540 
JOURNAL 
CF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ December 19, 1889. 
plants of E. odoratum which have supplied us with flowers annually 
during the last nine years, and they promise to go on as many more. 
After flowering is past the current year’s shoots are pruned to within 
one or two eyes of the older wood, the plants are then placed in a cool 
house for a time ; in the spring they are placed into a Peach house, 
the trees of which are not forced, but allowed to come on quietly. The 
syringing necessary for the Peach trees suits the Eupatoriums, inducing 
abundance of shoots to be made. When the shoots are 2 inches long 
the point of each is pinched out to induce additional growths. When 
all fear of frost is past the plants are stood out of doors in a sunny place, 
the pots plunged in ashes to lessen the supply of water required at the 
roots. When the shoots have grown 3 or 4 inches they are clipped with 
the hedge shears; afterwards they are allowed to grow away at will. 
The dwarf branching variety referred to by W. S.” I have always 
known as E. riparium ; it is the whitest of the three, but owing to its 
straggling habit is not so useful in a cut state, as the flower spikes are 
crooked, but as a pot plant it is capital. This has the darkest coloured 
foliage of all ; the stems, too, are dark red. 
There is yet another Eupatorium not mentioned by either of your 
correspondents. I allude to E. Candollei, which is often called a white 
Ageratum, owing to the flower heads being much like an Ageratum in 
formation. This flowers in March, is pure white, is more bushy in 
growth than any other sort, and is best raised from cuttings annually in 
April, pinched three or four times, and flowered in the greenhouse in 
•6-inch pots.—E. M. 
WORK/rai™ WEEK. O 
\m 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Figs. — Early Forced Trees in Pots. —Early Figs are best secured 
from trees in pots, as a slight warmth at the roots is highly beneficial ; 
but even this has its disadvantages, as when the heat at the roots is 70° 
or more during the early part of the forcing process the growth is too 
rapid ; therefore see that the heat at the base of the pots is not more than 
that until the leaves are unfolding, when the temperature may be 75°, 
or even 80° at the base of the pots. The temperature of the house 
should be increased gradually to 60° at night, 65° by day by artificial 
means in severe weather, 5° more in mild weather, 70° to 75° with sun 
(neat and moderate ventilation, closing at 75° ; but be careful not to 
bring on the growth too rapidly, especially in dull weather, as foliage 
produced under such conditions is not of stout texture, but thin, and 
liable to be scorched under bright sun. Water in a tepid state must be 
applied to the roots as required, and the trees and house must be 
syringed morning and afternoon, the latter early enough to have the 
foliage dry before nightfall, damping the house later in the day if the 
atmosphere has become dry. 
Vines. — Early Forced in Pots. —Attention must be given to the 
fermenting materials in the pits, and if the pots are placed on pillars 
frequent additions of material should be made as the heat declines. The 
heat about the pots must be kept between 70° and 75°. The temperature 
should have been gradually raised after the buds commenced swelling 
from 55°, so as to have it about 60° to 65° by the time they are coming 
into leaf, allowing an advance of 5° to 10° by day, carefully admitting a 
little air at 70°, and close early. Disbud as soon as the bunches can be 
•detected, reserving the most promising. Stop the shoots about two 
joints beyond the bunches. The latera’s or growths on the current 
year’s wood should be removed up to the bunches, and those beyond 
allowed to extend as the space permits without crowding, it being 
essential that the foliage retained have full exposure to light and air, 
and no more than that encouraged. Usually a couple or three joints of 
lateral extension are sufficient for fruiting Vines in pots, the crop 
preventing much further extension. Where fermenting materials are 
employed the necessity for the application of moisture will not be so 
great as where the heat is obtained solely from hot-water pipes. 
Evaporation troughs should be fi led with liquid manure or guano 
water, 1 lb. of guano to twenty gallons of water, which may be employed 
■for damping the floors, &c., after closing the house, or early in the 
afternoon. 
Early Forced House. — The buds of Vines started last month 
now show signs of swelling, and another good watering should be given 
the inside border at a temperature of 85° to 90°, and in the case of old 
Vines apply liquid manure freely. From the time the buds commence 
■swelling raise the temperature 2° or 3° in the course of a few 
days, not exceeding 60° to 65° by artificial means until the Vines have 
produced their leaves. In quick forcing and where the Vines are 
thoroughly established and have had a rest, growth may be induced by a 
brisk moist heat of 70° to 75°, continuing it until the eyes have fairly 
started growing, when the temperature should be allowed to fall to 
60° to 65° at nDht, with 5° to 10° rise in the daytime, it being important 
whilst the foliage is being made that a moderate temperature be 
employed, in order to secure short-jointed wood and stout well-developed 
foliage. Young Vines that have not been forced early will need to be 
•brought down to a horizontal position to ensure their breaking regularly. 
Some well-fermented short stable litter and leaves placed in ridges on 
the inside border will afford a genial moisture and warmth, and lessen 
the necessity for frequent syringing. See that the fermenting material 
on outside borders are not cooled by snow melting on them, and lose no 
opportunity of turning and adding fresh material as may be required. 
