223 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ JIa cU 13, 1890. 
that are seen in autumn and spring’, a longer period of growth being 
mostly all that is needed to produce good sized and highly finished fruit, 
and such as possess good keeping qualities. Syringe the rods several 
times a day, maintaining a moist atmosphere by damping the borders 
every evening. It is advantageous to cover the inside border with fresh 
stable manure, the straw being shaken out, the ammonia given off having 
an invigorating tendency. Night temperature 50° to 55°, day 55° to 60°, 
and 10° to 15° more with sun, and rather free ventilation from 65°. 
Young Vines from .E’ye.«.—Those struck and potted as advised in our 
Ikst calendar are now well rooted, and should be shifted as soon as the 
roots reach the sides of the pots into 6-inch size, placing them on shelves 
over the hot-water pipes in preference to plunging them in bottom heat. 
Syringe amongst them, and pinch the laterals at the first leaf, unless they 
are intended for planting out this season, when the laterals may be left 
intact. 
Cut-back Vines in Pots.—Those for fruiting in pots next season will 
•soon be fit for turning out and shaking out of the soil, and any long 
bare shoots cut back and placed in 7 or 8-inch pots, from which they 
■can be transferred when established to 12 or 13-inch pots. If these, or 
the eyes named in the preceding paragraph have been plunged in bottom 
heat, they may be returned to it for a time, 75° to 80° being suitable, 
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 made. Turfy loam rather rough, with a fifteenth 
of steamed bone meal added, form a suitable compost for Vines in pots. 
Clean pots and efficient drainage of clean walks must be employed in 
pot Vine culture. 
Melons.— The weather being cold but with bright days, the advance 
has been satisfactory. Plants that were shifted into larger pots and 
being intended for planting out, should be given their fruiting quarters 
before they become very much root-bound. Pot later sown plants when 
they show the second leaves, employing warm moist soil. 
Melons in Dung-heated Frames. —The plants from the seed sown early 
in February will be fit to plant out. Make up a bed for them, and make 
also a successional sowing. Those growing Melons in frames and having 
to keep up a successional supply of fruit should make a sowing eyery 
fortnight or three weeks up to May, making fresh beds at similar inter¬ 
vals to receive the plants, so as to maintain an uninterrupted supply of 
fruit. Maintain a night temperatureof 60° to 65°, and 70° to 75° by day, 
as far as practicable, by timely attention to the linings and coverings 
over the lights at night, admitting air from 75°, but without lowering 
the temperature, and keep through the day at 80° to 85° from sun 
heat. 
In houses and hot-water heated pits maintain a night temperature of 
65° to 70°. 5° less on cold nights, 70° to 75° by day, admitting a little 
air at 75°, allowing the temperature to rise to 85° with increased 
ventilation, closing at 80° or 85°, sprinkling at the time every available 
surface ; and if the temperature rise to 85° or 90° so much the better. 
Keep the bottom heat at from 75° to 80°. 
Cucumbers. —Increased light and sun heat correspondingly increase 
evaporation, necessitating a greater supply of atmospheric moisture. 
Damp the house so as to maintain a genial condition of the atmosphere, 
and syringe the plants lightly during blight afternoons. A night 
temperature of 65° is sufficient, allowing 5° advance when the external 
air is mild, 60’ being the minimum in the morning when the external 
air is cold. Liquid manure may be given once or twice a week, and the 
■evaporation troughs kept charged with it. Do not allow the fruit to hang 
too long, or they may weaken the plants ; besides, they keep fresh for 
■several days with their stalks inserted in saucers of water. Thin the 
fruits well, especially on plants just coming into bearing, stopping the 
■shoots one joint beyond the fruit, removing superfluous growths and bad 
Sleaves as they appear, as well as staminate blossoms. 
The weather continuing unfavourable for early forcing in pits and 
fames heated with fermenting material, the temperature being difficult 
to maintain at a point calculated to promote steady progressive growth, 
a close atmosphere resulting in a superabundance of moisture, not un- 
frequently causing the loss of the plants. When the moisture cannot 
be expelled, much may be done by sprinkling dry lime or soot round the 
plants, those substances having a strong affinity for moisture. Continue 
to prepare material for making fresh beds and lining purposes, and sow 
■seed as successional plants are required. 
Figs. — Planted-out Trees Started Early in the Year. —Attention 
must be given to the budding and stopping, removing all the overcrowded 
shoots, stopping those intended to form well developed spurs for the 
second crop at the fifth or sixth leaf or joint, the leading shoot, where 
there is snace. being allowed to extend, as they invariably afford the 
finest fruit. Water the borders freely with liquid manure at 80°, taking 
care not to apply it too strong, and mulch with rich compost, which will 
attract the roots to the surface. Encourage also the emission of roots 
from the stem by placing fibrous pieces of turf and partially decayed 
manure in contact with it, and by extending the material outwards a 
quantity of feeders will be secured, which if supplied with warm liquid 
manure will greatly assist the maturity of the fruit. 
