July 17, 189?. 
727 
THE gardening world. 
and the flowers scarce. The compost should consist 
of good peat (not that which is dug from underneath 
Pine trees, as this abounds in fungus spores) and a 
little live sphagnum moss. Always allow good 
drainage, and elevate the plant above the pot 
slightly. 
After the potting is done, the plants will only re¬ 
ceive just enough moisture to keep the moss alive and 
the plants from shrivelling. It is surprising what a 
quantity of fine healthy white roots they will make 
under these conditions, but give them too much 
water at the roots and they will turn black at the 
points and ultimately die. 
Odontoglossum hastilabium. —For summer 
flowering this is a very good Odontoglot, and as it 
lasts a longtime in perfection, it comes in well for 
exhibition purposes. We treat ours in the same way 
as advised for O. harryanum ; that is, cool house 
treatment in summer, and a position at the cool end 
of the Cattleya house in winter. In other respects 
they receive the same attention as O. crispum. 
Dendrobiums. —As the growths of the forward 
plants are made up, they may be removed into a 
cooler place, where the air is somewhat drier, and 
finally placed in a very light position to ripen ; but 
see that they do not get burnt.— C. 
* 
It will be necessary at the present time to look for¬ 
ward to having good supplies of all the most useful 
of the Brassica tribe during the winter months, and 
no opportunity should be lost in filling up all vacant 
ground with some crop of this kind. The removal of 
early crops of Peas, Lettuce &c., should take place 
the moment they cease to be useful, and if the ground 
receives a liberal dressing of soot, or quicklime, it 
will do a double benefit in destroying slugs now they 
are most active, and enrich the land at the same time, 
and render it in good condition for supporting 
another crop of any kind of winter greens. 
Cabbages. —The sowing of the earliest spring crop 
may be made any time before the end of the month. 
The ground intended for the seed bed should be well 
worked and pulverised, and a good dressing of soot 
forked in previous to sowing will greatly assist in 
promoting early growth and keeping the plants a 
good colour. Sow thinly in rows 8 or io in. apart, 
and remove all weakly plants from the seed bed, in 
an early stage of growth. This will give light and 
air round the stems of the most promising plants, 
and tend to render them hardy and strong, and better 
able to stand sudden fluctuations of temperature 
during winter. 
Lettuce. —A long supply depends upon the sow¬ 
ings made during the end of this month. A sowing 
made now and another a fortnight later will be the 
safest plan to adopt, as with a fine open autumn the 
latest sowing may prove the most useful for giving a 
crop just in the right stage of development, fur lifting 
into frames and other structures, to extend the supply 
far into the winter. An open position should be 
selected for the seed bed, and the ground previous to 
sowing should be liberally dressed with soot and 
quicklime to destroy slugs, which, if plentiful, would 
eat up the plants as fast as they appeared. Avoid 
thick sowing, and thin out early, to prevent the 
plants getting drawn and weakly before planting 
time. 
Endive. —The principal winter crop must be sown 
at once in nice friable soil not over rich, as under 
these conditions the young plants will make abun¬ 
dance of fibrous roots, and transplant almost with¬ 
out any check. A sowing may be made where the 
plants are to remain in the seed bed for the earliest 
winter crop, transplanting the thinnings for a 
succession In this case the rows in the seed bed 
should be at least one foot apart, and in thinning out 
for planting the strongest plants should be left at 
equal distances in the seed bed. Where an early 
sowing has been made the plants should now be fit for 
planting out, and a border from which early Potatos 
have been lifted will be a suitable position for them 
to occupy. 
Parsley. —The present is a good time to put in a 
few rows to give good results duriog next season, as 
plants sown now are not liable to run to seed until 
late in the year. Where the crop is now abundant 
on strong roots, a portion should be cut over to pro¬ 
mote a new growth for winter supply.— J-R, 
HARDY FRUIT ISARDRN, 
Peaches on Walls. —At this season too great at¬ 
tention can scarcely be paid to the syringing of the 
foliage. The garden engine should be regularly 
employed at the close of hot. bright afternoons, and 
the water applied with no illiberal hand. The exact 
time at which it wiU be safe to syriDge will depend 
upon the situation of the trees, but about five o’clock 
is a good time. An hour’s work then will do much 
towards keeping down fly and red spider. 
Small Fruits. —The gathering of Currants, 
Strawberries, and Gooseberries for preserving and 
bottling purposes gives a good deal of work in the 
month of July. Housekeepers usually declare un¬ 
utterable vengeance against gardeners who send in 
preserving fruit at all damp, and if by any chance 
the preserves keep badly it is generally put down to 
the gardener's credit, and remembered against him. 
All fruit intended for jam making, therefore, should be 
as dry as possible. 
Strawberry Layers. —As soon as the fruit has 
been gathered preparations should be made for 
pegging down the layers. A few cultivators allow 
them to root in the ground as they list, of course 
taking the precaution to cut off a number of the 
weaker ones for the benefit of the stronger. The 
practice of pegging down the layers in pots filled 
with soil is, however, to be preferred to this as it 
affords greater convenience for transport. Small 
6o sized pots are the handiest size to use, and for 
soil almost anything may be employed. Stand the 
pots containing the layers together in batches if 
possible, as this renders it easier to give water when 
required. 
Summer Pinching of Fruit Trees.— This must 
be busily practised now in order that the strength of 
the trees may not be unduly wasted. In dealing 
with tall pyramidal Pears the lower growths should 
be left a few .days longer than the higher ones in 
order to give the branches bearing them a better 
chance. In addition the shoots of Morello Cherries, 
Peaches, Nectarines, and Figs growing on walls re¬ 
quire to be securely tied in their proper places, avoid¬ 
ing crowding as far as possible.— A. S. G. 
