410 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
Feb. 28th, 1885. 
Fruit Culture under Glass : Pines. —The fruit¬ 
ing plants should have a night temperature ranging 
from 70 clegs, to 75 degs., and 5 degs. higher by day 
with fire-heat. Put air on at 80 degs. and run the 
temperature up to 90 degs., with sun-heat and atmos¬ 
pheric moisture at closing-time ; taking care, how¬ 
ever, while damping ■ the plunging material, walls, 
pathways, and the lower parts of the plants, to avoid 
syringing the plants overhead now that most of the 
fruits will be in flower. The lodgment of water on 
the fruit would prevent some of the pips from swelling 
to the disfiguration of the fruit, and it would tend also 
to the production of large crowns. A bottom-heat of 
from 85 degs. to 90 degs. should be aimed at. Give 
successional plants a night temperature of 65 degs., 
with 5 degs. more by day and fire-heat, and 10 degs. 
higher with sun-heat. Five degs. less of heat will 
answer the requirements of young plants. Admit air 
at 75 degs., and shut it off early in the afternoon, 
before the temperature has fallen below this point, 
damping the plunging material, paths, and the plants 
slightly over-head at the same time. The plants 
should be examined regularly every week or ten days 
to ascertain their condition at the roots, and if the 
soil is on the dry side, give sufficient tepid diluted 
liquid manure to thoroughly moisten it. 
Melons. —As the plants in the early house are now 
making rapid progress towards the trellis, they should 
be secured to the sticks supporting them, every two 
or three days, until the shoots have nearly reached the 
top wire of the trellis, when they should be stopped, 
the object being to secure an equal set of fruit regu¬ 
larly distributed over the plants. This can easily be 
done by pinching out the first flowers that show on the 
laterals. Pinch the shoots showing on the main stem 
between the base of the plants and the first wire of the 
trellis to one joint, to insure that portion of the stem 
being as thick as that furnished with fruit-bearing 
shoots above it. Damp the plants overhead and the 
walls and paths generally morning and afternoon on 
bright days, to piromote a growing atmospliere in 
the house, and at the same time to pirevent red spider 
from attacking the plants. Ventilate somewhat freely 
during favourable weather to secure a short-jointed, 
firm growth in the plants. A night temperature of 
70 degs. should be aimed at, and 75 degs. by day with 
fire-heat, running it up 10 degs. or 15 degs. higher 
with sun-heat, and plenty of atmospheric moisture at 
closing-time—about 2.30 in the afternoon. As regards 
varieties, I may remark that, in my opinion, Blenheim 
Orange (scarlet-flesh) and Cox’s Golden Gem (green- 
flesh) are two of the best all-round Melons in cultiva¬ 
tion.— H. W. Ward, Longford Castle. 
-- 
Thinning the Fruit Buds on Pear Trees.— 
Notwithstanding that the fruit spurs may be thinned, 
it very often happens that there are too many fruit- 
buds left upon the trees, and if these are all allowed 
to flower, it very much exhausts the trees, and 
causes a stunted growth. Besides, in favourable 
seasons much more fruit sets on a tree than it is able 
to mature well, but if favoured by a good season, the 
tree does bring a heavy crop to tolerable perfection, it 
takes a rest the next year, and thus we have one 
year more fruits of a quality that we do not want, 
and the following season none. To obtain a full 
supply every season is what should be aimed at, and 
every means tending to insure it ought to be adopted. 
Thin the fruit-buds, then, as well as the spurs, 
on trained fruit-trees, whether wall-trees or pyramids, 
espaliers or bushes. The fruit-trees here are showing 
very freely for fruit, particularly the Pears, and I 
intend to have a great number of the fruit-buds 
removed at once as they are showing signs of 
plumping already. I have practiced this disbudding 
for two or three years past, on old and young Pear 
trees with good results. In some cases I removed 
half, and in a few instances three-fourths of the buds. 
It is well known that the largest, best formed, and 
finest-flavoured Pears, are produced from the strongest 
buds and blossoms. These should be left on the tree, 
and evenly distributed. This practice may appear to 
some to be unnecessary, but my humble opinion is 
that it is not practiced enough by many gardeners. 
The fruit-buds are easily removed with the finger and 
thumb at this season.— Robert Smith, Kenward, 
Yalding. 
Seasonable Work in the Plant-houses.— 
In the Stove any plants that require it should now 
be potted on, and as many will be starting into 
growth, care should be taken that the night-tempera¬ 
ture does not fall too low. Crotons as they start into 
growth should be well exposed to the sun, and care 
must be taken that they'are kept free from thrips or 
other insect pests. To grow Crotons successfully it is 
necessary that a high temperature should be regularly 
maintained throughout the winter, but at no time is 
it so essential as when they are starting into young 
growth. They must also not be allowed to become 
too dry in the pots, and a moist atmosphere should be 
maintained. Dracaenas must also be examined from 
time to time, and carefully sponged on the first 
appearance of thrips, their greatest enemy. Soot- 
water may be used for any plants that have filled 
their pots with roots. 
Flowers for Autumn and Winter.— At this season 
of the year, when much time is taken up in preparing 
plants for bedding, and in looking after other things 
for spring and summer use, it is necessary also to 
bear in mind what will be required in the autumn and 
winter, and to take care that such things as Tree 
Carnations, Bouvardias, Begonias (winter-flowering), 
Ac., are not allowed to stand too long in their cutting 
pots. The earlier the Tree-Carnations andBouvardias 
can be propagated the better plants will they make, but 
they must be kept growing on without receiving a 
check. April or May will be early enough to propagate 
the winter-flowering Begonias, but the stock-plants 
must be looked to, or they may be deficient of cuttings 
at the time they are walled. It will be a good time to 
propagate a batch of Zonal Pelargoniums for autumn 
and winter-flowering, selecting only such sorts as are 
known to be of good habit and free-flowering. In 
growing plants on for this purpose they should be as 
much exposed as possible through the summer,'though 
it is best to have them in a position where they can 
be protected from heavy rains. Plants grown on in 
this way, and all the flower-trusses picked off as they 
appear, will start off into flower very freely when they 
are housed in the autumn. They should not be left 
out later than the end of August or beginning of 
September. 
