280 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER . 
April  1,  1897. 
colour  and  dwarf  in  habit,  requiring  the  Ba,me  treatment,  and  flowering 
the  same  time  as  splendens.  Their  culture  is  easy.  Take  cuttings  in 
March,  and  insert  several  in  a  pot,  according  to  the  size  used,  place 
in  a  close  case,  and  if  there  is  a  slight  bottom  heat  they  will  root  the 
more  quickly.  When  rooted  pot  singly,  and  inure  the  plants  so  that  they 
exDerience  no  check  when  placed  on  a  greenhouse  shelf  near  the  glass, 
or 'better,  in  a  heated  pit  till  the  end  of  April.  They  must  have  plenty 
of  air  and  light,  or  they  become  drawn  end  weak.  Repot  and  arrange 
them  in  a  cold  frame  during  May  ;  after  the  first  week  of  June  they 
may  be  placed  outside,  shifting  as  they  require  till  established  in  their 
flowering  pots,  which  may  be  12  inches  in  diameter,  during  July. 
Compost — loam  seven  parts  ;  horse  droppings,  prepared  as  for  a 
Mushroom  bed,  one  part  ;  half  a  part  of  wood  ashes,  and  a  dusting  of 
bonemeal.  Pot  firmly,  and  assign  the  plants  an  open  position,  to  induce 
short  and  stocky  growth. 
They  will  require  frequent  topping  till  the  end  of  August  to  form 
compact  and  bushy  plants.  Salvia  splendens  is  the  first  to  flower, 
opening  during  December,  when  its  brilliancy  will  make  the  houses  gay 
during  the  dark  days  about  Christmas.  It  requires  careful  staking  and 
a  sheltered  spot,  as  when  grown  strongly  it  is  very  brittle.  On  this 
account  some  persons  grow  the  plants  in  cool  houses  all  the  year,  which 
I  consider  unnecessary.  Salvia  Heeri  is  the  next  to  bloom,  opening  in 
January  and  early  February.  It  is  not  so  nice  a  grower  as  either 
S.  gesnerreflora  or  S.  Bplendens,  being  taller  and  longer  jointed.  Salvia 
gesneueflora  flowers  during  March  and  on  into  April. 
The  varieties  mentioned  flower  over  a  period  of  four  months,  and  are 
the  best  I  know  for  winter  flowering.  S.  splendens  can  almost  be  had  in 
bloom  at  any  time  through  early  or  late  propagation.  As  to  watering, 
do  not  give  them  too  much — they  may  be  kept  drier  than  Chrysanthe¬ 
mums — and  do  not,  overfeed  them  with  manures,  aB  rank  growth  is  not 
desired. — W.  T.,  Ireland. 
Conservatory  Management. 
The  conservatory  will  next  (October)  be  ready  for  the  reception  of 
the  Chrysanthemums.  About  the  culture  of  these  plants  I  Bball  have 
little  to  say  at  present.  In  the  arrangement  of  them  it  is  better  not  to 
mix  the  varieties  of  incurved  and  Japanese  together.  A  better  effect  is 
produced  if  they  are  grouped  separately.  Chrysanthemums  grown  in 
small  pots  are  very  useful  for  edging.  For  this  purpose  cuttings  may  be 
taken  in  June  or  July  from  plants  which  have  been  planted  in  a  border 
for  lifting  in  the  autumn  ;  5-inch  pots  are  very  suitable.  Insert  seven 
or  eight  cuttings  in  each  pot,  using  a  light  compost.  Place  them  in  a 
frame,  which  should  be  kept  close,  and  shaded  in  sunny  weather. 
Slightly  damp  them  morning  and  afternoon.  When  the  cuttings  are 
rooted  they  may  be  taken  out,  and  the  pots  stood  thinly  on  ashes.  Do 
not  allow  the  plants  to  become  dry,  or  the  leaves  will  turn  yellow. 
Afford  liberal  supplies  of  liquid  manure  when  the  pots  are  well  filled 
with  roots.  By  the  end  of  October  they  will  be  nice  serviceable  bushes 
about  1  foot  in  height.  Sceur  Melaine,  Rosinante,  Nellie  Rainford, 
Pr6cocit£,  St.  Michael,  and  Elise  Dordan  all  flower  well  under  this 
treatment. 
During  the  time  the  Chrysanthemums  are  in  flower  as  little  heat  as 
possible,  consistent  with  safety  from  frost  or  damping,  will  be  needed. 
With  good  management  the  blooms  will  be  attractive  all  through 
November,  and  a  few  late  sorts  will  prolong  the  display  well  into 
December.  By  this  time,  cuttings  having  been  already  taken,  the 
plants  may  he  removed.  With  the  departure  of  the  Chrysanthemums, 
we  come  again  to  the  Camellias,  Cytisus,  and  Heaths.  These  will  not 
yet  be  in  full  bloom,  but  the  house  may  be  enriched  by  the  addition  of 
.Poinsettias,  which  stand  remarkably  well.  Their  scarlet  bracts  make 
quite  a  brilliant  display,  intermixed  with  the  Cytisus.  The  advent  of 
the  new  year  completes  the  twelve  months  round  of  conservatory 
management. 
