February S, 1888. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
93 
fel WOKK.foiitheWEEK,.^ 
FEUIT FORCING. 
Figs.— Earliest Trees in Pots. — The trees started in November for 
affording ripe Figs early in May will be throwing out fresh roots 
plentifully, the bottom heat being kept steady at about 70° to 75°. 
Bring up the fermenting materials to the rim of the {Kits, and instead 
of allowing the roots to come over the top of the pots to ramble un¬ 
checked into the fermenting material, place pieces of rich turf of good 
size round the rims to keep the roots near home and to induce sturdier 
growth. Maintain a good moisture in the atmosphere by syringing 
twice a day and damping as may be required in bright weather. Admit 
a little air at 70°, increasing it with the temperature ; close at 75°, and if 
the temperature rise to 80° or 85° from sun heat it will be an advantage. 
See that there is no lack of water at the roots. The drainage being 
good there is little danger of giving Figs too much ■water, many crops 
being lost by the soil being kept loo dry. The temperature in dull 
weather must be kept at G0° to 05° 55° to 00° at night when the external 
air is cold, but 5° higher when the iveather is mild. Disbudding will 
need to be actended to as growth advances and gross shoots stopped, 
but the finest Figs are borne upon extensions. 
Early Foreed Planted-out Trees .—The trees planted out in inside 
borders and started early in the year will, if the borders have had 
repeated waterings at a temperature of 85°, be starting into growth, and 
m.ay have the night temperature to 55°, 00° to 05° by day from fire 
heat, with an advance from sun heat and free ventilation to 70°, or even 
75°. Syringe twice a day as before advised, and see that the borders 
are thoroughly moistened. If the trees are weak a thorough soaking 
with liquid manui'e, not too strong, at a temperature of 8.5° to 90°, will 
assist the growth. ^ 
Vines.— Eyes and Cut-haelts.—Tijes, may now be inserted, using pots 
pans, or square pieces of turf. Select firm well ripened wood, filling 
the pot or pan with rich friable loam, inserting the buis with a pinch 
of silver sand half an inch beneath the surface, plunging the pots, &c., 
in a bottom heat of 80°. Cut-backs should be placed in a house where 
they will have a temperature of 00° to 05° at night, and 70° to 75° by 
day. IVhen they have started into growth shake them out and return 
them to the same size of pot, using good friable loam, and give a moist 
and rather close atmosphere until re-established, when they should have 
a position near to the glass, so as to insure sturdy, short-jointed 
thoroughly solidified growth. 
Pines.— Fruiting plants and starters, which will now be throwing 
up fruit, should have a mean temperature of 70°, varying it 5° according 
to the weather, admitting air at 80° with sunshine, but not lowering the 
temperature, allowing it to rise to 8.5°, closing between that and 80°, 
and if it rise somewhat after closing it will be advantageous rather 
than otherwise. The plants recently started into fruit will, if in good 
condition at the roots, produce strong suckers. When the suckers are 
large enough to handle, all except one to each plant must have the 
growth checked by taking out the centre. I’o supplement the autumn 
potted plants select others which have been wintered in 7 or 8 inch 
pots, choosing the most vigorous. Those remaining may be reserved 
until the general spring potting, when they can be shaken out and 
treated similarly to suckers. Good fibrous loam with the turf well 
reducal, placed under cover to become dried, is a suitable compost. 
Drain the pots well, dust soot or dry wood ashes over the crocks to 
exclude ivorms, and ram the soil firmly round the plants, keeping them 
well down in the pots to admit of copious supplies of 'water being given 
when necessary ; 10-inch pots are suitable for Queens, and 11 or 12-inch 
for those of more robust growth. A temperature of 00° to 05° will be 
sufficient for these plants, also those potted last autumn, and about 
85° bottom heat. Plants in beds about to be started into fruit must not 
have the heat at the base of the pots over 90° or 95°, or their roots will 
be injured. If sufficient fruit be started to meet the requirements, later 
successional plants that have not been subjected to a high temperature 
may be advanced slowly, they with autumn-rooted suckers requiring 
careful watering, especially where the h'at at the roots is supplied by 
fermenting materials. 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Peas.-^AU good kitchen gardeners are annually striving to have 
their first dishes of Peas really as soon as possible in the spring or early 
summer months, and they cannot be ready too early or in too great a 
quantity. The seed we sowed in the open ground in November has 
germinated freel}'’, and the young plants are now about 1 inch in height. 
We would rather have them this height now than 0 inches high, as the 
dwarf plants are rarely injured by wind or bad weather, but the tall 
ones are very liable to be damaged before March is over. We have 
almost ceased sowing Peas under glass with the object of forwarding 
them, as they suffer so much as a rule when transplanted that those 
so'svn in the open ground often surpass them. Those who have not sown 
Peas in the open in January need not be afraid to do so. They are rarely 1 
injured by the weatherj and we advise every garden owner to make a 
good sowing at once. For private consumption two or three rows will 
be enough at a time. Some may say, “ Oh, my garden is too small to 
grow early Peas well.” Nothing of the kind. It is not a question of 
extent of land in their case, and we would undertake to have them ready 
as soon in a piece of 10 square yards as 10 acres. Carter’s Lightning is 
one of the earliest Peas, and its qualities are first-rate. Sutton's Ring¬ 
leader is much superior to William I. For all Peas sown at this time 
in good ground should be selected, and in a position well exposed to the 
sun. A dusting of soot will benefit those through the soil, but do not 
render them tender with too much protection. 
