February 57, 1E90. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
183 
“rust.” If red spider appear, paint the return pipes with sulphur 
lightly. An overdose may injuriously affect the skin of the berries and 
spoil the crop. Afford liquid manure a few degrees warmer than the 
bouse in which they are growing, applying it also to the turf placed 
around the rim of the pots, as also the plunging material where the 
roots are allowed to find their way from the Iwttom of the pots, there 
being nothing like plenty of feeders to secure well-swelled berries. 
Early Forced Planted out Vines. —Vines started early in December 
must have the berries thinned, and lose no time in doing so as soon as it 
can bo seen which are properly fertilised by their taking the lead. 
Endeavour to have compact bunches, tying up the shoulders in prefer¬ 
ence to taking out a quantity of berries. Remove superfluous growths 
and particularly superfluous bunches unflinchingly, seeking a full crop 
of well finished bunches, duly furnished, properly swelled, and perfect 
in colour, which are much more creditable than an enormous crop of red 
berriesl as sometimes seen. Allow the laterals to extend beyond the fruit 
as far as is consistent with the exposure of the foliage to light and air, 
tying and stopping as required. Afford a thorough supply of tepid 
liquid manure to the inside border at intervals as required to maintain 
the soil in a thoroughly moist state, and mulch with a couple of inches 
thickness of short manure, and as fresh as is safe, for although a mode¬ 
rate amount of ammonia is beneficial, when too powerful it is productive 
of serious injury. Let the night temperature range from 60° to 65°, 
70° to 75° by day, with 10° to 15° advance from sun heat, commencing 
to ventilate from 70°, closing between 80° and 85°, damping all available 
surfaces well at the time. Do not syringe the foliage, as, however clear 
and soft the water may be, there is danger of sediment—a deposit on 
the berries, and though it may escape observation until the Grapes begin 
finishing, it is certain to then appear as a serious blemish. The outside 
border must be well protected against the chilling effect of snow and 
cold rains. 
ViTies Started at the New Tear. —Disbud the Vines now the best 
shows can be determined, and it is not wise to be in too great a hurry 
about this work, nor in tying the shoots to the trellis, which must be 
done carefully, so as not to detach the shoot at its base, nor cause it to 
snap by bringing it down too sharply at the point. Remember also that 
the object of disbudding is to give the growths full exposure to light, it 
being better to err on the side of too little rather than too much, or over¬ 
crowding the foliage. Stopping too should not be done too hurriedly. 
Allow at least two, and if possible three or four joints beyond the bunch, 
and stop all laterals below the bunch at the first joint, or they may be 
rubbed off except from the two lowermost leaves. The laterals from 
these should be pinched at the first joint, but those level with and above 
the fruit may be allowed to extend as space admits. When in flower 
afford a night temperature of 65° to 70°, with 10° to 15° rise from sun 
heat, closing at 80°. Vine flowers set best when the atmospheric mois¬ 
ture is not excessive. An over-moist or a dry atmosphere must be 
equally avoided. Muscats require a somewhat higher temperature and 
drier atmosphere than Black Hamburghs when setting, artificial impreg¬ 
nation being practised with all shy setting varieties, particularly Muscats, 
which are often deficient of pollen, or if plentiful a better set is secured 
by fertilising every bunch carefully with Black Hamburgh pollen than 
when their own is employed. Keep the points of the bunches of Muscats 
well up to the light. 
Late Vines. —A long season of growth is required by late Vines, as 
to insure the Grapes keeping well they should be fully ripe by the 
middle or end of September, To effect this start the Vines at the 
end of February or the beginning of March. Let the inside border be 
well supplied with water at a temperature of 85° to 90°, and if there 
are fermenting materials at command a bed may be made upon the 
border, which will lessen the necessity for fire heat and insure a regular 
break. The rods should be sprinkled two or three times a day, main¬ 
taining a night temperature of 50° to 55°, and 65° in the daytime, by 
which means the Vines will start freely, and there will be every chance 
of the Grapes becoming thoroughly ripe by September, even such varieties 
as Gros Colman, the most noble late Grape, and Gros Guillaume, which 
require a month or six weeks more time to ripen thoroughly than Lady 
Downe’s and others. As a general rule all houses of late Grapes must 
be started not later than the end of next month, hence they should be 
prepared as soon as possible, washing the woodwork, dressing the Vines, 
removing the loose surface soil from the border and supplying with 
fresh, to which has been added some fertilising agent, great benefit 
being derived from judicious applications of artificial manures, and 
having tried most of those advertised and found all good, and in most 
instances they are preferable to bones, as these in the crushed and half¬ 
inch state are slow in action, and they are particularly valuable where 
heavy mulching of stable and farmyard manure, which have a tendency 
to leave a deposit of soapy matter behind, have been employed by the 
mineral matter supplied in an available form. The outside border, 
which is a necessity of late houses in order to the Grapes keeping 
plump, should be protected against chill from falls of snow or heavy 
rains and frost. A moderate covering only will be necessary. 
Late Houses of Black Hamhurghs. —Keep the houses cool and dry, 
not allowing the border to become dust dry and crack, but a moderate 
amount of moisture only will be necessary to preserve the roots in 
sound condition. The only precaution necessary is to ventilate fully 
at and above 50°, and when that becomes the mean of the external air, 
or a little before, the Vines will break naturally, which usually takes 
place during April. The only assistance necessary is to maintain an 
artificial temperature of 50° to 55° at night and on dull days. The 
Vines will set their crops by the early part of June, and swell them 
with sun heat, artificial heat only being required after the Grapes begin 
to colour, as they are much improved in quality through ripening in 
a higher temperature; indeed the Grapes must be thoroughly ripened or 
they will not keep well. 
