444 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
May  2\  1897. 
fruit  has  been  produced  should,  if  not  required  for  extension,  be  cut 
away  to  the  shoots  that  are  to  produce  fruit  next  year.  This  admits 
light  and  air,  an  i  the  foliage  is  more  under  the  influence  of  water  for 
cleansiog  purpose.  Syringe  forcibly  to  cleanse  the  foliage  of  red  spider, 
and  if  this  and  scale  continue  troublesome  promptly  apply  an  insecticide. 
The  foliage  must  be  kept  clean  and  healthy,  and  over-maturity  of  the 
wood  guarded  against  by  ventilating  to  the  fullest  extent  after  the  fruit 
is  gathered.  Keep  the  borders  moist,  and  in  mild  showery  weather 
remove  the  roof  lights.  Stop  or  remove  gross  laterals,  but  allow  some 
growth,  as  too  close  suppression  of  the  laterals  has  a  tendency  to  hasten 
the  ripening  of  the  growths,  and  when  this  occurs  the  buds  may  swell 
through  over-development  when  they  should  be  going  to  rest.  Trees  of 
Hale’s  Early  aud  Dr.  Hogg  are  now  ripening  the  fruit,  closely  followed 
by  Stirling  Castle,  Dymond,  and  Royal  George  Peaches,  while  Lord 
Napier  and  Stanwick  Elruge  Nectarines  are  fast  changing  colour  also. 
These  are  all  first-class  forcing  varieties,  and  combine  high  colour  with 
excellent  quality.  When  the  fruit  is  ripening  it  must  not  be  syringed 
unless  red  spider  appear,  wben  a  forcible  syringing  should  he  given  on  a 
fine  morning.  If  water  lodge  on  the  fruit  for  any  length  of  time  the 
skin  cracks  and  mould  infests  the  flesh,  imparting  to  it  an  unpleasant 
flavour.  Supply  sufficient  water  at  the  roots  to  maintain  the  foliage  in 
health,  but  avoid  an  excess  in  the  soil  and  atmosphere,  as  it  has  a 
tendency  to  induce  splitting  at  the  stone  in  certain  varieties. 
Trees  Started  in  January. — When  the  trees  are  of  the  varieties  first 
named  in  the  preceding  paragraph  they  will  be  ripening  the  crop,  and 
must  be  treated  as  therein  advised  ;  but  when  of  the  midseason  kinds  of 
Peaches  and  Nectarines  the  fruit  then  will  be  swelling  rapidly,  and  must 
have  every  encouragement.  Above  all  things  expose  them  to  all  the 
light  possible,  turning  the  leaves  aside.  This  is  apt  to  cause  the  fruit  to 
ripen  too  fast  on  one  side,  but  it  may  be  prevented  by  placing  a  thin 
piece  of  paper  over  and  just  clear  of  the  fruit  in  the  hottest  part  of  the 
day,  so  as  to  subdue  the  force  of  the  sun.  Maintain  a  circulation  of 
air  constantly  by  a  gentle  warmth  in  the  bot-water  pipes,  keeping  the 
temperature  at  60°  to  65°  at  night,  and  70°  to  75°  by  day  artificially. 
Spare  no  effort  to  eradicate  red  spider  before  syringing  ceasts,  as  it 
should  when  the  fruit  commences  to  ripen,  otherwise  the  pest  will 
increase  so  rapidly  as  to  prejudice  next  season’s  prospects  by  its  ravages 
on  the  foliage.  Thoroughly  water  inside  borders,  also  outbide  ones  if 
necessary,  and  supply  a  light  mulching  of  lumpy  manure,  such  as  spent 
Mushroom  bed  material  or  partially  decayed  stable  litter,  keeping  it 
moist  by  sprinkling  when  it  becomes  dry. 
