March  8,  1900. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
207 
see  our  artistic  efforts  appear  in  the  pages  of  the  Journal  of  Horticulture, 
in  pictorial  explanation,  may  be,  of  some  point  we  cannot  make  lucid 
in  words.  I  am  afraid  what  I  have  written  is  somewhat  halting 
and  imperfect  for  so  great  a  subject,  but  if  it  arouses  an  interest  for 
drawing  in  young  gardeners  my  article  will  have  done  its  work,  and  I 
am  sure  they  (the  young  gardeners)  will  profit. — S.  X. 
FRUIT  I  FORCING. 
Cucumbers. — ^The  night  temperature  in  houses  may  be  increased  to 
70°,  but  5°,  or  even  10°  lower  on  cold  nights,  is  more  favourable,  water¬ 
ing  more  freely  and  increasing  the  atmospheric  moisture.  In  the  day¬ 
time  85°  to  90°  from  sun  heat  should  be  allowed,  running  up  to  95°  or 
100°  when  the  weather  is  favourable  after  closing.  Thin  out  the 
growths  once  a  week,  removing  the  old  and  superfluous,  but  not  carry¬ 
ing  this  out  excessively  at  one  time.  Stop,  tie,  and  otherwise  regulate 
the  shoots  as  required,  removing  the  tendrils  and  male  blossoms. 
Supply  lumpy  loam  previously  warmed,  and  sprinkle  over  it  a  little 
soot. 
Cucumbers  in  frames  with  the  beds  made  up  some  time  will  need 
good  linings,  and  when  the  heat  is  up  see  that  there  is  no  rank  steam 
in  the  frame,  preventing  it  by  ventilation.  A  night  covering  will  be 
necessary  to  maintain  a  nigbt  temperature  of  65°  to  70°.  Admit  a 
little  air  at  75°,  and  permit  the  temperature  to  increase  to  85°  or  90°, 
closing  so  as  to  maintain  those  degrees,  or  even  advancing  to  95°.  Add 
a  little  more  soil  as  the  roots  spread  on  the  surface  or  protrude  through 
the  sides  of  the  hillocks.  Stop  the  leading  shoots  1  foot  from  the  sides 
of  the  frames,  and  the  laterals  at  one  or  two  joints  beyond  the  show  for 
fruit.  Attend  to  training  and  pegging  the  shoots,  being  careful  not  to 
overcrowd  them.  In  watering  do  not  wet  the  foliage  more  than  can 
be  helped,  taking  care  to  have  it  at  the  same  temperature  as  that  of 
the  beds.  A  sowing  of  seeds  may  be  made  to  raise  plants  for  growing 
in  pits  and  frames  that  have  been  occupied  with  Radishes  or  early 
Potatoes.  In  four  or  five  weeks  the  seedlings  are  ready  for  planting, 
and  will  come  into  bearing  in  or  about  a  similar  time,  affording  a  supply 
of  fruit  during  the  summer. 
Melons. — The  earliest  plants  are  now  well  advanced,  and  if  stopped 
when  they  have  extended  about  two-thirds  across  the  trellis  laterals 
follow,  with  fruit  showing  at  the  second  or  third  joint.  To  insure  a 
good  and  prompt  setting  of  the  fruit  it  is  necessary  to  afford  a  bottom 
heat  of  80°  to  85°,  and  sufficient  water  only  at  the  roots  to  prevent 
flagging.  This  will  arrest  growth,  and  in  combination  with  a  rather 
dry  atmosphere,  a  circulation  of  warm  air  passing  through  the  house 
will  favour  the  production  of  pollen.  When  this  is  ripe,  fertilise  the 
pistillate  blossoms  as  they  expand  every  day,  and  stop  the  shoots  at  the 
same  lime  one  joint  beyond  them.  If  a  succession  of  fruit  be  required 
in  the  same  house,  deprive  some  of  the  plants  of  the  flowers  that 
appear  on  the  first  laterals.  Stopping  these  at  the  first  or  second  joint 
will  cause  the  sub-laterals  to  show  fruit,  which  will  be  rather  later  and 
finer,  owing  to  the  increased  vigour  of  the  plants. 
The  plants  in  pits  and  frames  will  require  attention  in  training  and 
regulating  the  shoots,  removing  every  alternate  lateral,  and  applying 
water  sufficiently  to  maintain  a  steady  growth,  always  of  the  same 
temperature  as  that  of  the  bed.  As  soon  as  successional  seedlings  are 
ready  plant  them  out,  and  pot  others  as  they  become  large  enough. 
Seeds  may  be  sown  to  provide  plants  for  pits  and  frames  as  they 
become  cleared  of  Radishes  or  early  Potatoes,  about  five  weeks  being 
required  to  secure  strong  plants. 
