May  6,  1897. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
397 
Before  the  pots  get  too  full  of  roots,  if  it  is  intended  to  plant 
them  out  in  beds  where  bottom  heat  is  at  command,  all  should  be  in 
readiness  for  their  reception.  The  compost,  consisting  of  three  parts 
good  fibrous  loam,  one  of  manure,  and  a  slight  sprinklin?  of  soot,  should 
be  placed  in  a  ridge  about  2  feet  through,  extending  the  length  of  the 
house.  When  it  is  well  warmed  through  and  the  bottom  heat  ranges 
about  80°  it  will  be  suitable  for  the  plants.  If  it  is  intended  to  fruit 
them  in  pots  these  should  be  11  inches  in  diameter,  clean,  and  well 
drained.  The  soil  to  be  used  for  potting  should  be  placed  in  the  house 
several  days  before  being  required  for  use  in  order  that  it  may  be  well 
warmed  through.  Pot  firmly,  allowing  space  for  future  top-dressings. 
Stand  the  pots  on  a  warm  surface  if  space  for  plunging  is  not  at 
command.  Allow  a  distance  of  about  2  feet  6  inches  from  plant  to 
plant. 
When  planting  in  the  ridges  do  not  plant  too  deeply.  A  distance  of 
from  2  feet  to  2  feet  6  inches  is  Sufficient  for  ridge-planting,  according 
to  the  method  of  training  the  plants.  Very  little  water  will  be  required 
at  first,  and  when  afforded  it  should  be  clear,  as  in  its  early  stages  of 
growth  the  Melon  does  not  relish  stimulants. 
Gardeners  have  different  methods  of  training  Melon  plants,  but  I 
think  what  is  known  as  the  single  cordon  system  is  the  simplest,  and  at 
the  same  time  it  affords  the  quickest  results.  This  consists  of  allowing 
the  plants  to  run  about  three  parts  the  height  of  their  allotted  space 
before  pinching  the  point  out,  and  stopping  all  the  side  shoots  at  one  leaf 
beyond  where  the  female  flower  shows.  If  the  growths  be  thought  too 
close  tog*  ther  do  not  hesitate  in  removing  a  few  to  prevent  overcrowding 
of  the  leaves.  It  should  be  the  object  of  the  grower,  by  judicious 
pinching,  to  get  three  or  four  flowers  open  at  once  before  fertilising. 
— Semper. 
(To  bi  continued.) 
Early  Fruit  Houses, 
This  is  one  of  the  most  important  features  connected  with  gardening. 
If  one  has  a  collection  of  plants  of  any  description  that  do  not  look 
quite  happy,  they  can  in  most  cases  be  restored  to  health  in  a  com¬ 
paratively  short  space  of  time  by  strict  attention  to  their  cultural 
requirements.  But  with  a  vinery  or  Peach  house,  where  the  crop  has 
failed  from  any  cause,  it  is  very  different,  as  we  have  to  put  up  with  an 
eyesore  for  the  whole  season.  No  one  is  so  much  annoyed  at  this  as  the 
man  in  charge  of  the  houses,  if  he  takes  interest  in  his  work.  However, 
such  cases  as  losing  the  whole  crop  are  somewhat  rare,  although  I  have 
seen  several  in  my  experience  ;  but  poor  and  indifferent  crops  are 
frequently  met  with.  There  are  various  causes  for  these  failures  ; 
sometimes  they  are  of  a  puzzling  nature,  but  generally  the  cause  or 
causes  are  within  the  power  of  the  gardener  or  man  in  charge. 
Take  the  case  of  early  vineries  for  instance.  One  hears  some  of  the 
following  reasons  sometimes  for  indifferent  crops: — 1,  I  do  not  think 
the  wood  was  sufficiently  well  ripened  (matured  is  meant)  ;  last  autumn 
was  very  wet.  2,  They  were  overcropped  last  year.  3,  I  think  they  are 
wrong  at  the  roots,  and  want  replanting  in  a  new  border.  Any  of  these 
reasons  may  or  may  not  be  the  cause.  The  first  one  is  doubtful,  as 
early  Vines  ripen  their  fruit  first,  and  the  wood  generally  gets  well 
matured  if  airing  and  stopping  the  growths  are  attended  to.  No.  2, 
Overcropping  is  not  so  often  the  case  with  early  Vines  as  later  ones,  as 
most  gardeners  seem  to  realise  that  early  Vines  should  have  moderate 
crops.  Mistakes  in  overcropping  are  sometimes  made  through  size  of 
bunches,  a  number  of  small  bunches  being  very  misleading,  looking  a 
heavy  crop,  whereas  bunches  from  2  lbs.  upwards,  if  only  one-third  the 
number,  form  invariably  the  heavier  crop. 
