100 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ August 4, 1887. 
one or two spits deep, it must be well manured, or tbe plants will not 
grow so vigorously as could be wished. If the Onions are cleared off 
early the ground they occupied would form a capital Strawberry bed, 
being both rich and firm. All that would be necessary in this instance 
would be to clear the ground of weeds, and the planting be completed 
without any further trouble. The rows may well be 30 inches apart, and 
the plants 24 inches apart in the rows. This may appear more room 
than is necessary, but crowded plants never bear so well as those given 
plenty of space, and in wet seasons especially the clusters of fruit must 
have all the light and air possible or they roc off wholesale. Onions, 
Lettuces, Spinach, or Beans mav be grown between the rows during the 
season following planting, though if the plants do well they will occupy 
much of the available space. When the young plants are put out they 
ought to be in a moist state at the roots, and the soil should be well 
primed about them with the handle of the trowel. In dry weather they 
will need occasional waterings, or otherwise they will progress very slow. 
Selection of Strawberries. — Allusion was made to early 
varieties on page 61. To succeed those grown for the earliest supplies 
the preference may yet be given to Sir J. Paxton, this fine second early 
sort invariably doing well. President is a little later, and is also still 
one of the heaviest croppers, the fruit also being of excellent quality. 
La Grosse Sucrde succeeds well in some places, but we have discarded it. 
James Veitch is a very fine sort, and worth growing principally on that 
account. Sir C. Napier, though not very hardy, usually crops heavily, 
and the quality pleases those who prefer briskly flavoured fruit. Unset 
Fritz grows freely and yields large crops of very fine fruit, and this 
again is more remarkable for its appearance than good quality. Auguste 
Nicaise is good for pot culture, but is of less value for the open ground. 
Dr. Hogg, if it could be induced to grow vigorously on all soils, would 
be a general favourite. With us it is of sturdy growth, cropping heavily, 
and the fruits are large, firm, and good. British Queen, unfortunately, 
is very fickle, but where it can be induced to do well it is a great 
favourite. Loxford Hall Seedling is very late and of fairly good quality, 
but on all sides we hear complaints that it refuses to grow strongly. 
Eleanor or Oxonian, on the other hand, though not of very high quality, 
possesses a good constitution, is very late, and produces extra heavy 
crops of fine fruit. The most reliable, given in their order of ripening, 
are Sir J. Paxton, President, Sir C. Napier, Dr. Hogg, and Eleanor. It 
is advisable, however, to try some of the newer sorts, the nature of the 
soil much affecting the character of the varieties grown on it. 
Old Strawberry Beds. —Three, or at the most four, good crops 
are all that is worth while to take from a plantation. Every season an 
old bed should be destroyed and a new one formed, and in this manner 
only can a first class supply of fruit be maintained. The youngest 
plants give the earliest and finest fruit, but the second year’s crops are 
usually the most valuable, though a greater number of fruits may be 
gathered during the third or fourth seasons. Directly the fruit is 
gathered from an exhausted bed, it should at once be cleared off, both 
plants and weeds going to the fire heap. Then without any digging the 
ground ought to be cropped with Broccoli or Savoys, these being extra 
hardy on firm good ground. The younger plantations give the best 
runners, and in most instances these are not interfered with till the 
selected runners are removed. A simple plan of preparing a lot of 
young plants for forming beds early next season consists of pricking out 
a number of runners, if with plenty of roots attached so much the 
better, on a spare border in nursery beds. If these arc kept from fruit¬ 
ing next season, they will make fine plants for putting out early, or any 
time from June till August. After the runners are obtained the plants 
in the reserved beds should: be cleared of all surplus runners and much 
of the old foliage, and this with the rough litter should be wheeled 
away and burnt. Any decayed mulching may well be left undisturbed, 
it is the rubbish and weeds that need removing. 
Dry Weather and the Fruit Crops. —The long drought is 
proving very injurious to the fruit crops—notably Apples and Pears, 
and these are dropping off wholesale. It will be sometime before many 
of the trees get sufficient moisture at the roots, and there is every 
prospect of the produce being small. It is almost useless to attempt 
watering the larger trees, but wall trees, pyramids and bushes may, in 
many instances, be given a good soaking with advantage. Thinning out 
is yet needed on many small trees that come under our notice. It is 
not yet too late to do this important work, and strong Grape scissors are 
very handy for the purpose. 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Melons. —The weather has been splendid for Melons. We have 
never known them better than they have been this year, especially those 
in pits and frames that have the benefit of a bed of leaves and dung. 
Frame Melons seem to always have a firmer, sweeter, and more agreeable 
flavour than house Melons, indeed they have more of the true Melon 
flavour. The plants are not so coddled, having, as a rule, much more 
air, continuous supplies of nutriment, therefore have more highly 
elaborated juices. 
