February 23, 1888. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
159 
increasing it with the heat to 85° with sun, closing at 80°, and if an 
advance follow to 85° or 90° all the better. . Avoid cold draughts, they 
arc more prolific of decay than anything else. If red spider appear paint 
the return pipes with sulphur. Afford liquid manure a few degrees 
warmer than the house in which they are growing, applying it also to 
the turf placed around the rims of the pots, as also the plunging 
material where the roots are allowed to find their way from the bottom 
of the pots, there being nothing like plenty of feeders to secure well- 
filled berries. 
Early Forced Planted-out Vinex .—Those started early in December 
must have the berries thinned, and no time should be lost in doing so 
as soon as it can be seen which are properly fertilised by their taking 
the lead. Endeavour to obtain compact bunches, tying up the shoulders 
in preference to taking out a quantity of berries. Kemove superfluous 
bunches unflinchingly, seeking a full crop of well furnished bunches, 
properly swelled, and perfect in colour and finish, which are much 
more creditable than an enormous crop of red berries, as is sometimes 
seen. Allow the laterals to extend beyond the fruit as far as is consistent 
with the exposure of the foliage to light and air, tying and stopping as 
required. Afford a thorough supply of tepid liquid manure to the inside 
border at intervals as required to maintain the soil in a thorough moist 
state, and mulch with 2 or 3 inches thickness of short manure and as 
fresh as is safe, for, although a moderate amount of ammonia is bene¬ 
ficial, when too powerful it is productive of serious injury. The night 
temperature should range from 00° to 65° at night, 70° to 75° by day, 
with 10° bo 1.5° advance from sun heat, commencing to ventilate from 
70°, closing between 80° and 85°, damping all available surfaces well at 
the time. Do not syringe the foliage, as, however clear and soft the 
water may be, there is danger of sediment—a deposit on the berries; 
and though it may escape observation until the Grapes begin to finish, 
it is certain to then appear as a serious blemish. The outside border 
must be well protected against the chilling effect of snow and cold 
rains. 
Vines Started at the JVeio Year .—Disbud the Vines now the best 
shows of fruit can be determined, and it is not wise to be in too 
great a hurry about this work, nor in tying the shoots to the trellis, 
which must be done carefully, so as not to detach the shoot at its base 
nor cause it to snap by bringing it down too sharply at the point. 
Kemember also that the object of disbudding is to give the growths 
full exposure to light, it being better to err on the side of too little 
rather than too much, or overcrowding the foliage. Stopping too should 
not be done too hurriedly. Allow at least two and if possible three or 
four joints beyond the bunch, and stop all laterals below the bunch at 
the first joint, or they may te rubbed off except from the two lowermost 
leaves. The laterals from these should be pinched at the first joint, but 
those level with and above the fruit may be allowed to extend as space 
admits. When in flower afford a night temperature of 05° to 70°, with 
10° to 15° rise from sun heat, closing at 80°. Vine flowers set best when 
the atmospheric moisture is not excessive. An over-moist or a dry atmo¬ 
sphere must be equally avoided. Muscats require a somewhat higher 
ternperature and drier atmosphere than Black llamburghs when setting, 
artificial impregnation being practised with all shy-setting varieties, 
particularly Muscats, which are often deficient of pollen, or if plentiful 
a better set is secured by fertilising every bunch carefully with Black 
Hamburgh pollen than when their own is employed. 
Late Vines.—\ long season of growth is required by late Vines, as to 
insure the Grapes keeping well they should be fully ripe by the middle 
or end of September. To effect this start the Vines at the end of 
February or the beginning of March. Let the inside border be well 
supplied with water at a temperature of 85° to 90°, and if there are 
fermenting materials at command a bed may be made upon the border, 
which will lessen the necessity for fire heat and induce a regular break. 
The rods should be sprinkled two or three times a day, maintaining a 
night temperature of 50° to 55°, and 05° in the daytime, by which means 
the \ ines will start freely and there will be every chance of the Grapes 
becoming thoroughly ripe by September, even such varieties as Gros 
Colman, the most noble late Grape, and Gros Guillaume, which 
require a month or six weeks more time to ripen thoroughly than Lady 
Downe’s and others. As a general rule all houses of late Grapes must be 
started not later than the end of next month, hence they should be pre¬ 
pared as soon as possible, washing the woodwork, dressing the Vines, 
removing the loose surface soil from the border, and supplying with 
fresh, to which ha.s been added a sprinkling of crushed bones. We may 
mention that we have seen groat benefits derived from applications of arti¬ 
ficial manures, having tried most of those advertised and have found all 
good, indeed they are preferable in some instances to stable or farm¬ 
yard manure, as they have not the tendency to leave a deposit of soapy 
matter behind. The outside border should be protected against chill 
from falls of snow or heavy rains and frost. A moderate covering only 
will be necessarv. 
Late ITouses of Blaeh llamhuryhs .—Keep these houses cool and dry 
not allowing the border to become dust dry and crack, but a moderate 
amount of moisture only will be necessary to preserve the roots in sound 
condition. The only precaution necessary is to ventilate fully at and 
above 50°, and when that becomes the mean of the external air, or a 
little before, the Vines will break naturally, which usually takes place 
during April ; the only assistance required is to maintain an artificial 
temperature of 50° to 55° at night and on dull days. The Vines will set 
their crops by the early part of June, and swell them with sun heat, 
artificial heat only being required after the Grapes begin to colour, as 
they arc much improved in quality through ripening in a higher 
temperature, indeed the Grapes must be thoroughly ripened or they will 
not keep well. 
