Jaauary 18,1394. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
59 
WOKK.foiitheWEEK.. 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Peacbes and Ifectarlnes, — Earliest Forced Trees. —Continue to 
fertilise the blossoms, using a camel’s-hair brush, feather, or rabbit’s 
tail mounted on a small stick ; these are better and more effectual than 
shaking the trellis. When the fruit is well set syringe the trees occa¬ 
sionally in the morning or early part of fine afternoons to assist 
casting off the remains of the flowers. In bright weather syringing 
may be practised in the morning and afternoon, but when dull have 
recourse to it in the morning, this and damping the house in the after¬ 
noon being sufficient. The water employed must be of the same tem¬ 
perature as that of the house, and the inside border should be duly 
supplied with it. Disbudding will soon require to be attended to, but 
it must be done with discretion at this early season, it being better to 
remove a few shoots daily from a tree than many at a time at distant 
intervals. The night temperature may now be maintained at 55° to 60° on 
mild nights, 60° to 65° by day, 5° less as the minimum when the weather 
is severe and dull, admitting a little air at 65°, not allowing an advance 
over 70° without full ventilation, always excepting a little left at the 
top of the house constantly. 
Second Early Forced Trees. —When the blossoms show colour on 
the trees started with the new year syringing must cease, but every 
available surface should be damped in the morning and afternoon. 
Supply water as necessary to keep the border in a thoroughly moist state. 
Keep a sharp look out for aphides. If there be any fumigate the house 
on two or three consecutive evenings moderately, which will be suffi¬ 
cient to keep the pests under until the fruit is set. In case of an excess 
of blossom buds, and they are abundant this season, also promising, 
draw the hand contrary way of the growth along the under side or back 
of the trellis, so as to reduce the number of bloom buds, which will 
increase the vigour of those left and best situated, therewith tending to 
a more even and better swelling of the fruit after setting. 
Succession Houses. —Push forward the pruning of the trees, cleansing 
of the house, dressing the trees with an insecticide, and readjusting them 
to the trellis, leaving plenty of room in the ligature for the swelling of 
the branches. The surface of the border may be pointed over with a 
fork, but not disturbing the roots, the loose soil removed, and fresh loam 
supplied, sprinkling on it I ozs. per square yard of Thomas’ phosphate 
powder (basic slag). This is particularly valuable on account of the 
lime it contains, as well as phosphorus, for Peaches and all stone fruits, 
especially where the soil is of a rich close nature, full of vegetable 
matter or humus. In other cases steamed bonemeal and kainit in equal 
proportions may be applied at the rate of 3 ozs. per square yard with 
advantage. If the borders are at all dry they should be given a thorough 
watering. Houses, however, that have moveable roof lights, and these 
being off, will not require any water, the soil being thoroughly moist 
from rain and snow. The shoots are kept in a condition by the air 
moisture unfavourable to evaporation, so that the trees not only have 
thorough rest, but the buds are prevented falling. 
Pines. — Fruiting Plants and Starters, —Those should now have a 
mean temperature of about 70°, varying it 5° according to external 
conditions, admitting air 'at 80° with sunshine, but not lowering the 
temperature, allowing the heat to rise to 85°, closing the house at 80°. 
Syringe all surfaces twice a day, but do not sprinkle the bed between 
the plants ; also avoid dense steam produced by syringing highly heated 
hot-water pipes. The plants should be syringed occasionally early in the 
afternoon when the axils of the leaves become dry. Examine the plants 
about once a week, and supply guano water to such as need moisture at 
the roots. 
Starting Plants for Successional Fruiting. —About the commence¬ 
ment of February more plants of Queens should be started to supple¬ 
ment the supply of fruit from those which are already introduced for 
affording it early in summer. Beds having hot-water pipes beneath 
them can soon be prepared for the reception of the plants, but it is not 
the case where fermenting materials alone are used, hence the subject 
is mentioned in advance, so that the needful preparation may be made 
at once, and 85° to 90° of bottom heat secured by the time required. 
When plants which have been kept somewhat drier are started see that 
the balls of soil are made properly moist, so that with the extra warmth 
root action may commence at once, 
Successional Plants. —A night temperature of 60° to 65°, and 5° less 
in severe weather, will be suitable for those, and 5° to 10° higher in the 
daytime, according to external conditions. Keep the plants rather dry at 
the roots, but not excessively so, and when water is considered necessary 
give it thoroughly, at a temperature of about 80°. Suckers should have 
a temperature of 55° to 60°, 60° to 65° by day from fire heat, and 10° 
more from sun heat. 
Cherry House. —Give due attention to watering trees in pots and 
syringing on fine days, damping occasionally only when the weather is 
dull. Maintain the night temperature at 40°, 45° to 50° in the daytime 
by artificial means, ventilating at 50°, and allowing a rise of 10° to 15° 
from sun heat, with full ventilation, closing at 50°. Scrutinise the trees 
closely for aphides, and if there be trace of any take measures at once 
to eradicate them. 
