154 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
February 22,1894. 
Hyacinths is all that is needed.” The above is the portion of Mr. 
Bardney’s note which we consider very unreliable. Let any of your 
readers place the Daffodils into the forcing house in September, and 
treat the same as Roman Hyacinths for first bloom, and they will, alas! 
soon discover the result of misguided information. He admits that 
many bulbs are ruined by the method they are forced, and he himself 
has suffered (and we may add so have we), and notwithstanding 
launches out such unreliable treatment. 
Had Mr. Bardney stated in his first letter that it would not be safe 
to endeavour to have them in flower before Christmas as the result might 
be many blind buds, then we would agree with him. As to his 150 
flowers the first week in January, on reference to our nursery book 
we find that our earliest bulbs of N. obvallaris, about 12,000, were 
placed out of doors on the 16th of January, having finished flowering, first 
picking flowers on December 24th. On the 4th January we commenced 
picking Telamonius plenus, and we do not consider it safe to venture to 
get them in flower earlier, or the result would probably be a few blooms 
and numerous blind buds. As regards the quality of our flowers we are 
perfectly satisfied. To expect a good return from any market the 
flowers must be of first quality. 
We think that we have, as well as Mr. Bardney, closely observed the 
forcing capabilities of Daffodils. We herewith send a bunch of N. poeticus 
ornatus, the last picking of 50,000, which we commenced picking on 
January 16th. Perhaps the Editor would state length of stem, diameter of 
flowers, and note the quality of the blooms. Our only object in writing 
was to prevent possibly many gardeners and amateurs placing their 
Daffodils in the early forcing house with Roman Hyacinths. By Mr. 
Bardney’s letter we certainly understood that Daffodils could be had in 
flower as early as Roman Hyacinths, or even supposing he wants to 
add “ nearly,” October and January can hardly be called near one 
another. 
As before remarked, we will give £5 to the Royal Gardeners’ Orphan 
Fund if Mr. Bardney produces a box of Daffodils in flower, Tenby or 
Telamonius plenus, in October next, just to endeavour to prove that we 
are not so ignorant of facts as Mr. Bardney is under the impression.— 
Collins Bros, and Gabriel, Hampton. 
[The flowers of Narcissus poeticus ornatus received were very fine 
indeed—diameter, 2| inches ; length of stems, 18 inches ; girth, six- 
eighths of an inch ; leaves vigorous and deep glaucous green.] 
The Tenby Daffodil. 
The mention of Narcissus obvallaris by “ Tenby,” on page 125 of 
the last issue of the Journal of Horticulture, in respect to its adopted 
name, affords an opportunity of making an observation concerning 
the Tenby Daffodils. N. obvallaris is now generally regarded, and is 
represented in the catalogues of prominent trade growers as being the 
Tenby Daffodil, but the question arises whether it is the original one. 
Your correspondent states that doubtless the bulbs were originally 
imported, and that in the neighbourhood of Tenby a few years ago they 
flourished in great luxuriance. It may be that the delightful picture 
of them crowding in cottage gardens and the hedgerows of the 
locality occasioned in later years a misapprehension that became more 
deeply rooted when, undisturbed by the demaads of fashion, they 
multiplied so exceedingly. This, too, may perchance have favoured 
their usurping the popular title of a relative, for no less an authority 
than Howarth in his monograph defines the Tenby Daffodil as Narcissus 
lobularis.— JOHN E. Jefferies, Oxford. 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Pines. — Plants Starting into Fruit. —Those plants which were 
selected about the beginning of last December, and started by an 
advanced temperature and moisture, will now be showing fruit. As it 
is advisable to enhance the ripening of the fruit of these plants as much as 
possible, the temperature about them may be maintained at 65° to 70° at 
night, and 75° to 80° in the daytime under favourable circumstances, ven¬ 
tilating at 80°, allowing an advance to 85°, and close about that figure. 
With the fruit advancing the plants will require more water at the 
roots, examining the whole stock once a week, as with increased light and 
heat the need for liquid will correspondingly increase. It must not, 
however, be applied indiscriminately, but only to such plants as need a 
supply, always in a tepid state and with a little stimulant in it, as guano 
or some approved fertiliser. Recently started plants to succeed those 
already named should have a night temperature of 65°, and 70° by day 
artificially, which will be sufficient for them for some time longer. 
Starting Suclcers will have to be started about the com¬ 
mencement of March to provide plants to give a succession of fruit 
from next December onwanis. Therefore attend to the preparation of 
the soil for potting, and a fermenting bed in some close structure to 
generate and maintain a bottom heat of 85° to 90° near the surface, and 
with means of maintaining a temperature of 55° to 65° by fire'heat 
with regularity. 
vines. — From Eyes. —Buds inserted as advised have rooted, and if 
in small pots they may be shifted into a larger size as soon as the roots 
reach the sides, standing the pots on slate or tile shelves over hot- 
water pipes in preference to plunging them in bottom heat. If the eyes 
were inserted in pots or pans several together, they may be placed in 
small pots singly, plunged in bottom heat to insure speedy root action, 
and when the roots reach the sides transfer them to 6-inch pots. 
