May 10, 1888. J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
391 
plants are cultivated in pots. Watering will require attending to once 
a week, but avoid indiscriniin.ate periodieal waterings. Plants that have 
heat at the roots by means of hot-water pipes need more water tlian 
those having the heat furnished by means of fermenting material; the 
former should have water as often as required, on every occasion em¬ 
ploying some stimulant. 1 lb. of guano to twenty g.allons of water is a 
suitable quantity. Admit air at the top of the house at 80°, and main¬ 
tain the temperature during the day at 80° to 90°, closing at 85° ; but 
unless it be desirable to enlarge the crowns do not quite elose the house. 
Fire heat must be employed to prevent the temperature falling below 
70° at night, and to raise it to 75° in the day, the bottom heat being 
kept at 80° to 90°, or with the bottom heat steady, a few degrees varia¬ 
tion in the atmosphere is not of great consequenee. Syringe the house 
and plants two or three times a week according to the weather, and 
maintain the atmosphere in such a condition as is likely to secure the 
perfect development of the fruit. 
Strawbeekies in Pots. —There must not be any lack of moisture 
at the roots of these plants, as when the sun is powerful the fruits are 
apt to have the skin dried, and they do not swell truly afterwards. 
After the fruit commences swelling a brisk moist atmosphere is essential 
to insure good fruit, supplying liquid manure liberally until the fruit 
changes colour, when it must be discontinued and watering less at the 
roots. Admit air freely whenever the weather is favourable, avoiding 
drying currents. Nothing is so advantageous as well thinning the 
fruits, especially of the large varieties, such as President, James Veitch, 
Dr, Hogg, and British Queen, also those very handsome varieties Sir 
Joseph Paxton and Sir Charles Napier. Sir Harry also attains to a good 
size when well thinned, and is one of the finest Strawberries for forcing. 
A dish of Strawberries compo.sed of a dozen to the pound is very much 
more taking in appearance than when the number is double for the 
weight. See that late pl.ants are free from aphides, and fumigate if 
there be the least trace of them. Do not keep fruiting plants a day 
longer in the houses than is absolutely necessary, as it is hardly possible 
to force Strawberries without their being infested with red spider. 
Water the plants twice a day, and in bright weather three times. 
Cherry House. —Cherries are ripening rapidly and the fruit must 
be kept dry, but keep the surface of the torders moist by damping with 
the syringe, ah' being admitted constantly, or condensation will 
seriously affect the fruit. Damping the border is calculated to mislead 
as regards its condition, which at this stage must be quite moist, there¬ 
fore if necessary a thorough supply of water must be afforded without 
delay. Tie in the shoots as they lengthen, and s‘op those not required 
for training-in at about the fifth leaf. Black aphides can be kept under 
by dipping the leaves or shoots in tobacco water. Ventilate freely on 
all favourable occasions, and when the external conditions are unfavour¬ 
able recourse must be had .to the heating apparatus to ensure a circula¬ 
tion of warm dry air. Netting will be necessary over the ventilators to 
prevent birds attacking the Cherries. 
Cucumbers. —A clear growth is of the utmost importance in the 
successful cultivation of fruits. If aphides appear fumigate twice on 
consecutive evenings, having the foliage dry, but the floors well damped. 
Ked spider is almost sure to appear. Kemove the worst infested leaves, 
and keep the atmosphere charged with ammonia vapour by damping the 
floor in the evening with gu.ano water, supplying the roots with the same 
about twice a week. The hot-water pipes may also bo moderately coated 
with sulphur. Be careful that the plants do not suffer through insuffi¬ 
cient supplies of water, applying it at the same temperature as that of 
the bed. Plants in bearing all the winter will now be showing signs of 
exhaustion, and had better be removed and young plants placed in 
without delay. Assist young plants which show signs of weakness by 
removing the staminate blos.soms and the first fruits, stopping at every 
third or' fourth joint, removing all weakly and superfluous growths. 
Shading will be necessary for an hour or two in the middle of the day 
when the sun is hot, especially houses facing south, but shade early to 
prevent flagging. Houses with the roof-lights facing east and west will 
not require shading. Little or no fire heat will be required by day, 
shutting the valves at about 8 A.M., and opening them again at about 
5 P.M. Syringe the plants moilerately between 3 and 4 P.M., keeping a 
good moisture all day by damping the floors. 
Sow seed for raisin-g plants to occupy pits and fr.ames, a fair bottom 
heat being first secured by using the less decomposed material from Sea- 
kale, Vine borders, or exhausted hotbeds, which, with about a fourth of 
fresh material, will afford all the bottom heat now required. The days 
as well as nights lately have been cold, in which case close pits and 
frames as early in the afternoon as is safe, not allowing the temperature 
to exceed 90° to 95°,' and employ good night coverings. See that a good 
■bottom heat is maintained by duly renewing the linings. Prepare for 
planting out ridge Cucumbers under handlights, the plants being hard¬ 
ened off previously. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Poli/stirJnim prolifervm. —Mature fronds pegged down in early 
autumn will by this time have produced numbers of well-rooted young 
plants. These should either be potted singly, or two or three together, 
in 2 and 3-inch pots. In these sizes few Ferns are so useful for room 
decoration. Grow them in the shade for a time in an intermediate 
temperature until well established, and afterwards they will succeed 
admirably in a cool but shady frame. When required solely for winter 
u.se they must have from September an intermediate temperature, so 
that steady growth will be the result. Unless they arc kept growing 
during the winter the mature fronds have a rusty appearance instead of 
that light green colour that is so characteristic of the young fronds. 
