368 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ October 18, 18(8. 
WORK foi\the WE EK,. RSI 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Asparagus Plantations. —Asparagus plants have grown very- 
well this season. They are much more luxuriant than last year, but 
the growths are much greener than they were in mid-October, 1887. 
The roots and crowns are less matured too, and probably they may not 
be in such good order for early forcing as we desire, but they will im¬ 
prove considerably in this respect. If the surface of the bed is covered 
with weeds remove them at once, as they will hinder the crowns from 
maturing. Should any kind of vegetable crops have been growing 
between the Asparagus, these should also be removed, but do not cut 
away any of the Asparagus stems until they have withered. The in¬ 
experienced are very apt to “ trim ” the growths as soon as they begin 
to appear brown, but this is a mistake that must be guarded against, 
and the seasonable work that applies to all Asparagus at the present 
time is clean the surface of the beds and leave the tops alone. As an 
indication of the unfavourable summer our Asparagus has failed to 
berry this year. 
Rhubarb for Early Forcing. —As Apples are scarce in many 
parts substitutes will have to be found for them, and none is more 
readily secured than Rhubarb. Good roots are easily forced to secure a 
supply in December, and as most garden owners have always plenty of 
roots they ought to be taken advantage of. Roots that have been grown 
for some years in the same place are much better for forcing than those 
that have been divided or transplanted last year or the year before, and 
-very large sorts are not so suitable for forcing as the smaller varieties. 
Probably the whole of the roots in a quarter would not be ready for 
forcing, but it may be necessary to select one here and there, and those 
with very prominent crowns should be chosen. Do not disturb them 
mow, but as the leaves die remove them at once and expose the crowns 
as much as possible to the sun. 
Earthing Spring Cabbages. —The spring Cabbage have grown 
freely of late. Many of them are ready for earthing up now, and 
they are much benefited by this practice, as it protects their stems 
in winter and keeps them firm in the ground, two important points in 
the successful wintering of ail open-air plants. Should there be any 
blanks fill them up before beginning to earth, and draw the soil well 
up to their necks. 
Storing Beetroot. —Beetroot is the least hardy of all vegetable 
roots, and it should be taken up and protected before frost injures it. 
If the roots are firm and deep in tl e soil loose l them with a fork, but 
•do not break them, as this would allow the j ice to escape. Very 
large roots must be rejected. Those of Dell’s type are the best. The 
leaves should not be cut close into the crown, but about 3 inches from 
it, as if cut in the roots will bleed, and this takes away the virtues. 
They must be stored under cover, where wet and frost will not 
reach them, but they must also be kept cool to prevent their growing 
again. Moderately dry leaf soil, ashes, or sand are the materials in 
which they may be stored, and if they are placed in a heap so as to 
have all the crowns projecting outwards they will keep well. 
Late Tomatoes. —Late fruits may be secured from plants that have 
Leen growing all the summer under glass. We have lately cut all the 
ripe fruits from them, removed every dead leaf and superfluous shoot, 
and given them a little rich surface dressing. There are many late 
green fruit on them still, and this will cause these to swell and ripen 
until well into winter. Although the plants may be leafless near the 
bottom of the stems this will not prevent the top fruit from succeeding, 
and as Tomatoes at Christmas are very valuable the utmost attention 
should be given to old plants now. In many cases they will have 
been grown all the summer without fire heat, but this should now be 
applied to assist them. 
Kidney Bean Seed. —In some seasons we have gathered much of 
this, but our crop is very backward this year ; indeed it was never more so, 
and we would not advise anyone to save and trust to half-ripened seed. 
The dwarf varieties have become quite ripe, but it is the runners that 
have failed, and unless the pods have become quite brown and the seed 
firm do not save it. 
Vegetable Marrows. —The frost has cut down the leaves, and 
many half-sized fruits have come to light. If these are left on the 
ground they will soon decay, but if cut and placed in a dry room they 
'will remain sound and good for many weeks. 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Vines. —With so many good varieties of late Grapes that we now 
possess early forcing is not by any means essential for a supply of 
Grapes all the year round. The most valuable late-keeping Grape is 
Lady Downe’s ; it bears well, and the fruit keeps fresh and plump up to 
June. In quality it is unsurpassed, for when ripened in strong heat 
the Muscat flavour is more highly developed than in a low temperature. 
This is well, as all late-keeping Grapes owe much of those properties 
to thorough ripening under the influence of sun and strong heat; in 
-fact, Grapes that are to hang for any length of time must not be ripened 
in cool vineries. Black Hamburghs, for instance, will not remain in 
good condition nearly so well if ripened in a cool house as when the 
fruit is perfected by fire heat, whilst Muscat of Alexandria speedily 
becomes spotted when not ripened to an amber colour. Alicante is 
an excellent keeper and always finishes well. West’s St. Peter's also 
finishes well in a high temperature, and though not so imposing in 
appearance as some others, it is one of the best late Grapes, tiros 
Colman is simply magnificent in appearance, the berries 4 or more inches 
in circumference, the bunches about 4 lbs. in weight, and when well 
ripened it is not nearly so coarse and inferior in flavour as it is some¬ 
times representel to be. It requires, however, a longer time to colour 
and ripen than the majority of late Grapes. 
