86 
I 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
r April, 
will be benefited by a watering with liquid manure ; these, when out of flower, 
should be planted out in a pit on rotten dung, and lifted in autumn again for 
winter flowering ; they are handsome white-flowered plants, of easy culture, and 
the flower-spathe is lasting when cut. Young Fuchsias that were cuttings in 
autumn will now be making rapid growth, and should be shifted into larger pots ; 
loam and rotten dung in equal proportions in a coarse state, with sand sufficient 
to keep the soil free and open, will suit these well. Cuttings of scented Pelar¬ 
goniums may be inserted, and this will allow of some of the larger plants being 
thrown away. Early-flowering Pelargoniums should be staked, and room given 
them for full development of form; successions will be better potted-on into 
their flowering pots, using rich, well-seasoned soil. Azaleas^ as they go out of 
flower, should be shifted, and the flowers, including the seed-pod, picked off. 
Good sandy peat, with a little very rotten leaf-mould, from which every particle 
of non-rotten material has been taken out with a fine sieve, and some flbry loam, 
make a good compost; Arm potting must be insisted on for these fine-rooted 
plants.—H. Knight, Floors Castle. 
FRUITS. 
Pines: Plants which are swelling-off their fruit will now require plenty of 
atmospheric moisture,with moderate supplies of tepid liquid manure at the roots; 
shut off fire-heat early in the day in fine weather ; admit air when the tempera¬ 
ture reaches 80°, close at 85° with sun-heat, and syringe overhead on fine after¬ 
noons. Watch the bottom-heat, and guard against its exceeding 90°. Eemove 
fruits that are beginning to ripen to a drier and somewhat cooler atmosphere. 
Suckers that were potted early in March, if strong, should be fit for shifting into 
their fruiting-pots by the end of the month. Use clean lO-in. pots for Jamaicas ; 
' Queens and Eothschilds may have them 12 in. to 14in. in diameter; renovate the 
bed if necessary ; keep close and give but little water until the roots take to the 
new soil. 
Vines: Assist late houses with fire-heat; syringe freely, and close early with 
plenty of atmospheric moisture, charged with ammonia from well-sweetened 
horse-dung. Disbud, stop, and tie down in succession-houses ; remove surplus 
bunches from free-setting kinds. Hamburgs in bloom may have a night tem¬ 
perature of 70° ; Muscats and Alicantes, which should be fertilised, may have 5° 
more ; at this stage moisture may be reduced; keep the points of the bunches 
well up to the sun, and maintain a constant circulation of dry warm air. Allow 
the laterals to ramble where Grapes are stoning ; when this process is complete, 
the inside borders should be well soaked with tepid liquid manure. Keep 
thinning well in hand, and avoid overcropping. 
Peaches and Nectarines: Wlien the stoning period in the early house is over, 
the thinning of the fruit may be completed ; a peach to every square foot will 
be quite sufficient for a healthy tree to bring to maturity. Attend to the final 
thinning and tying-in of the shoots, to give the fruit the full benefit of sun and 
air, otherwise colour and flavour will be deficient. Give sufiScient water to 
thoroughly moisten the inside borders, as the fruit will soon be swelling fast; 
when they are fairly on the move, the temperature maybe raised to 65° at night, 
with a corresponding increase by day. Gradually disbud the shoots and thin 
the fruit in late houses ; syringe the trees morning and evening, and keep green¬ 
fly in check by means of fumigation when the house is dry and cool. 
Figs: By the end of the month the earliest fruit will be showing signs of 
ripening, when a drier atmosphere must be maintained, with more air and full 
