620 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ June 25, 1891. ; 
avoiding a close vitiated atmosphere by leaving on a little air constantly. 
Essential growths must be trained so that sun and air have free access to 
them, keeping them thin so as to insure their thorough solidificition; 
and to keep the foliage clean and healthy is important in supplying the 
buds with nutriment and to ensure accumulation in the adjacent wood of 
elaborated matter for the due setting of the blossom and the stoning of 
the fruit in the ensuing season. 
Figs. — Second Crops. —The fruits on early forced trees have now 
swelled to a good size, and if judiciously thinned there will be a crop of 
fine Figs. To insure this they must not be overcropped, the foliage 
kept free from insects, and the feeding liberal. When the crop is heavy, 
and former thinning not having been sufficient, a second thinning 
■should take place at once, leaving the most forward at the base of the 
shoots, which will ripen earlier than the others, and so afford more time 
for the ripening of the shoots at their points, these being kept well up 
to the light. Early forced planted out trees should have the young 
wood ripened and be resting by the middle of October. 
Watering. —Should the loorders have become dry whilst the first crop 
of fruit were ripening they must be watered repeatedly through a 
mulching of a stimulating nature until the soil is thoroughly mois¬ 
tened through to the drainage. Liquid manure will be required by 
trees having their roots in borders of limited extent, and more 
frequently than by trees with a larger extent of rooting area; about 
once a week in the first case, and every fortnight in the other, giving 
the rough supplies, and alway's in a tepid state. The mulching must be 
kept moist so as to encourage surface roots. 
Insects. —Syringing will need to be practised twice daily, except in 
dull wet weather, when morning or early afternoon syringing will be 
sufficient, and always early enough to allow of the foliage getting dry 
'before night. Judicious and forcible syringings are usually sufficient 
to keep down red spider, but if it gains a hold it must be dislodge 1. 
There is no better remedy than softsoap, 2 ozs. to the gallon ; or if there 
be scale brush the leaves and wood over with a softsoap solution, 3 ozs, 
to the gallon of tepid water; and having dislodged the scale syringe 
forcibly with the weaker solut’on, and afterwards with clean water. 
Painting the hot-water pipes with a cream of lime and sulphur in equal 
.parts and heating them, with the house closed to 160° to 200° for about 
an hour, with the mixture on the pipes, is an effectual remedy for red 
spider. The foliage should be dry, and the following morning the trees 
should be well syringed. Repeat the heating of the pipes and brushing 
them with sulphur in about ten days. 
lemperatxire and Ventilation. —Unless the weather is unusually cold 
and wet artificial heat will not now be necessary, but fire heat must be 
afforded to maintain a night temperature of 60° to 65°, and 70° to 75° by 
day. Ventilate early, especially on bright mornings. Keep the house 
■through the day at 80’ to 85° with sun heat, and close sufficiently early to 
run up to 85° or 90°, or even 95°, providing plenty of atmospheric moisture. 
Succession Houses—Fruit Ripening. —When the fiuit changes colour 
afford more air, insuring a circulation constantly and a free movement 
of the^ atmosphere by top and bottom ventilation whenever external 
■conditions are favourable. Reduce the moisture gradually, keeping it 
from the fruit, which expose as much as possible to light and air. Well- 
ripened Figs are delicious, badly ripened insipid. Lessened supplies of 
water at the roots tell in favour of quality, yet they must not be allowed 
to suffer; therefore keep the soil moist, damping the surface occasionally, 
as that is needed for the preservation of the surface roots. Red spider 
may be kept down by syringing forcibly afier gathering the fruit close, 
and this repeated each time the fruit is gathered will keep insects under 
until the crop is cleared, when more drastic measures can be taken for 
■extirpating the pests. If done early on a fine day the fruit will not be 
in the least deteriorated, but the water must be soft, warm, and clear. 
Trees Swelling their Crops. —Afford a mulching of short manure, 
•and through this supply tepid water, or in the case of trees carry¬ 
ing heavy crops and not over-luxuriant liquid manure. It is 
hardly possible to overfeed Figs in well-drained properly constructed 
borders, and with the roots confined to small areas. Wide deep borders 
of rich material encourage growth at the expense of fruitfulness. The 
-trees grow magnificently, but that is the extent of their use. In fine 
weather syringe twice a day, always in good time, and close so as to run 
mp to 90°, 95°, or 100°, As the fruit approaches ripening provide a little 
ventilation before nightfall, and let it remain, increasing it early so as to 
dissipate moisture deposited through the night before the sun acts in full 
force on the foliage. Evaporation provokes elaboration, and on the 
amount of assimilated matter depends the perfection of the current 
crop and well-doing of the next. By closing early evaporation is 
-arrested, and damping aids the restoration of the wasted energies, securing 
a maximum of growth in the fruit. 
Late Iloiises.—Grand Figs are grown in cool houses — one crop 
ripening in August and September. They are not as common as their 
merits warrant, for the fruit is of a most wholesome kind, and they form 
grand addition to desserts. Calcareous soil, well-drained narrow borders, 
light well-ventilated structures afford best results. The chief points are 
to grow thin, feed highly, ventilate early, close soon enough in the after¬ 
noon to keep a good heat until the evening, affording a moist atmosphere. 
Avoid overcrowding the growths, stop side shoots at the fifth leaf, mulch 
■the surface, and water liberally. Let the shoots grow with their points 
to the glass, just keep them clear of it, and they will fruit abundantly. 
Strawbeeeies in Pots. —Outdoor fruit is late, and late indoor 
•supplies, comprised as they usually are of the choicest varieties, as Dr. 
