270 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ September 22, 1892. 
Journal. In answer to a number of questions, Mr. Gilchrist said that he 
attributed his success greatly to disbudding, by which from fourteen to 
twenty days were gained. The Vine from which the bunch was cut was 
thirty years old. He thought he could do it again in the same time, but 
was going to try with pot Vines. He kept his Cinerarias and Camellias 
in the same house during January. The temperature during that time 
would be the same as outside with what sun heat could be conserved. 
“ Mr. Gilchrist was asked for an explanation of the statement made 
in a paper read before the Society on February 11th, that his Vines were 
then in bloom. Several members of the Society asserted that they had 
heard Mr. Gilchrist make this statement. Mr. Gilchrist in reply said 
that he did not remember making this statement, but if he did say so it 
must have been a joke. The meeting finally broke up in some disorder 
owing to the Chairman refusing to put a motion that the discussion be 
adjourned, and another motion that a vote be taken. The majority of 
those who took part in the discussion were inclined to doubt the possi¬ 
bility of Grapes being grown in ninety days.— Incredulous.” 
The second letter is as follows :—“ I see Mr. Gilchrist has read a 
paper on growing Grapes in eighty-eight days before the Sunderland 
Gardeners’ Society. He says he started the house on the 6th of 
February, and thinned the Grapes on the 28th of March. Now, sir, I 
saw that he had thinned his Grapes about the end of February, and 
when up about the middle of March the Vines had finished their first 
swelling of the berries, so you will see that there is a mistake somewhere. 
—A Lover of Fair Play.” 
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FRUIT FORCING. 
Pines. — Suckers. —Those recently started should be raised near the 
glass as soon as roots are plentifully made, so as to secure a sturdy, 
thoroughly solidified growth, especially in those intended to be wintered 
in small pots, bringing them on very gradually, and taking particular 
eare not to give a check by withdrawing them from the bottom heat, or 
only doing so for a short time. When the suckers started this autumn 
or late in summer become well rooted, transfer the strongest plants to 
the fruiting pots at once, draining these well. Employ the fibry part 
only of sound turfy loam, not tearing it up very fine, but using it in lumps 
proportioned to the size of the pots ; the rougher it is, provided it is 
made compact in potting, the better the plants will thrive. Jamaicas 
are apt to become weak and attenuated in growth when grown in large 
pots ; 9 or 10-inch pots suffice for them, and they should not be grown 
away from the glass, nor be kept very moist and close. Queens succeed 
in 10-inch pots, or very strong plants may be given a little more root 
space, say 11-inch pots. Envilles have all their requirements as regards 
soil supplied in 10-inch pots. This is the best variety to grow for sale, 
the fruit being of a pleasing conical shape, the pips well and evenly 
swollen, the colour good and bright, and the crown seldom disproportionate 
to the fruit. Smooth-leaved Cayenne succeeds in 10 or 11-inch pots, 
and Providence in 11 or 12-inch pots, the advantages as regards time 
and corresponding size of fruit being in favour of the smaller size, the 
fruit being proportionate in these respects to the amount of elaborated 
matter concentrated in the plants whilst growing and afterwards on the 
fruit. The small plants should be shifted into 7 or 8-inch pots, in which 
they must be kept until spring. Plunge the plants in a bottom heat of 
90° to 95°, in which they must be continued until the roots have taken 
freely to the fresh compost, when they may be raised, a temperature of 
80° being afterwards sufficient. 
Growing Stock. — Young plants require free ventilation on all 
favourable occasions to maintain them in a healthy sturdy condition, 
maintaining a night temperature of 60° to 66°, with 5° to 10° more 
by day artificially unless dull and cold, and keep at 80° to 85° from 
sun heat. Ventilate early in the day, but not so as to lower the tem¬ 
perature, keeping the bottom heat steady at 80°. Water the plants 
whenever they require it, employing weak and tepid liquid manure. 
Avoid the use of the syringe too frequently ; sprinkling the paths and 
other surfaces morning and evening will suffice in all but very bright 
weather. Fruiting plants should have a night temperature of 70°, with 
80° to 90° during the day, closing at 85°. 
rigs.— Earliest Forced Trees in Pots. —Those not in large pots, say 
over 13-inch, should have the roots examined, and, as it is not advisable 
to increase the pot, a few inches of soil may be removed from the base 
of the balls. Loosen these a little at the sides to admit of fresh compost ; 
remove the loose surface soil, shorten the roots, and replace in fresh 
turfy loam with a sixth of old mortar rubbish and a small handful of 
bonemeal to a peck of soil, thoroughly incorporated. Afford a good 
watering, and place the trees where they can have plenty of air with 
shelter from heavy rains and snow, also safety from frest. Trees in 
large pots that are stood on brick pedestals to prevent their sinking 
require different treatment. In their case every particle of old ferment¬ 
ing material—-Oak or Beech leaves—should be removed, also all the 
surface dressing from amongst the roots, with a hand fork. After 
shortening the strongest roots and attending to the drainage, apply a 
surface dressing of the compost named, and ram it firmly into the pots. 
