M«y 19,1887. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
405 
vigorous second growth. If in the second crop the fruits show very 
abundantly they must be thinned, so as not to overburden the trees to 
the prejudice of next season’s bearing. 
Planted-out Trees. —The permanently planted trees in houses will 
require attention in stopping the young shoots at the fifth or sixth 
joint, and thinning the strong-growing shoots to admit light and air to 
the fruit. Attend to syringing the trees twice daily, and water abun¬ 
dantly at the roots as often as required, employing weak liquid manure, 
•especially where the borders are small. If the first crop of Figs on the 
early started trees has not yet commenced ripening there will soon be 
indications of its taking place, and until the crop is perfected a little 
ventilation should be allowed constantly at the top of the house, and 
whenever the weather is favourable a free circulation of warm air must 
be afforded. Cease syringing the trees when ripening commences, and 
avoid a superabundance > of moisture about the house. A good watering 
should be given when indications of ripening appear, which more parti¬ 
cularly applies to large trees with only limited space for the roots. Let 
the fruit be perfectly ripe before gathering, unless it is to be packed, 
when it must be gathered a few days sooner. 
Peaches and Nectarines. — Trees Started Early in the Tear .— 
The trees will soon have stoned, but until that is completed they should 
not be subjected to a higher temperature than 00° to 65° by artificial 
means, commencing to ventilate at 65°, and not allowing 70° to be ex¬ 
ceeded without a free circulation of air. Tie in the shoots as they 
advance, removing superfluous growths, as it is impracticable to have a 
crowded growth and stout wood with well developed fruit buds ; indeed, 
it is important that no more shoots be trained in than can be fully exposed 
to light and air. If the shoots are crowded thin them well as soon as 
the stoning is completed. Allow one fruit to every square foot of trellis 
covered by the trees, which will be one to each shoot of last year, 
although vigorous shoots may lie allowed to carry two fruits, so by 
apportioning the fruit according to the varying strength evenness of 
growth may be maintained throughout the trees. After stoning main¬ 
tain a good moisture in the house, and water the inside border copiously, 
which in well dried borders will not be required less than once a week, 
mulching the surface with about 2 inches thickness of short half- 
decayed manure. Unless it is desired to accelerate the ripening continue 
fi0° to 65° at night and 65° by day artificially in dull weather, and 75° 
with sun heat, closing at the latter with plenty of moisture in the 
house. In a high temperature and moist atmosphere Peaches swell to 
a great size after stoning. If such be required, a night temperature of 
<i">° to 70°, 70° to 75° by day artificially, and 80° to 85° from sun heat 
may be secured to the trees, closing early so as to run up to 90° or 95°. 
With due precaution taken in having the fruit well exposed, raised with 
its apex to the light, and the foliage drawn aside or shortened, so that 
the fruit receives all the sun and light, it is very taking in appearance, 
though scarcely so tempting or so well flavoured as those in less heat 
and moisture and freer ventilation. 
Trees Started in February. —These are stoning, and must have the 
number of the fruit reduced, leaving two fruit on strong shoots but one 
only on weak. The fruit retained in all instances should be best 
situated for exposure to light and air. Thin the shoots where over¬ 
crowded, and the more light the fruit is subjected to from the com¬ 
mencement the better is its colour and the higher its flavour. The 
temperature, by artificial means, may be kept at 55° to 60° at night, 
60° to 65° by day artificially, ventilating at 65°, fully at 70° to 75°. 
Assist weakly and full-cropped trees with liquid manure, but keep it 
from trees that are very vigorous, as it only tends to growth and may 
prove fatal to the stoning. 
Trees Started in March. —The fruit is swelling freely, and must be 
well thinned. It can now be seen which fruits have taken the lead. 
Two or three will be ample to leave on strong shoots, and proportionately 
less on weaker growths. Afford liquid manure to weakly trees, but 
vigorous trees, being more prone to cast the fruit, should have water 
only. Remove all superfluous shoots, the remaining growths being 
trained and tied to the trellis as they advance. 
Latest Trees. —Disbudding and tying-in the shoots must be continued, 
also thinning the fruit. As the fruit of these outside is not very pro¬ 
mising ventilate freely, so as to have the fruit ripe at the same time as 
the crop outside instead of preceding it, as in an ordinary season. 
Examine all inside borders at least once a week, giving thorough sup¬ 
plies of water when necessary, and syringe the trees twice a day, except 
when the nights arc likely to be cold, which, however, more particularly 
applies to unheated houses. These should have the afternoon syringing 
early, so as to allow the foliage to become dry before night. Early 
closing may also be practised with a view to husband the sun heat. 
•Strawberries in Pots.—T he latest plants will be in position 
and in flower ; our latest occupy shelves in a Plum case, are throwing 
up the trusses strongly, and arc disposed to have long stems, 
as is common with late plants. This can only be obviated by 
keeping the plants well up to. the glass and near the ventilators, 
so that they do not become drawn. When the flowers are advanced 
select the strongest, all the weaker blooms being cut away, leaving 
sufficient only for a crop. The centre or king fruit is always the 
largest, and to encourage this and others to set well early thinning 
should be practised. Plants swelling their fruit must have frequent 
supplies of liquid manure ; indeed it should be given right away from 
the fruit commencing to swell freely until it changes colour for ripening, 
when clear water, and not too much of it—only the plants must not 
flag—will be more suitable. In this stage they like a high temperature 
and moist atmosphere, and as size goes a long way in a Strawberry we 
swell off as many as possible in the Cucumber and Melon houses, and 
keep rather drier and cooler when ripening. It not only saves the fruit 
from “spotting,” but the flavour is very much better, the aroma being 
very marked between those ripened in a moist atmosphere and a rather 
dry and airy. 