We  must  be  guided  by  circumstances  about  cropping,  as  the  size  of 
borders,  number  of  rods,  and  condition  of  the  Vines,  whether  strong  and 
healthy,  must  be  considered.  The  results  may  be  seen  more  or  less  the 
same  year,  as  the  berries  are  smaller  and  not  finished  so  well,  growths 
not  so  vigorous,  and  the  next  year  the  Vines  will  not  break  so  strongly 
as  they  might,  nor  will  the  bunches  be  so  large  as  usual.  No.  3,  The 
last  excuse  finds  favour  with  most  gardeners,  rightly  so  in  many  cases, 
although  I  have  known  instances  where  the  roots  were  not  at  fault.- 
Especially  do  1  remember  one  case,  where  the  border  was  well  made 
with  the  best  of  soil,  and  was  one  mass  of  good  active  roots,  and  although 
the  crop  was  light  the  berries  shanked  badly,  which  shows  something 
beside  plenty  of  roots  is  necessary  to  their  well  being.  No  doubt  many 
have  noticed  that  the  treatment  has  been  different  where  the  borders 
have  be^n  remade.  The  vinery  is  looked  after  much  better,  the  airing 
is  more  carefully  done,  the  water  is  warmed  when  required,  no  cold 
draughts  are  allowed,  and  no  plants  permitted  on  the  border  for  a  time, 
and  altogether  this  house  receives  more  attention  than  any  other.  The 
Vines  succeed  under  these  conditions,  but  it  is  not  all  due  to  the  fresh 
soil. 
A  great  improvement  may  sometimes  be  brought  about  by  stricter 
attention  to  various  smaller  items  in  Vine  culture.  Moisture  both  at 
the  roots  and  about  the  house  requires  to  be  used  by  a  thoughtful 
person,  as  too  little  or  too  much  will  bring  about  bad  results.  With 
early  Vines  much  depends  on  the  size  of  the  borders,  but  if  they  are 
kept  moist  after  the  growths  are  well  started  nothing  serious  will  occur. 
Damping  down  the  house,  if  done  at  the  proper  time,  helps  very  con¬ 
siderably  towards  the  best  results.  The  practice  of  standing  rows  of 
Beans,  Tomatoes,  or  such-like  plants,  that  require  a  large  amount  of 
water  on  the  border,  must  be  condemned,  as  it  soddens  the  soil,  and  loss 
of  roots  occur. 
Ventilation  plays  an  important  part  in  early  houses,  as  much  depends 
on  the  weather  and  situation.  Knowledge  on  this  subject  is  best  gained 
by  taking  into  consideration  size  of  house,  how  situated,  the  mode  of 
ventilating,  and  by  carefully  watching  the  thermometer.  Disbudding 
should  be  done  as  early  as  possible,  and  stopping  must  not  be  neglected, 
always  remembering  that  large  healthy  foliage  thinly  distributed  is  much 
more  beneficial  to  the  Vines  than  runaway  shoots.  Thinning  the  bunches 
requires  care,  or  defects  in  the  crop  will  be  very  serious. 
It  is  good  policy  to  spare  a  little  more  time  than  is  often  allowed 
for  the  work  in  the  fruit  houses,  as  the  value  of  good  early  Grapes, 
Peaches,  and  Melons  is  well  known,  and  there  is  no  doubt  that  success  is 
gained  more  frequently  when  the  work  is  done  carefully  and  at  the 
proper  time.  Failures  are  not  always  the  gardener’s  fault,  as  sometimes 
the  heating  apparatus  goes  wrong  ;  but  the  potting  of  a  plant,  for 
instance,  if  put  off  for  a  day  is  not  so  bad  as  neglecting  the  necessary 
work  in  an  early  fruit  house  or  two. — J.  L.  G. 
HARDY  FRUIT  GARDEN. 
mulching  Strawberries. — Quarters  ol  Strawberries  in  full  bearing 
and  older  plants  will  now  receive  much  benefit  from  a  liberal  dressing 
of  farmyard  manure  spread  between  the  rows.  That  containing  a  large 
proportion  of  strawy  material  is  the  best  for  present  application.  The 
soluble  matter  held  by  the  decomposed  or  solid  manure  is  washed  into 
the  soil  among  the  roots,  which  quickly  appropriate  it.  This  leaves  the 
undecomposed  and  strawy  parts  on  the  surface,  and  being  washed  clean 
by  rains  a  suitable  resting  bed  is  formed  for  the  fruit.  The  mulching, 
too,  is  serviceable  in  preventing  evaporation  from  the  soil  and  main¬ 
taining  moisture  about  the  fibrous  roots  abundantly  present  in  the 
surface  soil,  where  they  have  a  natural  tendency  to  ramify. 
