January 10, 1895. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
39 
occupy the ground. Added to this the branches are almost invariably 
allowed to remain too thickly placed, with the result that they bear very 
indifferently. One tree allowed free extension, with abundance of light 
and air passing through it in the summer, is better than many crowded 
together on a similar extent of ground. The first step towards renovation 
ought to be to thin out the trees, followed by judicious regulation and 
pruning for several years. Thus a transformation may be effected in the 
value of the trees, which will well repay for the trouble expended. 
Renovation by Graftlngr. —An excellent way of improving old 
trees is to head them down now, and in the spring graft scions of approved 
varieties on them. This system of renovation is applicable to Apple 
and Pear trees which are in a healthy condition, but not good varieties. 
The scions for grafting should be cut this month, laying them in moist 
soil or sand under a north wall to retard their growth until the sap flows 
freely in the stocks. Strong limbed trees which are headed down for 
the purpose of grafting ought not at present to have the branches 
shortened to the exact point where the grafts must be inserted, but left 
about a foot longer, reducing them to the desired length just prior to 
adjusting the grafts. 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Peaches and ITectarlnes. — Earliest House. —The chief thing to 
aim at is the fertilisation of the flowers, which, having developed in a 
comparatively genial and well ventilated atmosphere, have opened well 
and are well furnished with pollen. Raise the temperature to 60°, if it 
has been lower through the night, as soon as possible after daybreak, 
and maintain it at that figure during the day by artificial means, putting 
on a little air so as to induce a circulation without causing a draught. 
Maintain a genial condition of the atmosphere by damping the paths 
and borders in the morning and early in the afternoon of fine days. By 
ventilating early with a suitable temperature the trees are kept in steady 
progress, the blossoms become perfect, and fertilisation is readily 
effected. The pollen can be distributed by means of a camel-hair brush, 
feather, plume of Pampas Grass, or shaking the trellis. Varieties deficient 
in pollen should have some applied from others. The night temperature 
must now be 50° to 65° in mild weather, permitting a fall of 5° through 
the night in severe weather, 55° by day from fire heat, advancing to 
65° from sun heat. Increase the ventilation freely above 55°, but not 
so as to lower the temperature, and close at 65°, a few degrees advance 
from sun heat being beneficial. 
Disbudding must not be done hurriedly, but any strong shoots of 
the previous year having a tendency to push growth in advance of the 
others may be commenced with first, removing the growths on the 
upper side of the shoots, and then reducing the side shoots to 
the number required, namely, one from or near the base as possible 
for to supplant that now fruiting, and another or more above or on a 
level with the fruit, and which should be pinched at a few inches of 
growth, or if the shoot be an extension leave growths at about every 
15 or 18 inches to form the bearing shoots of next season, continuing 
those with the leader intact. Disbudding, however, should be com¬ 
menced before the shoots are an inch long, and be continued at short 
intervals until no more shoots are left than will be necessary for 
furnishing the wood of the ensuing season’s bearing. Afford due 
supplies of water to inside borders, and protect the roots outside with 
dry material. After the fruits are set an occasional syringing will 
assist the trees to cast the remains of the blossoms, yet avoid heavy 
syringings, which have a tendency to weaken the growths. 
Second Early House. —The house to afford ripe fruit early in June 
must now be started, employing fire heat only to maintain a day 
temperature of 50°, raising it early to insure the development of the 
blossom w'ith light and its due airing, increasing the ventilation at 55°, 
avoiding cold currents, and allowing an advance of 5° to 10° from sun 
heat and corresponding ventilation. A night temperature of 40° to 45° 
is sufficient until the blossoms are well advanced for expansion, when it 
should be gradually raised to 50°. Syringe the trees in fine weather in 
the morning and early afternoon until the flowers show the anthers, 
when damping the borders and paths will be sufficient, admitting a little 
air constantly, with a gentle warmth in the pipes. When the pollen 
becomes ripe artificial fertilisation may be resorted to. If water is 
wanted give a thorough supply, affording liquid manure in a tepid state 
to weakly trees. Where the blossom buds are superabundant remove 
those on the under side of the trellis. 
Succession Houses. —These should be kept as cool as possible by free 
ventilation. The house to be started early in February should now be 
closed, furnishing full supplies of water to the borders, merely excluding 
frost, and ventilating fully above 50°. Push forward the pruning and 
dressing of the trees in late succession houses, thoroughly cleansing 
them, securing the trees to the trellis, ventilating and keeping them as 
cool as possible. If necessary give a supply of water at the roots. 
Fines. —For supplying ripe fruit in the spring and early summer 
the plants of such varieties as Smooth-leaved Cayenne, Charlotte 
Rothschild, and Black Jamaica, that showed fruit in October and 
November, are good; but these Pines seldom start in sufficient number 
at that time, and any starting now will not be ripe by May and June. 
Plants, therefore, of the Queen, Enville, and Providence varieties, which 
require less time to arrive at perfection, should now be induced to start 
their fruit. Select from the successional stock plants that have been 
subjected to somewhat cool and dry treatment, choosing those with an 
enlarged base and a tendency to open in the centre. Place such plants 
in a light house or pit, and plunge them in a brisk bottom heat of 
85° or 90°, the atmospheric heat ranging between 60° and 70° at night, 
according to external conditions, allowing 5° to 10° more by day under 
favourable circumstances. A genial atmosphere should be maintained 
about the plants by occasionally damping cool surfaces about the house, 
steam from hot-water pipes being very pernicious. Examine the soil 
about once a week, applying liquid manure or water with a little guano 
in it when needed, and at no other time. 
