78 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND vOTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ Jul} 28, 1887. 
the first opportunity of sowing more. Carrots sown about this time or 
early in August gain a useful size before winter, and wherever there is a 
deficiency from any cause a sowing should be made. As spring crops are 
maturing so rapidly now there is no scarcity of ground for Carrots or any 
other crop. 
Autumn-sown Onions. —These are one of our finest crops this 
season. They have neither been watered nor fed, but the heat suited 
them capitally, and when examining the bulbs the other day they were 
so fine that we were induced to consult our hook as to the time they 
were sown, and the date was “August 28th, 1886.” The large be lbs 
must be watched. As long as it keeps dry they are not liable to go 
wrong, but in rainy weather the large ones are very apt to bulge out on 
one side at the bottom or divide into two at the top, and this spoils their 
appearance for exhibition and some other purposes. To avoid this the 
finest should be drawn up and taken under cover, where it is quite dry. 
This will prevent their splitting, and it is better to have them a little 
less in size and perfect than large and going to pieces. The very thick¬ 
necked ones need not be reserved, as they will never become of any 
special value. Last year we watered one quarter of these Onions ; 
another piece was not watered. The latter were equally as good as the 
former, and this year we have dispensed with the watering. 
Tomatoes. —It is a grand season for Tomatoes. Plants in the open 
air are not making too much wood. They are very short-jointed, and 
many fruits are formed ; indeed, some of the early ones are well ad¬ 
vanced, and will be ripe early in August. Do not allow the plants to 
suffer from insufficient water. As soon as plenty of fruit is formed give 
abundance of liquid manure, but do not use this before the fruits appear, 
as it has a tendency to make them form much wood, and this is against 
their fruiting heavily. The liquid will induce them to form side shoots, 
and these must be pinched ofi frequently. The best crop we have at 
the present time is in a cool pit. We are happy in our select’on of a 
variety. The fruits ai e smooth, large, and abundant; and as those are 
only the one sort in the house the crop is very even. Tomato trials are 
interesting, but they do not pay for market. We know a large house 
of Tomatoes planted last spring with a great number of sorts, some not 
worth growing, and the crop throughout is very disappointing. The 
owner intended marketing fruit by the “ hundredweight,” but by the 
“ pound ” is the only length he has reached. When plants are bearing a 
heavy crop under glass it is astonishing how few leaves are required to 
keep the plants going, and thinning the foliage is almost as beneficial as 
thinning the shoots. This applies to the foliage on the main stem, 
which is the largest and most shady. Where plants have nearly ceased 
to bear throw them away and introduce a coming crop of something 
else. 
Late Peas. —Those sown a fortnight or three weeks ago are above 
the ground, but care must be taken that they do not receive a check 
from the drought, and it is a good plan to place a little manure along 
each side of the row, and earth them up over this. The soil prevents the 
manure drying, and the manure in its turn keeps the roots of the plants 
cool and moist. 
FKUir FORCING. 
Vines.— Karliest House. —The Vines will now require a dry atmo 
Sphere to thoroughly ripen the wood, but it will not be necessary to 
employ artificial heat. All laterals and late growths must be kept 
stopped and complete rest afforded by having the border cool and 
moderately dry. The borders inside may require water, but if they have 
been mulched it may not be necessary, whilst the outside borders may 
need covering with dry draw or bracken in order to throw off heavy 
rains. This is absolutely essential to insure the complete rest so 
necessary for Vines long subjected to forcing, a too moist condition of 
the soil tending to late growth ; but there should be sufficient moisture 
to maintain growth in the laterals in order to prevent the premature 
ripening of the foliage. In most cases it will be sufficient to allow a 
moderate extension of the laterals, and where the Vines are in an 
unsatisfactory condition prepare for lifting at an early date, getting 
fresh loam and clean drainage, so that the work can be done quickly 
when started. There is no danger of losing a crop ; only operate upon 
a part of the border at once—say the inside border one year and the 
outside the following. It is desirable to lift the roots and lay them in 
fresh soil nearer the surface whilst there is foliage on the Vines ; there¬ 
fore work of this character ought not to be delayed in the case of Vines 
that are to be started early in December, which will need pruning by 
the middle of September, or in the case of lifted Vines a little later. 
Houses not Regularly Subjected to Early Forcing. —Vines that are 
not started early will need, as soon as the crop is off, to be thoroughly 
cleansed by syringing or the application of an insecticide, and if there 
is any doubt about the ripeness of the -wood or the plumpness of the 
eyes it will be necessary to keep the house rather close by day, but with 
sufficient ventilation to cause evaporation and allow the moisture to 
escape. Give no more water to the border than will prevent the foliage 
becoming limp. If the weather prove moist employ fire heat in the day¬ 
time to maintain a temperature of 70° to 75° with moderate ventilation, 
and turn the heat off at night to allow the pipes to cool, increasing the 
ventilation so as to cause a thorough draught, and this will soon cause 
the wood to harden and the buds to plump, inducing rest, which for 
Vines that are to be started in December should be complete from the 
middle to the end of September. When the Vines have the wood ripe 
ventilate fully day and night. 
