January 7, 1886. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
11 
profitably as it is do.ng this winter. Place more roots in heat to keep up 
a succession. 
Cover more Rhubarb and Seakale ; forcing will become easier daily, 
and those who have been holding back until the turn of the year may 
proceed at once. . We find a few early dishes of the things named give 
great satisfaction in the kitchen, and although roots might prove a little 
more remunerative further on in the season, the produce will not be so 
much valued then. Keep up a constant supply of Mustard and Cress by 
i every ten days or so. Sjw a large batch of Cooling’s Ne Plus 
ultra Kidney Bean. The seed will soon germinate in a temperature of 
oo , and the plants will bear heavily in March. In forcing these, as well 
as everything else, it is an advantage of the greatest importance to have 
he young plants in the full light and close to the glass. Where frost has 
been severe, Lettuce and Endive may have been injured, and the supply 
or salad in February and March may be curtailed, but where there is 
plenty of Chicory or Witlo if roots in the open they may be made lo form 
a good substitute if lifted in quantity, potted in groups, and placed in a 
dark corner where the temperature is from 60° to 70°. 
Bboad Beans.—A good sowing of these can now be made on a south 
border ; Eirly Longpod is a very desirable variety. A rather heavy soil 
suits them best. We do not find Broad Beans much valued in summer, 
but a few dishes very early are always relished, and it is to secure these 
we advise sowing now. 
Digging, trenching, and manure-wheeling should be pushed forward. 
•f s P aces in our garden are now turned up, and this in 
suitable weather we find facilitates operations considerably at sowing and 
planting time. Where there is a regular staff of kitchen garden hands 
work of this kind generally receives timely attention, but in smaller- 
stzed gardens it is apt to be neglected until the last, when there is a great 
rush to dig and sow on the one day; and although this practice may 
answer in the case of some crops it is by no means a good system. Seed 
ists are cow coming to hand daily; we always order early, with the 
object ot having all the seeds at hand when they are wanted, and evtry- 
t .or that is f or soason i s g 0 t j n a t the same time. Standard 
varieties should be depended on and dealt with for main supplies. 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Vines.— Early.forced Vines. —Early-started Vines as a rule look 
very promising, having made good progress considering the weather. 
J hose started gradually always produce more compact bunches and 
make better progress than when forced hard during the dark weather 
generally prevailing in December. Young canes that have been suspended 
over fermenting material should be tied to the wires as soon as the most 
backward buds have pushed freely from the rods. Disbudding must be 
gradually proceeded with, and young growths should be tied dowu before 
they touch the glass. Stopping is a matter of great importance. Some 
growers stop one, others to the third or fourth joint beyond the bunch, 
but Tv ^ ne ? break and grow evenly we consider it preferable to 
stop them to the third or fourth joint beyond the bunch provided there is 
space at command, and after this allow the laterals to extend until sufficient 
is obtained to cover every available part of the trellis with fully deve¬ 
loped foliage, when the strongest growths are again stopped to prevent 
overcrowding. As the bunches become promintntthe house maybe kept a 
tew degrees warmer, or 60’ at night, and 10° to 15° warmer by day from 
nre heat, or 70° to 75°, to 80°, with gleams of sunshine. Where ferment- 
tng materials are used on inside or outside borders attention must be paid 
to the temperature, which will not vary much where the border has been 
kept well covered with dry fern and shutters up to the time that a body of 
dry warm Oak leaves was substituted for the fern. 
Houses to Afford Ripe Grapes in June. —The house must now be 
closed and the inside border supplied with water at a temperature of 90°. 
syringe the rods twice a day with tepid water, taking care to wet every 
part of the buds and wood, allowing the night temperature to range from 
50° to 55° on mild nights, and 60° to 65° by day with sun ; but if the 
weather be cold and dull 55° by artificial means need only be maintained. 
As a means of saving fuel introduce a good heap of Oak leaves, to which 
one-third of short stable manure has been added ; turn it frequently, and 
make additions as the heat declines. 
Fruiting Vines in pots placed in or over fermenting materials may be 
kept warmer and drier as the bunches come into flower. Tie down and 
stop young growths, and afterwards allow them to grow until every part 
of the trellis is covered with foliage. Select thoroughly ripened wood 
for eyes, and insert in pots or sods at once ; if for growing into fruiting 
canes no time should be lost in getting them into heat. 
Late Grapes. —These must now be cut without delay, in order that 
the Vines may be pruned, cleansed, and allowed to rest. It will be 
advisable to dress the cuts with styptic, and when the Vines, glass, and 
walls have been properly cleansed the inside borders should be cleared of 
all exhausted mulching, and top-dressed with a thin layer of turf, loam, 
crushed bones, and rotten manure over all. The outside borders that 
have been covered all the winter may also be exposed to the influence of 
the weather, leaving a slight covering only of litter to keep out frost. 
Cucumbeks.—P lants must now be prepared for the early spring 
supply of fruit. All things considered, there is no variety equal t 
Rollisson’s Telegraph for every purpose. The seeds may be sown singly in 
3-inch pots, in a rich light mould, leaving room for top-dressing the 
plants when they require it, and plunge in a brisk bottom heat near the 
glass, and cover with a clean piece of glass, which must be removed as 
soon as the plants come up. Maintain a genial atmosphere with a night 
temperature of 65° to 70°, or 5° less in cold weather, running up to 80° or 
85° with sun, putting on air at 75° just a little, to insure a change o 
atmosphere, being careful to prevent a check by a sudden cooling or dry¬ 
ing of the atmosphere. Tying, thinning, stopping, and arranging the 
shoots must be attended to as occasion requires. 