Flgrs. — Early Forced Trees in Pots. —When the terminal buds have 
fairly started increase the temperature gradually during mild weather, 
it being most beneficial when derived mainly from solar heat, and should 
always be aimed at in preference to promoting growth during dull 
weather, and in a high night temperature. The advance must, of 
course, prevail all round, but that of the night should be 5° to 10° less 
than that of the day. VVith the trees coming into leaf maintain a night 
temperature of 55° to 60°, give a little air at 65° when the morning 
gives promise of an increase from sun heat, and keep through the day 
under its influence at 70° to 75°, closing sufficiently early for the heat to 
rise to 80°. Syringe the trees and walls twice a day according to the 
state of the weather, and damp the floors in the evening when the day 
is unfavourable for the afternoon syringing. Give attention to the 
fermenting material, taking care that the heat about the pots does 
not exceed 70° to 75°. 
Early Forced Planted-out Trees. —To have fruit ripe at the end of 
May or early in June the house must be closed at the new year. The 
border should be properly moistened down to the drainage. A night 
temperature of 50“ and 55° by day artificially is sufficient to commence 
with, allowing an advance from sun heat to 65°, but with ventilation 
from 55°. Syringe the trees twice a day with tepid water or a few 
degrees warmer than that of the house, always allowing the trees to 
become dry at night, and on dull days modifying the syringing in 
accordance with the atmospheric conditions. 
Succession and Late Houses. —Proceed with the pruning, thinning, 
and shortening the wood that has reached the extremity of the trellis, 
so as to give room for the successional growths, and wash the trees with 
warm soapy water. In the case of scale use a petroleum emulsion 
formed of 8 ozs. softsoap dissolved by boiling in half gallon of water, 
and on removing from the fire add 1 gill (quarter pint) of petroleum, 
mixing well, and dilute to 2 gallons with boiling water. Apply with a 
stiffish brush, and so as to dislodge the scale. Thoroughly cleanse the 
woodwork and glass, and limewash the walls, adding a handful of flowers 
of sulphur to each pailful of the limewash. Remove the old mulching, 
and supply a mixture of lumpy loam, with a fourth of decayed manure, 
and sixth of old mortar rubbish. Keep the house cool and dry. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
The Forcing House. —With proper management there is no need 
to prepare a house for forcing plants into flower befors this period of the 
year. It, however, should be done without delay if leaves in a dry state 
have been stored in readiness, and if there is a bed in the structure it 
should be filled with leaves and a little manure mixed through them. 
A bed of dry Oak or Beech leaves give a gentle heat for a long time. 
By no other means do plants come into flower so freely as when forced 
by standing or being plunged amongst fermenting material of this 
nature. When litter,is not freely employed the house maybe filled 
with Lilacs, Prunuses, Azaleas of kinds, Deutzias, Spirmas, and many 
others, while bulbs of various kinds may be stood or plunged amongst 
them. The gentle moist heat arising from the leaves will be ample at 
first. During very cold weather the temperature may be maintained at 50°. 
When hardy plants, including bulbs, are subjected to too much heat at 
first they do not' grow with the same freedom as when gently 
excited. Lily of the Valley is an exception, and must be placed in a 
brisk heat to force it out early in the season. All plants should be 
removed from the forcing house just before the flowers expand, as they 
are invariably more fragrant, of better colour, and last considerably 
longer either when cut or for decoration in their pots. Only gentle heat 
is needed to bring forward Epacris if they are not coming sufficiently 
fast into bloom. Where a number of kinds are grown there is always 
some flowering from the early part of October until the end of April or 
later. 
Iiate - flowering- Epacris. —Those that were cut back late last 
season will not have made strong lengthy flowering shoots. These should 
have the flower buds removed as soon as they are large enough, and 
repotted if they need more root room, but not cut back. We have 
always found that our best plants are those which have about 1 or 
2 inches of growth on them at this period of the year. Plants in this 
condition, potted early and exposed to full light and air during the 
growing season, frequently make growths 2 to 3 feet in length, sturdy 
and well ripened, and consequently flower profusely. 
Erica candidissima. —Market plants of this variety that flower 
well cannot readily be had in the same condition the following season. 
If cut back, allowed to start into growth, then repotted and given an 
extra season, removing any flowers that appear, they make splendid 
plants. The same may be said of E. hyemalis that are cut back late. 
They often only make short growth, which flowers profusely if allowed 
to do so, and, strange to say, these plants have much better coloured 
flowers than those grown for market. It the flowers are removed and 
the plants allowed to extend their shoots good stock will be produced 
with shoots 18 inches to 2 feet in length. Keep these plants perfectly 
cool, give abundance of air and water carefully, but never allow them 
to become diy. 
Azalea Indica. —Keep the main stock of these plants perfectly 
cool and they will rest more naturally. Dryness at the root and_ in 
the atmosphere is detrimental to the well-being of these plants. During 
the period of rest few plants resent fire heat more than Azaleas. If, 
