262 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 
[ Maroh JO, 1893. 
ITse 9 or 10-inch pots for Queens, 10 or 11-inch for Smooth-leaved Cayennei 
and 11 or 12-inch for Providence, watering the plants a day or two 
previously so as to have the soil moderately moist when they are 
potted. This will not be required for another ten days or a fort¬ 
night, but the soil, good fibrous loam, should be had under cover, 
the pots and a fermenting bed be prepared. The bed in which the 
planls have been started may answer by replenishing it if needed by 
the addition of fresh tan, mixing it with the old to a depth that will 
afford the temperature required—namely, 95° at the base of the pots 
until the roots reach the sides, when 90° is more suitable. Keep the 
air about such plants well charged with moisture during the time the 
house is closed, employing no more fire heat than is absolutely necessary 
to maintain a temperature of 70° to 75° on mild nights. Ventilate 
slightly at 80°, liberally at 90°, closing with sun heat at 85°, at which 
time syringe the plants. Fruiting plants, which should not be S 3 a'inged 
when they are in bloom, require similar treatment. Water the plants 
as needed, examining them twice a week for that purpose. 
Cherry House. —Trees that have set a heavy crop should have the 
fruits thinned with scissors, removing the smallest and ill-shapen, and 
as they will be less vigorous than those with fewer fruit, the demand for 
nutriment will be greater, and whilst they will be benefited by the 
application of liquid manure, those lightly cropped should have water 
only. Ventilate freely at 50°, and fully at 60° to C5°, and employ fire 
heat only to maintain the day temperature at 50° to 55°, with a little 
air, and 50° or 5° less on cold nights. Syringe the trees twice a day 
after the fruit is set and swelling, keeping the border moist by damping 
it whenever the surface becomes dry. When the shoots have made four 
or five joints, pinch out their points to form spurs ; growths required 
for furnishing the trees should be tied in position earl^q and be carefully 
trained in their full length. Keep a sharp look out for grubs on the 
leaves, and aphides must be kept under by repeated fumigation with 
tobacco paper, as if they get much hold they are not only difficult to 
exterminate, but spoil the appearance of the fruit. Over-fumigation 
seriously cripples the foliage, and must be avoided by moderate doses on 
two or three consecutive evenings, having the foliage dry. Trees in pots 
must be well supplied with water and have top-dressings of loam and 
manure, with a sprinkling of “ artificials ” occasionally, and liquid 
manure twice a week. 
IVlelons.— Attend to thinning, tying, and stopping the shoots twice 
a week. Plants growing in beds over hot-water pipes require m,ore 
water than those having the bottom heat supplied by fermenting 
materials. Plants swelling their fruit will need copious supplies, and if 
the roots are in shallow or narrow borders with ample drainage tepid 
liquid manure in a weak state should be given whenever the application 
of water is necessary, and it will compensate for the limited root action ; 
but that may be accelerated by top-dressing of loam, and a sprinkling 
of superphosphate occasionally. Commence ventilating at 70° on fine 
mornings, always at 75°, and increase it with the rising temperature, 
keeping it at 80° to 90° in the daytime from sun heat, closing between 
85° and 90°, and so as to run up to 95° or more, with plenty of 
atmospheric moisture, a high temperature and plenty of moisture being 
necessary when Melons are swelling. Maintain a night temperature of 
65° to 70°, and 70° to 75° by day artificially. Place the necessary 
supports to the fruits. 
Succession plants will need frequent attention in training and regu¬ 
lating the growths. They should be trained with a clear stem to the 
trellis, rubbing off all the side shoots as soon as discernible, and not 
stopping the leader until it has grown one-third across the trellis if 
trained on the extension system, or two-thirds on the cordon method. In 
the former case the main shoots are trained 12 to 15 inches apart and 
the laterals spread over the space between without crowding ; but on the 
cordon plan every alternate lateral on opposite sides of the leading shoot 
should be removed to prevent crowding. The laterals will show fruit at 
the second or third joint. A somewhat dry atmosphere should be 
maintained when the plants are in flower, and until they have set the 
fruit, impregnating the flowers every day as they become fully expanded, 
stopping the laterals at one joint beyond, until a suflficient number 
for the crop are obtained on each plant of the same stage of growth. 
3Ielons in Pits and Frames .—Where the plants are trained over the 
surface of the beds young plants will need stopping at the second or 
third leaf, and the shoots resulting being reduced to four train two to 
the front and two to the back of the frame, stopping them when 
15 inches from the sides. It will be necessary to thin or rub off the 
laterals to some extent so as to prevent overcrowding, keeping the collars 
free from growths, and fertilise the flowers about midday on fine days 
when they are fully expanded, stopping at the same time one joint 
beyond the fruit. Sow and plant in accordance with the extent of the 
establishment. Attend to the linings at weekly or such intervals as 
circumstances occasion, and protection over the lights will be necessary 
at night as a means of retaining the heat by preventing radiation from 
the glass. 
Cucumbers.— Shading for an hour or two at midday when the sun 
is brightest will prevent the foliage flagging, and is absolutely necessary 
after a period of dull weather to prevent the plants receiving a severe 
check, if not actual injury to the foliage. Assist plants in full bearing 
with applications of weak tepid liquid manure, and supply a little fresh 
loam to the roots. If horse droppings are used they must be previously 
sweetened, and not applied too abundantly, nor too often, or it will 
injure the foliage. Stopping and training must be attended to at least 
once a week. Plants that have been in bearing for any length of time 
should have the old exhausted growths removed with a small fork, not 
injuring the roots, and replacing it with fresh soil—lumpy and rich, 
previously warmed—the plants v\ill continue to supply good fruit some 
time longer, the exhausted growths being cut out, and fiesh bearing 
shoots encouraged. 
