February 8, 1894. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
117 
obtainable light loam may have an addition of clay marl, and heavy 
loam an addition of calcareous gravel or old mortar and brick rubbish, 
from a fourth to a sixth in each case. To good friable loam add a tenth 
of wood ashes, one-fifth of old mortar rubbish, a twentieth of charcoal, 
and a fortieth part each of crushed bones and calcined oyster shells. 
These proportions may be added to any soil after its texture has been 
made heavier or lighter as before stated. If the soil be poor a fifth of 
short fresh stable manure or horse droppings may be added, otherwise 
manure or vegetable refuse should not be used, manure in most cases 
being best applied as a mulch. 
In preparing the border, which may be proceeded with as the weather 
permits, bear in mind that no fruit tree requires more copious supplies 
of water when in growth than the Vine, and at the same time is more 
impatient of stagnant water ; hence drainage should first receive 
attention, and instead of excavating, concreting, or cementing, keep 
the border well elevated as far as circumstances admit. Employ 3-inch 
drains, with proper fall and outlet. Provide a foot of drainage, the 
roughest at the bottom and the smallest at the top, which last preferably 
may be old mortar rubbish. If the border is intended for early or late 
Vines allow a rather sharp slope to the south for the purpose of throwing 
off wet by lights or other means. Two feet depth of soil is ample, but 
it ought to be 2^ feet at first to allow for settling, and the compost, should 
be well compacted. 
The best time for planting Vines is from April to June inclusive, 
and those intended to be planted at that season should now be cut back 
to the length required, and be placed in a cool Peach house or pit to 
start into growth. When the new shoots are 2 or 3 inches long shake 
out the plants and plant them in the permanent borders, spreading the 
roots out carefully, and working the soil well amongst them. A G-feet 
width of border will be sufficient in the first instance. When the roots 
are to have the run of both inside and outside borders they should be 
confined inside, not making the outside border until the Vines are 
thoroughly established. 
IVIelons, —In a Melon house a ridge the whole length of the bed, 
about 2 feet wide at the base, with the top flattened so as to give a 
depth of 10 to 12 inches, is preferable to hillocks, the soil being made 
firm, and when warm the plants may be turned out, compacting the 
soil well about the balls, and raising it a little higher than before, but 
not more than within half an inch of the seed leaves. The plants can 
be placed 2 to 2\ feet asunder, the leading or primary shoots being 
taken up without stopping until fully two-thirds the distance they are 
intended to travel is reached, then pinch out the point of each. Some 
varieties will show fruit on the first laterals, and as early Melons are a 
consideration let them remain, taking out the point at a joint above 
them. To allow all the laterals to remain would very much overcrowd 
the foliage ; therefore rub off the alternate laterals whilst they are 
quite young. After stopping the first laterals the succeeding growths 
will show fruit at the second or third joint. The growths should be 
trained thinly and regularly, so that every part is evenly covered with 
foliage and fruit. The plants will require but little water as yet ; 
nevertheless, maintain the soil in a moist condition, avoiding anything 
approaching to saturation. Sprinkle every available surface in the 
morning of bright days, and again at closing time or early in the after¬ 
noon. Ventilate carefully, avoiding currents of cold air ; some hexagon 
netting or thin scrim canvas placed over the ventilators will break the 
force of cutting winds. Keep the night temperature at 70°, falling to 
65° in the morning, 5° less in severe weather being better than seeking 
to maintain the higher temperature by sharp firing ; 75° by day, rising 
to 80° or 85° from sun heat, and 90° to 95° after closing, bottom heat to 
be kept steady at 80°. 
Plants in Pits or Frames. — Plants with the shoots trained on 
the surface of the soil require somewhat different treatment. The plants 
being pinched at the second leaf will produce two or more shoots, and 
these being stopped in turn will result in four ; if more reduce to that 
number, and train two to the front and two to the back of the frame 
or pit. Shoots springing from the collar should be rubbed off whilst 
quite young, and do not encourage any laterals nearer the stem than 
6 inches. This will keep the collar clear. Stop the principal shoots 
when within a foot of the sides of the frame or pit, and thus throw the 
vigour into the laterals, which will show fruit at the second or third 
joint, stopping them one joint beyond the fruit. Cover the lights with 
double mats at night, and see that linings are regularly attended to, 
renewing the old linings as required. 
Prepare material for forming fresh beds about a fortnight before 
it is desired to make up the beds. The manure and leaves should be 
thoroughly incorporated. In a few days it will be seen whether there 
is enough moisture to produce decomposition, fermentation being the 
result ; if not, turn the whole, sprinkle with w’ater, so as to moisten the 
mass, and when in good heat turn again outside to inside and vice versa, 
two or three turnings being required at intervals of about four days. 
The bottom heat of fermenting beds should be 85° to 90°. 
Shift later sown plants into larger pots, or add soil as the plants 
advance, stopping those for frames at the second, not stopping those for 
trellises, but placing a small stick to each for support, and rubbing off 
laterals as they appear. 