Vines in Pots for Early Forcing. —Those that are to be started in 
November should now have the wood thoroughly ripe and the buds 
lump. If not, and they are later this year than usual, keep the house 
rather warmer by day, 80° to 85°, closing early so as to raise the tem¬ 
perature to 90° or 95°, and throw the house open at night. Afford 
water (or liquid manure will help the Vines to plump the buds) in 
sufficient quantity to prevent the foliage flagging, and the latter cannot 
have too much light. Keep lateral growths well in check, leaving no more 
than are absolutely necessary to appropriate any excess of nutriment, 
and so prevent the principal eyes starting. When sufficiently ripened, 
as they are when the wood is brown and hard and the buds are promi¬ 
nent, they should be removed to a situation outdoors, standing on slates 
or boards in front of a south wall or fence, securing the canes to the 
face of the wall, only giving water to prevent the foliage falling pre¬ 
maturely, and having some waterproof material to throw the rain from 
the pots. In this position they will have some rest even if the leaves 
are not actually shed. When the leaves turn yellow—give indica¬ 
tions of falling—commence reducing the laterals, and when the leaves 
are all off prune, the laterals being cut off close, and the canes cut 
back to the length required, they being placed in any airy, cool, dry 
place until required for forcing. Keep them dry at the roots, and jet 
they must not be allowed to become dust dry, placing some dry pro¬ 
tective material about the pots to save the roots from frost in case 
it should eain access to the structure. 
Vines Freed of their Crops .—Cleanse the foliage by means of the 
syringe or engine, and if need be apply an insecticide. If there be any 
mealy bug or scale promptly use petroleum, a wineglassful to 4 gallons 
of water, in which 8 ozs. of softsoap and an ounce of soda has been 
dissolved, keeping the mixture thoroughly agitated by stirring briskly 
with a broom handle whilst being applied to the Vines, which must be 
done thoroughly, wetting every part. It is best done on a dull calm 
afternoon, and should be repeated two or three times at intervals of a 
few days. If there be any plants they must be removed, and if the 
roots of the Vines are near the surface, cover the border with dry short 
material to absorb the waste. Keep the laterals fairly in hand, not 
closely pinched, unless the Vines are very vigorous and are not ripening 
the wood kindly, when keeping the house rather dry at night, with all 
the ventilation possible, and somewhat warm and close by day, will tend 
to the maturity of the wood and buds. In stopping vigorous Vines 
regard must be had to the principal buds, not stopping so close as to 
jeopardise the starting into growth through an excess of sap. Such 
Vines should also be kept without water until the young leaves are a 
little limp. Vines that, on the other hand, are not strong, having been 
enfeebled by continued cropping or other cause, should be encouraged to 
make growth by applying liquid manure to the border ; but whatever 
extraneous foliage is made must not be allowed to interfere in any way 
with the free access of light and air to the principal leaves, which must 
be kept healthy, so that they may appropriate some of the extra food, 
and store it in the buds and adjacent wood. Ventilate freely day and 
night. 
Grapes Colouring.— Admit air constantly, enough with a gentle 
warmth in the pipes to insure a circulation. Whilst ripening many, 
indeed most Grapes, swell considerably, therefore there must not he 
any deficiency of moisture in the border. Give, if necessary, a good 
supply, and in the early part of the day, so that superfluous moisture 
may be dissipated before night. If the Vines are heavily cropped afford 
liquid manure, but not strong, and allow them plenty of time, otherwise 
if there be any hastening of the ripening and a deficiency of nutriment, 
it is likely the fruit will be defective in colour. A good rest at night in 
a temperature of 60° to 65°, with air, is a great help to Vines taxed to 
the utmost by weight of Grapes. A moderate amount of air moisture 
also is essential to the health of the Vines, sprinkling available surfaces 
occasionally, and if possible, allow the laterals to extend ; but over¬ 
taxed Vines rarely can cater for more'than the princij al leaves and 
Grapes. 
Cucumbers.— Any frames that are at liberty may yet be planted 
with Cucumbers upon a bed of fermenting materials, which will give a 
supply of fruit in September, and continue up to near Christmas if due 
regard be paid to lining the beds and to protecting the plants by mats 
over the lights at night after the weather sets in cold. Let plants in 
frames or houses be thinned at least twice a week, removing exhausted 
growths to make room for young bearing shoots. Keep the shoots well 
stopped to one joint beyond the fruit, or at the fruit if the plants are 
vigorous and showing no signs of exhaustion. Always allow weakly 
plants more extension, and crop such lightly. Maintain a steady root- 
action by necessary bottom heat, and due attention in watering two or 
three times a week. The bottom heat should be 80° to 85°, top heat 70° 
at night, 75° by day, 80° to 85° with sun, closing early to increase to 90° 
or 95°. Syringe in the afternoo.-.s of hot days, but avoid late syringing, 
for the foliage should be dry by sunset, and commence ventilating early, 
it being important that the foliage be dry before the sun acts powerfully 
upon it. The autumn fruiters should now or soon be planted on hillocks 
or ridges moderately firm, maintaining a moist and genial atmosphere, 
and they will grow freely and show fruit in plenty shortly. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Steplianotis floribunda .—Plants that have been trained upon trellises 
and have ceased flowering may be taken off and thoroughly cleaned. 
This work can be done in a shady place outside at this season of the 
year. If the plants are infested with mealy bug they can be readily 
cleaned when the branches are untied and laid on mats if liberally 
syringed with petroleum and water. One ounce of the former should 
be used to each gallon of the latter. The following day examine the plant 
carefully, and destroy any insects that may have found hiding places out 
of the reach of the syringe. If the branches are secured to four or five 
