424 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ May 25, 1893. 
and his cheery spirit gay as ever. His children are away from home, 
one only having opportunity to develop the paternal taste for flov^er8. 
His wife and he dwell in their own property, and are comfortable 
and free from worldly care. In March Mr. Lyle will sow Pansies in 
seed boxes, prick out the seedlings in April into his empty frame, and 
plant in open ground in June, and be as happy in September over his 
seedlings, with many friends, as if toil and hardship had never been 
nigh him all his days. New sorts will be added to the long list he 
has raised, let us trust even superior to Mauve Q leen, Mrs. Jno. Bolton, 
Marquis of Lome, Mrs. Gladstone, Mrs. Arthur, and the rest of his 
floral achievements, the praises of which we see in all the Pansy 
catalogues. 
Many have worked in the same field with him, but to Mr. Lyle 
is due, more than to any other single person, the honour of having raised 
the Show Pansy to the perfection it has now reached.— Alexander 
Sweet. 
r 1 
WOKIIfoiItheWEEK.. ' 
i »—idH-j 1 
lif 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Vines. — Early Maseats. —Where these were started early in Decem¬ 
ber, and they have been brought on steadily, the Grapes will now 
be ripening, and must not lack water at the roots. Examine the Vines 
every week, and if moisture be necessary give it liberally and at the 
mean temperature of the house. If the Vines have abundance of roots 
and are not exuberant, and the crop is heavy, supply tepid liquid 
manure, or top-dressings after moderate waterings, and wash in. The 
temperature should be maintained at 65° to 70° at night, with a little 
air at the top of the house, increasing the ventilation as soon as the sun 
acts on the house, keeping the heat at 70° to 75° on dull days, and 10° to 
15° more from sun heat. Maintain rather dry warm air day and night, 
as the deposition of moisture on the Grapes is likely to produce spot, and 
its rapid evaporation from the berries results in scorching. No harm 
will occur provided proper attention is given to the ventilation, but if 
there is likely to be any danger arising from the border to the prejudice 
of the berries mulch it after watering with a couple of inches of short 
rather dry manure, and on this place about an inch thickness of coarsely 
chopped clean dry straw. 
Vines Started Early in the Year. —Early Smyrna Frontignan, White 
Frontignan, Foster’s Seedling, Buckland Sweetwater, Black Hamburgh, 
Mill Hill Hamburgh, and Madresfield Court are now ripening their crops, 
and though a rather drier atmosphere is desirable it L best secured by 
free ventilation. Have a little at the top of the house constantly, 
increasing it early in the morning, allowing a free circulation of 
warm air through the day. The inside border, also the outside, where 
the rainfall has not been sufficient to moisten it thoroughly, must have 
a good watering. A mulch of half-decayed manure will conserve the 
moisture and accelerate root action, which are necessary for the perfec¬ 
tion of the crop and the health of the Vines. Good atmospheric moisture 
is essential to the proper swelling of the Grapes, the house being damped 
in the morning and in the afternoon until the berries are well advanced 
in colouring, when a drier condition of the atmosphere will be advisable. 
The temperature should be 65° at night, or 5° less when the Vines are 
heavily cropped and on cold nights, 70° to 75° by day artificially, 
increasing to 85° or 90° with sun and full ventilation, increasing this 
from 75°, and reducing it at 80°, at which close all but a small space at 
the top of the houses. Allow a moderate extension of the laterals, as a 
good spread of foliage without overcrowding is favourable to a perfect 
finish and the preservation of colour in the Grapes after they are ripe. 
Succession Houses. —Stop or remove all growths not required, not 
allowing them to be made, and afterwards have to remove or reduce 
them in quantity, as it tends to a check favouring shanking. Let the 
laterals extend as far as space permits, not crowding the foliage unduly, 
but exposing the principal leaves fully to light and air, especially those 
that feed the pruning buds—those at their base for supplying the next 
year’s crop of fruit. Thinning the bunches and berries must be attended 
to, removing duplicate bunches unflinchingly, and proceeding with 
thinning the berries as soon as they are fit. Supply water or liquid 
manure to the borders as required, yet avoid making the soil sodden and 
sour by needless waterings or cold and strong doses of liquid manure. 
Top-dressings of superphosphate encourage surface roots, and nitrates of 
potash and soda aid growth. Occasional sprinklings of the advertised 
fertilisers after a moderate watering and then washing them in improve 
the foliage and sustain the crop. A mulching conserves the moisture 
and is valuable where the soil is light and the roots near the su’face, 
cow manure being best for light soils and horse droppings for heavy. A 
night temperature of 60° to 65° is sufficient, 70° by day artific'ally, 
ventilating from that point, and maintaining a good temperature (80° to 
85°) from sun heat through the day. Close early, and increase the 
temperature to 90° or 95° with a plentiful supply of a'mospheric 
moisture. Admit a little air at the top of the house before night, leaving 
the ventilation thus until it is necessary to increase it in the morning. 
An occasional damping of the floors and' borders with liquid manure in 
the evening greatly benefits the Vines, taking care not to produce too 
much ammonia vapour. 