If worms are troublesome expel them with soot water, half a peck to 
thirty gallonsof water, or sprinkle a little superphosphate on the surface 
occasionally. Canker at the collar and in the stems may be subdued by 
rubbing quicklime into the affected parts. Damp the floors about 7 A.AI, 
and again at 3 p.il, syringing the plants gently on warm afternoons. 
Maintain a night temperature of 70°, 5° less in the morning, 70° to 75°* 
by day artificially, keeping through the day at 80° to 90° from sun heat, 
and close sutflcieutly early to run up to 90°, or even 100°, with abundance 
of atmospheric moisture. Ventilate early and moderately, avoiding 
sudden changes of temperature, and above all cold currents of air, which 
cripple the foliage, stunt the fruit, and cause it to swell irregularly or 
die off at the end. 
Oucunihers in Pits and Frames .—A good degree of heat should be 
kept by the renewal or application of manure linings, taking care to avoid 
rank steam. Supply water carefully and moderately and early, for the 
nights are yet cold, employing thick night coverings. Train the shoots 
rather thinly, pegging them down as required, stopping one joint 
beyond the show of fruit. Add fresh warm soil to the hillocks or ridges 
as the roots extend. Ventilate early so as to get a change of air and the 
foliage fairly dry before the sun acts powerfully upon it, not lowering 
the temperature, but keeping through the day at 80° to 85° from sun, 
and close early in the afternoon, no harm accruing if the heat rise to 
90° or 95°. Rink steam, however, must be guarded against, having a 
little ventilation constantly in case danger be apprehended from it. 
Strawberries In Pots.— April is the principal month for forced 
Strawberries, the season then being at its height, and the labour entailed 
in supplying water and nourishment at the highest pitch. East winds 
are very prevalent and cutting in spring time ; these and sharp winds 
from any quarter blowing directly on the berries in the early stages of 
swelling cause them to become dried and brown, so that they do not swell 
well afterwards. Neglect of watering will also have a similar effect on 
the fruit. Great attention must be given to this, examining the plants 
at least three times a day in bright weather, and whenever a plant needs 
water supply it thoroughly, alternating with liquid manure. Plants to 
furnish fine fruit should have the flowers thinned to a dozen or so on 
each plant, or when very fine examples are required the plants showing 
the largest flowers should have them reduced to six or eight. The plants 
should be brought forward in gentle heat in the first stages of swelling, 
affording plenty of atmospheric moisture while it remains green, but 
when it becomes whitish green increase the night temperature to 65°, 70° 
to 75° by day artificially, and 80°, 85°, or 90° on sunny days, continuing 
this until the fruit becomes red all over, when the temperature should 
be lowered to a minimum of 60° and a free circulation of warm rather 
dry air maintained, with water only at the roots to keep the foliage fresh, 
will be necessary to secure flavour. 
THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Forced Asparagus. —Supposing that forced Asparagus must be 
forthcoming till the open air produce is available, it will be necessary 
in many cases to lift more roots and put these in gentle heat. Place 
them direct into rich moist soil in preference to any that is poor or dry. 
In order to thoroughly exhaust the earlier started roots, prior to throw¬ 
ing them away as being of no further service, force gently and keep 
the soil about them constantly moist. Good early produce can be had 
by forcing Asparagus where it is permanently planted in narrow raised 
beds. If a deep trench is at once dug on each side of the bed and fllled 
with moderately hot manure and leaves, the bed being further enclosed 
with boards, and either mats or glazed lights, there will be a gain of 
about fortnight, or enough to repay for the trouble taken. 
Asparagus Beds. —Where the old fashioned plan of giving an 
autumn dressing of manure, the sides being chopped down, and the soil 
distributed over the manure, is still adhered to, the beds should be put 
into good order for the season. The shoots would come through the 
dressing and be all the better for the additional length of stem, but 
would be late, while the side roots, already mutilated in the autumn, 
would further suffer from exposure to sunshine and drying winds. 
Therefore lightly fork over the beds, working or raking some of the 
dressing right and left so as to well cover the sides. Asparagus roots 
ought not to be confined to narrow bounds, and if the alleys between 
raised beds are full of roots on no account injure the latter by digging- 
and cropping with Cauliflowers. It is a com&ion, but not economical 
practice. 
IVXanarlng Asparagus Beds. —Asparagus very often gets more 
manure than it really needs ; in fact, heavy soils are not unfrequently 
rendered quite unsuited to the crop, owing to the free use of manures. 
If nothing but solid manure has been applied of late years, dispense 
with this for once, and give a dressing of newly slaked lime, applying 
this at the rate of 2 bushels to the square rod, lightly forking it into 
the surface. In many instances the roots and crowns are too near to the 
surface, where they are easily injured by spring frosts and summer 
drought. These ought to be dressed with short partially decayed 
manure ; this, in its turn, being surfaced with fine soil. Supposing the- 
crowns are covered with not less than 3 inches of fine soil, loosen 
this with a fork, and top-dress with short manure, this answering the 
three-fold purpose of a protection from spring frosts, fertiliser, and 
summer mulch. Salt is the manurial dressing most often applied, but it 
is quite unsuited to soils of a clayey nature, as it causes them to run 
