March 21, 1839. J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
243 
succeed nearly so well aa those in 32’s under precisely the same treat¬ 
ment.—F. S. G. - 
Liquid Manure Coloubing the Woodwork 1 'of a Vinery.— 
A correspondent makes reference to an instance of this. I have seen a 
place that every time liquid was applied it coloured the woodwork, but 
especially in hot weather. The liquid was taken out Of a covered tank 
by means of a pump, and applied to the border with an equal portion 
of tepid water. The operation was carried out on fine days, when a 
liberal supply af air could be admitted to let the fumes escape. In the 
summer air was left on until late in the evening. The Peach house in 
the same place received liquid from the above mentioned tank, and 
the fvood was not coloured nearly so much as in the vinery. It wore o£E 
more quickly also. As well as I can remember it took three days or 
more to wear off the vinery. The only reason I can suggest for its not 
having the same effect in both places is the Peach house did not have 
so flat a roof as the vinery.-- 
Gardeners’ Social Position. —Your correspondent “ W. W.,” 
page 198, writing on this subject, says:—“Johnson’s ‘Gardeners’ 
Dictionary ’ states the head gardener is the superior of the valet or the 
butler on the ground of his knowledge being of a higher order.” I do 
not think anyone could contradict the statement, but if gardeners do 
not respect themselves, and try to gain the good will of their masters by 
walking honestly and uprightly, it matters little by whom or with whom 
they are classed.— JoVrneyman. 
WORK.foiitheWEEK.. 
2Q 
FRUIT FORDING. 
Vines. — Earliest Houses. —Colour will shortly be proceeding in the 
very early houses. With a view to ensure well swelled berries afford a 
thorough supply of tepid liquid manure, and mulch at once with 
2 or 3 inches thickness of partially decayed rather lumpy manure. 
Nothing answers so well as stable litter having the strawy portions 
shaken out. This will mostly insure sufficient moisture for the Vines 
until the Grapes are cut, and the stimulus given to the roots will secure 
healthy foliage, the retention of moisture being essential to prevent 
premature ripening of the wood, and the consequent starting of the 
Vines into fresh growth when they should be going to rest. Continue 
damping at closing time for Black Hamburghs until they are well 
advanced in colouring, after which reduce the moisture gradually, not 
failing to maintain a circulation of warm air day and night. Where 
high quality Grapes are in request, Black Muscat (Muscat Hamburgh) 
might be grown, although it has been largely superseded by Madresfiell 
Court. The defects of the former are usually a deficiency of colour 
with a very large per-centage of small or seedless berries, which is not 
characteristic of the latter. Those fortunate enough to have a house of 
Madresfield Court (an excellent early and midseason Grape for home 
or market) will add to the mulching advised a 3-inch thickness of clean, 
dry straw, or preferably rough chopped straw, and exclude water from 
the house after the Grapes show a decided change of colour, securing a 
circulation of warm air constantly. Treated in this way it does not 
crack. 
Succession Houses. —Disbudding, stopping, and tying the shoots will 
need attention ; do not fall into arrears with this work. Stop two joints 
beyond the fruit where the space is somewhat restricted, allowing four or 
five where there is room for that extension, and permitting the laterals 
to extend, so as to insure an even spread of foliage having exposure to 
light, avoiding overcrowding. After the space is occupied keep the 
growths stopped, as large reductions of foliage at one time are very 
prejudicial. On no account allow the thinning to remain undone a day 
longer than is necessary to ascertain the best set bunches. Free-setting 
varieties, such as Black Hamburghs, may be thinned as soon as the 
berries have formed, but Muscats and other shy setters ought not to be 
thinned until the properly fertilised berries are taking the lead. No 
rule can be laid down for thinning, as the size of the berries varies in 
different Vines of the same varieties. Healthy strong Vines mature 
much finer berries than those that are not so vigorous, but sufficient 
space should be left for each berry to swell without wedging or crushing. 
They must be close enough to retain the form of the bunch when placed 
upon the dish. When the Grapes have been thinned and are fairly 
swelling, supply tepid water or liquid manure, and mulch with rather 
lumpy manure, fresh, yet sweetened, a couple of inches thick, kept 
moist by damping daily, especially at closing time. Admit air early and 
liberally as the heat increases, seeking to secure stout short-jointed 
wood and thick leathery foliage. Close early with plenty of atmospheric 
moisture, raising the heat from the sun to 85° or 90°, and allow the night 
temperature to fall to between 60° and 65°. 
Vin"s in Flower.— Afford a circulation of warm rather dry air, and a 
temperature of 65° to 70° at night for Black Hamburgh and similar 
sorts, and 70° to 75° for Muscats. The latter and other shy setters 
should be brushed over with a camel hair brush so as to rid the stigmas 
of the glutinous substance about the time the blossom is fully expanded, 
choosing a warm part of the day after the house has been rather freely 
ventilated. Varieties deficient of pollon should have it applied, collecting 
it from those that afford it freely. 
