110 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ August 4, 1892. 
plants are established. A light mulching of strawy manure would, if 
dry weather continues, be beneficial in conserving moisture, rendering 
constant watering less necessary. The distances of planting vary with the 
different varieties ; 18 inches from plant to plant and 2 feet between the 
rows are the nearest distances of planting any of the varieties, while some 
of the strongest growing kinds may require 30 to 36 inches distance 
between the rows, affording space of 20 to 24 inches from plant to plant. 
These distances may seem too much, but it will be found that on richly 
cultivated ground they are not so, while the advantages of comfortably 
gathering the produce and attending to the culture of the plants 
are manifest when they reach in a few years the maximum of their 
vigour. 
Varieties to Plant. —There are abundance of good Strawberries from 
which to select for every purpose. Where special attention is given to 
their culture, and every means afforded to enable the grower to give 
unlimited energy to producing the best crops, excellent results are 
secured, as well as a long season of fruiting. Sir Joseph Paxton is a 
handsome, early variety, with fruit of a rich, dark, glossy colour, solid, 
and of good flavour. It is a strong grower, but unlike some varieties of 
similar vigour it is an excellent cropper. Those needing a Strawberry 
which travels and keeps well when sent by post or rail will find this variety 
equal to any. As a small early variety, but also a good cropper, Black 
Prince is excellent, and very popular among many growers as a reliable 
Strawberry. Keen’s Seedling is good for forcing, and is also a well- 
known early variety for outdoor culture. Similar qualities are possessed 
by Vicomtesse Herman de Thury, also known as Garibaldi, but it is a 
greater cropper, the fruit through the large quantities produced being 
small. La Grosse Sucrbe, King of the Earlies, John Ruskin, and Grove 
End Scarlet are other good early varieties, prolific in bearing, fruit of 
excellent quality. The last named being small is good for preserving. 
Laxton’s Noble ripens early in the season and succeeds well in some 
districts, its large handsome fruit commanding a ready sale when first in 
the market. Though early and large, hence valuable on that account, it is 
not of the best quality. Moreover, it is a variety liable to be barren if 
care is not taken to propagate from the best fruiting plants. A good 
midseason variety is James Yeitch, a large, handsome, crimson fruited 
kind, bearing very freely the second year after planting. It is good, 
though not of superior quality ; some say it is tasteless. Sir Harry is a 
useful variety of the Keen’s Seedling type, bearing large, well-flavoured 
fruit of a dark crimson colour. President is another leading variety, 
cropping well, the bright crimson fruit being of superior flavour. One of 
the sweetest fruited varieties is Dr. Hogg ; it produces large, pale 
crimson fruit. Late varieties include some very excellent sorts, which 
are worth cultivating, even when the time of ripening is of no importance. 
British Queen requires superior cultivation, which, being accorded, the 
fruit produced is large, of fine flavour, firm, and juicy. Sir C. Napier is 
a remarkable cropper. Frogmore Late Pine is a valuable late variety. 
The fruit is tender, rich, and of a dark red colour all through. For 
preserving grow Elton Pine, it is a red-fleshed variety. La Constante is 
a specially free bearer, one-year-old plants never failing on good 
ground to produce excellent crops. The fruit is bright crimson, and 
shapely. 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Pines. — Cleansing and Preparing Houses for Plants. —Thorough 
cleanliness is essential in fruit culture. All the old plunging material 
must be removed where the bottom heat is furnished by hot-water pipes, 
and if tan or leaves be employed for bottom heat they should be taken 
out, or such part of them that has become decomposed and useless. It 
is a good plan to overhaul the beds thoroughly at least once a year as a 
check on predatory pests, such as woodlice, which increase rapidly and 
commit havoc on the rootlets. Everything in connection with the 
bottom heat must be put into proper order, but, after clearing out the 
old materials, wash the wood and ironwork with tepid water and soap, 
using a brush, and the glass inside and outside with clean water. 
Brush the wails with limewash. Attend to any repairs and paint the 
wood and ironwork. Chambered beds are much in advance of those 
surrounded and passing through rubble either for planting out the Pine 
plants or for plunging the pots in tan. Beds that are formed of rubble 
around and over-hot water pipes should be turned over, and any dirt or 
small parts removed to allow the heat given off by the pipes to penetrate 
the whole and diffuse uniform temperature to the bed. Fresh material 
will be required for beds, of which 3 feet depth of new tan is ample, 
where there are pipes placed beneath. If wet turn it a few times, 
especially on fine sunny days, but it is best placed in an open shed and 
turned occasionally. 
Re-arranging Plants. —Particular attention must be given to the 
bottom heat of beds that have been recently upset by the removal of the 
old material and the supply of fresh, not allowing the heat at the base 
of the pots to exceed 95° without raising them, as too much bottom heat 
will disastrously affect plants with fruit or those having the pots filled 
with roots. Allow every plant plenty of room, as crowding induces 
a weak growth. Water the plants about twice a week, only when 
needed, and maintain a moist, genial, well ventilated atmosphere. Pine 
plants grow luxuriantly at this season, and will not require shading, but 
do not suddenly withdraw it from plants which were shaded for an hour 
or two at midday when the sun was powerful through the months of 
May, June, and July, yet dispense with it gradually so as to give the 
plants the benefit of all the light possible. Admit air liberally when the 
temperature reaches 85°, but not to lower it, and keep it between 
85° and 95° through the day from sun heat. Afford fruiting plants a 
night temperature of 70° to 75° and succession 65° to 70°. Suckers for 
starting at the commencement of September should, if possible, be 
reserved on the stools. 
