November 7, 1889. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
409 
twelve new varieties, Messrs. Agate, Peafold, and Fuller; for twelve 
Pompon3, Messrs. Roberts, Agate, and Moseley. 
In the amateur classes Mr. J. Horril, master of Havant Union, Mr. 
R. Sainthill, and Mr. H. M. Green, all showed with much credit in 
several classes. There was also a class for hand bouquets, but the ex¬ 
hibits were wanting in taste and badly arranged.—D. 
allowed more—four to six, according to their vigour, yet with the wood 
stout and short jointed the close pruning will afford the best results, as 
what is gained in size of bunch is lost in size of berry, compactness of 
bunch, and good finish. A useful bunch of well coloured thoroughly 
ripened Grapes is always appreciated. Dress the Vines, cleanse the 
house, having all in good order ready for a start at the proper time. 
O WORK fouthe WEEK.. 
' IPT 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Figs. — Early Forced Trees in Pots. —If these have been placed in 
the open air they should be taken under cover to protect them from the 
cold autumn rains. It is presumed that the trees have been top-dressed 
and repotted, or had the drainage rectified, as advised in a former 
calendar. The trees should be placed in a rather dry well-ventilated 
house. Any thinning or shortening crowded attenuated growths must 
be attended to, and the trees dressed with an insecticide ; 8 ozs. of soft- 
soap to a gallon of water may be used for washing the trees, using a 
somewhat stiff brush, especially if scale has been present, following 
with the same to which sulphur has been added to bring it to the con¬ 
sistency of cream, being careful not to damage the points of the shoots 
and the embryo fruit. A dish of forced Figs early in the season is now 
considered a daily necessity in large establishments, and it is not by any 
means difficult to obtain, but a well-ventilated house is necessary, with 
the command of plenty of heat, having pits containing fermenting 
materials to afford bottom heat to stimulate the roots. The Figs in pots 
require abundance of liquid manure when growing, the trees being 
most prolific under limited root space. One of the great advantages of 
Fig culture in pots is the number of varieties that may be grown in a 
house of moderate dimensions, which, if forced early, come in at a time 
when the dessert is not too varied. Brown Turkey is unquestionably 
the best Fig for general purposes, and the best white is White Mar¬ 
seilles. The following are also well suited for forcing and pot culture : 
Osborne’s Prolific, Early Violet, Black Ischia, Brown Ischia, Violette de 
Bordeaux, Negro Largo, Angeiique, White Ischia, Col di Signora Bianco, 
and Royal Vineyard. 
Early Forced Planted Out Trees. —These should now be untied from 
the trellis and pruned. Those with the roots restricted to small borders 
will require the shoots thinned where too crowded, but those not having 
the roots restricted will need a hard pruning at the upper part of the 
trellis, cutting back those shoots that have reached the limit where 
the succeeding shoots are to start. Remove any elongated spurs, re¬ 
serving such as are short jointed and fruitful. The house should then 
be thoroughly cleansed, washing the woodwork with scalding water, and 
the walls afterwards with quicklime and sulphur. Wash the trees with 
soapy water, and afterwards dress with an insecticide. Then secure the 
trees to the trellis, allowing room for the growth of the branches, fork¬ 
ing the surface of the border slightly, removing the loose material, and 
apply a top-dressing of short partially decayed manure, about 3 inches 
thick, giving a good watering. Ventilate freely at all times, except 
when frost prevails. 
Succession Houses. —Prune and cleanse the trees without delay, 
especially where insects are present. Complete any root-pruning and 
lifting, remembering that Figs with the roots restricted or confined to 
limited areas are more manageable and fruitful than with an unlimited 
root area. Any unfruitful trees should be rather severely root-pruned, 
and the roots restricted to moderate-sized borders, depending more upon 
active feeders near the surface encouraged by mulching than a large 
extension of roots. 
Vines. — Early Forced. —Those Vines for affording ripe Grapes in 
April must now be started, whether in pots or planted out. Bottom 
heat in neither case is indispensable, though in all forcing operations it 
hastens growth considerably ; therefore place fermenting materials in 
the pit, in which case those in pots are stood on pedestals of loose bricks, 
being careful not to allow the heat about the pots to exceed 70° to 75°. 