Late Houses. —If started as advised the Vines will be swelling their 
buds. Ply the syringe twice a day, more frequently if necessary, 
seeking to insure a good break by closing the house with a genial humid 
atmosphere at a temperature of 75°. The sap rushing to the upper 
part of the rods will cause the eyes to break unevenly, especially young 
Vines, unless the canes be brought into a horizontal position for a time. 
Let thq inside border be brought into a thoroughly moist condition. The 
outside borders must have sufficient material to prevent chill from snow 
and frost. A few inches thickness of stable litter freed of the rough 
portions of straw will be sufficient. Being lumpy it will admit of the 
free access of the sun’s warmth and of rain and air. 
Late Varieties of Grapes. —We would strongly urge the importance 
of starting all late Grapes, especially the thick-skinned varieties, with¬ 
out delay, as a long period of growth is required to produce good sized 
and highly finished fruit with good keeping qualities. Syringe the rods 
several times a day, maintaining a moist atmosphere by damping the 
borders, &c., every evening, but not the Vines, as they should become 
dry at least once in the twenty-four hours. It is decidedly advantageous 
to cover the inside borders with fresh stable litter. Night temperature 
50° to 55°, and 65° by day from sun. 
Late Hamburghs. —Some persons do not like the thick-skinned 
varieties of Grapes, and demand Black Hamburghs all the year round. 
For affording the latest supply allow the Vines to break naturally ; if 
the Grapes are thinned by early June and the fruit ripened in late 
September it will suffice. Ripened earlier they : r i liable to lose colour 
and quality by hanging, which is not peculiar fo Hamburghs but to all 
Grapes with thin skins, though none lose colour so badly as Hamburghs. 
Peaches and Nectarines. — Early Houses. —Though the weather 
may be favourable there is still danger of sudden frost and snow, there¬ 
fore see that the protection is sufficient, as if the outside borders get 
chilled the trees are certain to receive a cheek. In the earliest forced 
house t*he stoning process will soon be completed, when the final thin¬ 
ning of the fruit must be effected ; afterwards see that the inside 
border is kept thoroughly watered, mu’ching the surface with partially 
decomposed manure 1) to 2 inches thick, and the night temperature 
may be raised to 63° or 70°, 70° to 75° in the daytime by artificial 
means, and 80° to 85° or 90° from sun heat. Attend to tying-in the 
shoots as they advance, regulating them so that they are not too 
crowded. By giving the young shoots plenty of room the ripening fruit 
receives more sun from colouring, and the wood becomes more solidified 
and better ripened for another year. 
Succession Houses.— In these the routine will now be the thinning of 
the fruits where too thickly set, first removing those that are badly 
placed. This should be done gradually, as also should disbudding, con - 
mencing early, and persisting with it until no more shoots are left than 
will be required for furnishing the bearing wood of another season, or 
what are necessary for attracting the sap to the fruit, and for furnishing 
the trees that are extending. There must not be any lack of water at 
the roots of Peach and Nectarine trees in any stage of their growth. Do 
not be deceived by the surface appearing damp, but afford water as 
required to keep the soil in a thoroughly moist state. Syringe thoroughly 
in all houses morning and afternoon, except when the trees are in 
blossom, in which case maintain a gentle fire heat in dull weather, so as 
to admit of moderate ventilation, as a circulation of rather warm 
air— i.e., 30° to 55°, and comparatively dry, is conducive to a good set. 
If there are evaporation troughs keep them filled with liqnid manure 
when the fruit is swelling freely after it has been thinned. This practice, 
and sprinkling the borders occasionally at closing time with guano water 
(1 lb. to twenty gallons of water), will assistin keeping red spider in check. 
Mildew sometimes infests the fruit and foliage, in which case flowers of 
sulphur may be applied to the affected parts. Sulphide of potassium is, 
however, much more efficacious, and is equally useful against insect 
pests. If fumigation is had recourse to for aphides care must be taken 
to have the foliage dry, and not to give am overdose. 
Late Houses. —The buds are swelling fast; in some cases the blossoms 
are expanding, and will require a genial warmth—enough at night to 
exclude frost, and at daytime a temperature of 50°, with ventilation to 
insure well-developed flowers. This is essential to a good set after the 
anthers show clear of the corolla. Unheated houses should be freely 
ventilated, especially in bright weather, and some scrim canvas drawn 
over the roof when the sun is powerful will do much to retard tht 
flowering, whilst its employment at night will insure safety from frost. 
THE FLOWEE GARDEN. 
Lobelias. —Old plants of the dwarf bedding Lobelias ought not to be 
subjected to much fire heat, ijs this causes a spindly growth unsuitable 
for making into cuttings, and also spoils them for the method of pro¬ 
pagation by division. A greenhouse shelf is the best place for stock 
plants, as in these positions tVey form strong sappy growth, and are not 
so liable to damp off wholesale. Such shoots strike like weeds, and a 
good stock of dwarf plants is the result. Where, however, there are 
plenty of old plants the wisest course is to propagate these by division, 
this being done before the air roots have perished. Every tiny division 
quickly dibbled into pans or boxes of fine light soil, and placed in 
gentle heat, become well rooted in a few days, and if need be may 
again be divided. In other respects they thrive best and form the 
