68 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
July 19,1894. 
WOKK.^o^'theWEEK.. 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Pines. — Houses as they become vacant should be thoroughly 
cleansed before being again occupied with plants. The first thing to be 
seen to is the bed. If the bottom heat be afforded by hot-water pipes, 
the material forming the bed, whether of tan or leaves, should be 
removed at least once a year, or insects, particularly woodlice, increase 
rapidly. The old material also harbours other predatory vermin. Brush 
all brickwork or plaster with hot lime, the wood and ironwork being 
thoroughly cleansed wich softsoap and brush, keeping the soapy water 
as much as possible from the glass, which ought to be cleansed with 
water only. If needed, the wood and ironwork should be painted. Beds 
that are chambered—that is, the hot-water pipes covered with slates or 
other material—are much in advance of those passing through beds of 
rubble. Those composed of the latter should be turned, and dirt or 
small parts removed, to allow the heat given off by the pipes to penetrate 
through the whole, and diffuse a uniform temperature to the bed. New 
material will be required for the bed. Fresh tan should be provided, of 
which 3 feet depth is ample where pipes are placed beneath to maintain 
the requisite temperature when that of the fermenting material is declin¬ 
ing, and about 1 foot or 18 inches more where there are no pipes. If it 
be wet, turn it occasionally on fine days. 
Suckers that were started in June will soon fill their pots with roots, 
and must be shifted into larger ones before the roots become closely 
matted together. Queens require 9 and 10-inch pots, and those of 
stronger growths 11-inch pots. Supply water if the soil be dry imme¬ 
diately after potting, and plunge the pots in a bed having a temperature 
of 90° to 95°. There is no greater mistake in growing Pines than crowd¬ 
ing young plants, which causes them to become drawn and weakly. 
Attend to the bottom heat of the beds that have recently been disturbed 
by the removal of plants, not allowing the heat to exceed 95° at the 
base of the pots without immediately raising them, as too much bottom 
heat will disastrously affect plants with fruit or those having the pots 
filled with roots. Examine the plants for watering about twice a week, 
and maintain a moist, genial, well-ventilated atmosphere. The climatic 
conditions are now so favourable that Pine plants grow luxuriantly, 
therefore discontinue any shading, such as may have been employed for 
an hour or two at midday when the sun was powerful through the 
months of May, June, and early July, the plants after this, unless the 
weather be very scorching, having the benefit of every ray of light. 
Admit air freely when the temperature ranges from 85° to 95°, 
affording fruiting plants a night temperature of 70° to 75°, and 
successional plants 65° to 70° at night. Reserve, if possible, suckers on 
the stools for starting at the commencement of September. 
Melons. —If fruit of these be required very late a last sowing should 
be made, but unless there be a light and well heated strueture available 
the prospeet of a crop will be indifferent, and the flavour of late fruit 
is not always satisfactory. It is desirable to choose for this sowing 
varieties that will keep some time after being ripe, as Scarlet Premier in 
scarlet-flesh, and Longleat Perfection of the white-flesh section. These, 
and many others, are good setters and swell well late, or at any time, for 
that matter, in the season, provided they are properly cared for. 
The plants for affording ripe fruit in October should be placed out 
without delay. If the weather be bright and the temperature at 
night does not fall below 65°, fire heat may be dispensed with, only it is 
necessary that the bottom heat, if derived from fermenting materials, be 
90° at the commencement, as they will gradually lose heat. If from 
hot-water pipes 80° to 85°, keep the temperature of the house by day 
70° to 75°, advancing with sun heat to 85° or 90°, or 100° after closing. 
In pits and frames the latest plants are setting, and a good watering 
should be given if necessary before the flowers open, as it is undesirable 
to supply water during the setting process. If, however, it is necessary 
to afford water during the time the fruits are setting it should be done 
carefully, as a dry atmosphere with rather free ventilation is essential 
to a good set. As soon as the fruits of the different crops are set and 
swelling earth the plants freely, making the soil very firm so as to secure 
solid fruits. Keep the growths well in hand after the fruit commences 
swelling, so as to admit light and air to the principal leaves, also stop 
all lateral growths to one joint. Syringe freely, and afford copious 
supplies of water, except during the setting and ripening periods. If 
canker appear at the collar of the plants promptly apply quicklime, 
rubbing it well into the affected parts, and if there be any indications 
of the fruit cracking cut the stem half way through a few joints below 
the fruit, reducing the supply of water at the roots, and maintaining 
a dry well-ventilated atmosphere, leaving a little air on at night. 
Tigs.-JEarly-foreed Planted-out Trees, —The first crop is gathered, 
which usually affords a supply over several weeks, and during that time 
red spider sometimes increases alarmingly, therefore resume syringing 
twice daily, and sprinkle the house whenever the surfaces become dry. 
Thin the fruits freely if plentiful, reserving those which are nearest the 
base of the shoots. Tie in the growths as they advance, securing them 
loosely to the trellis, stopping or removing any which are not required, 
regulating those retained so that they may receive the benefit of light 
and air to mature them properly. Do not allow the trees to suffer for 
want of water, but afford copious supplies, also of liquid manure, 
mulching the surface with short material. 