Succession  Houses. — Allow  trees  time  to  stone,  not  hurrying  them,  or 
they  may  be  so  exhausted  as  to  ripen  the  fruit  prematurely  if  it  be  not 
cast  in  the  process.  Root  action  will  be  encouraged  by  a  free  retention 
of  the  laterals  on  weakly  trees,  and  their  removal  on  strong  trees  will 
somewhat  check  their  activity  ;  but  these  extensions  and  restrictions 
must  not  be  excessive,  as  the  fruit  will  be  prejudicially  affected.  Avoid 
crowding  the  principal  foiiage,  and  keep  insect  pests  in  check  by 
syringing  the  trees  twice  a  day.  Thin  the  fruits  where  too  thickly  placed, 
removing  all  surplus  ones  when  stoned,  and  turn  the  others  to  the  light, 
so  that  they  may  colour  from  the  apex.  Supply  water  or  liquid  manure 
to  weakly  trees,  but  do  not  feed  vigorous  ones,  as  that  will  only  aid 
growth  and  hinder  stoning.  Admit  air  early  and  close  in  the  afternoon 
with  plenty  of  atmospheric  moisture,  so  as  to  raise  the  temperature  to 
80°  or  85°  when  it  is  desired  to  accelerate  the  fruit,  and  ventilate  a  little 
afterwards  for  the  night,  so  that  the  temperature  may  fall  to  between 
60°  and  65°.  Maintain  these  temperatures  by  artificial  heat  in  the  day¬ 
time  ;  they  will  be  ample  until  the  stoning  is  completed. 
Later  Houses. — Overcrowding  is  a  great  evil.  Train  and  tie  in  the 
young  shoots  that  are  to  carry  next  year’s  crop,  and  allow  them  to 
extend  as  far  as  space  permits.  Stop  or  remove  all  gross  shoots,  and 
pinch  side  growths  that  are  not  wanted  for  next  season’s  bearing  or  fcr 
furnishing  the  trees.  Thin  the  fruits,  leaving  only  a  few  more  than  are 
required  for  the  crop,  and  apportion  the  fruits  to  the  vigour  of  the  trees. 
One  fruit  to  each  square  foot  of  trellis  is  ample  for  Peaches  of  the  large 
varieties  Nectarines  may  be  left  at  9  inches.  Syringe  the  trees  twice 
a  day  in  fine  weather,  always  sufficiently  early  in  the  afternoon  to  allow 
the  foiiage  to  become  dry  before  night.  If  vigorous  trees  are  dripping 
with  moisture  in  the  morning  omit  the  afternoon  syringing.  Supply 
water  when  necessary,  so  as  to  moisten  the  soil  down  to  the  drainage. 
Open  the  sashes  before  the  sun  acts  powerfully  on  the  foliage,  and  increae 
the  ventilation  with  the  sun  heat,  closing  early  if  it  is  desired  to 
accelerate  the  ripening  of  the  fruit,  but  if  wanted  to  ripen  late  admit 
air  freely  day  and  night.  Young  tiees  in  course  of  formation  will  need 
disbudding,  leaving  the  shoots  for  forming  main  branches  15  to  18  inches 
apart,  and  the  bearing  wood  along  them  at  a  similar  distance,  training 
extensions  their  full  length,  and  pinching  the  side  shoots  not  required 
to  extend  to  two  or  three  leaves  so  as  to  form  spurs.  Pinch  the  laterals 
at  the  first  leaf,  and  subsequent  growths  to  one  joint  as  produced. 
Vines. — Houses  of  Ripe  Grapes. — Afford  fire  heat  only  to  prevent 
the  temperature  falling  below  60°,  and  admit  a  free  circulation  of  air. 