Supply water to settle the soil, and after this keep the house cool, dry, 
and well ventilated until the time of starting in November or December, 
This plan is excellent for trees in 18 or 20-inch pots, as it is not only 
inadvisable to disturb the roots more than can be helped, but the trees 
can be assisted by building up turves against the brick piers and laying 
the roots extending beyond the pots in the loam, so that large trees pro¬ 
ducing enormous crops of fine fruit may be had without planting them 
out. To trees not in as large pots as desired, and those requiring an 
increase of root space, a moderate shift may be given, the sides of the 
ball being loosened with a hand fork, and any straggling roots cut back, 
those in the drainage being cut clean away. Drain the pots efficiently, 
employ the soil in a moderately dry condition of the same kind as 
previously advised, and ram it as hard as the ball. 
Succession Houses. —The trees which are ripening off second crops of 
fruit require lessened supplies of water, not affording any until the soil 
is getting dry, and not then if the moisture is sufficient to keep the 
foliage from becoming limp, for that condition must be avoided. Water 
must also be withheld from the house, except a sprinkling occasionally 
during very bright weather, a little fire heat being necessary to admit a 
free circulation of air and prevent damp. Remove all soft and useless 
wood, thin out where crowded, and when the fruit is gathered cut away 
the growths that have reached the extremity of the space and are not 
necessary for next year’s bearing. It is absolutely essential that the 
wood be thoroughly ripened by the exposure of the growths to light and 
air, and the points of the shoots on which the first crop next year is 
borne ought to stand well up or out to the glass and light. 
Lifting Unfruitful Trees. —This condition is generally a result of 
exuberance, and is commonly induced by too large and too rich borders. 
Lifting sterile Fig trees is a certain means of inducing fruitfulness, and 
should be performed as soon as the leaves have begun to turn yellow. 
If the trees are very luxuriant, it is a good plan to make a trench about 
half the distance from the stem the branches cover of trellis, quite down 
to the drainage, so as to cut off all roots at the trench. This should be 
done whilst the leaves are quite green, fully a month in advance of the 
leaves turning yellow, and it will check the tendency to late growth, 
concentrate the vital forces on the maturation of the wood and buds, 
often changing the character of these so that they form Fig buds and 
produce a good crop of fruit the following year. Carefully lift the trees, 
cut back any strong and long roots, reserving those which are the most 
branched and fibrous. Good drainage is of paramount importance, and 
should not be less than 1 foot thick, with a drain to carry off super¬ 
fluous water ; there is nothing better than brickbats and a thin layer of 
old mortar rubbish over them. Good turfy loam, preferably off calca¬ 
reous formations, a sixth of old mortar rubbish, and a similar proportion 
of road scrapings, form a suitable compost for Figs, and 2 feet depth is 
ample. Place the soil together firmly in the border so as to insure a 
sturdy, short-jointed growth, and spread the roots evenly in the top foot 
of soil, working the soil amongst them, and placing them in layers as 
they rise, not covering the topmost more than 2 or 3 inches. The compost 
should be moderately moist when used, and a watering given to settle it 
about the roots. Keep the house cool and dry. A border of about 
one-third the width of the trellis, say 4 to 6 feet, is very much better 
than a wide border, for what is wanted is a sweet calcareous soil firmly 
put together, yet so friable as to admit of the free percolation of water 
through consistently with retaining the elements essential to the 
production of fine Figs. 
Peaches and Nectarines. —Trees Ripening the Fruit in July .— 
There are few trees that respond better to lifting and root-pruning than 
the Peach and Nectarine, and wherever there are cases of bad setting 
and stoning of the fruit we strongly advise the lifting of the trees when 
the leaves give indications of falling. If the trees are young, have a 
tendency to late growth, and do not ripen the wood well, a trench may 
be made about one-third the height of the branches from the stem, and 
all roots detached down to the drainage, leaving the trench open for ten 
days or a fortnight, when it may be filled again and made firm. This 
concentrates the energies on the ripening and plumping of the wood 
and buds. Older trees that make strong wood should have the roots- 
wholly or partially lifted and pruned before the leaves have all fallen. 
Weakly trees, on the other hand, are greatly benefited by the removal 
of the old soil from over and amongst the roots. Fresh, rather strong 
loam, with a sixth of old mortar rubbish and about a twentieth part of 
wood ashes if made from rather large wood, or half that quantity if 
made from twigs, thoroughly incorporated and made firm, answers in 
place of the soil removed, following with a good watering of weak liquid 
manure. It will cause the trees to form fresh roots and invigorate 
them, being also a good aid in preventing the buds falling. The trees 
are now approaching the resting period and the foliage is falling, there¬ 
fore the matter just mentioned must be attended to at once. If the 
lights have been removed, the trees being in a condition to allow of its 
being done in August, there will not be any need of water at the roots, 
but there must not be any lack of a proper supply under fixed roofs, 
and where the wood is very strong it is not wise to remove the roof lights 
until the wood is thoroughly ripened. 
Trees Ripening the Fruit in August and Early September. —The 
wood that has borne fruit should be cut out, leaving no more than can 
be well exposed to light and air. Then cleanse the foliage of dirt, red 
spider, and brown aphides, by water directed with force from a syringe 
or garden engine, and repeat occasionally. Scale, however, cannot be so 
dislodged, and the other pests, especially brown aphis, only partially so; 