PLANT HOU3E3. 
Centropogon Lucyanus .—Cuttings will now be abundant, provided 
old plants after flowering were introduced into brisk heat ; but if taken 
from plants growing under these conditions and inserted without pre¬ 
paration, nearly the whole of them will be lost. Previous to taking the 
cuttings, remove the plants to cooler and more airy quarters for a short 
time, when nearly every one will form roots. Take the cuttings when 
they are about 2 j inches in length, with a small heel, not too much of 
the old stem. Insert them thickly together in sandy soil, well watered, 
and the pots plunged in the propagating house. We have always found 
that the cuttings root best outside the propagating box or without the 
aid of bellglasses. They must be shaded from strong sunshine. Plants 
raised from the present time until the end of June will be found most 
serviceable in 3 to 5-inch pots. The retention of the old stock is 
advisable only where large plants can be used for decoration. Old 
stock can be cut close back after sufficient young plants have been 
raised, and when they have started into growth the old soil can be 
shaken from their roots, and the plants repotted into the same size, 
smaller, or larger pots, as each case may demand. After this operation 
shade must be applied, and a close moist atmosphere maintained. These 
do well in good loam, one-seventh of decayed manure, and silver 
sand. 
Poinscttias .—Firm short-jointed cuttings should now be plentiful, 
and in this condition they root freely provided they are not too soft by 
production in a close confined atmosphere. Slip them off with a sharp 
knife just where they start from the old stem. Insert the cuttings singly 
in the centre of 2-inch pots filled with light soil. A little sand should 
be placed for the base of the cutting to rest upon. Give a good watering, 
and place them under handlights or in the propagating frame, where 
they can be shaded and kept close until they are rooted. Insert cuttings 
at intervals of two or three weeks until the beginning of July. After 
they are rooted gradually harden them to cooler and more airy con¬ 
ditions, and at the same time expose them to full light and sunshine. 
Euphorbia jac guiniceflora .—It is useless to attempt to strike cuttings 
of this useful winter-flowering plant that have been drawn up softly in 
heat and moisture. If the cuttings are firm every one will strike. We 
have found them root freely either inserted in sand and covered with 
bellglasses, or plunged in cocoa-nut fibre refuse and shaded from strong 
sun. Another good method of propagation is to cut up the old stem 
into lengths and insert them in sand in the propagating house. If they 
have been grown cool these will root freely even with growths on them 
1 inch or more in length. 
Eranthemums .—A number of E. Andersoni should now be rooted 
singly in small pots and afterwards transferred into 4-inch pots, in 
which they will be useful for decorative purposes. This is best grown 
on a single stem, from the centre of which a beautiful truss of small 
white beautifully spotted flowers is produced. It is easily propagated in 
heat, and is most effective during the sunless days of autumn and winter, 
either in the stove, intermediate house, or conservatory. To show them 
to advantage well elevate them above surrounding plants. E. pulchellum 
is most ornamental with its bright small blue flowers, which are freely 
produced in succession during the winter. Few plants are more easily 
propagated or grown, and if good plants aie required root the cuttings 
at once. The tops from those rooted, struck from time to time, will 
make valuable decorative plants in 4, 5, and 6 inch pots. E. argenteo- 
marginatum is also a very fine foliage plant in a small state in 4-inch 
pots. These may be rooted now for the embellishment of the stove 
and intermediate structures. 
Scutellaria Mocciniana .—To have this most effective plant in good 
condition during autumn and winter cuttings should be rooted at once 
and insert them in succession during this month and June. They may 
be inserted singly in small pots, as nearly every one will root in sandy 
soil in heat if they are shaded from the sun. The earliest may be 
pinched once after they are rooted, and after they have broken again 
into growth may be transferred into 4-inch pots, in which they may be 
allowed to extend until they develope their large showy heads of bloom. 
The later plants may be grown in the same size, but without pinching 
their shoots. To grow them well they must not be in too much heat or 
under too shady "conditions. After they are once rooted the object 
should be to induce strong, firm, sturdy growth. Directly the flowers 
are visible feed liberally with weak stimulants or artificial manure, for 
upon this depends very much whether the heads of bloom are well de¬ 
veloped or the contrary. 
Thyrsacanthus rutilans .—Few plants for elevating above others or 
standing on the curbs of plant houses are more beautiful than this old 
inhabitant of our houses. To grow it well for this purpose insert clean 
healthy cuttings singly in 2-inch pots in sandy soil. They root freely 
in handlights in heated structures if shaded from the sun. Directly 
they are rooted place them in 5-inch pots in a compost of two parts 
good loam to one of leaf mould, to which is added sand and one-seventh 
of decayed manure. They should then be gradually hardened to cool 
conditions, and during the summer grown in cold frames. The result of 
this treatment will be dwarf clean plants with dark green largo foliage 
to the base. When grown in the stove they become tall and a prey to 
scale and other insects ; in fact, they always present an unsightly 
appearance. 
