390 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND C011AGE GARDENER. 
[ October 29, 1885, 
was applied, and when the soil is warm it does not matter much whether 
the interior of the cask, or whatever it may be, is heated or not. The 
upper end of the cask should only be a little way from the surface, so 
that it can be conveniently examined occasionally to see how growth is 
going on, and cutting ought to be done without having to upset any¬ 
thing to get to the stems. This is our favourite way of forcing Rhubarb. 
We are just covering a few roots now ; more will be covered in three 
weeks or so, and others again when necessary, and our supply will begin 
about the middle of December, and lasting, if we wish it, until growth 
is natural in the open air. We have lifted the roots and forced them in a 
house, but the produce was not so fine as from under the manure, and 
we also preferred the flavour of the old cask produce. No roots will 
bear forcing for two years in succession, and no attempt must be made to 
force those which underwent the operation last winter. When our roots 
become too large we split them into a number of pieces, make plants of 
each, and we have never any scarcity of forcing roots. Those which are 
forced in the ground will grow strong again if protected until the spring, 
but those taken up for forcing are of very little use afterwards. 
Asparagus. —We have put in our first batch of roots of this, and will 
send the first to table by the first week in November or thereabouts. 
Nothing gives so much satisfaction as a forced vegetable as Asparagus. 
We plant out about 300 young roots annually, force the same number, 
and we have always a full supply. Last winter, and for many before 
that, we lifted some of the strongest of the roots for forcing from our 
quarter-acre bed. In spring these blanks were well manured and filled, 
and this system of lifting and replanting goes on annually. 
The roots are put in about 3 feet apart each way, and we find this 
way of working acts uncommonly well. In beginning to force tbe stems 
are cut over close to the surface, the roots are dug up without breakage, 
and then they are packed in as closely as they can be put in a layer in 
the bed of a Cucumber pit. A little soil is put under them, more over 
them to cover the crowns ; then a watering is given, and with a bottom 
heat of 80° and a top heat of 65° many tine heads soon appear. No 
attempt is made to blanch it, as it is more tender and much better flavoured 
green. Sometimes part of the Cucumber pit bed is empty to receive it, 
and if not tbe roots are put in round the mounds in which the Cucumber 
plants are growing. We put in two or three dozen large fully matured 
roots once a fortnight or so, and keep on cutting so long as we care to put 
the roots in. At times when space under glass was scarce we have made 
a large hotbed, placed a frame on the top of this, and put the roots 
inside on the top of the manure, covering them with a little soil, and 
keeping the lights close afterwards. It does not grow so quickly here as 
with the Cucumbers, but otherwise the forcing was very successful. 
Seakale.— The leaves have not died from the Seakale crowns yet, 
but they will soon go, and then forcing may be commenced. Pots or boxes 
may be used for going over the orowns, and the hotbed system which is 
recommended for Rhubarb will produce excellent Kale. Growth is not 
very rapid at this season, and forcing should commence five weeks or so 
before the produce is required. Only strong well-ripened roots need be 
taken in hand now, as none other will force profitably. Keep the small 
ones until the spring. Besides the covering plan we have frequently lifted 
quantities of the roots, placing from six to eight of them in a 10 or 12-inch 
pot and then plunge the pot in a brisk bottom heat in a dark place. 
Although the growths are not so robust under this treatment as with the 
roots in the ground, they are earlier, and where roots are plentiful this 
lifting process may be practised with advantage up to the new year. 
Kidney Beans. —These are the most difficult of all to force in the 
short days ; unless they can be accommodated in thoroughly heated struc¬ 
tures their culture should not be attempted. They will only succeed in a 
temperature of from 68° to 75°, and at times, especially when the plants 
are in bloom, the atmosphere must be kept dry. A leaky house will not 
do for them. With a good house and plenty of heat, however, they may 
be grown well, and the plants will fruit in winter about ten weeks after 
sowing. We generally sow the seed in small 3-inch pots first, and when 
the plants are 4 inches high or so three of the small pots are Dut into a 
9-inch one. They are kept near the glass and in as much light as possible. 
At first they do not require much water at the roots, but as soon as the 
pots become filled with them a little guano water is beneficial. We grow 
our plants on the back shelves of a Pine stove and find them succeed very 
well, although we can hardly say they are a paying crop, from December 
nntil March at least. Mint and Tarragon may both be forced by lifting a 
few roots, putting them into a shallow box. covering them with a little 
soil, and placing them in a temperature of 70*. 
BRUIT FORCING. 
Figs. — Early-forced Trees in Pots .—In our last calendar we directed 
attention to the importance of getting the trees from which ripe fruit is 
to be gathered in April ready for starting in November, and if those 
matters have received prompt attention the plunging material has been 
cleared away, the roots shortened, and the turf walls rebuilt of good fresh 
turf with a sixth of lime rubble, and a sprinkling of crushed bones—an 
excellent material for the new roots to work in. The turf walls should 
be rammed firmly until the level of the pot is reached, when the roots 
that have found their way over the rim are built in, and the turf walls 
taken up 3 inches higher to form a receptacle for a mulching of decayed 
manure, and prevent liquid manure running off when the trees require 
water. If the trees have been infested with red spider or scale the wood¬ 
work ought to be painted, the walls scalded and afterwards limewashed. 
