J innary 17,1889. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
53 
the day with sun heat at 80° to 85°, with air more or less from betvveen 
70° and 75°, according to the state of the weather. Disbud as soon as 
the best “ shows ” can be selected, and leave only one shoot to each 
spur, though where the Vines are weak and the spurs a good distance 
apart two shoots may be allowed, especially where the space is not 
sufficient to allow a good extension. The extra foliage, always provided 
it can be properly exposed to light, will do much to encourage root 
action and secure well-swelled berries. 
Late Vines. —Late Grapes of the thick-skinned varieties well ripened 
may be cut with as much wood as can be spared. Do not remove the 
wood above the bunch, but retain it as far as practicable, as we find the 
Grapes keep more plump with wood beyond the bunch than without. 
The lower end should be placed in bottles of water (soft and clear) 
about three parts full, placing a piece of charcoal in each bottle. The 
bottles will require to be placed in a standing position, which needs no 
expensive contrivance, but simply a rest for the bottles and a strong 
lath, to which they may be secured with string in a leaning position. 
It is necessary that the bunches do not touch each other. Remove all 
decayed berries, securing as nearly as possible an equable temperature 
of 45°. 
Pruning. —Let all Vines from which the Grapes have been cut be 
pruned without delay. In performing that operation some are careful 
only to cut to a plump bud, from an idea that the largest eyes afford 
the largest bunches ; but, except in the case of weakly or very luxuriant 
Vines, the practice is not desirable, as from eyes nearer the base the 
bunches will be large enough for table purposes, and will be more 
symmetrical and compact in form, and having larger and more even 
berries, attaining to a more perfect finish than large loose bunches, 
which, as a rule, are uneven in berry and finish badly. 
We consider it a safe rule to retain two eyes in pruning, but if from 
overcropping or other cause the Vines do not give sufficiently large 
bunches, or in the case of strong Vines the base buds are small and 
pointed, and when a departure is made from it in quest of large 
bunches, select a plump eye as near to the main rod as possible. In 
course of time the spurs by this plan become unsightly, but that can be 
prevented by laying in young wood and cutting away that which has 
fruited, or fresh rods can be run up for displacing those with very 
long spurs. The cuts, as soon as the pruning is finished, should be 
dressed with styptic or knotting to prevent bleeding. 
Pressing the Vines. —Remove the loose bark and wash the Vine 
rods with soapy water, 4 ozs. softsoap to a gallon of water, and unless 
there has been an attack of red spider or other insect pests, this is all 
the dressing required, but if those and other pests have infested the 
Vines dress them with a compound formed of 6 ozs. softsoap, half a 
gallon of water, half a gallon of tobacco juice, a quarter of a pint spirits 
of turpentine, and as much flowers of sulphur as will make a creamy 
mixture, applying it with a brush, and rubbing it into every angle. This 
is fatal to every kind of insect—red spider, thrips, scale, or mealy bug, 
and subdues mildew. The border should have the mulching and loose 
surface soil removed to a depth of 2 or 3 inches, and a top-dressing 
given of good loam with a liberal addition—about a twentieth—of 
crushed bones, and a similar proportion of wood ashes. If the Vines have 
a tendency to softening of wood apply a dressing of quicklime, a 
bushel per rod (30J square yards), and point it in lightly with a fork, 
being careful of the roots. The house should be thoroughly cleansed 
and painted if necessary, Keep it as cool as possible, so as to insure a 
few weeks’ complete rest. 
Lifting Vines. —If the borders are not satisfactory no time need be 
lost in lifting the roots and relaying them in fresh compost, making 
sure that the drainage is complete, for the Vine requires abundance of 
water during growth, and without thorough drainage the water causes 
a state of the soil more disastrous than drought. If the Vines are 
planted inside, and have the range of inside and outside borders, the 
renovation may be effected without loss of crop, remaking the inside 
border one year, and the outside one the year following. 
Pines. —The plants which completed their growth early last autumn! 
and have been treated so as to fruit early in the year, will now be doing 
so; if not, they must have extra care and attention, which will be fully 
repaid by the fruit ripening at a time when it is most valuable. 
Take every advantage, therefore, of favourable weather to afford in¬ 
creased heat during the day. Allow the temperature to rise to 80° before 
giving air, and then allow it to further rise to 85° or 90°, closing at 85°, 
the night temperature being raised to 70°, 75° by day by artificial means, 
unless the "weather be dull and cold, when 5° less will be more suitable. 
Corresponding moisture will need to be maintained, not seeking it, 
however, by syringing overhead or over the pipes when hot, but by 
damping unheated surfaces two or three times. The heat should be kept 
steady at the roots at 85° to 90° for Queens, other varieties 5° less. Ex¬ 
amine the plants once a week, watering such as require it with weak 
liquid manure liberally at the same temperature as the roots. 
Fruiting Plants. —These should have a night temperature of 60° to 
65°; 65° by day in dull weather, 70° to 80° by day with sun, venti¬ 
lating a little at 75°, and closing so as to enclose a little sun heat, at 
which time sprinkle paths, walks, and other available cool surfaces. 
Succession Plants. —Keep these slowly advancing in a night tem¬ 
perature of 55° to 60°, 60° to 65° by day, with an advance from sun heat 
of 5° to 10°, and moderate ventilation, it being safer to err on the side 
of moderate dryness with these plants for the present rather than afford 
too much moisture at the roots or in the atmosphere. 