In  giviDg  the  names  of  the  various  plants  which  I  have  mentioned, 
I  have  not  done  so  with  the  intention  of  excluding  others,  which  may  be 
equally  as  serviceable.  My  main  point  has  been  to  name  collections 
which  will  closely  succeed  each  other  in  flowering,  and  form  the  nucleus 
of  the  display  in  their  respective  seasons.  I  should,  however,  exclude 
the  common  Geraniums  (Zonal  Pelargoniums),  with  which  many 
conservatories  appear  to  be  furnished  almost  all  the  year  round.  I  do 
not  favour  the  introduction  of  these  plants,  handsome  though  they  be, 
excepting  in  the  late  months  of  the  year.  The  flower  garden  is  a  more 
suitable  place  for  them  in  the  summer,  and  one  great  object  in  con¬ 
servatory  management  should  be  to  provide  a  display  in  the  summer 
entirely  distinct  from  the  flower  garden,  or  the  house  will  lose  half 
its  significance. 
Of  the  general  work  in  connection  with  the  conservatory  a  little 
remains  to  he  said.  All  plants  ought  to  he  thoroughly  cleaned  before 
being  removed  to  it.  Any  that  need  should  be  neatly  staked  and  tied, 
also  the  pots  washed.  Each  morning  all  dead  leaves  and  flowers  Bhould 
be  picked  off,  the  floor  brushed  over,  afterwards  watering  the  plants.  Do 
not  allow  pools  of  water  to  remain  on  the  floor,  but  have  a  pail  and 
cloth  handy  with  which  to  dry  it.  Whoever  is  in  charge  should  complete 
this  work  as  the  first  of  each  day. 
In  the  foregoing  I  do  not  claim  to  have  presented  to  the  reader  an 
ideal  conservatory.  At  the  same  time,  I  confidently  believe  (judging 
from  the  knowledge  gained  during  my  own  short  experience)  that  if  a 
house  is  managed  in  a  somewhat  similar  manner  to  what  I  have 
attempted  to  describe  the  result  will  be  a  gay  conservatory  all  the  year 
round,  and  a  source  of  pleasure  to  all  concerned. — P.  W. 
[_A  very  well  written  and  creditable  series  of  articles.! 
FRUIT  FORCING. 
Cucumbers, — As  the  sun  heightens,  and  the  light  and  heat  corre¬ 
spondingly  increase,  attention  must  be  given  to  needful  shading  and 
due  supplies  of  moisture  in  the  atmosphere  and  at  the  roots.  Flagging 
must  not  be  allowed  whether  it  arise  from  exposure  to  too  powerful  sun 
or  a  deficiency  of  moisture,  as  it  gives  a  check  highly  prejudicial  to  the 
plants  at  the  time  and  cripples  them  in  their  after  growth,  therefore 
light  shading  at  this  time  of  year  is  often  desirable  for  a  couple  of  hours 
at  midday  when  the  sun  is  powerful.  Damp  the  floors  and  other  surfaces 
in  the  morning  and  evening,  and  syringe  the  plants  lightly  and  both 
ways  on  fine  afternoons. 
Plants  in  bearing  will  need  liquid  manure  once  or  twice  a  week,  and 
the  roots  earthing  occasionally.  There  is  nothing  like  fresh  sweet 
material,  such  as  turfy  loam  laid  up  till  the  grass  is  killed,  with  one- 
third  of  horse  droppings  prepared  as  for  Mushroom  beds,  for  encouraging 
the  growth  of  roots,  and  with  plenty  of  these  the  plants  can  be  fed  to 
any  extent,  there  being  few  stimulants  that  act  more  in  favour  of 
Cucumbers  for  quickness,  clearness,  and  greenness  than  nitrate  of  soda, 
half  an  ounce  being  used  per  gallon  of  water,  and  all  the  waterings  sup¬ 
plied  in  a  tepid  state,  always  as  warm  as  the  bed.  Other  food  of  a 
sustaining  nature  must  also  be  afforded.  Where  stable  drainings  are 
obtainable  they  may  be  used  with  advantage,  neat  being  diluted  with 
five  or  six  times  the  bulk  of  water,  care  being  taken  not  to  apply  it  too 
strong.  If  horse  droppings  are  used  as  a  mulch  they  must  be  well 
sweetened  before  being  introduced  to  the  house,  or  the  ammonia  will 
injure  the  foliage.  Worms  sometimes  become  troublesome,  and  are  best 
expelled  by  placing  a  peck  of  freshly  burned  lime  in  30  gallons  of  water, 
allowing  it  to  stand  two  or  three  days  after  stirring  well,  then  using  the 
clear  lime  water,  or  a  peck  of  soot  to  70  gallons  of  water.  The  lime  acts 
well  on  organic  matter  and  all  vermes,  including  eelworms,  as  well  as  on 
organic  matter,  and  the  soot  is  a  good  fertiliser,  putting  plenty  of  colour 
into  the  fruit ;  but  the  clear  only  should  be  used,  letting  stand  forty- 
eight  hours  after  stirring  and  drowning  the  soot.  Canker  in  the  stems 
may  be  subdued  by  rubbing  quicklime  into  the  affected  parts,  repeating 
as  necessary,  and  avoid  wetting  the  stems. 
