March 23. 1893. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
248 
desirable, as it will be necessary to frequently use the Dutch hoe for 
maintaining a loose surface. 
Protecting: Fruit Blossom on Wall Trees. —It is well to have 
all the material for effectively protecting trees ready to hand; if possible 
adjusted in position, so that it can be conveniently extended over or in 
front of the trees when necessary. 
Methods of Protecting. —All walls against which choice varieties of 
fruit trees are planted ought to be furnished with a projecting coping 
either of wood or glass. The advantage of having a projecting coping is 
found in the ease with which material can be fixed, drawn up and down, 
or on one side as necessary. Woollen netting or tiffany is the best 
material for protecting, and where a coping exists a series of brass rings 
should be fixed to the upper edges of the material used and be placed on 
an iron rod secured to the edge of the coping. Another set of rings at 
the lower end also running on an iron rod fixed 18 inches or 2 feet from 
the ground on convenient uprights fastens that part. The whole is 
easily extended or folded as required, slight wooden uprights being placed 
securely from the coping to the ground for fastening the material to 
when folded. In the absence of coping poles of sufficient length to 
reach the top of the wall, standing out at the foot well clear of the trees 
may be used, placing them 6 feet apart. On these stretch tiffany, frigi 
domo, cotton netting, double or treble fish netting, or pilchard netting. 
Protecting material should stand clear of the trees at least 3 inches. 
Protecting Pyramids and Espaliers. —The best way of protecting 
pyramid trees is to fix three poles round each, equidistant, firmly fixed 
at the foot, splicing them together at the top well clear of the trees. 
The protective material must be wound round tightly, not closing up 
the apex, nor carrying it to the bottom within 2 feet. Espaliers in the 
open may have a pole arrangement on each side, the tops being fastened 
above the trees. In cases where the trees are close to walks the base of 
the poles may be steadied by being fixed in pots, small tubs, or boxes 
filled with soil, ashes, sand, &c., but usually the poles on one side can be 
made firm, which will help to hold the others. By stretching 
frigi domo from each support the trees will be effectually guarded from 
frost destroying the blo.ssoms. 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Vines. — Earliest in Pots. —Those started last October to early in 
November have the Grapes at the colouring stage, and require supplies of 
tepid liquid manure to insure well-swelled berries. A little air con¬ 
stantly aids the ripening process, but an arid atmosphere should be 
avoided by damping available surfaces occasionally. Do not curtail the 
laterals before the fruit is finished, when they may be reduced, especially 
if the Vines are required for table decoration and have been allowed to 
root from the pots, the simultaneous reduction of the roots and laterals 
being necessary to preserve the remaining foliage in good condition. 
Early Houses. —The Grapes will soon proceed with the colouring 
process, and, as they swell considerably during that stage, the Vines 
should be well supplied with tepid liquid manure. The border may also 
be mulched with partially decayed, well sweetened manure, an inch 
thickness sufficing. A good watering and the mulching will generally 
be sufficient for the Vines until the Grapes are cut, but the soil must not 
be allowed to become dry so as to distress the foliage, for that should be 
preserved in a healthy condition, its retention being essential to prevent 
premature growth. Continue damping at closing time until the Grapes 
are well advanced in colouring, and maintain a circulation of warm air 
constantly. Keep a good spread of foliage over Black Hamburghs ; 
white Grapes require more light. 
Succession Houses —Disbudding, stopping, and tying the shoots must 
be attended to, for work of this kind falling into arrear cannot be satis¬ 
factorily brought forward. Stop the shoots one or two joints beyond the 
show of fruit where the space is limited ; but where the restriction of 
space is less allow more extension to the shoots and laterals. The 
shoots may be pinched at three or four or more leaves beyond the bunch, 
and the laterals allowed to extend until the space is fairly occupied. 
Then keep them pinched, not permitting growth to be made that must 
afterwards be reduced in quantity. Vines in flower should have a 
circulation of warm rather dry air, and a temperature of 65° to 70° at 
night for Black Hamburghs and similar varieties; Muscats require 
a night temperature of 70° to 75°, and 10° to 15° more by day with sun. 
Shy-setting sorts should have the bunches brushed over with a camel’s- 
hair brush, so as to rid the stigmas of the glutinous substance and the 
adhering “ caps ” about the time the blossom is fully expanded, choosing 
a warm part of the day after the house has been rather freely ventilated. 
Any varieties deficient of pollen may have it applied, collecting it from 
those that afford it freely. Free-setting varieties may be thinned as 
soon as the berries are formed, but the shy setters ought not to be 
thinned until the properly fertilised berries are taking the lead. 
When the Grapes have been thinned and are fairly swelling, supply 
tepid water or liquid manure. Top-dressings of approved fertilisers are 
highly beneficial, applying them after the soil has been made moist, and 
washing in lightly. A light mulching of sweetened lumpy manure is 
useful, provided it is kept moistened by damping occasionally, especially 
at closing time. Admit a little air by the time the sun acts on the 
house, and increase it liberally as the temperature rises, so as to secure 
sturdy wood and thick leathery leaves. Close early, with plenty of 
atmospheric moisture, so as to run the heat up to 85° or 90° by the sun’s 
agency, and allow the night temperaturd to fall to between 60° and 65° 
by the morning. 
Eate Houses. —The Vines started at the end of last month or beginning 
of this will now be swelling their buds, and should be syringed rather 
freely in the morning and at closing time, striving to secure a good 
break by closing the house with a rath'sr humid atmosphere of 75°. 
