July 26, 1894. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
93 
to the infested portions of wood. If any affected young shoots are 
dressed over the brush must be nearly dry, as the sappy wood and 
green leaves too readily absorb the oil and receive injury. 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Peaches and TTectarlnes. — Early Forced Trees. —Those which 
were started by or before the new year, whether the varieties consist of 
the very early, such as Alexander and Waterloo Peaches, with Advance 
or Early Rivers Nectarines, or such as Hale’s Early, Stirling Castle, 
Royal George and Dymond Peaches, with Lord Napier and Goldoni 
Nectarines, have been cleared of their fruit some time. They have also 
had the wood on which the fruit was borne removed, also superfluous 
growths, so that those retained have abundance of light and air for 
perfecting the fruit buds and the maturity of the wood, which is 
encouraged by clean foliage and proper supplies of nutriment. The 
trees must be cleansed of insects if necessary by the prompt employ¬ 
ment of an insecticide and duly supplied with water, or in the case of 
weakly trees liquid manure at the roots. A light mulching will also 
tend to keep the roots near the surface and prevent the premature 
ripening of the foliage. The buds will be sufBciently plumped and the 
wood enough ripened to allow of the roof lights being removed, which 
should not be further delayed. This is an old and commendable 
practice, not the least of its advantages being the thorough moistening 
of the border by the autumn rains. Where the roof lights are not 
removeable air should be admitted to the fullest extent; and a little 
whitewash syringed on the roof lights where the panes of glass are large 
and when the sun’s rays are powerful, such as occurs during bright 
weather, will be useful in preventing the over-maturity of the buds 
and their dropping at a later period. 
Succession Houses. —Trees started in February have mostly been 
cleared of I heir fruit, but some are still ripening and need free ven¬ 
tilation. As the fruit is removed cut out the wood that has borne it, 
and thin the growths where too close, or where they are so near each 
other that the foliage cannot have proper exposure to light and air. 
Cleanse the trees from dust and red spider by forcible syringing, employing 
an insecticide against it and scale. Keep the border moist, supplying 
liquid manure if the trees have cropped heavily and are enfeebled. 
This helps them to recuperate and plump the buds. Stop all laterals to 
one joint, or allow a little extension if the trees have the blossom buds 
prominent and the leaves have been infested with red spider, with a 
view to continuing the root action and at the same time divert the sap 
from the principal buds, which must not be forced into growth. When 
the buds are well formed and the wood duly matured remove the roof 
lights. 
Trees Swellmg their Fruit. —Those started in March and only given 
sufficient heat to insure safety for the blossom and fruit from frost, or 
maintain a steady progress in c )ld periods, have the fruit in an advanced 
state for ripening. The leaves should be drawn aside and the fruit 
raised by means of laths across the trellis, so that the apex will be 
exposed to the light. Water inside, also outside borders where necessary 
with liquid manure, and keep the surface lightly mulched with short, 
rather lumpy manure, but avoid heavy coatings, especially of matter 
likely to form a soapy mass, and exclude air. Commence ventilating 
early ; in fact, leave a little air on all night, syringing by 7 A M., and 
through the early part of the day ventilate freely. When the sun loses 
power in the afternoon reduce the ventilation, and raise the temperature 
to 85° or 90° about 4 p.m., with a good syringing and damping of 
surfaces, but it must be done with judgment, for when the water hangs 
for any length of time on the fruit during the last swelling, it is liable 
to damage the skin, causing it to crack, or, if not that, it may impart a 
musty flavour. Therefore have the fruits dry before nightfall, and 
when the day is likely to be dull omit the morning syringing. Directly 
the fruit commences ripening cease syringing, but afford moisture by 
damping available surfaces, especially the border whenever it becomes 
dry, ventilating rather freely, and sufficiently at night to insure a free 
circulation of air. 
Late Houses. —In order to assist the swelling of the fruit observe the 
conditions laid down in the preceding paragraph. To accelerate the 
ripening, if required, ventilate rather freely in the early part of the day 
and till one o’elock, then conserve the heat by reducing the ventilation 
so as to secure a temperature of 80° to 85°, and at 4 P.M. close the house, 
syringing well, and no harm will come if the heat rises to 90° or 95°, 
ventilating about six o’clock so as to let the pent-up moisture escape, 
and reduce the temperature gradually. Tie down growths as they 
advance, allowing no more than are necessary for next year’s fruiting 
and for furnishing the trees, letting all have space for development and 
the full exposure of t’ne foliage to light and air. Keep laterals stopped 
to one leaf, also those of growths retained to attract the sap to the fruit. 
If there are any gross shoots which push growths from the leaf buds, cut 
them back to where the buds remain intact, or if likely to disarrange 
the equilibrium of the trees by the unequalisation of the sap, remove 
them altogether. They only tend to promote gumming, imperfect 
setting, and certain casting of the fruit in stoning. Draw the leaves 
away from the fruit, raise it from the under side of the trellis, and let it 
have as much sun and air as possible. Peaches are not much prized 
unless coloured, the flavour corresponding thereto, other conditions being 
favourable. 
