98 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ February 8,1887. 
sion unbroken. Let there be ft close scrutiny of the plants for aphides in 
all stages preceding flowering, and upon its first appearance fumigate, it 
being very essential that the plants be always clean, but particularly so 
when coming into flower. 
Vines. — Early-forcecL Vines. —In the earliest house attention will be 
necessary in tying the shoots and stopping them to one or two joints above 
the show of fruit where space is limited, the auxiliary growths below the 
bunch being removed, except those from the two lowest joints, which, 
with those above the fruit, should be stopped at the first leaf and subse¬ 
quently as made. It is of the utmost importance that the principal foliage 
be fully exposed to light and air, overcrowding and overcropping being 
highly prejudicial ; at the same time, very close stopping is not to be 
recommended where there is room for extension, as the extension of the 
foliage promotes corresponding root-action, therefore preserve all the 
foliage consistent with its full exposure to light and air. Houses where 
the Grapes are in flower should have a night temperature of 65°, and 5° 
more for Muscats. Muscats, Sweetwater, and others that do not set freely 
should have the points of the bunches drawn to the light, assisting fertili¬ 
sation by shaking the Vines every day, or dusting the bunches with a 
camel’s-hair brush. Varieties that do not afford pollen freely should 
have it taken from other sorts, and this dusted over the stigmas. A 
constant circulation of rather dry warm air will be found highly advan¬ 
tageous. Commence thinning when the berries are about the size of small 
Peas. Vines in pots will require copious supplies of liquid manure, 
thinning the bunches somewhat freely so as to induce large berries, not, 
however, going to the extreme of making the bunches loose, though that 
is better than clusters of small berries. The temperature when the Grapes 
are swelling should be maintained at 65° at night, falling 5° on cold 
mornings ; 65° to 70° on cold days, increasing the ventilation —\ little 
being admitted at 70°—with the sun heat to 80° or 85°, at which keep 
through the day from that source, closing at 80°, and damp all available 
surfaces. Damping is also necessary in the early part of the day. Great 
care is needed in ventilating at this season. During such weather as 
lately prevailed afford air in moderate quantity—a little at a time, so as 
not to reduce the temperature, only to prevent its rising too suddenly and 
too high. Inside borders should have a thorough watering with tepid 
liquid manure—1 lb. guano to 20 gallons of water, applying it at a 
temperature of 80° to 90°. 
Vines Started with the New Year. —These are breaking strongly. 
Syringe the Vines or rods three times a day until the bunches are formed, 
when syringing must be discontinued; but maintain atmospheric mois¬ 
ture by damping available surfaces three times a day. Avoid damping 
the hot-water pipes when they are highly heated, the steam arising there¬ 
from being very different from that given off by cooler surfaces. Keep 
up a supply of ammonia by turning the fermenting materials, adding fresh 
horse droppings (a little at a time) ; but where fermenting materials 
have not been used, the house may be sprinkled with liquid manure in 
the afternoon, the evaporation troughs, if any, being filled with the same. 
Ammonia vapour is good for the foliage, and it is useful against red 
spider. The temperature should be increased to 55° at night, and 60° to 
65° by day, with an advance to 75° from sun heat, ventilation being given 
carefully, and in accordance with the state of the external air. 
Houses to Afford Ripe drapes in July. —These should now be started. 
There is no need to cover the border with fermenting materials, but out¬ 
side borders should be covered with leaves or litter to prevent frost or 
snow chilling the roots. A bed of fermenting materials within the house 
conduces greatly to a free and regular break. Syringe the rods three 
times a day, maintaining a temperature of 50° at night and 65° by day 
from sun heat. Water the inside borders with liquid manure at 90°, and 
repeatedly if necessary, so as to bring the soil into a thoroughly moist 
state. 
Late Grapes. —Gros Colman and Gros Guillaume, requiring more 
time to ripen than Lady Downe’s and similar sorts, should be started by 
the middle or latest end of the month, so as to afford time for their 
thorough ripening. When well ripened, wood as Well as fruit, these are 
the noblest black Grapes in existence. Avoid fire heat as much as pos¬ 
sible to Grapes in the store room, affording air to prevent an accumula¬ 
tion of moiatnre, replenishing the bottles with clear soft water as required. 
An equable temperature of 45° is most suitable. 
^ Eyes. —These may now be inserted, using pots, pans, or square pieces 
of turf. Select firm well ripened Wood, filling the pots or pans with rich 
friable soil, inserting the buds with a pinch of silver sand and half an 
inch beneath the surface, plunging the pots, &c., in a bottom heat 
of 80°. 
Cut-hacks. —Vines raised from eyes last spring, and which are not of 
a strength for fruiting or planting, should be cut back to an eye or two 
as near the surface of the soil as possible. When they have made 
2 inches of growth shake them out and repot in turfy loam rather rough, 
with a sprinkling of bones ; 6 to 9-inch pots will be large enough. A 
slight bottom heat is an advantage for these Vines, but it is not essential, 
maintaining atmospheric moisture by sprinkling the house two or three 
times a day, 
PLANT HOUSES, 
Calanthes. —As these cease flowering the pseudo-bulbs may be removed 
from amongst the soil in which they have been growing. They can be 
stored in boxes or pans amongst sand closely together, and then placed in 
a shed or house where they can be kept dry, in a temperature of 50°, en¬ 
joying a complete rest for some weeks. A lengthened season of rest is the 
secret of strong vigorous growth afterwards. Give no water to those still 
in flower. 
