814 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ October 8, 1891. 
useful, as they can be fastened with wire without any fear of in¬ 
juring the trees. 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Peaches and Nectarines. —Earliest House .—The trees are at 
rest, and very bright and promising they are. The buds are not too 
large, an indication that they have not been over-developed, but are 
perfect, and will retain their hold on the trees. Through the roof lights 
having been removed some time the borders have been thoroughly 
moistened, and this, with the invigoration consequent on exposure, is 
the best safeguard against the buds falling. The trees must be pruned, 
dressed with an insecticide, and the whole of them thoroughly washed 
—the woodwork with soap and water, the glass with clear water, and 
the walls with limewash. The trees can also be tied to the trellis, every¬ 
thing forwarded, so that a start can be made without delay at the proper 
time. Let the lights remain off until the time of closing the house. 
If the lights are fixed the inside border must not lack moisture, and 
air must be given to the fullest possible extent, insuring thereby as 
complete rest as practicable under the circumstances. 
Second Early House .—The trees have shed the foliage. Trees that 
have made strong w T ood, which takes more time to mature than the 
moderately vigorous, must not be exposed until the growths and foliage 
are well matured. Our roof lights have been removed. The exposure 
of the trees has an invigorating tendency ; it insures perfect rest, and 
the rains do much to free them of insects, besides soaking the borders. 
When the foliage is all down the necessary pruning, dressing the trees 
with an insecticide and cleaning the house should be proceeded with, 
removing the surface soil down to the roots, and adding fresh 
material, but not covering the roots deeper than 2 or 3 inches. In the 
case of fixed roof lights watering may be necessary ; under no circum¬ 
stances must the trees be allowed to become dry at the roots. 
Midseason Houses .—If the trees are in an unsatisfactory condition 
have recourse to lifting, the wood being firm and the foliage beginning 
to fall. It must be done with despatch, all the materials being in 
readiness. Provide efficient drainage, shorten strong roots, and 
bring any that are deep nearer the surface, employing the compost 
moderately firm. Good loam, rather strong, with an admixture of a 
sixth of old mortar rubbish will grow Peaches perfectly. If the soil be 
light add a fourth of clay marl, and if very heavy a similar quantity of 
road scrapings. If the soil is deficient in calcareous matter add a tenth 
of chalk. Avoid manure except at the surface. Give a good watering, 
and the roots will soon get established in the fresh compost. Trees 
judiciously treated at the roots -whilst they have foliage seldom fail to 
set and stone the fruit satisfactorily. 
Borders that have the surface a soapy mass and it is not possible to 
remove it may have a good dressing of quicklime quite an inch thick, 
mixing it with the surface soil as deeply as the roots allow without 
much disturbance. 
Late Houses .—October Peaches are quite as much valued as those of 
May. They are fine in appearance, and when properly supplied with 
moisture and nutriment during the growing season the fruit is juicy and 
well flavoured. Sea Eagle is one of the best, large, showy, good 
flavoured, with a juicy melting flesh, free of the stringiness and meali¬ 
ness too prevalent in some late Peaches. As the wood in many late 
(especially unheated) houses is not too ripe, the house may be almost 
closed by day so as to secure a good heat, admitting sufficient air to 
insure a circulation, continuing the ventilation at night. Any trees that 
have too gross wood should have a trench taken out as deep as the roots, 
and about one-third the distance from the stem the trees cover of trellis, 
and left open for a fortnight, then filled in again firmly. 
Melons. —The end of the Melon season as regards those grown in frames 
and pits heated by fermenting materials is approaching, though fairly 
good fruit may be had up to November, especially of kinds that will keep 
some time. Some of our cross-bred sorts also keep well, particularly 
Scarlet Premier, which is one of the very best for late work. Any fruits 
approaching ripeness should be cut with a good portion of stem, and 
placed in a house with a gentle warmth, where they will ripen and be 
welcome additions to the dessert. 
From houses a supply of fruit will be kept up some time longer, the 
latest fruits only swelling now. Sufficient moisture will be secured to this 
crop by damping in the morning and again early in the afternoon, 
affording water to the roots moderately ; a supply once a week will be 
sufficient. All superfluous laterals must be cut out, so as to afford the 
principal foliage the benefit of the autumn sun. Plants with fruit 
approaching ripeness should be kept dry, and a brisk heat maintained 
with rather free ventilation, the temperature being kept at G5° at night, 
70° to 75° by day, rising to 85° or 90° from sun heat, affording a 
little air at the upper part of the roof whenever the weather is 
favourable. 
Cucumbers. — The latest plants which are to afford a supply of fruit 
about the new year should be placed out on ridges or hillocks, training 
with a single stem to the trellis, up which they may be allowed to 
advance about two-thirds, when the lead may be pinched. Those not 
having the convenience of a Cucumber house may secure fair supplies of 
winter fruit by growing the plants in pots or boxes, training the growths 
near the glass over the paths in stoves, fruiting, Pine houses, or other 
well-heated structures. Plants in bearing should not be overcropped, 
or the fruit allowed to remain longer than it is fit to cut, removing all 
deformed fruit in a young state. Maintain a night temperature of" 70°, 
5° less in the morning, 75° by day, up to 85° or 90° with sun, admitting 
a little air at the top of the house at every favourable opportunity. 