Chrvsanthemums. — In any case where sufficient 
stock has not already been propagated, no time should 
be lost in getting cuttings put in, and those that were 
struck early will require potting off. Old plants that 
are to be divided should have the tops cut off, if they 
have been kept where they have made weakly growth, 
and should have a position where they can be well 
exposed. 
The Lemon-scented Verbena.—Aloysia citrio- 
dora is a most useful plant, which will stand out- 
of-doors in a sheltered position during a mild winter 
uninjured in the Southern and Midland counties, 
but during sharp winters it gets cut down to the ground, 
and sometimes it is so hard hit as to be unable to 
form young shoots again in the free manner which 
it does when the frost has not been too severe. I have 
heard some say that they experience a difficulty in 
propagating this plant, and it was only the other day 
that I saw a number of shoots of last year’s growth 
put into heat to strike, which perhaps they may do, 
but it is not the method we adopt. We generally 
grow a few of the plants in pots which are wintered 
in a cold frame and protected from severe frost. A 
plant or two of these are put into a warm house in 
the spring, say during the latter part of February or 
beginning of March, young shoots are soon formed, 
and when li ins. to 2 ins. long, they are taken oil 
with a heel (although the heel is not absolutely 
necessary), and inserted in sandy soil and treated the 
same as soft wooded bedding plants about that time. 
They are potted on or planted out in due course and 
make nice plants during the ensuing summer. I do 
not know of any scented-leaved plant which is more 
generally appreciated than is the Aloysia, a spray or 
two of which mixed with a few cut flowers gives the 
whole a delightful perfume.— C. Warden. 
-Mh- 
Plants in Flower at Heatherbank.—You 
asked me to give an occasional note on our gardens. 
I am happy to do this for old days’ sake. We have 
Cyclamen coum and Atkinsii blooming among 
Gualthieria procumbers, and the effect is very pretty. 
Also a number of Snowdrops flowering in a large bed 
of mossy Saxifrage. These, sometime back, I recom¬ 
mended to be planted on graves in shady situations. 
Cheiranthus mutabilis, which I owe to my friend the 
late Mr. Harpur-Crewe, planted on a bank where it is 
sheltered from wind and from morning sun, has so far 
been untouched by frost and has bloomed all winter. 
—George F. Wilson, Heatherbank, Weybridge Heath, 
February 21st, 1885. 
Salvia patens. —This is a most useful summer- 
flowering Salvia, though not so often met with as its 
merits deserve. Although flowering in summer, when 
so many other things claim our attention, its azure- 
blue blossoms at once strike the eye, especially when 
seen in quantities, so distinct is it in colour horn 
any other plant (except, perhaps, some of the Del¬ 
phiniums) in flower at that time. The plant in question 
is almost hardy, standing out in open borders during 
mild winters, with no other protection than a little 
ashes or leaf-soil over then- crowns, the p lan t, being 
tuberous rooted, not unlike the Dahlia. Where it 
is thought desirable to increase the stock a pot or 
two of the roots should be put into a little warmth to 
start it into growth, when the tops may be taken off 
as cuttings, inserted in sandy soil and placed in a 
moist and close temperature till rooted, after which, 
with the care of ordinary bedding-plants, they will 
make nice flowering stuff during the summer.— 
C. Warden. 
Boronia megastigma.— Those who have not yet 
made the acquaintance of this delightfully fragrant, 
greenhouse, flowering plant should lose no time in 
so doing. So powerful is the perfume of this plant, 
that a few of its comparatively insignificant flowers 
when open, are sufficient to scent a large greenhouse. 
Treatment similar to that given to Heaths and other 
New Holland plants suits it well. I should be pleased 
to hear from any of your correspondents who have 
grown this plant, if they have succeeded in striking 
cuttings of it, and if so, under what circumstances. 
I have made several attempts, but without success.— 
C. Warden. 
Japanese Chrysanthemums.— The introduction 
of 200 of the best varieties of Chrysanthemums grown 
in Japan, by the Messrs. Cannell, as briefly mentioned 
in our last, is an event of considerable interest to 
lovers of this much prized flower, and then- blooming 
next season will doubtless be anticipated with even 
more than the usual amount of curiosity. The 
English gardener who selected the plants when in 
flower, states that the collection includes “ the best 
and most recently raised sorts.” Some of them are 
described as having a tinge of blue in them, others 
are white and green, some are single, some are 
double-flowered, some have peculiarly broad petals, 
and all are novel. The strange, fantastic forms and 
brilliant colours of the Japanese varieties which we 
already possess in gardens have won the hearts of all; 
they are grown in larger numbers every year, and we 
hope they will long continue to do so. 
-hH- 
Specimen Plant of Heliotrope (see p. 382).— 
“ Heliotrope” wishes to get up a specimen for a prize 
competition that will, I should say, about win if he 
can do it ■well. There ought to be more such prizes 
offered at our local shows. Try with an old plant by 
all means if you have space to grow it on. By an old 
plant I mean, however, one of last year’s—older plants 
might not submit to the treatment. Select say three 
of your old plants that you say are now resting and 
plunge each, overhead, roots, and all, in a tub of 
water (not ice cold); let them soak well, and then 
stand to drain. Do not water them again if you can 
help it till the young shoots have begun to push. 
