88 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ July 28, 1892. 
single trusses, in which Thos. Tatham, Esq., Wilmslow, was first with 
an exceedingly creditable collection. The varieties were :—Charles 
Lefebvre (fine), Captain Christy (good), Suzanne Marie Rodocanachi, Her 
Majesty, Caroline d’Arden, La France, Mons. E. Y. Teas (rich), Duchess 
of Bedford, Elie Morel, Dr. Andry, Eugfinie Verdier, Francois Michelon, 
The Bride (neat and fresh), Ulrich Brunner, Viscountess Folkestone 
(very fine), Pride of Reigate, A. K. Williams (fine), Catherine Mermet, 
Louis Van Houtte, Madame Hoste (good), Alfred Colomb, Marie 
Baumann, Lady Mary Fitzwilliam, Mrs. John Laing, Chas. Burgess, 
Esq , Plumbley, was second with good examples, the best being Mrs. 
J. Laing, Her Majesty, Sir R. Hill, Pierre Notting, and Duchess of 
Bedford. Third, James Brown, Esq., Heaton Mersey, who had some 
excellent Tea Roses in his collection, including The Bride and Ethel 
Brownlow. There was also a fourth stand, which is mentioned to show 
that this class was one of the keenest contested in the Exhibition. Mr. 
Chas. Burgess, Plumbley, was placed first in the class for twelve distinct 
single trusses, Mrs. J. Laing being his best bloom, followed closely by 
Marie Baumann ; the others were Her Majesty, Earl Dufferin, Francis 
Courtin, Countess of Rosebery, Merveille de Lyon, A. K. Williams, 
Marquise de^ Castellano, Rosieriste Jacobs, Anna Wood, and Pride of 
Waltham. Thos. Tatham, Esq., Wilmslow, was second ; and A. Glad¬ 
stone, Esq , Wilmslow, third. Mr. Chas. Burgess was again to the front 
in the class for six distinct single trusses, which included Francois 
Michelon, Earl Dufferin (really splendid bloom), Marie Baumann, Her 
Majesty (very full), Mrs. J. Laing, Lady II. Stewart, a small bloom but 
richly coloured. A. Gladstone, Esq., Wilmslow, was second with a good 
stand, though too much developed. Marie Baumann was the best 
bloom, and Captain Christy remarkable for its deeply coloured central 
petals. Thos. Tatham, Esq., was third. 
In the nurserymen’s class for bouquets of Roses Messrs. Perkins 
and Son, Coventry, rvere first. In the district class for a bouquet of 
Roses, Jas. Brown, Esq., Heaton Mersey, and Miss Lord, Oakleigh, 
Ashton-on-Mersey, were awarded equal firsts. Extra prizes in addition 
to those mentioned previously were awarded to Messrs. Dicksons, 
Limited, nurserymen, Chester, for a splendid collection of Roses and 
herbaceous flowers, and to Messrs. Laing & Mather, nurserymen, 
Kelso, N.B., who exhibited some splendid boxes of Malmaison Carna¬ 
tions, pink and blush ; also Carnation Germania and a miscellaneous 
stand of some of the most useful garden varieties. Some beautiful 
boxes of Roses not for competition were shown by Messrs. Dickson and 
Robinson, 12, Old Millgate, Manchester, and by Dickson, Brown, and 
Tait. A collection of Sweet Peas, all beautiful named varieties of new 
and novel colours exhibited by Mr. Henry Eckford, Wem, Salop, was 
highly commended. Mr. N. Campbell, High Blantyre, was awarded an 
extra prize for a stand of seedling Pansies. 
701 
™e WEEK.. \ 
Jjl 
1 
mMf mi | ran 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Vines. T in.es in Puts fur Early Furcing. —The Vines that are to be 
started in November should now have the wood thoroughly ripe and the 
buds plump. When that is not the case keep the house rather warmer 
by day, say at 80° to 85°, closing early so as to run up to 90° or 95°, and 
throw the house open at night—not suddenly, but after the heat has 
considerably declined. Supply water or liquid manure, so as to keep 
the leaves from flagging. Expose the foliage fully to light and air. 
Keep the laterals well in check, leaving no more than are absolutely 
necessary to appropriate any excess of nutriment, and so prevent the 
principal buds starting. When the wood is brown and hard and the 
buds are prominent they should be removed to a situation outdoors, 
standing them on slates or boards in front of a south wall or fence 
securing the canes to the face of the wall. Only give water to prevent 
the foliage flagging and falling prematurely, and have some waterproof 
material at hand to throw over the pots when heavy rains prevail as a 
saturated condition of the soil is not favourable to the preservation of 
the roots. In this position they will have some rest, even if the leaves 
are not actually shed. When the leaves turn yellow cut away the 
laterals close to the cane, and in a week or ten days, if the buds are not 
started at the upper part of the cane, shorten it back to the length 
required, and place the Vines in an airy, cool, dry place until required for 
forcing. Keep them dry at the roots, and yet not so dry as to cause 
them to shrink, but just moist enough to keep them fresh. They are 
best kept in a north house, where they are cool yet safe from frost. If 
frost has access some dry protective material should be placed about and 
over the pots to keep the roots intact. 
