372 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
October 18,1894. 
years of service he has introduced many of the best sorts of Apples and 
Pears into their already large collection. 
The last place we visited, and not the least, was the gardener’s 
cottage, which for size, convenience, and accommodation cannot be sur¬ 
passed by any similar residence in the country. Mrs. Hunter takes very 
great interest in the welfare of her servants, and in her gardener in 
particular, and we are sure that Mr. Wilson appreciates his employer’s 
kindness, and gives his best services in return. My brief visit was most 
enjoyable, and my short stay at Spring Bank will long remain a red- 
letter day in my memory.— Quintin Bead. 
WOKK.foiithe\x^EEK., 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Vines. — Earliest Forced in Pots. —To produce ripe fruit in late 
March or early April the Vines are best grown in pots, as stated in a 
former calendar, selecting early sorts, such as White Frontignan, Buck- 
land Sweetwater, and Foster’s Seedling in white Grapes ; and in black 
Royal Ascot, Black Hamburgh, and Madresfield Court. They should 
now be in position preparatory to starling them early in next month. 
Earliest Forced House. —Where late Grapes are not cultivated 
extensively to maintain a supply to May, or thin-skinned varieties are 
required by April, preparations must be made for early forcing. The 
Vines having been pruned in September, the loose bark stripped off, the 
house may be cleansed, the border top-dressed, and the Vines dressed 
with a solution of softsoap, 3 ozs. to a gallon of water, adding flowers 
of sulphur previously moistened with skim milk so as to form a cream, 
with a fluid ounce of petroleum added, which combined form a mixture 
effective against Vine pests, mildew, red spider, thrips, scale, and mealy 
bug. To have Grapes ripe in April the house must be started next 
month, as under favourable conditions five months are required to pro¬ 
duce ripe Grapes (of even the early varieties) during the dullest part of 
the year. It can be done in much less time, but the strain on the Vines 
is so great that they are little good afterwards. 
Midseason Houses. —When the leaves are all down the Vines should 
be pruned, any Grapes being cut with enough stem for inserting in 
bottles of water and placing in a cool rather dry room, where they will 
keep better than on the Vines. This will allow of the thorough cleansing 
of the house and Vines, upon which much of success or otherwise 
depends in the coming season. It is better to do this than leave the 
house and Vines in a dirty condition until a convenient time, which usually 
is badly performed later from the press of other matters, and the pests 
have time to hibernate in retreats where they cannot be reached by 
insecticides. Where Grapes are hanging air will need to be admitted 
on all favourable occasions, and a gentle warmth be maintained in the 
pipes, so as to promote a circulation of air in dull damp weather and 
prevent the deposition of moisture upon the berries. Bad leaves must 
be removed and the Grapes seen to occasionally for the removal of 
decaying berries. 
Late Grapes.—Th&iQ is little difficulty in keeping such thick- 
skinned Grapes as Alicante, West’s St. Peter’s, Gros Guillaume, Gros 
Colman, Mrs. Pince, Alnwick Seedling, and Lady Downe’s, provided the 
roof be waterproof, drip avoided, and moisture prevented from deposition 
on the berries, which can be done by judicious ventilation and gentle 
warmth in the hot-water pipes. White Grapes, however, except 
Calabrian Raisin, which has a tough skin, do not keep nearly so 
well, both Syrian and Trebbiano being in degree only less liable to spot 
than Muscat of Alexandria, which when finished so as to hang in good 
condition till January is supreme among Grapes. Its great enemy is 
spot, and that of two kinds—one caused by moisture on the berries, and 
the other by a fungus—which cannot attack the berries successfully 
till their epidermises are suffused with moisture in a stagnant state— 
that is, resting (though imperceptible) on them. The means, therefore, 
of avoiding both is to prevent the atmosphere becoming stagnant, a 
temperature of about 50° being necessary, and air must be given early 
on fine mornings, with warmth in the pipes to expel moisture and allow 
of the berries being warmed equally with the surrounding air, moisture 
being kept from condensing on the berries. There must not be anything 
like a leak in the roof, no mouldy leaves or decayed berries, and moisture 
kept down as much as possible, that likely to arise from the border 
being prevented by covering it with dry material, than which nothin^' 
answers better than roughly cut, clean and dry Wheat straw. ° 
Pines. All young plants should now he arranged so as to obtain 
the fullest benefit of light and air. As the sun heat diminishes a 
corresponding diminution of temperature should take place at night 
until it reaches the winter standard of 55° to 60® at night, and 65° in 
the day time. Ventilate freely whenever the external conditions are 
favourable, paying particular attention to watering. An inspection of 
the plants should be made about once a week, and whenever a plant 
needs water supply it copiously at about the same temperature as that 
of the bed, 
Plants on which fruits are now appearing will perfeet them at a 
time when other fruits are scarce, and should therefore be afforded a 
good position in the fruiting house. Continue 70° as the minimum 
temperature in the fruiting house, though on cold nights a decline of 
5° may be allowed, and 5° more in mild weather, 75° artificially by day, 
and 80° to 90° from sun heat, closing the house at 80°, sprinkling aa 
may be necessary the pathways when they become dry, and on sunny 
afternoons an occasional syringing will be advantageous, keeping tho 
bottom heat regular at 85° to 90°. 
THE FLOWER GARDEN. 
