June 1, 1893. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
447 
of full-grown leaves. Where the roots are suspected of being largely in 
a dry medium, which is often the case when trees trained to walls or 
bushes in the open have existed long on one site, means must be taken 
to moisten the ground, first with copious supplies of clear water, after¬ 
wards with liquid manure, followed by a mulching of manure. This 
will be advantageous to the rapid swelling of the bunches of fruit, and 
to the production of clean healthy growth. 
Gooseberries. — Trained on restrictive methods in any position, 
these will now need the summer shoots shortening in the same manner 
as Currants. Aphides are often very troublesome at the points of 
Gooseberry shoots, being produced by the same causes which favour 
their presence on other trees. Pruning the side shoots will clear the 
trees to a large extent, any infested shoots left dust with tobacco 
powder. Improve the growth by applying water and liquid manure. 
Free-grown bushes should have gross and crowded wood thinned out. 
Many of the branches as they are cleared of fruit may be cut out 
entirely to make room for new wood of the current year. 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Pines. — Potting Suchers .—The early-fruited plants of Queens and 
Enville will afford strong suckers as they finish, and if these be taken 
during the first fortnight of June in sufficient quantity to maintain 
the stock equal to the demand for fruit and are started at once, they 
will give plants for fruiting about this time next year, following those 
started into fruit in the spring. The treatment then given to suckers 
will answer for these, only they will require more careful shading and 
frequent attention to damping. 
Spring-potted Suckers .—The strongest of those potted last March 
will be in the pots in which they are to fruit; if not, they must be 
shifted without further delay. To allow them to become root-bound 
is debilitating and detrimental to them. Recently potted plants should 
have a steady bottom heat of 85° to 90°, be thoroughly watered after 
potting if the soil be dry. 
Ventilating, Watering, Syringing, and Shading, — Young plants 
are making rapid progress, and should be allowed sufficient space 
for development. Ventilate early in the day at 75° to 80° to 
dissipate moisture from the leaves before it is powerfully acted 
upon by the sun. That is the way to secure sturdy plants as well 
as avoid scorching. Examine the plants twice a week for watering, 
not giving any until it is needed, and then a thorough soaking with 
tepid liquid manure, being careful not to apply it too strong. Dis¬ 
continue shading succession plants so soon as they will bear the 
sun safely, but fruiting plants with the crowns in close proximity 
io the glass will require slight shade. Syringe the plants on bright 
afternoons, and otherwise maintain a genial condition of the atmosphere. 
Avoid, however, much moisture in dull weather, for it only tends to 
cause attenuated and soft growth. Where water remains in the axils 
of the leaves syringing is not so much required, and in watering pour 
the water well up the plants, but not into their centres. 
Plants for Winter Fruiting .—The strongest of the plants ought now 
to be showing fruit, if not, means must be taken to effect it. The plants 
should be brought together and subjected to a comparative rest for a 
month or six weeks, lowering the heat at the roots to 75°, maintaining a 
free circulation of air about the plants in favourable weather. Ventilate 
at 75°, and allow the heat to fall to that point before closing the house. 
Only employ artificial heat to prevent the temperature falling below 60* 
at night. Do not withhold water altogether, but when a plant becomes 
dry afford it liberally. Suckers that were wintered in 7 or 8-inch pots, 
and repotted this spring, must be kept growing until the pots are well 
filled with roots, at which time, if considered necessary, they may be 
subjected to the same treatment as advised for the larger plants, and 
they will then give a successional supply of fruit. 
Fruit Ripening .—Cease syringing the plants and lessen the supply 
of moisture, but the watering at the roots must be sufficient to prevent 
distress in the foliage. Ventilate when circumstances permit with a 
view to improve the quality of the fruit, but do not allow the tempe¬ 
rature to fall below 80° in the day, and apply fire heat to maintain a 
night temperature of 70° to 75°. Queen, Enville, and Providence Pines 
started into fruit early in February will ripen this month, coming in 
about a month before Smooth-leaved Cayenne and Charlotte Rothschild 
started at the same time and under similar conditions. These afford a 
supply of fruit in succession, and it may be still further extended by 
removing some of the plants with the fruits to a cooler house. The heat 
should be maintained at 85° to 90° at the roots. 
rig-s. —Early Forced Trees. —Trees in pots must be mulched with 
rich material, and receive generous treatment to enable them to swell 
the second crop of fruit, supplying liquid manure once or twice a day. 
Planted out trees require water once or twice a week, according to the 
extent of the rooting area, affording liquid manure or top-dressings of 
rich material in accordance with the needs of the trees. The second 
crop should be thinned before the fruit is the size of Walnuts, and in 
thinning reserve the largest fruits at the base of the shoots. Syringe 
twice a day to keep red spider in check, and, if necessary, apply an 
insecticide, removing scale with a brush, taking care not to damage the 
young fruit, or it will be seriously disfigured. 
Succession Houses .—When the fruit gives the least indication of ripen¬ 
ing, syringing the trees must be discontinued. If red spider attack the 
foliage the fruit should be gathered closely and a gcod syringing given, 
which will not injure the fruit provided it is done early on a fine day. 