Very ornamental specimens are produced for decoration by placing two 
or three of these little plants in the centre of 4-inch pots, and then 
surrounding them with Sehiginella Kraussiana (denticulata of gardens). 
rteris trcmula. —Small plants still in pans and boxes may be placed 
at once in 3-inch pots, and from these when ready transferred into 5-inch 
pots. The last size is most suitable for this variety, for in smaller pota 
it does not develope itself sufficiently well to be attractive. Lomaria 
gibba does well in the same size, as well as many other Ferns which 
need attention at the present time. Pteris serrulata is most useful in 
3- inch pots, and its crested form is doubly ornamental in jiots 2 inches 
larger. The whole of these will thrive well together under the shade of 
Vines or Peaches if no better position can be accorded them. When 
required for furnishing purposes the object should be to push them on in 
their early stages, and as they attain a sufficiently large size grow them 
as cool as is consistent with keeping them in good health. It must be 
remembered that plants last in rooms double the length of time when 
grown and hartlened for the purpose than when removed direct from 
heated structures. 
Small Adiantums. —For purposes of decoration in small pots A. con- 
cinnum and the old A. cuneatum are two of the most serviceable. The 
former if ready now for 2-inch pots will be shapely plants by autumn in 
5-inch pots, while the latter will be of a useful size in pots 1 inch less. 
If the small pots in which they are first placed can be plunged in some 
moisture-holding material to prevent the soil drying quickly they will 
make rapid growth. Grow these varieties where the syringe can be kept 
from them. They may also be grown with a fair amount of light, so 
that they will be hardy from the’ first. All the shading needed is to 
screen them from the strong rays of the sun. They will grow much 
more rapidly in loam, leaf mould, and sand, th.an in a mixture of loam 
and peat. 
Scdaginclla Kraussiana. —A good stock may be prepared in 3 and 
4- inch pots as well as in shallow 6-inch pans for decorative purposes 
during the autumn and winter. Fill the pots and pans with light 
material and dibble small shoots thickly over the surface. If placed in 
a shady position and dewed once or twice daily with a fine-rose can 
the surface will be quickly covered. To insure the plants lasting well 
in rooms they must be grown to the desired size and then stood in a 
cool house prior to use. 
Isolvpis y/vzeili.?.—Some of the plants that have been in pots for six 
or eight months will be considerably past their best. These may have 
all the old leaves removed, and if divided into two or three and placed 
in the same size pots they will be again of useful size in about two 
months. Others may be divided into very small pieces, so that they will 
be well established plants in 3-inch pots by autumn, which can be kept 
in good condition until the following April or May. Nothing is gained 
by growing the plants in heat, in fact they draw up weakly, and 
directly they are removed the leaves fall about, destroying their effec¬ 
tive appearance. They will grow in any cool structure that is moderately 
close, where they cjin be kept moist and shaded from the sun. The 
compost must consist of loam, leaf mould, a little manure and sand. 
(V/perw.?. —The plants of C. alternifolius in 2-inch pots and now 
growing freely may be transferred at once into 5-inch pots, providing a 
compost of loam, one-seventh of manure and sand. In this size they 
will be found invaluable for groups in halls and rooms during the winter. 
Grow them in heat for a time until well established, and then as cool as 
is consistent with keeping them advancing slowly. Moderately matured 
heads if inserted in small pots in heat will yet make good plants by 
autumn. In a moist atmosphere they soon form roots, and young growths 
push from the crown. If the heads are placed in a tank of tepid water 
in the stove they soon commence forming roots and can afterwards be 
potted. By either of these means better furnished plants are produced 
than is the case by division of the crowns. 
FLOWER GARDEN. 
Tuhenms Begonias.—'Roots of these that have wintered satisfactorily 
without being set in heat or coddled in any way, will be sufficiently 
advanced to put out with the other bedding plants. They start better 
in, and are transplanted more readily from box«s of good loamy soil, but 
they must not be crowded together, and should be not less than 4 inches 
apart each way, the larger tubers requiring more room. This admits of 
their being transplanted with a good ball of soil about the roots. 
Seedlings raised early in the year m.ay be grown to a good serviceable 
size by the end of May, though not if they are kept long in pans. They 
ought first to have been pricked off in pans, and when of good size 
transplanted into boxes. A rather rich light loamy soil with plenty of 
sand added suits them, and if carcfull}'’ shifted into these boxes in 
preference to either pans or small pots, being disposed not less than 
3 inches apart each way, and kept in gentle heat, useful plants will 
result. 
Bcct.~K good strain of garden Beet, such as Dell’s Crimson, Carter’s 
Perfection, and Vcitch’s Improved Black is very effective in the flower 
garden. It forms a capital edging to beds filled with Marguerites or 
other large plants, and contrasts well with golden or silver variegated 
or flowering plants in a ribbon border. The seed may be sown now either 
where the plants are to grow or in boxes of light soil, and thinly in each 
case. Seedlings when about 4 inches high can be transplanted readily 
from boxes or from the open ground. 
Violets.—OlA beds of these are not nearly so profitable as compara¬ 
tively new plantations, and it is advisable to replant some every spring. 
The Czar or any of the newer forms of Russian Violets are the most 
reliable, but in favoured districts the double flowering Marie Louise, the 