Melons. —Plants from seed sown now will give ripe Melons by the 
end of April or beginning of May, contingent of course on everything 
going on satisfactorily, and the weather is favourable to tbeir growth. 
The seed should be sown singly in 3-ineh pots, in fine loam and leaf soil, 
leaving room in the pots for top-dressing when the plants require it, 
plunging them to the rims in a hotbed made of fermenting materials and 
covering them with a pane of glas=, which must be removed as soon as 
the plants appear through the soil. When they have made a couple of 
inches of growth they should be top-dressed, keeping them as near the 
glass as practicable without touching it, to prevent their becoming drawn. 
Should the frame be found full of steam when it is opened in the early 
part of the day, it will be advisable to provide ventilation at night to 
allow of its escaping, otherwise the plants will damp off. Where there is 
a Cucumber house or a fruiting Pine stove, the pots may be placed on a 
shelf near the glass with a piece of glass over them, and then danger 
from damp will be obviated. In the matter of varieties, Davenham 
Early, Scarlet Premier, Eastnor Castle, and High Cross Hybrid are 
excellent. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Soils .—Work in the various plant departments will soon be abundant, 
and every opportunity should be taken to place under cover the various 
soils needed, and to prepare them for use. Fibry loam being the staple 
soil, for the majority of plants, a good stock should be placed under cover 
without delay. Tbe heap of soil outside, if properly stacked at first and 
in a suitable moist condition, will be so at the present time, except, per¬ 
haps, a few inches of the outside, which may be rather wet. This, if well 
intermixed with the remainder, will be suitable by the time it is required 
for use. We frequently, however, keep this separate, and place it in the 
warmest and driest position in the shed, turning it once or twice before 
placing it with the main heap. It is a good plan to commence at one 
end of the stack, chopping it down from the top to the bottom, and by 
this means the turves are partially broken up, and in this condition they 
are placed under cover. This soil is then chopped as fine as required for 
potting purposes, on wet days or when other outdoor work cannot be done. 
After chopping we pass a good heap through a coarse sieve and remove 
all the soily particles, which is ready without further trouble for cuttings 
and other operations for which fine soil is required, the rough and fibry 
portions being placed in a heap for those plants that enjoy a loose open 
soil. It is surprising how rapidly the work of pottiDg proceeds when a 
good stock of soil is ready for warming at any time when required, or to 
be placed direct upon the bench. 
Peat .—This is much better outside, where heavy rains can be thrown 
off it until required for use, than in sheds and other positions where it 
will become dry. A good supply should now be wheeled in a shed and 
broken up at the first opportunity. We usually obtain two kinds of peat 
—the one for Orchids, and the other of a harder nature for hardwooded 
plants. The last is broken up with the hand, and all Fern and other 
similar roots removed, the fine being left with this heap as broken up. 
As the work proceeds any pieces of an inferior quality are placed on one 
side, both out of this kind and that used for Orchids, to be afterwards 
broken and used for Ferns. The Orchid peat is roughly broken, and the 
whole of the fine removed by passing it through a sieve. Peat fibre, from 
which all the soily particles have been removed, lasts in good condition 
double, the length of time that it does when broken into lumps and the 
fine used with the fibre. The fine removed from this peat is always very 
useful for mixing with other soils to fill small pots in which the 
cuttings of many stove plants are rooted. It is also very useful for 
seedling Ferns as well as maoy other plants. 
Leaf Mould— For plant-growiDg leaves in a half-decomposed state, 
that have never been heated by being thrown into a heap, are decidedly 
the best. The leaves we use are scattered over an enclosed space in a 
small wood, and are frequently turned over by fowls; the layer of leaves 
is only about 11 inches in thickness, and never becomes heated. This is 
passed through a half or three-quaiter-inch-mesh sieve in the yard, and all 
that does not pass through freely is left behind. A good quantity is 
placed under cover, and when mould in a finer state is required it is 
passed through a finer sieve when wanted for mixing with composts. 
Manure .—In additicn to the refuse of old Mushroom beds, which is 
principally used for Fuchsias, Caladiums, Begonias, and other similar 
plants, we rely entirely upon cow manure for all plants grown in pots. 
The manure to be used during the spring has been in a cool shed since 
the end of October, and stacked outside for some months previous. The 
supply for summer and autumn use is stacked outside, and will remain 
until room can be found for it under cover. Tbe manure now in the shtd 
is in capital condition, and before use is passed through a quarter-inch 
sieve. A good heap is sifted ready for use, but the majority was required. 
Those who have none under cover should get some in at once, or else it 
will not be in good condition for potting purposes. If very wet place it 
in baskets, or spread it thinly where it can be gently dried. Care must 
be taken that it does not become baked. When most of the moisture has 
been removed so that it will pass through a sieve, it should be placed in 
a heap in a cool shed and another lot dried. Bonemeal is very useful for 
potted plants, and the required quantity should be obtained ready. 
Wood Ashes .—This in the compost for many plants is very beneficial, 
and all piunings should be laid together until a fair heap has been col¬ 
lected and then burnt. The ashes should afterwards be passed through a 
fine sieve, so that all unburnt portions of wood can be removed. The 
ashes should then be placed under cover and kept dry. Where wood 