Strawberries in Pots. —Vicomtesse Ilericart de Thury is perhaps 
the best flavoured and prettiest fruit for jellies, but it makes no ap¬ 
pearance beside Noble or La Grosse Sucree, one of either weighing three 
of the first-named. All plants should now be in position for advance¬ 
ment by gentle forcing, or if not they should be brought under glass 
without further delay. Some may be advanced by placing them in 
houses where there is a gentle heat, and others may be placed in cool 
houses where they will come on gradually. In all cases it is necessary 
to examine the drainage, removing any moss or other matter from the 
surface of the soil, and wash the pots, surfacing with horse droppings 
rubbed through a sieve, which prevents the soil leaving the sides of the 
pots and discourages action at the surface. Untii the trusses are showing 
it is well if the temperature does not exceed 50° by artificial means, and 
between that and setting 55° is safe, advancing to 65° by day with free 
ventilation. The Strawberry also likes plenty of light until the fruits 
are set, but afterwards they are apt to become dried, hence they swell 
best in positions where the sun’s rays are not strong at mid-day. After 
the fruit is set and swelling a temperature of 60° to 6.5° at night, 70° to 
75° by day, with an advance from sun heat to 80°, 85°, or 90° is neces¬ 
sary, affording copious supplies of water and liquid manure until the 
fruit shows indications of ripening, when somewhat drier and more airy 
atmosphere with diminished supplies of water at the roots will afford 
large, well-swelled fruit of good flavour. Thinning the fruit must be 
attended to as soon as the setting is completed, removing the smallest 
and deformed fruit; and on no account must there be insufficient water 
at the roots during the swelling, but during flowering the soil must be 
kept moist, avoiding extremes either way. The chief object in Straw¬ 
berry forcing is to secure an early and unbroken supply until those in 
the open ground come in, and this, where there is a number of houses 
started at intervals, will admit of its being done without much trouble 
or change of plants, whilst in others some tact will be necessary to meet 
the requirements, 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
The Weather. —March came in with snow and frost, 18° of the 
latter being registered with us on the 3rd. Many seeds were sown in 
the open ground, but of these we have little fear. As soon as the 
weather changes kitchen garden work will be resumed, as we like to 
have it well advanced before the end of the month. 
Turnips.—A few rows will be sown on the first opportunity. Two 
sowings are sufficient in March. The Early Milan is the best for a first 
crop. Sow in drills 1 foot apart on a sheltered piece of ground. A 
moderately light soil is better at first than heavy material. 
Mushrooms. —More beds should still be formed, as they will bear in 
April or May when vegetables may be scarce. Beds in the open air and 
cool sheds may be relied on. Our beds of this winter have not required 
much attention, and they have been unusually productive. Those which 
began bearing in November are exhausted, and being used on some of 
the vegetable quarters, particularly for Carrots and Beetroot, where 
rank manure is objectionable. Others that have been bearing since the 
new year and now declining will have a thorough application of water 
heated to 90°. When slightly dry they will be retrodden and covered 
with hay. This will generate fresh heat, and we shall have a very good 
second crop of Mushrooms in April. 
Cabbages. —These promise to be ready by Easter. They have 
received a slight check, but being sturdy, will soon recover under mild 
weather. A sprinkling of nitrate of soda will expedite growth. Guano 
is the next best stimulant, and the plants will be benefited by having a 
little more soil drawn to their stems. 
Seakale and Rhubarb. — These may now be forced with little 
trouble. If a quantity of straw or littery stable manure is put over the 
Seakale crowns the growths will soon push up into it and turn out clean 
and well blanched. This is a good substitute for pots, but the latter 
may be used by those who possess them. Rhubarb now shows signs of 
growing without any forcing, but to hasten the supply a few old boxes 
or casks may be turned over the crowns with or without a little hot 
manure round them. We placed some Rhubarb roots on a hotbed in 
December. Others were covered over as suggested with a good hotbed, 
and the latter have been much the more profitable. 
Garlic and Shallots, —A supply of both should be provided. 
Select some of the best bulbs, fork a rather light piece of ground and 
press the bulbs into it at a distance of 10 inches from row to row, and 
6 inches from bulb to bulb. We merely cover them with soil, and never 
fail to have abundance. The Shallots are harvested and housed in 
autumn, but the Garlic may be left in the ground year after year. It 
is never wanted in great quantities, but a little is often called for. 
Sowing Seeds in Heavt Soils. —Many growers complain that 
they cannot sow their seeds early because their soil is so heavy and cold. 
This is undoubtedly a great drawback. One of the greatest aids to 
germination is the free use of potting shed refuse, or sand, leaf soil, and 
wood ashes. If the ground is very heavy and wet the drills for the seed 
should be opened twice the ordinary depth, half filled with the mixture 
for sowing in, and the seeds covered with more of it. By following this 
practice all kinds of vegetables may be sown early in strong soils. 
Parsley. —If the first sowing has not been there should be no 
further delay. The seed and young plants are very hardy. Parsley likes 
rich ground. Old plants are now somewhat deficient in leaves. Some of 
the largest have perished, and should bo removed. A quantity of_soot or 
guano sprinkled between the plants, and the Dutch hoe run amongst 
them will induce quick growth, and the supply will be maintained till 
the spring sown plants furnish leaves. 
Horn Carrots. —It is useless sowing the long varieties for early 
crops ; the Horn varieties only should be sown in March, and those who 
have not placed seed in the ground should do so as soon as possible. 
