64 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ July 20, 1893. 
to Mr. Dodwell, fifth ; Mr. J. Walker, Thame, sixth ; Mr. Thos. Anstiss 
seventh, and Mr. C. Phillips eighth. 
For six Carnations, either seifs, fancies, or yellow grounds, dissimilar, 
Mr. W. Spencer was accorded the premier position, staging beautiful 
flowers of Mrs. Robert Sydenham, Schlieben, Theodore, Madame Van 
Houtte, Stadtrath Bail, and Vandyck. Mr. Chas. Harden was a very 
good second ; Mr. J. S. Hedderley, third; Mr. E. Shaw, fourth ; Mr. N. 
Medhurst, fifth; Mr. Chas. Henwood, sixth; Mr. J. Edwards, seventh; 
and Mr. Wm; Bacon, ninth. Mr. W. Read was placed first in the class 
for six blooms of the Kilmory yellow ground seedlings in not less than 
three dissimilar varieties. This stand included perfect examples of 
Tournament, Queen of Hearts, Nora, Tournament, Sport, Nosula, and 
Nancy. Mr. A. Medhurst was second; Mr. Geo. Chaundy, third ; Mr. 
Thos. Anstiss, fourth ; and Mr. Wm. Bacon, fifth. 
Mr. A. W. Jones was accorded the first place in the class for six 
yellow ground blooms, any raiser’s variety, with Stadtrath Bail, Almira, 
Countess of Jersey, Germania, Mrs. Robt. Sydenham, and Atalanta. The 
second prize was awarded to Messrs. Thomson & Co., Mr. Wm. Reid 
being third, Mr. Chas. Phillips fourth, Mr. Chas. Harden fifth, Mr. T. E. 
Henwood sixth, Mr. A. R. Brown seventh, Mr. J. S. Hedderley eighth, 
Mr. J. P. Sharp ninth. 
The premier blooms in the Exhibition were Master Fred, a scarlet 
bizarre exhibited by Mr. Tom Lord ; Germania, yellow self from 
Mr. A. W. Jones ; Dodwell’s 1528 fancy Carnation, shown by Mr. Wm. 
Read ; white ground Picotee Little Phil, staged by Mr. J. Whitham, 
and yellow ground Picotee Mrs. Robt. Sydenham, exhibited by Mr. 
Spencer. 
Certificates were awarded for the following blooms :—Arline, pink 
and purple bizarre, magnificent flowers ; Thaddens, crimson bizarre of 
great merit; Bruce Findlay, a pink and purple bizarre of superb form; 
Duke of York, a beautiful scarlet bizarre, all of which were staged by 
Mr. Tom Lord ; Feron,a fine purple flake, exhibited by Mr. J. Whitham ; 
and Mrs. Anstiss, a rich apricot-coloured self of great substance and 
good form, shown by Mr. Anstiss. It being very late when our reporter 
reached Oxford, it was found impossible to get a full list of the prizes, 
as some of the blooms had been removed. 
WOKK.foi\.theWEEK.. 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Vines. — Earliest House. — Thoroughly ripened wood and well 
nourished properly developed buds are of primary importance in 
securing a crop of Grapes the following season. The wood is generally 
well ripened in the early houses, for the Vines as a rule are not over- 
vigorous, and the dry atmosphere maintained during the ripening of the 
Grapes tends to mature the foliage, buds, and wood. This is sometimes 
fatal to the principal leaves, or those corresponding to the pruning buds 
by encouraging red spider, and the consequence is the Vines go to rest 
early and start into growth in September, when they should be com¬ 
pletely at rest. When the Vines lose the lower leaves on the bearing 
shoots growth should be encouraged from the laterals, alike to stimulate 
root action, appropriate the sap, and prevent premature resting. Where 
the Vines retain the foliage to the base of the bearing shoots—termed 
laterals—it will be necessary to maintain a dry atmosphere to thoroughly 
ripen the wood, but it will not be needful to employ artificial heat. 
Ventilate fully, keeping all laterals and late growths stopped, and aim 
at complete rest by having the border cool and moderately dry. The 
inside borders may require watering, but avoid making the soil very 
wet. Outside borders may need covering with dry straw or bracken in 
order to throw off heavy rains, for a too moist condition of the soil tends 
to late growth. Where the Vines are in an unsatisfactory condition 
prepare for lifting at an early date, getting fresh loam and clean 
drainage handy, so that the work can be quickly performed when 
started. It is desirable to lift the roots and lay them in fresh soil near 
the surface whilst there is foliage on the Vines, but the leaves corre¬ 
sponding to the pruning buds must be maturing, and the lateral growths 
will favour speedy root action. Work of this character ought not to be 
delayed beyond August in the case of Vines that are to be started early 
in December, which will need pruning by the middle of September or a 
little later. 
Vines for Early Forcing .—When it is contemplated to start Vines 
early that have hitherto not been so subjected, it will be necessary as 
soon as the crop is oflE to thoroughly cleanse them by syringing or the 
application of an insecticide. If there is any doubt about the maturity 
of the wood and the plumpness of the budg it will be desirable to 
employ fire heat in the daytime to maintain a temperature of 70® to 75° 
with moderate ventilation, and turn the heat off at night to allow the 
pipes to cool. This, with a thorough circulation of air, will soon cause 
the wood to harden and the buds to plump, inducing rest. When the 
Vines have the wood ripe and the buds plump they will only require 
full ventilation day and night. 
