526 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ December 17, 1891. 
maturity in the following summer; but they never make such fine 
fruits as those which make the whole of their growth in the next 
season. 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Vines. — Early Forced Vines in Pots. —If the pots are placed on 
pillars in the pits the fermenting materials will need frequent additions 
as the heat declines, bringing the material up about the pots so as to 
maintain a steady bottom heat of 70° to 75°. Much heat at the roots is 
injurious at this stage. A gentle warmth, however, accelerates root 
action and admits of higher feeding than when the roo's are not incited 
into activity. The temperature of the house will have been gradually 
raised so as to have it 60° to 65° by the time the Vines were coming into 
leaf, allowing an advance of 5° to 10° by day, admitting a little air 
at 70° without lowering the temperature or causing an inrush of cold 
sharp air, and close early in the afternoon. Disbud as soon as the 
bunches can be detected, reserving the most promising. Stop the 
growths about two joints beyond the bunches, allowing a leaf or two 
more when there is room. Remove the laterals up to the bunches, and 
allow those beyond to extend as space permits without crowding, it 
being important that the foliage have full exposure to light and air, 
encouraging that only. Two or three joints of lateral extension are 
sufficient for fruiting Vines in pots, the crop preventing further exten¬ 
sion. If the Vines show two or more bunches on a shoot remove the 
least promising before they flower, and do not allow more to remain 
than will be necessary for the crop, as a number of bunches allowed to 
remain until thinning time only lessen the size of the berries ultimately 
retained. Damp the floors and other available surfaces in the morning 
and early afternoon. Where, however, fermenting materials are 
employed the necessity of damping will not be so great as where the 
heat is solely obtained from hot-water pipes. In the latter case the 
evaporation troughs should be filled with guano water 1 lb. to 20 gallons 
of water, or clear liquid manure from stables or cow byres, and that 
may also be employed for damping the floors after closing the house or 
early in the afternoon. The liquid manure may be used occasionally 
in structures having fermenting beds, but the imperceptible vapour 
arising from those is in most cases sufficient, and care must always 
be taken to use the liquid weak, or an excessive supply seriously injures 
the foliage. 
Early Forced Planted-out Vines. —These start less promptly, as a 
rule, than Vines in pots with gentle warmth at the roots, especially 
those which have not previously been subjected to early forcing, and 
they should not be hurried, time being allowed them to insure an even 
break and sturdy growths. The buds of those started last month are 
now moving, and another good watering must be given the inside border, 
unless already thoroughly moist, at a temperature of 85° to 90°, and in 
the case of weakly Vines supply liquid manure. Raise the temperature 
to 55°, and increase it a degree or two daily so as to have it 60° to 65° by 
artificial means when the Vines are producing their leaves. In forcing 
to time it is sometimes necessary to induce growth by a brisk moist heat 
of 70° to 75°, continuing it until the buds have fairly started growing, 
and then allow it to fall to 60° to 65°, with 5° to 10° rise in the daytime. 
This is important, a moderate temperature being essential to secure 
short-jointed wood and stout, well-developed foliage, but a close 
atmosphere is very prejudicial, and cutting currents of air equally 
disastrous ; therefore ventilate carefully and early, seeking advancement 
and solidification of the growth under sunshine, closing early so as to 
husband the sun heat as much as possible. Outside borders must be 
protected against cold rains and melting snow. A 6-inch thickness of 
dry leaves with a little litter over them to prevent their blowing about 
are effective, especially when covered with spare lights. 
Figs. — Early Forced Trees in Pots. —Very early Figs are best 
secured from trees in pots, as they can be given a slight warmth at the 
roots, and be kept in steady progressive growth. There are numbers of 
varieties that force well. The earliest is Early Violet and Angelique 
(Madeleine). Those have small and medium sized fruit respectively ; 
Black Marseilles and White Ischia also have small fruit, Brown Ischia 
and Bingo de Mel have medium sized fruits, Brown Turkey, St. John’s, 
and White Marseilles produce large fruits. All force well when brought 
on gradually and not subjected to too much heat in the early stages. 
This is apt to occur with bottom heat, and the heat about the roots 
being 70° or more, during the early part of the forcing process the 
growth is too rapid. The embryo Figs also swell freely, but not having 
time for the proper development of the floral organs they are cast. 
This defect can only be avoided by thoroughly ripened growths, sparse 
or no second crops, and steady progressive advancement in forcing. 
Until ths leaves are unfolding the heat at the roots should not exceed 
70° at the base of the pots, then it may be increased to 75° or 80°, giving 
an atmospheric temperature of 70° to 75°. That is quite sufficient, the 
fermenting material being added to as required to maintain the heat 
regularly. The temperature of the house should be increased by degrees 
to 60° at night, 65° by day by artificial means in severe weather, 5° more 
in mild weather, 70° to 75° with sun heat and moderate ventilation, 
closing at 75°, but in mild weather a little air must be admitted at 60° 
to 65°, just a “ crack ” at the top of the house to let out pent up moisture 
and insure a circulation. In cold weather the pipes radiating heat will 
keep the air in motion, and the moisture will be condensed on the glass, 
therefore ventilation is not then required. Be careful, however, not to 
bring on the growth too rapidly, especially in dull weather, as foliage 
produced under such conditions is not of stout texture, but large and 
thin, possessing little elaborating power, and is very susceptible of 
external changes, often scorching and becoming infested with red spider. 
