April 19, 18S8. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
329 
Thackeray, splendid flower, deep crimson (Jas. Veitch & Sons) ; Alpine 
Auriculas Marmion and Emperor Frederick (Douglas) ; Pedigree Rose 
Duchess of Rutland, soft pale rose, good form, and Polyantha Rose 
minutifolia alba, exceedingly free, flowers white, as large as a florin 
(Bennett) ; Cyclamens Lord Hillingdon and Dixon Hartland, conspi¬ 
cuously blotched (Odell) ; and Narcissus bicolor J. B. M. Camm, and 
Leedsi, Duchess of Westminster (Barr). 
FRUIT FORUING. 
Vines. —Plarttlng Vines .—This is the best time for planting young 
canes. We prefer the borders partly within and partly outside, planting 
the Vines inside the house. For very early forcing the borders are 
preferably inside, otherwise we do not advocate confining the roots in 
this way. The border should be concreted at the bottom ; unless it 
has a substratum of gravel or other porous substance, rubble 1 foot thick 
must be placed on the concrete, and proper drains and outlets provided. 
Thirty inches depth of soil is ample. Turf 3 inches thick taken off 
loam friable rather than tenacious, broken up roughly and mixed with 
a tenth of old mortar rubbish, charcoal, and some crushed bones form 
a suitable compost, but well-drained and fertile garden soil will grow 
serviceable Grapes. The Vines were cut back in early winter, and have 
been kept in a cool house, the eyes now having grown 2 or 3 inches long. 
Turn them out of the pots, remove every particle of soil, carefully 
preserving the fibres. Spread the roots out straight and flat, the soil of 
the border having be'en brought to the required level, covering the roots 
to the depth of about 4 inches, working the soil well amongst them with 
the hand, and giving a good supply of water at a temperature of 90°, 
mulching with a little short litter. If the canes have not been shortened 
do not cut them now, but remove the buds from the upper portion 
down to where fresh growth is desired to issue, and cut away the dis¬ 
budded part w'hen the Vines have made some leaves, as there is then no 
danger of bleeding. Six feet width of border will be sufficient to com¬ 
mence with. Sprinkle the Vines and house twice a day, but avoid sharp 
forcing. Temperatures of .55° at night, 05° by day artificially, and 70° 
to 75° with sun, are suitable. If the weather be bright and the panes of 
glass large, shade lightly from 10 A.M. to 2 P.M., when the house should 
be closed, damping all available surfaces. If the temperature run up 
to 85° or more it will be an advantage. When the Vines have started 
into growth give every encouragement, increasing the temperature to 
60° to 65° at night, 70° to 75° by day, and 80" to 85° from sun heat. 
Yovng Vines .—Those planted last year are breaking naturally, and 
may be assisted with gentle fire heat in cold weather. The canes will 
have been fully depressed so as to cause them to break regularly dowm 
to the basal buds, when they can be tied in position. Disbud, leaving 
the best shoots about 18 inches apart on both sides of the canes. Crop 
very lightly, one or two bunches being the maximum. Any extra Vines 
jflanted to fruit early and afterwards to be cut out, may carry a bunch on 
each ; six to eight or more bunches according to the vigour of the 
Vines.. 
Early Forced Vines .—In the earliest house red spider may be ex¬ 
pected. Paint the return hot-w'ater pipes with sulphur mixed milk so as 
to form a thin pain. Give the border a thorough watering, mulching after¬ 
wards. This refers to the inside border. Apply the water early in the 
day, so that surplus moisture may pass ofE before closing time. Early 
Grapes do not always colour well, the defect arising from overcropping 
or continued hard forcing; it is only avoided by a constant supply of 
dry warm air and a low night temperature. Where Grapes are fully ripe 
a reduction in temperature is advisable, yet moflerate moisture should 
be maintained for the benefit of the foliage. The moiscure will not do 
the Grapes any harm provided the air is changed by free ventilation. 
Afford a temperature of 60°. 
Succession Houses. — Attend to stopping and tying the shoots. 
Where the space is restricted stop the shoots two joints beyond the fruit, 
and as foliage is necessary leave the laterals on the shoots both above 
and below the bunch, or at least those from the tw'o low'most eyes, and 
those level with and above the bunch. Pinch these at the first joint, 
especially those from the basal leaves, also those above unless there is 
space for extending the laterals, when they may be allowed to make two 
or three leaves, but no more growth must be encouraged than can have 
exposure to light and air. After the space is fairly furnished keep the 
growth closely pinched to one joint as made. Where there is more 
space stopping will not take place until growth has extended four 
or more joints beyond the fruit. The great evil is overcrowding, w'hich 
deprives the foliage of the light and air, and restricting the growths is 
intended to avoid that. 
Tying the side shoots into the places where they are to remain during 
the summer is an operation which commands much attention. It is a 
common practice to begin to tie down the shoots as soon as they are long 
enough to bend. This is not advis.rble unless as a precaution against 
injury from frost, as the shoots at this stage are so tender that the 
slightest twist the wrong way breaks them. It is a better plan to defer 
tying down until the shoots are less sappy, which may be when the fruit 
is formed, but a better plan still is to so dispose the rod that the shoots, 
instead of having to be brought down to a nearly horizontal position, 
w'ill have a good incline upward, yet sufficiently outward or oblique to 
admit light to the basal leaves of the shoots. Afford Muscats in flower 
a free circulation of rather dry air, and a temperature of 80° to 85° or 
90° by day, falling to 70° or 65° at night, raising the points of the 
bunches to the light, and liberat e the pollen at midday by gently rapping 
the footstalks of the bunches. If there is a deficiency of pollen take it 
from those that afford it plentifully, as Black Hamburghs, and apply it 
to the shy-setting varieties with a camel-hair brush. 