Vines. — In Pots for Early Forcing. —Those that are to be started 
in November should now have the wood thoroughly ripe, and the buds 
plump. If not, keep the house rather warmer by day, say 80° to 55°, 
closing early so as to raise the temperature to 90° or 95°, and throw the 
house open at night. Afford sufficient water, for liquid manure will 
help to plump the buds to prevent the foliage flagging, and the latter 
cannot have too much light. Keep lateral growths well in check, 
leaving no more than are absolutely necessary to appropriate any excess 
of nutriment, and to prevent the eyes starting. When sufficiently 
ripened, as they are when the wood is brown and hard and the buds 
prominent, they should be removed to a position outdoors, standing them 
on slates or boards in front of a south wall or fence, securing the canes 
to the face of the wall, and having some waterproof material to throw 
heavy rains from the pots. In this position they will soon rest, even if 
the leaves are not actually shed. When the leaves turn yellow and 
give indications of falling reduce the laterals, and when the leaves are 
all off prune the Vines, the laterals being cut off close, and the canes cut 
back to the length required. Afterwards remove them to any airy, cool, 
dry place until required for forcing. Do not keep them dost dry at the 
roots, and place some dry protective material about the pots to save the 
roots from frost, in case it should gain access to the structure. 
Earliest Forced Vines. —These will now require a dry atmosphere 
to thoroughly ripen the wood, but it will not be necessary to employ 
fire heat. All laterals and late growths must be kept stopped, and 
complete rest afforded by having the house cool and comparatively dry. 
The borders inside may require water, out it they have been mulched 
it may not be necessary, whilst the outside borders may need covering 
with dry straw or bracken to throw off heavy rains. This is absolutely 
necessary to secure complete rest, so essential for Vines long subjected to 
forcing. A too moist condition of the soil tends to late growth, but 
there must be sufficient moisture to maintain growth on the laterals 
in order to prevent the premature ripening of the foliage. In most cases 
it will be sufficient to allow a moderate extension of the laterals. 
Where the Vines are in an unsatisfactory condition prepare for lifting 
at an early date, procuring fresh loam and clean drainage, so that the 
work can be done quickly when started. There is no danger of losing 
a crop, only operate upon a portion of the border at once, say the inside 
border one year, and the outside the following. It is desirable to lift 
the roots and lay them in fresh soil nearer the surface whilst the 
foliage is on the Vines, therefore work of this kind ought not to be 
delayed in the case of Vines that are to be started early in December, 
which will need pruning by the middle of September, or in the case of 
lifted Vines a little later. 
Vines not Regularly Subjected to Early Forcing. —Those which have 
not been hitherto started early will need as soon as the crop ;s off to be 
thoroughly cleansed by syringing or the application of an insecticide, 
and if there is any doubt about the ripeness of the wood or the plump¬ 
ing of the eyes it will be necessary to keep the house rather close by 
day, but with sufficient ventilation to cause evaporation and allow the 
moisture to escape. Give no more water to the border than will prevent 
the foliage becoming limp. If the weather prove moist and cold employ 
fire heat in the daytime to maintain a temperature of 70° to 75°, with 
moderate ventilation, and turn the heat off at night to allow the pipes 
to cool, increasing the ventilation so as to ensure a thorough draught ; 
this will soon cause the wood to harden and the buds to plump, inducing 
rest, which for Vines that are to be started in December should be com¬ 
plete from the middle to the end of September. When the wood is ripe 
ventilate fully day and night. 
APIARIAN NOTES. 
The Weather. 
The week ending the 20th has been very changeable with cold 
winds. During four nights the thermometer registered 43°, 45°, and 
two 50° respectively, and in the daytime varied between 60°and 68°. 
On the 15th the test hive hitherto gathered 2 lbs., losing about 
three-quarters during the night. The bees appeared to be busy on 
the 18th, but gathered nothing beyond the amount lost on the 
evening of the 15th, and that weight was from pollen. 
A Punic swarm came off on the 15th, and has been fed since. 
At eight o’clock on the morning of the 20th I observed the base of 
three pillars of propolis started to contract the entrance, the bees 
building from above and below at the same time, and by eleven 
o’clock the four arches were nearly completed. The propolis must 
have been stored previously as no bees were on the wing. 
The Heather. 
I took my Carniolan nuclei to the Leadhills on the 14th. 
They are placed at an altitude of about 1400 feet, and were carried 
to an isolated place about a third of a mile from the highway to a 
hollow well up the hill side. In less than ten minutes after its 
release a bee returned with pollen. So much rain had fallen in the 
morning, and recommencing later in the day, I failed to see a 
worker from the wild Thyme, which is odoriferous and gorgeous, as 
also will be the Heather in a few days if sunshine cornea. There 
has been little of the latter burned for two seasons, so that there 
will be many thousands of acres unbroken for the bees to gather 
honey from it. 