Do  not  allow  the  borders  to  become  very  dry,  but  keep  them  moist,  and 
mulch  with  rather  short,  dry  litter,  from  which  the  manure  has  been 
removed  and  the  material  washed  by  rain.  It  will  retain  moisture  a 
long  time,  and  lessen  the  evaporation  from  the  surface  of  the  borders, 
A  little  moisture  in  the  atmosphere  is  not  injurious  to  the  Grapes, 
and  is  highly  beneficial  to  the  foliage,  which  must  be  kept  clean  and 
healthy.  Fumigation  or  vaporisation  must  be  resorted  to  if  thrips 
appear  ;  for  red  spider  there  is  no  remedy  so  safe  as  the  tedious  process 
of  carefully  sponging  the  leaves  with  tepid  water  in  which  about  2  ozs. 
of  softsoap  per  gallon  has  been  dissolved.  Heating  the  hot-water  pipes 
and  brushing  them  with  a  cream  of  sulphur  and  skim  milk  must  be  done 
very  carefully,  as  it  turns  white  Grapes  purple,  and  hardens  the  skins  of 
all  so  as  to  render  them  liable  to  crack  and  to  become  spotted.  Place  a 
double  thickness  of  herring  nets  over  the  roof  lights  where  Black 
Hamburghs  are  banging,  in  order  to  enable  them  to  keep  their  colour. 
Succession  Houses. — Bright  weather  greatly  improves  Vine  foliage 
when  proper  regard  is  paid  to  ventilation,  and  utilising  sun  beat  saves 
fuel.  With  sun  heat  and  plenty  of  moisture  more  real  benefit  is  derived 
in  a  week  than  in  a  month  of  dull  weather  with  fire  heat.  The  Vines 
being  in  full  growth  the  temperature  may  be  allowed  to  rise  to  90°  or 
95°,  closing  the  house  at  85°,  employing  fire  beat  only  to  maintain  a 
temperature  of  70°  to  75°  by  day  and  to  prevent  it  falling  below  65°  at 
night,  though  it  may  recede  to  60°  on  cold  nights.  These  remarks  apply 
only  to  Vines  in  full  growth,  as  those  which  have  Grapes  approaching 
ripening  should  have  a  circulation  of  air,  and  those  well  advanced  in 
ripening  being  kept  cooler  and  drier.  Admit  air  early  in  the  morning, 
as  the  sun’s  rays  act  powerfully  on  the  condensed  moisture  formed  during 
the  nigbt  on  the  foliage,  causing  scorching. 
Watering. — Although  stated  interval  waterings  answer  where  the 
known  requirements  from  long  experience  have  been  acquired,  there  are 
variable  circumstances  which  upset  calculations.  Thorough  supplies  are 
usually  afforded  at  starting  to  insure  the  moistening  of  the  border  mate¬ 
rials  to  the  drainage  when  the  Grapes  attain  to  thinning  size  and  when 
they  have  commenced  ripening.  Those  are  essential  feeding  rather 
than  watering  periods,  and  ought  to  be  carefully  attended  to,  t-ither  by 
surface  dressings  washed  in  with  tepid  water  or  applications  of  liquid 
manure.  In  moisture-holding  soils  Vines  may  take  no  harm  with  those 
only,  but  inside  borders  of  limited  area  require  more  frequent  supplies  of 
water.  There  are  more  failures  from  insufficient  than  over-waterings, 
the  borders  being  properly  constructed  and  the  drainage  complete. 
Watering  twice  a  week  in  the  case  of  those  with  the  roots  restricted  to 
borders  of  limited  extent,  and  once  a  week  for  those  which  have  a  good 
run  of  border,  is  not  too  much  from  the  time  the  Grapes  swell  after 
thinning  until  the  Grapes  are  changing  colour.  There  is,  however,  a. 
great  difference  in  the  retentive  power  of  soils.  Some  loams  are  natu¬ 
rally  very  loose,  sandy,  or  gravelly,  and  they  have  the  usual  opening 
materials  added,  such  as  lime  rubbish  and  charcoal,  which  makes  them 
still  more  sieve-like  ;  the  consequence  is  the  greater  need  of  the  watering 
pot.  Strong  soil  will  require  water  less  frequently,  but  in  no  case  must 
there  be  any  lack  of  moisture  at  the  roots  throughout  the  swelling 
period. 
Late  Vines. — These  will  either  have  set  the  fruit  or  be  in  flower  in 
most  places,  commonly  the  latter.  Maintain  a  night  temperature  of  709. 
