204 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ March 7, 1887. 
In the case of late Black Hamburghs, the Vines may be kept cool and 
not started until nest month. In the case of inside borders, they can be 
brought into a thoroughly moist state by the application of water at a 
temperature of about 80°. It will in some degree stimulate the roots 
and compensate for the lack of fermenting materials, which can do little 
good after this. The atmosphere may be kept moist by damping every 
available surface two or three times a day, 50° being a sufficiently high 
night temperature, and 65° by day with sun. 
Fruiting Vines in Pots. —These must not sustain any check through 
dryness at the roots or want of food, affording liquid manure copiously, 
surfacing the pots with rich material, and if the roots extend beyond 
the pots feed them there as well as in the pots. 
Vine Eyes. —Those inserted as before advised will now be rooted, and 
■should, as soon as the roots reach the sides of the pots, be shifted into 
fi-inch pots, placing them on shelves over the hot-water pipes in prefer¬ 
ence to plunging them in bottom heat. Syringe well amongst them, 
and pinch the laterals at the first leaf, unless they are intended to be 
planted out this season, when the laterals should be left entire. 
Cut-backs. —Vines cut back for fruiting in pots next season will now 
be fit for shaking out, repotting or shifting into 12-inch pots. If these, 
■or the eyes previously referred to, have been plunged in bottom heat, 
they should be returned to it for a time—75° to 80°—but otherwise 
bottom heat is not necessary. Keep them close and moderately moist 
until they are established. Train the canes near the glass, as they 
cannot have too much light, it being important that the growth be 
solidified as it is made. Turfy loam rather rough with a fifteenth part 
of crushed bones form a suitable compost for Vines in pots. Clean pots 
and efficient drainage of clean crocks should always be employed in 
Vine culture. 
Peaches and Nectarines.— Earliest Forced House. —With the 
fruit stoning, or advanced thereto, keep the temperature as equable as 
possible. Too high a night temperature is not favourable to the fruit, 
and cold draughts in the daytime are even more pernicious. The tem¬ 
perature should be continued at 60° to 65° at night, and 70° to 75° 
during the day. Thinning the fruit must be seen to betimes, it not being 
advisable to leave during the stoning period more fruit by half than 
will be required for the crop. One fruit to a square foot of trellis 
covered by the trees is ample. Nectarines are often left much closer, 
which proportionately lessens their size, whereas to secure fine fruit they 
require the same space as Peaches. See that all shoots are tied to the 
wires as they progress, stopping any, not being extensions, when 
they have made 12 to 15 inches of growth. If the pinching results in 
laterals stop them at the first leaf. Shoots that are not likely to become 
unduly long should not be pinched. Shoots retained to attract the sap 
to the fruit should be stopped to one leaf, they having previously had 
the first growth at the second or third leaf. Avoid overcrowding ; 
syringe morning and afternoon to keep red spider under, but if the pest 
obtains a footing, dislodge it by syringing with some approved insecti¬ 
cide, or a solution of softsoap, 2 ozs. to the gallon of water. In the case 
of trees with run of outside borders, they will need protection, and the 
inside must be duly supplied with liquid manure in a tepid state. 
Second Early House. —Disbudding and tying-in must be proceeded 
with, the disbudding requiring to be done gradually. Some varieties, 
especially in luxuriant examples, have twin fruit, notably Noblesse and 
Grosse Mignonne. Remove all such. Thinning should be practised in 
the case of thick-sets as soon as the remains of the flowers are cast, 
removing the smallest fruit, that on the under side of the trellis and the 
badly placed, leaving about three or four on a shoot of a foot length, 
which can be still further reduced when about the size of marbles to 
two, and ultimately to one, or as required, to insure a full crop. When 
the fruit is of the size of Walnuts, increase the temperature to 55° to 60° 
at night, 60° to 65° by day from fire heat, and 75° from sun heat. 
Late Houses .—The object here will be to retard the flowering, 
therefore ventilate to the fullest possible extent. After the buds show 
colour they are not safe from frost, consequently means should be 
employed to exclude it, and after the stamens appear a certain amount 
of warmth is needed, as we find that when the flowering extends over 
a considerable period that the blossoms do not set well; therefore, after 
the blossoms open maintain an artificial temperature of 50°, 40° to 45° 
.at night, ventilating above 50°, advancing to 65° from sun with a free 
circulation of air. In the case of weak trees having a super-abundance 
of blossom it will be advisable to remove those flowers from the under 
side or back of the shoots, as the trees may be against front or back 
trellises. Keep the borders in a thoroughly moist state. 
THE FLOWER GARDEN. 
Zonal Pelargoniums. —These are indispensable for summer bed¬ 
ding, but in order to have the full benefit of the mass of colour they 
afford, it is necessary to place out strong well-rooted plants. They keep 
most surely during the winter when stored rather thickly in small pots, 
but in any case they require attention at the present time. If the plan 
of pegging down the plants early in the summer is adopted, it is not 
advisable to top them, but if stocky plants are needed, these to be 
planted uprightly, they must be stopped now, As a rule they experi¬ 
ence the least check when turned out of pots at bedding time, and if 
the size known as large 60’s are available in quantity, all the strongest 
.•should be potted singly into these, the more weakly ones going two 
in a pot. They also move fairly we'l out of shallow boxes, and these are 
largely used where many thousand plants are needed annually. When 
placed in boxes ail the long roots should be freely shortened back, a 
cluster of fibre being better than a few straggling roots and with no soil 
attached. The plants ought to be disposed not less than 4 inches 
apart each way in the boxes, and if a limited number can be given pots, 
the more delicate variegated varieties should be favoured. A suitable 
compost would consist of two parts of fresh loam to one of sifted leaf 
soil, sharp sand being freely added and this should be packed firmly 
about the roots. All should be placed in either warm vineries, Peach 
houses, or heated pits till well established, water being given very 
carefully at the outset. 