-«*r---- 
FRUIT UNDER GLASS. 
Early Peaches and Nectarines. — The fruit 
having all been gathered from the first house, the 
trees should be gone over at the earliest opportunity 
and the growths for which there is no longer any 
need removed. Shoots that have borne fruit this 
year, and which are not required to extend the 
spread of the tree, or to carry other shoots, should be 
cut out, and the succession shoot at the base trained 
in in their place. Lateral growths are also pushing 
out. These must be pinched with the finger and 
thumb. By relieving the trees of all unnecessary 
shoots those that are left will have a much better 
chance from the increased light, air, and nutriment 
that they will obtain. The proper maturation of 
next year’s bearing shoots will be expedited, and the 
formation of flower buds assisted. Trees that 
receive a good thinning out directly after the fruit 
has been gathered rarely want much pruning at 
winter time. 
During the time that the house has been kept dry 
to assist the ripening of the fruit it is more than 
likely that red spider will have made its appearance 
to some extent. A heavy syringing with the garden 
engine if it can be got into the house is a capital 
practice, and will go a great way towards clearing 
the trees of insect pests. After this primary washing 
the syringe may be plied regularly twice a day. The 
border should be carefully examined, and if it is at 
all dry waterings must be given at short intervals 
until it is reduced to a properly moist condition. 
Clear water only must be given, for the trees have 
had enough of stimulant for one season. 
Plenty of air will of course be required, and it is a 
good plan to slide a few of the top lights right off- 
say every third—and thus throw the house wide 
open. The lights must be placed out of harm's way 
so that a big, glazier’s bill will not be necessary to 
to put them ready for use again. 
Succession Houses in which the fruit is ripening 
must be kept drier than formerly, and more air may 
be given. Go over the trees occasionally and push 
aside any leaves that may be shading the fruit, as 
this assists the ripening process. The border should 
be covered with a good depth of hay so as to prevent 
any fruits that fall from being entirely spoilt. 
The practice of affixing nets beneath the trees is not 
one that recommends itself, as it does not answer 
the purpose of preserving the fruit. In the later 
houses see to the thinniDg of the fruit, and stop the 
growths beyond the fruit in order to throw more 
vigour into the latter. 
Vineries in which ripe grapes are hanging should 
be kept cool and airy. The borders must not be 
allowed to get dust dry, as is far too often the case, 
but manure water in any shape or form must not be 
given, only clear water. 
Muscats as a rule need a higher temperature to 
finish properly. Still the house must not be kept 
too close and stuffy, as the berries colour much better 
when a circulation of air is kept up. 
In the later houses see to the stopping of laterals 
at the first leaf. The strain on the vines is new 
very great, and the supply of food must not be 
stinted. An occasional dressing of “ Thomsons," 
pricked in slightly with the fork, and followed by a 
good soaking of clear water is a safe and reliable 
vine food, and will work wonders in a crop. Mealy 
bug in most vineries is more or less of a nuisance, 
and in some localities constant attention is necessary 
to prevent the pest from getting established in the 
bunches. A teaspoonful of petroleum in a quarter 
of a pint of warm water, well stirred up, and applied 
with a small brush will keep the bug in check. The 
only danger in using this, however, and it is a danger 
in the hands of careless workmen, is that the petro¬ 
leum does not mix readily with the water, and it 
must therefore be kept constantly stirred. 
Melons. —As the fruit commences to ripen the 
bed may be allowed to get dry, and it will hasten 
maturation if the greater part of the foliage be 
removed from the plants bearing the ripening fruit. 
As a rule it is easy enough to tell by means of the 
sense of smell whether any fruit is fit for the table 
or not, although, more’s the pity, the olfactory 
organs cannot test the flavour. When a crack shows 
round the base of the footstalk it is also a pretty 
sure sign that the fruit is about ready ,—A.S.G. 
(6 [Baninas feu tit fljt> IfluiTo 
of ©ctettcn. 
The undermentioned subjects were brought before 
the Scientific Committee of the Royal Horticultural 
Society on the 29th ult. 
Romneya, diseased.—The following report was 
received from Kew upon the specimens sent to the 
last meeting: " The disease is caused by an 
obscure organism, considered by Prunet as a species 
of Cladochytrium. A preliminary notice is given in 
■ Comptes Rendus,’ October 1st, 1894. The detailed 
account there promised is not yet to hand." 
Grapes attacked by Glaeosporium.—With 
reference to the examples sent to the last meeting, 
Mr. Malcolm Dunn writes, after inspecting the Vine 
houses at Auchterarder House, that “ the vinery is of 
the usual 1 lean-to ' form, well heated and ventilated, 
with everything in good order for growing healthy 
Vines and first-rate Grapes. The Vines comprise 
some six or seven varieties, but only Black Ham¬ 
burgh suffers to a serious extent from the disease ; 
although it could be detected on a few berries of 
Foster’s White Seedling, and still fewer of Alicante. 
As far as I can remember Muscat of Alexandria, 
Lady Downe s, Madresfield Court, Gros Colman, and 
one or two others were not affected, although inter¬ 
mixed with the Vines attacked The Vines are all 
in vigorous health, and bearing a fine crop of 
splendid bunches of Grapes. With regard to the 
treatment they were receiving I saw nothing to 
which I could object." 
Harpalus ruficornis attacking Strawberries. 
Mr. McLachlan showed specimens of this beetle, 
which belongs to a carnivorous family. Its preva¬ 
lence in Strawberry beds is probably caused by the 
presence of the litter. That it will attack Straw¬ 
berries, and that it has destroyed entire crops have 
been known for the last ten years. As it is 
nocturnal in its habits, it must be looked for at night, 
for it lives in the soil. 
