493 
JOURN-AL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER 
[ Jane 14, 188S. 
soon become too large to be thinned properly and expeditiously ; besides, 
when the work is too long deferred the size of the fruit is impaired. 
The laterals must not be allowed to extend so as to interfere with the 
principal foliage. The growth may be allowed to extend where there is 
space to admit of its full exposure to light, but not otherwise, over¬ 
crowding and overcropping being the cause of more failures than any 
cfther error of culture. Remove all superfluous, badly placed, deformed, 
or small bunches. Crop lightly, which means size, quality, and high 
finish, bulk meaning small fruit, bad colour, poor quality, non-keeping, 
and often shanking. Water thoroughly when necessary, one good 
soaking is worth many driblets. 
Vhu’S Cleared, of their Cro])g. —Syringe occasionally to keep the 
Riliage clean, afford water to render the soil moist, a good mulching 
keeping the surface from cracking, and the surface moist will prevent 
the roots going down in quest of moisture. Allow a moderate extension 
of the laterals, and admit air freely above G0°. There is no fear of the 
wood not ripening, and the difficulty is to prevent the premature 
ripening and fall of the foliage. 
Ripe Grapes will be the better for slight shade from powerful sun, 
some pilchard or a double thickness of herring nets drawn over the roof 
lights will mostly be sufficient shade, and a good spread of foliage will 
assist in Hamburghs keeping colour. Motierate air moisture will not 
injure the Grapes if accompanied by free ventilation. Keep laterals 
fairly under, but a little extension will assist in the retention of the 
principal leaves, and upon their continuance in health depends the 
maturity of the buds for next year's crop. 
Grapes ripening should have a circulation of air constantly, with 
sufficient heat in the pipes to maintain a night temperature of 65° and 
70“ to 75° by day, with 80° to 85° or 90° through the day from sun heat. 
Avoid a very acrid atmosphere, damping occasionally, and do not allow 
the border to become dry. It is a confined stagnant atmosphere that 
does all the mischief in Grapes cracking. 
Muscats and Lady Downe's completing the stoning process should 
have air abundantly, sufficient warmth being kept in the hot-water 
pipes to maintain a night temperature of 65° to 70°, and 5° to 10° more 
artificially in the daytime, as if they are kept cold and close they are, 
if the weather prove bright, liable to scald. 
Stop Vines in pots when from 6 to 8 feet long, and pinch the laterals 
and sub-laterals at one joint as produced. This applies to Vines in¬ 
tended for fruiting next season ; those intended for planting may be 
allowed to make all the lateral growth they can, and be cut back to two 
or thr.e eyes at planting time. Get as much stored un matter into the 
fruiters as possible by judicious feeding, and cleanly foliage thoroughly 
exposed to the light. 
Pines. — Fruit Itijyening. — When the fruit commences colouring 
syringing must cease, but the supply of water at the roots must be con¬ 
tinued as before when necessary, and to improve the colour and quality 
of the fruit ventilate liberally, but do not allow the temperature to fall 
below 80° in the daytime, gradually diminishing the moisture in the 
house, maintaining a night temperature of 70° to 75°. Plants of Queens 
and Providence started into fruit last February will ripen this month, 
whilst Smooth Cayennes and Charlotte Rothschild will reqtiire about a 
month longer to finish properly. Under the same conditions they fur¬ 
nish a good successional supply, which may be still farther extended by 
removing some of the fruiting plants to a cool airy place. Keep the heat 
at the roots from 80° to 90°. 
Successio7ial Plants. —Fire heat will not be necessary much longer, 
as the temperature, by the assistance obtained from the heated beds in 
which the plants are plunged, rarely allows the atmospheric tempera¬ 
ture to fall below 65° at this season and for the next few weeks, and 
this temperature is more suitable for the satisfactory development of the 
plants than a higher one. Recently potted jilants make growth quickly. 
Strict attention should be given to ventilation to prevent an attenuated 
growth, therefore admit air at 75° to 80, increasing it until 85° is 
reached, and above that ventilate fully, diminishing in the afternoon 
closing the house at a temperature of 80°, affording a light sprinkling 
daily when bright weather prevails. ° 
Suclicrs.—Yrom those on the early fruiting plants a sufficient number 
should be selected to meet the demand, and if started at once the plants 
resulting will be suitable for fruiting from this time onwards another 
season, and will be supplementary to those started in March, their 
requirements being identical, only shading must be more effectual. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Gesneras. —These should be grown on from the start to the flower¬ 
ing stage without a check, and it is very difficult to retard them without 
injury, which often results in their failing to flower satisfactorily. The 
best and safest method when required for late flowering is to delay 
starting them into growth ; the tubers keep safely for a very long time 
in dry soil or sand. The latest tubers are still plump, but will be started 
in gentle heat in boxes or pans filled with light material, composed 
chiefly of leaf mould and sand. They root freely, and can when large 
enough be transplanted singly into pots without the slightest check. 
