March 16, 1893. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
225 
Bounds, second ; Mr. T. Healy, gardener to Colonel Wilson, Hillside, 
Allerton, third. The prize for one Orchid went to the latter exhibitor 
for a good plant of Cattleya Trianae. He was also successful in classes 
for one Fern, three Palms, including a magnificent Cycas revoluta, and 
one Palm. 
Mr. Moorhouse won in the classes for the most tastefully arranged 
box of Roses, not to exceed 24 inches by 18 inches, six Cinerarias, one 
hardy Rhododendron, and was second in classes for four and one 
Azalea mollis, the first honours going to Mr. J. Harrison with fine 
specimens. For four hardy Rhododendrons, Mr. J. Kelly was first; 
Mr. Moorhouse being second. The former exhibitor was also placed first 
for six Dracaenas, six table plants, and one Azalea. For three Azaleas, 
Mr. W. Wilson, gardener to H. Cunningham, Esq., Gorsey Cop, Gateacre, 
was first, and Mr. Jellicoe second. For four Azaleas, pots not exceed 8 
inches, Mr. C. Osborne was an easy first. 
Primulas and Cyclamen have never been shown in such splendid 
condition, every collection being worthy of a prize. The first honours 
in each class went to Mr. A. Lewis, gardener to Thos. Neal, Esq., 
Beechwood, Aigburth. Mr. W. Kneale was commended for a basket 
of Auriculas. 
S(^OKK.F0fi.'raEWEEK.. SS 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Peaclies and TTectarlnes. —Early Houses .—Thinning the fruits 
must be proceeded with, regulating the number reserved for swelling 
off by the strength of the trees and the varieties, always leaving a few 
more before stoning for meeting casualties during that process or re¬ 
moval after it. Size and quality being the first consideration, one Peach 
of the varieties that attain the largest size to every square foot of trellis 
covered with foliage will be found a heavy crop. The varieties that 
produce fruit of medium size, as Early Louise, will be accommodated in 
a space 10 inches square, and the small, as Early Beatrice, swell per¬ 
fectly when each fruit is given a square of 9 inches. The young shoots 
having been neatly tied in close to the base, and the superfluous growths 
removed or pinched back to form spurs on the extension branches, the 
trees should be allowed to make free growth until they are sufficiently 
advanced for the general tying down to the trellis. Any shoots that 
show a tendency to become too strong should have the points pinched 
out before they have time to disturb the balance of the trees. Growths 
retained on a level with or above the fruits to attract the sap to them 
must be kept topped at a joint or two of fresh growths, so as to con¬ 
centrate it on them. When the weather is bright syringe with tepid 
soft water twice a day, but in dull weather the syringing must be 
omitted or done sufficiently early to allow the trees to become fairly dry 
before night. When syringing is not practised a genial condition of the 
atmosphere should be secured by damping the floors and borders in the 
morning and again before night, affording a sprinkling of tepid liquid 
manure in the evening occasionally. A light mulching of lumpy manure 
will assist in keeping the borders moist and supply food to the roots. 
The soil must be kept moist by judicious watering. It is a good plan to 
turn off the fire heat early on fine mornings, admitting a little air, and 
increase the ventilation with the advancing temperature. A steady 
night temperature of 60°, with a rise of 10° to 15° by day, should be 
maintained until after the fruit is stoned, when the ripening may be 
hastened if desired by a higher temperature. 
Succession Houses. — Disbudding must be attended to when the 
growths are sufficiently advanced. Growths on extensions not required 
for forming the bearing shoots of next year may be pinched for spurs, 
and all wood that is not likely to be wanted for the support of the 
present or the production of the next year’s crop of fruit should be cut 
away. Avoid, however, large reduction of growths at a time, proceeding 
gradually ; and in disbudding commence at the extremities of the trees, 
and work down to the base. Small or badly placed fruits should be 
removed as soon as the most promising for the crop can be decided upon, 
not leaving more to attain the size of marbles than a third of that 
intended, and only a per-centage of about 25 should be left after they 
reach the size of pickling Walnuts for meeting casualties in stoning. 
A temperature of 55° to 60° at night, according to the advanced condition 
of individual houses, will be sufficient, with 10° to 15° rise by day. 
Syringe the trees, and supply water as advised for the early houses. 
Later Houses .—The trees that are to ripen their fruit in August will 
now be in flower, and should have a day temperature of 50° by artificial 
means, with 10° to 15° advance from sun heat, and a free circulation of 
air, the heat falling to 45° at night, with a little ventilation to prevent 
the deposition of moisture on the blossoms. Where bees visit the houses 
it is a certain indication of a good set, for these instinctive creatures 
seldom trouble flowers that do not contain the essential nectar and 
pollen. When bees do not visit the houses when the trees are in blossom 
the trellis should be shaken early in the forenoon and again shortly 
after noon, or the flowers be carefully fertilised with a camel’s-hair 
brush, a feather, or rabbit’s tail mounted on a small stick. Late houses 
should have a free circulation of air with a view to retarding the 
flowering; but after the blossoms expand they should be kept safe from 
frost, a night temperature of 40° to 45° being suitable, the heat being 
turned on in the morning so as to raise the temperature to 50°, and 
admit of ventilation. This is imperative, as the fruit does not set 
well in a confined atmosphere. Inside borders must have the needful 
supplies of water, not, however, rendering them sodden by needless 
applications. 
