474 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
March 28th, 1885, 
Fruit Culture under Glass.— Pines : The first 
favourable opportunity that presents itself in the way 
of a few bright warm days should be taken advantage 
of to complete the top-dressing, potting, and arranging 
of the Pines in their various stages of growth for the 
next four months. The fruiting-plants will first 
require attention. These should be taken out of their 
winter quarters and have between one and two inches 
of the surface-soil and a few of the bottom leaves 
removed, the former with the assistance of a pointed 
Oak or Yew-stick, w y orking it rather deeper round the 
edge of the pots; then remove carefully any suckers 
that may be attached to the plants and top-dress with 
rough sandy loam (which has been cut and stacked 
some six or twelve months), and Beeson’s Manure at 
the rate of 3 lbs. to a bushel of loam. Bam the 
same (which should be moderately dry) with a wooden 
rammer about 2 ins. in diameter as the work proceeds. 
The next step to be taken after the fruiters have been 
plunged, is to select and put into their fruiting-pots 
(10 or 12-inch) the number required to fill the house, 
of plants for fruiting next autumn and winter. 
Potting Pines. —Before beginning this operation, 
a good supply of crocks of various sizes should be got 
in readiness for placing 2 ins. or 3 ins. deep in each 
pot, beginning with those of the largest size and 
finishing with the smallest. Over all give a good 
dusting of fresh soot, which will keep the worms from 
getting into the pots, and a few pieces of turves, grass 
side down. Thus crocked, there need be no fear of 
the pots becoming water-logged or the plants suffering 
through imperfect drainage. Then turn the plants 
carefully out of the pots, remove the drainage and a 
few of the lower leaves, and loosen the surface and 
sides of the ball of earth and roots with a pointed 
stick, remove any soil not permeated with roots, and 
pot in a compost, consisting of the best fibry, sandy 
loam that can be obtained, small charcoal, crushed 
bones, and fresh soot at the rate of a 10-inch potful 
of each ingredient to a barrowful of the loam well 
mixed. The plants should be let down to the bottom 
leaves in potting, the soil be rammed firmly round 
the roots with flat and round rammers as the space 
admits, taking care that the plants are made firm, 
about the collar. Over-potting should be avoided, but 
1 consider a space of 1 in. or 2 ins. between the ball 
of the plant and the pot not too much space to give 
healthy plants. In potting suckers, it will be neces¬ 
sary to remove a few of the bottom leaves, so that 
the roots coiled round the stem under the leaves may 
push more readily into the soil, and to cut about 
half-an-incli off the base of each sucker with a sharp 
knife before being potted. 
Plunging the Pots.— The beds of spent tan or 
leaves having in the meantime been removed, fresh 
plunging material supplied, and the same well trodden 
together, the brick and plaster work of the interior of 
the Pine-houses and pits washed with hot lime, and the 
wood-work and glass with w T arm water, plunge the pots 
to the rim in the bed—the fruiting plants at from 2 ft. to 
2 ft. 6 ins. from centre to centre, giving the smaller 
plants space in proportion to their size, and keep the 
heads of the plants within an inch or two of the glass. 
If the Pine-house be a lean-to facing due south, of 
course the tallest and most robust growing plants 
should be put in the back, and each succeeding row 
downwards; but if it is a span-roofed house, with a 
bed in the middle running north and south, with hot- 
water pipes for supplying bottom-heat, the largest 
plants should occupy the central position, the next 
size being placed in row's on either side. As soon as 
the plants have been plunged, they should be supplied 
with clear tepid water at the roots, and (except the 
fruiters);.be shaded from bright sunshine until the 
roots have pushed into the new soil, and subsequently 
when the sun becomes more powerful in its action 
for a few hours during the hottest part of the day for 
a few months. In order to 
Keep the Fruits upright, tw r o sticks (which should 
be run through a clear fire a few times before being 
used) should be placed firmly in the soil—one on each 
side of the plant—and the fruit secured thereto by 
two sets of ties of strong string fastened above and 
below the fruit, the top-ties being fixed in a downward 
notch in the sticks at an angle of about 30 degs. from 
the top of the fruit to allow of the latter growing erect 
without being hampered. 