Vhies from Eyes .—Eyes inserted as advised have rooted, and if in 
small pots they may be shifted into a larger size as soon as the roots 
reach the sides, standing the pots on shelves over hot-water pipes in 
preference to plunging them in bottom heat; or if the eyes were inserted 
in pots or pans, several together, they may bo placed in small pots 
singly, plunged in bottom heat to insure speedy root-action, and when 
the roots reach the sides transfer them to G-inch pots. Syringe well 
amongst them, and stop those intended for fruiting at the first joint of 
the laterals, but those intended for planting out this season, whether 
grown in pots or turves, may be allowed to retain all the growth made. 
Pines. —Plants Starting into Fruit .—Those which were selected 
about the Leginning of last December, and started by an advanced 
temperature and moisture, will now be showing fruit; and as it is 
advisable to enhance the ripening of the fruit of these plants as much 
as possible, the temperature about them may be maintained at 65° to 70° 
at night, and 75° to 80° in the daytime under favourable circumstances, 
ventilating at 80°, allowing an advance to 85°, and close at about that 
figure, utilising the sun heat as much as possible. With the fruit 
advancing the plants will require more water at the roots, examining the 
whole stock once a week, as with increased light and heat the need for 
water will correspondingly increase. Recently started plants to succeed 
those already named should have a night temperature of 65°, and 70° by 
day artificially, which will be sufficient for them for some time longer. 
Starting Suckers .—Suckers will have to be started about the com¬ 
mencement of March to provide plants to give a succession of fruit from 
next December onwards; therefore attend to the preparation of soil for 
potting, and a fermenting bed in some close structure to generate and 
maintain a bottom heat of 85° to 90° near the surface, and with means 
of maintaining a temperature of 55° to 65° by fire heat with regularity. 
Tomatoes. —Our early supplies are grown in pots. The first are 
from cuttings struck in autumn and kept in small pots near to the glass 
in a Cucumber house until January, then we drain 10-inch pots well, 
place a few rough pieces of turf over the crocks, and turn out the 
plants, using rough turf with about a fourth of well decayed manure. 
There is a considerable space left in the pots after the plants are put 
in, which is utilised afterwards for additions of compost as the plants 
advance and the roots protrude. They are supplied with liquid manure 
after they become established. The plants are stood at the sides of a, 
low span-roofed house kept at 60° to 65° at night, and 70° to 75° by 
day, and are trained to the trellis fixed about 9 inches from the glass. 
The plants show fruit when only a few inches above the rim of the pots, 
and at about every second joint right away, they being trained as single 
cordons, kept to one stem by pinching, or rather rubbing off all growths 
except the lead. In that way they go on to the extent of about 6 feet, 
when all growths are removed as they show, and the foliage is kept 
comparatively thin by shortening the leaves after the fruit corresponding 
to them are swelling. The first, or cutting plants, have now fruit set 
and swelling. To follow these we have plants from seed sown at the new 
year. They, too, have been transferred to the fruiting pots. These will 
keep up a supply until the planted out plants come in, which are from 
seed sown at the beginning of February, and which in strong plants 
showing fruit will be fit to plant out early in April. They, of course, 
are grown in heat and close to the glass. The varieties are Acme, 
Excelsior, and Hackwood Park. 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
The Weather and Work. —Of late we have had much snow and 
frost. With the exception of wheeling on manure outdoor operations 
in the vegetable garden have been at a standstill. We always prefer to 
wait for good weather rather than dig, plant, or sow when the soil is not 
in a favourable condition ; but where there is any indication of a late 
spring and a scarcity of produce every effort should be made to push 
crops forward under glass or with protection. 
Seedling Vegetables. —The seed of Cauliflower, Lettuce, and 
Brussels Sprouts sown some weeks ago in boxes under glass has now 
produced plants several inches in height, and timely attention must be- 
given to thinning and transplanting, or they may be spoiled. As a rule 
they come very thickly in the seed boxes, and by the time they are a 
few inches high they are so crowded as to injure each other and produce 
very long spindly stems. This is bad for them at the beginning, as when 
they start with a weak stem they are very apt to retain it, and flower 
prematurely or partially fail. It is quite different, however, if given 
more room as soon as they can be handled, and if they are dibbled 2 or 
3 inches apart into boxes or frames they will soon become sturdy plants. 
They require moderately rich soil to root in, and must not be kept 
too far from the glass or given too much heat, as this would produce 
the same bad results as allowing them to remain crowded in their seed 
quarters. There may be a desire to have large plants in a short time, 
but tall forced plants are never so satisfactory when pi,anted out in the 
open as sturdy ones. We place them in heat for a time after being 
transplanted, and then transfer them in cold frames, protecting them 
in severe weather when necessary. We raise many hundreds of young 
vegetable plants in this way every spring, and alw.ays find them ex¬ 
ceedingly useful for first crops. 
Early Celery. —There is no advantage in sowing Celery too early. 
The bulk of it is not required until October and onwards, and these 
plants may be raised in April, but it is alwiiys well to have a few early 
rows, and provision should be made for them now. Our first plants are 