Planted-out. 1 ines Required to be Early Forced. —Vines that have 
not been started early will need, as soon as the crop is off, to be 
thoroughly cleansed by syringing and the application of an insecticide 
where red spider and thrips have obtained a footing, and if there is any 
i. ° U k ripeness of the wood or the plumpness of the buds it 
w 'ii . e necessary to keep the house rather close by day, but with 
sufficient ventilation to cause evaporation and allow the moisture to 
escape, bufficient water must be given at the roots to prevent the 
leaves becoming limp. It is also a good plan to cut back the growths to 
within three or four leaves of the pruning buds. This assists them to 
plump the latter, and there is no danger of their starting unless the 
Vines are unusually vigorous. If the weather is cold and moist employ 
fire heat in the daytime to maintain a temperature of 70° to 75° with 
moderate ventilation, and turn the heat off in the afternoon to allow the 
pipes to cool. Increase the ventilation at night so as to promote a thorough 
draught, and this will soon cause the wood to harden and the buds to 
plump, inducing rest, which for Vines that are to be started in 
December should be complete from the middle to the end of September 
when the Vines must be pruned. With the wood thoroughly ripe 
ventilate fully day and night. 
Earliest House. —The Vines will now require a dry atmosphere to 
thoroughly ripen the wood, but it will not be necessary to employ fire 
heat.. All laterals and late growths must be kept stopped, and complete 
rest induced by having the border cool and moderately dry. Inside 
borders may require water, for they must not be allowed to become 
parched and cracked, but where they have been mulched it may not be 
necessary. Outside borders will be moist enough, and may need cover¬ 
ing with dry litter or bracken in order to throw off heavy rains. This 
is essential to insure complete rest, which is so needful to Vines long 
subjected to early forcing, a too moist condition of the soil tending to 
late growth. But there must be sufficient moisture to maintain growth 
in the laterals in order to prevent the premature ripening of the foliage. 
In most cases it will be sufficient to allow a moderate extension of the 
laterals, and where the Vines are in an unsatisfactory condition prepare 
for lifting at an early date, getting fresh loam and clean drainage, so 
that the work can be done quickly when started. It is desirable to lift 
the roots and lay them in fresh soil nearer the surface whilst there is 
foliage upon the Vines, therefore work of this character ought not to be 
delayed beyond the close of the present month in the case of Vines that 
are to be started early in December, for they will need pruning by the 
middle of September, or in the case of lifted Vines a little later. 
Stcond Early Houses. —The Vines will now be freed of their crops, 
and should have the foliage cleansed by means of the syringe or engine, 
and if necessary apply an insecticide. If there be any mealy bug or 
scale, promptly use petroleum, a wineglassful to 4 gallons of water, 
keeping it well mixed whilst it is being applied, either by a few brisk 
squirts into the vessel and then alternate ones on the Vines and into the 
mixture, or by one person syringing into the vessel and another on to the 
Vines. This is imperative in using petroleum with clear water, and thi 9 
is, provided the mixture is kept well agitated, much the best way to 
apply petroleum to Vines for the destruction of mealy bug and scale, as 
it does not, like petroleum emulsions, leave a deposit on the glass, which 
is difficult to wash off, and if allowed to remain deprives the Vines of a 
large amount of light. But the emulsions are more likely to insure an 
equal distribution of the petroleum, and we have found the following 
much easier of application than water and petroleum. Dissolve 8 ozs. 
of softsoap and 1 oz. of washing soda in 4 gallons of boiling water, add 
to it one-third of a gill of petroleum, and churn with an ordinary garden 
engine by pumping it into the vessel two or three minutes, and then it 
may be syringed over the Vines, the temperature of the mixture not 
exceeding 100°. Or keep the mixture thoroughly agitated by stirring 
briskly with a broom handle whilst being applied to the Vines, which 
must be done thoroughly, wetting every part. It is best done on a dull, 
calm afternoon, and should be repeated two or three times at intervals 
of a few days. If there be any plants they must be removed, and if the 
roots of the Vines are near the surface cover the border with dry short 
material to absorb the waste. This mixture will destroy red spider and 
thrips as well as mealy bug and scale. Keep the laterals fairly in hand, 
not closely pinched, unless the Vines are very vigorous and are not 
ripening the wood well, when keeping the house fully ventilated at 
night, and somewhat warm and close by day, will tend to the maturity 
of the wood and buds. In stopping vigorous Vines regard must be 
had to the principal or pruning buds, not stopping so close as to 
jeopardise their starting into growth through an excess of sap. Such 
Vines should also be kept without water until the young leaves are 
becoming a little limp, but it must not be withheld to the extent of 
affecting the main leaves. Vines, on the other hand, that have been 
enfeebled by continued cropping and early forcing or any other cause, 
should be encouraged to make growth by applying liquid manure to the 
border ; but whatever extraneous foliage is made must not be allowed 
to interfere with the principal leaves by depriving them of light and air, 
for these must be kept clean and healthy, so that they may appropriate 
some of the extra food, and store it in the adjacent wood as well as aid 
the buds to plump. 
THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Mushrooms. —After a period of dry and moderately warm weather, 
this favouring a good spread of mycelium, a soaking rain followed by 
dull days has the effect of bringing up Mushrooms freely in the meadows. 
They are, or have been, very plentiful recently; but it frequently 
happens that when we get them thus early in the season there are few 
or none in the autumn. There is all the more reason, therefore, to form 
early beds, and in any case there is not much likelihood of there being 
too many Mushrooms in most places. A bed spawned during the first 
fortnight in August should commence bearing late in September, and 
continue to be profitable for several weeks. If house room proper is 
somewhat limited the earliest beds may well be formed wholly outside 
or in any moderately snug shed, reserving the space in the Mushroom 
house for the later beds, as the latter will most probably require some 
assistance in the shape of fire heat. 