Breaking up Flower Beds. —In some districts the beds have 
been completely disfigured by frosts, in others quite tender plants 
have escaped serious injury, and at the time of writing still present an 
ornamental appearance. The next visitation, however, may be extra 
severe, the consequence being the loss of many plants still left out 
unprotected that might have been lifted and stored with advantage. A 
good stock of old plants of the bronze, gold and silver variegated Zonal 
Pelargoniums is always of good service, as the young plants frequently 
winter hadly, and abundance of spring-rooted cuttings are needed 
accordingly. When lifting and storing these or other varieties of Zonal 
Pelargoniums, pick off all the older leaves, shorten the roots, and pack 
thickly in 8-inch pots. Only give enough water to prevent shrivelling 
of the growths and keep in a dry warm house or pit. Tuberous rooted 
and other Begonias that are to be saved should be lifted, and the former 
thoroughly dried prior to storing in a cellar or boxes in a shed where 
frosts cannot reach the tubers. Dahlias cut down to within 9 inches of 
the ground, lift and lay on their side with a view to letting the sap run 
out of them before storing. They will keep in a cool cellar or in a shed 
covered with sand or dry soil, affording extra protection whenever 
severe frosts are imminent. Treat Gladioli very similarly. Gannas 
grown for the sake of their foliage only should be lifted with a little 
soil about the roots, and these must be kept ratber warmer than the 
Dahlias. Flowering varieties should be placed in pots and placed in 
warm greenhouse or conservatory. All this and whatever other lifting 
and storing is necessary should be done as much as possible during dry 
weather. 
Refilling- Beds and Borders. —If the beds are to remain empty 
during the winter they ought yet to be edged and dug up neatly, while 
if they are to be refilled the same process should be gone through, the 
exceptions being in favour of those beds the soil of which would work 
best if merely cleaned and hoed. Masses of one kind of spring flowers 
are very effective, or far more so than driblets of the different species in 
single lines or mixtures. Wallflowers should be planted rather thickly 
together, and beds of the improved strains of Polyanthuses and Prim¬ 
roses are very attractive in the spring. So also are central masses of 
Forget-me-nots, Saponarias, Silenes, Limnaathes, and such like. Strong 
plants ought to have been prepared, and be put out rather thickly. 
Water before moving, especially if at all dry; save as much soil as 
possible about the roots, and replant firmly. Alyssums, Aubrietias, 
Arabises, Daisies, Hepaticas, Iberises, Saxifrages, Violas, and bedding 
Pansies are all admirably adapted for edging beds filled with shrubs and 
Conifers, and associate well with spring flowering bulbous-rooted plants. 
Golden Pyrethrum that has not been allowed to flower, small Beet, 
Dactylis glomerata, Festuca glauca, Buonymus radicans variegata, 
Sempervivum californicum, Ajuga reptans rubra, variegated Ivies and 
Periwinkles, and Cerastiums are all available for a similar purpose. 
Most of them will bear, being pulled to pieces prior to replanting, and 
in any case they must have the soil firmly fixed about the roots, or 
otherwise the first severe frost will upheave them. 
Variegated Box, Hollies, Berberiaes, Euonymuses, Osmanthuses, and 
berried plants of Pernettyas, Cotoneasters, and Skimmia japonica are 
all suitable for filling the beds during the winter ; and Yuccas and Iris 
foetidissima variegata are even more elegant and effective. Handsome 
little Conifers suitable for either massing or dotting among other plants 
can always be procured, and these can be used repeatedly. Some of the 
best of these are Abies excelsa pumila, Cryptomeria elegans nana, 
Cupressus Lawsoniana alba spica, C. L, albo-variegata, C. L. argentea, 
C. L. aureo-variegata, C. L. erecta viridis, C. L. lutea and C. thyoides 
variegata ; Retinospora ericoides, R. obtusa aurea nana, R. plumosa, 
R. plumosa argentea and aurea, R. tetragona aurea, R. squarrosa ; Biota 
orientalis aurea and B. elegantissima ; Thuia occidentalis lutea, Thuiopsis 
dolabrata and T. variegata ; Juniperus sabina variegata, J. chinensis 
aurea, J. japonica aurea variegata, Taxus baccata aurea, and T. baccata 
elegantissima. Either small or large plants of these Conifers will move 
well now and also in the spring, or when the beds are cleared, always 
provided they are in a thoroughly moist state at the roots. 
Hyacinths. —These are among the gayest and most reliable of spring 
flowering bulbs, and there should be no delay in planting. The minia¬ 
ture forms are suitable for the front rows, and the ordinary varieties for 
massing or dotting in the centres of small beds. Plant the former 
6 inches apart, or rather less, and 3 inches deep, and the latter from 
6 inches to 8 inches asunder, and bury not less than 4 inches below the 
surface. Masses of one colour are most to be preferred, as they may be 
dotted thinly among dwarf or carpeting plants. Feather, Grape, and 
Musk Hyacinths are all suitable for the flower beds or borders, and the 
stock can be increased, and will be available for future years. These are 
all comparatively small flowering species, and should be planted some¬ 
what thickly either in patches or lines accordingly. 
Tulips. —These also should be planted now, and may safely be 
depended on to give a good display next spring. The Due Yan Thols 
are the dwarfest, and the first to flower. These may be disposed 4 inches 
asunder each way, and should be buried 3 inches deep. The other 
bedding Tulips may either be massed together, disposing them 6 inches 