Vines from Eyes. —Those inserted as advised have rooted, and if iit 
small pots should be shifted into larger as soon as the roots reach the- 
sides, standing the pots on shelves over hot-water pipes in preference- 
to plunging them in bottom heat ; or if the eyes were inserted in pots or 
pans, several together, they may be placed in small pots singly, plunged 
in bottom heat to insure speedy root action, and when the roots reach 
the sides transfer them to 6-inch pots. Syringe well amongst them, 
and stop those intended for fruiting at the first joint of the laterals, 
but those intended for planting out this season, whether grown in pots- 
or turves, may he allowed to retain all the growth made. 
Tomatoes. —Early supplies are best grown in pots. For first crops- 
cuttings struck in autumn and kept in small pots near the glass in a 
house with a minimum temperature of 50°, affording no more water 
than to prevent severe flagging may, early in January, be transferred to- 
10-inch pots, draining well and placing a few rough pieces of turf over 
the crocks, turning out the plants on those, using rough turf with about 
a fourth of well-decomposed manure, mixed for filling up around the- 
balls. A considerable portion of stem, if the plants are tall, being- 
buried by coiling it round the inside of the pots carefully, and bring the 
growing point to the centre, supporting with a neat small stake suffi¬ 
ciently long to reach the trellis. There is considerable space left in the 
pots after the plants are put in, which is utilised afterwards for addi¬ 
tions of compost as the plants advance and the roots protrude. They 
are supplied with surface dressings of artificials after they become- 
established. The plants are stood at the sides of a low span-roofed 
house, kept at a temperature of 60° to 65° at night and 70° to 75° by 
day, and are trained to the trellis fixed about 9 inches from the glass- 
The plants show trusses of bloom when only a few inches above the 
rim of the pots, and at about every second joint right away, they being 
trained as single cordons, kept to one stem by rubbing off all growths 
except the lead. In that way they go to the extent of about 6 feet up 
the roof, when all growths are removed as they show, and the foliage is- 
kept comparatively thin by shortening the leaves gradually, the 
terminal leaflet being pinched oS when the leaf is quite young, and the- 
leaf is reduced about a third or not more than half when the truss of 
fruit corresponding to it is set and swelling. The first or cutting plants- 
have now fruit set and swelling. The flowers as they become fully 
expanded , should be carefully fertilised, distributing the pollen 
gently with a camel’s-hair brush ; a slight sharp rap of the footstalk of 
the truss is also a ready means of distributing the pollen. Properly 
fertilised flowers invariably afford the best shaped and fullest crop of 
fruit. Ripe fruit will be had during April. To follow these plants we- 
have others from seed sown at the new year. These are grown on. 
shelves as close to the glass as they can well be kept for safety, the- 
object being to get them hard, the growth thoroughly solidified as well 
as sturdy. They are transferred to pots 10 or 12 inches in diameter, not 
later than early March, and they afford fruit from May onwards. For 
planting in houses that have been used for bedding plants. Tomatoes- 
are raised from seed sown early in February, and strong plants 
showing bloom, are fit to plant out in April, or not later than middle 
May, if they are to afford a profitable crop. In this way plants for 
cool houses are raised, getting them strong and well established and 
hardened off in 6-inch pots, the chief point being to get the growth firm- 
from the beginning, to insure which they must be kept well up to the 
light. The kinds are numerous, each grower having his special favourite.. 
Ours are Acme and Hackwood Park, with Ham Green Favourite to fill 
the basket. Planting-out is best for affording general summer and 
autumn supplies of fruit. 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Potatoes. —Those in frames are making rapid progress. They have 
been supplied lately with water heated to 90°, but as they are on rather 
moist hotbeds they do not require this very often. Air is admitted 
almost daily from the opposite aide to that from which the wind is- 
blowing, and this keeps them sturdy and healthy. They are covered 
with mats nightly, but these are not applied until 6 P.M., and when not 
frosty they are removed at daylight. We find the crop much better 
when treated in this way than when coddled. Tubers of early sorts- 
placed on their ends in shallow boxes and in a vinery to sprout a 
fortnight or three weeks ago are now in good order for planting, and 
after remaining in a cold frame for a few days they will be planted 
along the bottom of a south wall and on a south border in a sheltered 
position. These are the only situations in which Potatoes can be 
planted with advantage or success during March. Continue to spread 
out more early and second early tubers intended for planting in a fevp 
weeks hence, and let them form shoots without being drawn up weakly 
or delicate in colour. 
Radishes. —This is the first salad plant that can be raised in the 
open air, and those who are deficient of forcing space and cannot grow 
them under glass may now sow a pinch of seed in the most sheltered 
spot they can find in the open. Two or three rows a yard or so in 
length will be sufficient for the first sowing, but they may be sown, 
three times during March. 
Jerusalem Artichokes. —We fear this most useful winter vege¬ 
table is not grown in every garden. It generally finds a corner in large 
establishments, but rarely in that of the amateur or with the cottager* 
It is looked on as unfit for the table unless prepared by the hands of a 