Temperature and Atmospheric Moisture.— The 
fruiting plants should have a night temperature of 
70 degs. to 75 degs., and 5 degs. more in the day-time, 
by fire-heat, running it up to 85 degs. with sun-heat 
and air, which should be admitted when the ther¬ 
mometer registers 80 degs., and a bottom-heat of 
85 degs. to 90 degs. should be aimed at. Give 
suecessional plants a night temperature of 65 degs. to 
70 degs., with 5 degs. more by day and fire-heat and 
10 degs. higher with sun-heat. Five degs. less of heat 
will do for young plants. Damp the plunging 
material and the pathway every morning, and again 
at closing time (about three o’clock in the afternoon) 
when the plants should also be damped lightly over¬ 
head, and the temperature run up to 90 degs.— 
95 degs. will be none too high for plants swelling 
their fruit.— H. W. Ward, Longford Castle, Wilts. 
->-£«—-- 
Late Apples.- —A few good late varieties of Apples 
were shown at the meeting of the Fruit Committee on 
Tuesday, perhaps the most remarkable of all being 
Peck’s Pleasant. This is a large round Apple with a 
pale green skin, and of first quality, and which has the 
reputation of retaining its foliage on the tree longer 
than any other variety'; its exhibitor, Mr. C. Boss, 
gardener to C. Eyre, Esq., Welford Park, Newbury, 
stating that the leaves are still quite green, though on 
two occasions 12 degs. of frost have been experienced 
at Welford. Dr. Bull, of Hereford, sent some well- 
coloured samples of the Herefordshire Beefing, a 
variety in size and colour resembling the Devonshire 
Quarrenden, and which has a local reputation of being 
a great bearer. Mr. Ford, gardener to W. E. Hubbard, 
Esq., Leonardslee, Horsham, sent samples of Mincing 
Pippin, a good, medium-sized round Apple, streaked 
with crimson on the sunny side; and the Bessom 
Apple, a large, somewhat conical-shaped variety, 
green, with large patches of russet, and, like the first- 
named, of good quality. The Mincing Apple has 
usually been classed as a mid-season variety, but it 
certainly has strong claims to be considered as a late 
keeper. 
Pine Apples Turning Black. —The cause of 
“ T. J.’s” Pines going black in the middle (see 
p. 462) is to be attributed to a want of healthy 
root-action, and to the fact that the fruits were 
grown in an atmosphere much too low and humid. 
In short, owing to the bad condition of the roots there 
has not been sufficient sustaining communication 
between the latter and the plant, consequently as soon 
as the sap which -was stored up in the tissues of the 
stem and leaves of the plant became exhausted the 
fruit ceased to swell, and the stem supporting the 
fruit, and through which the food necessary to the 
development of the latter is conveyed, became dried 
up and discoloured inside from its base to the point 
of contact with the crown. If fruiting Pine plants 
are in good condition at the roots—which would also 
mean that the latter only had water, and sufficient of 
it, to moisten the soil in which they are growing—and 
are given a night temperature of 70 degs., and 5 degs. 
higher by day with fire-heat, there need be no fear of 
the fruit being black in the middle. For further infor¬ 
mation see remarks under the heading, “ Fruit Cul¬ 
ture under Glass,” in the previous column.— H. W. W. 
In answer to “T. J.’s” inquiries respecting black¬ 
heartedness in Pines, I may mention that it frequently 
results from a check or chill caused by cold draughts, 
or low temperature in the atmosphere or bed; but it 
may also be occasioned by the maintenance of an 
excessively moisture-laden, sluggish atmosphere, a 
pasty sodden condition of the soil overcharged with 
liquid manure, or too dense shading. Your corre¬ 
spondent does not appear to possess good facilities for 
growing Pines, and he will not be successful if they 
are overshadowed with a close canopy of Vine foliage, 
for although they are benefited from having bright 
summer sunshine subdued by some thin material, they 
are very impatient of any kind of permanent shade. 
