February 1, 1894, 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
97 
the certificates granted at the York Gala every year, as that a.lso 
has become a great Pansy and Viola gathering, where the leading 
growers from Scotland and other places exhibit. The utmost care is 
taken there to secure sound judgment, and only flowers of high quality 
can obtain certificates. As the greater portion of our best new varieties 
of Pansies and Violas come from Scotland, and some from the North 
of Ireland, it would be difficult to organize any central judicature 
in this country where all new varieties should be submitted. Supposing 
London was selected, where are the competent judges to be found in the 
south who are thoroughly up in all the sorts already in cultivation, and 
on whose judgment the raisers would have implicit faith ; and if got 
from distant parts of the country, how are their expenses to be paid ? 
We are now having extended opportunities of seeing a very large 
number of new varieties at the Pansy exhibitions in London, York, 
Wolverhampton, Birmingham and Shrewsbury, and our southern friends 
will have an opportunity of seeing a great number of new kinds in 
May at the London show ; the midland growers have their opportunities 
at the exhibitions I have named. What I wish the compilers of cata¬ 
logues would do is to say when and where the certificates were granted. 
This would carry weight, and no certificates given by any cornpara- 
tively unknown society would be regarded as a reliable guide to 
purchasers. 
There is still one other help to amateurs—the notes on new kinds if 
written by someone who knows Pansies well and sees many of the new 
flowers during the season. Such notes have from time to time been 
given in the Journal of Horticulture, and we florists have much to 
thank the Editor for in being so ready always to open its columns to 
floricultural matters. Those persons who are greatly interested in these 
two flowers would help in the work materially by sending notes of first- 
class sorts as proved by them during the autumn and winter as a guide 
to amateurs in purchasing.—W. D, 
FEUIT FORCING. 
Vines. — Eyes and Cut-iachs. —Eyes or buds may now be started 
either in pots, pans, or pieces of turf. Select from well ripened wood, 
filling the pot or pan with rich friable loam, inserting the buds with a 
pinch of sand half an inch beneath the surface, plunging the pot 
in a bottom heat of 80°. Cut-backs should be placed in a house where 
they will have a temperature of 60° to 65° at night, and 70° to 75° by 
day. When they have started into growth shake them out and return to 
the same size of pot, using good friable loam, and give a rather close 
and moist atmosphere until re-established, when they should have a 
position near the glass, so as to insure sturdy, short-jointed, thoroughly 
solidified growth. 
Pines. — Fruiting Plants and Starters. —These will now be throwing 
up fruit, and should have a mean temperature of 70°, varying it 5° 
according to the weather, admitting air at 80° with sunshine, but not 
lowering the temperature, allowing it to rise to 85°, closing between that 
and 80°, and if it rise somewhat after closing it will be advantageous 
rather than otherwise. The plants recently started for fruiting will, if 
in good condition at the roots, produce strong suckers. When the 
suckers are large enough to handle all except one to each plant must 
have the growth checked by taking out the centres. 
Successional Plants. —To supplement the autumn-potted plants 
select others which have been wintered in 7 or 8-inch pots, choosing the 
most vigorous. Those remaining may be reserved until the general 
spring potting, when they can be shaken out and treated similarly to 
suckers. Good fibrous loam with the turf well reduced, placed under 
cover to become dried, is a suitable compost. Drain the pots well, dust 
soot or dry wood ashes over the crocks to exclude worms, and ram the 
soil firmly round the plants, keeping them well down in the pots to 
admit of copious supplies of water being given when necessary ; lO-inch 
pots are suitable for Queens, and 11 or 12-inch for those of more robust 
growth. A temperature of 60° to 65° will be sufficient for these plants, 
also those potted last autumn, and about 85° bottom heat. Plants in 
beds about to be started into fruit must not have the heat at the base of 
the pots over 90° or 95°, or their roots will be injured. If sufficient fruit 
be started to meet the requirements, later successional plants that have 
not been subjected to a high temperature may be advanced slowly, they 
with autumn-rooted suckers requiring careful watering, especially where 
the heat at the roots is supplied by fermenting materials. 
Figs.— Earliest Trees in Pots. —The trees started in November or 
early in December for affording ripe Figs in April or early in May, will 
be throwing out fresh roots plentifully, the bottom heat being kept 
steady at about 70° to 75°. Bring the fermenting material up to the 
top of the pots, and place pieces of rich turf of good size round the 
rims to keep the roots near home and to induce sturdier growth than 
would be the case if the roots came over the top of the pots to ramble 
unchecked in the fermenting material. Maintain a good moisture in the 
atmosphere by syringing twice a day and damping as may be required 
in bright weather. Admit a little air at 70°, increasing it with the tem¬ 
perature ; close at 75°, and if the temperature rises to 80° or 85° it will 
be an advantage. See that there is no lack of water at the roots. The 
drainage being good there is little danger of giving Figs too much water, 
many crops are lost by the soil being kept too dry. The temperature 
in dull weather must be kept at 60° to 65°, 55° to 60° at night when the 
external air is cold, but 5° higher when the weather is mild. Disbudding 
will need to be attended to as growth advances and gross shoots stopped, 
but the finest Figs are borne upon extensions. 