Where crops are ripening maintain a free circulation of warm, dry 
air constantly, which is essential to ensure good flavour, withholding 
water from the fruits, and only supplying it at the roots to maintain the 
foliage in good condition. Trees in pots required for early forcing must 
not be neglected for watering and supplies of liquid manure, syringing 
them occasionally to keep down red spider. 
THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Cabbages. —Spring Cabbages, or any that can be cut before or 
about Eastertide, are always appreciated. In order to be certain of 
having a good supply of tender young hearts, without running the risk 
of the greater portion of the plants put out “ bolting,” the seeds have to 
be sown at a certain period—this varying considerably according to 
circumstances. In some districts on or about July 12th is not found 
too early, in others from a fortnight to three weeks later answers better. 
In any case it is not wise to depend solely upon one sowing. Make two 
sowings at intervals of a fortnight or rather more, and an equal number 
of plants being eventually put out from each it will then be found which 
is the best time to sow. It both sowings do well so much the better. 
There are also some varieties that can be more relied upon than 
others, and there are few better than Ellam’s Dwarf Spring and the old 
Wheeler’s Imperial—both small Cabbages and admirably adapted for 
private gardens. Select a good open spot, make the soil quite 
fine, and sow the seeds either thinly in beds or in drills 5 inches apart. 
If the ground is at all dry well moisten it prior to sowing, and cover 
the seeds with fine or sifted soil. Where small birds are troublesome net 
over the beds, and during showery weather slugs may be kept away by 
means of occasional dustings of soot and lime. When the Coleworts or 
small quick-hearting Cabbages are large enough plant out, 1 foot 
asunder, wherever there are border or blank spaces want filling. They 
will heart in, provided the ground is not too poor, next autumn, and 
will be found very serviceable till midwinter. 
Endive. —Plants raised much earlier than July cannot be depended 
upon to keep long, but if well grown and properly blanched early 
hearts add greatly to the appearance of a summer or early autumn salad. 
Endive must have the benefit of w'ell-worked moderately light rich 
ground. Supposing the early plants are in seed beds, give the latter a 
good watering before the attempt is made to lift the plants. Next open 
moderately wide drills 12 inches apart, give these a watering if dry, and 
dibble out the Endive 6 inches asunder. Grown thus thic&y in drills 
the blanching will be effected with little or no trouble. Now is a good 
time to sow seed of the Green Curled and Broad-leaved Batavian forms 
in drills 12 inches asunder. Where the ground is not yet at liberty, and 
the Potatoes are late this season, sow the seeds in drills 5 inches apart 
and transplant from these later on. 
Kidney Beans. —When the plants are grown thickly there is 
usually a heavy crop and an early collapse, whereas when they are freely 
thinned out, say to a distance of from 8 inches to 12 inches apart, and 
the plants further lightly staked or supported by being heavily moulded 
up, a longer succession of pods will be had. Especially is it necessary 
that the plants be grown thinly, and not be allowed to bear heavily at a 
time when long straight exhibition pods are wanted. During the next 
fortnight more seed should be sown on a warm border or high ground, 
where early frosts are not felt so quickly as in lower positions. From 
these rows it may be possible to gather several extra late and very 
acceptable dishes. Sion House and Canadian Wonder are among the 
best for these late sowings. 
Turnips. —Directly a good breadth of early Potatoes can be cleared 
off the open ground, as much of this as can be spared should be well 
forked over, levelled, and raked ready for Turnip seed. Open drills 
15 inches apart, water if at all dry, and then sow the seeds thinly. 
Snowball and Veitch’s Red Globe are suitable for this sowing, but as a 
rule the roots will be too forward for winter use, and more seeds ought to 
be sown late in July or early in August. 
Early Potatoes. —Frosts cripple! the haulm of these, and as a 
consequence the crops are somewhat light. Hot weather has forwarded 
them rapidly of late, and the Ashleafs in particular will soon be ready 
for lifting and storing. No varieties are more liable to disease attacks, 
and it is a mistake, therefore, to leave them in the ground till the haulm 
has quite died down. After the tubers hare ceased to grow, and before 
the skins are set hard, all may safely be lifted and stored. On no account 
leave the tubers on the ground or pathway to green. No good results 
from this greening, while a few hours’ exposure to a moist atmosphere 
may lead to the bulk taking Potato disease. It is not very often too 
many Ashleaf and other extra early varieties are stored for planting 
purposes, the opposite more frequently being the case. Store abundanee of 
tubers thinly in a cool airy shed or outhouse. Where space is limited an 
early clearance of Potatoes admits of the sowing or planting of several 
crops already named, as well as Broccoli, Borecole, Cauliflowers, Savoys 
and such like in close succession. If the ground is well forked over, 
levelled, cleaned, and where very loose trampled, it ought to be in 
excellent condition for any successional crop. 
Winter Spinach.— It is yet too early to sow seeds with a view to 
having SpinacU in abundance next winter, but seeing that no crop 
better repays for a little extra trouble taken in producing it, the pre¬ 
paration of the ground ought, ere this, to have commenced. Not only 
does early manuring, digging, and redigging render the ground fi.t for 
the crop, but also serves to eradicate grubs or insect pests that are liable 