He rightly considers the soil he uses unsuitable, that 
which the Pine revels in is a fibrous loam, neither too 
heavy nor too light, and having the fine particles beaten 
from it, and then mixed with a dash of bone-meal, 
and soot, and firmly rammed down. If “ T.t J.” 
has no other soil at command than that which he 
describes, I would advise him to employ pots a size 
less than those usually made use of, thoroughly drain 
them and mix a free sprinkling of charcoal with the 
soil, this will assist in keeping it open and sweet, as 
well as retain the essence of liquid manure when 
used .—Thomas Coomber, Hendre Gardens, Monmouth. 
Seasonable Work in the Plant-houses_ 
Pelargoniums : The early varieties wall now be 
coming into flower, and it is at this period that they 
require the greatest care in watering, nothing causes 
the flowers to fall so quickly as allowing the plants 
to become too dry in the pots. A little fire-heat is 
beneficial, especially if we get dull, .damp weather, 
but plenty of air should be given, and as soon as 
the weather becomes a little warmer a little air should 
be left on at night. While it is necessary to shut 
the houses close at night care must be taken 
that they are open before the sun is on in the 
morning; if the houses are kept closed too late the 
damp will rise and settle on the edge of the flowers, 
and cause them to stain. Allowing the houses to 
become too hot before they are opened will also cause 
the flowers to fall prematurely. A slight shading 
during the hottest part of the day is advisable, 
though, if the watering is properly attended to, this 
is not necessary, and, if plants are to be kept dwarf 
and bushy, the less shade they have the better. 
Pot-Boses will require attention, both the Teas that 
are for cutting from, or H. P’s. that are to be used as 
pot-plants should have plenty of room, so that the 
air can circulate v T ell among them, and the latter 
should be kept as close to the glass as convenience 
will allow. The syringe must be kept well in use 
to keep off red spider, and if mildew should make 
its appearance sulphur must be applied at once. In 
any case, where the mildew is very troublesome, it 
will be a good plan to shut the house up while the 
sun is well on it, and syringe with sulphur mixed 
with water. If the water is hard it will be diffi¬ 
cult to get the sulphur to mix properly, in which 
case a little soft soap may be used, and only put 
enough water to make a paste of the sulphur before 
putting it into the bulk of water. Another great 
enemy to Bose-growers is the Bose-maggot (larvie 
of Tortrix Bergmanniana). The only way to keep 
this down is to keep a close watch, and catch them 
before they have had time to do much mischief ; they 
generally make their first appearance on the leaves) 
which is indicated by the leaflets being drawn 
together or curled up ; if not caught at this stage 
they will soon find their way to the flower-buds, 
which they quickly destroy. 
Herbaceous Calceolarias.— These will soon be 
coming into flower, and to keep them in good condition, 
with clean, healthy foliage, the pots should stand on 
a moist bottom, in as cool a position as is available, 
and a little weak liquid manure given, say twice a 
week. The green-fly must also be kept in check by 
fumigation. 
-- 
New Tea Boses. —Mr. Henry Bennett, of Shep- 
perton, exhibited two new hybrid Tea Boses, at South 
Kensington, on Tuesday, and the Floral Committee 
awarded him First-Class Certificates for both. The 
best of the two, to our fancy is the quaintly-named 
Ye Primrose Dame, a globular-shaped flower, with 
broad well-rounded petals, of a shade of pale yellow 
that we cannot name, and the centre of the blooms of 
a pleasing rich deep Apricot colour. It is a very free 
bloomer, and deliciously fragrant. The second one, 
General Gordon, is also a flower of great promise, 
larger, but not so compact as Ye Primrose Dame, and 
pure white. They are both good growers, and give 
promise of proving valuable acquisitions for pot- 
culture. 
Mignonette in Pots. —Having been remarkably 
successful in growing single plants of Mignonette 
in pots during the past two years, and knowing 
how many there are who are anxious to cultivate 