Phaius grandifolius.—li a portion of the stock is introduced into a 
temperature of 60° to 65° the plants will quickly throw up their imposing 
flower spikes ; the remainder will form a capital succession if they remain 
in a temperature from 6° to 10° lower. Be careful not to overwater these 
plants; give them no more than just sufficient to keep them fresh and 
plump. The syringe must also be kept from the foliage. When the earliest 
plants come into flower remove them to the conservatory or other structure 
kept at 46° to 50°. Under this treatment the plants rest thoroughly, and 
the flowers last fully double the length of time they would do in a moist 
warm structure. During the time they are in flower, in a moderately cool 
place, they will need little or no water at their roots. 
Thunias .—Many of these plants fail to flower because they are started 
into growth too late in the season and then grown under too moist and too 
shady conditions. Such treatment results in lengthy soft growths that 
will not flower, and often damp off in the winter. A good batch may be 
started at once in a temperature of 60°. Very little water should be given 
until they show signs of growth, when the supply must be gradually in¬ 
creased. Liberal supplies can be given them when rooting and growing 
freely. When these plants are well started the whole of the old soil may 
be shaken from their roots, and the plants repotted in either a mixture of 
peat and loam in equal proportions, with a good dash of sand added, and a 
little decayed manure, or in peat and spagnum moss. They appear to 
thrive well in almost any soil, and W6 have grown them well in fibry loam, 
manure, and sand, with a little charcoal added, but prefer the more open 
compost advised above. 
Cypripediums .—Such species as C. villosum and C. venustum will be 
benefited by removal to a temperature of 45° or 50° while in bloom. 
They grow afterwards with increased vigour, for they will rest thoroughly 
under such treatment. Although these plants have no pseudo-bulbs and 
cannot be kept so dry during their resting season as many O.chids, they 
nevertheless must have a period of rest, which can only be induoed by a 
lower temperature and slightly drier conditions. Wnile in a cool house 
very little water should be given, and when this becomes necessary that 
supplied to them must be several degrees warmer than the house. The 
plants of C. insigne, so useful for various forms of decoration, that have 
flowered may be top-iressed with peat and sphagnum moss, removing as 
much of the old material as possible. If the plants are much root- 
bound a little cow manure in a moderately dry state may with advantage 
be applied to the surface. Any plants that it may be deemed advisable 
to repot should have the pans or pots broken in which they are growing, 
and any portions to which the roots firmly cling must be left attached. 
The whole of the old compost should be carefully washed with tepid 
water from amongst their roots. Allow them to drain thoroughly, and 
then repot them ia the same or larger pans. The pots may be at the 
least one-third full of drainage, and the compost—peat and charcoal—in 
good-sized lumps should be carefully worked amongst the roots. Sphag¬ 
num moss may also be used, but this must be worked in near the surface, 
for it becomes thoroughly decomposed in one season, and can then be 
easily removed. Tnese plants will do in a vinery or Peach house, no 
better place could be accorded them. They well repay for gentle moist 
heat to start them, and during their season of growth. 
Cattleyas .—Remove the plants of C. Trianae to the warmest end of the 
house or a portion of the most forward, where they will quickly unfold 
their flowers. A little more moisture may be given these plants as well 
as C. Moss ire, both in the atmosphere and about the roots of the plants, 
This must not be overdone, or else the roots will decay instead of starting 
presently into vigorous growth. Any plants of the former may be top- 
dressed, which will give them a neater appearance during the time they 
are in bloom. Remove from the surface dead moss and supply with fresh. 
If the plants have been repotted recently the peat qn the surface need 
not be disturbed. Any plants that require larger pots or pans may be left 
until they have flowered. Plants of C. Mossise that do not need potting 
may also be top-dressed. 
6 celogyne cristata .—Plants introduced into heat a few weeks ago will 
now be in flower. Give these liberal supplies of water at their roots tn 
prevent the shrivelling of the pseudo-bulos, but be careful that moisture 
does not fall upon their pure white delicate flowers, for they are quickljr 
spotted and destroyed. More plants may be introduced into a temperature 
of 60° to form a succession. The remainder may for the present be kept 
cool. 
THE FLOWER GARDEN AND PLEASURE GROUND. 
Replanting Roses .—After Roses h ive been for some time p'anted the 
soil naturally becomes exhausted of much that is necessary for the well¬ 
being of the plant. In soma positio is they need not be disturbed for 
several years, but directly they give signs of failing vigour, which not un- 
frequently happens in the course of three or four years, renovating 
measures must be taken or they will soon become comparatively useless. 
Liberal spring mulchings of fresh manure, that from a pig yard being 
most suitable, will serve to keep some soils in a fertile s'ate, but in many 
instances nothing short of lifting and replanting will much benefit the- 
Roses. As a rule they will succeed better if replanted in quite a fresh 
site, the soil being deeply dug and well enriched with some kind of solid 
manure. Failing this a quantity of fresh loamy soil and abundance of 
good manure ought to be well incorporated with the worn-out old soil. 
When lifting the Roses as many roots should be preserved as possible, 
which must not be allowed to become very dry prior to replant ng, but 
all should be lightly shortened with a sharp kaife and be well surrounded 
with good fresh soil. Standards to be staked up at once, or the wind will 
greatly disturb the roots, and some of the very strongest of the dwarfs 
also may be staked. Where the dwarfs are strongly rooted above the 
