38 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ January 12, 1895. 
soft velvety maroon ; bloom of good form, after the build of Jeanne d’Arc. 
It should displace Prince Alfred, as it is much brighter. A strong 
grower of medium height. 
Mrs. Clibran. —This is a Princess of Teck in form, and much like it in 
colour when first opening. When the bloom is finished it shows a blush 
shade, while the outer florets are tipped pink, giving a distinct appear¬ 
ance. The plant a vigorous grower, about the same height as Princess 
of Teck, but fourteen days earlier. 
Noel Pragnell. —This has turned out fairly good ; the flower is of 
excellent form, though the florets are thin in texture, only fit for large 
collections. Plant dwarf, about 3 feet 6 inches, rather a weak grower. 
Camille Flammarion. —This and Kobert Cannell have both done 
well with us, the latter especially so. The bud should be fixed early of 
both these to seeure good blooms. R. Canned lasted fully a month in 
good condition.—J. PiTHEBS. 
(To be continued.) 
S WOKKLfoktheweek., i 
3 
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FRUIT FORCING. 
Vines. — Early Houses. —Exercise great care in ventilating, as 
sharp northerly and easterly winds, with cold draughts, injure the 
foliage, causing it to become stunted and crumpled, but judicious 
ventilation is essential to sturdy growth and well developed foliage. A 
confined moist atmosphere, on the other hand, causes the growth to 
become lean and drawn, the leaves thin and poor in texture, therefore 
liable to be scorched by the sun and fall a prey to red spider. Attend 
to disbudding and tying down the shoots before they touch the glass, 
being careful not to displace them from their sockets or cause them to 
snap by too sharp bending and too tight tying. Stop the bearing shoots 
one or two joints beyond the fruit where the space is limited, but where 
there is room for lateral extension do not confine it to any given number 
of joints beyond the bunch, extending it so that an even spread of 
foliage fully exposed to light will be insured, yet avoid overcrowding, 
as that is fatal to satisfactory results. Remove all surplus bunches, 
and, when they come into flower, maintain a day and night temperature 
of 70° to 75°, with a decline, however, of 5° through the night, and a 
rather drier atmosphere. 
Vines in Pots. —The heat about Vines in pots must not be allowed to 
decline, but bring the fermenting materials up to the rims, pressing 
them down, yet not so as to raise the temperature above 70° to 75°. 
A heap of Oak or Beech leaves and stable litter should be in the reserve 
ground, to admit of a supply of prepared material being obtained as 
required. When the Grapes are set thin the berries carefully, supply 
liquid manure to the roots, and place some turves, grass side downwards, 
around the rims of the pots, so as to form a dish, the turves extending 
over the rims and resting on the fermenting material, and fill the dish 
with decayed manure. This will encourage surface roots, which will 
extend to the turves over the rims of the pots and into the fermenting 
bed, and greatly assist the Grapes in swelling. 
Houses to Afford Rife Grapes in Jime. —There must not be any 
further delay in starting the Vines intended to produce Grapes at the 
time named. If the roots are partly inside and outside, the latter border 
must be protected with leaves or litter, so as to prevent the soil 
being frozen, but this ought to have been attended to in November. 
Supply the inside borders thoroughly with water in a tepid state, and if 
the Vines are weak follow with liquid manure—rather thick, but not too 
strong. Sprinkle the rods twice a day, depressing young rods and canes 
to a horizontal level or below, so as to insure the buds breaking evenly. 
Maintain a temperature of 60° to 55° at night and on dull days, advanc¬ 
ing to 65° from sun heat, continuing those heats until the buds begin to 
swell, when gradually raise the night temperature, so as to have it 60° 
by the time the Vines come into leaf, and to 65° by day artificially. 
Vines from loMch the Grapes have been Cut. —The sooner the Vines 
are pruned now the less danger is there of their bleeding from the 
wounds when the sap rises. It is a good plan to dress the cuts with 
styptic or knotting whilst they are dry, so as to close the pores of the 
woodj as a safeguard against bleeding. Cut to a plump round bud as 
near the base as possible, two buds being sufficient to leave where the 
wood is stout and short-jointed, but where the practice has been followed 
and not proved satisfactory the operator may prune to the best bud on 
well-ripened wood. This will cause the spurs to become long, and a 
shoot must be trained from the base to displace each spur after its shoot 
has borne fruit. Thoroughly cleanse the house, washing the glass with 
clear water, the woodwork with soap and a brush, limewash the walls, 
and remove the loose bark from the Vines, avoiding peeling and scraping 
that may injure the live bark, and wash them with softsoap, 4 ozs. to a 
gallon of water. Surface-dress the borders, clearing off the loose sur¬ 
face, using fresh loam with a 9-iach potful of steamed bonemeal to a 
barrowload of loam. Keep the house as cool as possible to secure com¬ 
plete rest. If there are plants in the house only afford fire heat to 
exclude frost, not exceeding 40° to 45°, by artificial means. 
Late Grapes. —These are best cut with all the wood that can be 
spared, and the ends of the shoots placed in bottles of rain water in an 
inclining position in a Grape room, dry fruit room, or an empty room 
from which frost is excluded, but not warm (above 50°) or the Grapes 
will shrivel. This will admit of the Vines being pruned and the house 
being cleaned, and is much better than allowing the Grapes to hang on 
the Vines, pruning having to be deferred until a late period, whereby 
the latter are liable to suffer through bleeding and want of rest. Main¬ 
tain a mean temperature of 40° to 45°, with a dry atmosphere in houses 
where Grapes are hanging, and avoid a close atmosphere when the 
weather is favourable for ventilation. Examine every bunch frequently 
and remove all decayed berries. 
