222 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ Msrch isn 
LILAC FOR FORCING. 
How seldom do we see Lilacs recommended for forcing during 
the winter when flowers are scarce and costly, and yet I venture to 
say that there are few other hardy shrubs better adapted for this 
purpose, and certainly none more appreciated by ladies. When 
they are managed in the proper way Lilacs are readily forced and 
flowered. 
Lilacs are much in demand here for room and table decoration, 
therefore I have to force a considerable number in order to main¬ 
tain an unbroken supply during the winter, and as I have been 
fairly successful I think it might interest some of your readers if I 
detail my mode of treatment. 
I prefer plants on their own root to those grafted on common 
stocks, although those grafted or budded do not require quite such 
crreful treatment. In March or April the cuttings are taken from 
plants which have been forced. I select shoots which are just 
beginning to become a little firm, and which are moderately strong 
but not unduly vigorous. They are taken off with a heel and 
placed round the side of a 4-inch pot in very sandy soil, but making 
this firm about the cuttings. The pots are placed in a propagating 
case, which is kept rather close till the cuttings are rooted, generally 
accomplished in about three weeks. After they are well rooted 
they are gradually brought to the light and hardened, at which time 
they are transferred into 3-inch pots, any sandy soil being used for 
them. They are then placed in a cold frame and carefully watered, 
and when all danger of frost is past they are planted out in a sunny 
place, where they remain until they are large enough for forcing. 
That is the time they must have proper treatment in order to bring 
them into a flowering condition. They are pruned into shapely 
plants before being forced. I cut round them with a sharp spade 
at about a foot from their stem, or so that they will drop into a 
1’2-inch pet after the loose soil has been shaken off. This I do in 
August, and the plants are lifted not later than September or the 
first week in October. They are potted in loam and a little manure 
and some sand, making them very firm. They are then taken to 
a shady place, and kept syringed and watered as often as required. 
I endeavour to keep the foliage on as long as possible, this assist¬ 
ing root action. 
I like to have my first plants in flower on Christmas Day. I 
generally give the plants three weeks to do this in, which I find 
long enough, provided the weather is not severe ; but should the 
weather be sharp at the time I allow a week longer. I find the 
best place wherein to force them is a warm stokehole on the top 
of the boiler : but where such a place cannot be provided a warm 
Mushroom house will do, although they will require a longer time. 
Or course, I am assuming that such varieties as Charles X. are to be 
forced, w'hich is the best for the purpose, and that the flowers are 
required to be quite white. In this case, they must be forced in 
an absolutely dark place, such as thoise mentioned above. My 
plants are forced on the top of a b.filer, where the temperature 
ranges from 05° to 75°. They are syringed once every day until 
the flowers are ready to open, when they are taken to a cooler 
louse. 
•Some gardeners complain of their plants flagging. I think this 
is due to their being roughly handled while being lifted and potted, 
or not being properly prepared. If the plants are cut round once or 
twice during the summer there will be no fear of their flagging, for 
they will be a mass of roots, and come up with capital balls of soil 
attached to them. If they are potted any time from the middle of 
August to the last week in September, and treated as described, 
there will be no fear of flagging. It is only those who have seen 
good specimens well flowered in the dull days of winter who can 
form any opinion of their beauty and usefulness. AVhen wm 
consider that a plant in a 14-inch pot can be made to produce 
100 trusses of lovely and sweet-scented flowers, and as large as any 
we commonly see in our shrubberies, and this at absolutely less 
trouble and expense than any other hardy shrub, we may w’cfil 
ask why they are not more commonly grown. Of course it will be 
observed that I have supposed the coloured varieties to be used for 
forcing, as they are more free and robust than the wfiiite varieties, 
and that they are required to be white, hence my recommending 
them to be forced in the dark.—J. A. 
THE BLACK CURRANT MITE. 
