January 19, 1893. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 
61 
night temperaturft may be advanced to 45° to 50°, and 50° to 55° in the 
daytime by artificial means, and 60° to 65° from sun heat, ventilating 
freely above 55°, and leave a little constantly at the top of the house. 
In cold weather 5° less all round is better for the trees. Cease syringing 
the trees, but damp the floor occasionally, so as to maintain a genial 
condition of the atmosphere. If the blossoms are very numerous 
remove those on the under side or at the back of the trellis by drawing 
the hand reverse way of the growths. 
Trees to Afford Ilipe Fruit Early in, July. —The house containing 
such varieties as Royal George and Grosse Mignonne must now be 
closed, syringing the trees occasionally, but only using fire heat to 
prevent the temperature falling to freezing during the night. If, 
however, the trees have not been forced before, the heat may be turned 
on in the morning so as to raise and maintain a temperature of 45° to 50° 
through the day, above which ventilate freely, not allowing an advance 
to 65° from sun heat without full ventilation, and at night fire heat 
should only be used to exclude frost. This will induce gentle activity 
in the trees, and is better than bringing them on rapidly by a higher 
temperature. Trees previously forced will start without any stimulus 
at the usual time. 
Late Houses .—Notwithstanding the severe weather the buds of the 
trees in houses with fixed roofs are swelling fast, and must be freely 
ventilated in bright weather so as to retard them as much as possible, 
not omitting to water inside borders if they show the least tendency to 
dryness. Those from which the roof lights have been removed are still 
quite dormant in the buds, and they adhere firmly to the wood, whilst 
the trees under fixed roofs and frost excluded for the sake of plants are 
not only bursting some buds but casting a majority of the blossom buds. 
The borders of the houses from which the roof lights have been removed 
have been well moistened through to the drainage, and will not need a 
supply of water until the fruit is swelling. 
Melons.— When the seedlings show the second rough leaf they may 
be planted in the hillocks or ridges, or if that is inconvenient the plants 
should be transferred to pots a couple of inches larger in diameter, as 
those cramped at the roots in their early stages seldom make a good 
growth afterwards. Plants intended for pits and frames should have 
their points pinched out at the second rough leaf, and may be planted 
in their fruiting beds as soon as they require more room at the roots. 
The soil should be had under cover a few days to dry, be chopped 
moderately small, and turned twice to become thoroughly mixed if 
other material are used besides turfy loam. That taken 3 inches deep 
off a pasture rather heavy in texture, cut and stacked in the previous 
autumn, and containing a fair amount of grit, grows capital Melons. 
If the loam is rather close add about a sixth of old mortar rubbish, if 
poor add a fourth of thoroughly decomposed manure, and free from 
worms, and in any case a pint of soot may be mixed with every bushel 
of compost. Cleanse the house or pit thoroughly, removing every 
particle of the old beds, scalding every part of the house with hot water, 
washing the woodwork with softsoap, hot water, and a brush, the glass, 
inside and out, with clear water, and limewash the walls. See that the 
rubble about the hot-water pipes is clear, or if the bottom heat is sup¬ 
plied by hot-water pipes in a chamber see that the surplus water can 
pass away freely. Make a ridge of soil where the plants are to be put 
out, about 2 feet wide at the base, and 1 foot wide at top, and 10 to 
12 inches deep. When it gets warmed through a plant may be put out 
in the centre of each light, say 3 feet 6 inches to 4 feet apart if the 
plants are to be treated on the alternate system, and between these 
other plants to afford one or two fruit each for an early supply, other¬ 
wise allow 30 to 36 inches between the plants. Press the soil firmly 
around each plant, having the plants and soil moist, so as not to occasion 
the need of water at planting. If there is reason to apprehend the 
attacks of slugs draw a circle of quicklime or dry soot round each plant, 
and place a little moistened bran on slates to attract the pests, and look 
for them after dark with the lantern. Woodlice will generally hide 
between two pieces of old boards laid one on the other, so that the 
insects can just get between, especially if a little oatmeal is placed on 
the lowest board, and these can be removed in the morning, and the con¬ 
tents scattered before fowls. Crickets and cockroaches sometimes prey on 
young Melon and Cucumber plants, for which there is, perhaps, nothing 
better than phosphor paste spread on pieces of bread or slates, but this 
is a dangerous poison and must be carefully used. When the plants are 
out in pits a hillhock should be made in the centre of each light by 
putting in a barrowful of soil, flattening the top, which should be about 
^ inches from the glass or not more than 1 foot, the depth of soil in the 
centre of the hillock being about 10 inches. 
Temperature for Melons. —Maintain a steady bottom heat of 80° to 
•85°, or, if from hot-water pipes, 75° to 80°, as when the heat is from 
fermenting materials it must necessarily be high at the commencement, 
and the day temperature 70° to 75° by artificial means, advancing 5° 
to 10° from sun heat, and as much more after closing ; the night 
temperature 65“ to 70°. 
THE FLOWER GARDEN. 