Kidney Beans in Pots.— Kidney Beans can only be grown at this 
time by those having glass houses. They require considerable space and 
heat to produce them in quantity in the early spring months, and they 
cannot be profitably grown as a market crop except by those who 
have special facilities for their culture. A number of dishes may, how¬ 
ever, be grown in an early vinery or any warm pit, and the cultivator 
may be assured they will be much valued on the table, as Kidnej' Beans 
in March or April are a delicacy. A good variety for forcing is Cool¬ 
ing’s Ne Plus Ultra. Fill a number of 3-inch pots half full of good 
soil, place six or eight b ans in each, cover over with more soil, and 
place them in a temperature of 05° or 70°. Here they will germinate 
in ten days, and they should then be supplied with water, and kept in 
the light. As soon as the plants are 0 inches high they should be 
transferred into G-inch or 8-inch pots. If the first size is used put one 
pot of the small plants into each, but if S-inch pots are used two or 
three of the small ones may be turned into this. Use a mixture 
of rough loam and manure in potting, and make it firm. Water 
sparingly until they begin rooting, and as soon as they begin growing 
again water freely, and tlo not allow the temperature to fall below 05°. 
Early Radishes. —These are easily grown on a hotbed. They are 
sometimes sown amomst other early crops, but we do not approve of 
this plan, as Radishes make a good many leaves and often hinder 
their own development or their companion crop. The best way of 
growing them is to make up a slight hotbed and sow them under a frame 
on this. One ordinary light will be sufficient to begin with, and the seed 
should not be sown too thick. French Bi'eakfast is still the earliest of 
all, and they are very acceptable in their tender young state. 
Large Lkeks. —•“ How do you grow those monster Leeks, and when 
do you sow them?” were questions put to us last August by a gardener 
who was admiring some specimens 3 lbs. in weight each. Our reply was, 
“ There is no secret in their culture, but they must be sown early and 
that is so. Indeed, all who wish to have very large Leeks in summer 
should sow a pinch of seed in a box now. If given good soil and a tem¬ 
perature of 65° they will do well for a time, ami we will ivrite about 
them again when they demand attention. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
//eftofroyic.s’.—Heliotropes trained upon walls or pillars should be 
thinned and pruned without delay. If all the growth made is laid in 
they become too crowded before the season is over, and small trusses of 
bloom result. Liberal thinning will cause strong growth, and conse¬ 
quently fine trusses of bloom ; White Lady is one of the best for purposes 
of this description. Top-dress the soil in which these plants are growing 
with equal portions of loam and manure. 
Aljutilons .—Where these occupy positions as climbers they may be 
liberally thinned, and the shoots shortened back. With these, however, 
it should be determined whether the bloom will be required or not, for 
with increased light and heat they will flower again freely. If a judicious 
system of pruning is not practised they soon outgrow the space allotted 
them. AVhere a succession of flowers is needed pruning should be done 
at various periods—that is, as soon as those pruned back break into- 
growth and commence flowering others should be done. ’ The growing 
ends removed will root freely if inserted singly in small pots and 
plunged in the propagating frame in a temperature of 05°. Aphides 
aud scale are the worst enemies to these plants ; the first is destroyed by 
fumigating with tobacco smoke, and the latter can be eradicated by 
the petroleum solution if used at the rate of 3 ounces to 4 gallons of 
water after the plants have been pruned. If used on the plants while 
in active growth it invariably turns many of the leaves yellow. 
Antliurium Sellerzerianum .—Plants that have been resting in a 
temperature of 50° to 5.5° may be introduced into the stove or any 
structure where the temperature ranges about 10° higher. In this 
temperature they will soon start into activity and produce their brilliant 
scarlet spathes. Top-dress with rough peat and moss any plants that 
need it, while those that require larger pots or the renewal of the compost 
about their roots may be done just as the roots are starting into growth. 
If this work is delayed until new roots have been formed it is impossible 
to remove the old soil from amongt them without seriously injuring 
them. The best and easiest method of removing the decayed soil is to 
wash it out in tepid water. The plants should be allowed to drain 
thoroughly before they are repotted. The pots or pans used should be 
liberally drained, and the compost, which should consist of fibry peat 
and ch.arcoal in lumps, should be carefully worked amongst the roots. 
The plants must be lowered into the pots as much as possible, and the 
soil slightly raised above the rim. It should not be too high, ample 
room for top-dressing another year being left. Those still in an inter¬ 
mediate temperature must not have too much water, or else their roots 
will decay instead of remaining fresh and plump. A long succession of 
blooms may be had by introducing a few plants into the stove at 
intervals of a month. 
