1874. ] 
GARDEN WORK FOR JANUARY. 
23 
will in a great measure depend upon the thorough ripeness of the wood. 
Examine JBulbs that are plunged in ashes, removing such as have started ; these, 
and Lily .of the Valley, are best started in the mushroom-house in their early stages, 
so as to draw up the foliage and flower-stems, before exposing them. Loses 
require to be forced with caution, and aired carefully ; wash them with soap, or 
dust with sulphur, to check mildew.— George Westland, Witley Court. 
FRUITS. 
Vines: Keep up a steady night temperature of 60° in the early-house, with a 
moderately moist atmosphere till they are coming into bloom, when syringing 
must cease for a time, and the temperature must be raised 10° by night, and 
should range from 80° to 85° during sunshine. Give air every fine day, and 
always at other times keep up a circulation in the house through the ventilators. 
Commence thinning the berries at an early stage after the fruit is set. In the 
succession house the night temperature may be raised to 55°, increasing by degrees 
according to the stage of growth. Remove all lateral shoots and useless growth 
from pot Vines, and keep them well supplied with liquid manure as soon as the 
fruit is set, but use it at the same temperature as the house. 
Pines: Keep a steady heat from 65° to 70°, with a moderate bottom-heat, 
to the succession plants in dung pits, and guard against any sudden changes in 
the weather by regulating the covering at night and attending to the linings. 
Give air to all Pines in fine weather, avoiding a draft through the pit. Any plants 
now starting into fruit should be watered, maintaining the temperature previously 
advised ; and if much fire-heat he used, keep a moist atmosphere. Collect plenty 
of leaves (if to be had), to be in readiness for renewing the beds when required, 
for there is no better material than a good bed of leaves for the successful 
cultivation of the Pine. 
Peaches and Nectarines: Maintain, by syringing, a moist atmosphere in the 
early house till such time as they come into flower, when it must be discontinued 
till the fruit is set. Give abundance of air when the blossoms begin to expand; 
at this stage the night temperature must not exceed 55°, or even a lower tem¬ 
perature is preferable to so much fire-heat. Fumigate on the first appearance of 
green-fly. Bring the succession-house forward as before directed. 
Cherries: If any plants were placed under glass last month, they should be 
plunged and top-dressed with rotten dung and loam. Syringe on fine mornings, 
and, to begin with, keep a moist night temperature of about 45°, with plenty of 
air in fine weather. 
Plums: If early fruit be desired, these may now be started, but it must be 
remembered that Plums will not admit of rapid forcing, especially in the early 
stages of the process ; keep a moist atmosphere, and plenty of air in fine weather, 
as advised for Cherries. 
Strawberries: Place the pots in an airy part of the house on shelves near the 
glass; do not give much water until the fruit-spike is visible, for keeping the 
plants dry at first in early forcing is the best means of securing a crop. Give 
plenty of air every day, and a little by ventilators at night is very beneficial. 
Introduce more plants under glass about twice through the month, and keep all, 
plants intended for later work protected from drenching rains. 
Melons: Sow a little seed about the middle of the month for an early crop, 
and prepare dung and leaves to make beds to receive the plants when ready. 
Figs: See previous directions. 
Out-Doors. —Proceed with the pruning and nailing of Wall-fruit trees at 
every favourable opportunity. All Standard fruit-trees may be pruned, and where 
they are infested with moss, &c., scrape or scrub the stems and large branches- 
