56 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER 
[ January SO, 1887. 
Pruning .—Let all Vines from which the Grapes have been cat be 
pruned without delay. In performing that operation some are careful 
omly to cut to a plump hud, from an idea that the largest eyes afford the 
largest bunches, but except in the case of weakly or very luxuriant Vines 
the practice is not desirable, as from eyes nearer the base the bunches will 
be large enough for table purposes, and will be more symmetrical and 
compact in form, and having larger and more even berries, attaining to a 
more perfect finish than large loose bunches, which, as a rule, are uneven 
in berry and finish badly. We consider it a safe rule to retain two eyes 
in pruning, but if from overcropping or other cause the Vines do not 
give sufficiently large bunches, or in the case of strong Vines the base 
buds are small and pointed, and when a departure is made from it in 
quest of large bunches, select a plump eye as near to the main rod as 
possible. In the course of time the spurs by this plan become unsightly, 
but that can be prevented by laying in young wood, and cutting away 
that which has fruited, or fresh rods can be run up for displacing those 
witn very lone spurs. The cuts, so soon as the pruning is finished, should 
be dressed with styptic or knotting to prevent bleeding. 
Dressing the Vines .—Remove the loose bark and wash the Vine rods 
with soapy water, 4 ozs. to a gallon, and unless there has been an attack 
of red spider or other insect pests this is all the dressing required ; but 
if those and other pests have infested the Vines dress them with a com¬ 
position formed of 6 ozs. softsoap, half a gallon of tobacco juice, half a 
gallon of water, a quarter of a pint spirits of turpentine, and as much 
flowers of sulphur as will make a creamy mixture, applying it with a 
brush, and rubbing it into every angle. This is fatal to every kind of 
insect—red spider, thrips, scale, or mealy bug, and subdues mildew. The 
border should have the mulching and loose surface soil removed to a 
depth of 2 or 3 inches, and a top-dressing given of good loam with a 
liboral addition, about a twentieth of crushed bones and a similar pro¬ 
portion of wood ashes. If the Vines have exhibited a tendency to soften¬ 
ing of wood apply a dressing of quicklime, a bushel per rod (30^ square 
yards), and point it in lightiv wiih a fork, being careful of tne roots. 
The house should be thoroughly cleansed and painted if required. Keep 
it as cool as possible, so as to insure a few weeks’ complete rest. 
Lifting Vines .—If the borders are not satisfactory no time need be 
lost in lifting the roots and relaying them in fresh compost, making 
sure that the drainage is complete, for the Vine requires abundance of 
water during growth, and without thorough drainage the water causes a 
state of the soil more disastrous than drought. If the Vines are planted 
inside, and have the range of inside and outside borders, the renovation 
may be effected without loss of crop, remaking the inside border one 
year and the outside the year following. 
Pines. —The plants which completed their growth early last autumu 
and have been treated so as to fruit early in the year, will now be doing 
so; if not, they must have extra care and attention, which will be fully 
repaid by the fruit ripening at a time when it is most valuable. Take 
every advantage, therefore, of favourable weather to afford increased ,heat 
during the day. Allow the temperature to rise to 80° before giving air, 
then allow it to further rise to 85° or 90°, closing at 85° ; the night tem¬ 
perature being raised to 70°, to 75° by day by artificial means, unless the 
weather be dull and cold, when 5° less will he more suitable. Corre¬ 
sponding moisture will need to be maintained, not seeking it, however, by 
syringing overhead or over the pipes when hot, but by damping unheated 
surfaces two or more times a day. The heat should be kept steady at 
the roots at 85° to 90° for Queens, other varieties 5° less. Examine the 
plants once a week, watering such as require it with weak liquid manure 
liberally at the same temperature as the roots. 
Fruiting Plants .—These should have a night temperature of 60° to 
65°, 65° by day in dull weather, 70° to 80° by day with sun, ventilating 
a little at 75°, and closing so as to enclose a little sun heat, at which time 
sprinkle paths, walks, and walls. 
Succession Plants .—Keep these slowly advancing in a night tempera¬ 
ture of 55° to 60°, 60° to 65° dy day, with an advance from sun heat of 
5° to 10°, and moderate ventilation, it being safer to err on the side of 
moderate dryness with these plants for the present rather than afford too 
much moisture at the roots or in the atmosphere. 
Figs.— Early -forced Trees in Pots .—The trees started in November 
to afford ripe fruit in late April or early May will be forming fresh roots 
plentifully, the bottom heat being kept steady at 70° to 75°. Bring up 
the fermenting materials to the rim of the pots if not already done, and 
instead of allowing the roots to come over the rim of the pots unchecked 
to ramble at will in the fermenting material, place pieces of turf (as 
before advised) round the rims of the pots and extending over or down 
the sides into the fermenting material, with a view of keeping the roots 
near home and to induce a sturdier growth, as when the roots ramble 
through the leaves in the early stages of growth the shoots partake more 
cr less of the character of the roots ; besides, with the roots near home 
the top-dressings are mote readily available as food for the trees. Main¬ 
tain a good moisture in the atmosphere by syringing twice a day and 
damping as may be required in bright weather, taking advantage of 
every gleam of sunshine for raising the temperature to 80°, admitting a 
little air at 70°, increasing it with the temperature, closing at 75°, and so 
as to raise the temperature from sun heat to 80°. See that there is no 
lack of water at the roots. The drainage being good there is little to 
dread from giving too much water, many crops being lost by their keeping 
it too dry. The temperature by day in dull weather should be kept at 
65°, 60° at night when the external air is cold, but 5° higher when the 
weather is mild. Disbudding will need to be attended to as growth 
advances, and gross shoots stopped at about the fifth or sixth joint ; hut 
the finest Figs are borne upon extensions. 
