452 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDEDER. 
[ Jane 3, 1888. 
the desired effect, especially if air is given at night to prevent the conden¬ 
sation of moisture. 
Late Houses. —The Grapes in these will now have flowered, or late 
varieties may still be in flower, in which case artificial impregnation 
must be resorted to, operating with Black Hamburgh pollen. Tne late 
Hamburghs being now in flower will be eligible for this purpose. Allow 
the laterals to extend until the available space is fairly covered with 
foliage. Avoid overcrowding, especially of the principal leaves. Syringe 
after flowering to cleanse the bunches of the remains of the flowers, and 
set about thinning as soon as the berries are fairly swelling. Select 
tapering and medium-sized bunches, and thin well out, leaving the large- 
berried sorts about an inch apart, and others according to the sizes they 
are likely to ultimately attain, which must be left, to the judgment of 
the grower. Late Grapes, however, should be thinned more severelv than 
midseason varieties in order to admit of air having free access to the 
interior of the bunches, and the readier removal of decaved berries. 
Allow a good rise with sun heat after closing, closing at 80° to 85°, and 
rising to 90° or 95°. Ventilate early, or between 70° and 75°, and in¬ 
crease with the advancing sun beat. Leave a little ventilation at the top 
of the house at night to prevent excessive condensation. Syringe avail¬ 
able surfaces in the morning, and again at closing time. An occasional 
sprinkling with liquid manure will do much to keep down red spider, and 
will contribute much to the health of the Vines. Surface dress inside 
borders with fresh horse droppings, little and often, as too much ammonia 
ia calculated to injure the foliage. Give inside borders a thorough 
soaking with tepid water or liquid manure as may be considered necessary 
on account of the crops and vigour of the Vines. Outside borders may 
have a thin covering of open manure, but water will hardly be necessary, 
except where no rain has fallen. 
Cucumbers, —Plants in houses that have been in bearing since tie 
beginning of the year may be cleared out, and the house cleansed pre¬ 
paratory to planting with Melons for a late crop. If, however, the 
Cucumbers are still insufficiently supplied from pits or frames, and 
the Cucumbers being fairly healthy, they may be kept in finding some 
time longer by removing the surface soil with a small fork, and replacing 
with some lumpy loam, afterwards surfacing with decayed manure, giving 
a good soaking of tepid water, and afterwards following with liquid 
manure. Thin out the old growths, and encourage young in their place. 
Shade from powerful sun, syringe both ways in the morning and early 
afternoon, and damp well down before nightfall. Admit a little air at 
75°, increasing with the advancing sun, keeping at 85° through the day 
with sun, and close early so as to run up to 90° or 95°. Fire heat need 
only be employed to prevent the night temperature falling below 60° to 
65°, and to insure 70° to 75° in the daytime. Plants in pits and frames 
should be ventilated from 7.30 to 8 A.M., and in the hottest part of the day 
a slight shade from fierce sun will be beneficial, and keeping through the 
day at 85° to 90°, close at 85°, increasing 5° to 10° with sun heat. Keep 
them watered as required, about twice a week will be necessary in bright 
weather, and damp overhead on fine afternoons. Avoid overcrowding the 
foliage, thinning well, keeping up a succession of bearing wood, removing 
bad leaves, stopping one or two joints beyoDd the show of fruit, and avoid 
overcropping. If straight fruits are wanted place them in glasses or 
pieces of deal nailed together so as to form open-ended troughs about 
3 inches wide. 
Melons. —Plants in flower should have a little air constantly, a free 
circulation on fine days, fertilising the blossoms as they become fully 
expanded; and when a sufficient number of about equal size are set 
upon a plant remove all the others and all flowers, three or four fruits 
being as many as a healthy plant can bring to a good size, overcropping 
being fatal to quality and very often of the fruit not arriving at maturity, 
but of ripening prematurely. Plants swelling their fruits should have 
liberal supplies of tepid liquid manure and additions made to the ridges 
or hillocks of fresh soil as the roots protrude, and it should be warm. 
Young plants in pits and frames with the shoots trained over the surface 
of the beds should be thinned out to four, two being taken to the front 
and the other to the back, keeping the laterals rubbed off to quite 6 inches 
from the stem, and pinching the main shoots when 12 to 15 inches from 
the sides of the pits or frames. The laterals will show fruit at the first or 
second joint, and the flowers being fully expanded impregnate them about 
noon on a fine day, leaving a little air on constantly to prevent the con¬ 
densation of moisture on the flowers, a moist close atmosphere being fatal 
to a good set. _ Pinch out the point of the shoot one joint above the fruit 
at the time of impregnation, and after three or fruits are set and swelling 
on a plant remove all other fruit and blossoms. Keep the laterals closely 
pinched, and thin them if likely to crowd the principal foliage. Afford 
weak liquid manure, but keep it from the foliage, and sprinkle the plants 
in the afternoon of fine days, closing about 3.30 to 4 P.M., or so early as 
to rise to 90° or 95°, and ventilate early in the day, or from 7.30 to 
8 A.M., keeping through the day at 80° to 85° or 90°, and reduce the 
ventilation gradually. Keep a sharp look-out for aphides, and fumigate 
on two or three consecutive evenings moderately—an overdose doing great 
injury. Shade the following days slightly if the weather be bright, and 
always have the foliage dry when fumigating. If canker appear rub 
quick'ime into the affected parts until they are dry, and repeat as occasion 
requires, being careful to keep water away from the collar. Red spider 
will not appear if the plants are kept properly moist. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Justicia calytricha. —This is perhaps better known in gardens as 
Justicia flavicoma, and is undoubtedly the best and mo 3 t useful yellow¬ 
flowering plant in cultivation for purposes of decoration during the winter 
and spring. If pushed forward in autumn in a temperature of 60° it cals' 
be had in bloom early in January, and will continue flowering until May 
in any structure where the temperature do s not fall below 45°. The 
plants should not be thrown away after the first flowers fade, for they 
quickly come into flower again, and are more beautiful than is the case at 
first. This year only have we discovered that th r y flower even a third" 
time, and plants that did duty in January were again in full bloom through 
April and May, and had much larger trusses than the first or second lime. 
