May 19, 1900. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
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flower. The question was " How far can we go 
toward estimating the certain transmission of 
qualities of the parents upon their offspring ? " 
Horticulturists more than any other class of 
workers had ample opportunities to experiment and 
collect statistical records upon this very important 
phase of natural science. Plants can be grown, and 
bred, in much greater numbers than is possible with 
animals. Considering how easy the statistics can be 
laid hold of, it passes comprehension to understand 
why it is we know so little about the facts of the 
subject. The reason very probably is that few know 
exactly how the problems are to be approached, and 
young men who are enthusiastic find the experi¬ 
ments a trifle slow. But if stock breeders and 
practical men would only interest themselves deeply 
enough to take note of their crosses, accurate and 
full note, the need for further researches by scientists 
would be abolished or at least greatly simplified. 
One of Mr. Bateson's main reasons for having 
chosen this subject for his lecture was that he might 
take opportunity to appeal to those who were 
interested in other problems of hybridisation and 
crossing, to embrace in their notes, references to the 
hereditary influences which they might observe. We 
want to know the exact laws which govern the trans¬ 
mission of characters. We want to know, with some 
degree of surety, what we may expect to get from 
crossing these or those parents. Examples of extreme 
prepotency, of very abnormal seedlings and other 
strikingly distinct cases had been recorded in the 
past,but beyond this we had not gone. Without in any 
way disparaging useful work he considered that the 
most direct mode of attack is to study and record 
the normal cases of heredity. The studies and 
labours of Francis Gallon have turned our minds to 
what is essential in connection herewith. 
Mr. Bateson enunciated Gabon's law on the sub¬ 
ject, which is that of the total heritage of an indivi¬ 
dual, half will be contributed by the parents, a 
quarter by the grandparents, an eighth by the great 
grandparents and so on, the transmission power 
becoming less the further back we go. It has been 
found that this is an approximation to what can be 
proved, and further evidence can only be adduced 
from experiments on a large scale. But under all 
the variations possible, this law might not hold good, 
and to discover how far it does apply, and in what 
manner it may require to be altered to fit certain 
cases, is what we have yet to know. 
Prof. Hugo de Vries' work, experiments and tabu¬ 
lated results, were touched upon, to show how 
though a parent may be predominant in one genera¬ 
tion, yet when the progeny are further crossed with 
the suppressed parent, changes of character are 
detectable. 
» ■ » 
FRUIT UNDER GLASS, 
Vines. —Houses started at the beginning of January 
have bunches whose berries are now showing colour. 
From this time onwards, a warmer and less moist 
atmosphere should be maintained. At the first 
glimpse of maturity, which is proved by the colour¬ 
ing change, the borders should be specially 
examined. If these in any way lack the amount of 
moisture which will be necessary to carry through 
the crop, they should for the last time be thoroughly 
soaked. But this matter must be gone about in a 
thoughtful manner. The berries must not have 
begun to firm their skins, else it would happen that 
the fresh flow of sap from below would result in 
the wholesale cracking of the berries. There is 
little fear of this, however, if the borders have had 
constant attention and have not been allowed to 
become exsuccous. 
The houses which have ripe Grapes, require a 
free circulation of air, and a temperature of 58 ° 
to 65°. While the Grapes are colouring or are still 
continuing to undergo the ripening changes, some 
of the leading laterals and others down the rods, 
should be left unpinched. Their presence uses up 
the sap which had gradually become less and less 
needful. 
In succession houses where development in all 
phases is under weigh, the processes of thinning the 
bunches, stopping and tying the shoots, syringing, 
watering, and foraging after mealy bugs all demand 
attention. According to the strength of the Vines, 
the number of bunches which they will be likely 
to bear, and finish properly, should be determined. 
It certainly is wiser to finish to perfection 
eight or nine bunches, than to attempt three or four 
more which cannot obtain all that is necessary for 
their fullest upbuilding and concentration of quality, 
and that which gives flavour. At some of the weekly 
waterings a dressing of a fertiliser should be given 
over the border. The evaporating troughs may be 
kept primed with natural liquid manure, diluted. 
