March 8, 1888. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDEAHR. 
203 
four weeks at most. This is .a suitable height, and if upright and 
sturdy they will grow away much more freely than if raised in 
January or February and grown under protection until a foot or more 
in height and spindly. Where .^-inch pots are plentiful the seed may 
be sown in them. Half fill the pots with rich soil, make this firm, then 
place ten or twelve seeds on it, and fill up with more soil. Place them 
in a temperature of G5°, keep them near the glass when the leaves begin 
to show, give water and air freely, and by April each pot will be full of 
roots and good robust plants to turn out and place at a distance of 
10 inches or 1 foot apart. We have never any failure with our indoor- 
raised Peas if treated in this way, and they never receive a check at 
planting time in either root or branch, and this is greatly in their favour. 
Peas may also be raised in turves and troughs, but the pots .are most 
convenieijt. 
Kidney Beans. —These are amongst the most valuable of all early 
vegetables. Their culture is easy, and wherever there is any prospect of 
vegetables being scarce in April or May they should be sown largely. 
They will now fruit in seveu weeks after sowing. There is no better way of 
treating them than to sow the seed in small pots and transfer them into 
8-inch or 9-inch pots to fruit. They will germinate in a few days in a 
temperature of C5° or 70°, and they will succeed in this heat always. 
Our earliest sown plants are now in pod, and all plants coming into 
bloom should have plenty of liquid manure at the roots, but do not 
syringe them during the time they are in flower. They aie apt when 
gaining maturity to be affected with red spider, and if grown in a vinery 
or Peach house then they will introduce this pest at a time it would do 
much harm, and it is better if the Beans can be kept away from any¬ 
thing that is liable to harbour the spider. Destroy all plants as soon as 
the pods have been secured, and fill every available coiner with others, as 
they will be very acceptable on the table and command a high price in 
the markets. 
Forcing Seakale in the Open.— In the autumn and about mid¬ 
winter it is only those who have forcing appliances that can readily 
secure Seakale, but now everyone who has roots may do so, as its culture 
in the open will be a success from this time. It ma}’’ be secured in two 
ways—one is quicker than the other. The quicker is to place some pots 
over the roots as they grow in the ground and pack a quantity of hot 
manure round the outside to induce the crowns to push up. This they 
will very soon do at this season, and Seakale may be secured in three 
weeks from the time of coverini it. Pots are very convenient, but casks 
and makeshifts will also serve the purpose so long as the manure is kept 
off the crowns and the young growths have room to developie. The other 
and more tedious way is to cover the crowns with finely sifted ashes 
to a depth of 1 foot or more and allow the growths to push up through 
this. The ashes do not force it in any way, but they blanch the stems 
beautifully, and of all ways of securing finely flavoured Seakale this is 
the best. 
Mint. —-Grreen Mint will soon be in demand, but it will be many 
weeks before it can bo gathered in the open, and roots should be taken 
up, placed in any old shallow box, and transferred to some warm house. 
It will be green in a fortnight if grown in a temperature of 05°. We 
have sometimes secured abundance of Mint in spring by lifting a good 
turf of roots and laying them down on the inside border of an early 
vinery. If covered with a little leaf soil a Mint bed will soon be 
formed. 
Young V^egetables. —The Cauliflower, Leeks, Lettuce, and Celery 
plants are growing apiace under glass. We shall have a fine supply of 
them to turn out when the weather warrants us in doing so. This style 
of rearing plants should have much attention, but on no account try to 
“ make them large all at once.” They will not keep it up when taken 
from the protectors, and failure will be the result. Transplant them 
into boxes or frames in good time, keep them near the glass, and they 
are sure to succeed. Where they are now in cold frames protect them 
from frost at night, but expose them to the light and sun during the 
day. Protect early Potatoes in frames securely. They are very easily 
injured by the slightest frost, and if once checked they will never be 
so good afterwards. Where lladishes in frames are very close together 
and a mass of leaves, thin them out carefully that all that are left may 
have the opportunity of bulbing. Pull the weeds from early Carrot 
frames, and thin the plants where necessary. We are protecting ours 
nightly, but the mats are off during the day, and very often a little 
ventilation is given from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. 
FRUIT FORCIKG. 
Vines. — Earln Vhint in PoU. —Those must sustain no check through 
dryness at the roots, affording liquid manure liberally, surfacing the soil 
with rich material, and if the roots extend beyond the pots feed them 
there as well. .Secure a good moisture by damping available surfaces in 
the morning and early afternoon, also before nightfall, maintaining a 
night temi erature of G.5°, 70° to 75° by day, and 80° to 8.5° with sun heat. 
Admit a little air at 75°, allowing the temperature to rise with sun heat, 
and close sufficiently early to keep it at 8.5° or 90°. When the Grapes 
_begin colouring stiil continue the atmospher'e moisture and feed liberaily, I 
as the fruit swells considerably after commencing to colour, and to | 
enhance the quality maintain the temperature named with sufficient j 
.ventilation constantly to insure a circulation-of air. 
Ilousex Sfartrd in Decemher. —Vines started early in that month will 1 
have the fruit thinned and swelling freely. The border must not lack t 
moisture, which should be applied at a temperature of 80° to 85°, liquid 
manure materially a.ssisting in sweliing the berries. It will be a material 1 
advantage to mulch the border with some short but rather fresh manure, 
or a few fresh horse droppings sprinkled on the surface occasionally will 
afford much benefit to the foliage and the roots. Maintain a genial con¬ 
dition of the atmosphere by damping in the morning and at closing time 
or early in the afternoon. Ventilate early, but not before 70° to 75° is- 
reached, securing with increased ventilation and .sun heat a temperature 
of 80° to 8.5°, clo.sing between those figures so as to husband the sun 
heat. At night fi0° to 05° is suitable, and 70° to 75° by day artificially. 