Those who have not the temperature named may grow it successfully if 
they can give it a night temperature of 45° to 50° during the winter.. 
Plants for decoration in 5 and 6-inch pots should be raised from cuttings- 
annually. These are quickly produced if a few plants are pushed forward 
in brisk heat after flowering. The cuttings formed of young growths- 
stiike freely in sandy soil, either singly in small pots, or a number may 
be placed together, well watered, and then covered with a bellglass, 
handlight, or be placed in the propagating frame. If inserted together 
they must be potted singly directly they are rooted. As soon as they are 
established in 3-inch pots the points of the plants may be removed to 
induce them to branch. The plants are not pinched more than twice, and 
are placed in their largest pots as scon as a good number of roots has been 
made. When well established they may be grown in cold frames through- 
the summer months, closing the frame early in the afternoon. By the 
middle of September the plants will be dwarf and sturdy, not more than 
1 foot high, and should be given a light position in some structure where- 
the temperature named can be maintained. These plants do well in a 
compost of fibry loam three parts, the other part being composed of leaf 
mould and manure, about one-seventh of the latter with the addition of a 
jiberal quantity of sand. 
Toxicoplilcea gpectdbilis. —This deserves to be more generally grown for 
flowering at this season of the year than is the case. It is said to require 
cool stove treatment, but such is not the case, for it can be grown well in 
a warm greenhouse or where the temperature in winter does not fall below 
40°. While making its growth it is benefited by a close moist atmosphere - r 
such treatment as generally given to Azaleas will suit it admirably in this 
respect. It will do well in the conservatory where flowering plants are 
kept during the winter, for such structures are generally a little warmer 
than the greenhouse. When well grown it will make shoots each season 
about 18 inches in length, from which it produces terminal trusses of 
small white highly fragrant flowers, and smaller trusses from the axils of 
the leaves for a foot or more down the growth made. The plant is of 
upright growth, and it does not branch freely without due attention is 
paid to pinching the shoots of young plants When the plant has attained 
a fair size the shoots can be tied out to form a bush, or it can be well cut 
back after flowering—that is, when it has attained a sufficiently large size. 
It is propagated by cuttings and layers when the wood is in a half- 
ripened state, but being of a woody nature striking cuttings is rather 
tedious, and it is better to purchase the plants required. It does well in a 
mixture of peat, loam, and sand, the two first in equal proportions. 
Rogiera gratissima. —This beautiful and useful plant should be planted 
out in every warm greenhouse or conservatory, for it will produce in thi» 
position abundance of delicate pink flowers, which are very fragrant 
during the summer and winter. The flowers are very useful in a cut state 
either for vases or bouquets, and this plant yields its flowers over a period 
of several months, for when one crop is cut the plant breaks into fresh 
growth and flowers again. Cuttings of the young shoots strike freely in- 
sandy soil if covered with a bellglass and plunged in gentle bottom heat 
and shaded from the sun until they are rooted. It flowers freely in a 
small state, but these should be removed as they appear, to induce the 
plant to make growth and become bushy. It should be grown in an 
intermediate temperature until it attains so-i.e size and strength, when it is 
better planted out, and yields more flowers than when kept under pot 
culture. Care must be taken while growing it on not to allow it to suffer 
by insufficient root room. A liberal supply of water is also needed while 
in active growth ; in fact, the soil should never be allowed to become dry 
at its roots ; a suitable compost being loam, peat, and leaf mould in equal 
proportions, wi<h sand added. 
Rhg nchospermum jasminoides. —Although this old and useful plant 
grows well under greenhouse treatment, it nevertheless makes much- 
greater progress when assisted by gentle heat to make its growth. Plants- 
that have done flowering may be repotted if they need more root room; a 
small shift only should be given, and the pot used should be liberally 
drained. The soil, which may consist of peat and sand, or loam, sand,, 
and about one-seventh of manure, if the latter a little charcoal may be 
added. While growing a liberal supply of water should be given both at 
the roots and over the foliage. Young plants in heat make growths many 
feet in length in a seas >n, which is desirable if they are to be grown into- 
a specimen size as quickly as possible ; under cool treatment these growths- 
are not so freely produced. A little shade is beneficial while the growth 
is being made, then full sun-dune should be given to ripen and harden the 
wood, the plants rested in a cool house and carefully watere 1 at their, 
roots. 
Grevillea robusta. —Any plants that have become too large for ordinary- 
decoration in 5 and 6-inch pots should not be thrown out, but planted to- 
afford greenery for cutting for associating with flowers. The Fern-like 
leaves of this plant are most serviceable for this purpose, as they last well 
in a cut state even after they have been packed and have travelled a long 
distance. A suitable place for them is against a wall it the back of the 
greenhouse, Peach houses, or am ngst large plants in the conservatory. 
If possible they should be planted out in a cool structure, for the leaves 
are more lasting than when cut from a close moist house. 
