Au|:ait 16, 1894. 
JOURNAL OF BORTIGULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 
163 
or very late in the season often need the following growing season to 
recruit. With such plants the flower buds ought to be removed early, 
and growth concentrated in the formation of strong crowns. 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Vines .—Early Houses .—The Vines will have the wood ripe, the 
buds plumped, and the foliage falling, but there must not be any attempt 
at removing adhering leaves, nor to cut the laterals closely in all at once, 
as that would probably cause the principal buds to start; therefore 
remove the laterals by degrees and shorten some of the long shoots, 
preserving, however, some growth, especially when the principal leaves 
are down, above the buds to which the Vines are to be pruned, the final 
pruning being deferred until the early part of next month. The old 
surface soil, top-dressing, or mulching should be removed, forking any 
soil unoccupied by fibres from amongst the roots, taking the opportunity 
of raising any that are deep and laying them in fresh material nearer 
the surface. Good calcareous or gritty loam (not too light) is the most 
suitable, with about a twentieth of wood ashes and a fortieth part of 
crushed half-inch bones. If the soil be light and gravelly add a sixth 
of clayey marl, dried and pounded small; if heavy, supply about a sixth 
gritty matter—calcareous or ferruginous gravel or freestone chippings ; 
if deficient in calcareous material, add a sixth of old mortar rubbish to 
heavy soil and chalk to light soil. Charcoal is an excellent addition in 
any case to the extent of one-tenth. Give a moderate watering if dry, 
it sufficing that the compost be evenly moist, and the roots will push 
fresh rootlets, especially adventitious ones, from near the collar into the 
new soil, and be in capital condition for a start when the time comes 
round. If the Vines are in an unsatisfactory condition the border 
should be examined, and this being faulty either in composition or 
drainage shade the house, lift the Vines, wrap the roots in wet mats, 
promptly remove the old soil and drainage, supplying sweet and clean 
in their place, relaying the roots in the fresh material with dispatch. 
This will give the Vines a chance to form or make provision for pushing 
fresh roots and so effect a good start, otherwise, lifting or renovating the 
border being deferred until the leaves are all down, the start is not 
nearly so satisfactory. 
Midseason Houses .—Vines generally have done well this season, 
especially as regards crop, but there has been an unusual prevalence of 
“ rust,” probably mainly due to the changeableness of the weather—that 
is, inattention to the ventilation in such manner as to counteract the 
prejudicial influences of its vicissitudes, and there has been more than 
usual amount of shanking. Grapes, too, have been slow in acquiring 
colour, while some Vines have lost their leaves through being crippled by 
“ rust.” Red spider also has been unusually troublesome, but not on 
“ rusted ” foliage, for which there is no better remedy than sponging 
the leaves carefully with a weak solution of softsoap on the first appear¬ 
ance of the attack and thinly coating the hot-water pipes with a cream 
formed of skim milk and fiowers of sulphur. The free use of fertilisers 
has also great effect on red-spider-infested Vines, together with copious 
supplies of water. A surface mulching of rich, but not close material, 
is of immense advantage to Vines in light soils and restricted borders, 
with supplies of liquid manure of a sustaining rather than of a 
stimulating nature are essential to a satisfactory result. Fire heat will 
be necessary where Grapes are ripening to secure a circulation of air, 
prevent the deposition of moisture on the berries, so preventing “ spot,” 
which is more than usually prevalent this season on Muscat of Alex¬ 
andria, that fine Grape Madresfield Court being far less susceptible of 
attack from the spot fungus, and it is taking its place as the foremost of 
high quality and paying midseason Grapes. A temperature of 60° to 
65° at night is ample for Grapes when ripening, with 70° to 75° by day 
artificially, 6° more being allowed for Muscats and other high-tempera- 
ture-requiring varieties, allowing advances of 10° to 15° from sun heat. 
When the Vines are carrying heavy crops the temperature should be 
kept rather low at night, so as to give time and rest to Vines in order 
to perfect them. 
Late Houses .—Although the Grapes are ripening full supplies of 
water are necessary until they are well advanced in colour, for most 
late varieties take a long time to perfect thoroughly ; some, as Mrs. Pince, 
even after appearing finished, are not so up to the shank, which is often 
a consequence of stopping the supplies of food and moisture too early, 
and in some cases the result of a too short duration of the feeding is 
manifest in the Grapes shrinking. All late Grapes require time, they 
ought now to be colouring or advanced therein, and then they, with a 
free circulation of warm rather dry air on favourable occasions and 
Little constant ventilation, attain a fulness of berry and a perfection of 
finish, other conditions being favourable. Indeed, poverty of finish is 
the chief cause of shrivelled Muscats and others shrinking after they 
have hung some time. Afford a temperature of 70° to 75° by day 
artificially, 80° to 90° with sun, and close sufficiently early to increase to 
90° or 95°. When the sun is losing power put on enough top and bottom 
or side air to insure a circulation ; allow the temperature to gradually 
cool, which rests the Vines, and increase the ventilation early with the 
advancing temperature. The pipes should, if necessary, have a little 
warmth in them, to prevent the temperature falling below 65° at 
night, for parsimony in this respect is often costly, as having to apply fire 
heat late in the season is more expensive, and the result unsatisfactory. 