Vines. — Eyee. — Those  inserted  in  February  will  now  have  rooted, 
and  should  be  shifted  into  6-inch  pots  as  soon  as  the  roots  reach  the 
sides  of  the  smaller  pots,  placing  them  on  slate  shelves  over  the  hot- 
water  pipes.  Water  only  to  maintain  a  steady  supply  of  moisture  in 
the  soil,  erring,  if  at  all,  on  the  dry  rather  than  the  wet  side.  Syringe 
well  amongst  the  Vines,  but  not  too  forcibly.  Pinch  the  laterals  to  one 
leaf,  also  sub-laterals  as  made. 
Cut-hacks. — The  canes  cut  back  last  month  and  placed  in  heat  will 
now  be  fit  for  shaking  out,  repotting,  or  placing  in  the  fruiting — 12-inch 
pots.  Keep  them  close  and  moderately  moist  until  they  are  established. 
Train  the  canes  near  the  glass  so  as  to  insure  thoroughly  solidified 
growth  as  it  is  made.  Clean  pots,  and  efiicient  drainage  of  clean  crocks 
should  always  be  provided.  Turfy  loam,  rather  rough  and  moderately 
moist  only,  with  a  pint  of  bonemeal,  a  quart  of  wood  ashes,  and  a  pint 
of  soot  to  every  bushel  of  loam,  forms  a  suitable  compost. 
Early  Forced  Vines  in  Pots. — Canes  started  last  November  will  now 
have  the  fruit  stoned  and  taking  the  last  swelling.  The  Vines,  there¬ 
fore,  must  not  sustain  any  check  through  dryness  at  the  roots  or  want 
of  food.  Surface-dress  with  rich  material,  and  supply  liquid  manure 
until  the  Grapes  are  evenly  coloured,  then  afford  water  only  sufficient 
to  preserve  the  foliage  fresh  and  the  fruit  plump. 
Early  Houses. — Thinning  the  berries  should  be  kept  well  in  hand, 
commencing  as  soon  as  those  likely  to  swell  freely  can  be  detected,  and 
as  a  rule  thin  them  well  in  the  interior  of  the  bunches,  leaving  the 
berries  with  room  to  attain  their  full  size  without  wedging,  and  yet  so 
full  as  not  to  fall  out  of  shape  when  placed  on  a  dish.  Liquid  manure 
applied  to  inside  borders  will  materially  assist  the  swelling  of  the 
Grapes  after  they  have  been  thinned,  but  it  is  best  to  vary  the  diet, 
giving  a  top-dressing  of  some  approved  fertiliser  about  every  three 
weeks.  A  liberal  supply  of  atmospheric  moisture  is  also  necessary,  and 
if  moderately  charged  with  ammonia  it  is  beneficial  to  the  Vines  and 
inimical  to  red  spider.  It  may  be  secured  by  occasionally  sprinkling 
the  border  and  paths  with  stable  and  cowhouse  drainings  duly  diluted, 
or  guano  water,  1  oz.  to  a  gallon  of  water,  or  better  still  supply  a 
mulch  of  sweetened  horse  droppings,  a  little  at  a  time  over  the  whole 
border,  but  too  much  at  once  will  prejudicially  affect  the  foliage. 
Sharp  winds  requii’e  care  in  ventilating,  air  being  judiciously  admitted 
in  such  weather,  so  as  to  avoid  sudden  changes,  and  the  consequent 
crippling  of  the  foliage  and  rusting  of  the  Grapes.  A  night  temperature 
of  60°  to  65°,  70°  to  75°  by  day,  and  80°  to  85°  from  sun  heat  is  suitable. 
Succession  Houses. — ^Disbud  and  tie  down  as  the  growths  advance, 
stopping  them  two  joints  beyond  the  bunch  where  the  space  is  limited, 
but  where  there  is  space  allow  a  greater  extension  before  stopping. 
Remove  the  laterals  from  the  joints  below  the  show  for  fruit  except 
from  the  two  basal  leaves,  which  may  be  stopped  at  the  first  leaf,  and 
one  afterwards  as  produced.  The  laterals  above  the  fruit  may  be 
allowed  to  make  such  growths  as  can  have  exposure  to  light  without 
crowding,  and  then  be  stopped,  keeping  them  closely  pinched  after- 
w'ards,  as  well  as  in  the  case  of  those  not  having  room  for  extension. 
Remove  all  superlluous  and  ill-formed  bunches  of  the  free-setting 
varieties  as  soon  as  those  most  promising  for  the  crop  can  be 
determined. 
THE  KITCHEN  GARDEN. 