Peaches. —The earliest of the Peach houses 
require much the same atmospheric conditions as 
that of a vinery ripening its crop. Where the crop 
is in the ripening state, at which time many of the 
finest and heaviest fruits fall, a net should be placed 
loosely on the under side of the trees to catch those 
that do give way. The flavour is considerably 
improved in those fruits which can be allowed to 
remain until they have thus perfected themselves. 
Many on the other hand like to gather all fruits 
which seem to be about ripe. Where the crop has 
to be packed off on rail, it certainly is necessary to 
cull while the fruit is comparatively firm. ThinniDg, 
tying, supporting and watering as recommended for 
the present treatment of succession Vines, applies 
also to Peaches. Syringing should be done before 
extra air is given in the morning, which will be 
before the sun has alighted on the house or has just 
touched its off-side. Ventilate from the top, a little 
at a time, keeping pace in the amount of extra air 
allowed, according to the rising increase of warmth 
and sunshine. Some days may be so dull and damp 
that a considerable turn of heat must flow; on 
other days the doors and all ventilators may be open 
to their widest. Maintain a day temperature of 68’’ 
to 72 0 , down to 60° at night. 
Figs —A slightly higher temperature than that 
sanctioned for Peaches, should be accorded to the 
Fig houses. They may be syringed almost persist¬ 
ently, for in warmth, and a moist moving atmosphere, 
they seem to revel. Ripe fruits should be allowed 
to become perfectly dark and soft before being 
gathered from the trees. 
Melons and Cucumbers. —The roots of these 
should regularly be top-dressed with a compost 
which contains the elements for nourishment. Fresh 
loam with a quarter part, or rather more, of lime, 
and one part of spent Mushroom bed manure, should 
be mixed, and warmed previous to placing the com¬ 
post upon the older soil of the beds, then firmed by 
the hands. In the case of Cucumbers, the older 
parts of the plants may be cut out to allow the 
younger wood to spread out in place thereof. Moist¬ 
ure, free light, gentle ventilation, and a temperature 
ranging from 65° up to 80 9 will keep the Cucumbers 
in good condition. 
Melons may be treated more moderately in regard 
to atmospheric moisture or syringing, and extreme 
care should be preserved so that the base of the 
stem suffers nothing from dampness. Lime and 
charcoal are antidotes against canker if used early 
enough. Support the fruits which are becoming 
large and heavy. Shade Melons in pits and frames, 
and close early to store the sun heat.— J.H.D. 
HARDY FRUIT DARDEN, 
One of the most essential and significant factors in 
high-class fruit culture is the means adopted to 
secure the uninterrupted supply of moisture during 
the whole period of progressive growth. No one can 
guarantee the downfall of necessary rain, nor can we 
find the time to devote to watering, even if this were 
desirable. Means have to be planned whereby the 
moisture in a dry soil may be kept there, or how 
best it can be drawn up by capillarity from below, 
and these ends can be secured by mulching. 
Mulching. —There need be no dissentions upon 
what is most proper to employ. Wherever good 
sappy dung can be obtained, that is the stuff. Fail¬ 
ing this, or this wholly, lawn mowings are very 
suitable. First loosen the surface soil with a fork, 
and if time and labour can be spared, let the root- 
surface be thoroughly soaked, Then place on the 
mulch, and be generous with it. A mere covering 
will avail but little, a thickness of material will 
secure a moist and cool under surface. Young trees 
may need a mulch even more certainly than long es¬ 
tablished trees. 
Some may ha^e been inclined to mulch a trifle 
earlier than this month. But then did we not take 
off the winter protective matter a few weeks ago to 
allow the sun, and the air, and the rain to " seep ” 
downward for the aerating, the moistening and the 
warming of the ground ? So that only now after 
these ends have become accomplished, is it advisa¬ 
ble to place on the cap, which this time is meant to 
conserve for the use of the tree, that which we 
planned for, and which might materially escape and 
the ground be impoverised. 