Cherry House.— To ensure a supply of ripe Cherries from the middle 
of April and onwards houses which are to be employed for that purpose 
must now be closed. Be sparing of fire heat at the commencement, not 
employing it unless absolutely necessary to maintain the temperature 
at from 35° to 40° at night, and 40° to 45° by day, ventilating when the 
temperature is about 50° to 55°. Close the house at 50°. Syringe the 
trees and available surfaces early on fine afternoons, so as to admit of 
the buds becoming dry before nightfall. The border will be sufficiently 
moist through the removal of the roof lights, if not it must have water 
to bring it into a thoroughly moist state. Trees in pots if at all dry 
will require repeated supplies of water to secure the thorough moisten¬ 
ing of the soil to the base of the pots. 
Strawberries in Pots. — Earliest Forced. —When the crowns 
commence swelling and the trusses appear the temperature may be 
advanced a few degrees by day. A temperature of 50° to 55° at night 
is sufficiently high for the present. Syringe the plants gently in early 
parts of fine afternoons, which will be highly advantageous, but avoid 
a close and very humid atmosphere. Keep a sharp look out for 
aphides, and if any appear fumigate the house on two or three con¬ 
secutive calm evenings, having the foliage dry, or at this time of year 
it may be practised in the evening and again the following morning. 
Successional Plants. —More plants may be placed in a house from 
which frost is excluded, the decayed leaves being removed, and the 
surface soil loosened and top-dressed with horse droppings rubbed 
through a sieve. Attend to the drainage, and if necessary renew it, 
and wash the pots. The plants may be introduced during the next 
three weeks to a house where forcing is carried on, as that of a Teach 
house, vinery, or Strawberry house, if such be available. Noble, La 
Grosse Sucrde, Vicomtesse Hericart de Thury, Sir Joseph Paxton, and 
President are suitable varieties. Plants for introducing later on will 
be quite safe in their quarters out of doors plunged in ashes to the 
rim, and a light covering may be given of dry fern or litter in 
severe weather, removing it in mild weather. 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Forcing. —This should now be general, and as there are indications 
of the winter being severe, deficiencies that may occur in open air 
supplies must be met by forced produce. 
Chicory. —One of the most useful of all winter salad plants for 
forcing. It is easily managed, and the tender heads it throws up when 
forced are very valuable. The roots are not unlike white Carrots. The 
top growths die almost away in November, and if the roots are dug up 
in December, potted in groups of six, eight, or ten into 9-inch or 
10-inch pots, and plunged or placed in a gentle heat in a partially dark 
place, fine heads of crisp cream-coloured leaves will be produced in a 
fortnight or so. A warm Mushroom house is a good place to force it in, 
or if they are placed in a Cucumber pit, and a pot of the same size as 
that containing the roots is placed upside down over the full ones, the 
produce will be well blanched. A large number of pots may be filled at 
once, but if introduced to heat eight or a dozen at a time, a constant 
succession may be kept up. 
Rhubarb. —This may now be forced in the ground where it grows. 
Some old casks with the bottom removed answer well for protectors. 
Turn one of these upside down over each crown, bore a hole in the 
upper end, and surround the cask with a firm bed of fermenting 
material. If the casks are about 3 feet high make the bed up to the 
level. Old cases may be used in the same way, only if not more than 
2 feet deep the sticks when they push up may be injured by coming in 
contact with the top. It is still up-hill work to force Seakale in this 
way, and until the turn of the year the roots should be dug up and 
forced as previously directed. The five-year-old Asparagus roots we are 
forcing are proving very remunerative, and a succession should be 
maintained by putting from twenty to fifty roots in to force every 
fortnight, or as demand suggests. 
Kidney Beans. —Our present plants of these are not very fruitful, 
as December is one of the worst months in the year, but the time 
is not far distant when they will give better returns, and as it takes 
them from nine to ten weeks to get into pod, seed should now be 
sown for late January and February fruiting plants. These cannot 
be grown carelessly at the present time, and the only sure way of 
their succeeding is to sow the seed in 3-inch pots and place them 
near the glass in a temperature of 65°. Six, eight, or not more than 
ten seeds may be placed into each pot, using rather strong and rich, 
but well drained, soil. When the plants are about 6 inches high each 
potful can be transferred to a 6-inch or 7-inch pot, and from five 
dozen, or thereabouts, many dishes of Beans will be gathered. 
Mint and Tarragon. —Where those are valued green at mid' 
winter a quantity of roots of both may be lifted, potted, and plunged 
in a bottom heat of 80°. We also place them into cutting boxes, put 
a little light soil over and under them, and force them in that way, 
but they do not become ready so soon in the boxes as in the pots. 
Examine young Cauliflower plants, remove all decayed leaves, and if 
they are inclined to damp off sprinkle a little sand between them. 
Cut and store Broccoli as fast as they form, as they will not bear 
\ the slightest frost. Protect tender vegetables of all kinds from frost. 