Shaking  the  rods  twice  a  day  will  be  sufficient  in  most  cases  to  distribute 
the  pollen  effectively,  but  in  the  case  of  shy  setters  do  not  fail  to  resort 
to  artificial  impregnation,  going  over  the  bunches  carefully  with  a 
camel’s-hair  brush.  All  large-berried  varieties  that  are  good  setters, 
Buch  as  Gros  Colman  aDd  Gros  Guillaume,  should  be  thinned  as  soon 
as  the  berries  are  set,  and  with  those  that  are  liable  to  have  veiy 
closely  set  berries  it  is  a  good  plan  to  thin  them  before  the  flowers 
expand,  as  a  practised  eye  can  tell  which  flower  buds  by  their  vigour 
are  likely  to  set,  and  the  removal  of  the  weaker  strengthens  them 
wonderfully.  Whilst  the  Vines  are  in  flower  do  not  pinch  the  laterals, 
but  when  the  blooms  are  fairly  set  remove  the  laterals  at  once  so  as  to 
prevent  overcrowding. 
THE  FLOWER  GARDEN. 
Campanulas. — Canterbury  Bells,  notably  the  calycanthema  forms, 
are  very  effective  border  plants,  and  in  masses  are  most  showy,  being 
at  their  lest  in  June,  but  will  flower  for  some  time  longer.  They 
are  perfectly  hardy,  very  few  plants  being  lost  during  the  late  winter, 
and  if  seedlings  are  raised  during  May  or  the  early  part  of  June  these 
can  be  grown  to  their  full  size  by  next  winter.  Sown  in  pans,  not  too 
thickly,  lightly  covered  with  flue  soil,  placed  in  a  hand-light  or  close 
frame,  the  seed  germinates  quickly,  and  if  the  plants  are  first  pricked 
out  in  other  pans  or  boxes  they  ought  to  be  ready  for  the  open  borders 
in  August.  They  require  good  room,  and  ought  to  be  eventually  dis¬ 
posed  not  less  than  15  inches  apart  each  way.  Room  being  somewhat 
scarce,  put  them  out  8  inches  apart  each  way,  and  iu  the  autumn  either 
pot  up  or  transplant  elsewhere  every  other  row,  and  half  the  plants  in 
the  reserved  rows.  They  move  readily,  and  flower  grandly  in  pot& 
during  May. 
Wallflowers. — It  is  of  the  greatest  importance  that  these  be 
raised  early,  plants  obtained  by  sowing  after  the  stress  of  other  garden 
work  is  over  usually  being  too  small  and  weakly  to  flower  well.  Sow 
the  seed  at  once,  preferably  in  open  borders  well  pTenared  and  got 
into  a  free  working  condition.  Open  shallow  drills  10  inches  apart, 
water  these  if  at  all  dry  through  a  rose  pot,  sow  the  seed  somewhat 
thinly,  and  cover  with  a  little  fine  or  Bifted  soil.  Thin  out  the 
seedlings  early  where  at  all  crowded,  leaving  them  say  about  3  inches 
apart,  and  later  on  transplant  every  other  one  to  other  borders  or 
beds.  In  sowing  keep  each  colour  separate,  masses  of  one  colour  being 
mcst  effective,  and  always  aim  to  raise  abundance.  The  double  German 
Wallflowers  to  be  similarly  treated.  Should  there  be  no  plots  of  ground 
convenient,  raise  the  requisite  number  of  plants  in  boxes,  and  prick 
out  early. 
Brompton  Stocks. — These,  though  less  hardy  than  Wallflowers, 
are  yet  frequently  very  serviceable,  strong  plants  flowering  freely  at 
this  time  of  the  year.  They  are  not  well  adapted  for  the  flower  beds, 
not  transplanting  well,  but  they  are  quite  at  home  in  mixed  borders  and 
in  separate  beds,  always  provided  they  can  be  well  established  in  their 
flowering  quarters  during  the  summer.  The  seed  may  be  sown  now  or 