Gros Guillaume is really unsurpassed in imposing appearance, the 
bunches being large and the berries approaching Gros Colman in size, 
and when well ripened and coloured the quality is good. Golden Grapes 
are not at all to the fore as the black. Pearson’s Golden Queen 
and Mrs. Pearson are good additions to this class of Grapes, and are 
more easily kept than Muscat of Alexandria but those can hardly be 
kept over the new year, therefore we have nothing better to offer than 
Trebbiano and Calabrian Raisin, with Syrian, as good companions to 
the thick-skinned black Grapes. They are large in bunch and berry, 
and when well ripened excellent in quality and good keepers. SVhen 
well ripened to the shank, Mrs. Pince is one of the best of the 
thick-skinned varieties, with a decided Muscat flavour. With these 
varieties to maintain the supply up to May, the necessity of starting 
permanently planted Vines before December does not arise unless it is 
desired to have fresh ripe at an early date in spring. In that case it is 
preferable to take the early supply from Vines in pots than to start the 
permanently planted Vines so early. Vines in pots produce fruit but 
little inferior to that borne by those planted out, and often better, from 
the roots being inside, and where there is means of affording bottom 
heat success is certain, providing, of course, the canes are sufficiently 
strong and well ripened. 
Early Forced Vines in Pots, SfC .—Where leaves and stable litter 
have been prepared as advised in our last calendar, they should be placed 
on outside borders, and a quantity of the material introduced at that 
time to the interior of the house, which will produce a regular degree of 
heat and moisture without having to resort so much to fire heat and 
frequent sprinklings. Vines in pots plunged in bottom heat must not 
have a greater heat than 65° to 70° to begin with, augmenting it by 
bringing up the fermenting materials to the level of the pots, so as to 
raise it to 70° or 75° when the Vines are in leaf. Both Vines in pots 
and early forced Vines have ripened so late that, except under pressing 
circumstances, it will be sound practice to defer starting to as late a 
period as possible. Young Vines that have completed their growth 
should have a portion of the laterals cut off to admit light and air to the 
principal leaves and buds, thereby inducing earlier ripening of both 
wood and buds. 
Cucumbers. —Place out at once the plants for fruiting in winter on 
hillock or ridges as near to the glass as the nature of the house and 
trellis will permit. Those not having the convenience of a house may 
obtain supplies of fruit by growing the plants in pots or boxes in Pine 
stoves or other sufficiently heated structures. Let the autumn-fruiting 
plants be regularly looked over once a week, removing any bad leav s 
and exhausted growths, training in young growth, pinching out the 
point of the shoots a joint or two beyond the fruit, avoiding overcrop¬ 
ping and overcrowding, and removing male blossoms. Keep the tem¬ 
perature at 70° at night and 75° by day, advancing with 80° or 85° with 
sun heat, admitting a little air whenever the external air is favourable. 
Keep the glass clean, as every ray of light is now of consequence. 
Moderate the supply of water at the roots, not, however, permitting 
flagging. 
Melons. —The Melon season as regards dung-heated pits and frames 
may now be considered at an end. Any fruits yet remaining and fully 
grown may be cut and placed in a warm house to ripen. The latest 
plants in houses will require a night temperature of 70° to 75° by day by 
artificial means, advancing to 85° with sun heat, admitting a little air at 
every favourable opportunity. Sprinkling the paths, &c., will be 
necessary about 8 A.M. and 3 p.m. until the fruit is full grown, when a 
drier atmosphere will be advisable. Cut out all superfluous laterals, well 
thinning the old foliage, so that the fruit may have the full benefit of 
the autumn sun. Before the ground is soaked by rains secure the 
required quantity of compost for next year’s crop—rather strong loam 
taken off with its turf, stacking grass side downwards, adding about a 
bushel of quicklime to each cartload in stacking it. It will be in 
capital condition by spring. 
Pines.— All young plants should now be arranged so as to obtain 
the fullest benefit of light and air. As the sun heat diminishes a corre¬ 
sponding diminution of temperature should take place at night until it 
reaches the winter standard of 55° to 60° at night and 65° in the day¬ 
time. Ventilate freely whenever outside conditions are favourable, 
paying particular attention to watering. An inspection of the plants 
should be made about once a week, and whenever a plant nee Is water 
supply it copiously at about the temperature of the bed. Plants on 
which fruit is now appearing will be ripe at a time when other fruits 
are scarce, and should therefore be afforded a good position in the 
fruiting house. Continue 70° as the minimum temperature in the 
fruiting house, though on cold nights a decline of 5° may be allowed, 
and 5° more in mild weather—75° artificially by day and 80° to 90° from 
sun, closing the house at 80°, sprinkling as may be necessary the path¬ 
ways when they become dry, and on sunny afternoons an occasional 
syringing will be advantageous, keeping the bottom heat regular at 85 
to 90°. 