Melons.—In pits and frames the latest plants will have set or be 
setting their fruits. The fruits, however, ought now to be set and 
swelling away freely, or they will have a poor chance of ripening per¬ 
fectly. Sprinkle such plants with tepid water, avoiding the stems, and 
close early in the afternoon at 80° to 85°, running up to 90° to 100°. 
Admit a little air in the morning at 75°, increasing with the sun heat to 
85° or 90°. Those in frames should be attended to as required with 
linings of sweet fermenting material as the nights become cold, so as to 
prevent the temperature falling below 65° in the morning, and if mats 
are placed over the lights after the sun leaves the frames, and removed 
shortly after the sun has risen, very much better results will be had 
with late Melons than usually results from frames. 
In houses maintain a night temperature of 60° to 70°, and 70° to 75° 
by day. As the days are shortening lessen the supply of water, yet 
affording sufficient at the roots to keep the soil in a moist state whilst 
the fruit is swelling, but after it is full sized or ceases swelling afford 
no more than to maintain the foliage from flagging. Keep the laterals 
shortened to one leaf as made, and rub off superfluous growths as they 
appear, allowing nothing to interfere with the principal leaves, or to 
retard the swelling of the fruits. Plants with fruits advanced for 
ripening should be kept rather dry at the roots, and have air liberally, 
with, if practicable, an advance of temperature, avoiding a close moist 
atmosphere, which invariably results in the fruit cracking or its being 
of inferior quality. The latest plants will have been placed in light 
well heated houses, and be growing freely. The leader of each plant 
must not be stopped until it reaches the trellis, when it may be pinched 
off if more than one leader is wanted, or may be allowed to grow two-thirds 
of the distance up the trellis if only one leader is desired, and then be 
stopped, removing every alternate lateral directly they can be handled. 
Maintain a moist and warm atmosphere, 70° to 75° by artificial means, 
with the bottom heat at 80° to 85°. Keep water as much as possible 
from the collar, and a sharp look out for canker, upon the first appearance 
of which rub quicklime well into the parts affected, repeating as neces¬ 
sary, striving to maintain a clean growth and healthy stems to the last. 
Cucumbers.—Encourage the plants for autumn fruiting to make 
strong growths by adding fresh soil, occasionally affording abundance of 
but not too much water at the roots, with a moist genial condition of 
the atmosphere by syringing at closing time and damping available 
surfaces occasionally. Sufficient fire heat must be employed to prevent 
the temperature falling below 65° at night, and to maintain it at 70 to 
75° by day. Old plants should have exhausted growths removed, and 
others where likely to be crowded thinned, so as to admit of light and 
air, securing a sturdy solidified growth and a succession of bearing wood. 
Where this is attended to, some of the old soil removed and fresh sup¬ 
plied, the plants will produce new growths and fruit for a considerable 
time, but clean fruit cannot be had from plants cumbered with old 
crowded growths and leaves instead of healthy young and vigorous. 
Plants in frames should also have the old growths cut out, young 
taken in their place, and some layered at the joints, so as to secure fresh 
roots and a due supply of nutriment be forthcoming. This, and the 
removal of bad leaves, will keep the plants fruitful for some time longer, 
crowding being avoided by thinning and pinching the growths. Lininp 
and protection, as advised for Melons, are also necessary to a late supply 
of clean fruit ; the crooked and gummed examples so prevalent late m 
the season are usually the result of cold and unfavourable conditions to 
growth, and are certainly not wholesome. The syringe should be em¬ 
ployed about 3 P.M. on fine days. If mildew appear dust with flowem of 
sulphur, maintaining a somewhat freely ventilated atmosphere. Black 
aphides are frequently troublesome at this time of year. These and 
green fly succumb to repeated fumigation with tobacco, taking care to 
have the foliage dry, the smoke cool, and not give an overdose. 
Pigs_ Earliest Forced Trees.—The second crop is ripening fast, 
and watering at the roots must be diminished, and syringing discon¬ 
tinued. When the fruits are all gathered the trees may have a good 
washing with the syringe or garden engine to free the foliage from red 
spider, otherwise a circulation of dry warm air should be maintained in 
the house until the foliage begins to fall naturally. If the trees are 
infested with red spider seriously and scale they may be syringed with 
soapsuds, adding a wineglassful of petroleum to every four gallons, 
kept thoroughly mixed whilst being applied with a syringe by stirring 
briskly with a broom-handle or alternate squirts of the syringe into the 
vessel# 
The earliest forced trees in pots may be placed outdoors in a sunny 
position, allowing them sufficient water. They must not, however, be 
placed outside until the wood is well matured. If the wood is unripe 
let them remain under glass, keeping them rather warm by day with 
moderate ventilation, and throw the ventilators open at night. 
sure to the atmosphere after the wood is sufficiently mature will harden 
it, which is of great importance, especially to Figs. Young trees m 
pots from cuttings in the spring, and which are intended for fruiting in 
the second or third year of their growth, must still be attended to in 
pinching off the tops of strong shoots to form the foundation of a 
symmetrical head in their first year’s training, they being kept to one 
stem of about a foot in height by rubbing off growths on that part as 
they appear.__ 
HE BEE^ivEErEK. 
APIARIAN NOTES. 
Taking Bees to the Moors. 
At 8 o’clock p.m. on August 3rd I commenced to move my bees 
to the Leadhills, and by nine o’clock they were all compactly 
packed on a truck. We started from the station next morning at 
