December 15, 1892. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER . 
587 
contains much that has not had time to escape ; therefore, when applied 
to the soil a proportion of its available constituents are secured. 
I>lquid Manure. —Where sewage tanks and cesspools exist their 
contents may be emptied on the ground in the fruit quarters, old-estab¬ 
lished orchard trees, large wall trees, and others of more than ordinary 
dimensions and age being the most benefited. Good results follow its 
application to smaller trees, but it must not be given to them so freely 
as to larger and older specimens. The roots of the former, being nearer 
the surface, may be equally well fed by mulching with good manure, 
reserving the liquid for larger trees which have impoverished the soil. 
Applying- Manure. —The conveyance of solid manure to handy 
positions in the fruit quarters is best done in frosty weather. Much of 
it may be laid in small heaps ready for spreading when dry mild weather 
prevails, or a slight frost just hardens the ground. Spread the manure 
4 inches thick over the roots as far as the branches extend outwards. 
Wall trees may have it spread over the border 4 to 6 feet wide according 
to the height of the trees. Cordon trees on walls, espaliers, and borders 
will have root extension confined within narrower limits, which it is 
desirable to encourage, therefore confine the mulching to 3 feet wide. 
Bush fruits may, as a rule, have a heavy mulching, covering the ground 
between the rows as well as over the roots with manure, this being 
applicable to Gooseberries, Currants, Raspberries, and Strawberries in 
quarters, lines, clumps, and beds. When not planted too closely 
together there is usually some amount of space between Gooseberry and 
Currant bushes not occupied with roots. This affords an opportunity for 
burying the surface soil immediately under the trees, which often 
contains pupae of caterpillars, from which again winged insects emerge 
next season. Therefore, where attacks of caterpillars have been 
prevalent remove the soil referred to, burying it deeply, accompanied 
with a dressing of lime. The space over the roots, many of which will 
be exposed by the process, fill up with manure, or loam and manure. 
Avoid spade digging between Raspberries and Strawberries, which are 
generally so well furnished with fibrous roots that any disturbance of 
the soil results in injury or destruction. The annual surface dressings 
of manure contribute the best to their maintenance and support with the 
most prolific results. 
Applying Compost. — Unless the soil • near the surface is well 
occupied with roots, it is advisable with wall trees to remove some of 
the inert and impoverished surface material down to the roots, replacing 
it with some fresh, sweet mixture consisting mainly of loamy and turfy 
soil intermixed with burnt refuse, soot, pulverised lime rubbish, a little 
half-decayed manure. If the soil be of a heavy nature some gritty 
material from the roadsides will also tend to lighten it. This compost 
coming directly in contact with the roots will soon accelerate the pro¬ 
duction and ramification of fresh fibres. The trees relish encouragement 
of this kind, and soon show it in the improved condition of growth and 
the perfection of better flavoured fruit. 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Vines .—Earliest House. —When the eyes break, the temperature 
will need to be increased to 60° at night in mild weather, and 55° when 
severe, gradually increasing it so as to have it 60° at night when the 
Vines are in leaf, and from 65° to 75° by day, with moderate ventila¬ 
tion. Sprinkle the floors and surfaces of borders twice or three times a 
day in clear weather, avoiding a too damp or too dry an atmosphere. 
To Vine 3 in pots liquid manure should be given at the temperature of 
the house. Disbudding must not be practised until the bunches show in 
the points of the shoots. 
House to Afford Fruit in May. —The house for this purpose should 
be started without delay. A bed of leaves and stable litter placed on 
the floor of the house, turning a portion of it daily, so as to supply 
ammonia to the atmosphere, is saving of fuel, and conduces to a good 
break. Outside borders must have the needful protection from cold 
rains and snow ; a few inches thickness of dry leaves and a little litter 
over them answer when the Vines are planted -inside, but where the 
border is all outside a covering of warm litter is preferable, two-thirds 
of leaves to one of stable litter affording a less violent but more lasting 
heat than manure alone, adding fresh material as necessary. The 
inside borders may be rendered thoroughly moist by applying water, or 
in the case of weakly Vines liquid manure, at 80°. Start with a night 
temperature of 50° in severe weather, 55° in mild weather, and 65° by 
day, except the weather be cold, when 55° will be more suitable. This 
slow work is better than a high forcing heat, which induces a weak 
growth ; and we do not advise those temperatures to be exceeded until 
the growth commences. Depress young canes to the horizontal line or 
below to insure the regular bearing of the buds. Maintain a moist 
atmosphere by syringing occasionally, but avoid excessive moisture, and 
keeping the rods dripping wet, which excites the production of aerial 
roots from the rods. 
Midseason Houses. —The Vines should be pruned and at rest ; if not 
complete the work, and cleanse the houses without delay. Where the 
Grapes are partially cut the remainder may be removed with a good 
portion of wood attached, and if the stems are inserted in bottles of 
water the bunches will keep admirably in a dry room from which frost 
is excluded. Thus the Vines will be liberated for pruning and the 
house for cleansing, repairs, and painting. A long and complete rest 
invigorates Vines, and early pruning effects that better than anything 
else. 
Late Houses. —Vines that have the foliage all off will only require 
sufficient fire heat to exclude frost, but Muscats require a temperature 
of 50°. Black Hamburghs, however, shrivel in that heat, 40? to 50° 
being sufficient for them and thick-skinned Grapes. 