Afford water whenever necessary, always in a tepid state. Syringe the 
trees in the moraing and early afternoon so as to have the foliage dry 
before nightfall, but avoid excessive moisture, damping the house only 
in dull weather. 
Modes of Growing Figs. —Those contemplating Fig culture under 
glass may find the following particulars useful, and it is not necessary 
to have a large house or a great number of trees to enjoy ripe Figs from 
June to September inclusive. Two methods are followed in cultivating 
the Fig—namely, in pots and planted out. The former is an excellent 
method, either for early forcing or growing in cool houses ; but in the 
latter one crop only will be secured, and that ripening at the latter part 
of summer, whilst two crops are had by starting the trees early in the 
year. Pot trees become larger and more fruitful the loBger they are 
grown, as the restriction of the roots and feeding them highly contributes 
to their fertility. The Fig is a light and heat-loving tree, therefore the 
house must be light and well ventilated, and the trees must not be 
crowded. Grown in pots for forcing they must be started early in the 
previous season, so as to make and perfect a growth and have time for 
rest before starting. When once subjected to forcing they commence 
growth, as the usual time of starting comes round in a lower temperature 
than trees that have not been subjected to the process. 
Planted-out trees, however, afford the largest fruit. They are often 
very unsatisfactory, because the borders are too wide, and deep, and 
rich ; consequently, the wood is long-jointed, the foliage large and thin, 
and the trees produce wood instead of fruit. The wood must be stout, 
short-jointed, and hard, the leaves thick and leathery; and to insure 
these the border must be narrow, firm, and well drained, and the growth 
beiDg trained near the glass. A 3 feet width of border is ample to 
begin with, and in no case need the border be more than one-third the 
breadth of the trellis. This affording a favourable rooting medium, 
supplies of nutrition can be afforded as the growth and crop requires. 
A foot depth of drainage should be provided, and this must have a drain 
under to carry off superfluous water, unless the site have natural drainage 
as gravel or rock. As Figs like lime, a layer of old mortar rubbish 
or chalk I to 6 inches thick on the rubble will supply that substance, 
and prevent the roots becoming massed in the drainage. The soil may 
consist of any good loam, preferably turfy from a pasture on the lime¬ 
stone formation. If not calcareous and inclined to be light, add a 
fourth of clay marl dried and broken up small ; if heavy add a fourth 
of road scrapings and a sixth of old mortar rubbish. Calcareous matter 
is almost a necessity for Figs, but they can also use silicious matter for 
much the same purposes as lime, and both should be provided. Bones 
are generally mixed with compost for the trees; but buried bones are slow 
in decomposing, and it has proved better to apply bonemeal or super¬ 
phosphate to the surface. The whole of the materials must be well 
incorporated, and made up firmly when moderately dry. Two feet deep 
of soil is ample, allowing a few inches more for settling. Trees with 
single stems of the height necessary to reach the trellis are the only 
suitable ones. They will be in pots, and need not be planted until the 
time of starting, or they may be planted in autumn. Soak, and wash 
away all the soil; disentangle the roots and spread them out evenly, 
working the soil in amongst them and making quite firm about the 
collar, disposing the roots in layers, all within 9 inches of the surface, 
and covering the upper layer with 3 inches of soil. Give a good 
watering to settle the soil about the roots, and when soaked in and 
become dry so as to bear the pressure of the foot without clogging tread 
firmly, and mulch with a couple of inches thickness of short partially 
decayed manure. Fan training is most suitable, as it admits of cutting 
out the exhausted growths and keeping up a succession of bearing 
wood. The shoots should be trained about 1 foot from the glass, never 
crowding them, as light is very important,also air, to insure fruitfulness 
and high quality in the fruits. Trees against the back walls of lean-to 
houses are generally failures ; but when the trees are allowed to extend 
and the shoots are trained down the roof they bear profusely, because 
the downward training concentrates the sap on every joint, so that they 
form fruit at nearly every leaf down to the base of the shoots, and the 
points of the shoots are ever pointing to the glas a , so that the growth is 
thoroughly solidified as made, and the trees retain instead of casting 
their fruit. 
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HE BEE-KEEPER. 
APIARIAN NOTES. 
Winter with its shortest days is now upon us, and for fully a 
month we shall be anxious for our bees to remain at peace within: 
their hives ; they should, therefore, be left undisturbed. If proper 
care has been taken to have them in a fit state for winter they 
will not be disposed to fly, even although snow lie about. Snow in 
December does not entice the bees out to their destruction, as it 
does after January. Where birds are troublesome to bee3 and buds 
of fruit trees they may be trapped ; the sparrow and the blue 
titmouse are the only pests we have. 
