April », 1891 . ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
291 
Botanic Garden, Cambridge, although only about 8 acre.s in extent, is 
of great interesh The conservatories ware chiefly devoted to collection 
of botanically interestin? plants, and the same may be said of the 
grounds, which were tas*^efully arranged and well kept by Mr. Camf'ron. 
The collection of succulent plants is very fine. Messrs. Temple and 
Beard, Cambridge and Bedford Park Nurseries, were also worthy a visit, 
herbaceous plants, shrubs, and Conifers being grown in large quantities. 
Pyrus Malus Parkmanni, Clematis Stanleyi, Magnolias, and many p'ants 
I had not time to note, were grown successfully by this firm. 
What a pleasure it is to enter the comfortable and well arranged 
carriage of an American railway I There is so much freedom that the 
time seems to pass quickly, whereas in Europe long railway journeys 
are always tedious. A modern train in America is a travelling palace, 
and costs from £30,000 to £40,000 to build. It inc’udes bath rooms, 
sleeping rooms, restaurants, and reception rooms ; and supplies ladies’ 
maids, stenographers, type-writers, and barbers. It makes forty miles 
between stations, ivrnning hour after hour without stopping. Phila¬ 
delphia is a splendid city, bounded by the Biver Delaware and another. 
It is well laid out, and has several fine buildings. An old acquaintance, 
Mr. Charles Evans (of Rose fame) kindly showed me over the magnificent 
Town Hall. My first call was at that true type of a business man, 
Mr. Wm. Dreer, at his store in Chestnut. I visited his establishment 
at Riverton, and was charmed with the neatness and system, and never 
saw Palms and Ferns of all kinds growing so vigorously. Luckily I 
found genial Mr. Robert Craig, one of the most popular florists in 
America, at home, and throwing his duties to one side on my arrival, he 
at once guided me round. Palms are grown here in large quantities, 
as also all the be-.t marketable Ferns. Quantities of Pandanus Veitchi, 
Crotons, Dracfenas, Ficus elastica variegafa, Asparagus plumosus, Smilax 
(employed so largely in sprays in the States for decorations), and a ho t 
of other plants are grown, Roses and Carnations were grown largely 
for eat flower work. Raising new Chrysanthemums from seed is now a 
hobby with Mr. Craig, and I noticed numbeis of prom'sing seedlings. 
Mis. Alpheus Hardy was plant el out in the benches in a house, and only 
one stem being allowed to come. I have seen this variety planted out 
by several different florists, and it appears to grows well and vigorous. 
Mr. Craig drove me through Fairmount Park, whieh is the largest 
city park in the world, covering 3000 acres, and its roadways thirty- 
two and a half mile.s. I was particularly struck with its natural beauty, 
its position having been well chosen, and it is w'ell timbered. It was 
here in 1876 that the Centennial Exhibition was held. The horticul¬ 
tural building is a charming struc'ure, n^w used as a conservatory for 
tropical and other plants, and around it is a large area of ground kept 
in admirable order by the Superintendent. Several large oval beds of 
splendidly coloured Crotons of the broad-leaved var'eties, Cannas, and 
other well arranged beds of Cacti, edged with Alternanthera and 
Echeverias, looked well; sr also did the prrttrre telding. Mr. 
Charles Miller, Superintendent, is to be congratulated upon the taste 
displayed. I also visited Gerard College, the Hon. John Burton, and 
Mr. E. Lonsdale, each of whom had some floral attractions. I also 
called on Mr. Dan Farson, Secretary of the prosperous Pennsylvania 
Horticultural Society, who showed me around the fine city of Phila¬ 
delphia. The Society has a splendid horticultural h.all in the centre 
of the towm, every convenience and aecommotlation being offered to 
render success certain. 
After calling on Mr. Becker, years ago in the employ of my firm, a 
fiorist of considerable ability in the cultivation of Roses for winter cut 
flowers, I visited Mr. C. F. Evans, well-known as the purchaser of Roses 
Her Maj sty, W. F. Bennett, Meteor, and last and one of the best Mrs, 
John Laing, who drove me out to his large and well kept establishment, 
where I received every hospitality from the host and hostess. Mr. 
Evans has mastered the cultivation of the Roses to a nicety. His 
ranges of house w'ere in first-class order, and the Rose in fine health. 
I never saw H.P.’s doing better. My friend is a great advocate for 
steam heating, explained by the late Mr. Peter Henderson as follows :— 
“Two years ago, to satisfy myself of the relative merits of hot w'ater and 
steam heating for greenhouse purposes, I erected a Rose bouse 350 by 
20 feet. This I heated by steam alongside another Rose house of exactly 
the same dimensions heated by hot water. These have given me an 
opportunity for a comparative test, and I find the result in favour of 
steam ; first, that it saves 25 per cent, in fuel ; second, that our firemen 
say that steam boilers require less labour; and third, that the steam 
pipes, by the use of valves, are more easily controlled than the hot- 
water pipes, but above all it must be certain, on a large scale at least, 
heating by steam must be cheaper than hot w-ater. From our experience 
with steam, I believe that, wbenever greenhouses are erected to the 
extent of 6000 square feet of glass surface, steam should be used in 
preference to hot water; if for small areas it may be that hot water 
would be best. As far as the health of plants is concerned there is 
nothing to choose, for although a steam pipe with a low pressure 
radiates at from 212° and over, and a hot-w-ater pipe at about an 
average of 160°, yet at 6 inches from either pipe the temperature is 
almost identical and radiation is rapid ; anyone doubting this can easily 
test it by the thermometer. Leaving out the question of the cost of 
Ixiilers, which ought to be the same for the amount of work to be done, 
we find that a 1^-inch pipe, when heated by steam, does almost exactly 
the same amount of work as a 4-inch hot-water pipe ; at present prices 
the former costs 6 cents per foot, while the latter costs 20 cents. Thus, 
the piping cost three times more for hot water than for steam, but so 
far there has been comparatively little difference in estimates between the 
two, owing probably to the steam heating of greenhouses being in so 
few hands.” I made several other calls at the leading florists, missing 
with regret, however, through presmre of time, an eminent, and I might 
say, the leading Chrysanthemum grower and raiser, Mr. W. K. Harris.. 