Potting Rooted Suckers. —Those started in June, and having filled 
the pots with roots, should be shifted into the fruiting pots before the 
roots become very closely matted. Queens require 9 and 10-inch pots* 
and varieties of stronger growth 11-inch pots. Strong turfy loam 
stacked long enough to destroy the herbage is the best soil. This, torn 
with the hand, and a quart of soot mixed with every bushel of compost 
will grow Pines well. Have the compost rather dry, pot firmly, and 
keep the plants well down. Water thoroughly after potting, and 
plunge in a bed having a temperature of 90° to 95° at the base of the 
pots. Allow the plants plenty of room, as when crowded they become 
drawn and weakly instead of being sturdy ; in fact, there is no greater 
mistake in Pine growing than crowding young plants. 
Peaches and Nectarines. — Earliest Forced Trees. —Those started 
in December and early January will soon part with some of the foliage, 
but it must not be accelerated by the roots being deprived of moisture ; 
the soil should be kept in a moist yet not a saturated condition, as 
the latter may cause premature growth, and that must be guarded 
against. As a safeguard against starting the blossom buds, allow such 
lateral extension as is necessary to appropriate any excess of aliment, a 
few green and unripe laterals doing that perfectly. With the trees 
exposed the rain wall not cause premature growth because the air is 
correspondingly cool, and it has a most beneficial and invigorating 
tendency. Early forced trees do not usually make strong growth, and 
they form far too many blossom buds, therefore the pruning needs to be 
carefully performed, as many shoots are mainly studded with that 
description of buds with wood buds only at the base and extremity, and 
it is necessary to retain a wood bud at that point, not cutting back next 
year’s bearing wood unless the shoots are of great length. Where dis¬ 
budding has been properly attended to, no more wood being retained 
than is required to replace the bearing shoots of the current year and to- 
renew worn-out growths, as well as to supply wood for the proper 
extension of the trees, very little pruning will be needed. Weakly trees 
require the smaller growths cut out so as to impart more vigour to those 
retained, for the weak shoots afford much smaller fruit than the mode¬ 
rately vigorous and well ripened growths. Some trees grow too vigorously 
and must be lifted, weakly trees should have the old soil carefully 
removed from amongst the roots, supplying fresh turfy loam. Give a 
good watering both to the lifted trees and to those that have had the 
soil renewed about the roots. These operations require to be performed 
as soon as the leaves are mature and before they fall from the trees, 
syringing the latter and shading whilst the work is in progress, and for 
a few days afterwards if the weather is bright. 
Succession Houses. —Cut away the shoots that have borne fruit, 
unless required for extension, and all the shoots where the growths are 
too crowded should be thinned. The foliage should be kept clean and 
healthy as long as possible. With the freer access of light and air the 
buds will form perfectly and the wood ripen thoroughly, provided 
attention is given to a due supply of water to the roots. The house 
will need full ventilation day and night, and where the roof lights are 
moveable and the trees not very vigorous, they may be removed when 
the buds are sufficiently plumped. Where the fruit is ripening a free circula¬ 
tion of air will enhance the quality considerably, supplying sufficient 
water to the roots to prevent the foliage becoming limp, and secure air 
moisture by damping available surfaces in the morning and afternoon, 
as an arid atmosphere favours red spider and the premature ripening 
of the foliage ; dryness at the roots tends to the fruit ripening unduly, 
and may render it mealy. A slight shade is sometimes beneficial when 
the sun is powerful and the apex of the fruit fully exposed to its rays 
beneath the large panes of glass, to prevent the fruit ripening too 
quickly at the apex, or when it ripens in excess of the demand. Ants 
are sometimes very troublesome, eating into the choicest fruits. There 
is no better plan of keeping the pests from the fruit than to place some 
partially picked bones in their haunts, and when they are preying on 
the meat place them in hot water. The bait should be dried before 
using again, and this persisted in will soon clear a house cf the ants. 
They may also be attracted from the fruit by sinking saucers in the 
ground level with their edges, and as near the stems as practicable, 
pouring treacle into each saucer. 
Late Houses. —The wood is best laid in thinner than is customary 
with trees in earlier houses, so as to give it a better chance to ripen, and 
the foliage is certain to assimilate more food and store it up in the 
wood, whilst the buds are perfectly formed. Attend, therefore, to 
thinning and regulating the summer growths. Gross growths tend to 
impoverish the weaker, appropriate an undue amount of sap, prevent an 
equal distribution of the nourishment, and are seldom fruitful. They 
mostly fall a prey to gum disease, and are best removed. Strive to 
secure an even spread of moderately strong short-jointed wood. 
Ventilate freely in the early part of the day, allow a good heat from the 
sun through the day, and close in good time so as to run up to 85°. Sun 
heat will not do any harm after evaporation has been going on for some 
time, but it is desirable to admit a little air before nightfall to allow the 
pent-up moisture to escape, and the gradual cooling of the house will 
ensure rest. Early day ventilation is necessary for the solidification of 
the growths. Forcible syringings will keep the trees free from red 
spider, and should be continued until the fruit commences to ripen. 
Keep the borders well supplied with water or liquid manure. 
Cherry House.— The Cherry is liable, when forced year after year 
successively, to start into growth instead of resting after the buds are 
plumped, and the leaves are not capable of much further effort in 
