494 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ June 16, 1887. 
the border to become dry at the surface causes the roots to descend in 
quest of moisture, and the consequence is that in a cold and wet season 
the Vines start very badly ; the bunches, instead of elongating, curl, 
twist and wither, or if they escape they are often spoiled through 
shanking. Neglect in watering the borders and mulching, especially 
where the Vines are carrying a heavy crop, is not only disastrous to the 
present crop, but induces red spider and the premature ripening of the 
foliage, and injuriously affects next year’s crop of fruit. The cold nights 
still necessitate the use of fires. It is a great mistake to let the fires 
out now and have to employ them later on to have the fruit ripe ; in¬ 
deed, if they are not ripe by the middle of September their keeping is 
extremely problematical. All late Grapes thrive in a high temperature 
with abundant food in liquid form, both at the roots and in the atmo¬ 
sphere. Fire heat should be employed to secure a night temperature of 
65° to 70°, and 70° to 75° by day in dull weather. Admit, or rather 
increase, the ventilation from 75°—a little at first, increasing it with 
the temperature, allowing an advance to and maintaining it at 80°, 85°, 
or 90° through the day from sun heat, closing the house between 80° 
and 85°, damping the paths, &c., well at closing and again before night¬ 
fall, at the latter time with liquid manure. Provide a little ventilation 
the last thing at night, which will prevent a vitiated atmosphere and 
allow the foliage to dry in the morning by the time the sun acts power¬ 
fully. Late Grapes generally are backward, hence the desirability of 
making the most of the solar heat by the judicious application of arti¬ 
ficial heat as may be necessary. Allow all the foliage that can be fully 
exposed to light, but when the space is fairly covered keep the shoots 
closely pinched. Avoid cold draughts or sudden depressions of tempe- 
perature, the most prolific source of rust. 
Merely Planted Vines .—These are growing freely, and should have 
every encouragement to make a sturdy thoroughly solidified growth. 
The borders will need copious supplies of water, but avoid making the 
soil sodden by needless waterings, mulching the surface of the borders 
so as to encourage surface roots, and especially rootlets from the collar. 
Syringe copiously on fine afternoons, and close early, allowing the 
laterals to extend freely. Supernumeraries intended to fruit next season 
should have the laterals stopped at the first joint, and the primary at 
the first six or eight feet of growth, after which moderate lateral ex¬ 
tension may be allowed, but there must not be any interference with 
the principal leaves, which must have full exposure, and be kept clean 
and healthy, so as to insure the proper development of the buds at their 
base. 
Pines. —Fire heat will not be necessary now for successional stock 
except in particularly cold localities, for sufficient heat will be main¬ 
tained to secure the steady growth of the plants, or a temperature of 65° 
at night, if attention be given to ventilation in the daytime, which is very 
necessary to secure sturdy growth. Admit air at 75° if the morning 
be bright, gradually increasing it until the temperature reaches 85°, when 
full ventilation will be required. Reduce the air gradually, keeping 
the heat up to 80° as long as possible, at which close, affording the 
plants a light sprinkling overhead when the weather is bright. It will 
still be necessary to afford the needful warmth to the roots of the plants 
—viz., 80° to 90°, and to accelerate plants in an advanced fruiting 
stage in houses, the bottom heat of which is furnished by hot-water 
pipes. The earliest fruiting plants will now, or soon, furnish a number 
of suckers, which should be taken off and started at once. These will 
form a supplementary batch to those started in March. They must 
be watered at once if the soil be dry, and shade afforded from bright 
sun until they are well rooted. 
Melons.— Some consider Melons are worth little after the hot days 
of summer, but they are often good when the days are bright in Sep¬ 
tember and October. Every available frame, pit, or house should be 
utilised, and where there is likely to be a demand for fruit in late 
summer plants that were raised some time ago should be placed out 
now, they will set freely in the dog days, and afford very acceptable 
fruit in late August and September. A last sowing should be made for 
growing in dung-heated pits or frames. It is advisable to make up the 
beds at once, or at the same time as the seed is sown, which should be 
in 4-inch pots about half filled with soil. One or two seeds may be 
placed in each pot, and soil placed around the stem as the plants 
advance, but not higher than half an inch of the seed leaves. When 
the fruiting bed is ready turn the plants out of the pots, place one in 
the centre of each light, planting to within half an inch of the seed 
leaves, with the soil inclining from the stem, give a good watering, and 
shade from bright sun. Pinch out the point of the leader at the second 
rough leaf, which will induce side shoots ; reduce those to four, take two 
to the front and two to the back of the frame or pit, rubbing off all the 
laterals to within 9 inches of the stem all round, and every lateral upon 
the primary shoots, stopping those about 9 inches from the sides of the 
pit or frame. The plants will be showing and setting fruit in plenty 
early in August, and they will ripen in late September. All the stopping 
and disbudding must be done whilst the plants are small, for large re¬ 
ductions of growth only tend to grossness in the parts retained, and are 
unfavourable to the setting of the crop. Husband sun heat by early 
closing, employ no more shade than is absolutely necessary, but with 
the soil firm and stiff shading will not be needed if the plants are duly 
supplied with water. 