Early forced Planted-out Trees. —The trees in the house started early 
in the month and planted in inside borders will, if the borders have had 
repeated waterings at a temperature of 85°, so as to bring them into a 
thoroughly moist condition, be starting into growth, and may have the 
night temperature increased to 55°, 60° to 65° by day from fire heat, with 
an advance from sun heat to 70° or 75°. Syringe twice a day as 
before advised, and see that the borders are properly moistened. The 
afternoon syringing should always be done so early as to allow the trees 
to become fairly dry before night. If the trees are weak a thorough, 
soaking with liquid manure, not too strong, at a temperature of 85° to 
90°, will assist the growth. 
Cherry House. —Beyond the necessary attention in watering trees 
in pots and syringing the house, with attention to ventilation, there will 
be little needed at present, the temperature being kept at 40° at night,. 
45° to 50° by day by artificial means, ventilating at 50°, and allowing a 
rise of 10°_to 15° from sun heat, with full ventilation, closing at 50°. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Zonal Pelargoniums. —Those that were in the conservatory during 
the autumn, and have since been kept perfectly dry at their roots, may be 
cut back. Place them in a vinery or Peach house where a temperature 
of 50° can be maintained until they break into growth. Syringe them 
twice daily during favourable weather, but give no water at their roots 
until growth commences. From amongst those that have more recently 
discontinued flowering, some of the most compact may be selected for 
flowering again, which they will do in a very short time if given a tempe¬ 
rature of 50° to 55°. These may be top-dressed or given a little artificial 
manure on the surface of the soil after thoroughly watering them. The 
remainder of this batch should be prepared for cutting back by keeping 
them perfectly dry at their roots. Young stock of both single and 
double varieties that have been wintered in 3-inch pots in a temperature 
of 40° may now be transferred into 5-inch pots. Pot firmly in a compost 
of fibry loam, one-seventh of manure, and a little sand. Place them 
afterwards on a shelf close to the glass where a night temperature of 50° 
can be maintained until they make a start, when 5° more may be given.. 
Water.carefully until they are rooting in the fresh soil. 
Fuchsias. — Autumn struck cuttings that have been kept slowly 
moving during the winter on a shelf close to the glass may now be placed 
in 5-inch pots. These should be potted moderately firm, and about one- 
third of leaf mould may he added for them to the compost advised above. 
Each plant should be supplied with a small stake, and then grown on. 
close to the glass in a temperature of 55°. These will make useful deco¬ 
rative plants in the pots named, and when they have filled them with 
roots supply weak liquid manure or artificial manures applied to the 
surface. A number of old plants that have been resting in a oool shed or 
other position may now be pruned and introduced into a Peach house or 
vinery. At first only syringe them twice daily until they are starting, 
when the soil may be thoroughly soaked with tepid water. When they 
have have broken into growth the whole or the greater portion of the old 
soil should be shaken from their roots, and the plants placed in smaller 
pots, to be afterwards transferred into a larger size when in active 
growth. 
Lantanas. —Plants that have been at rest may now be closely pruned 
in and introduced into gentle heat until they commence growth. In this 
stage they must be turned out of their pots and the old roots partially 
reduced, and then repotted into the same or smaller pots as the case may 
be. These plants do well in the compost advised for Fuchsias ; the leaf 
soil encourages rapid growth, which is beneficial in their early stages. 
When placing them in their largest pots use the compost advised for 
Pelargoniums. 
Cannas. —These are useful for conservatory and room decoration, 
especially where groups of plants have to be maintained in dark comers, 
which is often the case. Wnile these plants are at rest we invariably turn 
them out of their pots—that is, if these are required for other purposes, 
and store the roots in a shed or under the stage. If out of their pots, 
place the roots on the surface of the Vine border and scatter some leaf 
soil amongst them. When they have started into growth the stock can 
be increased by division. The plants are most useful in from 5 to 7 inch 
pots. 
Rliynchospermum jasminoides. —This will do well in the greenhouse,, 
but in such p jsitions is a long time before it attains any size, for its 
growth is only short and sturdy. To increase the size of the plant 
rapidly it should be started and given stove treatment after enjoying a 
good rest in a cool place. In heat this plant makes growths several feet 
in length in the course of a season, and quickly covers a good sized 
trellis. By introducing a few plants at a time in a temperature of 50°, 
increasing it to 60° as growth extends, a good succession of flowers can be 
obtained. Cuttings of young wood strike freely in heat in sandy soil 
under a bellglass, and beautiful decorative plants can be grown in 6 and 
6 inch pots by this method in about two years that will be covered with 
bloom. The growths should be trained upright at first, and then round 
four or five stakes, from which lateral growths will be produced, and the 
plants will assume the habit of bushes. 
Mignonette. —The recent severe weather has compelled the use of more- 
fire beat than is good for the well-being of these plants where large spikes 
of bloom are required. Be careful to use no more fire heat than is really 
necessary, only just exclude frost from them or they will grow weakly. 
1 Any plants in this condition by too close treatment may be tied down 