Where there is a large quantity of Grapes to be thinned commence 
as soon as they are out of bloom with the free-setting varieties, such as 
Black Hamburghs ; and some, like Gros’Colman, Gros Guillaume, Treb- 
biano, &c., may be thinned whilst they are flowering. Follow it up 
early and late, and on dull days. Surplus bunches may be removed 
boldly, as overcropping proves fatal to colour and finish. Crops swell¬ 
ing must have a liberal supply of heat and moisture, and the inside 
borders well supplied with water or liquid manure. 
Melons. —The fruits of the earliest plants are growing large, they 
must have the supports lowered. Frequently stop the laterals, or thin 
them where they are crowded. Supply water or liquid manure liberally 
to plants on which the fruit is swelling, but avoid excess of liquid 
manure, which may injure the roots, and the fruit in consequence will 
not finish satisfactorily. Plants coming into flower should only have 
water to prevent flagging, an 1 a drier condition of the atmosphere is 
essential to a good set, especially so in the case of very vigorous plants. 
Attend regularly to the setting of the blossoms. Stop the shoots, how¬ 
ever, one joint beyond the blossoms when impregnated, but after the 
fruit is set remove all superfluous growths. Avoid giving stimulants to 
plants until the fruit is swelling, when liquid manure mav be afforded 
liberally, especially to plants carrying heavy crops, until they are well 
advanced towards ripening. Maintain a night temperature of 70°, 
70° to 75° by day, and 85° or 90° with sun heat. Ventilate freely in 
favourable weather, closing early \^•ith plenty of sun heat, when the 
plants may be syrinsed lightly, except such as are in flower. Watch for 
canker at the collar, and rub it out ■noth fresh slaked lime when it makes 
its appearance. 
CucuMBEES. —These have made good progress lately, and require 
attention in tying out the growth, stopping one or two joints beyond 
the fruit, removing bad leaves and exhausted growths so as to maintain 
a succession of healthy fruitful shoots. Water plants in houses abun¬ 
dantly, and with weak liquid manure about twice a week, syringing the 
foliage and walls daily about 3.30 P.M., when the house can be closed. 
Shade only to prevent flagging. Those plants in pits and frames will 
hardly need shading as yet, but they must not be allowed to flag. Use 
tepid water through a rose watering jiot at about 3 P.M., closing the 
lights at the same time, but as the nights are yet cold, be careful that 
the foliage becomes dry before night. Close early, employing a good 
thick night covering. Maintain a good bottom heat by linings, renewing- 
them as necessary. Preserve a night temperature of 70°, 70° to 75° by 
day artificially, 80° to 85° from sun heat, ventilating from 75°, being 
careful to avoid cold and drying currents of air, and close sufficiently 
early to run up to 90° or more with plenty of moisture in the house. 
Sprinkle available surfaces in the evening occasionally, with liquid 
manure, or fresh horse knobs sprinkled on the surface of the bed will 
answer the twofold purpose of evolving ammonia to the benefit of the 
foliage, and supply nutriment to the soil, as well as encouraging surface 
roots. Pot ridge varieties, keeping these and other young plants near 
the glass. 
FLOWER GARDEN. 
Ilerhaceaus Borders .-—Very few plants in these are far advanced in 
growth, and it is not yet too late to lift and divide any that have deve¬ 
loped into strong spreading clumps. The strong-growing gross-feeding 
Delphiniums, Phloxes, "Potentillas, Pyrethrum uliginosum, A.sters, 
Japanese Anemones, Geums, Helianthuses, Hemerocallis, Tradescantias, 
and Rudbeckias, may be lifted, divided up with a fork and replanted in¬ 
fresh well-manured soil, and be greatly improved thereby. Strong 
clumps of dwarf Pyrethrums may also be split up and replanted with 
advantage, but the majority of the more wmakly growlers ought not often 
be disturbed. The Flag Irises can be moved and divided readily now, 
and Narcissi may be transplanted prior to flowering better than 
when at rest, flowering next season quite as well as this. Carna¬ 
tions, Pinks, Pentstemons, Antirrhinums, Phloxes, Pansies, Pyrethrums,. 
and all extra choice hardy plants wintered in pots under glass ought 
now to be sufficiently hardened off, and should therefore be plairted out 
as soon as the weather permits. Mix plenty of leaf soil or short manure 
with the soil intended for choice, or they may not take readily to their 
fresh quarters. Now that nearly all the bulbous plants are w’ell through 
the ground, the borders may have a quantity of short manure 
forked into the surface, this greatly benefiting the established plants as 
well as any annuals that may be sowm or planted among them. If not 
already done sow a few seeds of Mignonette and Sweet Peas in 5-inch 
pots, these to be eventually planted in the mixed borders for an early 
supply of cut bloom. 
llard-y Most of these can be transplanted when in full growth^ 
but they'are best divided just as active growth commences, or at the 
present time. It follows that now is also a good time forforming a new 
fernery. All thrive admirably in a rather shady position, but ought not 
