February 9, 1888. J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE Ai\u COTTAGE GARDENER 
115 
into unnatunil growth. If some good rich soil is put into the frames to 
about the depth of 1 foot, and the sets planted l.u inches apart and 
C inches deep, they will produce a line crop and be ready for u.se some 
weeks before any planted in the open. In dealing with first crop Pota¬ 
toes none but the earliest should be planted, and these are all of the 
Ashleaf type. At present we are filling twelve lights with them. 
Vegetables foe First Crops. —We can see it is not likely to be 
a very grand spring for raising young Caulillowers and Brussels Sprouts 
in the open for the first crop.s, and an early supply of all sorts should be 
raised under glass. It is astonishing what can be done with frames in 
this way, or indeed a few boards and glass lights. If a slight hotbed 
is formed, a rough frame put on the top of it, and a layer of good soil 
put inside, a capital place for raising early vegetables is at once formed. 
We have just sown two lights of Cauliflower, one light of Brussels 
Sprouts, one light of Lettuces, one light of Celery, two lights of Radishes, 
and one light of early Cabbages in this w.ay. The jmung plants will 
soon appear, and by carefully ventilating them on fine days and cover¬ 
ing them in frosty nights they will grow so hardy and sturdy that 
many of the largest will be transferred direct from the frame to their 
bearing quarters early in April. Where frames are not available, a 
pinch of seed may be sown in a box of the vegetables named except the 
Radishes, and an attempt should be made to have some in as soon as 
possible, as plants raised under protection are alwaj’s in advance of 
those in the open air. 
FRUIT FORCING. 
ViXBS.— Xew Horders. — The soil for new borders should now be 
prepared, and the best for the purpose is the top 3 or 4 inches of a rich 
pasture of a friable nature, neither very light nor very heavy. As that 
is not always obtainable light loam- may have an addition of clay 
marl, and heavy loam an addition of old mortar rubbish, about a sixth 
in each case. To good friable loam add a tenth of old mortar rubbish 
broken small, removing every particle of wood, as laths, Ac. To all add 
a twentieth part of the bulk of charcoal, and a fortieth part each of 
crushed bones and calcined oyster shells. Chalk is also a good applica¬ 
tion to lighf. soil. If the Soil be poor a fifth part of short fresh stable 
manure or horse droppings may be added, otherwise manure or vegetable 
refuse should not be added, manure in most cases being best applied as 
a mulch. In preparing the border, which may be proceeded with as the 
weather permits, bear in mind that no fruit tree requires more copious 
supplies of water when ingrowth than the Vine, and at the same time 
is more impatient of stagnant water ; hence drainage should receive first 
attention, and instead of excavating, concreting, and cementing, keep 
the border well elevated as far as circumstances admit. Empfloy 3-inch 
drains, with proper fall and outlet. Provide a foot of drainage, the 
roughest at the bottom and the smallest at the top, which last preferably 
may be old mortar rubbish. If the border is intended for early or late 
Vines allow a sharp slope to the south for the purpose of throwing off 
the wet by shutters or other means. The best time for planting Vines is 
from April to June inclusive, and those intended to be planted at that 
season should now be cut back to the length required and be placed in 
a cool Peach house or pit to start into growth, and the new shoots are 
2 or 3 inches long shake out the plants and plant them in the permanent 
borders. A 0 feet width of border will be sutiicieut in the first instance. 
Where the Vine roots are to have the run of both inside and outside 
borders they should be confined inside, not making the outside border 
until the Vines are thoroughly established. 
Early Forced IFotae .—The Vines in flower must have a temperature 
of 30° to 0.5° at night and 70° to 75° by day artificially. Keep the 
atmosp)here somewhat drier by free ventilation, leaving a little air on at 
night, yet keeping the floors spirinkled three times a day during bright 
weather. Any ebj^-.^etting Grapes may have the pollen distributed by 
brushing them with a camel s-hair brush. Stop the laterals at the first 
leaf, and keepi those stopped to or.e joint throughout the season, but 
those beyond the bunch maybe allowed to make two or more joints 
before stoppflng them, pirovided there is space for the full exposure of 
the foliage to light and air. Avoid overcrowding the foliage ; it is better 
to reduce the laterals than do that. 
IIouncs Started at theXetr Year .—The Vines are in leaf and show¬ 
ing fruit. Disbud when it is sCfii which shoots are likely to atferd the 
best bunches. One bunch on a spur is as much as is likely to finish 
satisfactorily, but if there be space, the spurs being widely distant along 
the rod, two shoots may be left, it being clearly understood that only 
one is to be allowed to carry fruit, the duplicate only remaining until 
choice can be made of the best, and in case of two shoots being left one 
ought 1 o be near the main rod, so as to keep the spur as short as possible. 
Weaklj Vines, however, may be given more latitude, so as to secure 
stouter wood, larger and pilumpcr eyes, and better bunches in future. 
See that outside borders are suHiciently protected to prevent chill by 
heavy rain or snow. 
limine.^ to Afford (irap In Jiihi and Aiiytixt .—-The Vines must now 
be started. Damp) the roots three times a day and every available sur¬ 
face. A temperature of .50° at night, 55° by day, and ().>° from sun 
heat is suitable until the buds begin to move. Bring the inside border 
into a thoroughly moist state by repeated supplies of iepid water or 
liquid manure. Afford outside borders suflicient protective material to 
prevent chill. 
Itijie (Irapea .—Avoid fire heat as much as possible in the Grape- 
room, admitting air to prevent an accumulation of moisture, replenish¬ 
ing the latter with clear soft water as required. An equable tempera¬ 
ture of 4.5° is most suitable. 
