498 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ June 30, 1892, 
silver medal. Messrs. Collins Bros. & Gabriel had an effective exhibit 
of Paeonies, Delphiniums, Poppies, Liliums, Irises, and other hardy 
flowers (small silver medal). A fine group of stove and greenhouse 
plants, rich in colour, came from Mr. H. James (silver-gilt medal). 
Mr. Mould staged some of his imposing specimen plants, and a silver- 
gilt medal fell to him. Mr, R. Scott, gardener to Miss Foster, had a 
large group of indoor and outdoor plants with a few Orchids interspersed ; 
also a window box and hanging basket, receiving a silver medal for the 
former and bronze ones for the two latter. Mr. J. Bennett was awarded 
a bronze medal for a well furnished bamboo flower stand. Messrs. J. 
Peed & Son were represented by a grand group of Caladiums, of which 
they are now making a great feature. The plants were healthy and 
well colour(;d (large silver medal). Mr. C. Turner exhibited some of his 
splendid specimen Pelargoniums, both Show and Fancy. Messrs. 
Cheal & Sons had a collection of hardy flowers and two charming stands 
of Violas (large bronze medal). Messrs. Kelway & Son had a magnifi¬ 
cent exhibit of Paeonies, Delphiniums, Pyrethrums, Gaillardias, and 
other choice hardy flowers, well meriting the large silver medal awarded. 
Messrs. Carter & Co. exhibited a bright collection of Gloxinias inter¬ 
spersed with Ferns (bronze medal). Messrs. Hugh Low & Son had a 
beautiful group of Orchids (silver medal). From Messrs. J. Veitch and 
Sons came many handsome shrubs and Conifers, such as Spiraea 
astilboides, Abies orientalis aurea, Eleagnus pungens maculatus, and 
Hydrangea japonica Mariesi (silver medal). Messrs. G. Paul & Son, 
Cheshunt, contributed Pfeonies, P^'rethrums, and other herbaceous 
plants, with a bright mixture of Roses (large silver medal). Messrs. 
W. Paul & Son, Waltham Cross, had a fine display of Roses, both plants 
and cut flowers, also Paeonies and ornamental shrubs (large silver medal). 
Messrs. Barr & Son exhibited a good collection of bulbous and other 
hardy flowers (small silver medal). 
1 
I 
WOKK.foiitheWEEK.. ' 
r ^ 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Vines. — Early Forced Houses.—WhQn the Grapes have been cut 
the Vines should be thoroughly syringed to cleanse them of dust and 
insect pests. The worst of these is red spider, which in its countless 
numbers so impoverishes the leaves that they fall prematurely, and the 
buds are so ill-formed that the growths from them in the following 
year are weak and the fruit poor. Where red spider has disfigured the 
foliage and caused some of the leaves to fall, which is not an uncommon 
occurrence in early and hard forcing, laterals should be encouraged 
from the upper part of the bearing shoots, so as to excite root action 
and prevent the pruning buds starting into growth. These buds, 
though their leaves may have fallen, will not start provided there is 
growth above them to appropriate the sap, and they will usually perfect 
the embryonic growth and crop formation of the coming season. Where 
the basal and main leaves are fresh a moderate extension of the 
laterals, especially in the case of weakly Vines and those long subjected 
to forcing, should be encouraged from the extremities only ; in any 
case they must not be allowed to interfere with the principal leaves. 
Syringe the Vines every evening until they are freed of dust and red 
spider, and then occasionally so as to preserve the foliage as long as 
possible. They must not be allowed to go to rest, or they will make a 
second growth late in the summer. Ventilate to the fullest extent day 
and night, and if there are moveable roof lights they may be removed in 
mild weather. Where, however, it is intended to lift the Vines and lay 
the roots in fresh compost near the surface, the roof lights must only 
be removed on condition that they are held in readiness to place over 
the Vines in case of heavy rains, as a wet soil is not favourable to lifting. 
There is no cleanser equal to the rain from the clouds, and a judicious 
removal of the roof lights frees the upper side of the foliage of mealy 
bug, red spider, and thrips, where they are quite safe from insecticides 
applied from beneath. 
Grajjes Colouring. —Those changing colour require plenty of air 
with abundance of heat, as nothing contributes so much to high flavour 
and finish as a circulation of rather dry warm air. The temperature 
should be maintained at 70° to 75° by day, and 5° to 10° lower at night; 
with sun heat 10° to 15° more by daji may be allowed. Vines struggling 
with a heavy crop should not be subjected to so high a temperature as 
those which are luxuriant and carrying no more fruit than may be con¬ 
sidered a fair crop, but rest must be afforded them at night by allowing 
the temperature to fall to 50°. Afford a thorough supply of water to the 
border, mulching with an inch or so of short manure. Outside borders 
in most cases have been sufficiently moistened by the recent rains. 
Moderate air moisture is still necessary for the foliage, damping down 
in the morning and afternoon, but there must not be any attempt at a 
close atmosphere, as that is fatal co colour and bloom, and is likely to 
induce “spot” in the tender-skinned white Grapes, such as Duke of 
Buccleuch and Muscat of Alexandria. The latter, and all Grapes that 
are long in ripening, must not be deprived of air moisture, nor be 
neglected for water and nourishment at the roots, or they will, especially 
Muscat of Alexandria, shrivel, or not swell to the size tney would were 
they properly fed. The moisture will not injure the Grapes if the 
atmosphere does not become stagnant; it should be kept rnoving by a 
gentle warmth in the pipes and ventilation constantly, a little top and 
bottom sufficing. 