Vines in Pots for Very Early Forcing .—When these are to be 
started early in November to afford ripe Grapes during March or 
April the wood should now be thoroughly ripened and the buds plumped. 
If not the house may be kept rather warmer by day, say 70° to 75° 
artificially and 80° to 85° with sun heat, closing early so as to raise the 
temperature to 90° or 95°, and throw the ventilators open at night. 
Afford water or liquid manure in sufficient quantity to prevent flagging, 
and expose the foliage to all the light possible. Laterals must be kept 
well in check, leaving no more than are absolutely essential to appro¬ 
priate any excess of sap and so prevent the principal buds being started. 
When the wood is brown and hard and the buds are prominent the Vines 
should be removed to a situation outdoors, standing the pots on slates or 
boards in front of a south wall or fence. Secure the canes to avoid 
damage from wind, and only give water to prevent the foliage falling 
prematurely. In wet weather the pots may be laid on their sides or some 
waterproof material be employed over them. When the main leaves 
turn yellow commence reducing the laterals, and prune when the leaves 
are all off, the laterals being cut off close and the canes shortened to 
the length required. This done place them in any cool, airy, dry place 
until required for forcing. Keep moderately dry at the roots, and 
exclude frost. 
Successional Vines Freed of their Cro^s. — If there be any red 
spider thoroughly cleanse the Vines by means of water from a syringe 
or engine, and repeat occasionally. Mealy bug and scale should be 
combatted with petroleum. It is easiest applied in emulsion form, but 
this coats the glass with soapy matter, which is not easy to get off once it 
hardens. There is no objection to pure petroleum and water, the thing 
is to keep it well mixed whilst it is being applied. This may be done 
by one person syringing into the watering-can, whilst another applies it 
to the Vines forcibly so as to well coat every part of them and 
house with the mixture—a wineglassful of petroleum to 4 gallons of 
water. This repeated two or three times at intervals of a few days is an 
effectual remedy. Keep the laterals within reasonable limits. If the 
Vines are vigorous, and the wood not ripening well, keep the house 
rather dry, and ventilate fully at night, but turn on the heat by day, 
and ventilate moderately. This will tend to the maturity of the wood 
and buds. Vigorous Vines must not be stopped too closely or the 
principal buds may be started into growth by an excess of sap, and they 
may be kept without water until the foliage becomes a little limp. 
Vines, on the other hand, that are enfeebled by continued cropping 
should be encouraged to make growth by applying liquid manure to the 
border. Ventilate the house freely day and night, for it is mainly a 
question of evaporation in securing thoroughly ripened wood. 
Grapes Ripening .—Whilst colouring most Grapes swell considerably, 
and there must not be any deficiency of moisture in the border. Give, 
therefore, a good supply of water or liquid manure, especially the latter, 
where the Vines are heavily cropped, for though it may not materially 
influence the Grapes it will contribute to the general health of the 
Vines, and by giving them plenty of time the erop may finish satisfac¬ 
torily. Hastening heavily burdened Vines and a deficiency of nourish¬ 
ment is almost sure to culminate in defective colour in the Grapes. A 
good rest at night in a temperature of 60° to 65° with air is a great 
help to Vines taxed to the utmost by a heavy crop. Allow the laterals 
to extend if possible. A moderate amount of air moisture is essential 
to the health of the Vines, sprinkling the floor in the morning 
and afternoon in bright weather, or occasionally, and no ill effects 
will follow, provided a circulation of rather warm air is secured 
This is absolutely essential to avoid spot in Muscat of Alexandria and 
some other tender skinned Grapes, therefore admit air constantly enough 
with a gentle warmth in the hot-water pipes to insure a circulation and 
prevent the deposition of moiscure on the berries. 
Melons. — Stopping and Removing Groioths. — When the fruit is 
swelled to the size of an egg, the laterals should be kept pinched to one 
leaf, and if this results in too much foliage, so that the main leaves are 
crowded or shaded, thinning must be resorted to. This should be done a 
little at a time, for removing a large quantity of foliage at once gives a 
check to the fruit swelling. Instead of distant manipulation, the plants 
should be gone over once a week at least, and in the case of vigorous 
plants twice, for stopping and the removal of superfluous shoots, never 
allowing the principal leaves to be crowded, but fully exposed to light 
and air. 
Watering .—Never allow the plants to lack moisture at the roots, for 
when water is withheld until the foliage flags a check has been given, 
and the effect is seen in their feeble aftergrowth, from which they 
seldom recover and often collapse, or the crop ripens prematurely and 
is poor in flavour. The great point is not to allow flagging, and yet 
not to give water until the soil is becoming so dry as to be insufficiently 
moist for the support of the plants, when a thorough supply should 
be given. Plants swelling their fruits will need water or liquid 
manure at least once a week. When setting and ripening it will 
suffice to just keep the foliage from flagging, and if watering becomes 
necessary it should be given to these in frames without wetting the 
foliage more than can be helped. A poor growth is not good either for 
setting or the ripening of the fruit, but a drier condition of the soil is 
desirable at those times than when the fruit is swelling. 
Syringing the Plants .—When the flowers are advanced for expan¬ 
sion withhold water from the foliage, also when the fruit is ripening, 
as this is the chief cause of the fruit cracking. At the time of 
setting and ripening in frames and pits the atmosphere can hardly be 
kept too dry ; in bouses moisture must not be entirely withheld at those 
periods, but surfaces should be damped in the morning and afternoon 
in bright weather. When the fruit is swelling syringe well at closing 
time, and if morning syringing is practised it should be done early. 