We havje long been familiar with the destrurtive ravages of 
this mite, v.-hich has rendered the culture of Black Currants im¬ 
possible in many Liverpool gardens, and it appears to be rapidly 
increasing. For man}^ years we failed to grow this desirable fruit, 
although every precaution was taken to select clean young trees 
from other localities, and to plant on fresh ground, but without 
success. We had no idea, however, until recently that the pest is 
rapidly spreading throughout the country, and is as likely to prove* 
as detrimental in the Currant growing districts as the phylloxera 
has in the vineyards of France. It has firmly establLhed itself in 
the eastern counties, and already thousands of trees have been taken' 
up and burned. In the fen lands of Lincolnshire it has spread 
rapidly, and from what we have seen will soon complete its work 
of destruction, for already acres of trees have been grnbbed up,, 
and the ground planted with Gooseberries, and used for other pur¬ 
poses. It is unfortunate, because land that is wet and heavy is 
suitable for the Black Currant, while it is too wet for other bushi 
fruits. 
Grubbing up the trees and burning them is a wise course to- 
pursue, for loss will be occasioned whatever method may be 
adopted, and it is useless to retain trees already badly iiifested. 
The wholesale destruction of trees will fall most heavily on those- 
that have planted land exclusively with Black Currants ; and in 
localities where the mite exists, although the trees may not be- 
attacked, they would act wisely by being prepared for any 
emergency that may arise. This insect migrates, as I have proved 
by experience, and as long as there are infested trees in the locality 
none can be considered safe, even if they are isolated.^ Certainly 
they have a better chance of escape than those growing side by' 
side. 
The reason I am alluding to this pest is because there are 
many who are familiar with the outw'ard appearance but who do 
not believe in the existence of the mite as the cause. These- 
diseases cannot be too generally made known amongst growers,, 
especially when wc find in localities that it is believed to be due to 
other causes, and these beliefs propagated by those who should' 
know better. In a fruit-growing locality that need not be named 
it was noticed last season for the first time, and the prevailing' 
opinion was that the mild weather of the early part of the year had- 
caused the fruit buds to swell enormously, and a very beautiful- 
crop had been anticipated, although I was glad to find that some- 
had examined the matter for themselves, and had discovered the 
existence of the mite, and taken measures to expel it from their- 
plantations by burning all infested trees. When these prominent 
looking buds never developed, or only produced the most miserable 
shoots and bunches, the severe weather or frosts of spring w'ere 
considered the cause. Those who persist in these theories wilt 
eventually learn to their cost that the cause is not due to the 
weather, but an insect that will persist in its ravages until the 
growth of the tree is arrested, every bud attacked, and the tree' 
gradually dies. 
As far as we can observe there are no means of coping with> 
this pest and save the trees from destruction. The inseet lives- 
and does its work of destruction amongst the scales of the buds,, 
and is thus protected from insecticides and other measures of 
like nature that might be adopted for its destruction. Strange* 
though it may seem, trees that are old or have become checked 
and stunted first become a prey to this pest. Young vigorous 
trees seem to resist it for a time, but unfortunately only for a time,, 
when they are attacked. It is useless to root up a few trees or 
cut off affected parts with the hope of getting rid of this mite, and' 
place clean young plants in the same soil, for they in turn will also be 
attacked ; in fact it is almost certain to make its appearance the- 
next season. We followed this course at first, but our efforts- 
proved futile. Then we burned all old trees and waited two years- 
before planting again on fresh ground, but these the second year 
after planting were attacked again, and badly infested the third. 
The insects on this plantation and another made afterwards must 
have migrated from other gardens in the neighbourhood. 
Proclaiming certain districts has unquestionably proved advan 
tageous in the case of various diseases amongst cattle. I am. 
inclined to think that some such provision is necessary in stamping, 
out this Black Currant mite. If put into practice it would be the 
means of protecting those in localities where the mite does not 
exist, and of stamping it out in those where it has gained a footing. 
Young trees are sold by thousands from infested districts, and are- 
thus assisting in spreading the disease, if I may so term it, broad¬ 
cast throughout the country. 
There is not much to fear from large growers who have a living 
to make. They are generally wise enough to take these matters in 
hand at once, to stamp out the pests and plant the ground with other 
things that will prove remunerative until fresh plantations can be 
established ; but they have to fear, as well as raisers of young 
trees, the perversity of small growers. In cottage gardens and 
others it frequently happens that where there is two or three, or it 
may be half a dozen trees, they will not destroy them when they 
know they are infested as long as they continue to bear a few 
fruits. But this is a general failing, and plants of various kinds,, 
both indoors and out, are frequently allowed to remain long after 
they are diseased and infested with insects. There is wisdom ia 
clearing out all plants in this condition promptly unless they caa 