If mealy bug has got a bold turpentine should be freely used with the 
paint, and for dressing the trees a wineglassful of petroleum should be 
added to every gallon of the dressing used, and which, stirred constantly 
by another person so as to keep it mixed whilst it is being applied to the 
trees, remembering that its potency depends in a great measure upon its 
thoroughness of application. Give the trees a good watering so as to 
have them thoroughly moist at the roots by the time arrives for closing 
the house in the middle of November, by which time some fermenting 
material should be ready, such as Oak leaves, introducing those between 
the pedestals, which will afford a genial bottom heat, gradually reaohing 
the roots, producing a moist heat, saving fire heat, and lessening the 
necessity of syringing until the sun is getting more power. Small trees 
may be placed in the first instance on the surface of the fermenting bed, 
and when the heat declines to 75° they may be plunged ; but the heat at 
the base of the pots ought not to exceed 75°, and instead of sinking the 
pots deeper as the heat declines introduce an additional supply of leaves 
at short intervals, until the bed is raised to the rim of the pots. This 
will keep the trees well up to the light—a very important matter in Fig 
culture. 
Planted-out Trees. —Those that have been in bearing since midsummer 
will now be goiug to rest, and may be divested of the old foliage, as soon as it 
parts freely from the wood when touched by the hand. In the case of 
trees that are making too strong wood and the trees are in inside border, 
the present is a favourable time for root-pruning—an operation attended 
with the best result*, especially where the space allotted to the branches 
is limited. Work it well under the roots, remove any inert soil, cut 
off all strong roots, and examine the drainage. The young or fibry 
roots should then be relaid in fresh compost, firmly rammed and mulched 
and left dry until the time arrives for starting the trees. The best soil 
for Figs is a good friable loam with a liberal admixture of lime rubble, 
broken bricks, and bone dust. Stimulants, whether in the form of solid 
or liquid manure, may always be given at tire surface when the trees are 
in growth. The young shoots that have been allowed to grow up to the 
glass will be thickly studded with embryo fruits, which must be guarded 
from injury when the trees are dressed, as well as from the effects of frost, 
by being untied and drawn down below the trellis until the time arrives 
for thinning the branches that have reached the extremity of the trellis. 
Late Trees. —Have all root-pruning finished, bearing in mind that 
strong-growing varieties, when confined to limited root space, can only be 
kept fruitful and manageable by limiting the rooting area, and feeding when 
carrying heavy crops of fruit. The houses should be freely ventilated, 
especially at night, except when frosts prevail. 
Cherry House. —The lights having been taken off the house, the 
trees are fast casting their foliage, and as soon ns the leaves are all down 
prune at once. Cut back to within an inch of the base from whenee the 
shoots started all those laterals which were made during the summer, 
and which have been stopped at about the fifth joint. It is not good 
practice to shorten any of the terminal shoots unless the trees have reached 
the extremity of the trellis, or when it is necessary to multiply the 
shoots another season. The trees should then be washed with a brush 
with soap and water, and may then have the branches tied together to 
save them from injury whilst the house is being cleansed and the walls 
limewashed. The latter should be made of the best fresh lime, put on 
rather thinly, and is best with a little size to make it adhere firmly. 
Dress the trees then with an insecticide, train and tie them to the trellis. 
These matters being attended to, all the loose material on the border 
should be cleared off, and any soil of an inert character that can be forked 
over and changed for fresh turfy loam of a calcareous character, or a sixth 
of lime rubbish may be added, then top-dress with 3 inches thickness of 
decayed manure. If tbe borders are in the least dry they must have a 
thorough supply of water, but the lights having been off it will be neces¬ 
sary only in very exceptional cases. Keep the house ventilated fully at all 
times excepting during frost, until such time as forcing operations are 
commenced, which, to have the fruit ripe at the beginning of May, will 
need to be at the beginning of December. 
Strawberries in Pots. —Much of the success in Strawberry forcing 
depends upon the treatment the plants are subjected to at what is com¬ 
monly known as the resting period prior to forcing. The wintering of 
Strawberries in pots by stacking them one upon another in sawdust or 
other material against a wall, or housing them on the borders of fruit 
houses, is not only unnecessary but absolutely injurious, as they not 
infrequently become dry at the roots, and the dry atmosphere induced by 
the free ventilation wastes the energies of the plants. Plants that have 
had the crowns thinned in the season, the side shoots removed and kept 
to a central crown, will have these well developed, having made their 
growth early, and have the pots filled with roots. If intended for early 
forcing they will be the better for heavy lights placed over them, the pots 
being plunged in ashes or cocoanut fibre refuse, or even tree leaves, but not 
so thick as to heat, but the lights must be withdrawn in mild weather, and 
only used in case of heavy rains, when they must be tilted, or in case of 
frost. They should be regularly supplied with water at the root, as the 
Strawberry never suffers so much as when allowed to become dry at the 
roots. Late plants should be placed in a raised bed or plunged in ashes 
or other material on the flat in a sunny position to finish the ripening 
process, and they too will require to be well supplied with water. Sun 
and sharp winds ripen the growths and solidify the crowns far better than 
the atmosphere of houses. 
Autumn-fruiting plants should have a steady night temperature of 55° 
to 60°, and 10° to 15° rise by day ; ventilate freely so as to prevent the. 
condensation of moisture on the fruit, as that will cause its speedy 
decay. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Chrysanthemums. —It is not safe to leave these outside any longe r , 
for they are very liable to suffer from hailstorms, wind, and frost. Varie- 