Cherry Houses. —A lean-to, or preferably a three-quarters span- 
roof house erected against a south wall, is suitable for Cherries. The 
trees should be trained to a trellis about 1 foot from the glass ; they 
succeed admirably grown in pots, and the house is set at liberty for 
other purposes about half the year. Plenty of ventilation should be 
provided at the top and bottom of the house, and in the case of planted- 
out trees the roof lights ought to be moveable. The border should be 
inside, though the roots may have access to an outside one, thoroughly 
drained to carry off superfluous water. Good loam, rather strong, is 
most suitable, adding about a sixth of old mortar rubbish and a similar 
proportion of road scrapings. Trees from the open wall between four 
and six years trained if carefully removed to the house come into 
bearing at once. Water well to settle the soil about the roots, and 
ventilate freely, syringing in the morning and again in the afternoon, 
employing fire heat only to exclude frost. When the trees are fairly in 
growth let the day temperature from fire heat be 50° to 55°, rising to 
60° to 65° from sun, increasing the ventilation from 55°, and close at 
that temperature, leaving, however, a little ventilation on day and 
night, 10° to 45° at night from artificial heat will be sufficient. Early 
Rivers, Black Tartarian, Governor Wood, and Elton are suitable 
varieties for forcing. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Caladlums. —If the tubers of these have been resting in a 
moderately warm place they will have started into growth. The old 
soil may be shaken from them, and divided where increased stock is 
needed, and placed in small pots. The compost may consist of good 
loam, leaf mould, sand, and a little decayed manure. These tubers 
start well in boxes amongst leaf mould and sand, but when subjected to 
this treatment they should be potted directly they commence root 
activity. Whichever method is practised the pots or boxes containing 
the tubers should be placed in brisk heat. Very little water will be 
needed until the plants begin to grow and root freely. 
iichlmenes.— These may also be removed from the old soil and 
started into growth. They do well in pans or shallow boxes amongst 
light material. If the soil in which they are laid is in a suitable 
condition for moisture, and the surface of the pans covered with cocoa- 
nut fibre refuse, they will not need water until their growths appear 
above the soil. When plants in 5 and 6-inch pots are largely used for 
decoration the tubers may be placed thickly together, but when required 
for making up in baskets or planting into pans they should be more 
thinly disposed. 
Gloxinias. —Considerable trouble is saved when these are started in 
boxes amongst leaf mould and srnd. After they have commenced to 
grow they can be lifted out with a good portion attached to their roots 
and placed at once in the pots in which they are intended to flower. 
Seed may also be sown ; the pots or pans used should be filled with fine 
light soil and the surface made even, on which scatter the seed. Fine 
seed of this nature should not be covered, but gently watered with a 
fine rose can, and then the pots covered with a square of glass. The 
pots after the seeds are sown should be placed into a temperature of 
60° to 65°. 
Adlantum cuneatum.— The earliest plants will have started freely 
into growth, and may be transferred into larger pots. Do not disturb 
the old ball, beyond the removal of the crocks from the base. Where an 
increase in the stock is needed, and plenty of seedlings have not been 
raised, a number of plants that display signs of starting may be cut 
into two or four portions according to requirements. Use for a compost 
good loam, two parts, the remaining part being composed of sand and 
leaf mould. These plants must be watered with care until they are 
growing and rooting freely. Those that are divided will need very little 
water for some time if the material on which they stand is kept moist 
by syringing frequently amongst the pots. 
ZVllcrolepla hlrta crlstata. —This is an excellent Fern for deco¬ 
rative purposes, and can be increased very rapidly by division. Plants 
that are cut up into small pieces and potted into 2-inch pots will be 
useful by the autumn, and will average 18 inches or more in diameter. 
If the plants are started in brisk heat they should afterwards be grown 
in an intermediate temperature, or even in a vinery. If placed in too 
much heat they soon become a prey to scale. 
Selaglnellas. —A number of pots should be filled with moderately 
light soil level to the rim, and small pieces of the old S. denticulata 
dibbled evenly over the surface ; the smaller the pieces, the better 
the plants look after they cover the soil. These pots can be stood 
in any convenient place until the plants are in active growth. The 
floor of Cucumber and Melon houses, or amongst Palms, will suit them 
well. Plants of the old S. Martens! may also be broken up and placed 
into 4 and 5-inch pots. Where grown in low pans they look very 
effective for dinner-table decoration. The variegated form may be 
treated in the same way. 
Crotons. —Where brisk heat can be maintained all plants that 
need repotting may be done at once. The soil to be used must be well 
warmed, and if practicable the plants should be repotted iu the house 
in which they are growing. Plants that have become leggy or bare at 
the base may, if they display signs of growth, be notched and mossed. 
If kept in a warm, moist atmosphere they will soon form roots, and can 
be taken off and established in pots. This is decidedly the best method 
where large, well furnished plants are needed. 
Bracsenas. —These plants are very often ruined by confining them 
too long in small pots. In the early stages of growth, whether stove or 
greenhouse varieties, a good proportion of leaf mould should be used in 
the soil. After potting, these plants need careful watering until they 
are rooting and growing freely. Brisk, moist heat should also be given 
them ; even the greenhouse kinds are benefited by warmth in the early 
stages of growth. Plants with large heads that have become bare at 
the base may be re-rooted ; they should be well notched and the incisions 
covered with moss, which keep damp. 
