent chill from frost and snow. A few inches thickness of stable 
litter freed of the rougher portions of straw is sufficient, and being 
lumpy it allows the free access of air, rain, and the sun’s warmth. Avoid 
thick mulchings and material likely to become a close soapy mass. 
Starting late varieties of Grapes must not be further delayed, as these 
require a longer period to grow and perfect their fruit than other 
varieties, and if given more time in the best part of the season they 
produce good sized and highly finished fruit, and such as keeps sound 
longest. Maintain a moist atmosphere by damping the borders, floors 
and walls every evening, syringing the Vines two or three times a day, 
but allow them to become dry at least once in the twenty-four hours. 
The inside borders may be covered with a little fresh stable litter, 
adding a few fresh horse droppings occasionally to supply ammonia. 
A night temperature of 50° to 55° and 65° by day fropi sun heat is 
suitable. 
Figs. — Earliest Forced Trees in Pots. —Early Violet, Tresfer, and 
other small very early varieties are advanced toward ripening, and the 
foliage must be kept dry as soon as the fruits show signs of changing. 
Less water must also be given to the roots, and liquid manure need not 
be applied, as too liberal feeding in the ripening stages prejudices the 
quality of the Figs. Water, however, should be furnish^ to the roots 
so as to maintain the foliage in health. Trees swelling their fruits need 
full supplies of water and liquid manure until ripening commences, 
when a circulation of warm air will be necessary to secure well ripened 
high quality fruit. The temperature will ne^ to be maintained at 
60° to 65“ at night, 70° to 75° by day from fire heat, 80° to 85° with sun, 
admitting air or increasing it from 75°, closing the house early so as to 
advance 5° to 10° afterwards. 
Planted-out Trees. —These very often grow too luxuriantly, and are 
frequently trained to walls at a considerable distance from the glass, so 
that they produce wood instead of fruit. This can only be overcome by 
lifting and restricting the roots and training the growths thinly. They 
cannot l>e too near the glass. When the foliage has abundance of light 
and the roots are plentiful and active in borders of limited area the trees 
require liberal feeding. This is easily effected through the surface roots, 
which are encouraged by a mulching of partially decayed lumpy manure, 
and this if kept moist will be permeated with roots by the time the most 
support is needed to perfect the crop. Fig trees will take almost any 
amount of liquid manure without prejudice to the crop, and it is 
astonishing what heavy crops the trees will carry with the roots confined 
to narrow borders. 
Melons. —The change in the weather has done wonders in solidify¬ 
ing the growths in the earliest plants, which were becoming thin in the 
leaves and slender in the growth during the recent spell of wintry 
weather, and they are setting fruits on the first laterals. When in 
flower and during the setting period water should only be given to 
prevent flagging, and the atmosphere must be kept drier, with an 
increase of temperature of about 5°, a circulation of warm air conducing 
to a good set, and if necessary a little air should be admitted at night 
to prevent the deposition of moisture on the flowers. Fertilise the 
blossoms every day, pinching each growth at the same time one joint 
beyond the fruit. When the fruits are set and about the size of a 
bantam’s egg give a thorough watering with tepid water or weak liquid 
manure, having the soil for earthing the roots warmed, for if the roots 
are chilled by cold water or soil the fruits turn yellow instead of swell¬ 
ing. In a day or two after the watering top-dress with rich, turfy, 
rather strong loam previously waYmed, pressing it down somewhat firmly, 
and again supply water. Stop the subsequent growths to one or two 
leaves, and avoid overcrowding by removing superfluous growths. The 
bottom heat should be kept between 80° and 85°; this assists the swelling 
of the fruits, and speedy growth with early ripening is a great point in 
growing the first crop of Melons. The night temperature should be kept 
at 65° to 70°, 70° to 75° by day from artificial heat, ventilating from that 
point, but allowing an advance to 85° or 90°, closing at 85° sufficiently 
early to rise to 90° or 100°. Syringe moderately about 3 p.m. on bright 
and warm afternoons, or soon after mid-day when the air is sharp. 
Damp the floor in the morning, and keep the evaporating troughs 
charged with liquid manure ; or failing these sprinkle the floor and 
other surfaces (not the plants) with stable drainings diluted with five 
times the bulk of water, unless sufficiently diluted by washings running 
into the tank. Liquid manure will be needed by plants in restricted 
borders, and a mulching of rather lumpy and sweet manure encourages 
roots and affords support. Water, liquid manure, and mulching must 
always be applied equal to or in advance of the temperature of the 
house. 
Later plants will need the growths trained regularly, removing the 
laterals on the stem to the trellis, then rubbing off every alternate 
lateral directly they are perceived, leaving the rest on the right and left 
of the main stem, pinching the point out of the primary stem after it 
has extended two-thirds of the required distance. Increase the supply 
of water as the days lengthen, but avoid making the soil too wet, as that 
hinders root action ; and secure a genial condition of the atmosphere by 
damping in the morning and lightly syringing on fine afternoons. 
Sow seed to raise plants for occupying small houses or pits as they 
become cleared of bedding plants, keeping the seedlings sturdy, and not 
allowing them to become very much root-bound. In pits and frames a 
bottom heat of 80° should be maintained for plants that are growing 
freely ; newly made beds will have a bottom heat of 90°, which is safe 
for planting out, and as the heat declines it can be increased by renewing 
the linings, employing thick night coverings over the lights. 
Cucumbers. —The sun has caused plants that of necessity were 
kept close during the late severe weather to flag, and therefore light 
shading is often desirable for a couple of hoars at mid-day when the sun 
is bright. Plants in bearing will need liquid manure once or twice a 
week and the roots earthing occasionally. Care must be taken not to 
apply the liquid too strong, and if horse droppings are used as a mulch 
they must be well sweetened before being introduced to the house, or 
the ammonia will injure the foliage. Old plants that have been in 
bearing for some time should have the exhausted soil removed with a 
small handfork, not injuring the roots, adding a rich lumpy compost 
previously warmed. Exhausted growths should be cut out and young 
bearing shoots encouraged. Worms sometimes become troublesome in 
old beds, and are best expelled with lime water, made by dissolving a 
peck of lime in thirty gallons of w ater, or soot, a peck to seventy gaUons 
of water. The lime acts well on the organic matter, and the soot is a 
good fertiliser, but the clear water only should be used, letting the 
respective mixtures stand forty-eight hours after stirring. Canker 
in the stems may be subdued by rubbing quicklime into the affected 
parts, repeating as necessary, and avoid wetting the stems. Damp the 