Young Vines must be brought into a horizontal position or lower, other¬ 
wise the sap rushes to the upper part of the canes and causes the buds to 
push unevenly. Moisten inside borders by watering as necessary, and 
on outside borders place a little protective material to prevent chill from 
snow and frost. 
Houses of the late varieties not yet started should be set to work 
with as little delay as possible, for they require a longer season of growth 
than is sometimes given them, as when they start naturally, to produce 
highly finished Grapes, and such as will keep well. Syringe the rods 
several times a day, and maintain a moist atmosphere by damping the 
floor and border every evening. The night temperature should be kept 
at 50° to 55°, the latter by artificial means in the daytime, and 65° by 
day from sun heat. 
Where Black Hamburgh Grapes are required late the Vines may be 
permitted to break naturally, then the Grapes will be fit for thinning 
early in June, and they will ripen in September. When ripened early 
the berries are liable to lose colour and to shrivel by hanging, which is 
a great defect in Grapes, and is best prevented by a good, but not 
excessive, spread of foliage, and a properly moist condition of the soil, 
with sufficient ventilation to prevent damp. 
Riye Grapes. —Those in the Grape room have kept upon the whole 
satisfactorily, they having required more air than usual, perhaps due to 
the changeableness of the weather. Lady Downe’s has proved, as usual, 
the best keeping Grape, taking colour, plumpness, and quality into 
consideration. Gros Colman also has preserved its freshness, and the 
quality is so improved by keeping as to be little inferior to Black 
Hamburgh. Examine the Grapes twice a week for decayed berries, 
remove empty bottles, and replenish others with water as required. 
Figs.— Earliest Trees in Pots. —Early Violet and St. John’s 
varieties that were started in gentle bottom heat in November are now 
beginning to take their last swelling of the fruit for ripening, and to 
insure flavour a drier condition of the atmosphere and a higher tempera¬ 
ture, with increased ventilation on fine days, is desirable. The larger 
fruited varieties, however, have not the fruit sufficiently advanced to 
admit this being done without prejudice to their crops. Anything ap¬ 
proaching dryness at the roots must be avoided, yet lessened supplies 
are needed than when the fruit is swelling. Brown Turkey and similar 
varieties should have good supplies of tepid liquid manure twice a week, 
and the top-dressings be replenished, lumpy manure absorbing moisture 
when the trees are syringed, and gives off genial vapour for some time 
afterwards. Syringe twice a day when fine, once only when the weather 
is dull, the second syringing being given in time for the foliage to get 
fairly dry before night. Maintain a night temperature of 65° when 
mild, 70° to 75° by day, and a heat ranging between 75° and 85° with 
sun. Stop and thin the side shoots, as Figs enjoy light, full exposure to 
sunshine, training terminals forward where space admits or there is 
need to preserve the symmetry of the trees, always guarding against over¬ 
crowding. 
Succession Houses. —Trees in borders require liberal supplies of 
liquid manure or copious waterings through a good, but not heavy, 
mulching of manure. Syringe twice a day unless dull, when once 
suffices, or not that when the weather is close and moist, but damp the 
paths and walls frequently, and again moisten the mulching when it 
becomes dry. This is better than keeping it constantly saturated. 
Ventilate freely in the early part of the day, but maintain a temperature 
of 75° to 85° from sun heat through the day, and close with a brisk 
heat and plenty of moisture about three o’clock in the afternoon. 
Maintain a night temperature of 60° to 65°, and 65° to 70° on dull days, 
with a little ventilation. 
Late Houses. —Figs ripen one crop in a season in unheated houses, 
but the late varieties Nebian, Col di Signora Bianca, and Agen require 
fire heat to ripen the fruit well. The house must have a full exposure 
to the south. Well-drained, narrow, inside borders are best. The 
growths should be trained about 16 inches from the glass. Prune the 
trees and dress them with an insecticide, being careful not to injure the 
embryonic Figs, nor break the points of the shoots. Supply water so as 
to thoroughly moisten the soil, and keep the trees dormant as long as 
possible ; but when they begin to grow afford generous treatment, 
admitting air soon, and closing early in the afternoon so as to husband 
the sun heat. Avoid, however, a close atmosphere, as that hinders the 
proper formation of the foliage, and too hasty treatment may cause the 
fruit to fall. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Crotons. —Good heads that were notched and mossed some time ago 
will be sufficiently rooted for taking off and potting singly. Place them 
into 5 and 6-inch pots, and put in the propagating or other frame until 
they are established. The old plants from which heads are removed 
may, if stock is needed, be kept for yielding side shoots, otherwise they 
should be cut close back. Repot young plants that need more root 
room without delay. Syringe these plants freely and maintain a close 
warm atmosphere. No shading is needed ; if the plants are grown in 
mixed houses of plants they should be arranged at one end or in any 
position where they can enjoy plenty of light, while the others can be 
shaded when occasion requires. 
Braccenas.—Those that have been mossed may be taken off and 
placed into pots suitable for the purpose for which the plants may be 
required. Narrow-leaved kinds are most useful in from 5 to 7-inch pots 
for table and other forms of decoration. Give the plants similar 
treatment advised for Crotons until they are well rooted, afterwards 
shade them from bright sunshine. These plants will bear exposure 
to the sun; but they colour too highly, and the ends of the leaves 
