Fcliruarj 28, If95. 
JOURN-AL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
195 
ment When in flower aflEord a night temperature of 65° to 70°, with 
10° to 15° rise from sun heat, closing at 80°. Vines set the fruit most 
satisfactorily when the atmospheric moisture is not excessive during the 
flowering period, but an over-dry atmosphere must be equally avoided. 
Artificial impregnation is desirable for the shy-setting varieties. In the 
case of Muscats fertilisation is a necessity, keeping the points of the 
bunjhes well up to the light, indeed, cross-fertilisation is attended with 
the best results both as regards setting the fruit, its swelling and 
perfecting. 
Early Muscat Houses .—Although Muscats are frequently grown with 
Black Hamburghs and similar varieties they are far from satisfactory ; 
indeed, they cannot be grown well together, as neither can have full 
justice. Muscats require inside borders, and early forced are better with 
bottom heat, for which they pay well, as Muscat of Alexandria in June 
bring far better prices than any other, and it is the quality Grapes that 
pay the grower, for the easily grown are produced in such quantities as 
to glut the markets. Houses that were set to work by the middle of 
December, after bting closed a fortnight previously, have the bunches 
about flowering, and require a night temperature of 65° to 70°, with a 
rise of 10° to 15° by day, closing at 80° to 85° when bright weather 
prevails. When they commence flowering every bunch should be gone 
over with a large camel’s-hair brush, for the purpose of removing the 
“caps,” and then fertilise the same with B'ack Hamburgh pollen, or 
preferably Alicante, as the cross of the thick-skinned on the thin- 
skinned varieties improves the cuticle of the berries, and the oval-shaped 
sorts better suit the conformation of Muscat of Alexandria than the 
round, which is apt to induce a rounded and somewhat irregular form to 
oval berried varieties. 
Midseason H uses .—The Vines to afford ripe fruit in August and 
September of the Black Hamburgh, Foster’s Seedling, and similar type, 
must be started at once, and with the temperature kept at 50° by night, 
and 55° in the daytime from fire heat, with 65° from sun heat, they will 
break gradually and strongly. When movement takes place in the buds 
the temperature must be gradually raised, so as to bring the Vines into 
leaf, with 60° at night, 65° by day in cold weather, 70° to 75° with 
gleams of sun, and 10° to 15° advance on bright days. With starting 
in this way, the Vines will need little artificial heat during the months 
of June, July, and August, and having the benefit of the summer for 
growing and perfecting theirfruit, better results will be attained than from 
starting late, and having to fire hard in late summer to perfect the crop. 
Late Vines .—The thin-skinned varieties require a long time to grow 
and ripen fully for satisfactory keeping. Those started at the beginning 
of March have a chance to perfect the crop by the middle or end of 
September, but those not started before April usually are then only 
fairly commencing that process and the fire heat entailed to complete 
the ripening is often not only costly but ineffectual. The inside border 
must be brought into a thoroughly moist condition. Sprinkle the rods 
two or three times a day, maintaining a night temperature of 50° to 55° 
and 65° in the daytime, by which means the Vines will start freely, and 
having the whole of the summer to grow and mature their crops in, 
they will prove most satisfactory in produce and cost ot production. 
Where the Vines have yet to be pruned and the house put in order, this 
should be attended to without delay. If the Vines are pruned and the 
temperature be kept low, there may not be any bleeding when started, 
provided the cuts are carefully dressed with Thomson’s styptic or patent 
knotting immediately the wounds are dry after pruning. The dressing 
of the Vines is a needful precaution against insect and fungal pests, 
which to be of use necessitates the removal of the loose bark, without 
very close peeling and scraping into the quick. Remove the loose 
surface soil from the border and supply fresh turfy loam, using abouo 
half a pound of some approved fertiliser per square yard, which, dis¬ 
tributed on the surface of the top-dressing, will get washed into the soil 
quite fast enough. The soil should be brought into a moderately moist 
state prior to the top-dressing, then suflficient moisture will arise for 
keeping the latter moist, and in that state it is far better as an en- 
courager of root formation than when continual dribblings have to be 
given. Protect the stems of Vines in outside borders, and supply a top¬ 
dressing of sound enriching material, which will be all the protection 
necessary. 
Late Houses of Hamburghs .—By keeping the structure cool and dry, 
and the border sufficiently moist to preserve the roots in sound condi¬ 
tion, and ventilating fully at and above 50°, the Vines will start 
naturally when the mean temperature of the external air reaches 50°, 
or a little before, which usually takes place during April. The only 
assistance such Vines require is to maintain a temperature of 50° to 55° 
at night and on dull days, sun heat doing the rest of the work, for the 
crop sets by the early part of June, is swelled with the solar warmth, 
and a little fire heat in September, or after the Grapes commence colour¬ 
ing perfects the crops. Of course, sun heat must be husbanded during the 
summer months by early closing, and the Vines be well nourished ; then 
Grape-growing is one of the simplest and most satisfactory processes in 
horticulture, it being far easier to grow Grapes, except the Frontignans 
and Muscats, true, as Black Muscat and Muscat of Alexandria, with 
Canon Hall, than Melons or even Peaches and Nectarines. 
THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Saladlng:. —With such a scarcity of green vegetables everywhere 
anything in the shape of salading will be appreciated. Endive under 
glass is yet available, but unless kept very cool will soon run to seed. 