Cucumbers.— As soon as the night temperature can be maintained 
from falling below 65°, fire heat may be dispensed with, much being 
effected by early closing. Continue to look over the plants bi-weekly, 
well thinning-out the old growths, and giving copious supplies of liquid 
manure twice a week. Only syringe in the afternoon, as with bright 
weather morning syringing is often the cause of much injury to the 
foliage. Maintain a good moisture in the house all through the day. 
With early closing it is necessary to guard against scorching in the 
afternoon, particularly where the ends of span-roofed houses are north 
and south, and where the non-ventilating system is practised. From 
4 to 5 or 5.30 is the time of danger, but a slight shading will make 
all safe. 
Night covering will not now be necessary for pits and frames, closing 
at 3 to 4 P.M., assisting plants in full bearing with liquid manure, taking 
care not to wet the foliage. Remove bad leaves as well as exhausted 
growths, thinning the shoots once a week, stopping the growths at one 
or two joints beyond the fruit; and where the plants are enfeebled by 
bearing, top-dress with lumpy loam and layer some of the younger 
growths at a joint, from which roots will be emitted and strengthen the 
succeeding growths. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Primulas .—Frame room will now be plentiful, and the earliest plants, 
should be transferred from the small pots to 5-inch pots. The seed and 
small lower leaves should be removed and the plants poHed as deeply in 
the soil as practicable without fear of injury to the heart of the plant. 
It is a great mistake in potting these plants to leave them when finished 
so that they shake about at the collar. Plants in this condition generally 
damp off in winter much sooner than those given the chance of 
emitting roots from the stem. Press the soil firmly into the pots, and 
use for a compost two-thirds good fibry loam to one-third of leaf mould ; 
one-seventh of decayed manure may be added and a liberal dash of sand. 
The plants should occupy cold frames with the pots stood upon ashes. 
The frame should be so arranged that the full force of the sun will not 
strike upon the plants. Later plants should be transferred from pans 
into small pots singly and grown under cool frame treatment. The 
latest intended for spring flowering should be pricked out of the 
seed pot or pan into others 1 inch apart until they are ready for small 
pots. 
Boulle Varieties .—Those rooted some time ago may be placed into- 
4-inch pots and grown on in cold frames. Those that were earthed up- 
later in the season to induce the emission of roots from the stem may 
now be divided and potted singly in small pots. These must be kept 
close for ten days or a fortnight until they have commenced rooting in 
the new soil, when they may be gradually hardened and grown in cold 
frames. 
Rases .—Plunge Hybrid Perpetuals in a sunny position if they have, 
been thoroughly hardened for turning outside ; if not, carefully prepare 
them before placing them out, so that the whole of their foliage can be. 
preserved in good condition. The soil about the roots should be in a- 
thoroughly moist condition when they are plunged, and very little labour 
will be occasioned in watering afterwards, provided the plunging material 
is kept moist, and the plants liberally syringed twice a day. Under 
these conditions they will soon commence in earnest the formation of 
fresh roots, and a good top growth will result. If this be encouraged it 
will add strength and vigour to the plants, whereby they thoroughly 
recruit themselves for the following season. Those potted in autumn 
into 6 and 7 inch pots, and brought forward in cold frames, may, if they 
have flowered and grown well, be transferred into pots 2 inches larger. 
These may then be plunged outside. By potting these plants now they 
will become thoroughly established, and be in the best possible condition 
for flowering early under glass another season. Those that have not yet- 
flowered should be kept as cool as possible, so that the supply will be- 
continued until blooms can be gathered outside. After flowering, these, 
can be repotted and treated the same as advised for those that flowered 
earlier in the year. 
Tta Varieties .—No artificial heat will now be needed for the Rose 
house proper. Abundance of air must be given during the day, or the 
temperature of the house will rise too high and the plants become 
infested with red spider. A free sturdy growth must be encouraged by 
syringing the plants liberally and keeping them supplied with water at 
their roots. Weak stimulants may be given with advantage every alter¬ 
nate time water is needed. With care and good treatment the plants 
will continue growing, and yield for some time a bountiful supply of 
flowers. Those in pots that occupy the side stages of the house, and 
have done duty since last November, may be thoroughly hardened and 
stood outside or plunged ; the latter is decidedly the best. Young stock, 
potted in autumn from the open ground, or small plants on their 
own roots that have been in cold frames up to the present time and just 
coming into flower, may occupy the side stages of the Rose house. As 
soon as the first blooms are removed from these plants they may be 
repotted, if they are healthy and have done well. Under these con¬ 
ditions they will grow rapidly and make splendid plants by autumn, and 
can then be allowed to come into bloom to maintain the supply when 
those outside fail. Not only will they yield useful material for cutting 
at that dull period of the year, but if pruned moderately hard back, 
will flower profusely again during the months of March and April. 
Young stock rooted this spring may be placed into 6-inch pots and 
t rown from this date in the Rose house. The flower buds as they appear 
should be removed, so that the young plants have an opportunity of 
gaining strength and vigour. These will also be found most useful in 
autumn, and will continue to flower until Christmas. When ventilation 
is abundant aphides are perhaps more troublesome than at any other 
period of the year. The plants must not become infested, or else their 
growth will soon be brought to a standstill. The quickest method of 
eradicating these pests is to fumuate the house with tobacco smoke, 
directly they make their appearance. 