Early Forced Planted-out Trees. —The trees started at the new 
year will, if the borders have been brought into a properly moist con¬ 
dition by watering with tepid water, be starting into growth, and may 
have the night temperature gradually raised to 55°, 60° to 65° by day 
from fire heat, with an advance from sun heat and free ventilation to 
70° or even 75°. Syringe twice a day, except when dull, then damp 
instead, and see that the borders are thoroughly moistened. If the trees 
are weak a thorough soaking of tepid liquid manure, not too strong, will 
assist the growth. 
Peaches and M'ectarlnes. — Earliest Forced House. —The trees 
will need syringing every morning and afternoon after the fruit is set 
and swelling in order to keep down red spider. If, however, the 
weather be dull the syringing must be practised early in the afternoon, 
so that the trees may become fairly dry before night, or if that does not 
take place the afternoon syringing must be dispensed with, damping 
the paths and borders instead, as keeping the trees dripping with water 
through the night causes weak growth, thin foliage, and discoloured 
points of the leaves. Water the inside border with liquid manure, 
which will assist the fruit in swelling, especially in the case of weakly 
trees long subjected to repeated forcing. Vigorous trees will not 
r quire any stimulants, excessive vigour being unfavourable to the fruit 
safely passing the stoning process. Remove a few of the worst placed and 
surplus fruit, but thin carefully until the fruit is the size of a small 
marble. Disbudding must be followed up, leaving a growth at the 
base of each bearing shoot, and another at its extremity, or at least 
level with the fruit. The shoots retained for attracting the sap to and 
supporting the fruit should be stopped at the second or third leaf, 
but the basal shoots must be trained to take the place of those now 
bearing fruit. Shoots upon extensions must be left at 12 to 15 inches 
distance apart to form the bearing shoots of the future. It is a great 
mistake to crowd the trees with growth for which there is not space 
enough to allow of its full exposure to light and air ; therefore avoid 
overcrowding, seeking to maintain an equal balance of growth throughout 
the trees and its solidification by judicious ventilation. 
Second Early House. —Trees started at the new year will be in 
blossom, and should have a temperature of 60°, 5° less on cold nights, 
50° to 55° by day artificially, and 60° to 65° from sun heat, not allowing 
a rise above 65° without full ventilation. Lose no opportunity of 
admitting air, ventilating from 50°, avoiding, however, cold currents, 
and leave a little ventilation constantly at the apex of the house. Damp 
the surfaces occasionally to secure a genial atmosphere, but avoid a 
close saturated one. Shake the trees on fine mornings to disperse the 
pollen, or brush the blossoms over lightly with a rabbit’s tail mounted 
on a small stick, or apply the pollen to the stigma with a camel’s 
hair brush. 
Hosises Started Early in February. —The trees to afford fruit in 
July must now be started, they having commenced to swell their buds 
naturally. Syringe the trees occasionally until the blossom buds 
show colour, when it should be discontinued, but sprinkle available 
surfaces once or twice a day to maintain a genial condition of the 
atmosphere, avoiding a close, stagnant one. If the flowers are very 
numerous thin them by rubbing the hand downwards on the under side 
of the shoots, which will strengthen the remainder, enabling them to set 
better. Examine the trees closely, and if there be any aphides fumigate 
with tobacco or other insecticide, so as to destroy them before the 
flowers expand. Maintain a temperature of 40° to 45° at night, and 
50° by day, above which ventilate freely. When the flowers expand 
raise the temperature to 50° at night, 55° by day, and 60° to 65° from 
sun heat with free ventilation. On cold nights the temperature may 
fall to 45°, or even less, also 60° by day, allowing a little ventilation 
constantly at the top of the house. 
Strawberries In Pots. —The earliest forced plants are characterised 
by a fair set'of fruit. Remove all badly set or deformed fruits, leaving 
from four to half a dozen of the most promising fruits to each plant, and 
aid their swelling by liquid manure. To cause the fruit to swell the 
temperature should be 60° to 65°, advancing to 70° or 75° by day with 
moderate ventilation. Avoid drying currents of air, as they injuriously 
affect the swelling of the fruit. Examine the plants twice each day, 
giving water only to those needing it, and in sufficient quantity to show 
at the drainage. See that succession placts are kept free from aphides, 
fumigating, if necessary, before the flowers open. Introduce more 
plants for succession. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Freeslas. —Plants that have been grown in a cool temperature up 
to the present time are showing their flowers, and may, if wanted in 
flower, be placed in heat. The pots containing the plants should be 
placed on a shelf close to the glass to prevent the foliage drawing up 
weakly. If the temperature ranges about 60° to 55°, the flowers will 
soon develop. Keep the remainder of the stock where the tempera¬ 
ture does not fall below 4.5°, they will be safe as long as frost can 
be excluded from them. Pans or pots containing small tubers should 
occupy a shelf. When well rooted weak liquid manure will beneflt the 
whole of the plants wonderfully. 