The evaporation troughs should still be charged with liquid manure, and 
the floors damped with water about 8 A.M. and 4 p.m., dispensing with 
the syringe over the plants. Reduce the supply of water at the roots, 
but not so much so as to cause flagging. A little manure sprinkled on 
the beds occasionally will benefit the plants through the waterings 
washing their elements in the soil and the ammonia given off, but this 
must not be excessive or the foliage will be injured. Keep the 
foliage thin and the glass clean, so as to secure thoroughly solidified 
growth. 
Strawberries in Pots. — Where autumn and winter fruiting 
plants are grown they must without further delay be placed under 
glass, and on shelves, so that they may enjoy a free circulation of air, 
ventilating so as to dispel damp, as the fertilisation of the flowers is not 
satisfactorily effected in a moist atmosphere. Those swelling and 
ripening the fruit in frames should have moderate ventilation ; and 
though the fruit will ripen in cold frames, they swell better and the 
flavour is improved in a house where there is a moderate degree of heat, 
50° to 55° as a minimum, 70° to 75° as a maximum by artificial means, 
in which they should have air on all favourable occasions. 
Plants for Next Year's Fruiting are Late. —The crowns are not 
well matured nor so strong as desirable. Those intended for early 
forcing should be placed on a base impervious to worms in frames, or 
cold pits, exposing them fully (o every gleam of sun, employing the 
lights only to ward off heavy rains, and at night when frost prevails. 
Keep the remainder of the plants in a sunny position, as they will 
require every ray of light and sun’s warmth to enable them to mature 
the crowns properly. 
Pines.— Plants Showing Fruit. —These will be valuable when fruit 
is scarce and dear, therefore such plants should be afforded the best 
positions in the fruiting department. Maintain a temperature of 70° at 
night, 75° artificially by day, up to 85° to 90° with sun, closing at 85°, 
sprinkling the paths when their surfaces become dry and occasionally 
sprinkling the plants on fine afternoons. Keep the bottom heat steady 
at 85° to 90°. Examine the plants once a week for watering, and if any 
require it afford a copious supply of clear liquid manure at about the 
same temperature as the beds. Care must be taken not to over-water 
the fruiters, as that has a tendency to cause the fruit when cut to be 
black at the centre. 
Plants to Fruit Early. —Queens are best for this purpose, but there 
is not always a certainty of their doing so unless they are given a period 
of comparative rest after making good growth. Plants intended to 
show fruit early in the year should be kept in a temperature about 65° 
in the daytime by artificial means, 60° at night, ventilating at 70°, 
closing at 70°, allowing the bottom heat to fall to 70°. Water the plants 
only when necessary, but do not allow them to become so dry as to cause 
the foliage to be limp. 
Young Plants. —All young plants should now be arranged so as to 
obtain the fullest benefit of light and air. As the sun diminishes a 
corresponding diminution of temperature must take place at night until 
it reaches the winter standard of 55° to 60° at night, and 65° in the day¬ 
time. Ventilate freely whenever conditions are favourable, paying par¬ 
ticular attention to watering. Examine the plants about once a week, 
and whenever one needs water give it copiously at about the same 
temperature as the bed. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Fuchsias. —Place singly into 3-inch pots cuttings that are well rooted, 
and keep them close and shaded for a few days until they are established. 
They can then be gradually hardened and placed on a shelf where the 
winter temperature will not fall below 45°. All that is needed is to 
keep them slowly moving, so that they will be in good condition for 
starting into growth early next season. Plants that have flowered may 
be stood outside to harden and ripen until the approach of frost, when 
they should be sheltered from severe weather in a Peach house or vinery. 
These plants are better kept rather dry at their roots, and in case of 
heavy rains throw them on their sides. 
French and Fancy Pelargoniums. —The latest flowering plants may 
be cut down without delay. Place the plants in a frame and syringe 
once or twice daily according to the weather until they break into 
growth. Those that are already established will be better on shelves 
where abundance of air can be given and where the plants will be close 
to the glass. In frames the atmosphere is often too moist for them, and 
they grow weakly and the foliage becomes spotted. The earliest should 
have their shoots pinched for the last time. Where special houses 
cannot te devoted to these plants the Strawberry shelves in Peach houses 
will be found a capital position. Any that needs potting must be 
attended to at once. The soil should consist of fibry loam, sand, and 
one-seventh of manure, pressed firmly into the pots. In addition we 
use a little soot and artificial manure, but very little of the latter at this 
period of the year. Cuttings inserted in outside borders may be well 
rooted, even if only callused they can be lifted and placed singly into 
3-inch pots. If well rooted place them on a shelf and pinch out the 
points of the shoots. Let them have a cool position, as injury results 
from forcing them into growth by the aid of heat or a close atmosphere. 
These that are not well rooted will do so quickly in a temperature of 
50°, but as soon as roots are observed remove them to cool airy quarters. 
Water these plants with care, too much will ruin them at this season and 
throughout the winter months. 
Chrysanthemums. —Make provision for housing them without delay, 
they are not safe outside after this date. Do not crowd the plants when 
placed under glass, and syringe the foliage freely at first. This is the 
only means by which the plants can be induced to retain their leaves te 
