76 
JOURXAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[January 13,1850 
youngest leaves only ; one for the immediate locality is in the same 
way indicated by the oldest leaves. 
From a hurried glance through the tables it appears that the pre¬ 
dictions are practically valueless, as though occasionally corresponding 
in some degree with the weather which actually occurred, in a great 
many cases there is a wide divergence, as, for instance, the prediction 
for October 7th at 9.30 A.M. was “overcast,” at 10.30 A.M. “fair to 
fine,” the records for the same times showing “fine” and “heavy 
shower.” 
WOKK.foutheWEEK. 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Peaches and Nectarines.— Forced rrm.—Continue to 
fertilise the blossoms, using a camel’s hair brush or feather, which is 
more effectual than shaking the trellis. When the fruit is well set, 
syringing may be resorted to, in the morning and afternoon, but in dull 
weather syringing in the morning will be sufficient, damping the house 
in the afternoon, it being important that the foliage be dry before 
night. The water employed must be of the same temperature as 
that of the house, the inside border receiving liberal supplies. Dis¬ 
budding will soon require attention, but it must be done carefully at 
this early season, as it is better to remove a few shoots daily from a 
tree than many at a time at distant intervals, thus giving a check to 
the roots. The night temperature may now be maintained at 55° to 
r)0°, GO” to C,5° by day, 5° less as the minimum when the weather is 
severe and dull, admitting a little air at 65°, not allowing an advance 
over 70° without full ventilation, closing at C5°, except a small space 
left at the top constantly. 
Second Early Forced Trees. —Syringing must cease for trees started 
at the beginning of the month when the flowers show colour, but 
damping every available surface in the morning and afternoon must be 
practised, for though a confined atmosphere is not favourable to Peaches 
in any stage of their growth, a dry atmosphere is equally pernicious, 
promoting excessive evaporation, the flowers equally with foliage and 
fruit being invigorated by atmospheric moisture, provided it is not 
stagnant. See that the border is in a thoroughly moist state, and 
examine the trees closely for aphides. If there be any, fumigate the 
house on two or three consecutive evenings moderately, which will be 
sufficient to keep the pests under until the fruit is set. In case of an 
excess of flower buds (and they are very abundant and promising) draw 
the hand the reverse way of the growth along the under side of the 
trellis, so as to reduce the number of the buds, which will increase the 
vigour of those best situated, and tend to a more even and better 
swelling of the fruit after se'-ting. 
Late Houses. —We should again urge the necessity of completing 
the pruning of the trees at once, dressing them wich an insecticide, and 
tying the shoots to the trellis, the borders being forked over, but not 
disturbing the roots, any loose surface soil removed and fresh loam 
supplied, an admixture of wood ashes a fifteenth part, and a twentieth 
of half-inch bones, being beneficial. If the borders are at all dry they 
should be given a thorough soaking either with water or liquid manure. 
Those, however, that have moveable roof lights will not require any 
water, the soil being in a healthy condition—a thoroughly moist state 
from rain, and the shoots are kept in a condition by the air moisture 
unfavourable to the operation, so that the trees not only have thorough 
rest, but the buds are prevented falling, a consequence mostly of 
deficiency of moisture at the roots. With the trees exposed we have not 
experienced any loss of buds, yet they may fall from other causes, such 
as over-naaturity or imperfect formation through attacks of parasites 
and deficiency of aliment and assimilating power, resulting from too 
crowded a condition of the foliage. 
Pines. — Fruiting Plants and Starters. —Those should now have a 
mean temperature of about 70°, varying it 6° according to external 
conditions, admitting air at 80° with sunshine, but not lowering the 
temperature, allowing the heat to rise to 85°, closing when reduced to 80°. 
Syringe all available surfaces twice every day, but do not syringe the 
surface of the bed between the plants. Avoid dense steam produced by 
damping highly heated pipes. The plants also should be syringed occa¬ 
sionally early in the afternoon when the axils of the leaves become dry. 
Starting Plants for Siiceessional Fyniting. —About the commence¬ 
ment of next month (February) start another supply of Queens to ' 
supplement the fruit from those which are already introduced. Beds 
liaving hot-water pipes beneath them can soon be prepared for the 
reception of the plants, but it is not the case where fermenting 
materials alone are employed, hence the subject is mentioned now, so 
that the matter may be seen to at once, and 85° to 90° of bottom heat 
secured by the time required. When plants which have been kept 
somewhat drier are to be started see that the soil is m.ade thoroughly 
moist, so that with the extra warmth root action may commence at once. 
Successional Plants. —A night temperature of 60° to 65°, and 5° less 
in severe weather, will be suitable for those, and 5° to 10° in the day¬ 
time according to external conditions. Keep the plants rather dry at 
the roots, but not excessively so, and when water is considered necessary 
give it thoroughly at a temperature of about 80°. Suckers should have 
a temperature of 55° to 60°, 60° to 65° by day from fire heat, and 10° 
more with sun heat. 