Suspend the canes in a horizontal position over the fermenting material 
to insure a regular break. Syringe three times a day, keeping every 
part of the house moist by sprinkling in bright weather. Vines started 
at this season require a higher temperature to excite the buds than 
those started later. A temperature of 50° to 55° at night and 60° to 65° 
by day will not be too much to start with. Those planted out should 
have the border inside thoroughly soaked with water or liquid manure, 
preferably at 90°. The border or floor of the house should, if convenient, 
be covered 2 feet deep with leaves and stable litter in a state of fer¬ 
mentation, occasionally turning the material, as the ammonia given out 
along with the moisture is very beneficial. The outside borders must 
be covered, if fermenting materials are not obtainable, with a good 
thickness of leaves, with tarpaulin, shutters, or lights to throw off rain 
or snow. 
Houses for Starting in December. —Complete the pruning, as it pro¬ 
motes rest. Two buds are ample for affording useful bunches, but 
Vines that do not afford bunches as large or so freely as desired should be 
Cucumbers. —Allow a night temperature of 70° in mild weather, 
5° or 10° less in severe weather, and maintain a temperature of 70° to 
75° by day artificially, advancing to 80° and 85° with sun heat. Admit 
a little air at the top of the house whenever the weather is favourable, 
but it must be done without lowering the temperature, as it is better to 
shut off the top heat for an hour or two when the sun is powerful than 
to admit air when the winds are sharp and cold. Moderate ventilation, 
is, however, beneficial in carrying off steam or accumulated moisture-. 
The syringe may be laid aside except for damping the paths and walls 
in the morning and afternoon in warm bright weather, keeping the 
evaporation troughs filled with liquid manure. The water or liquid 
manure given to the roots must be of the same temperature as the house, 
as also must the soil that is added to the beds. 
The autumn fruiters being now in full bearing must not be over¬ 
cropped, therefore remove the fruit as soon as it attains a fair size, and 
all deformed fruits when seen. Examine the plants at least once a. 
week for the removal of bad leaves, stopping or cutting away superfluous 
growths. 
Let the winter fruiters advance well up the trellis before stopping 
them, training the side growths evenly, and not more closely than to 
allow of the foliage being exposed to light. Stop at a few joints of 
growth, or one or two joints beyond the show of fruit. Allow few or 
no male blossoms or tendrils, removing them as fast as they appear, and 
add fresh warmed soil as often as the roots have fairly covered the 
surface of the bed. 
WEAK STOCKS AND HOW TO TREAT THEM. 
There are at the present time not a few bee-keepers who, either 
owing to inexperience or want of care, have stock hives which, even 
if they survive the winter, will, unless extra precautions are taken 
to assist them, fail to give satisfaction to their owners. In order to 
secure early swarms—and early swarms mean increased profit—all 
stocks in autumn should be made strong in bees and well supplied 
with food, so that however inclement the spring may be there will, 
be no risk of starvation. This is very necessary, for it is welli 
known amongst bee-keepers of experience that bees are provident 
insects, and unless they see stores in sufficiency within their reach, 
will decline to add to the number of consumers by rearing brood.. 
Some time ago I gave my reasons for condemning the spreading of, 
brood, so strongly advocated by some bee-keepers who have found, 
it answer. In my experience nothing is necessary to ensure early 
swarms but a proper judicious autumn preparation. It is, however 
now too late for those who have not already done so to remedy the 
evil which must follow from their negligence if means are not taken, 
as far as possible to alleviate the mischief. I am thinking more 
particularly of stocks which have store sufficient to last until the end' 
of February or the beginning of March. In passing it may be. 
well to remark that if doubt exists as to there being a sufficiency, 
of food to last until that time candy should be supplied at once,, 
and a fresh supply given as soon as the first is consumed. 
With respect to stocks which are rather weak in bees but have 
honey enough to last till March, it appears to me that it is wiser and, 
better to act in a somewhat different manner. Suppose, then, we 
have a stock in March whose food supply is deficient, 5 or 6 lbs. of 
good beet sugar syrup should at once be given as rapidly as the bees 
will take it. If then the weathe r is not very cold give a few ounces 
of syrup every day until the season is so far advanced that natural 
supplies take the place of artificial. It has never seemed to be 
necessary to use any of the clever inventions so freely recommended, 
for limiting the supply of syrup or allowing the bees to take only, 
very little at once. For this purpose no feeder is, as far as I can see f 
in any way superior to a cover or bottle of small size filled or 
partially so each day, covered with net or muslin, and inserted on a, 
piece of perforated zinc placed permanently on the top of the hive- 
This bottle filled each day is quite a sufficient stimulant for any; 
