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THE GARDENING WO ELD. 
December 3, 1904. 
Fruit Under Glass. 
Figs. —The exceptionally mild weather of late and the many 
bright' days have put aside even the thought of employing fire- 
heat, the difficulty being to keep down the temperaturesi 
during such sunny weather; 60 deg. to 65 deg. by day, falling 
to 50 deg. by morning, will be 'high enough until growth can 
be noted, when a slight increase may be given of the figures 
mentioned above. Pot' trees are usually grown for an early 
crop', the preparation of which was given in these pages for 
October 22nd, also hints as to the fermenting material neces¬ 
sary to give the trees a start, the heat of which should not 
exceed 75 deg. at the base of pot or fall much below 70 deg. 
Do not be too free with the water can until growth is; visible, 
hut. syringe overhead 1 , also the surroundings morning and 
again early afternoons, admitting a little fresh air from 10.30 
a.ni. to 2 p.m. during favourable weather. Get. succession 
houses in order by cutting out immature or superfluous wood, 
the remaining growth washed with soapy water having a little 
flowers, of sulphur squeezed up in it. in case red spider is lurk¬ 
ing about. Remove. an inch or so of the old border and afford 
a. topdressiing of loam, wood ashes and a little bone meal, 
affording full ventilation, but excluding frost that would be. 
enough to punish the wood. Early in the new year will be 
soon enough to close the succession house. 
Pines. —Up to. thei time of writing it has been grand weather 
for swelling fruit®, for Pines, similar to. most other fruit®, are 
much more luscious, when ripened with the assistance of sun- 
heat. It. is seldom we get. such! November 1 weather 1 which, has 
enabled one to- keep down the coal bill, a. consideration where. 
Pines, are largely grown, a temperature of 65 deg. to 70 deg. 
being easily maintained; yet. in the case of colder weather 
setting in 5 deg. less, would do no harm. Queens for starting 
early in the year should bei kept as quiet as possible, during the. 
next, lew wecksi; little or no water scarce will be required, 
while those late potted, also suckers., need but. little root water¬ 
ings. for the next six weeks. 
Vineries. — The principal work here, will be the pruning and 
cleansing of the rods, washing the interior of the structures and 
the usual topdressing of the. borders:, as advised in the issue 
for November 5th. Respecting outside borders 1 , not. nearly so 
much coddling is dome a.s formerly, and we. get. a.s good, if not 
better, Grapes than in those: days, with a lesser" amount of 
worry and trouble:. Naturally we. should advocate some sort 
of covering to outside borders whose Vines: are started before 
Christmas: or early in the year, as: well a,si where Grapes are. 
still hanging on the Vines for the next six or eight weeks:. 
But a deal depends: upon locality and the amount of rainfall 
registered. In cold, low-lying districts: doubtless, many of the 
A ine-f roots, would decay if left to. care for themselves:, and a 
fair thickness of straw or bracken with large wooden shutters 
or corrugated iron, placed over 1 tile entire outside border is the 
best method to. adopt under such circumstances. 
Early-forced Vines:, whether in. pot®, or permanent borders, 
have: had very favourable weather the pa.st few weeks., and 
What forcing is better 1 than that aided by the sun. during the: 
day ? Where the greatest mistakes are. made is in endeavour¬ 
ing to push on the Vines with fire-heat at the start, and oft- 
times far too high a night temperature, both contrary to good 
practice. As. soon as it is; noted that the buds are. swelling, 
increase the temperatures some 5 deg. day and night respec¬ 
tively ; 55 deig. dining the night is a, good figure to work by 
until the days: begin to lengthen, and with pot. Vines, see that 
the: bottom beat does not decline below 70 deg. Should it do. 
so, add a. little fresh material and press the whole mas® a. bit 
tighter around the- pots. Give abundance of ventilation, to 
'in .01 ies at rest; they will respond very much better when 
closed in early spring, and although Vines* do not require 
nearly as much water at this time of year, the gardener should 
satisfy himself as. to the state, of the border, as it is bad policy 
to let inside borders, suffer extremes one way or the ether, and 
it is best to apply warm water even when Vines are at rest. 
Bictom, Devonshire. James Mayne. 
Among the Orchids. 
Seasonable Remarks. — The late-growing Dendrobiums will 
by now have completed their growth. They are not always 
the easiest, subjects to be treated, for as a rule late-developed 
growths, are made during the period when they are afforded 
very little aid from the sun; consequently such growths are 
to a. certain extent, what is: known to cultivators as sappy; 
they are not hard and firm as in plants which mature growth 
during more favourable conditions prevailing earlier in. the 
season.. It is not desirable to. rest, such plants in a cool tem¬ 
perature. The conditions: prevailing in the Cattleya house are 
the: most suitable. Although no abundant supply of root mois¬ 
ture is: necessary, it is: desirable to. prevent, shrivelling or 
shrinking of the new bulb.; soft or sappy growths naturally 
shrivel more quickly than is the case with properly matured 
growth. It. is by placing the plants in these slightly warmer 
conditions than usual that, we are better enabled to supply the 
necessary root moisture with the least possibility of injury to 
the plants. I have pointed’ out in previous notes that low 
temperatures are most injurious when the plants are in a 
damp state about, their root®; the. remarks are particularly 
applicable to indifferent matured growth in every casee^ No 
attempt should be made at the present season to. induce late- 
made growths: to flower. It. isi more desirable to delay flower¬ 
ing-, if possible, which will be- the only means of developing 
satisfactory conditions- of growth for the following season and 
will enable the plants, to- flower more satisfactory afterwards. 
Some Cattleya® that, have: recently passed out of flower will 
be emitting new roots- from the base of the newly developed 
growth. Some, cultivators-, I am, aware, do not agree with dis¬ 
turbing the plants for the purpose: of repotting in the middle 
of winter. I do not. consider -any such objection to be holding. 
If a plant wants repotting, the proper time to attend to any 
such requirements.- is the season when the young roots are in. 
an active state, if possible, when the roots are just being 
emitted from the base of the newly developed or last-made 
growth. In the case of many of the winter and autumn-flower¬ 
ing Cattleya® the new roots make their appearance often while 
the flowerbuds are: developing or advancing through the 
flower-sheath. In such a case I would- certainly delay the re¬ 
potting operation, until after the flowering season had passed, 
and would proceed with it at the earliest possible moment 
after. More care certainly is necessary than when the new 
root® are close to the base of the bulb, but with ordinary pre¬ 
cautions little,, if any, damage need be done in the- process of 
repotting. 
Cattleya bowringiana, —The numerous hybrids that have 
been procured from its influence as one of the parents, and C. 
aurea, also, with its autumn-flowering hybrids 1 , usually root, 
immediately after- flowering or about the flowering period. It, 
is: this class that partake of an unusually long period of rest 
after flowering before commencing their next season’s growth. 
Thus, if repotting is done at this, season the roots get hold 
of the new compost and become established with the least 
possible detrimental effects. Select the pots sufficiently large 
to contain the plants- comfortably. Fill to about one-half 
their depth with chopped bracken Fern ro-o-ts (thoroughly free 
from sappy matter or fungus growth will appear). The com¬ 
post should consist of equal portions of fibrous peat and fresh- 
gathered leaves (Oak -or Beech) rubbed through a half-inch 
sieve: and sphagnum moss; add sufficient sand or broken 
crocks to render the whole porous, press moderately firm, and 
surface with a, layer of living sphagnum. Water with rain 
water, wetting the compost through, after which only sufficient 
moisture will be necessary to- keep the surfacing moss alive. 
H. J. 