Strawberries without longer delay should be 
"strawed.” LoDg (and some “short” mixed) 
stable manure is often used, and so long as it gets a 
washing and a bleaching before the coming fruits 
become tainted it is all right. Otherwise it is " all 
wrong.” Short grass I abjure. Hay may answer 
the purpose. Whatever is chosen let it be material 
that will remain clean, and which dries speedily. 
Apricots. —Look over the trees, removing mis¬ 
placed, malformed, or too thickly placed fruits. 
Thin out the fore-right or breast-wood shoots. It is 
even advisable to pinch shoots which will never be of 
service. Still, severe pinching at so early a date 
does no good, rather the opposite. It tends to cause 
fresh outbreaks lower on these lateral shoots or from 
the spurs, and keeps back the ripening season of 
wood and fruit. 
Peaches and Nectarines —It is a grand prac¬ 
tice to employ the garden engine once a day upon 
the trees. Giving a hearty wash with the garden 
engine even three times a week during these days of 
rapid growth promotes a wonderful pulsation of 
vigorous growth. The leaves are cleansed so that 
their growth is smart as well as stout, and the 
dreaded red spider and greenflies, which spoil in a 
month as much as we can repair in a year, are kept 
in subjugation. Go over the trees to thin out the 
young growths. Preparations for netting Rasp¬ 
berries, Strawberries, Currants, and Gooseberries 
should now be planned to facilitate the execution 
later on.— D. K. 
tub Orcfilfl Browers’ calendar. 
Zygopetalums. —Carried away by the gorgeous 
Cattleya, the varied colours of Dendrobiums, and 
the chasteness of the ever popular Odontoglossums, 
to say nothing of the quaint Cypripedium, growers 
and writers are apt to forget the usefulness of this 
genus. Take our ojd friend, Z. Mackayi, common, 
of course, it is, but yet how useful to those who only 
grow a few in a mixed collection, coming into flower 
as it does during the winter months. It accommo¬ 
dates itself, too, to all kinds of conditions; first you 
find it doing well grown very hot with the usual stove 
planis, throwing up two strong spikes to each growth; 
again, under much cooler conditions it does equally 
well, but flowering later in the season. Being a 
strong grower the compost best suited to its require¬ 
ments is that similar to what we use for Cymbidiums 
of the giganteum section, which consists of peat, 
loam, chopped sphagnum moss, and silver sand, 
with a small quantity of dried cow dung, thoroughly 
incorporated with the other ingredients. Having 
large, fleshy roots too firm potting should not be 
adopted, neither should the pots be more than half 
filled with drainage, but a few bits of crock may be 
worked in with the soil as the work proceeds with 
advantage. Z. intermedium and the garden hybrid 
Z. Sedenii seem to do best when treated similar to 
the two preceding varieties, but quite of a different 
class is the beautiful Z. Gautierii. This does best 
when fastened to a piece of tree Fern or grown in a 
basket or on a raft ttaat can be suspended where the 
air can play all around it. The compost, too, must 
be of a much lighter description, therefore we advise 
that the loam be left out, but not the small quantity 
of cow dung, as, though a more delicate plant, it is, 
nevertheless, a gross feeder. 
We have ourselves hybrids from the one under 
notice crossed with Z. Mackayii, whioh has for a 
long time bothered us, making but slow progress 
grown warm. We have hung the plants up near the 
glass over the Odontoglossums, and they are doing 
splendidly, so that these who have failed with Z. 
Gautierii should take the hint, and at least during 
the summer months put them in the cool house. It 
is the extra shade I think that they like, and a care¬ 
ful examination of the foliage would point to their 
being found in rather dense forests. 
Z.rostratum. —This is a fine free-flowering variety, 
and lasts a long time in perfection. It does well 
when fixed to tree Fern stems or on rafts with peat 
and mess ; and does well in the cool house 
during the summer months, but must be returned to 
the Cattleya house early in autumn. 
In each case the scapes come up with the young 
growths, and must be protected from the ravages of 
slugs by having a bit of cotton-wool put round them, 
as slugs are very partial to the tender spikes.— 
S. C. 