Pines. — Fruiting Plants and Starters. —The temperature must now 
have a mean of 70°, 6° less on cold nights, and 5° more on mild dull 
days, admitting air at 80° with sun heat, but not lowering the tempera¬ 
ture, allowing it to rise to 85°, and closing at 80°. Sprinkle all available 
surfaces twice a day, but do not syringe the surface of the bed between 
the plants, and avoid producing dense steam by damping highly heated 
hot-water pipes. Syringe the plants lightly occasionally early in the 
afternoon of fine days when the axils of the leaves become dry. Examine 
the plants twice a week for water, and supply it only to those in need, 
always in a tepid state, and with a “dash” of guano in it, say 1 lb. 
Peruvian guano to 20 gallons of water. 
Pines for Successional Fruiting. —Another batch of Queens should 
be started early in February to supplement the supply of fruit from 
those plants which are already introduced for ripening in May and 
June. Enville is an admirable variety for starting at that time, and 
affords even-sized handsome fruit with a moderate crown. The plants 
selected must have a stout base and opening somewhat in the centre 
of the leaves. Plants that have completed a good growth in the previous 
summer, and have been kept rather dry and cool for a period of six tO' 
eight weeks before starting, are most likely to throw up fruit promptly. 
Beds that have bottom heat supplied by hot-water pipes can be soon 
prepared for the reception of the plants. Where, however, the heat is 
afforded by fermenting materials, the neeessary steps must be taken at 
once to get the requisite beds made, and 85° to 90° of bottom heat 
secured by the time required. Plants that have been kept somewhat 
dry preparatory to starting must have the soil properly moistened before 
the pots are plunged in the bed. Suceessional stock will be suited with 
a night temperature of 60° to 65°, 5° less in severe weather, and 5° to 10° 
more in the daytime, ventilating moderately when the weather is bright 
and mild, avoiding drying currents. 
THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Forcing- Caullflo-wers.— Cauliflowers will not stand hard forcing, 
but the Early Dwarf Forcing or Snowball can be forwarded consider¬ 
ably, or be had fit for use from the middle of April without much 
trouble. If a stock of plants are already raised this will be a further 
gain of a fortnight or more, otherwise seed should be sown thinly in 
pans or boxes, and placed in gentle heat. Directly the seedlings appear 
transfer to a shelf near the glass in a warm greenhouse or pit, as they 
draw up badly in strong heat, also breaking down wholesale if syringed. 
When well into rough leaf put singly into 3-inch pots, keep rather 
warmer till rooting afresh, when they ought again to be near the glass 
in gentle heat, a heated pit anwering well. Before they become badly 
root-bound the plants, whether autumn or winter raised, should be 
finally planted out in a deep frame or pit, and not less than 15 inches 
apart each way. Given the benefit of a mild hotbed of leaves and 
manure, and a foot of rich loamy compost, they will grow strongly, 
and must be freely ventilated, or otherwise they will become too tall. 
Being kept well supplied with water and liquid manure it is surprising 
what beautifully white and serviceable hearts will be produced. A 
good succession will be had by planting on slight hotbeds with only 
rough frames and mats by way of protection, these batches, as a rule, 
hearting in before any grown in handlights. 
Forcing Peas. —Peas again will not stand much heat, but may Ic 
forwarded considerably under glass, and either in long, narrow, deep 
boxes, pots, or planted out in pits. They are not particularly remunera¬ 
tive, or not nearly as much so as Cauliflowers, though early dishes are 
always appreciated. Chelsea Gem and William Hurst are suitable for 
house and frame culture. The earliest gatherings can be had from plants 
grown along the fronts of newly started vineries and Peach houses, those in 
frames forming a good succession, and also, as a rule, producing the best 
crops. Chrysanthemum pots are admirably adapted to Pea culture, 
and fully fifty of these should constitute a batch. Well drain and three 
parts fill with good loamy compost, to which a sprinkling of wood ashes 
has been added. Sow the seed rather thinly, cover with I inch of soil, 
and water if at all dry. Keep them in the light position indicated or 
on shelves, water sparingly till the plants are growing strongly, then let 
them never approach dryness at the roots, liquid manure also being 
needed when they have reached the flowering stage. Thin out the plants 
early where crowded, and support with Birch or other spray, or sticks- 
and raffia. Make a second sowing a fortnight later on, and also sow 
several flat boxes with seed of the same variety, with a view to having 
them in readiness for early planting out in frames or pits. 
Potatoes In Pots. —These would succeed well under conditions 
that have been already named as suiting early Peas. The Chrysanthemum 
pots or any 9-inch or larger in size also suit Potatoes, one strong set 
going to the size named and three to larger pots. The Old Ashleaf, 
Early Border, Sharpe’s Victor, and lilona’s Pride are among the best 
varieties for pot culture, but if neither of these are available then 
Veitch’s Improved Ashleaf may be substituted. Select strong seed 
tubers, rub off all side shoots, leaving the central sprout only. The best 
progress will be made if these seed tubers are set closely together, 