Late crops in frames are setting well, and as the plants usually grow 
luxuriantly, the foliage should be kept thin, or they may set indiffe¬ 
rently and after setting refuse to swell. Some growers object to the use 
of the knife to the plants whilst the fruit is setting, but we do not 
hesitate to cut out superfluous growth whenever the necessity arises, and 
with the best results. Crowding the foliage tends to nothing but 
disaster. The blossoms do not set well, the fruits swell badly, and, worse 
still, they have large seed cavities, are hollow, and have neither weight 
nor quality. Copious supplies of water are necessary about twice a 
week to plants swelling their fruit with a sprinkling over the foliage at 
closing time, those in houses being well syringed both ways in the after¬ 
noon, and a good moisture maintained by damping available surfaces in 
the morning and noon. Do not neglect to fertilise the flowers daily of 
plants now in bloom, and to go over them frequently for stopping 
or removing superfluous growths. Keep the atmosphere dry when the 
fruit is ripening and setting. Maintain a bottom heat of 80° tp 85°, top 
heat 70° at night and 75° by day ; in dull weather admit a little air at 
that if the day is likely to be fine, allowing the heat to rise to 80°, then 
admit more air and keep it through the day at 85° to 90°, closing so as 
to increase to 90° or 93°. A free circulation of rather dry warm air 
greatly improves the finish and quality of Melons when ripening. If 
fruit be wanted very late make a last sowing now. Eastnor Castle, 
Longleat Perfection, and Scarlet Perfection are good free-setting and 
swelling sorts. The plants for fruiting in October should be planted at 
once, it being equally important with those raised from seed now that 
they have a light and well-heated structure. 
Figs. — Early-forced Trees in Pots .—As soon as the second crop is 
gathered examine the trees, for keeping the trees somewhat‘drier at the 
roots and the drier condition of the atmosphere consequent on a free 
circulation of air tend to an increase of red spider and scale. These 
pests are almost inseparable from Fig culture in heated structures, so 
that the cultivator requires to be evsr on the alert. Still the enemies 
steal a march upon the grower, especially during the ripening of the 
fruit ; therefore, when that is cleared off the trees, recourse must be had 
to cleansing, and as the foliage and wood is far advanced in ripening 
destructive agents may be employed at a strength which would not be 
safe at an earlier stage. If, therefore, those pests, and especially scale, 
have made undesirable progress, it will be advisable to syringe the trees 
with a petroleum solution—a wineglassful to 4 gallons of water in which 
8 ozs. softsoap and 1 oz. soda has been dissolved, one person stirring the 
mixture briskly with a broom handle whilst another applies it with a 
syringe to the trees, so as to thoroughly wet every part of the trees, the 
under as well as the upper part of the foliage and all the wood. To 
prevent the mixture soaking into the soil a little dry moss may be tied 
around the stem, and then a sort of pyramid of the same placed about 
the plants. If the wood is badly infested employ a somewhat stiff brush 
for freeing it of the scale whilst wet. In bad cases repeat this in the 
course of a day or two, afterwards syringing thoroughly with tepid 
water. The trees will need very little further attention, only giving 
water to prevent the foliage becoming limp, ventilating to the fullest 
extent day and night; but protect the trees from heavy rains, which has 
a tendency to keep the trees active instead of inducing that rest so 
desirable for those subjected to early forcing. For those considerations 
the old practice of placing early-forced pot trees outdoors is now little 
practised, the trees being continued under glass, complete repose being 
sought in dryness. If placed outdoors it must be in a sunny position, 
and the pots stood on a layer of ashes with similar material about them, 
and though they must not be allowed to suffer for want of water, 
material must be at hand to throw off heavy rains in order to prevent 
the soil becoming sodden. Whether kept under glass or placed outdoors 
they cannot have too much light or air. 
Early-fo ced Planted-out Trees .—The second crop is ripening and 
will need a circulation of air constantly, more, of course, by day than at 
night ; if dull wet weather prevail a gentle heat in the pipes makes all 
the difference between well ripened and insipid fruit. Watering at the 
roots must be diminished, and syringing discontinued, but a moderate 
air moisture may be allowed for the benefit of the foliage. If red 
spider is present and there is heat in the pipes coat them thinly with 
sulphur, or a good syiinging may be given after the fruit has been 
closely picked, choosing a time when there is a prospect of the moisture 
not remaining long upon the trees. As soon as the fruit is all gathered 
the trees may have a good washing with the syringe or garden engine to 
free the foliage of dust and red spider, otherwise a free circulation of 
dry warm air should be maintained in the house until the foliage begins 
to fall naturally, and which must not be accelerated by allowing the 
soil to become dust dry at the roots of the trees. 
Unheated Houses .—In order to insure a crop of Figs with certainty, 
glass cases or structures with a south aspect are indispensable. The 
trees succeed capitally if the roots are restricted to narrow borders 
(one-third the width or height of the trellis is ample), well drained, 
and not more than 2 feet deep, composed of good loam of a calcareous 
nature, or adding a sixth of old mortar rubbish, which contains what 
Figs require in lime and silica, or a fifth of chalk may be added, and 
a sixth of road scrapings. If the loam be rather light add a fourth of 
clay chopped small and intermixed, which requires to be placed together 
rather firmly to induce a short-jointed sturdy habit. With unobstructed 
light and provision for free ventilation Figs of the choicest description 
may be obtained if the usual attention is given in watering through a 
mulch of partially decayed, rather lumpy manure, and feeding with 
liquid manure as required. It is also necessary that the growths be 
thin, acting upon the extension system, but securing by judicious 
stopping a fair amount of spurs. In no case allow more growth to be 
made than can have full exposure to light. The fruit is now well 
advanced in swelling, therefore spare no pains to keep the foliage 
clean by syringing in the morning and early afternoon. Do not 
syringe, however, if the day is likely to be dull, or in the afternoon if 
there is no prospect of the foliageffiecoming dry before night. Under such 
circumstances damp the border, especially in the afternoon, with liquid 
manure. Admit a little air early, increasing it with the sun heat, main¬ 
taining through the day at 80° to 85° with free ventilation, closing early 