Propagating Zonal Pelargoniums. —Strong autumn struck plants 
are usually preferred to those rooted in the spring, but since the intro¬ 
duction of very floriferous varieties, the practice of propagating in the 
spring is very frequently resorted to on a large scale. The variegated 
sorts struck now will soon attain a serviceable size, and be quite as 
effective as those rooted in the autumn. It is almost useless to attempt 
striking tops from old plants that have not been previously started into 
active growth in gentle heat, these having very little sap in them, nor 
are gross sappy shoots suitable. Fairly firm duly trimmed cuttings 
should be dibbled into heavily drained 6-inch pots previously filled with 
light gritty soil, and set on the shelves or staging very near to hot-water 
pipes. A dry heat is necessary ; no water should be given for at least a 
week, and afterwards water sparingly. The cuttings ought not to be 
shaded in any way. When well rooted pinch out the points, and soon 
after place the plants singly in 2^-inch pots, and keep in heat till of 
good size. 
Verbenas. —Clean healthy cuttings are very easily struck in heat, 
and these in their turn soon afford tops for striking. Stock plants 
that have been kept near hot-water pipe3 or in any hot position rarely 
afford cuttings worth taking any trouble with. If possible to purchase 
stock plants of the best bedding varieties of Verbenas, and these are 
given a shift and introduced into a moderately warm house, soon yield 
a quantity of good cuttings. Seedling Verbenas possess the strongest 
constitution, and are very effective in mixed beds. If the seed is sown 
on the surface of fine sandy soil, lightly covered with more of the same, 
and plunged in a hotbed, it, as a rule, soon germinates, but should the 
seedlings not appear quickly the soil must not be disturbed, as it some¬ 
times happens that they are several weeks before they start. The old 
Verbena venosa can be raised from seed, but those who have preserved 
the old roots may cut them into short lengths of one or two joints, 
and dibble them thickly into boxes or pans of fine soot. Placed on a 
mild hotbed every cutting will grow and serviceable plants be the 
result. 
Ageratums. —Plants raised from cuttings are usually the best for 
neat edgings, but those obtained from seed now-a-days are also very 
effective, notably the variety Lady Jane. Every small piece of soft 
growth strikes very quickly in heat, and quite large plants may be had 
by the time they are wanted. Fresh seed germinates in a few days. It 
should be sown in pans very lightly covered with fine sandy soil, and 
set on or plunged in a mild hotbed. Covering these or any other seed 
with a square of darkened glass, materially hastens germination, but 
this must be removed directly the seedlings appear, and extra pre¬ 
cautions be taken to prevent damping off. Ageratums move well out of 
boxes or from a bed of soil in frames or pits. The seedlings ought first 
to be pricked out rather thickly in pans, and after they have been topped 
being either placed in boxes, or transferred to beds of fairly good soil 
under glass. 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
The Weathee and Chopping. —Throughout February the weather 
was never very favourable for open air seed sowing, and at the present 
time the soil is cold, damp, and frequently frost bound. The oppor¬ 
tunities for sowing are therefore few, and we do not advise it to be 
carried out in spite of the weather, as the greatest mistake that can 
possibly be made is to sow seeds in cold heavy wet soil. 
Peas. —It ought to be remembered that Peas take from twelve to 
fourteen weeks to gain maturity, and all who desire to gather in June 
should sow now. Carter’s Lightning and Ringleader sown with us on a 
south border about the beginning of February are now well through 
the ground, and considering the weather they have had to contend with 
they are very healthy. The seed also germinated well, and all Peas 
visible would be much sheltered and assisted by being staked. If the 
main stakes are not ready place some twigs a foot high to them. Old 
birch brooms may be used in this way, and the plants dusted with soot 
occasionally. The second early varieties may now be sown. Manure the 
ground well before sowing, and do not crowd the rows too much together. 
Those with limited space seem to think that by sowing very close they 
will secure more Peas, but we question this, as crowded rows do 
not bear profusely, and the po Is take much longer to fill than when 
they are exposed. Plants that have been raised under glass with the 
view of planting them out should be in cold frames, hardening ready to 
be placed out about the middle of March. Do not allow them to be 
drawn by keeping them a long way from the gla^s and light, but they 
may receive liquid manure to increase their strength. 
Sowing Spring Onions. —Here we have a crop of the greatest 
importance, as without spring Onions and plenty of them there will 
be no good feeling in" the kitchen. March is a favourite month for sow¬ 
ing these, and although we have had fine crops follow April sowings, we 
always strive to put them in this month. They do well after any crop 
so long as the soil is deeply dug and well manured. Our mode of treat¬ 
ing the soil is this. In December or January the coming Onion quarter 
has a good dressing of lime or a sprinkling of gas lime thrown over it.; 
