February 15, 1894. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
135 
WOKK.foiItheWEEK.. 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Peaches and KTectarlnes. —Earliest House ,—Where the shoots 
reserved at the base of the present bearing wood are sufficiently 
advanced they should be laid in, that is, tied down, so as to give them 
the desired inclination, taking care not to bring them too sharply 
toward the branches, nor endeavour to tie them until they are suffi¬ 
ciently grown to allow of the operation being performed without 
snapping off their points. The terminal growths of leading branches 
should be trained in their full length, pinching the laterals to one leaf as 
produced. Growths for furnishing branches also require to be trained in 
without stopping, tying and regulating them as they advance, in doing 
which leave plenty of room for the shoots swelling. In laying-in young 
growths from extensions, avoid overcrowding, allowing a distance of 
12 to 15 inches between them along the branches, and about 6 inches 
b<‘tween the shoots, so that the foliage will receive plenty of light and 
air. Those shoots retained to attract the sap to the fruit must be kept 
closely pinched to one leaf after they have previously been stopped at 
the third joint or the one with a good leaf. 
Pay due attention to the border for watering. Do not be deceived 
by the syringing making the surface look wet whilst the soil beneath 
may be too dry ; but make an examination every fortnight or three 
weeks, and supply water (or liquid manure to weakly trees) in a tepid 
state thoroughly whenever required. This is better than having stated 
times for watering, for needless supplies of water or liquid manure only 
tend to make the soil sodden and sour, and neglect of affording moisture 
at the roots retards growth, besides favouring attacks of red spider. 
This pest must be kept under by syringing the trees in the morning and 
afternoon. If this fails to subdue insect pests or if aphides appear, syringe 
the trees with a decoction of quassia chips, 4 ozs., boiled ten minutes in 
a gallon of water, in which the chips have been steeped overnight, 
dissolving 4 ozs. of softsoap in it as it cools, straining and diluting with 
hot water to 4 gallons, using when cooled to 90° to 100°. Should the 
growths be attacked by brown aphis, use the mixture at full strength, 
applying with a brush to the affected parts; in ten to fifteen minutes 
afterwards syringe the whole of the trees with the decoction of quassia 
chips and softsoap solution diluted to 4 gallons. Repeat as necessary 
for keeping the trees free from aphides, red spider, and thrips. It also 
has a deterrent effect on brown scale, preventing the young getting 
fixed on the tender growths. The temperature should be maintained at 
60° to 65° by artificial means, a fall to 55° on cold mornings being much 
better for the trees than sharp firing, which only induces attenuated 
growths and favours insects. 
Second Early House .—The trees will now require attention in dis- 
budding, doing it gradually, removing the strongest and ill-placed, 
retaining a good growth at the base of each current bearing branch, and 
a shoot on a level with or above the fruit. Thinning the fruits must 
also be attended to where too thick by first removing the smaller and 
those on the under side of the branches, but avoid wholesale thinning 
and disbudding, proceeding on the principle of a little and often. A 
temperature of 55° at night in cold weather, and a little warmer, or 60'", 
in mild, is suitable, but a comparatively low temperature at night is 
preferable to a high one, 65° by’ day, with an advance to 70° to 75° from 
sun heat, and free ventilation from 65°. Syringing the trees must be 
practised morning and afternoon, except when the weather is dull ; then 
an occasional syringing and damping of available surfaces in the 
morning and early afternoon will be sufficient. 
Third Succession House .—Trees started early in the month are in 
blossom, and must have attention when fully expanded and the pollen 
is ripe in fertilising the flowers by shaking the trees, or dusting with a 
rabbit’s tail mounted on a small stick, or a camel’s-hair brush. Cease 
syrinting the trees directly the anthers show clear of the corolln, but 
sprinkle the floor and border every morning and afternoon when bright, 
occasionally only when dull. Avoid cold currents of air, yet ventilate 
early and freely on all favourable opportunities. Maintain a tempera¬ 
ture of 50° at night, 55° by day artificially, advancing to 65° or more 
with sun, but not without full ventilation. Leave a little ventilation 
constantly at the top of the house, and enlarge the opening on dull 
da? s so as to ensure a change of air, keeping the atmosphere buoj’ant, for 
a stagnant condition of the air of the house is fatal to a good set of fruit. 
Houxes to Afford Fruit in July or Early August .—The trees for 
this purpose should be started early in MarcU ; those previously forced 
will start naturally at the usual time, so that there is no need to close 
the house to accelerate the swelling of the buds; in fact, they are, if 
anything, too forward, and will require air fully day and night, except 
wbfn frost prevails, to prevent their being brought on too rapidly. 
Nothing, however, is gained by striving to retard the trees at the 
blossoming stage, but everything may be lost as regards a crop by failing 
to acc >rd the conditions essential to a good set of fruit. The trees may 
be syringed every day twice until the blossom buds show colour, when 
it is bt-tter to cease sprinkling them, as the anthers soon appear, and 
they rt-quire a moderate degree of moisture only for their proper 
development. A temperature of 50° by day, advancing to 65° with 
abundant ventilation, and 40° to 45° at night, will be all that is needed 
to insure a good set of fruit, provided enough air is given to prevent the 
atmosphere becoming stagnant. Examine the border, and if dry afford 
a thorough supply of water. If there be a plentiful show of blossom 
remove tho>e on the under side or at the back of the trellis by drawing 
the hand the reverse way of the growth. 