Sow Lettuce Paris White Cos somewhat thickly in large boxes of rich 
soil, and place in heat to germinate. Before the plants become much 
drawn transfer to a shelf near to the glass in a warm greenhouse or 
frame. When the plants are about 4 inches high cut over and use the 
tops or leaves whole for salad. In this way a succession could be kept 
up till forced plants of early Cabbage varieties are available. Do not 
hurriedly throw away old roots of Chicory. If potted or bedded, and 
kept quite moist at the roots, a third or fourth crop of leaves could be 
obtained from them, and which, when well blanched, are suitable to use 
with green Lettuce. Mustard and Cress ought to be constantly forced. 
Make a fresh sowing once a week, and always use fresh rich soil, as it 
damps wholesale if the precaution of wholly changing the soil is not 
taken. Sow thickly on a level surface, keep in fairly brisk heat, and 
shade heavily till the stems aie upwards of 1 inch in height; then 
expose, and keep in a cooler house or frame. It is only by keeping it in 
the shade at first that those long well-blanched stems can be obtained. 
Sowing Seeds under Glass. —A mild hotbed surmounted by a 
frame, roughly constructed or otherwise, will always be found of good 
service in raising early plants for the kitchen garden. Those who have 
no frames to spare and none too much heating material may, after 
surfacing the bed with not less than 6 inches of fine light soil, sow 
Horn Carrots broadcast all over the bed. If a partial failure with 
anything takes place, it will be most probably due to sowing too 
thickly. An early start should be made to obtain Brussels Sprouts well 
established in the open. All that are needed for most gardens can 
usually be raised on a bed space 18 inches square. It pays well to 
grow Borecole strongly, but good results attend the practice of sowing 
seeds of these in the open before the middle of March, and more again 
a month later. The only Broccoli that should be sown under glass is 
Veitch’s Autumn Protecting. Sown now, and by keeping the plants 
growing, fine Cauliflower-like hearts can be procured early in Sep¬ 
tember, and with the aid of a euccessional sowing made six weeks hence 
in the open a supply could be kept up well into January, always 
providing protection is afforded to the late plants. Either Early 
London or Dwarf Erfurt Cauliflowers may be sown now in frames to 
succeed those raised last autumn, or in January this year. For use 
during August there are none to surpass Eclipse (an early form of 
Autumn Giant), of which seeds should now be sown in frames. 
Cabbage plants have been largely destroyed. If not already done, sow 
seeds at once of Ellam’s Dwarf Spring, Wheeler’s Imperial, or other 
quick-growing varieties, and do not long delay in finally planting out. 
Both Cos and Cabbage varieties of Lettuce should also be found room 
for on the improvised seed beds, as these will be wanted for planting 
out in quantity early in April. If the bed is dry water prior to 
sowing, and cover the seeds with sifted soil. Directly the seedlings 
are up admit abundance of light, giving air freely whenever the 
weather permits. 
Celery. —Celery seed is slow in germination, and should either 
have a small bed to itself or be sown in boxes. If wanted very early 
the seed 3 of a good white variety will have been already sown in 
heat; but Celery can be obtained fit for use in September if sown 
late in February or early in March. White varieties, as requiring 
the least blanching, should be sown, and to succeed these a good pink 
variety. Fill pans or boxes with fine loamy soil, make this level, 
give a gentle watering, and soon after sow the seeds, lightly 
covering with fine soil. Place in heat, preferably of a moist descrip¬ 
tion, a near proximity to hot-water pipes greatly militating against 
perfect germination. Cover with squares of glass, and shade heavily 
until germination takes place, and keep the soil moist. Unless extra 
pains are taken failures are likely to occur, and the time lost is not 
easily made up. 
Celery and tlie Trost.— Celery has suffered badly where the 
tops were exposed. Frost has penetrated clean through the ridges, 
but when enclosed by soil the thaw is certain to be gradual, and the 
stalks may yet be found quite sound. The decay will spread down¬ 
wards, however, and the supply will be greatly reduced. It will also 
be found that the damage to the tops will hasten seeding, and the 
best way to deal with the late Celery, when the state of ^ the ground 
permits, is to lift all carefully and closely bed it in behind a north 
wall. All should be well covered with soil, and a little rough pro¬ 
tection be further afforded in the event of severe frost. This treat¬ 
ment will serve to check heart growth considerably, while the ground 
now occupied by the rows can be made ready for other crops at once 
instead of waiting till later. 
Onions. —Those who have heavy soils to deal with ought long since 
to have selected a site for Onion beds, dressing this with half-decayed 
stable manure something like four barrowloals to^ the square rod, 
following with either deep digging or trenching, and laying the surface up 
roughly. Directly the frost is well out of soil thus treated, fine weather 
should be selected for further preparing the ground for se d-sowing. 
Sow soot at the rate of one peck to the square rod, and lightly stir this 
into the surface. Next, closely trample the ground, get rid of stones 
and rubbish, level by means of a coarse rake, and then draw shallow 
drills from 10 to 12 inches apart. Sow the seeds thinly, and make all 
smooth with a rake. Soot is recommended in all cases, as a free appli¬ 
cation of this tends to promote strong growth of plant and thereby 
shorten the time during which the Onion maggot will be able to make 
headway, while it also acts as a deterrent of maggot attack. A strong 
growth of plant is also one of the best preventives of mildew. A loose, 
rich root-run also favours a strong top-growth, but in this case the rocffs 
fail to form properly, thick-necked specimens being the result, hence the 
necessity of firm soil in all cases. The Tripoli section never keep so well 
as do the White Spanish types, and are also among the first to succumb 
to mildew. Brown Globe and James’ Keeping are amongst the best. 