To this gentleman’s exertions and skill wo owe many excellent 
American varieties. 
(To be continued.) 
[ 
Idi' 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Pines. —Early Started Fruiting Plants .—Those started into fruit 
early in the year are fast approaching the flowering period, and will be 
benefifed by an occasional sprinkling at the time the house is closed ; 
but when the flow-er opens the dewing must not be practised. The 
foliage being as yet tender, it will be desirable in the case of houses 
with large panes of glass to afford a slight shading for an hour or two in 
the hottest part of the day for a few weeks until the foliage becomes- 
inured to the sun’s influence. When the flowering is over the fruit will 
advance rapidly if the roots are in good condition, and plentiful supplies 
of weak liquid manure will be requisite. Attend to ventilating early in. 
the morning, commencing when the temperature is at 80°, and closing 
at 85° with sun heat. Keep the atmosphere moist when the house is 
closed, the bottom heat steady at 80° to 90°, the night temperature 70°, 
and 75° by day artificially. As soon as the suckers appear remove all 
except one to ^ach plant. 
Vines. —Early Forced Vines .—Early Grapes may be had in credit¬ 
able examples from Vines in pots, but better results are often had by. 
planting the Vines out in beds, with hot-water pipes in a chamber or 
covered with rubble, as in growing Cucumbers or Melons. The Vines,, 
however, require a greater depth of soih This is sometimes made an 
excuse for dispensing with bottom heat, but it ought not to have 
countenance in the case of Vines grown in pot®, or planted out for 
starting in October or early November for affording ripe Grapes in. 
March or early April. Nothing favours early forcing operations so much 
as gentle heat at the roots. The borders or beds must be 3 to 4 feet 
wide, about 2 feet deep, un'ess there be a chamber, so as to admit 6 to 
9 inches of rubble over the hot-water pipes, and 15 to 18 inches depth of 
soil. Vines being raised from eyes, or cut-backs, will need to be 
forwarded in another structure until the Grapes are cut. These being, 
ripe in March or early April will be off by the end of April or early in 
May. The Vines that have fruited are cleared out, fresh soil is placed 
in the bels, and the Vines, after the soil becomes warmed through, aie 
planted at 27 to 30 inches apart. If they have made much progress, 
but are not root-bound, they may be turned out, firming the soil about 
them, and supplying water freely. If in small pots they should be 
disentangled and the roots spread ou*-, but weakly Vines are of no use for 
work of this nature. Turfy loam, with an admixture of one-sixth of old 
mortar rubbish, forms a suitable compost, adding a quart of steamed 
bone meal to every bushel of soil, or a similar quantity of some approved 
fertiliser. Manure can readily be given as a mulch or in liquid form. 
Train the canes near the glass, just keeping their principal leaves clear 
of it, then the wood will be short-jointed and thoroughly solidified. 
Pinch the laterals at the first joint, and to one of subsequent growth. 
Almost any amount of vigour can be had by encouraging the laterals 
but this is not desirable, for the main object is to have as much matter 
elaborated and stored in the cane as possible, concentrating the forces 
on the principal leaves, so as to insure the perfect formation of the buds- 
in their axils, then the crop of the following year will be assured. The. 
principal leaves must not on any account be prejudiced by laterals.. 
Stop the canes at 6 to 8 feet of growth, ai d if disposed to push laterals 
strongly at the joints immediately below the stopping, pinch them 
closely, allowing the laterals lower down the cane to extend a little, so 
as to appropriate the surplus sap and cause that part of the cane to 
thicken equally with the upper part. Under good treatment the Vines- 
will make canes like walking-sticks, with eyes like nuts, and wi 1 Ije 
as much under control as Vines in pots ; they may be matured so as to 
be ready for starting by late October or early November. In this 
method the root action is considerably extended as compared with Vines 
in pots. The Vines are taken up after fruiting, as with early fruited 
Vines in pots, treating them as annuals Cut-backs are much the best 
for treating in this way. The varieties of Grape Vines suitable for this- 
method of culture are Black Hamburgh, Foster’s Seedling, Buckland" 
Sweetwater, and White Frontignan. Madresfield Couit is excellent for 
forcing, and where Muscat flavour is wanted Black Muscat, compuonly 
known as Muscat Hamburgh, should be grown. It forces admirably,, 
and ripens along with the varieties named. Though liable to have 
stoneleos berries, the quality of fruit is unsurpassed by any other 
Grape. . 
Grapes Ripening .—The berri'S swell considerably after colounng 
commences, and to ensure the full swelling of the fruit a genial con¬ 
dition of the atmosphere must be maintained, A parching atmosphere 
is neither good for the health of the Vines nor insures the perfection of 
the Grapes in size, colour, or quality. Water the inside border with tepid 