Vhu'st Started in Januanj. —The Vines are only just in flower, 
having been retarded by the severe weather. Secure a night tempe¬ 
rature of G.5° to 70°, 5° more for Muscats, 70° to 75° by day artificially, 
and 80° to 85° with sun heat. Maintain a moderately dry condition of 
the atmosphere, ventilating a little constantly. Fertilise all shy setting 
varieties carefully. Early Vines in many places have not made satis¬ 
factory progress this year, especially those with the roots in cold 
borders which have not been covered with fermenting materials. Some 
Vines started tardily, and the bunches show a tendency to blindness, 
some of them running to tendrils and others not advaning freely. Under 
such circumstances a slight increase of temperature and a reduced 
supply of moisture for a short time may be beneficial. Bright sunny 
days with sharp winds may now be expected. Avoid sudden changes of 
temperature, and admit air in small quantities at a time. 
Vinen Started, Early in February .—Where breaking into growth 
freely these will require attention in disbudding and regulating, stopping 
them two to four joints beyond the bunches according to the space. Stop 
the laterals up to the fruit at one joint, or remove them altogether 
except from the two lowest leaves ; tho.se above the bunches may be 
allowed to make two or more joints before being pinched, but no more 
foliage should be encouraged than can have full exposure to light.. 
Remove all superfluous bunches, also i) 1-shaped bunches of the free- 
setting varieties as soon as those-that are the most promising for the crop 
can be determined. Raise the temperature to 60° at night, 65° by day 
from fire heat, and up to 75° to 80° with sun heat. 
Vbiea to Afford Fruit in Auyu.it and Srffenther. —Start the houses- 
intended for the purpose named. Render inside borders thoroughly 
moist by the application of liquid manure or water at a temperature 
of 80°. It will in some degree stimulate the roots and compensate for 
the lack of fermenting materials to outside bord.rs which can do little- 
good after this. The atmosphere should be kept moist by damping the 
rods and every available surface two or three times a day, 60° being a 
sufficiently high night temperature, and 65° by day with sun. 
Late Varieties. —-We again urge the importance—rather necessity— 
of starting all the thick-skinned varieties without delay, as a longer 
period of growth is mostly all that is needed to produce good-sized and 
highly finished fruit, and such as possess good keeping qualities. Syringe 
the rods several times a day, maintaining a moist atmosphere by damp¬ 
ing the borders every evening. It is advantageous to cover the inside 
border with fre.sh stable manure, the straw being shaken out, the- 
ammonia given off having an invigorating tendency. Fight temperature 
50° to 55°, day 65° to 60°, and 10° to 15° more with sun. and rather free 
ventilation from 65°. 
Vines from Eyes. —Those inserted as before advised and alluded to in 
our last calendar, are now well rooted and advancing, and should be 
shifted as soon as the roots reach the sides of the pots into 6 inch size, 
placing them on shelves over the hot-water pipes in preference to- 
plunging them in bottom heat. Syringe well amongst them, and pinch 
the laterals at the first leaf unless they are intended for planting out 
this season, when the laterals may be left intact. 
Cut-backs. —Vines for fruiting in pots next season will now be fit for 
reducing, repotting in the same size, 7 or 9-inch, from -which they can, 
when established, be transferred to 12 or 13-inch pots. If these, or the- 
eyes named in the proceeding paragraph, have been plunged in bottom 
heat, they may be returned to it for a time, 75° to 80° being suitable, but 
otherwise bottom heat is not necessary. Keep them close and mode¬ 
rately moist until they are established. Train the canes near the glass, 
as they cannot have too much light, it being important that the growth- 
be solidified as it is made. Turfy loam rather rough with a fifteenth- 
part of crushed bones, form a suitable compost for Vines in pots. Clean 
pots, and efficient drainage of clean crocks, must always be employed in 
Vine culture. 
Figs. — Planted-out Trec-i Started Early in the Year. —Attention must 
be given.to disbudding and stopping, removing all the overcrowded shoots,, 
stopping those intended to form well developed spurs for the second 
crop at the fifth or sixth joint, the leading shoots whore there is space 
being allowed to extend, as they invariably afford the finest fruits 
Water the borders freely with liquid manure at 80°, taking care not to- 
apply it too strong, and mulch with rich compost, which will attr.acb 
the roots to the surface. Encourage also the emission of roots from the 
stem by placing fibrous pieces of turf and partially decayed manure in 
contact with it; and by extending the material outwards a quantity of 
feeders will be secured, which, if supplied with warm liquid manure, 
will greatly assist the maturity of the fruit. 
Strawberries in Pots. —^La Grosse Sucree as usual is affording 
the best fruits, one fruit weighing more than three of Vicomtesse- 
Hericart de Thury, but the crop is not so good, though the weight per 
plant is not materially different. Perhaps there is no prettier fruit for 
jellies than Vicomtesse PIcricart de Thury, and when the fruit is well 
thinned it is of fair size. All plants will now be in a position for ad¬ 
vancement by gentle forcing, or if not they should be brought under 
glass without further delay. Some may be advanced by placing them 
