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JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
April  5,  1900* 
Tlie  Young  Gardeners’  Domain. 
Bouvardias. 
'  Bouvardias  are  very  useful  for  supplying  large  quantities  of  cut 
flowers  during  winter,  and  the  plants  look  very  effective  when  tastefully 
arranged  in  the  flowering  house  or  the  conservatory.  In  February  or 
March  the  old  plants  should  be  pruned,  and  then  be  placed  in  a  warm 
moist  temperature,  where  they  will  soon  produce  a  plentiful  supply  of 
young  shoots ;  the  tops  of  these  should  be  taken  off  when  several 
inches  long,  and  rooted  in  pots  of  sandy  soil  in  a  propagating  case. 
Or  the  roots  of  some  old  plants  may  be  cut  into  lengths  and  placed  in 
pans  of  sandy  soil ;  these  will  soon  make  fine  little  plants  if  the  pans 
are  plunged  in  a  bed  where  there  is  a  moist  bottom  heat,  and  are 
covered  with  squares  of  glass. 
When  the  young  plants  are  large  enough  they  should  be  placed  into 
3-inch  pots,  using  a  mixture  of  peat,  loam,  leaf  soil,  and  sand  in  equal 
parts ;  the  pots  should  be  placed  in  a  heated  pit  or  frame  where  they 
will  be  near  the  glass,  the  temperature  of  the  pit  being  about  60°  or  65°, 
and  gradually  reducing  it  as  the  plants  gain  strength.  They  must  be 
carefully  watered,  and  should  never  be  allowed  to  become  dry ;  nor 
should  they  be  kept  constantly  saturated  with  water,  or  they  will  soon 
become  unhealthy.  The  points  of  the  shoots  should  be  pinched  out  to 
insure  a  bushy  habit,  and  when  the  pots  are  full  of  roots  put  them  in 
4^-iDch  or  5-inch  pots,  using  a  similar  compost  as  before,  but  with 
rather  more  loam.  The  plants  ought  to  be  neatly  staked,  and  be  placed 
in  a  close  frame  for  a  few  days.  When  established  in  these  pots  the 
frame  should  be  freely  ventilated,  gradually  hardening  the  plants  until 
in  June  they  can  be  planted  out  in  the  open,  fully  exposed  to  the  sun,  in 
good  rich  soil,  where  they  must  be  well  looked  after,  watering  them  at 
the  roots  and  frequently  syringing  them  on  bright  days ;  the  points  of 
the  shoots  should  be  pinched  out  about  twice  during  the  summer. 
Early  in  September  the  plants  must  be  carefully  lifted  and  placed  in 
6  or  7-iuch  pots.  They  should  be  stood  in  a  frame  and  kept  close  and 
shaded  for  a  few  days,  frequently  syringing  them  until  they  get  over 
the  shift  they  have  undergone.  They  should  be  placed  in  a  greenhouse 
where  a  temperature  of  55°  is  maintained  when  required  to  flower,  and 
be  fed  with  weak  liquid  manure  twice  a  week.  Some  of  the  best 
varieties  of  Bouvardias  are  Alfred  Neuner,  candidissima,  Hogarth, 
Humboldti  corymbiflora.  President  Cleveland,  President  Garfield,  The 
Bride,  Thomas  Meehan,  Triomphe  de  Nancy,  Victor  Lemoine,Vreeiandi, 
and  Vulcan. — F.  W.  P. 
Cyclamei]  Culture. 
Few  flowering  plants  are  more  useful  during  the  winter  months 
than  Cyclamen  persicum,  as  they  will  throw  up  such  an  abundance  of 
flowers  over  a  long  period.  The  seeds  should  be  sown  thinly  in  clean, 
well-drained,  shallow  pans,  early  in  August  in  a  compost  consisting  of 
fine  loam,  leaf  mould,  and  sand.  Place  the  receptacles  in  a  shallow 
frame  which  has  a  temperature  of  60°,  and  cover  them  with  a  pane  of 
glass  and  a  sheet  of  paper,  as  this  will  favour  rapid  germination. 
Keep  the  soil  moist,  but  on  no  account  have  it  wet.  As  the  seedlings 
appear  above  the  surface  remove  the  paper  and  glass,  and  place  the  pans 
as  near  the  roof -glass  as  possible,  but  they  will  require  a  light  shading 
when  the  sun  is  very  bright.  When  the  seedlings  are  sufliciently  strong 
remove  them  to  a  house  which  has  a  temperature  from  55°  to  60", 
standing  the  pans  on  damp  cocoa-nut  fibre  refuse,  and  again  as  near 
the  glass  as  possible,  otherwise  they  will  become  drawn ;  give  them  a 
light  syringing  occasionally  on  bright  days. 