melons. —The plants first put out in the ridges or hillocks will now 
or soon have grown about 2 feet up the roof, and may be pinched if 
more than one main Vine is required. Train the shoots over the space 
not less than 1 foot apart; but for early crops it is better to allow the 
main shoot or stem to extend two-thirds up the trellis before stopping it, 
which will cause it to push laterals showing fruit freely. The blossoms 
on these should be carefully fertilised, plucking a staminate flower, 
removing its corolla, and then brushing its farina on the stigma of 
the pistillate blossom where it may be left, and at the same time 
stopping the shoot one joint beyond the inoculated blossom. Earth up 
young plants as the roots protrude, and transfer those in small pots to 
larger before they become root-bound, or plant them out before that 
condition is reached. Successional sowings and plantings must be made 
according to the requirements of the establishment for a succession of 
fruit. 
Plants growing in hot-water-heated pits over tanks or manure-heated 
beds for bottom heat, which were stopped at the second rough leaf, have 
made some laterals, and four of these should be trained over the surface 
of the bed, stopping them when they have made about 18 inches to 
2 feet of growth according to the space. This will result in the produc¬ 
tion of sub-laterals or bearing shoots. These will generally show fruit 
blossoms at the second or third joint, and when two or three on a plant 
are open simultaneously they should be impregnated, stopped at one 
joint beyond the fruit, after which, with the necessary stopping and 
thinning of the shoots, the plants may be allowed to fill the allotted 
spaee. Fertilisation should be performed on fine days when the pollen 
is dry, and maintain, as far as practicable, a rather dry atmosphere 
whilst the plants are in that stage of growth and until the fruit is set. 
Keep a sharp look out for predatory pests, as cockroaches and 
crickets, these being best destroyed by phosphor paste spread on 
pieces of paper, or laid on pellets on slates, remembering that it is 
poisonous. Slugs are surest attracted by brewers’ grains or bran, or 
they may be searched for at night with a lantern. Woodlice may be 
captured wholesale by placing two pieces of old board one on the other, 
with just sufficient space between them for admitting the woodlice, a 
little oatmeal sprinkled on the lower board being an attraction, or the 
Mangold Wurtzel traps figured on page 186, March 2nd, issue of the 
Journal of Horticulture, be used with great advantage, as these 
pests do irreparable mischief in a short time when allowed to have their 
own way. 
Cucumbers. — Winter-fruiting plants are now making growth 
freely, and require frequent attention in stopping, thinning, and tying 
the shoots. All decayed portions of wood and foliage must be removed, 
also the old wood where practicable to make room for young growth to 
maintain a succession of fruits, securing the shoots to the trellis, and 
stopping them one or two joints beyond the show of fruit where there is 
space, otherwise stop at the fruit. To encourage a free growth of young 
wood, take off an inch or a little more of the soil from the surface of 
the bed, and give a dressing of that depth of light turfy loam two 
parts, and one part of lumpy decomposed manure, and a 9-inch potful 
of fine charcoal to about three bushels of the mixture. Fresh roots 
will be freely emitted and push rapidly into the new compost. Then 
copious supplies of liquid manure in a tepid state may be given as 
circumstances require, and a sprinkling of the following mixture occa¬ 
sionally on the surface will keep the plants in bearing some time 
longer—superphosphate, 3 lbs. ; powdered saltpetre, 2 lbs. ; powdered 
gypsum, 1 lb. ; mix, and apply at the rate of 2 ozs. per square yard. 
Add more soil to the hillocks of young plants as the roots protrude 
through the soil, taking care to have it warm and moderately moist. 
The night temperature should be maintained at 65° to 70°, and 70° to 75° 
by day from fire heat, with an advance of 10° to 15° with sun, closing 
soon after midday so as to run up to 90° to 100°, with abundance of 
atmospheric moisture. Keep the bottom heat steady at 80°, never less 
than 70° nor higher than 90°. 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Old Tomato Plants. —Whether plants recently cleared of fruit shall 
be any longer reserved, or not, ought to depend upon circumstances. 
Those in pots may well be thrown away, especially if there are some 
newly raised plants fit to take their place. If, however, they are fairly 
clean and have not been recently cleared of young growths some of them 
would be handy for producing early spring crops. Set them along the 
front of a low forcing house, give a soaking with liquid manure and a 
rich loamy top-dressing, more of the latter being added as the roots 
spread into it, till eventually the pots be quite buried in soil. Thin out 
the young growths and train irregularly or so as to thinly and quickly 
cover the roof. Any plants that were previously fruited up the roof 
may be similarly treated. It is a mistake to starve these old plants, 
and the least that can be done is to give them an occasional surfacing^ of 
artificial manure. Take an early opportunity of cutting off and burning 
any old insect-infested or diseased leaves. A moderate dry heat and a 
gentle circulation of air that will be found the best preventives of 
disease. If the white fly is on the plants paint the hot-water pipes with 
sulphur mixed with either milk or linseed oil. This should be done 
before the flowers are opening. In order to be certain of a good set of 