A free circulation of warm dry air should be afforded, which is essential 
to high quality, but the atmosphere must not be arid or the foliage will 
suffer, and moderate moisture will not damage the fruit provided a circu¬ 
lation of air is maintained and the Figs not wetted. Afford the fruit the 
benefit of all the light practicable, tying-in and regulating the shoots by 
thinning and stopping. Trees swelling their crops will require syringing 
twice a day, copious supplies of water or liquid manure at the roots, and 
a genial atmosphere. 
Young Trees in Pots for Next Year's Early Forcing. —These should 
be of varieties that afford good results in their first crops, as St. John’s, 
Ang^lique, Early Violet (which have small fruit), Brown Turkey and 
White Marseilles—the two best Figs for general culture, and they must 
not be negleeted or disappointment is inevitable. They must have all 
the light possible and be kept as near the glass as practicable without 
touching, BO as to secure sturdy well ripened growth, and pinching 
should not be practised to a late period, otherwise the shoots will not 
mature sufficiently to carry a first crop of fruit. The foliage must be 
kept clean, and liquid manure supplied so as to secure stout but not 
gross growth. When the growth is complete the trees may be stood out¬ 
doors to induce rest, but the wood should be well ripened previously, and 
to be of use for early forcing it must be matured early. 
Peacbes and Nectarines. — Early Forced Trees. —The fruit being 
all gathered from the very early varieties the wood on which the Peaches 
and Nectarines have been borne and not being extensions should be cut 
out. This will admit more light and air to the shoots which are to 
afford fruit next season, and allow of the better cleansing of the trees, 
which should have a good washing with water from the syringe or garden 
engine, or if insects have obtained a footing they must be destroyed by 
some approved insecticide. Daily syringing will be necessary to keep 
the foliage clean. Admit air freely so as to maintain the foliage in good 
condition as long as practicable. The roof lights should not be removed 
until the wood is matured and the buds fairly formed, but this matter 
must be attended to at no distant period with a view to prevent over¬ 
development of the buds and early casting of the foliage. Supply 
water or liquid manure to the roots so as to maintain the soil in a 
thoroughly moist condition, and a light mulching will keep the roots 
active at the surface provided it is kept moist. 
Second Early House. —Admit plenty of air to the ripening fruit in 
the daytime, and at night also if a prolonged succession of fruit is 
required. Remove any leaves that shade the fruit too much, so that it 
may colour and ripen evenly. No artificial heat will now be necessary 
except in dull weather, when a little may be employed to permit a free 
circulation of air where the fruit is ripening, and syringing must cease 
with the first indication of ripening. Maintain a genial atmosphere by 
damping available surfaces when they become dry. The borders must 
be kept in a thoroughly moist state, and be supplied with nourishment 
after the fruit is gathered, so as to keep the foliage healthy as long as 
possible. Cut away the wood which carried the fruit to the shoot at the 
base for next year’s fruiting after the crop is cleared, excepting those 
needful for the extension of the trees. If the trees are too full of wood 
thin well so as to admit light and air to the shoots, and thereby ensure 
the thorough ripening of the wood. 
Succession Houses. —The trees will need attention in regulating the 
growth, extensions being trained in their full length where space admits, 
and pinching laterals to each joint of growth as made. Shoots trained in 
from last year’s extensions at 12 to 15 inches apart may be stopped at 
those lengths, also shoots from the base of those now bearing if they are 
likely to exceed that extent of growth, keeping the laterals well pinched. 
Growths retained to attract the sap to the fruit will require pinching at 
each leaf after the first stopping at three good leaves. The fruit taking 
its last swelling should be well exposed to the light, drawing the leaves 
aside, shortening or removing them, and raising the depending fruits on 
laths with their apexes to the light. Early ventilation saves the foliage 
from scorching, and early closing with plenty of moisture accelerates 
the swelling of the fruits. Fruit stoning must not be hurried, 60° to 65° 
being suffieiently high by artificial means in the daytime, and the 
temperature may fall to 55° at night. When the fruit has stoned the 
final thinning should be effected without delay. Keep the trees well 
supplied with water or liquid manure at the roots, and the foliage clean 
and healthy by syringing. 
Late Houses. —Disbudding will now be completed, and the tying-in 
of the young shoots attended to. Thinning the fruit also will be 
finished, no more fruits being left for the crop than a few to meet 
casualties in stoning. Early and free ventilation on all favourable 
occasions will be the order of the day, along with early closing and 
syringing morning and afternoon. If aphides appear destroy them by 
repeated moderate fumigation when the foliage is dry. Red spider and 
thrips have little chance where syringing is properly done. If mildew 
appear dust with flowers of sulphur, rubbing it on the white specks if 
any are seen on the fruit, or syringe with a solution of softsoap, 2 ozs, to 
the gallon of water, with a tablespoonful of sulphur added. 
THE FLOWER GARDEN. 
Iiate Planting-.— Some soils have become so very dry and difficult 
to remoisten, and rains have not been nearly so heavy in some parts as 
in others, and it is possible that many flower beds and borders, more 
especially the odd corners, are in a far too dry state for the reception of 
plants. To make matters worse, the plants that have to be put out in 
the positions last filled are of poor quality—the best have been used 
first. What are wanted, therefore, are conditions favourable to a good 
start rather than otherwise, and the makeshift arrangements may then 
eventually eclipse some of the more formally arranged beds. Dry soils 
ought to have one or two thorough eoakings of water before the planting 