When  the  young  plants  are  large  enough  to  handle  they  will  require 
potting,  as  if  allowed  to  remain  in  the  seed  pans  for  a  long  period  they 
will  be  weakened.  Thumb  pots  are  a  suitable  size  for  this  work, 
having  them  well  cleansed  and  drained,  and  using  a  compost  similar  to 
that  for  the  seed  pans,  with  a  little  less  sand,  and  affording  the  same 
temperature.  Give  a  thorough  watering  after  potting,  and  again  when 
required.  Protect  the  young  plants  from  the  bright  sun,  but  do  not 
apply  the  shading  too  heavily.  Keep  them  close  for  a  time  until  root 
action  commences,  and  never  allow  any  cold  draughts  to  enter. 
After  the  plants  have  made  a  fair  amount  of  roots  they  will  require 
another  shift,  and  well  cleansed  and  drained  3J-inch  pots  will  be 
found  suitable.  Use  a  compost  of  good  fibrous  loam,  leaf  mould,  and 
sand,  a  little  artificial  manure  and  charcoal,  but  be  sparing  with  the 
manure.  Do  not  pot  too  deeply,  but  keep  the  corms  well  above  the 
soil,  otherwise  they  are  liable  to  decay.  Have  the  plants  as  near  the 
glass  as  possible,  which  will  insure  sturdiness  in  growth.  Syringe  the 
plants  once  or  twice  daily  when  the  weather  permits,  as  this  will  keep 
all  pests  in  check.  The  plants  will  require  another  shift  when  they  are 
well  furnished  with  roots,  this  time  into  6-inch  pots,  using  a  similar 
compost  to  that  for  the  last  potting,  but  having  a  little  more  loam. 
Keep  the  house  close  for  a  few  days,  and  when  root  action  has  well 
commenced  admit  air  on  all  favourable  occasions,  gradually  increasing 
it,  as  this  will  cause  the  plants  to  grow  harder  and  prepare  them  for 
standing  in  cold  frames. 
At  the  end  of  May  or  the  beginning  of  June  the  pots  maybe  plunged 
in  coal  ashes  in  cold  frames,  and  not  having  them  too  closely  together, 
BO  that  the  air  can  pass  freely  between  the  plants.  Admit  abundance 
of  air  on  all  favourable  occasions,  but  during  sunny  weather  the 
lights  should  be  put  on  and  tilted  front  and  back,  and  shading  placed 
over  them  to  protect  from  the  sun.  The  watering  must  always  be 
carefully  done ;  they  will  require  little  manure  at  present,  but  an 
occasional  application  will  keep  them  a  good  colour.  The  syringing 
must  not  be  neglected,  doing  this  twice  daily.  Examine  the  plants 
occasionally,  and  remove  all  decayed  leaves  and  flower  buds  as  they 
appear. 
From  about  the  middle  of  August  discontinue  syringing  and  shad¬ 
ing,  unless  it  is  exceptionally  hot.  Early  in  October  the  plants  should 
be  taken  in  the  house  where  they  are  to  bloom,  but  prior  to  this  all 
preparations  should  be  made,  such  as  having  the  house  thoroughly 
cleansed.  When  the  time  has  arrived  for  this  have  the  pot  well 
cleansed,  so  as  to  give  a  neat  appearance  when  staged,  and  do  not  place 
them  too  closely  together.  A  suitable  temperature  is  about  55  at 
night,  but  during  severe  weather  a  few  degrees  less  will  prove  better 
for  them.  Admit  plenty  of  air  when  the  weather  is  favourable,  thus 
keeping  the  plants  sturdier  and  healthier.  Any  time  on  perceiving 
green  fly  fumigate  with  XL-All  vaporiser,  which  will  promptly  destroy 
the  pest. — P.  E. 
- - 
WORK-FOIItheWEEK..  ^ 
Fruit  Forcing. 