Wet  Weather  and  Seed  Sowing. — Such  a  long  spell  of  wet  sunless 
weather  following  a  heavy  fall  of  snow  has  had  the  eff’ect  of  saturating 
the  soil,  and  garden  work  has  been  almost  at  a  standstill  for  some  time 
past.  Especially  bad  is  so  much  rain  for  the  heavier  clayey  soils,  and 
it  will  be  most  unwise  to  attempt  working  these  till  such  time  as  they 
are  considerably  drier  than  at  present. 
Peas. — If  seeds  of  early  varieties  were  sown  in  the  'open  ground 
prior  to  the  fall  of  snow,  and  the  plants  are  not  yet  showing  through 
the  soil,  an  examination  should  be  made.  If  the  seeds  have  germi¬ 
nated  at  intervals,  only  enough  plants  ought  to  be  raised  under 
glass  to  fill  the  gaps,  while  if  the  row  promises  to  be  so  thin  as  to  be 
not  worth  preserving,  sufficient  plants  should  be  raised  to  form  the 
requisite  number  of  rows,  or  otherwise  no  very  early  dishes  will  be 
obtained.  Sow  the  seeds  moderately  thickly  in  3-inoh  to  5-inch  pots ; 
place  in  heat  to  germinate  ;  harden  the  plants  before  they  become 
leggy,  and  on  the  first  favourable  opportunity  plant  out,  keeping  the 
balls  of  soil  intact.  In  this  way  early  if  not  very  heavy  crops  should 
be  obtained.  Sow  more  seed  in  the  open  directly  the  ground  is  fit  to 
receive  it. 
Broad  Reams.— Much  that  has  been  advanced  concerning  Peas  also 
applies  to  these.  As  it  happens  Broad  Beans  are  not  so  much  appre- 
ciated  as  Peas,  and  only  where  they  are  wanted  extra  early  need  plants 
be  raised  under  glass. 
CroceoL'.  — Veitch’s  Autumn  Protecting,  and  which  is  only  a  little 
inferior  to  Autumn  Giant  Cauliflower,  forms  au  admirable  succession  to 
the  latter,  and  pays  well  for  raising  and  getting  out  early.  Seeds  sown 
in  the  open  germinated  in  due  course,  but  the  seedlings  quickly  fell  a 
prey  to  slugs  which  could  not  well  be  kept  off  in  the  wet  weather  pre¬ 
vailing.  Enough  plants  for  most  gardens  can  easily  be  raised  either  in 
a  frame  or  in  boxes  or  pans  of  soil  in  gentle  heat. 
Brussels  Sprouts. — Long  rows  and  many  beds  of  autumn  raised 
plants  have  been  decimated  and  in  some  cases  cleared  off  by  slugs, 
market  growers  complaining  most  of  these  losses.  Seed  sown  early 
in  February  and  protected  by  straw  germinated  surprisingly  well,  but 
the  plants  are  disappearing  fast,  soot  and  lime  washing  off  as  fast  as 
applied.  A  portion  at  least  of  the  plants  required  ought  to  be  raised 
quickly  by  sowing  either  on  mild  hotbeds  in  frames,  protecting  with 
either  lights  or  mats,  or,  if  only  a  comparatively  few  plants  are 
required,  as  advised  in  the  case  of  llrocooli. 
Cauliflmvers. — Plants  under  hand-lights  and  others  that  will  bo 
moved  into  sheltered  borders  or  disposed  at  the  foot  of  south  walls 
will  not  grow  well  at  first,  and  the  probability  is  will,  in  many  cases, 
“  button,”  or  form  tiny  hearts  prematurely.  Anyway  it  will  be  a  good 
plan  to  quickly  establish  a  number  of  small  plants  in  3-inch  pots, 
keeping  them  on  shelves  in  cool  houses  or  in  frames  till  strong  enough 
to  be  hardened  and  planted  out.  The  earlier  varieties  should  be 
selected  for  this  purpose.  More  plants  of  early  main  crop  and  autumn 
varieties  ought  also  to  bo  raised  under  glass. 
Borecole. — There  is  no  necessity  to  raise  any  plants  of  these  under 
glass.  A  favourable  opportunity  should  be  selected  for  sowing  seed 
of  Borecole,  successional  (not  late)  Broccoli,  Sprouting  Broccoli  and 
Savoys  in  the  open  some  time  in  March. 
'  Cabbages. — Autumn  planted  Cabbages  are  fairly  promising,  and  at 
present  there  are  few  “bolting.”  It  is  an  important  crop,  and  if  many 
failures  are  anticipated  early  raised  plants  may  well  be  established  in 
small  pots  under  glass,  duly  hardened  and  planted  out  where  the  gaps. 