Hogg End others of the British Queen race, are held in higher esteem 
than the small early outdoor fruits or their indifferent quality. La Grosse 
uSuerfie is the finest, all points considered, of early forcing Strawberries. 
Vicomtesse Hericart de Thury has freedom of setting and quality to 
recommend it, but unless well thinned the fruits are too small. Noble 
and Auguste Nicaise have s'ze and free setting and swelling properties, 
but the appearance of the first is not good ; and the latter, though more 
glossy, has not the quality of the preceding two. Sir Joseph Paxton 
is superb where it is not injured by mi'dew, and the best all-roirnd 
Strawberry. President does well forced, but is liable to spot, and has 
not the firmness of Sir Joseph Paxton. Sir Charles Napier yields to 
none in appearance and brilliancy of colour. Marguerite also has bright 
fruit, and very large. James Veitch fruits freely, and swells to a great 
size, which is the measure of its utility. Unser Fritz is bulky, and may 
be put in the same category with Nob’e. British Queen, Dr. Hogg, and 
Cocksc }mb have no rivals for late forcing. 
THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 
AspaeagiJS. —This was late in starting, and has been considerably 
checked in growth since by severe frosts, those plants rooting very near 
the surface and unmulched being the greatest sufferers. All things con¬ 
sidered, there is no good reason why the cutiiug should not be continued 
rather later than usual, growers in the southern counties not ceasing till 
near the end of June, and those farther north a week or fortnight later. 
This will not unduly weaken the plants, and by the dates given Peas, 
Cauliflowers, and other vegetables ought to be getting plentiful. If any 
exception is made it should be in favour of comparatively young planta¬ 
tions, cutting late from any nob more than three seasons planted greatly 
checking their progress. The last two or three summers have been very 
favourable to the increase of weeds, and unless these are kept down it 
will be next to impossible to clear the beds of them later on, their state 
becoming worse accordingly. On light soils sufficient salt may be strewn 
on the surface, or say at the rate of 1 lb. to 2 square yards, to kill the 
weeds, and this dressing also benefits the Asparagus. On heavy clayey 
land salt proves injurious, therefore keep down weeds when small by 
timely surface hoeings and hand-pulling of the larger. Asparagus 
may yet be transplanted wherever this is necessary for tilling blanks. 
Caitliplowees. —The earliest of these that have been forwarded in 
handlights should now be forming useful sized hearts. They ought 
not, when growing strongly, to be cramped in the handl ghts, but the 
latter should be removed and used for forwarding Kidney Beans, the 
Cauliflowers being thinned if need be, and tliuse ressrved carefully 
opened out somewhat. Very large hearts are not needed, and stunted 
plants ■will frequently develop surprisingly good centres with the aid of 
liquid manure. Put out successional plants on well manured ground, 
and the earliest raised Autumn Giant ought now to be ready for their 
summer quarters. To do these justice the rows may well be 30 inches 
apart, a distance of 2 feet dividing the plants in the rows, but the 
smaller earlier varieties may be planted more thickly with advantage. 
Beet. —When the plants are about 3 inches in height, or too large 
for birds to interfere with, the thinning out may safely be completed. 
The stronger growmrs may well be singled out to about 9 inches apart, 
but those which make less top, notably Dell’s Crimson and its synonyms, 
may be left nearer 6 inches asunder, especially if the ground is good, 
Large roots are objectionable, hence the necessity for somewhat late 
sowing and for moderately severe thinning only. The turnip-rooted 
forms transplant the most satisfactorily, but the longer rooted varieties 
also move fairly well in showery weather. Even if they form some¬ 
what poor roots, filling up by transplanting is preferable to gappy rows. 
Caeeots. —Directly the rows of these or any other root crops are well 
defined, the flat hoe ought to be run between them. A fine day being 
chosen for this work all small weeds will be destroyed, warmth and air 
will be admitted to the seedlings, cracking of the ground prevented, 
and insect pests dislodged from their breeding quarters. Carrots require 
to be thinned out when large enough to handle. In the case of Early 
Horn and other quick-rooting varieties the thinning should be of the 
lightest description at the outset, and continued according as the roots 
are large enough to use. 
Onions. —If the Onion maggot has been troublesome in previous 
years thin lightly, the ground immediately about the reserved plants 
being disturbed as little as possible. Soot freely applied during showery 
weather is a preventive of the maggot, and also serves to hasten growth. 
Onions transplant fairly well in showery weather, but being rather late 
this season thinnings dibbled out now will not attain a great size. 
Potatoes. —Most of these are recovering rapidly from the effects 
of the severe frosts, but will be benefited by having the soil between 
the rows deeply s'irred with heavy hoes. This being done in dry 
weather extra warmth will be admitted to the roots, small weeds 
destroyed, and the requisite looseness of root run insured. The rows, 
when the haulm is 6 inches in height, to be heavily moulded up, this 
being best done after a good soaking rain. If another light dressing 
of either soot, wood ashes, guano or superphosphate, or any other properly 
prepared “ Potato mixture ” is given prior to hoeing between the rows 
this will greatly benefit the Potatoes, and also any crop that may be 
planted either between or in succession to them. 
New Zealand Spinach. —The ordinary Spinach usually fails 
during very hot weather, and what is known as the New Zealand 
Spinach is the only substitute. The latter revels in a hot position, and 
if half a dozen plants are turned out of the small pots in which they 
have been raised on to a sunny moderately rich border they will usually 
provide quite as many shoots as a moderately large establishment may 
need. Plant them a yard apart each way, give enough water at the outset 
to keep them moist at the roots till they have taken possession of their 
site, and then no further trouble need be taken with them. It is the 
tops of young shoots that are used. 
