482 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
November 22,1894. 
HEREFORD. 
This society held their annual exhibition again in the Shire Hall on 
the 14th and 15th inst., and was a success, the fruit being very fine and 
completely filling the large hall and corridors. The Chrysanthemums 
were also excellent both in the groups, plants, and cut bloom classes. 
Messrs. Bunyard & Co., Maidstone, won the silver cup for 100 dishes 
of Apples, which were very fine, including magnificent specimens of 
Peasgood’s Nonesuch, that secured the prize for the best dish of culinary 
Apples in the show, Mr. J. Watkins, Pomona Nurseries, Withington, 
Hereford, was a splendid second, having Schoolmaster, Atkins’ Seedling, 
Royal Russet, Yorkshire Beauty, Blenheim Orange, and M^re de 
Manage, especially fine. The English Fruit and Rose Co., Hereford, 
came third with beautiful fruit. 
In the class for thirty dishes of Apples the competition was very 
close between Mrs. Evans, Moreton Court, Hereford, and C. Lee Camp¬ 
bell, Esq., Glewston Court, Ross, who took the prizes in the order named. 
Lady Emily Foley, Stoke Edith, securing third place. In the single 
dish of Apple classes C. Lee Campbell, Esq., Mrs. Evans, Lady Emily 
Foley, P. A. Clive, Esq., English Fruit and Rose Company, Miss Bulmer, 
and W. E. King-King, Esq., took chief honours. 
In Pears Messrs. Bunyard & Co., obtained first place for twenty-four 
dishes with very large and even fruit. Mr. J. Watkins ran the famous 
Kent growers very close indeed in this class, having fruit of unusual 
size and colour. The English Fruit and Rose Company came third with 
smaller fruit. For Grapes and collections of fruit, F. A. Clive, Esq., 
C. Lee Campbell, Esq., Sir Joseph Pulley, G. F. Morgan, Esq., and Rev. 
Sir George Cornewall took most of the prizes. 
The competition for the silver cup for the best group of Chrysanthe¬ 
mums was very keen. Sir Joseph Pulley secured the coveted position 
with a remarkably fine group, including a large number of incurved 
blooms. Messrs. W. Earp & Son, Hereford, were a close second. In 
the cut bloom classes the latter firm secured first position for thirty-six 
nlooms, distinct; second, P. A. Clive, Esq. For twelve Japanese, and 
for twelve incurved, Mr. J. Lockyer was the most successful in each 
case. For thirty-six, and for twelve confined to the county, C. Lee 
Campbell, Esq., took first honours in each class in a strong competition, 
followed by J. M. Bannerman, Esq., and C. Loder Gilbert, Esq. The 
English Fruit and Rose Co. had a good collection of Chrysanthemums 
and other plants not for competition, and Mr. C. Whiting sent a selection 
of Palms and fioral designs. Lord Llangattock also sent three grand 
Pines, perfect in shape and colour, of great size. 
It may be stated that nearly 3000 dishes of fruit were staged, and 
scarcely an inferior dish amongst the whole. The system of arrange¬ 
ments are admirable, and refiect the highest credit on Mr. Ough (the 
able Secretary) and the Committee. Each exhibitor’s entry is numbered, 
and the exhibition cards are enclosed in an envelope, with the number 
marked on the outside, corresponding with the same in the Secretary’s 
book. As the awards are made the envelopes are opened, and the prize 
marked on the cards. The plan is very simple. No mistakes are made, 
each exhibitor has only to look for a similar number to those on his 
envelope in the classes he has entered in, and put his exhibits there, and 
no refiection can be cast on the Judges having turned the cards up 
before giving any awards, as is sometimes done by disappointed 
exhibitors. 
A fruit conference was held the second day of the show, the President 
(C. Lee Campbell, Esq.) presiding. Papers were prepared by Mr. J. 
Cranston on “ Renovating the Orchards and Fruit Growing for Profit; ” 
Mr. J. Watkins, on “ Reduction of the Varieties of Apples and Pears ; ” 
and by Mr. S. T. Wright on the “ Future of Hardy Fruit Culture.” 
A very interesting discussion followed. 
[The above are all the reports for which we can possibly find space 
this week. Priority has naturally been given to those shows which 
have been advertised. Those which are crowded out will appear in a 
future issue. We desire to thank all who have favoured us with notes 
on Chrysanthemums and on shows in various parts of the kingdom, and 
to assure them that their co-operation is highly appreciated.] 
WOKKJo^'theWEEK.. 
FRUIT FORCING. 
'Vines.—Earliest Forced in Pots.—The earliest started Vines will 
now be showing signs of growth, so that the temperature may be slightly 
increased, maintaining 56° minimum and 65° maximum by fire heat, 
with 10° more from sun heat, proportionately increasing the atmospheric 
moisture. The ventilation will require to be moderate, and what is 
given should be at the top of the house. If side ventilation be employed 
the cold air must be made to pass the heating surface, so as to become 
warmed, for cold currents of air are extremely pernicious. 
Houses Cleared of Grapes, —When the Vines are leafless and the 
Grapes cut attend to the pruning. If the Vines are strong, having stout, 
short-jointed, thoroughly ripened wood, they may safely be pruned to a 
couple of eyes. If, however, the base buds are small and the Vines from 
similar buds in previous years have not given as large bunches as desired, 
the growths may be left a little longer. It is necessary that a plump 
round (not flat or pointed) well developed bud on stout, hard, well 
matured wood be selected for pruning to, striving for a close compact 
bunch of well set berries with a stout footstalk. Avoid small sharp- 
pointed buds, they are not usually productive of bunches, and if they 
are on long-jointed wood the bunches have a tendency to revert to- 
tendrils, or if on weak growths they shrivel instead of developing. 