W'e prefer this method to starting them singly in small pots, unless they 
■can be plunged where the soil can be kept in a uniform condition for 
moisture. The earliest will be showing signs of active growth, and 
should at once be lifted out of pans or boxes and placed into 3-inch pots 
liberally drained. Employ a compost of loam and leaf mould in equal 
proportions, with coarse sand freely added. Water after potting, and 
stand the pots in a warm house on a moisture-holding base, where the 
strong rays of the sun can be shaded from them. Be careful not to 
syringe or allow water to lodge upon their foliage. They delight in heat 
and moisture, but cannot endure syringing. 
Tydwas. —Plants for early flowering will be sturdy specimens in 3 
and 4 inch pots, or larger, where many tubers have been started together. 
These may be placed in 6 to 8-inch pots or pans according to the size of 
plants required. For decorative purposes 5 and 6-inch pots are the most 
suitable ; in fact, when larger than these are required pans arc better 
than pots, because these plants are not deep rooting and do not care for 
too much soil about their roots. Those ready for lifting out of boxes or 
pans to be potted for the first time will be found the most serviceable 
in many places, for they will be in full beauty at a time when flowering 
plants in the stove are rather scarce. At first they can be placed in the 
same compost as Gesneras, and when finally potted the soil may consist 
of good fibry loam, one-third leaf mould, one-seventh manure and a 
liberal quantity of coarse sand. These, like Gesneras, must not be 
syringed. Amongst the most useful of Tydmas are some of the ever¬ 
green varieties that make no underground stems or tubers, such as 
Madame Heine which must be perpetuated by cuttings. These flower 
naturally at a time when Poinsettias, Euphorbias, and Plumbagos are 
past. Cuttiiigs rooted thickly together in.pans as advised will now have 
strong luxuriant growths that may be taken off and rooted singly in 
2-inch pots. They will root freely in any light sandy soil if kept close 
in the propagating frame and shaded from the sun. As soon as they are 
well rooted the points of the plants may be removed, which will induce 
them to branch freely. If larger plants are needed, those in the pans 
from which the cuttings have been taken m.ay be allowed to break into 
growth, when they can be lifted, out of the pans and placed singly in 
5-inch pots. 
Gloxinias. —Do not neglect the earliest plants as they cease flower¬ 
ing, but place them in frames where water can be applied as they need 
it until they ripen the whole of their foliage. It is a mistake to keep 
successional Gloxinias too warm ; at this season of the year they will 
do well without the aid of artificial heat. All that is needed is a mode¬ 
rately close atmosphere with plenty of moisture and shade from strong 
sunshine. Place seedlings raised early into 5-inch pots, a capital size 
to flower them in, while those raised later and pricked into pans and 
boxes may be placed into 3 or 4-inch pots according to their size. 
Aohimenes. —More cuttings of these may be inserted in 5-inch pots, 
and if brought forward gently the plants will be useful for the con¬ 
servatory as long as that structure is warm enough for them. When 
the cuttings have been removed, allow the plants that have been re¬ 
served for yielding cuttings to make a good growth and flower, or their 
tubers will be small. 
FLOWER GARDEN. 
Lawns. —Closely mown velvety green turf is most appreciated, and it 
is only by frequent attention that this can be attained. If neglected for 
a few weeks, or allowed to grow long enough to be made into h.ay, the 
grass becomes coarse, and many of the finer varieties are either crippled 
or killed. This season the grass grows rapidly, and unless a heavy 
machine is used it requires to be mown every four or five days. Light 
or hand machines will not cut a heavy crop of grass properly, and those 
owning small mowers ought to use them frequently, or they will soon be 
unable to work with them. At the outset, or at any time when the 
grass is too long to be cut by a machine, it ought first to be mown closely 
with a scythe, and the machine passed over it immediately after. Even 
where a heavy pony or horse machine is available, these will leave the 
turf in a much better condition if run over before the crop is heavy. 
When the grass is left more than a week it takes much longer to cut it, 
and the work is much heavier. Therefore mow frequently’-, and there 
will then be fewer complaints about mowing machines failing to do their 
work properly. 
Newly Planted Trees and Shrills.—It many of these, especially those 
transplanted late, do not get heavy supplies of water now, and also 
during the summer, the chances arc failures will be numerous. It is 
quite a mistake to defer watering till they give signs of suffering from 
drought, a tree or shrub flagging badly in sunshine rarely recovering 
properly, no matter how often water is applied. Nor are mere driblets 
of any avail. A thorough soaking should be given, and it is advisable to 
water a few every d.ay rather than give a small or useless quantity to a 
greater number. Those moved with a good biill of soil and roots ought 
to have the ground near the stems opened out, so as to form a basin to 
hold all the water poured in. If the old ball is found to be at all dry, 
this ought to be pierced with pointed iron rod, or otherwise it will be 
almost impossible to thoroughly remoisten it. Overhead waterings are 
also most beneficial in hot evenings and dry days. Both new and old 
shrubberies will be benefited by a mulching of some kind, the grass from 
the mowing machine being very suitable for the purpose. 
NOTES ON BEES. 
Unless it was in 1842, no season within the remembrance of 
man has been so inauspicious as it has been recently in the north. 
On Friday evening, June 1st, the temperature sank to 40°, and 