Late Hou.scs .—The Vines are generally forward, and the aim should 
be to maintain the satisfactory progress by keeping a night temperature 
of 65°, 70° to 75° by day artificially, advancing to 80°, 85° or 90° through 
the day from sun heat. When in flower allow a night temperature of 
70°, with 80° by day, and a free circulation of air, maintaining a genial 
condition of the atmosphere by damping available surfaces when they 
become dry. Attend to fertilising the shy setting varieties by brushing 
the bunches over with a camel’s-hair brush to remove adhering caps 
and dispose pollen from the free-setting kinds over the bunches in a 
similar manner. Perform these operations carefully and not later than 
the ta’-ly afternoon of fine days, preferably a couple of hours after the 
admission of more air. Remove duplicate bunches and avoid over-crop- 
ping and over-crowding the foliage as the greatest of evils. Com¬ 
mence thinning the free-setting kinds as soon as the berries are set ; shy¬ 
setting varieties must not be thinned until the properly fertilised berries 
can be distinguished by their taking the lead in swelling. Reserve the 
best shaped and most compact bunches. Late Hamburghs need not be 
hurried. 
Houses of Rijje Graijcs. —When the Grapes are ripe fire heat will 
only be necessary to keep the temperature at about 60° at night, venti¬ 
lating freely by day. Black Hamburghs will need a slight shade to 
prevent their losing co’our. A single thickness of pilchard or doubled 
herring netting drawn over the roof lights will be sufficient. A 
moderate amount of air moisture is necessary for the benefit of the 
foliage, and it will not prejudice the keeping of the Grapes, but assist 
in preserving them plump, provided the atmosphere is not allowed to 
become stagnant. Encourage lateral growth, it tends to maintain the 
activity at the roots and to prevent premature ripening of the foliage, 
which must be kept clean and healthy as long as possible. Where fer¬ 
menting materials were applied to the borders part of it may now be 
removed, leaving sufficient for a good mulch, and if the roots are active 
near the top a little fresh material may be placed on the surface to 
protect them from the atmosphere, but avoid heavy mulchings. 
IVXelons. —Houses or pits in which the fruit is ripening will require 
a rather dry and warm atmosphere, allowing a circulation of air con¬ 
stantly, moderating the moisture at the roots. When the fruit is cut 
the growths may be cut back, a little of the old soil removed and fresh 
supplied, then the plants will soon make growth and set a second crop. 
Where, however, the plants are exhausted, or fallen a prey to red spider, 
they should be cleared out, the old soil removed, and the house be 
thoroughly cleansed. If fermenting materials have been employed for 
bottom heat, add some fresh, and mix with the top 12 or 18 inches of 
the old material, some of the most exhausted being removed. Make 
firm, and put in ridges or hillocks of good rather strong loam ; if the 
loam is not calcareous add some old mortar rubbish and road scrapings. 
Tread the hillocks or ridges well down after they become warmed 
through, say in a couple of days. Make the soil firm about the plants, 
and the soil and balls being moist, no water will be needed until the 
roots have taken to the fresh soil. Shade from bright sun for a few 
days, and maintain a genial condition of the atmosphere by damping 
available surfaces in the morning and afternoon. Ventilate between 
70° and 75°; keep through the day at 80° to 85° from sun heat, and close 
sufficiently early to increase the temperature to 90°-100°. 
Cucumbers.— Plants that have been in bearing since the beginning 
of the year in a house may be cleared out, and the house being cleansed, 
it may be utilised for a late crop of Melon. If, however, the Cucumber 
plants are fairly healthy and the supply of fruit is still insufficient from 
pits and frames, they may be kept fruiting some time longer by removing 
the surface soil, and replacing with some lumpy loam, afterwards sur¬ 
facing with some sweetened manure, giving a good soaking of tepid 
water or liquid manure. Thin out the old growths, and encourage young 
in their place. Shade from powerful sun, syringe the plants in the 
morning and afternoon, and damp well before nightfall. Fire heat need 
only be employed to maintain a temperature of 60° to 65° at night, and 
70° to 75° in the daytime. Admit a little air at 75°, increase it with the 
advancing sun heat, keeping through the day at 80° to 85° or 90°, and 
close early in the afternoon so as to run up to 90°-100°. 
Plants in pits and frames should be ventilated from 7.30 to 8 A.M , 
and in the hottest part of the day a slight shade from fierce sun will be 
beneficial, keeping through the day at 85° to 90°, close at 85°, and so 
early as to increase 5° to 10° or more from sun heat. Keep the plants 
watered as required, about twice a week being necessary in bright 
weather, and syringe them on fine afternoons. Avoid crowding the 
foliage, thinning well, keeping up a succesfion of young bearing wood, 
removing bad leaves, and stopping the shoots one or two joints beyond the 
show of fruit. Overcropping and allowing the fruit to remain on the plants 
after they become fit to cut greatly weakens them, and must be guarded 
against by timely thinning and cutting the fruit, whieh keep some time 
in a cool place, with the neck end inserted in a saucer of water. 
Straight fruits are not only hacds^mer and easier packed than the 
crooked, but they possess g.eater using value, therefore place the young 
fruit in glass tubes, or ffieces of deal nailed together so as to form opera 
ended troughs about 3 inches wide. 
THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Work after tlie Rain. —The rainfall would appear to have been 
general, and never was more v elcoms. All the hard lumps on newly 
dug quarters hive b. en well moistened through, and before they again 
become hard or lalei by sunshine all ought to be reduced to a fine 