Wash the house thoroughly with soap and water, using a brush, and 
cleanse the glass both inside and outside. Remove the loose bark from 
the Vines, leaving no harbour for insect pests to hibernate in or under, 
yet do not damage the live bark. Wash the rods with tepid softsoapy 
water, not stronger than 4 ozs. to a gallon of water, using a brush so as 
to reach into every hole, angle, and crevice. Follow with an approved 
insecticide, or dissolve 4 ozs. of softsoap in a quart of boiling water, 
preferably by heating and boiling in an iron pan, removing from the fire 
when thoroughly dissolved and adding a wdneglassful (four tablespoun- 
fuls, 2 ozs., or half gill) of petroleum, mixing thoroughly by agitating 
briskly with a birch switch or egg-beater. This will form an emulsion 
which can be diluted with hot water to 1 gallon, or as required, using 
one part of emulsion and three parts water % either weight or measure. 
It is quite strong enough to kill mealy bug, red spider, and scale, and 
will not injure the Vines. 
Remove the mulching or loose surface material from the border, and 
place on an inch or two thickness of good fresh loam, mixed with about 
one-sixth of old mortar rubbish, night soil, and wood ashes in equal 
parts, the old mortar being passed through a quarter-inch mesh sieve. 
If these are not available use a mixture of bonemeal, five parts, and 
sulphate of potash, three parts, mixed, sprinkling 4 ozs. of the mixture 
on each square yard, and wash in moderately, or if the soil be moist 
enough mix lightly with the surface soil. The early waterings will 
wash the assimilated matter down to the roots, and fresh feeders en¬ 
couraged into the surface soil by the nutrient matter can be kept there 
by surface dressings, mulching with short manure after the Grapes are 
set, and feeding with liquid manure, or applications of chemicals washed 
in. If the houses must be used for plants they should be kept cool, 
admitting air freely, not exceeding 40° to 50° by artificial means. It is 
best, however, to dispense with the plants, admitting air in all but severe 
weather, a few degrees of frost doing no harm to the Vines, but ensuring 
complete rest. 
Houses of TMn-sMnned Grapes. —There is no question of these being 
most esteemed for table purposes so long as they can be had in good 
condition. Black Hamburgh never surfeits, Foster’s Seedling seldom 
comes wrongly, Madresfield Court always is appreciated, and Muscat of 
Alexandria by universal acclaim is superior to all Grapes. The some¬ 
what heavy and continued recent rains have saturated the soil and 
atmosphere. Air is the great secret in keeping thin-skinned Grapes, for 
a moderate amount of air moisture is necessary to avoid undue evapora¬ 
tion ani consequent shrinking of the Grapes, it not being so much air 
moisture as a stagnant atmosphere—the deposition of moisture on the 
berries—that is fatal to the keeping of Grapes. Slight warmth will be 
required in the pipes almost constantly to maintain an equable tempera¬ 
ture, but this must not be high, or it will cause the berries to shrivel 
prematurely, 50° not being exceeded by artificial means, or 5° more for 
Muscat of Alexandria, ventilating freely and early in bright weather, so 
as to prevent moisture being condensed on the berries. The outside 
border will have been covered with some material to throw off the rains, 
glazed lights being the best, and the inside borders are better covered 
with ordinary or straw mats, so as to prevent their cracking, and to keep 
down moisture likely to arise and prove injurious. 
Cucumbers.—Damp weather often leads to attacks of mildew on 
old plants, as the discontinuance of syringing gives a free hand to the 
fungal germs to obtain a seat and push mycelium over the leaf surface, 
with suckers here and there for hold and drawing supplies of nourish¬ 
ment from the tissues of the plant. Dusting with flowers of sulphur is 
the best preventive and remedy for this parasite on Cucumber plants, or 
brush the hot-water pipes with a cream formed of sulphur mixed with 
skim milk, and the fumes will kill mildew, red spider, and white fly. 
In dull cold weather the fruits are liable to become stunted, either 
damping at the ends, or failing to swell properly. This can only be 
avoided by careful management, being cautious in ventilating, providing 
it, however, whenever a favourable opportunity offers, but not when the 
external air is sharp and cold. In bright but keen-air weather turn off 
the top heat when the sun is powerful and likely to raise the temperature 
above 80°, damping the house morning and afternoon, closing early so 
as to enclose and gather solar heat. In damping do not wet the embryo 
fruits, or they will decay. Water will be required at the roots about 
twice a week, erring on the side of dryness rather than that of wetness. 
Maintain a night temperature of 60° to 65°, and 70° to 75° by day, and 
allow an advance of 10° to 15° from sun heat. 
The plants from the August sowing that were planted in September 
have grown to the extent of the trellis, or nearly so, and have been 
kept from bearing by nipping off all flowers as they appeared. This 
should be continued for some time longer, for unless the plants are 
unduly vigorous it is not desirable to allow them to bear fruit for a 
few weeks, as the stronger the plants the better they will stand the 
strain of bearing during the winter. Attend frequently to stopping, 
thinning, and tying the shoots, avoiding overcrowding, and remove 
every decayed leaf promptly. If canker appears rub quicklime into the 
affected parts, and repeat as necessary. Aphides sometimes attack the 
plants, and are perhaps best subdued by repeated moderate fumigations 
