484 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
May 30, 1895. 
mulching’, as high feeding will only cause grossness, and must be 
studiously avoided. Ventilate early in the morning and close in the 
early part of the afternoon, with abundance of atmospheric moisture, 
so as to raise the heat to 80°, or 85° or 90°, and ventilate a little after¬ 
wards for the night, the temperature being allowed to fall to between 
60° and 65°. This procedure must not be practised until the stoning is 
completed, and only when it is desired to accelerate the ripening or 
secure fruits of the largest size. 
Late Houses .—Young shoots that are to carry next year’s crop must 
be tied in and allowed to extend as far as space admits, taking care to 
avoid overcrowding. Pinch all side shoots that are not wanted for next 
year’s fruiting or for furnishing the trees, and stop any gross shoots, so 
as to cause an equal distribution of the sap. In thinning leave a ^'ew 
more than will be required for the crop. A Peach to every square foot 
of trellis covered by the trees is ample for the large-fruited varieties, 
but the medium-sized and Nectarines may be left a little closer. Keep 
the foliage clean by syringing twice daily in fine weather, and always 
sufficiently early to allow the foliage to become dry before night. Water 
thoroughly when necessary, and always sufficient at a time to moisten 
the soil through to the drainage. A light mulch of short partially 
decayed manure will save watering. Keep the surface moist and supply 
some nourishment. Ventilate early, and increase the ventilation with 
the sun heat, closing early if the ripening is to be accelerated ; but if 
the fruit is wanted late keep as cool as possible by free ventilation day 
and night except when frost prevails. 
Young Trees .—Those in course of formation for covering their allotted 
space must be properly disbudded, leaving the main branches or shoots 
for forming them 15 to 18 inches distance apart, and the bearing wood 
at a similar distance along them, training the extensions their full 
length and pinching the side shoots not required for extending on last 
year’s wood to two or three leaves, so as to form spurs, and to one of 
subsequent growth. Laterals on the current growths should be pinched 
at the first joint and subsequent spray as made. 
Pines. —Plants of these under good management yield, as a rule, the 
finest fruits and the only profitable return when they show them ten to 
twelve months from the time the suckers were first potted, but some 
allowance must be made for autumn suckers, which were then potted 
and have to make their growth under adverse circumstances. Plants 
finally potted last September are now showing fruit. If any of that age 
are not fruiting subject them to about four to six weeks’ comparative 
rest, lowering the heat at the roots to 75°, admitting air fully at 
75° to 80°, and let the temperature fall to 75° before closing the house 
for the day. Little fire heat will be necessary, but it must be afforded, 
if necessary, to prevent the temperature falling below 60° at night. Do 
not allow the plants to become excessively dry, but whenever a plant 
needs it afford water liberally. The smaller suckers of the plants 
referred to potted this spring must be kept growing until the pots are 
filled with roots, when, if necessary, they can be subjected to the same 
course of treatment as advised for the larger plants, and these will 
afford a successional supnly of fruit. 
SuoJters Potted in Marclu .—The strongest of these should now be in 
their fruiting pots. If they are not yet potted do not tolerate farther 
delay, as to retain them longer in small pots is detrimental to their after 
growth. Let recently potted plants have a regular bottom heat of 
85° to 90°, and be duly supplied with water, if needed, after potting, not 
giving any more until the soil becomes dry, as it is necessary to exercise 
more care than usual at this stage, the state of the soil of individual 
plants being ascertained before its application. 
Routine .—Young plants are making rapid progress, and must be 
regularly attended to, allowing sufficient space for development, as it is 
inimical to sturdy plants to crowd them, especially in the early stages 
of their growth. Ventilate early in the day. always at 75° to 80°, to 
render the foliage dry before it is affected by the sun. Discontinue 
shading successional plants, but for fruiting ones with the crowns in 
close proximity to the glass a slight shade from powerful sun will be 
beneficial. 
Cherry House. —When the crop is wholly ripe the chief con¬ 
sideration will be to keep the fruit fresh and prolong the season as long 
as possible. Shading will do so, but it is only desirable where the fruit 
is exposed directly to the sun owing to the limited foliage. Free 
ventilation must be accorded, and in hot weather a sprinkling of the 
surface of the border in the hottest part of the day will assist in keeping 
the fruit fresh. The supply of water at the roots must not be neglected, 
for dryness is inimical to the formation of the buds for the ensuing crop 
of fruit and the health of the trees. 
Cucumbers. —Plants in houses that have been in bearing since the 
beginning of the year may be cleared out, and the house cleansed 
preparatory to replanting with young plants or Melons for a late crop, 
if, however, the old plants are fairly healthy and Cucumbers are still 
insufficiently supplied from pits and frames, they may be kept in 
bearing a time longer by removing the surface soil with a small fork, 
and supplying some lumpy loam, afterwards surfacing with decayed 
manure, giving a top-dressing of some approved fertiliser, and a good 
soaking of tepid water, or the fertiliser in liquid form. Thin out tte 
old growths, and encourage young in their place. Shade from powerful 
sun, syringe both ways in the early morning and afternoon, and damp 
down before nightfall. Admit a little air at 75°, increasing with 
the advancing sun, keeping through the day at 85° by solar heat, and 
close early, so as to run up to 90°, 95°, or 100°. Employ fire heat only 
to prevent the temperature falling below 60° to 65° and to insure 70° to 
75° by day. 
