July  4,  1895. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
21 
preventing  early  maturity,  the  loss  of  the  leaves  corresponding  to  the 
pruning  buds  ;  but  irregularities,  and  particularly  gross  ones,  should  be 
checked  by  pinching  or  being  entirely  removed.  Weakly  Vines  will  be 
greatly  assisted  in  forming  the  buds  by  an  occasional  application  of 
liquid  manure,  or  top-dressings  of  the  advertised  fertilisers  washed 
in  moderately. 
Vines  in  Pots  for  Early  ForcinT. — An  arid  atmosphere  and  deficiency 
of  liquid  nourishment  at  the  roots  greatly  facilitates  the  attacks  of  red 
spider  ;  indeed,  neglect  in  syringing  and  withholding  due  supplies  of 
water  and  aliment  from  the  roots  bring  off  the  leaves  prematurely. 
Syringe,  therefore,  as  necessary  to  keep  the  foliage  clean  and  healthy, 
exposing  it  to  all  the  light  possible,  and  ventilating  freely.  Liquid 
manure  should  be  given  at  every  alternate  watering,  or  every  time  water 
is  required  if  the  Vines  do  not  plump  the  buds  well,  but  do  not  apply 
any  until  the  soil  is  becoming  dry,  for  over-watering  is  worse  than  a 
sparing  amount.  Vines  that  have  completed  their  growth  should  now 
have  less  moisture,  syringing  being  discontinued,  and  the  supply  of 
water  at  the  roots  moderated,  air  being  freely  admitted,  keeping  the 
foliage  well  up  to  the  glass. 
Houses  of  Ripe  Grapes. — Moderate  atmospheric  moisture  is  necessary 
for  the  preservation  of  the  foliage  in  health,  and  due  supplies  of  water 
at  the  roots  essential  for  the  sound  keeping  of  the  Grapes,  as  well  as  the 
supplying  of  nourishment  to  the  growth.  A  little  lateral  extension  will 
do  good,  provided  such  growth  does  not  interfere  with  the  access  of 
light  to  the  principal  leaves.  A  little  air  should  be  admitted  constantly, 
and  if  necessary  a  gentle  warmth  be  kept  in  the  hot-water  pipes,  so  as 
to  prevent  the  deposition  of  moisture  on  the  Grapes,  increasing  the 
ventilation  early,  so  as  to  allow  the  atmospheric  moisture  to  be  dispersed 
and  the  Grapes  heated  uniformly  with  the  surrounding  air,  then  moisture 
will  not  be  condensed  on  the  berries  and  spotting  follow,  either  as  a 
consequence  of  the  moisture  or  the  development  of  fungal  germs. 
A  light  shading  will  be  necessary  to  prevent  the  sun  taking  the 
colour  out  of  Black  Hamburgh  and  Madresfield  Court  Grapes,  even 
Buckland  Sweetwater,  Foster’s  Seedling,  and  Muscat  of  Alexandria 
retaining  their  golden  amber  colour  longer  when  the  roof  is  covered  with 
a  doubled  herring  or  single  thickness  of  pilchard  netting.  Whatever 
water  is  needed  should  be  supplied  early  in  the  day,  and  with  a  free 
circulation  of  air  no  bad  results  will  follow  in  the  Grapes. 
Grapes  Ripening. — Atmospheric  moisture  to  a  fair  amount  is  neces¬ 
sary,  as  its  withdrawal  causes  the  berries  to  shrivel,  especially  in  the  case 
of  Muscat  of  Alexandria ;  and  once  this  occurs  no  amount  of  water 
afterwards  enables  them  to  recover  their  freshness.  Damp  the  fioors  and 
borders  occasionally  in  the  early  stages  of  ripening  in  the  morning  and 
early  afternoon,  diminishing  it  as  the  Grapes  colour.  Inside  borders 
must  have  a  thorough  supply  of  water  and  nourishment  either  in  the 
form  of  liquid  manure  following  a  good  watering  or  top-dressing  of  some 
advertised  fertiliser  applied  after  duly  moistening  the  border  and  then 
washing  in  moderately. 
Outside  borders  must  also  be  well  watered  and  fertilisers  applied  if 
the  weather  be  dry  and  nutriment  needed.  Food  of  a  sustaining  rather 
than  a  stimulating  nature  is  much  the  best  at  this  stage,  profiting  the 
Vines  in  perfecting  their  crops  and  forming  buds  and  storing  matter  for 
a  succeeding  one.  A  light  mulch  of  short,  sweet,  lumpy  spent  material 
is  of  great  advantage  in  all  cases,  stable  material  being  preferable  for 
heavy  and  cow  manure  for  light  soils.  The  thing  is  to  give  it  thinly — an 
inch  or  two  thick,  then  air  can  get  into  the  soil,  and  the  roots  ramify 
freely  amongst  the  aerified  and  assimilated  matter,  and  the  Vines  profit 
accordingly.  Thick  soapy  mulchings  do  more  harm  than  good,  as  they 
exclude  air,  so  that  the  nutrient  elements  are  not  oxidised,  consequently 
they  become  sour,  and  shanking  in  the  Grapes  is  frequently  the 
consequence. 