Syringe well amongst them, and stop those intended for fruiting at the 
first joint of the laterals, but those intended for planting out this season, 
whether grown in pots or turves, may be allowed to retain all the growth 
made. 
Early Vines in Pots. —These must not sustain any check through 
dryness. Top-dress with rich turfy loam and decayed manure in about 
equal parts, placing rims of zinc or lead 3 or 4 inches deep round the 
tops of the pots, or if the pots have fermenting materials extending to 
the rim, strips of turf about that thickness should be laid so as to form 
the necessary dish. When the roots are working freely in the top- 
dressing sprinkle a little approved fertiliser on the surface occasionally. 
Afford liquid manure a few degrees warmer than the temperature of 
the house in which they are growing, applying it also to the turf placed 
around the rim of the pots, likewise the plunging material where the 
roots are allowed to find their way from the bottom of the pots, there 
being nothing like plenty of feeders to secure well-developed berries. 
In order to concentrate the sap on the berries keep the laterals below 
the bunches somewhat closely stopped, allowing more liberty to those 
above them ; but avoid overcrowding the trellis with foliage that 
cannot have full exposure to light. With the Grapes approaching the 
stoning process careful treatment is necessary. Ventilate early in the 
day, affording a little air at 70°, increasing it with the heat to 85° with 
sun, closing at 80°, and if the temperature advance to 85° or 90° all the 
better. Avoid cold draughts, as they are prolific of rust, and impair the 
assimilating power of the foliage. If red spider appear employ a little 
sulphur on the hot-water pipes, or sponge the affected leaves with a 
weak (1 oz. to a gallon of water) solution of softsoap. 
Early Forced Planted-out Vines. — Those Vines started early in 
December must have the berries thinned, and it should be attended to 
immediately they are well set. Endeavour to obtain compact bunches, 
tying the shoulders in preference to cutting out a large number of 
berries. Remove superfluous bunches unflinchingly, striving for a full 
crop of well furnished bunches, properly swelled, and perfect in colour 
and finish. Allow the laterals to extend beyond the bunches as far as 
is consistent with the exposure of the foliage to light, tying and 
stopping them as required. Afford a liberal supply of water to the 
inside border, or liquid manure at intervals as required to maintain the 
soil in a thoroughly moist state, and mulch with a couple of inches 
thickness of short manure, and in as fresh state as safe, for, although 
a moderate amount of ammonia is beneficial, when too powerful it is pro¬ 
ductive of injury. The night temperature should range from 60° to 65°, 
70° to 75° by day, with 10° to 15° advance from sun heat, commencing 
to ventilate from 70°, closing between 80° and 85°, damping all surfaces 
well at the time. Do not syringe the foliage, as there is danger of sedi¬ 
ment—a deposit on the berries. The outside border should have enough 
covering to protect it from frost. 
Vines Started at the Neio Year. —When the best fruit can be deter¬ 
mined, disbudding may commence, but it is not wise to be in too 
great a hurry about this work, nor in tieing the shoots to the trellis. 
The object of disbudding is to give the shoots left full exposure to light, 
it being better to err on the side of too little rather than too much, or 
overcrowding the foliage. Stopping, too, should not be done too 
hurriedly. Allow at least two joints, and if possible three or four 
joints beyond the bunch, and stop all laterals below the fruit at the 
first joint, or they may be rubbed off except from the two lowermost 
leaves. The laterals from these should be pinched at the first joint, 
but those level with and above the fruit may be allowed to extend as 
space admits. When in flower afford a night temperature of 65° 
to 70°, with 10° to 15° rise from sun heat, closing at 80°. Vine 
flowers set bestiwhen the atmospheric moisture is not excessive. An 
over-moist, or, on the other hand, a dry atmosphere must be equally 
avoided. Muscats require a higher temperature and drier atmosphere 
than some varieties when setting, artiflcial impregnation being occa¬ 
sionally practised by fertilising every bunch with Black Hamburgh pollen. 
Late Grapes. —To do justice to late Vines they require along season 
of growth, as to insure the Grapes keeping well they should be ripe by 
the middle of September. To effect this the Vines ought to be started 
at the end of the present month or early in March. Let the inside 
border be well supplied iwith water, and a supply of liquid manure will 
assist weakly Vines, but avoid making the soil sodden by needless 
applications. Remove the loose surface soil from the border, and supply 
fresh with a little well decayed manure intermixed, sprinkling over each 
square yard 4 ozs. of this mixture—bone superphosphate three parts, 
sulphate of potash two parts, basic slag or Thomas’ phosphate powder 
one part, mixed. 
Late Houses of Black Haniburgh. —The Vines should be kept cool 
and the soil only moderately moist to preserve the roots in sound con¬ 
dition. It will be necessary to ventilate freely at and above 50°, and 
when that becomes the mean of the external air, or a little before, the 
Vines will break naturally. The Vines will set their crops by the early 
part of June, and the berries swell with sun heat, artificial heat only 
being required after the Grapes begin to colour. 
Cucumbers.—Plants in bearing should be examined once or twice 
a week for the removal of bad leaves and exhausted growths, thinning 
