May 21, 1891. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
415 
Lodge, Bishopstoke, was well ahead, having a pleasing arrangement of 
Orchids, Palms, and Ferns, all good in quality and much more lightly 
arranged than is usually the case. Mr. B. Ladhams, florist, Shirley, 
was a good second, having a bright well arranged collection. Mr. E. 
Wills, Shirley, third. In a smaller class Mr. G. Busby, gardener to F. 
Willan, Esq., Thornhill Park, Bitterne, was first ; Mr. T. Hall, gardener 
to the President, S. Montague, Esq., South Stoneham House, Southamp¬ 
ton, both competing in a spirited manner. Spirmas, Pelargoniums, 
Calceolarias, and Gloxinias were capitally shown by Messrs. Hall, 
Ladhams ; Amys, gardener to the Hon. Mrs. Elliott Yorke, Hamble Cliff, 
Netley ; and Mr. Carr, the latter exhibiting especially fine plants. 
Herbaceous cut flowers in twelve varieties made a good display, the 
best coming from Mr. Maurice Pritchard, Southbourne, Christchurch, 
Cypripedium calceolus, Trollius japonicus, T. europaeus, and Trillium 
grandiflorum being the most noteworthy. Mr. Ladhams followed for 
second honours. Mr. H. W. Stratton, Portswood, exhibited a splendid 
box of Mar^chal Niel Bose blooms, taking first prize in that class. Miss 
Kate Golding, Portswood, secured first prize for an epergne decoration. 
Mr. Kogers, Bed Lodge Nurseries, contributed a splendid collection of 
Bhododendrons and hardy shrubs in pots, which made a fine display 
the entire length of one side of a large tent, and two dozen boxes of cut 
blooms Bhodcxlendrons. Mr. Ladhams staged some fine Pelargoniums, 
“ not for competition.” Mr. Amys had a gootl collection of vegetables, 
consisting of Tomatoes, Asparagus, and Broccoli, and was awarded an 
extra prize. The officials as usual worked hard to make the Show a 
success, especially Mr. Fuidge, the energetic Secretary. 
HABDY FRUIT GARDEN. 
Strawberries. —If extra large fruits are required for exhibition or 
other purposes the plants must now be liberally suppUed with liquid 
manure. The Strawberry is a gross feeder while fruiting, and any extra 
attention in this way during the next few weeks until the fruit is half 
grown will be well repaid. Great care must be used in supplying liquid 
manure after the flowers fall, or a deposit will be left on the fruit, and 
it will be spoiled. If liquid manure is not obtainable a good dressing 
of Thomson’s Vine manure should be given and washetl down to the 
roots by rain, or by applications of clear water. All the beds will 
now have a good hoeing and cleaning, and some liquid manure where 
possible, and these will be mulched at once to prevent further loss 
of moisture by evaporation. 
Raspberries. —These also benefit largely in a dry s3ason if treated 
n a similar way to that above recommended for Strawberries. Both 
fruits like a deep moist soil, with a good supply of nourishment. Very 
few growers have time to water Raspberries, but all can do something 
towards keeping the roots cool and moist by mulching as soon after 
heavy rains as possible, giving the beds a good hoeing previously. 
Any long strawy litter or manure may be used for this purpose ; the 
richer it is the more benefit may be expected. Probably the best that 
can be had is that which comes fresh from the cowsheds; but grass 
mowings are better than nothing. 
Gooseberries. —The earliest varieties will soon be large enough to 
gather for tarts and similar purposes. We like to gather the large green 
and white kinds for this purpose as much as possible, reserving only a 
few of them to ripen, as they quickly spoil in bad weather when ripe 
much sooner than the red kinds; but all required for dessert are 
benefited if heavily cropped by having half the fruit gathered in a 
young state, and this is especially the case with Warrington, which 
is still one of the best flavoured and most useful varieties. 
A sharp look out must be kept for caterpillars, which soon do im¬ 
mense damage in a plantation if unchecked, not only by spoiling this 
year’s crop but weakening the trees for one or two years afterwards. 
Handpicking is still the best remedy when taken in time, but where 
large quantities of trees have to be attended to this is not always 
possible, and hellebore powder has to be applied, either by damping the 
trees and dusting it on the infected parts, or by mixing half a pound in 
3 gallons of water and applying it gently with a syringe, keeping the 
mixture well stirred. As this substance is a dangerous poison it should 
only be applied when the fruit is small, and if heavy rains do not 
wash it off the trees must have a good rinsing with a syringe and 
clean water. 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Figs. — Early Forced Trees in Pots. —When the first crop fruits have 
all been gathered remove the loose portions of previous mulchings, and 
supply well sweetened manure, which will encourage root action and 
assist the trees to perfect the second crop. If the trees have become 
infested with red spider or scale thoroughly cleanse them by means of 
softsoap dissolved in water at the rate of 2 to 3 ozs. to the gallon, 
using it with a sponge or a partly worn clean brush, and syringe 
twice a day. Although a second crop is serviceable, a good first crop is 
much more valuable, therefore be content with a few fruits or none 
at all, if the trees have been severely taxed. Growth after this period 
will necessitate frequent attention to stopping and training, as the best 
Figs are always produced on sturdy young shoots fully exposed to light 
and air. 