Young  Strawberry  Beds. — Beds  planted  early  in  autumn  or  late 
summer  are  showing  flower  trusses.  If  the  plants  were  established 
sufficiently  early  and  the  flower  trusses  are  strong  a  fair  amount  of  fruit 
may  be  expected.  Should,  however,  the  plants  be  weak,  it  is  not  desir¬ 
able  that  the  flowers  remain  to  develop.  It  is  better  to  remove  them, 
allowing  all  the  energies  of  the  plants  to  be  concentrated  in  strengthening 
the  crowns  for  the  succeeding  year  ;  also  cut  off  runaers.  Hoe  the  soil 
frequently  to  keep  down  weeds  and  promote  growth.  Later  in  the 
season  mulch  between  the  plants,  though  not  so  liberally  as  with  old 
plants. 
Disbudding  Vines  on  Walls. — As  soon  as  possible,  when  the 
Vines  have  produced  growths,  attend  to  the  removal  of  such  shoots 
which  are  likely  to  be  superfluous  or  ill-placed.  When  spur-pruned, 
and  the  spurs  are  left  long,  there  are  usually  more  growths  produced 
than  room  can  be  found  for  ultimately.  As  the  principal  leaves  develop 
they  demand  a  share  of  light.  Rub  off  the  least  promising  growths, 
preferably  retaining  those  showing  fruit  and  situated  nearest  to  the  main 
rods.  Shoots  starting  from  the  old  wood  are  usually  unfruitful,  and  if 
not  required  for  furnishing  space  or  to  lay  in  for  producing  new  spurs 
the  earlier  they  are  dispensed  with  the  better.  Adopt  the  principle  of 
disbudding  gradually,  so  as  not  to  provoke  a  check  by  the  removal  of 
large  numbers  of  growths  at  one  time.  When  in  active  growth  an 
interval  of  a  few  days  may  only  be  allowed  to  intervene  between  the 
operations. 
The  attention  required  in  disbudding  gives  an  excellent  opportunity 
to  select  well-placed  shoots  for  training  in.  These  are  suitable  for 
replacing  older  canes  or  exhausted  spurs,  and  for  furnishing  vacancies 
with  vigorous  rods.  Trained  thinly  and  well  ripened  they  bear  fruit 
the  following  season.  Lengths  of  I  feet,  however,  are  sufficiently  long 
to  retain  under  the  most  favourable  conditions  of  maturing  the  wood. 
Fruit  Tree  Enemies. — Difficult  insects  to  destroy  on  fruit  trees 
are  the  small  caterpillars  which  are  found  enclosed  in  small  webs, 
causing  in  many  cases  the  leaves  to  adhere  together  or  curl,  so  that  they 
cannot  properly  develop.  Owing  to  this,  insecticides  which  may  be 
applied  cannot  reach  the  pests.  The  best  and  most  effectual  remedy  is 
hand-picking  at  the  present  time.  Attacks  may  be  prevented  by  dressing 
the  branches  and  shoots  with  insecticides  when  in  a  dormant  state. 
Apricots  are  attacked  very  frequently  by  a  maggot  which  must  be 
sought  for  in  those  leaves  which  are  curled  or  rolled  up,  either  crushing 
the  larvfe  with  the  thumb  and  finger  or  unfolding  the  leaves  and  picking, 
them  out.  The  points  of  shoots  of  cordon  Apples  are  in  some  seasons 
infested  with  very  small  caterpillars,  binding  the  tender  young  leaves 
together  and  feeding  on  the  tissues.  They  should  either  be  removed  or 
crushed,  as  they  frequently  destroy  the  leading  points. 
Blistered  Leaves. — The  curled  and  blistered  leaves  met  with  on 
Peaches  and  Nectarines  are  due  to  the  ravages  of  a  fungus,  Exoascus 
deformans,  which  luxuriates  under  conditions  brought  about  by  the 
exposure  of  the  growths  to  the  full  effects  of  cold  and  bleak  positions. 
The  best  immediate  remedies  to  apply  are  the  removal  and  burning  of 
the  affected  leaves.  Afford,  if  possible,  temporary  shelter  from  cutting 
east  winds.  In  selecting  a  site  for  planting  these  fruits  the  necessity 
for  a  warm  and  sheltered  position  must  be  kept  in  view. 
Aphides.  —  Aphides  are  of  various  colours,  some  being  black  or 
purple,  some  brown,  and  others  green.  All  are  pests  of  a  troublesome 
character  to  fruit  trees  on  walls,  especially  Peaches,  Nectarines,  Cherries 
