778 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
August 8th, 1885. 
Fruit Culture under Glass. — Pines : It is time 
now to proceed with the potting, arranging, and 
plunging of the plants in their autumn and winter 
quarters. The first step to be taken in this direction 
is to remove the suckers carefully from the plants 
which have been fruiting during the past summer, and 
place them in a corner of the potting-shed, out of the 
way of potting operations. The old stools, except 
of those varieties, such as Providence, Charlotte Roths¬ 
child, and Smooth-leaved Cayenne, which are shy in 
producing suckers, can be committed to the rubbish- 
heap, the soil in which they were growing to the 
waste-soil heap, the crocks saved for future use, and 
the pots washed for the reception of next year’s 
fruiters. The top-dressing and potting of these should 
at once be proceeded with, the beds of spent tan or 
leaves being in the meantime removed and fresh 
plunging material supplied, the brick and plaster-work 
of the interior of Pine-houses and pits washed with 
hot lime, and the woodwork and glass with warm 
water. 
Many of the strongest-growing plants which were 
put into their fruiting-pots last spring, and afterwards 
plunged in the ordinary way in the succession-house, 
will be fruiting now. These plants should be taken 
out of their summer quarters and have between 1 in. 
and 2 ins. of the surface soil and a few of the 
bottom leaves removed, the former with the assist¬ 
ance of a pointed Oak stick, working it rather deeper 
round the edge of the pots; then remove care¬ 
fully any suckers that may be attached to the 
plants and top-dress with rough sandy loam, which 
has been cut and stacked at least twelve months. 
Ram the same well together with a wooden rammer 
about 2 ins. in diameter as the work proceeds. Then 
select and pot in their fruiting-pots (10-in. or 12-in., 
according to the size of the plants and the variety) 
the necessary number of plants to fill the house for 
fruiting next summer and early autumn. 
Potting, &c.— The pots should be efficiently crocked 
by putting large pieces of potsherds in the bottom and 
smaller ones on the top, to the depth of a couple of 
inches, finishing off with a sprinkling of fresh soot 
and a few pieces of turves, grass side down. In the 
matter of soil I prefer fibry sandy loam, which, as 
already stated, has been cut and stacked for twelve 
months, and chopped down with the spade as required 
for use, with the addition of crushed bones, fresh 
soot, small charcoal, and Beeson’s manure, at the 
rate of a 10-in. potful of each ingredient to a 
barrowful of loam, the whole being well-mixed before 
being used. The plants should be turned carefully 
out of the pots, the drainage and a few of the lower 
leaves removed, and the surface and sides of the 
ball of earth and roots loosened slightly with a 
pointed stick, and any soil not permeated with roots 
removed. 
They should be let down to the bottom leaves in 
potting, and the soil, which should be moderately 
dry, so that it will not adhere to the sticks, 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 I consider a space of 1 in. or 
2 ins. between the ball of the plant and the pot not 
too much, but quite sufficient for all healthy plants in 
their several shifts from the sucker to the fruiting-pot. 
In potting suckers I need scarcely observe that it will 
be necessary 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 that about 
half an inch of the base of each sucker should be cut 
clean off with a sharp knife before-being potted. 
Plunging the Pots. —The plunging material having 
been well trodden together, plunge the fruiting plants 
from 2 ft. to 2J ft. from centre to centre, keeping the 
tops as near to the glass as can be without their 
coming in actual contact with it, and give the smaller 
plants space in proportion to their size. Give suffi¬ 
cient clean tepid water to settle the soil about the 
roots; shade the plants from bright sunshine until 
the roots have taken to the soil, and damp them 
overhead every afternoon at shutting-up time.— H. W. 
Ward , Longford Castle. 
Unripe Grapes. — There are many kinds of fruits 
which may be exhibited in an unripe condition and 
kept till fit for use in some form, but unripe Grapes 
cannot be utilized in any way except where the 
quantity is large enough to manufacture into wine, 
and for such a purpose the few bunches belonging to 
individuals who exhibit them would be useless. The 
cutting of green Grapes although large and well- 
developed is a positive waste, and when placed on 
the exhibition table are a discredit to those who 
exhibit them. It does not require much skill to 
distinguish ripe from unripe fruit of any kind, Grapes 
especially; and unless the schedule sanctions the 
admission of unripe Grapes, they should be dis¬ 
qualified. Some judges are often carried away by 
large gross bunches of second and third rate kinds, 
and without hesitation award prizes to them whether 
they are fit for dessert or not, but experienced men 
never do this. I find no fault with large bunches 
of any kind, all other points of merit being equal. 
It is the ignoring of good quality in preference to 
worthless examples when they have size only to 
recommend them that I object to. Honest judges 
are sometimes severely censured for doing justly in 
such cases as I have referred to; I have myself more 
than once received my share of blame for passing 
over huge unripe fruit and recognizing meritorious 
produce instead. 
Unripe fruit is as often exhibited in September as 
at any other period of the year. How often are the 
fine bunches of Gros Colmar, Lady Downes’ Seedling, 
Barbarossa, Trebbiano, and White Tokay ripe before 
the end of September or October? and even then, 
grown with strong heat, are not fit for dessert. It is 
rare indeed that connoisseurs of Grapes will have 
these Grapes and some others on their table before 
the end of the year. As Hamburghs, Muscats, and 
Madresfield Court can be had in prime condition till 
February, the coarser and less palatable kinds are 
reserved till the more luscious sorts are done. There 
being no shows held in winter, late-keeping Grapes 
are not seen by the public in perfection. Notwith¬ 
standing all that I have said against awarding prizes 
to unripe Grapes, I put the greatest value on finely- 
finished compact bunches. Large berries and dense 
bloom receive a special mark of favour at my hands. 