Late Houses. —The Grapes are later than usual, but thinning the 
berries is in most cases completed, or it only remains to go over the 
bunches the last time for the removal of superfluous or stoneless berries.. 
To have highly finished berries thin them well, especially in the interior 
of the bunches, leaving the large-berried varieties, such as Gros Colman^ 
not less than an inch apart, and the oval-berried varieties only a little¬ 
less, allowing room for all to swell without wedging, and yet be so close 
as to form shapely bunches, such as will retain their shape when dished. 
An array of footstalks as well as berries is not pleasing, therefore aim at 
compactness rather than a sprawling bunch of loose berries. Do not 
spare the bunches where there are too many, but reduce them to the 
number which their size and the condition of the Vines warrant as likely 
to finish satisfactorily. It is well to err, if at all, on the safe side, as 
over-burdened Vines never finish their fruit well, and it will not keep 
sound long. 
Firing and Ventilating. —When the Grapes are thinned is the time 
to get size into them, as they swell rapidly up to stoning, and then 
remain stationary for a month or six weeks. Cold nights render fires 
still necessary, and it is the reverse of economical to let the fires out 
now and lose size in the Grapes, then have to fire hard and long later on 
when the sun has less power to ripen them. All late Grapes require a 
high temperature and a long season, with abundant food at the roots 
and a plentiiul supply of atmospheric moisture. Maintain the night 
temperature at 65°, 70° to 75° by day artificially. Admit a 1 ttle air 
early in the morning, but never to lower the temperature, and increase 
it with the rising heat, which should go up to 85° or 90° from sun heat, 
and the longer that is kept the greater progress the Grapes make. 
Reduce the ventilation when the sun heat wanes, closing the house by the 
time it recedes to 85°, well damping the paths then, and the heat may 
rise 5° to 10° afterwards with benefit. In backward seasons like the 
present it is particularly desirable to make the most of sun heat, and 
aid it with artificial warmth. A little air at the top of the house at 
night will allow the vitiated atmosphere to change, and the foliage to 
become dry in the morning by the time the sun acts powerfully upon 
it, and if care is taken to increase the ventilation with the advancing 
sun scorching will be avoided. 
Watering. —The Vines seem to “jump” with the soakings of rain 
the outside borders sometimes get in hayime. The rain is then warm, 
and charged with some ammonia and nitric acid ; besides, where the 
drainage is thorough the soil is cleansed of its impurities, and fresh air 
takes the place of the old. It is much the same in watering inside 
borders, which seems to benefit the Vines most when applied trom rain 
w'ater tanks on rainy days. The moisture then given is ready for the 
Vines when a dry or bright period follows, and the food has been 
diffused in the soil, so that they have an opportunity of appropriating it. 
Soak the inside borders thoroughly whenever the soil is in the least dry, 
and follow with liquid manure where the Vines are carrying full crops. 
If the soil is light the liquid may be used rather thick, and the border 
may be mulched with short manure, which should be moistened occasion¬ 
ally, but not always kept wet. Sweetened horse droppings are suitable 
for heavy soil, farmyard manure or cow manure being better for light 
soils. The thing is not to apply too thick a coat, never more than am 
inch or two, and then add to it from time to time so as to keep that 
thickness, and so supply nutriment regularly. To let the border get 
and remain dry at the surface causes the roots to strike down in quest 
of moisture, and the result is the Grapes finish badly. Next year’s 
crop is prejudiced through the wood not ripening well ; the buds break 
irregularly, and the bunches curl, twist, and wither instead of elongating, 
whilst the Grapes which set often colour badly and shank. 
Regulating the Growths. —Avoid an excess of foliage, and have all 
the leaves fully exposed to light. Do not occupy all the space at com¬ 
mand with laterals, but leave some so that growth can be made 
successionally, and that will encourage root action. The foliage should 
be rather thinner in the case of white Grapes than black. Muscats 
especially need the foliage and Grapes well exposed to the light. Avoid 
large reductions of foliage at one time; the merest point should be taken 
out of laterals and sublaterals, and then all the benefit is got out of 
extension without any of the disadvantages resulting from a confused 
mass suddenly reduced by armfuls, which produces a stagnation of the 
sap and a check on the roots. Vines extending may be allowed to make 
as much lateral extension as practicable, but remember that the principal 
leaves which nourish the buds to which the Vines are to be pruned must 
not be interfered with, affording them full exposure so that they may 
elaborate the sap, transmit the assimilated matter to the buds, and store 
food in the adjacent wood. Lateral growth is useful in assisting the: 
canes or main rods to thicken, and this laying-on of new layers of wood 
is important, as by it sap is readily transmitted from the roots to the 
growths. Such extension, however, must be kept subordinate to, and 
not allowed to interfere with, the principal growths, or prevent the. 
access of light and air to the main leaves. 
THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Welcome Rainfall. —Good rains ha ve been very general and ware 
certainly never more needed. Following the unusually severe frosts 
they will do much towards recovering the badly crippled Potatoes, 
Runner Beans and such like, and are also just in time to prevent Onions 
and other root crops from bulbing prematurely. Supposing all these. 