Cucumbers.— The night temperature should be maintained at 65°, 
allowing 5° more in mild weather, whilst it may be 5° less on cold nights, 
70° to 75° by day, and 80° to 85° with sun heat. When the external air 
is mild a little ventilation may be given at 80°, closing before the 
temperature is reduced below that degree, so as to raise it to 90° or 95° ; 
but if the external air is cold, although the sun shines, it is better to 
allow the temperature to advance a little beyond the above limits than 
to admit cold air, which injures the foliage, also causing the fruit to 
become stunted and to curl at the end. Plants in bearing will require 
to be examined about twice a week, removing all weakly and exhausted 
growths, reserving as much of the young bearing wood as is necessary 
to fill the allotted space, stopping the shoots at one or two joints beyond 
the fruit. Young plants just coming into bearing should not be allowed 
to bear too soon, and by no means be overcropped. They are greatly 
assisted by removing the male flowers (also surplus female flowers) as 
they appear. The supply of water both at the roots and in the atmo¬ 
sphere must be governed by external influences. Do not syringe the 
foliage except in the early part of bright afternoons, damp the floor 
moderately at about 8 A.M.'and 2 p.M. Encourage the roots to spread 
on the surface of the bed by adding a little lumpy loam from time to 
time, with which may be incorporated a little well decomposed cow 
dung or fresh, sweetened, horse droppings. Keep a sharp look out for 
aphides, and fumigate several times moderately and consecutively rather 
than once severely. Canker is not uncommon at this season of the year. 
Fresh slaked lime rubbed into the aSected parts will arrest its progress. 
If mildew appear dust with sulphur. 
Melons. —Add a little soil as a top dressing as the plants 
grow, having them near the glass to prevent drawing. Keep a sharp 
look out for slugs. A ring of soot or lime placed round the plants will 
generally preserve them, but means should be employed to entrap the 
slugs. For frame culture seed may be sown early next month. Soil 
should be placed under cover, so as to become dried preparatory to 
forming it into ridges in the Melon house. Good loam, rather strong 
than light, is suitable for Melons, and if it has been laid up in ridges so 
as to reduce the turf, it will be in a fitting state for the purpose. If 
deficient of grit, add a fifth of road sweepings, and if not calcareous a 
similar proportion of old mortar rubbish. If there is need to add manure, 
nothing is better than fresh horse droppings. The composition in that 
case would be four parts of loam, one part each of horse droppings, road 
sweepings, and lime rubbish. 
liaising Cucumber and Melon Plants in Frames. —It is the greatest 
of mistakes to commence too early. The materials are either not obtain¬ 
able, or they are not forthcoming in sufficient quantity to make up beds 
and continue the heat in them by linings, so as to keep the plants in 
progressive growth during weather that cannot be relied upon as 
assisting by sun heat, consequently those not sowing seed before 
February cut fruit quite as early as some do with an inadequacy of heat 
furnishing material by sowing at the new year. The material for making 
up the bed for raising the seedlings being in a fit state for turning over 
and mixing with leaves, so as to induce a sweet regular heat, a site for a 
bed should be chosen with full southern aspect, and having shelter to 
the north, as that of a wall or hedge. If the ground be rather higher 
where the bed is to be formed than the surrounding ground, all the 
better. Beat the dung and leaves well down with a fork as the work 
proceeds, making the bed about 5 feet high at the back and 4 feet 
6 inches in front, which will allow for settling, as it will do about a third. 
A few pea sticks placed across the bed at intervals not only prevent 
overheating, but admit the heat from the linings to the interior of the 
bed. For early work we have used and frequently recommended frames 
with double sides. They are formed by placing an inner lining of half¬ 
inch boards, 9 inches less in depth at the back and 6 inches less in front 
than the box, nailing strips of wood an inch wide and thick on the 
inside of the box, and then the boards which form an inch cavity all 
around the inside of the box, and thus top heat is furnished. 
In about a week the heat will be up. Level the surface of the bed, 
replace the box, and put in sufficient sweetened dung to raise the inside 
to within 4 inches of the top of the inner frame or cavity, placing saw¬ 
dust, dry leaf soil, or spent tan on the dung for plunging the pots in. 
For raising the plants 3-inch pots are half filled with light rich loam, 
placing one seed in the centre of each pot, covering with fine moist soil, 
so that no water is requited for the germination of the seed. Space is 
thus left in the pot for top-dressing, which is preferable to potting the 
plants. A square of glass placed over the pots will hasten the germina¬ 
tion, but it must be removed as soon as the plants appear. Those 
from a sowing made early in February in the manner described will be 
ready for planting early in March, and will afford fruit nearly as 
soon and often quite as early as those from a sowing made early in 
January. 
HINTS FOR BEGINNERS. 
Early Feeding and Enemies. 
Owing to the extra mild season we have had the bees have 
never been more than a few days confined at a time, not a week 