Attend  to  stopping  and  tying  the  growths  not  less  frequently  than 
once  a  week,  cutting  out  exhausted  growths  and  encouraging  young 
bearing  shoots.  To  keep  the  plants  in  steady  progress  and  secure 
straight,  clean,  tender,  crisp,  well-flavoured  fruit  a  temperature  of  65°  to 
70°  at  night,  70°  to  75°  by  day  artificially,  80°  to  85°  with  sun,  closing 
sufficiently  early  to  run  up  to  90°  to  100°,  with  abundance  of  atmo¬ 
spheric  moisture  will  be  suitable.  Ventilate  early  but  moderately, 
avoiding  sudden  changes  of  temperature,  pernicious  cutting  winds,  and 
currents  of  cold  air,  which  cripple  the  foliage  and  deform  the  fruit. 
In  pits  and  frames  the  necessary  heat  should  be  maintained  by 
lining  the  beds,  renewing  as  required,  taking  care  to  avoid  rank  steam 
inside  the  frames.  Train  the  growths  rather  thinly,  and  stop  them  one 
or  two  joints  beyond  the  show  for  fruit.  Supply  fresh  warmed  soil  to- 
the  hillocks  or  ridges  as  the  roots  extend,  and  be  careful  that  the  appli¬ 
cation  of  water  is  not  excessive.  Admit  a  little  air  early  so  as  to  dry  the 
foliage  before  the  sun  acts  powerfully  upon  it.  Keep  the  temperature 
through  the  day  at  80°  to  90°  from  sun,  and  close  early  in  the  afternoon, 
no  harm  accruing  if  the  temperature  rise  to  90°  to  95°  provided  there  is 
no  rank  steam. 
Figs. — Earliest  Forced  Trees  in  Pots. — Early  Violet  and  St.  John’s, 
very  early  small  fruited  varieties,  are  advanced  towards  ripening,  and 
the  foliage  must  be  kept  dry  a«  soon  as  the  fruits  show  signs  of  changing. 
Less  water  must  also  be  given  at  the  roots,  and  liquid  manure  need  not 
be  applied,  as  too  liberal  feeding  in  the  ripeniDg  stages  prejudices  the 
quality  of  the  Figs.  Water,  however,  should  be  furnished  to  the  roots  so 
as  to  maintain  the  foliage  in  health.  Trees  swelling  their  fruits  need 
full  supplies  of  water  and  liquid  manure  until  ripening  commences, 
when  a  circulation  of  warm  air  will  be  necessary  to  secure  well-ripened 
high  quality  fruit.  The  temperature  will  need  to  be  maintained  at  60° 
to  65°  at  night,  70°  to  75°  by  day  from  fire  heat,  80°  to  85°  with  sun, 
admitting  air  or  increasing  it  from  75°,  closing  the  house  early  so  as 
to  advance  to  90°  or  more. 
Planted-out  Trees. — Such  Fig  trees  are  often  unsatisfactory,  growing 
very  often  too  luxuriantly,  and  are  frequently  trained  to  walls  at  a 
considerable  distance  from  the  glass,  so  that  they  produce  wood  instead 
of  fruit.  This  can  only  be  overcome  by  lifting  and  restricting  the  roots, 
and  training  the  growths  thinly.  They  cannot  be  too  near  the  glass, 
provided  they  do  not  touch.  When  the  foliage  has  abundance  of  light, 
and  the  roots  are  plentiful  and  active  in  borders  of  limited  area  the 
trees  require  liberal  feeding.  This  is  easily  effected  through  the  surface 
roots,  which  are  encouraged  by  a  mulching  of  partially  decayed  manure, 
preferably  lumpy,  and  if  kept  moist  will  be  permeated  with  roots  by 
the  time  the  most  support  is  needed  to  perfect  the  crop.  Fig  trees  will, 
take  almost  any  amount  of  liquid  manure  without  prejudice  to  the  crop, 
and  it  is  astonishing  what  heavy«crops  the  trees  will  carry  with  the  roots 
confined  to  narrow  borders. 