Pits and Frames .—Plants in these should be ventilated from 7.30 to 
8 A.M., and in the hottest part of the day a slight shade from the fierce 
rays of the sun will be beneficial, and keeping through the day at 85° to 
90°; close at 85°, increasing 5° to 10° with sun heat. Keep them 
watered as required, about twice a week will be necessary in bright 
weather, and sprinkle on fine afternoons. Avoid overcrowding 
the foliage, thinning well, keeping up a succession of bearing wood, 
removing bad leaves, stopping one or two joints beyond the show of 
fruit, and avoid overcropping. If straight fruits are wanted place them 
in glasses or nail pieces of half-inch deal together, so as to form open 
ended troughs about 3 inches wide, introducing the fruit, and having 
the troughs slightly inclined se as not to hold water. 
Strawberries In Pots. —Copious supplies of water are needed in 
the early stages of the fruit swelling; indeed, if the plants but once lack 
that essential element the plant or fruit may be so impaired as to da 
little good afterwards. Abundant supplies of water and nourishment aS 
the roots are necessary to secure well swelled berries, with a somewhat 
moist condition of the atmosphere, therefore avoid drying currents of 
air, especially when cold. Water the plants two or three times a day,, 
according to the weather, and supply liquid manure two or three times 
a week until the fruit commences ripening, after which give water only 
sufficient to prevent the foliage flagging. This, with abundance of air, 
improves the flavour. 
Plants In Pits and Frames. —When the Melons are ripening 
they should be fully exposed to the sun by raising them on inverted 
flower pots with a piece of slate intervening, as the moisture from the 
bed is apt to accumulate in the pot, and rising through the hole cause 
the fruit laid upon it to decay at that part. Admit air freely, and 
water only to prevent flagging. If a second crop is desired encourage 
about four shoots from the base of each plant, and when the fruit is 
cut the old growths may be removed and young shoots substituted. 
These will show fruit on the first laterals, every alternate one being 
rubbed off to prevent crowding. If a top-dressing of fresh compost be 
given, supplemented with a good supply of moderately weak liquid 
manure at 90°, the plants will be assisted to make a vigorous second 
growth. A useful crop of Melons may be obtained by making up beds 
now of any spent material, which, with mixing and turning, will gene¬ 
rate a gentle warmth, placing over it frames that have been used for 
Potatoes and bedding plants, placing in each light about a couple of 
barrowfuls of any strong loam mixed with some old mortar rubbish or 
road scrapings if deficient of grit, and pressing it down firmly. Into 
this, when warmed through, turn out a strong, healthy plant, pressing 
the soil about the roots and giving a good watering. If the weather be 
bright shade for a few days after planting. Seeds may yet be sown to 
raise plants for frames at present occupied by tender bedding plants. 
THE FLOWER GARDEN. 
Bedding Out. —A great deal of this is done, but much remains to 
be completed. June is soon enough for planting the more tender kinds 
of plants and flowers, such as Iresines, Coleuses, Alternantberas, 
Amaranthuses, and Begonias. 
Tuberous Begonias.— What these should have is ample room and 
a fairly rich, moist root run. Planted thickly they soon overrun each 
other, and the beauty of the foliage is lost, while if the soil is poor and 
non-retentive of moisture the results will never be satisfactor}'. Old 
Mushroom bed refuse or other short manure should be freely mixed with 
the soil. The plants take to their fresh quarters more quickly when 
moved out of boxes or beds, and in any case they should be in a moist 
state at the roots when transplanted. If the varieties are good and also 
mixed they would prove most effective planted not less than one foot 
apart each way, with a carpeting of variegated Mesembryanthemum or 
other neat trailing plants, and a few Cyperuses, Draemnas, or Palms 
dotted among them would further add to the general effect. A 
mulching of either cocoa-nut fibre refuse, leaf soil, or short manure 
should always be given Begonias. Without it they will fail in many 
positions. Begonias raised too late to bed out may, later on, be planted 
in nursery beds. They will form good tubeis for next season. Fibrous- 
rooted species, several of which bed out admirably, are best massed 
together. 
Fuchsias. —Plants in large pots move out of these badly. In som.e 
instances plunging answers best, the roots finding their way through 
the drainage and over the rims of the jots into the surrounding soil. 
Specimen Fuchsias also look well plunged in the turf. Standard plants- 
are particularly effective in the centres of Begonia and other beds. For 
massing, quite young plants are peihaps the best, and these should be 
planted out in fairly rich soil. 
Various. —Antirrhinums, notably the compact growers, are admir¬ 
able for bedding out, and they stand both dry and wet seasons remark¬ 
ably well. Quite small plants will produce a moderately strong spike, 
and this cut early will be followed by a mass of smaller ones. Pent- 
stemons are also effective in beds. If small, plant in moderately rich 
soil and somewhat thickly, or they may be dotted among Violas, 
Lobelias and Musk. Heliotropes are fine in masses, and a bed of a 
dark flowering variety with straight young plants of Abutilon Thomp- 
soni dotted among them never fails to give pleasure. Violas ought to 
have been replanted a month ago, 
Fllllug- Vases. —These ought to be emptied of old or very dry soil 
and a rich loamy compost substituted. Mixtures are not nearly so 
effective as a mass of one variety with a trailing edging of some kind. 
Zonal Pelargoniums are among the best plants that can be used, and 
none surja’ses Henry Jacoby in a mass with an edging of blue or white 