Directly  colour  is  noticed  in  the  berries  afford  plenty  of  air,  a  little 
•fire  heat  being  essential  to  the  high  quality  of  the  Grapes,  insuring  a 
circulation  of  warm,  rather  dry,  air,  but  allow  the  temperature  to  fall  to 
65°  at  night,  otherwise  securing  by  artificial  means  a  temperature  of 
70°  to  75°,  and  80°  to  85°  through  the  day  from  sun  heat  for  Black 
Hamburgh  and  similar  varieties.  Muscats  should  have,  when  ripening, 
a  night  temperature  of  70°  to  75°,  falling  to  65°  through  the  night  when 
the  weather  is  bright  by  day  and  cold  at  night,  80°  to  85°  by  day,  up  to 
90°  or  95°  from  sun  heat.  As  Muscats  require  a  longer  time  to  ripen 
than  other  thin-skinned  varieties,  there  must  not  be  any  deficiency  of 
water  at  the  roots,  as  from  the  somewhat  drier  atmosphere  the  rich 
amber  colour,  the  unique  crackling  flesh,  and  rich  pleasing  flavour 
peculiarly  their  own,  is  derived.  The  foliage  may  suffer  through  in¬ 
sufficient  supplies  of  nutriment  essential  for  the  perfecting  of  the 
Grapes  and  the  formation  of  the  buds  with  stored  matter  in  the 
adjacent  wood,  which  is  essential  for  sustaining  the  next  year’s  growth 
and  crop  in  the  early  stages. 
Grapes  Stoning. — During  this  process  the  Grapes  do  not  swell  to  a 
great  extent,  but  are  more  or  less  stationary,  this  being  the  most  crucial 
matter  to  the  Grapes,  whose  object  is  reproduction,  the  perfecting  of 
the  future  plant  in  the  seed.  For  the  stoning  the  plant  needs  mineral 
substances,  and  the  skin  is  proportionate  in  mineral  matter  to  the 
amount  available  in  soluble  form  in  the  soil.  The  advertisers’  fertilisers 
are  of  great  advantage  during  the  stoning  process,  as  they  are  mainly 
compounds  of  minerals  in  a  soluble  form,  therefore  readily  available 
for  taking  up  by  the  roots,  while  they  contain  sufficient  nitrogenous 
matter  for  sustaining  or  promoting  steady  advancing  growth.  This  is 
what  Grapes  require  during  the  stoning,  any  excess  of  nitrogen  or  of 
acids  resulting  from  humus  being  productive  of  “red”  or  shanked  Grapes. 
Scorching  and  scalding  also  attend  undue  excitement,  such  as  that 
induced  by  a  close  atmosphere  unduly  heated  by  the  sun.  The  former 
is  easily  avoided  by  early  attention  to  the  ventilation,  and  for  prevent¬ 
ing  scalding  there  is  nothing  better  than  a  gentle  warmth  in  the  pipes 
with  a  little  air  constantly,  and  free  ventilation  early  and  through  the 
day.  It  is  not  desirable  to  close  early  at  this  stage,  as  the  Grapes 
require  time  to  perfect  the  stoning,  and  particular  attention  must  be 
given  to  the  ventilation,  not  closing  early  to  cause  a  moist  atmosphere, 
but  reduce  it  by  degrees,  so  that  the  temperature  and  hygrometrical 
conditions  may  not  be  greatly  fluctuating  during  the  fortnight  or  three 
weeks  which  precede  the  assuming  of  the  ripening  tints  by  the  berries. 
This  extended  over  such  period  will  insure  immunity  from  scorching  and 
scalding,  if  not  from  the  equally  disastrous  shanking.  If  the  weather 
be  very  bright  a  slight  shade  over  the  roof  lights,  especially  of  Muscat 
houses,  is  very  beneficial,  a  double  thickness  of  herring  nets  affording 
all  the  shade  required. 
Grapes  Swelling. — A  genial  condition  of  the  atmosphere  is  essential, 
and  should  be  secured  by  sprinkling  the  floors  and  borders  in  the  morning 
and  afternoon,  particularly  the  latter.  The  border  should  be  mulched 
with  a  little  short  sweetened  lumpy  stable  manure,  this  giving  off 
ammonia,  which  is  certainly  taken  in  with  atmospheric  air  by  the  leaves, 
and  as  it  is  not  respired  it  must  be  assimilated  by  the  plant.  It  does 
good  to  the  foliage  in  small  amount,  imparting  a  deep  colour,  which 
signifies  the  development  of  chlorophyll,  while  the  nitrogenous  matter 
formed  and  washed  into  the  soil  aids  in  such  manufacture,  and  on  this 
depends  the  ultimate  development  of  colour  and  finish  in  the  Grapes. 
The  mulch  also  acts  mechanically,  conserving  the  soil  moisture,  and  is  a 
never  failing  attraction  to  the  roots  if  kept  properly  moist — not  saturated 
constantly  but  damped  when  it  becomes  dry. 