Eate Houses .—The buds in these are much too forward, especially in 
houses where the roof lights are fixed, there being quite a fortnight 
difference between them and those which have been exposed since the 
fall of the leaf. All pruning and readjustment of the trees on the 
trellises must be completed without delay. Where the lights are off 
they need not be replaced until the buds show colour. In other cases 
ventilate freely, merely excluding frost after the blossom is advanced in 
showing colour. Unheated houses are not advisable, especially in cold 
localities ; fixed roof lights are a still greater mistake, as the blossoms 
come on too rapidly in seasons like this, and they often have to 
struggle with a close, moist, cold atmosphere when they should be 
setting. Gentle heat during flowering does mueh towards insuring a 
good set, and in late summer artificial heat ripens the fruit and wood. 
Examine the borders, making sure that there is no lack of moisture. If 
the soil has left the walls loosen it with a fork, and close the inter¬ 
stices so as to make the water pass through all parts of the borders, 
and thoroughly moisten them from the surface right through to the 
drainage. 
THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Early Peas.— The earliest crops are to be obtained by raising the 
plants under glass, and before they are badly matted together at the 
roots plant them in rows outdoors. Such excellent dwarf varieties as 
Chelsea Gem and English Wonder are among the best that can be 
selected for warm borders, a quart of seed giving enough plants for 
short rows across a border, equal to a length of 36 yards. If space 
under glass can be afforded, also sow another quart of either Exonian, 
William I., or other good medium height early Peas for transplanting to 
a sunny open breadth of ground. There is no necessity to bother with 
either troughs, turves, or small pots ; Peas, if the operation is not too 
long delayed, transplanting readily enough when raised in ordinary 
Pelargonium boxes and shaken clear of ths soil. Sow seed at once and 
place in gentle heat to germinate. 
Sowing Peas In the Open. —As early in February as the ground 
can be got into good working condition good round-seeded varieties 
may be sown. It is a mistake to sow the seed at any fixed date, as it 
is liable to perish, or germinate very indifferently if surrounded by 
saturated, pasty, or lumpy soil. Especially is it unwise to sow the 
wrinkled seeded varieties much before the first week in March, these 
being particularly liable to decay in the ground. Rows that are to be 
staked should be disposed as far asunder as the known height of the 
■variety sown. Thus, William I. should be not less than 42 inches 
apart, 3 feet being sufficient for Exonian, and 20 inches for the dwarf 
Chelsea Gem and English Wonder. 
All would succeed equally well without stakes, and in this case the 
rows may be 2 feet asunder. Open fairly wide flat-bottomed drills, 
these being 6 inches wide and 2 inches below the ordinary ground 
level. If the ground is very lumpy, and there has not been much frost 
to pulverise it, form deeper drills, and place some fine soil from the 
frame ground in the bottom, also covering the seed with more of the 
same. Early Peas may be sown rather thickly, 1 quart being enough 
for a length of 30 yards. Narrower drills may be drawn where the 
rows are not to be staked, and the seed sown more thinly. 
Mice and Pea Seed.— Field mice or voles are unusually trouble¬ 
some this winter, and are likely to be where their natural enemies, 
including cats, are killed down by gamekeepers. If a good cat or cats 
can be kept in a garden and not given meat of any kind these prevent 
much worry. Unless mice are kept down they trace out the rows of 
Peas and spoil them in a few nights. Figure of 4 traps, baited with 
peas, if persevered with, will clear off a number of mice, but other traps 
and bait are of little avail. Unless extra numerous and hard driven 
mice will not interfere with seed well coated with red lead prior to 
sowing. First damp the seed and then roll it in powdered red lead 
till thoroughly covered with it. The red lead will not injure the Peas, 
and though said to be tasteless, the mice seem to realise it is poisonous. 
Soaking the seed for a short time in petroleum will not injure it, nor 
will it render it mice-proof. 
Broad Beans. —If desired, extra early seed may be sown singly in 
24 -inch pots in gentle heat as advised in the case of early Peas, the 
plants being duly hardened off and turned out into the open. Seed of 
Beck’s Dwarf Green Gem, Ear y Longpod, or other favourite early 
varieties may also be sown in the open directly the ground can be got 
into suirable condition. Tdey may be either sown in single lines or 
drills 2 feet asunder, or in double drills 6 inches apart, with 3 feet 
intervals. If preferred the seed may be dibbled in, and in either case 
dispose it about 4 inches asunder and 2 inches deep. Any sunny open 
spot that has been well manured and deeply dug ought to be good 
enough for Broad Beans, reserving the more sheltered sunny borders 
for choicf-r kinds of vegetables. 
Spinach. —January fro ts bad no appreciable ill effects on the 
autumn-raised crops, and these are doing good service. A surfacing of 
Hoof, or some other quick-acting nitrogenous manure, sown very care¬ 
fully between the rows so as not to touch the leaves, and then stirred 
in with a hoe, would not be wasted on this important crop. More seed 
should also be sown at the same time as and with early Peas, shallow 
drills being drawn midway between the rows of the latter. Victoria is 