Pines. — Young Stock. —Keeping these plants too close and warm 
causes them to become drawn and weakly. At night 60° should not be 
exceeded, but a mean between that and 55° secured at night, which, 
with 65° in the daytime, will keep young stock gently moving, admit¬ 
ting a little air at the top of the house at 65°, leaving it on all day, but 
do not let the temperature fall below that point, and when the sun 
raises the temperature to 75° a free circulation of air should be allowed. 
The bottom heat must be kept steady at 80°. Avoid a very damp 
atmosphere, moderate humidity will suffice. Apply water only when 
the plants become dry, and then give weak liquid manure in a tepid 
state. Allow the plants plenty of room, and keep them as near the 
glass as is safe. 
Plants for A ffording Fruit in May and June. —Where a supply of 
ripe fruit is required in May and June, and plants are not showing fruit, 
it will be desirable to select from those started last March, which have 
completed a stout growth and are now in a state of rest, such as show 
the best indications of starting into fruit when subjected to a higher 
temperature both at the roots and in the atmosphere. If the plants 
cannot have a structure to themselves they should have a light position 
in the house where the fruiters are swelling. In the fruiting department 
65° will be ample at night, 5° lower in the morning in cold weather, and 
70° to 75° by day. 
Strawberries in Pots. —When the crowns commence swelling and 
the trusses appear the temperature may be advanced a few degrees by day, 
but 50° to 55° is sufficiently high at night. Syringe the plants lightly 
in the early part of fine afternoons. Examine them daily and supply 
water to all that require it. Keep a sharp look out for aphides, and if 
any appear fumigate the house on two consecutive evenings. It is very 
important that the plants be perfectly clean, and fumigation must not 
be practised when they are in flower. Another batch of plants should 
be placed in a house from which frost is excluded, removing the decayed 
leaves, and the surface soil should be loosened and a top-dressing 
supplied, a little bonemeal being excellent. Attend to the drainage ; if 
defective rectify it, and wash the pots. The plants may be introduced 
during the next three weeks to a Peach house or Strawberry house. 
John Ruskin, La Grosse Sucr^e, Vicomtesse Hericart de Thury, and 
Noble are suitable varieties. Plants for starting later will be quite safe 
in their quarters outdoors plunged in ashes to the rim of the pots, and a 
light covering of dry fern or litter may be given in severe weather, 
removing it when the weather is mild. If the plants are placed in 
frames the lights should be drawn off in mild weather, but in mild wet 
weather the lights should be tilted. The plants cannot be kept too 
cool, and none should be allowed to suffer through want of water. 
Cherry House. —Houses that are to be employed for supplying 
ripe Cherries from the middle of April and onwards must now be closed. 
Be sparing of fire heat at the commencement, not employing it unless 
absolutely necessary to maintain the temperature at from 35° to 40° at 
night, and 10° to 45° by day, ventilating when the temperature is about 
50° to 55°. Close the house when the temperature is at 50°. Syringe 
the trees and available surfaces early on fine afternoons, so as to admit 
of the buds becoming dry before nightfall. The border will be suffi¬ 
ciently moist for some time through the removal of the roof lights, if not 
it must have water to bring it into a thoroughly moist state. Trees 
in pots if at all dry will require repeated supplies of water to secure 
the thorough moistening of the soil to the base of the pots. 
THE FLOWER GARDEN. 
Summer Bedding- Plants. —A mild winter is not always the be3t 
as far as keeping tender bedding plants is concerned. Damp is very 
destructive among Zonal Pelargoniums especially, and these ought, 
therefore, to be kept rather dry at the roots, and all decaying leaves 
picked off whenever seen. They keep best in a house where a little 
fire heat is maintained and the top ventilators open during the daytime. 
Give shrubby Calceolarias, Violas, Pentstemons, Antirrhinums, and Car¬ 
nations in frames abundance of air with a view to checking premature 
growth, and protect well from severe frosts. It is a great mistake to 
subject any of them to fire heat. Carnations ought to be raised well up 
to the glass in pits or frames, have all dead leaves picked off, and 
be fumigated occasionally if green fly is seen on them. Bedding 
Lobelias also object to much fire heat, and should never be very dry at 
the roots, otherwise the growths harden and flower early, whereas the 
young shoots to be propagated should be succulent and fresh. A warm 
greenhouse suits Heliotropes and Ageratums, and only old plants of the 
former should be kept somewhat dry at the roots. Such heat-loving 
plants as Iresines, Coleuses, and Alternantheras winter most surely on 
shelves in plant stoves and forcing houses, receiving only enough water 
to keep them fresh in appearance. 
Transplanting Bulbs.— Mild, fine weather in November has been 
most favourable for lifting, dividing, and transplanting established 
clumps of various bulbs, but it is not yet too late to divide and replant 
clumps that are either becoming crowded or present a sickly appearance. 
Clumps of Snowdrops growing wild can now be shifted to the flower 
garden or borders, taking care to replant as deeply as they were 
previously buried, the latter remark also applying to transplanted bulbs 
generally. Daffodils and Narcissi in particular are liable to be badly 
splashed by heavy rains when in flower, but a mulching of leaf soil, 
given now, would prevent this and otherwise act beneficially. Mild 
weather is the best time to lift and replant bulbs, and also for loosening 
the soil among those not lifted, prior to mulching with leaf mould. 
Border Chrysanthemums. —The season has been a good one, both 
for the summer and autumn flowering varieties. Strong young plants 
o-ive the best results, and if there are no stock plants in pots of the best 