Avoid  a  close,  saturated,  vitiated  atmosphere,  especially  in  close, 
moist,  dull  weather.  A  little  ventilation  almost  constantly  will  make 
all  safe,  but  it  is  desirable  to  close  the  house  in  the  afternoon,  well 
damping  at  the  same  time,  allowing  the  temperature  to  rise  to  90°  or  95°, 
and  after  the  sun  passes  the  west,  or  at  6  P.M.,  provide  a  little  ventilation 
at  the  top  of  the  house.  It  will  allow  of  the  air  changing,  prevent 
excessive  deposition  of  moisture  during  the  night,  whereby  the  foliage 
will  be  less  liable  to  be  scorched  should  the  sun  act  powerfully  on  it 
whilst  wet.  Scorching  is  caused  by  inattention  to  early  ventilation  and 
then  giving  it  excessively.  A  night  temperature  of  65°  is  ample, 
advancing  early  in  the  day  to  70°  or  75°,  having  recourse  to  artificial 
heat  if  necessary.  Increase  the  ventilation  to  between  70°  and  75°, 
allowing  it  to  advance  to  80°  or  85°  through  the  day,  and  close  as  before 
stated,  the  heat  to  rise  to  90°  or  95°. 
Permit  a  steady  growth  in  the  laterals,  it  keeps  the  roots  active, 
but  avoid  overcrowding,  not  allowing  the  laterals  to  interfere  with  the 
principal  leaves,  so  as  to  deprive  them  of  light  and  air.  The  outside 
borders  must  not  be  neglected  where  the  rainfall  is  insufficient,  and  a 
light  mulching  of  fresh  stable  manure  will  lessen  evaporation  without 
depriving  the  soil  of  the  beneficial  action  of  air,  warmth,  and  the 
moisture  of  dew  and  rain. 
Cucumbers. — The  disease  produced  by  eelworm  is  again  playing 
havoc  with  Cucumbers,  and  no  wonder,  as  they  are  kept  in  an 
atmosphere  so  moist,  close,  and  full  of  organic  matter  as  to  support  low 
organic  forms,  such  as  eelworm?.  These  lively  animals  revel  in  organic 
nitrogen  as  found  in  either  dead  vegetable  substances  or  living  plants, 
and  singularly  they  hate  nitric  acid.  Nitrate  of  soda  will  kill  eelworms, 
so  also  will  soluble  phenyle,  without  danger  but  benefit  to  the  plant. 
If  lime  or  basic  slag  be  frequently  sprinkled  on  the  soil  it  will  help 
the  plants,  so  also  will  soot — this  puttinef  colour  into  them,  partly  from 
the  nitrogen  and  partly  from  the  iron.  Of  course,  nothing  will  restore 
the  tissues  of  Cucumber  stems  destroyed  by  eelworms,  hence  there  is 
no  cure ;  all  the  same,  if  the  phenyle  or  nitrate  of  soda  be  applied  in 
time — before  the  tissues  are  destroyed — the  eelworms  will  be  expelled 
therefrom  and  perish  in  the  soil,  while  the  plants  will  go  ahead  and 
produce  fruit  abundantly. 
Attention  must  be  given  to  plants  in  full  bearing  byway  of  thinning 
out  the  exhausted  growths  and  foliage,  laying  in  young  bearing  wood, 
stopping  one  joint  beyond  the  fruit,  and  earthing  the  roots  periodically. 
Copious  supplies  of  water  or  liquid  manure  will  be  required  about  twice 
a  week,  or  as  may  bS  necessary,  but  avoid  applying  it  too  strong. 
Syringe  at  closing  time,  and  maintain  a  good  moisture  in  the  house  all 
day  Jong  by  sprinkling  the  paths  and  walks  as  necessary,  always  with 
tepid  water,  attending  to  it  more  frequently  in  hot  weather  than  when 
dull.  Do  not  overcrop  young  plants  nor  allow  the  fruit  to  hang  too 
long,  as  upon  attention  to  this  depends  in  a  measure  a  good  and  con¬ 
tinuous  supply.  A  few  seeds  may  now  be  sown  for  a  late  summer  and 
autumn  supply  of  fruit.  They  will  germinate,  and  the  seedlings  be  fit 
to  plant  out  in  about  a  month. 
W: 
HE  BEE-KEEPES 
m 
- — - -  - -  — 
APIARIAN  NOTES. 
The  long-wiahed-for  rain  has  at  last  begun  to  fal),  and  is 
generally  welcomed.  It  will,  no  doubt,  put  an  end  to  honey  gathering 
for  a  time,  but  water  this  year  is  of  greater  value  than  honey.  In 
some  districts  there  will  be  a  fair  yield  of  super  honey.  One  noted 
bee-  keeper  from  the  South  of  Scotland  writes  : — “  I  was  beginning 
to  despair,  but  last  Saturday,  the  22nd,  bees  began  to  enter  their 