Ripeness is, however, a primary qualification when 
I am called upon to judge Grapes. When tasting 
for flavour has to be resorted to as a crucial test for 
decision, I require something more than sacliarrine 
matter—mere sweetness does not make the special 
qualification of finely-flavoured Grapes.—ill. Temple. 
Work in the Plant-houses. — During the 
present month preparation should be made for 
housing plants for the winter. As opportunity 
occurs all plants that remain in the houses during 
the summer should be got together as much as 
possible, and where the houses have not already been 
painted or otherwise cleansed, no time must be lost in 
getting it done. Of course it depends a great deal 
upon the weather as to how soon the plants should be 
got in ; if we get much wet weather many things will 
be better to be got in early in September, as they are 
not only liable to suffer from getting too wet in the 
pots, but frost sometimes comes along unexpectedly 
and does further damage. We, however, rarely get 
frost enough to do any damage during September, 
except after excessively wet weather. 
Tea Roses for Winter Forcing. —Where it is 
intended to have these in early, that is by Christmas 
or thereabouts, any-plants that require it should be 
re-potted at once. If potted now they will root freely 
and get well hold of the new soil before the time for 
starting them. Compost for potting should consist of 
good light fibrous loam, with a liberal addition of well- 
rotted manure, a little horn or bone-manure may also 
be used, and a little old lime rubbish will help to keep 
the soil sweet. The pots should be well drained, and 
the plants potted firmly. After the plants are potted 
they should be stood out in an exposed position, so 
that the wood may get well ripened, but they will 
require syringing occasionally until they have taken 
root into the new soil. This will be especially 
necessary if the roots have been much disturbed. 
Pruning.— This should not be done until the plants 
are housed for starting, or it is as weR to leave them 
for a few days after, until the buds begin to swell. In 
the case of large plants the knife should be used freely ; 
if only strong well-ripened wood is left the plants will 
produce larger flowers, and give a better succession 
crop. About the first week in October is a good time 
to start a batch, but only a few of the most reliable 
sorts should be used. The following are all good 
useful sorts :—Niphetos, Souvenir du un Ami; Isabella 
Sprunt, Madame Lambard, Perle desJardins, Madame 
Falcot, Sunset, Catherine Mermet; Mrs. Bosanquet 
(China) is also a very free winter-flowering Rose. 
Panicum variegatum. —This is a useful plant for 
growing in hanging baskets, or for forming an edging 
round the stages, and gives a very effective finish to 
the house where it is so employed. I saw it not long 
since in a, to me, new character, viz., as a pyramid 
plant, and very pretty indeed it looked. The plants 
were about 5 ft. high, as near as I remember, and fairly 
furnished to the pot, although they had not long been 
made up. Associated with it was Tradescantiazebrina, 
which, however, thus grown, looks well, but has not 
the light appearance of the subject of this note. The 
style of growth was quite fresh to me, although not 
to Mr. Smith, the able gardener at Plassy, Limerick, 
where I had the pleasure of seeing it grown in one of 
the vineries, but as its cultural requirements are well 
known, I need not refer to them. I think it is one of 
the things that will thrive in any soil; I have grown it 
in gravel on the stages without any soil being put for 
it to root in, and in one season it has reached from the 
stage to the floor of the house.— E. Dumper. 
The Creeping Jenny as a Window Plant.— 
Both in town and country at the present time this 
pretty British plant, LysimachiaNummularia, appears 
in great beauty hanging over the fronts of the window 
boxes, in many cases 6 ft. or 7 ft. Justnowthe plants 
are thickly covered with golden yellow blossoms, and 
it is difficult to imagine a more beautiful jilant for the 
purpose. It is also equally good as a rock plant. 
The common Vinca major is also a good plant for 
windows, and the other day I found it in a, to me, 
new character, trained up the front of a cottage about 
12 ft. high. It seemed to adapt itself well to the 
purpose, growed freely like Ivy, was covered with 
pretty blue flowers, and seemed quite a desirable plant 
for climbing work. Nierembergia gracilis, with its 
numerous white or lavender flowers, appears to great 
advantage hanging over some of the window boxes 
in town, and the white Marguerites and Vesuvius 
Pelargoniums look very effective everywhere where 
used.— J. 
Lapageria alba. — How seldom is this valuable 
and universal favourite met with in a healthy flori- 
ferous state. The reason for this is to be ascribed in 
many instances to its being planted out beneath the 
stage and then trained up the roof. Certainly the 
roof is the place it ought to occupy wherever space 
can be got in a house suited to its well-being, but for 
its roots to be beneath the stage is quite the opposite 
to its requirements, as in that position the superfluous 
water from the plants on the stage keep it in a con- 
tinually wet and sour state. To have this invaluable 
plant in a heathy flowering condition, it must be 
grown in a pot on the stage, or otherwise where it will 
not receive water but when applied as it requires it, 
and whether planted out or in a pot it must have 
plenty of drainage, and it is not to its advantage to 
have too much room to grow in. There is a plant 
here in a 16-in. pot which covers 100 square feet 
and at the present time there are upwards of 200 
flowers on it in different stages of growth, and I am 
sure alike number has been cut since it came into flower 
in May. A few weeks ago a branch was cut from it 
1 ft. in length bearing twenty-one flowers, fifteen 
of which were fully expanded. The material used in 
potting is peat and loam in equal parts, with a good 
dash of coarse sand, and not too firmly pressed into 
the pot. The peat and loam should be used in a 
lumpy state. Those having sickly plants should get 
them turned out, and their roots washed clean of all 
the soil they are growing in, and pot as above described. 