Planted-out Forced Fig Trees. —The fruits on trees started at the 
commencement of the year are swelling, and must have a higher and 
drier atmosphere, but care must be taken to afford plentiful supplies of 
tepid liquid manure, and to syringe the foliage regularly, as any sudden 
eheck is against the fruit finishing well. As the Figs ripen it will not 
be advisable to wet them if it can be avoided, nor is it necessary, as 
atmospheric moisture can always be secured by keeping the mulching,, 
walls, and paths properly moistened, and this can be prevented con¬ 
densing on the fruit by maintaining a steady circulation of air with 
moderate fire heat. When grown in a hot, dry house the trees soon become 
infested with red spider and scale, and as a consequence the ripening 
period is shortened, and the trees simply rest because exhausted, the 
second crop is consequently puny, rusty, and unsatisfactory ; but treat 
Fig trees liberally, ventilate freely, expose them fully to the sun, and 
syringe as often as they are divested of ripe fruit, and they become per¬ 
petual bearers. To keep a Fig in constant bearing it must be continually 
growing, and for this reason the extension system is the best, as the 
leading shoots are allowed to extend without stopping until they reach 
the extremity of the trellis, when they are cut away after their crop is 
taken to make room for others succeeding them. Thus the trees are 
kept constantly well furnished with bearing wood always of a character 
affording the finest fruits. 
Unlieated Fig Houses. —These may be simple wall cases or more 
pretentious structures. The trees are showing abundance of fruits, and 
this, with favourable weather, afford an acceptable supply of ripe fruit 
in August and September. Assuming that their roots are confined to 
reasonable limits inside the house, and that the borders are concreted 
and thoroughly drained with broken bricks and old lime rubbish, the 
border itself not being too rich and loose, and containing abundance ot 
sand and lime, materials upon which Figs thrive, they will require 
copious supplies of water and syringing twice a day. In cloudy weather 
dispense with the afternoon syringing, and in bright weather syringe 
early in the afternoon to insure the foliage drying before nightfall. 
Ventilate early, and insure a free circulation of air, for it is important that 
the leaves be well developed. The temperature may rise to 100°, but in 
a clo.se atmosphere the Fig becomes sterile and u.seless. Train young 
growths a good distance apart; but close stopping in late houses is 
not good, as it results in the production of a number of late growths, 
which may not ripen properly, and as it is on these that the fruit 
is produced the following year every effort should be taken to insure 
their thorough solidification. The safest plan is to secure firm short- 
jointed wood, and allow the points to grow up to the glass without 
touching it, in which position they will form a number of Figs ready 
for swelling in spring. If this does not take place the points of the 
shoots may be pinched out in late August or early September, relying 
on Figs being pushed from the firmer wood after the second crop Figs, 
which never ripen on these trees, have been removed. 
Vines. — Houses of Ripe Grapes. —Afford fire heat only to prevent 
the temperature falling below 60°, and to admit of a free circulation of 
air. Do not allow the border to become very dry, but keep it moist, 
and mulch with rather dry litter from which the manure has been 
removed. It will retain moisture a long time, and lessen the evapora¬ 
tion from the surface of the border, though a little moisture in 
the atmosphere is not injurious to the Grapes and is highly bene¬ 
ficial to the foliage, which must be kept clean and healthy. Fumi¬ 
gation must be resorted to if thrips appear ; for red spider there 
is no remedy so safe as the tedious process of carefully sponging the 
leaves with soapy water. Heating the pipes and brushing them with a 
cream of sulphur and skim milk must be done very carefully, as it turns 
white Grapes purple, and hardens the skins of all so as to render them 
liable to crack and to become spotted. Place a double thickness of 
herring nets over the roof lights where Black Hamburghs are hanging 
in order to enable them to keep their colour. 
Succession Vineries.—Tenipierature and Ventilation. —Bright weather 
greatly improves Vine foliage when proper regard is paid to ventilation, 
and utilising sun heat saves fuel. With sun heat and plenty of moisture 
more real benefit is derived in a week than in a month of dull weather 
with fire heat. The Vines being in full growth, the temperature may 
be allowed to rise to 90° or 95°, closing the house at 85°, employing fire 
heat only to maintain a temperature of 70° to 75° by day, and to prevent 
its falling below 65° at night, though it may recede to 60° on cold nights. 
These remarks apply only to Vines in full growth, as those that have 
Grapes approaching ripening should have a free circulation of air, those 
well advanced in ripening being kept cooler and drier. Admit air early 
in the morning, as the sun’s rays act powerfully on the condensed 
moisture formed through the night on the foliage, causing scorching. 
Watering.— interval waterings answer where the known 
requirements from long experience have been acquired, but there arc 
variable circumstances which upset calculations. Thorough supplies are 
usually afforded at starting to insure the moistening of the border 
materials to the drainage when the Grapes attain to thinning size, ancl 
when they are commencing to ripen. Those are essential feeding rather 
than watering periods, and ought to be carefully attended to, either by 
surface dressings washed in with tepid water, or applications of tepid 
liquid manure. In moisture-holding soils Vines may take no harm with 
those only, but inside borders of limited area require^ more frequent 
supplies of water. There are more failures from insufficient than over¬ 
watering, the borders being properly constructed and the drainage complete. 