Cherry  House.  — Trees  heavily  laden  with  fruit  require  more  nutri¬ 
ment  than  those  with  few  fruits,  but  regard  must  be  had  to  the  vigour 
of  the  trees  as  well  as  to  their  crops,  applying  liquid  manure  to  weakly 
trees  carrying  heavy  crops,  and  water  only  to  those  of  full  habit  with 
relatively  moderate  burdens  of  fruit.  A  good  soaking  of  these  elements 
most  suited  to  the  trees  should  be  given,  and  as  often  as  required,  to 
maintain  the  soil  in  a  thoroughly  moist  state,  but  not  to  induce  a  sodden 
and  sour  condition.  Attend  to  ventilation  and  temperature,  admitting 
air  from  50°,  and  liberally  at  65°.  Syringe  the  trees  twice  a  day,  and 
keep  the  surface  of  the  border  damped.  When  the  shoots  have  made 
four  or  five  Joints  they  should  have  the  points  taken  out,  so  as  to  form 
spurs ;  but  those  for  furnishing  the  trees  ought  to  be  tied  in  position 
early,  and  be  carefully  trained-in  their  full  length.  Aphides  must  be 
kept  under  by  repeated  fumigation,  as  if  they  obtain  a  hold  they  are 
not  only  difficult  to  exterminate,  but  spoil  the  appearance  of  the  fruit. 
Fines. — SticTcers  or  Plants  Started  in  March. — When  the  pots  of 
these  are  full  of  roots,  but  before  the  plants  are  root-bound,  shift  them 
into  10,  11,  or  12-inch  pots,  watering  them  a  day  or  two  previously,  so 
as  to  have  the  soil  moderately  moist  when  they  are  potted.  Examine 
the  beds,  replenishing  them  if  need  be  by  the  addition  of  fresh  tan, 
mixing  it  with  the  old  to  a  depth  that  will  afford  the  required 
temperature,  95’  at  the  base  of  the  pots  until  the  roots  reach  the  sides, 
when  90°  is  more  suitable.  Keep  the  air  about  such  plants  well 
charged  with  moisture,  employing  no  more  fire  heat  than  is  absolutely 
necessary  to  maintain  a  temperature  of  70°  to  75°  on  mild  nights. 
Ventilate  slightly  at  80°,  liberally  at  90®,  closing  with  sun  heat  at  85°, 
at  which  time  syringe  the  plants.  Examine  the  plants  twice  a  week, 
and  water  those  that  require  it. 
Plants  Started  into  Fruit  Early  in  the  Tear. — These  are  fast 
approaching  the  flowering  period,  and  will  be  benefited  by  an  occa¬ 
sional  sprinkling  at  the  time  the  house  is  closed ;  but  when  in  flower 
they  must  not  be  so  treated.  The  foliage  being  as  yet  tender,  it  will 
be  desirable,  in  the  case  of  houses  with  large  panes  of  glass,  to  afford 
a  slight  shading  for  an  hour  or  two  in  the  hottest  part  of  the  day  for  a 
few  weeks  until  the  leaves  become  inured  to  the  sun’s  influence. 
When  the  flowering  is  over  the  fruit  will  advance  rapidly  if  the  roots 
are  in  good  condition,  and  plentiful  supplies  of  liquid  manure  will  be 
requisite.  Attend  to  ventilation  early  in  the  morning,  commencing 
when  the  temperature  is  at  80°,  and  closing  at  85°  with  sun  heat.  Keep 
the  atmosphere  moist  when  the  house  is  closed,  and  the  bottom  heat 
at  80°  to  90°,  night  temperature  70°,  75°  by  day  artificially.  As  the 
suckers  appear  remove  all  but  one  to  each  plant. 
Vines. — For  Early  Work. — Vines  in  pots  afford  creditable  crops  of 
early  Grapes.  The  Vines  should  now  be  in  the  pots  they  are  required 
to  fruit  in,  and  have  the  growths  trained  as  near  to  the  glass  as  possible 
without  touching,  so  as  to  secure  thoroughly  ripened  wood.  Stop  the 
laterals  at  the  first  leaf,  and  the  sub-laterals  at  one  Joint,  and  to  every 
subsequent  Joint  as  made.  Under  this  treatment  the  growths  will  be 
sturdy,  food  largely  stored  in  the  canes,  also  in  the  well-developed  buds, 
and  the  wood  ripen  early  and  thoroughly. 
Gra^pes  Ripening. — Vines  in  pots  have  the  Grapes  advanced  in 
ripening,  and  require  very  moderate  supplies  of  water  at  the  roots.  To 
insure  a  full  swelling  on  planted  out  Vines  inside  borders  must  not  lack 
moisture,  but  an  excessive  supply  may  conduce  to  shanking  and  bad 
finish.  A  full  crop  of  Grapes  is  a  great  strain  on  the  energies  of  the 
Vine,  especially  early  forced,  and  through  it  perfection  in  colour  is  not 