Figs. — Early-forced Trees in Pots. —The trees started in November 
to afford ripe fruit in late April or early May will be forming fresh 
roots plentifully, the bottom heat being kept steady at 70° to 75°. 
Bring up the fermenting material to the rim of the pots if not already 
done!; and instead of allowing the roots to come over the rim of the pots 
to ramble at will unchecked in the fermenting materials, place pieces 
of turf, as before advised, round the rims of the pots, and extending 
over or down the sides into the fermenting material, with a view of 
keeping the roots near home and to induce a sturdier growth, as when 
the roots ramble through the leaves in the early stages of growth the 
shoots partake more or less of the character of the roots ; besides, with 
the roots near home the top-dressings are more readily available as food 
for the trees. Maintain a good moisture in the atmosphere by syringing 
twice a day and damping as may be required in bright weather, taking 
advantage of every gleam of sunshine for raising the temperature from 
sun heat to 80°, admitting a little air at 70°, increasing it with the 
temperature, closing at 75°, and so as to raise the temperature from sun 
heat to 80°. See that there is no lack of water at the roots. The 
drainage being good there is little dread from giving too much water, 
many crops being lost through keeping the trees too dry. The temperature 
in dull weather by day should be kept at 65°, 60° at night when the 
external air is cold, but 5° higher when the weather is mild. Disbudding 
will need to be attended to as growth advances, and gross shoots stopped 
at about the fifth or sixth joint, but the finest Figs are borne upon 
extensions. 
Early-forced Planted-out Trees .—The trees in the house started early 
in the month and planted in inside borders will, if the borders have had 
repeated waterings at a temperature of 85° so as to bring them into a 
thoroughly moist condition, be starting into growth, and may have the 
night temperature increased to 50°, 60° to 65° by day from fire heat, 
with an advance from sun heat to 70° or 75°. Syringe twice a day as 
before advised, and see that the borders are properly moistened. The 
afternoon syringing should always be done so early as to allow the 
trees to become fairly dry before night. If the trees are weak a thorough 
soaking with liquid manure, not too strong, at a temperature of 85° to 
90° will assist the growth. 
Cherry House.— Beyond the necessary attention in watering trees in 
pots and syringing the house, with attention to ventilation, there will 
be little needed at present, the temperature being kept at 40° at night, 
45° to 50° by day by artificial means, ventilating at 50°, and allowing a 
rise of 10° to 15° from sun heat with full ventilation, closing at 50°. 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Vegetable Seeds for 1889.—We do not intend giving a list of 
the best vegetables to grow in 1889, as this is generally done by various 
growers, but as some seeds will now be required almost weekly, the 
lists should be made out and the orders sent off as soon as possible. 
Good seedsmen know as well as anybody which are the best sorts. They 
generally give them prominence in their lists, and no one can be far 
wrong by selecting these for their crops, but we have no faith in very 
cheap seeds, and would rather give a reasonable price for genuine seeds 
than trust to those of a doubtful character. There is no economy in 
sowing inferior seeds. It is also an advantage to order them all together. 
To send for a quart of Peas to-day, an ounce of Radish to-morrow, and a 
pint of Beans next week, puts the buyer to unnecessary expense and 
the seedsmen to much trouble. The bulk may be procured from one 
seedsman, and specialties and novelties from two or three, but the 
general crops may, as a rule, be had home in one package. We have 
almost given up trusting to sorts of excessive magnitude for main crops, 
and prefer good standard varieties for this work. We hear some of the 
seeds harvested in the inferior season of 1888 are below the average in 
quality, and as the seedsmen are well acquainted with these it would 
be a great help to their customers if they would indicate all such by 
stamping the packets with the words “ Sow thick.” 
Snow’s Broccoli and Brussels Sprouts.— The first named is 
turning in freely at present, and we note it now as being one of the 
best for a supply at this season. Brussels Sprouts we have had larger, 
but never better than now. Our main variety is the Dalkeith. It is 
medium in height with buttons of the same character, and they remain 
whole and good after boiling. Dead leaves are now plentiful on the 
plants, and if these are allowed to remain they may cause the sprouts to 
decay, but this may be prevented by removing all decayed leaves and 
allowing the sprouts to be exposed to the air. 
Manuring. —The time is fast approaching when manure will be 
required, and as it is important that it should be at hand when wanted, 
take advantage of frosty weather to wheel it on to the quarters where 
the ground is still under crop. A small piece may be cleared for the 
manure. It is a practice with many to put the manure heap in some 
out-of-the-way place, and let it remain there until it is wanted ; but we 
do not approve of this plan, as its properties are washed out and lost, 
whereas when the heaps are put down on the soil, all that is washed out 
goes to fertilise the soil, and we have seen many extra luxuriant crops 
on spots where the manure heap rested. Where manure is very moist, 
such as that from the cow shed, it may be mixed with a little soil or 
wood ashes. 
Asparagus Beds. —We fear many Asparagus plants are not in a 
good way, as the majority of the roots we have been lifting for forcing 
of late have had several young heads. The mild weather in November 
and December caused them to grow prematurely, and should very severe 
weather occur maDy may be much injured. Those which were surface- 
dressed in the autumn may not be reached by the frost, but beds still 
uncovered run a great risk, and the sooner they are mulched the better. 
Any kind of manure or seaweed will do for this, but in the case of old 
beds where the soil is somewhat exhausted, the manure must be rich. If 