Cherry Houses. —These are not nearly so common as they deserve to 
be, indeed there is no fruit so csteerafd at dessert as this most agreeable 
fruit. A lean-to house erected against a wall with a south aspiect is 
suitable for Cherries, and it need not be more than (! feet in width. The 
back wall can be covered with trees, and the front to a height of about 
(! feet with trees on the Mahaleb stock. Provide ventilation at the 
bottom and top of the house, and the front roof lights be moveable. The 
border should be inside, though the roots may have access to an outside 
one, thoroughly drained to carry off superfluous water. Good loam 
rather strong is most suitable, adding about a sixth of old mortar rubbish 
and a fifth of road scrapings, increasing the grit if the soil be too 
aluminous. Trees from the open wall between four and six years trained, 
if carefully removed to the house come into bearing at once. Water 
them well to settle the soil about the roots, and ventilate freely, syringing 
in the morning and again early in the afternoon, employing fire heat 
only to exclude frost; but when the trees are fairl yin growth let the day 
temperature from fire heat be 50° to 55°, rising to 30° to 6.5° from sun, 
increasing the ventilation at 55°, and close at that temperature, leaving, 
however, a little ventilation on day and night, 40° to 45° at night from 
artificial heat will be sufficient. May Duke, Black Tartarian, Elton, and 
Governor Wood are suitable for forcing. 
THE FLOWER GARDEN AND PLEASURE GROUND. 
ProptKjatincj Dahlias .—As a rule plants with one single stem or 
those struck the same season are the best for pflantiug, one strong 
branching stem being preferable to several weakly ones proceeding from 
an old stem and tubers. Any old roots that have been stored, if set on 
the inside border of an early vinery or Peach house and covered with soil, 
will soon give plenty of cuttings, or they may be packed in boxes and set 
on a gentle hotbed, where they will grow more rapidly. When the 
shoots are about 3 inches high take them off with a heel and dibble them 
singly in the centre of 2.i-inch pots filled with sandy soil, and plunge in 
a gentle hotbed. Tops of shoots will also root readily if similarly 
treated, but they must be taken off before the stems are hollow, or they 
will not strike. When rooted they ought to be gradually hardened off, 
and will be greatly improved by a shift into 5-inch or larger pots. 
Dahlias, notably the single varieties, may also be raised from seed. Sow 
this now in a pan, and plunge in a mild hotbed. The seed germinates 
readily, and the seedlings may be pricked off either singly in small pots 
or thinly in boxes, in which they may remain till bedding-out time. 
Dahlias worth Growinci .—With so many superior varieties to select 
from, it is unwise to keep any that are not first rate. Many of the 
single-flowering varieties are very handsome, some of the best being Alba 
or White Queen, Avalanche, Canary, Cetewayo, Cicero, Evening Star, 
Firefly, Gracilis superba. Harlequin, Mary Anderson, Miss E. Terry, 
Paragon, Rotundity, Rose Queen, Scarlet Defiance, Sunset, Terra-cotta, 
and Yellow Gem. For affording abundance of pretty little white 
blooms Pompon Guiding Star or White Aster is to be commended, while 
the Cactus-flowered section comprise several popular varieties of great 
value to those who require many cut blooms. Juarezi, tall-growing and 
very showy; Constance or Ariel, white and very serviceable ; Mrs. 
Hawkins, pale yellow, much admired ; and Mrs. Tait, white with 
fimbriated edges, are all worthy of a place in every garden. Glare of 
the Garden, both crimson and red, are of dwarf habit and very free; and 
Cochineal, of much the same habit, is of a richer colour and more 
attractive than either of them. If dry roots of any of these can be 
bought procure them at once and start propagating. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Adiantnms .—IVhere well hardened fronds are in demand the whole 
of the year it will be Mccessary to forward plants into growth by placing 
them in a temperature of 30°. Directly they are starting transfer all 
that need it into larger pots. In doing so the roots should not be 
disturbed further than is necessary to remove the old drainage. If the 
plants already occupy as large pots as it is intended to grow them in, 
the plants may be cut into two, and then potted into the same size as 
they were originally growing in. This operation does not injure them 
seriously, in fact they quickly recover and soon grow vigorously. It is 
a mistake to cut them up severely for the purpose of increasing the 
stock, in fact the system cannot be too strongly condemned. The plants 
are weakened in time by the constant removal of their fronds, and in 
order to keep a stock in the most robust health a few should be raised 
by spores annually, which permits plants declining in vigour to be 
thrown away. Repot jmung stock without disturbing the roots. 
Spores may be sown at once on the surface of pots or pans filled with 
loam and peat in equal proportions, with sandstone or bricks broken 
fine freely mixed. Nothing is gained by the surface being m.ade too fine. 
After sowing water with a fine-rose can and cover with a square of 
glass. The great object in achieving success is to place ihe pots or pane 
in a warm position where a uniform temperature and moisture can be 
maintained without having to water the surface constantly. This is 
best achieved.by plunging the pots to the rim in moisture-holding 
material, and then coverinsr the glass with damp moss. When the 
fronds of Adiantum cuneatum are required for cutting, the plants 
should be potted in three parts of good fibry loam and one part of leaf 
mould, this being rendered porous by the liberal addition of sand. 
Darallias. — Repotting all plants that need it should be done 
directly they display signs of growth. It is a mistake to delay re¬ 
potting these plants until the sun gains strength and renders heavy 
shading necessary long before it would otherwise need to be applied. 
These plants do not care for a deep rooting medium, but enjoy liberal 