Sowing: Tuberous Begronla Seed. —There are two good reasons 
why the seed of Tuberous Begonias should be sown early. One is 
because such very small seed always germinates more surely before the 
sunshine has gained greatly in power, and the other is that unless the 
plants are raised early in the year they will not have attained a service¬ 
able size at bedding-out time. Most seedsmen now supply reliable 
strains of Begonias for bedding out. Those with flowers borne on erect 
stems are rightly preferred, the drooping varieties being better adapted 
lor vases, window boxes, and hanging baskets. If proper precautions 
are taken every seed should germinate, a small packet yielding 200 
or 300 plants, or perhaps more, and these may be had each 4 inches or 
more through by the first week in June, making a good show before the 
summer is far advanced. Prepare pans, in preference to pots, by care¬ 
fully draining, covering the crocks with moss, on this placing some 
coarse soil, and finish off with about 2 inches of a very fine mixture of 
loam, and either leaf soil or peat in equal parts with a little sand added, 
The soil used ought to be perfectly free of worms and insects generally, 
even if this necessitates well roasting it over a fire. Make the surface 
perfectly level and firm, and then well moisten it either by partly 
immersing in water or else by gentle overhead waterings. This to be 
done at least six hours prior to sowing the seed. Do not surface over 
with silver sand, as the latter does not afford the tiny seedlings, 
newly germinated, any root-hold, and numbers of them perish 
accordingly. Sow the seed as carefully and thinly as possible, 
patches of seedlings being liable to damp off wholesale. Hot¬ 
beds, unless perfectly free of worms, are bad places, though 
most often selected, for Begonia raising. An upheaval of any kind or 
souring of the soil is likely to prove fatal to many seedlings, and the 
safest and best place for the pans are shelves suspended, not far from 
the glass, in a forcing house or plant stove. Cover them closely with 
squares of glass, and the latter with a good thickness of moss or brown 
paper. Also protect the pans from sunshine. Never once must the 
soil in the pans be allowed to become dry, nor should they be watered 
through a can. A short period of dryness would prove fatal to the 
sprouting seeds, and however gently water may be applied from over¬ 
head, the chances are this would have the effect of dislodging and 
spoiling many of the seeds or tiny seedlings. Whenever the soil is 
approaching dryness immerse the pans in a bucket or tank of tepid 
water just deep enough for the moisture to soak upwards without at 
the time actually reaching the surface. The seeds may germinate in a 
fortnight or so, the time being largely determined by its age, and 
directly the tiny seed leaves are detected admit light gradually, and 
also slightly block up the glasses, taking good care though that no sun¬ 
shine shall reach the Begonias. By way of a preventive of damping 
either wipe or turn the glasses every morning. The seedlings will 
require to be pricked out long before they are large enough to be picked 
up with the finger and thumb. 
Dwarf Ziobellas. —When a good strain is procured seedlings of 
these are as compact, floriferous, and true to name as are cutting-raised 
plants of named varieties. The seed should be sown early, and much 
as advised in the cause of Tuberous Begonias, and then there will be 
less likelihood of failure than there would be if sown a month or six 
weeks later on. If the seedlings are duly pricked out and grown on 
without receiving a severe check extra strong stocky plants will be 
ready for bedding out late in May. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Allamandas. —Where a temperature of 65° can be maintained 
plants that have enjoyed seven or eight weeks’ rest may be started into 
growth. If grown in pots turn them out and reduce the old balls by at 
least one-third. If very dry soak the plants in tepid water, and allow 
them to drain thoroughly before potting. Drain the pots well, and use 
for a compost good fibry loam, one-seventh of decayed manure, and a 
little sand if the loam is heavy. Press the soil firmly into the pots. 
The plants should be syringed once or twice daily. Very little water, if 
any, will be needed at their roots before they break into growth. Plants 
that are planted out may have a good portion of the surface soil 
removed and replaced with rich compost, one-third of manure instead 
of one-seventh may be added. Young plants grown from cuttings last 
year need not be unduly rested, and if the wood has been well ripened 
shorten back the shoots, say to 1 yard each, and if the plants were early 
induced to make two they may, after placing them in larger pots, be 
laid horizontally at the eave of the house, when they will break from 
nearly every eye and cover a good space of roof this year. 
Xxoras. —Cut back the points of the shoots of plants that have 
been rested if necessary. It is a good plan to shorten back the whole, 
then they break evenly, and the majority of the trusses expand at one 
time. Before placing these in a temperature of 65° to 70° 
see that they are free from thrip and mealy bug. If the 
former exists wash the plants over a tank thoroughly with a solution of 
tobacco water ; if the latter, syringe them with petroleum, 1 oz. to the 
gallon. If possible give these plants gentle bottom heat, they will then 
start much more freely into growth. Do not over-water or syringe them. 
Once they have broken into growth and the roots are fairly active, 
repot any that need more root room. In repotting do not disturb the 
old ball further than is necessary to remove the drainage. Use a com¬ 
post of good peat and sand, or equal parts of loam and peat. After 
potting the most careful watering is needed. Ixoras in small pots 
should be grown on a much larger scale for purposes of decoration. 
Steptaanotls florlbunda. —Plants that bad their wood well ripened 
in a temperature of 55°, and have since been kept moderately dry at 
their roots, will soon start into growth if introduced with Allamandas 
or Ixoras. Before doing so, however, wash the plants thoroughly with 
a solution of petroleum and water to remove any trace of bug that may 
remain upon them. Green unripe ends may be removed, and the plants 
if grown in pots should be top-dressed with decayed manure. These 
plants do well for several years in the same pots if they are liberally fed 
during the season of growth. A little artificial manure should be applied 
to the surface once a fortnight. Be careful not to give too much water 
at their roots at first, for after having been kept dry they are liable to 
decay. Syringe the foliage once or twice daily according to the state of 
the weather. 