Cucumbers. —Maintain the night temperature at 65°, allowing 5° 
more in mild weather, whilst it may be 5° less on cold nights, 70° to 75° 
by day, and 80° to 85° with sun heat. When the external air is mild a 
little ventilation may be given at 80°, closing before the temperature is 
reduced below that degree, so as to raise it to 90° or 95°; but if the 
external air is cold, although the sun shines, it is better to allow the 
temperature to advance a little beyond the above limits than to admit 
cold air, which injures the foliage, also causing the fruit to become 
stunted and to curl at the end. Plants in bearing will require to be 
examined about twice a week, removing all weakly, superfluous, and 
exhausted growths, reserving as much of the young bearing wood as is 
necessary to fill the allotted space, stopping the shoots above or two 
joints beyond the show for fruit. 
Young plants coming into bearing should not be allowed to bear too 
soon, and by no means be overcropped. They are greatly assisted by 
removing the staminate blossoms,also superfluous pistillate flowers as they 
appear. Tendrils should also be pinched off. The supply of moisture 
both at the roots and in the atmosphere must be regulated by circum¬ 
stances and external conditions. Syringing should not be practised on 
the foliage, except a light sprinkling in the early part of bright after¬ 
noons, damping the floor moderately at about 8 am. and 2 p.m. 
Encourage the roots to spread on the surface of the bed by adding 
lumpy loam from time to time, with which may be incorporated a little 
well decomposed cow manure or fresh sweetened horse droppings. When 
roots are had in this manner the plants may be fed to any extent by 
sprinkling bone superphosphate and powdered saltpetre in equal parts 
on the surface, at the rate of 2 ozs. to 3 ozs, par square yard every fort¬ 
night, with a light dusting of soot between times. 
Keep a keen eye on the plants for aphides, and fumigate several 
times moderately and consecutively rather than once severely. The 
evening is the best time for fumigating, following it up by another dose 
the following morning. If mildew appear dust with flowers of sulphur 
and paint the hoi-water pipes with a cream formed of it and skim milk. 
The fumes given off will kill white fly and mildew, also red spider. 
Canker is also unusually prevalent; freshly slaked lime rubbed into the 
affected parts will arrest its progress. 
THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Harly Cauliflowers. —Plants in frames should be only protected 
in very severe weather, abundance of air being admitted at all other 
times. Unless this is done they will soon commence growing, and will 
transplant badly accordingly. They naturally move better out of 
pots—always providing they are not root-bound—and during mild 
weather a portion of the stock might well be placed singly in 4-inch 
pots and returned to near the glass in pits, frames, cr shelves in cool 
houses. By the time they are well established in the pots it will most 
probably be possiole to plant out finally. If the stock of plants is 
insufficient to meet the requirements of the place sow more seed of 
Early Forcing, Dwarf Erfurt, or Early London, and such good late 
summer and autumn varieties as Eclipse and Autumn Giant. Sow the 
seed thinly in pans or boxes, and set in gentle heat rather than in a 
forcing temperature. The aim should be to have sturdy plants which 
will not damp off wholesale. If raised in rather strong heat, transfer to 
shelves in a cooler house to harden prior to potting or pricking out. 
Forcing- Cauliflowers. —When the Broccoli escapes destruction 
from frosts there is less need to attempt forcing Cauliflowers. There 
is, however, no certainty about the former, and in any case the neat, 
delicately flavoured Cauliflowers are preferred in most establishments. 
Anything in the shape of hard forcing must not be resorted to. All 
that is needed is a deep rough frame, a few old glazed lights, and a mild 
hotbed of leaves and manure. The plants could certainly be forwarded 
rather more rapidly in a brick pit with a single hot-water pipe round it, 
and, failing either pits or glazed lights for the frames, rough frames, 
poles, and mats may be substituted. Cover the heating material with a 
layer of short manure, and on this place about a foot of rich loamy 
compost. The Early Dwarf Forcing or Snowball is the best variety for 
frame culture, and if sturdy plants out of small pots are firmly planted, 
not less than 15 inches asunder each way, they will soon commence active 
growth. Ventilate freely when the weather permits, keep the soil uni¬ 
formly moist, apply liquid manure freely directly the plants commence 
hearting in, and thi- should lead to the production of very acceptable 
hearts from the middle of April onwards. 
Peas In Pots. —Peas are not amenable to hard forcing, but may be 
forwarded considerably under glass. Comparatively tall growing 
varieties can be successfully grown under glass in pots or otherwise, 
but all things considered, the Dwarf Early, English Wonder, Chelsea 
Gem, and William Hurst are the best for pot culture. Old Chrys¬ 
anthemum soil suits Peas well. Well drain the pots and three parts fill 
with soil, making this firm. Sow the seed somewhat thinly, and cover 
with 1 inch of so'Il. Fifty pots is none too many for a batch, about 
three dishes being had from these, and a succession should be provided 
by making another sowing a fortnight later. The pots may be arranged 
on the beds or floors of vineries or Peach houses, being gently forced till 
the plants are up, when the high back shelves, front stages, and front 
beds in the same houses wdll be the best places till such times as the 
night temperature exceeds 55°, when other light but cooler quarters 
should be assigned the Peas. Not till the pots are well filled with roots 
