May  12,  1898. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
415 
will  be  found  to  emerge  from  the  most  unlikely  hiding  places.  This 
continual  hunting  must  be  persevered  in  if  success  is  to  crown  the  effort. 
Ants  by  their  industrious  habits  help  to  carry  the  bug  all  over  a  house, 
and  if  there  are  any  about  they  are  sure  to  find  them.  This  should  be 
remembered,  as  it  helps  one  very  much  in  the  work  of  hunting. 
The  above  process  will  entirely  exterminate  the  pest,  and  it  is  the  only 
one  I  think  that  will.  If  an  easier  way  is  known  to  anyone  I  feel  sure  he 
cannot  confer  a  greater  benefit  on  the  craft  than-  by  making  known  the 
secret.  In  any  case  1  trust  my  fellow  writers  will  express  their  views  on 
the  subject. — S.  S. 
A  Congratulation. 
While  sending  my  hearty  congratulations  to  those  two  competitors 
who  were  successful  in  obtaining  the  much-coveted,  and  I  may  say  well- 
earned  reward  of  their  labours,  I  cannot  help  extending  my  sympathy  to 
the  two  young  men  who  came  so  near  to  the  winning.  It  always  seems 
hard  to  lose  a  race  close  to  the  winning  post.  Yet  they  may  be  quite 
differently  situated  from  their  more  fortunate  colleagues.  A  young  man, 
for  instance,  who  must  of  necessity  spend  several  hours  of  his  own  time  at 
his  work  during  the  week,  together  with  his  fortnightly  or  three-weekly 
duty,  has  not  much  time  for  Domain”  writing  after  he  has  spent  an  hour 
at  his  botanical  dictionary,  another  hour  perusing  the  Journal,  to  say 
nothing  of  a  little  recreation,  which  in  my  opinion  is  necessary  both  for 
the  mind  and  body\ 
This  routine,  however,  is  only  applicable  to  the  months  of  March  to 
June  inclusive,  so  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  Editor  will  pardon  his  young 
correspondents  for  any  falling  off  during  the  months  named,  and  he  may 
feel  convinced  they  are  not  wasting  their  time,  but  are  filling  their  pocket 
books  with  copious  notes  (both  indoors  and  out),  for  putting  into  MS. 
form  at  a  more  opportune  time.  ' 
If  the  two  young  men  take  their  defeat  in  a  proper  spirit  it  will  spur 
them  on  to  still  greater  efforts,  and  we  shall  have  the  pleasure  of  seeing 
their  names  after  September  next  among  the  happy  possessors  of  a  lasting 
memento  of  their  early  struggles  with  “  practical  gardening  literature  ;  ” 
and  when  earned  it  will  be  the  more  prized  by  them  when  they  remember 
the  old  proverb,  “  The  fiercer  the  fight  the  sweeter  the  victory.”  Would 
it  not  be  interesting  to  us  to  know  the  respective  ages  of  all  the  gold 
penmen  ? — T.  P. 
PKUIT  FORCING. 
encumbers. — If  aphides  appear  fumigate  on  a  calm  evening,  and  repeat 
early  the  following  morning,  having  the  foliage  dry  but  the  floors  well 
damped.  With  a  proper  amount  of  atmospheric  moisture,  and  supplies 
of  water  at  the  roots,  red  spider  and  thrips  will  not  give  much  trouble, 
but  the  first  with  white  fly  and  mildew  may  be  kept  down  by  lightly 
coating  the  hot-water  pipes  with  sulphur.  Plants  that  have  been  in 
bearing  some  time  will  be  showing  signs  of  exhaustion,  and  should  be 
removed.  Assist  young  plants  showing  signs  of  weakness  by  removing 
the  staminate  flowers  and  the  first  fruits,  stopping  at  every  third  or 
fourth  joint,  cutting  off  all  superfluous  and  weakly  growths.  Shading 
will  be  necessary  for  an  hour  or  two  in  the  middle  of  the  day  when 
the  sun  is  hot,  especially  houses  facing  south.  Little  or  no  fire  heat 
will  be  required  by  day,  shutting  the  valves  at  about  8  A.M.,  and  opening 
them  again  at  about  5  p.ji.  Syringe  the  plants  moderately  between 
3  and  4  p.m.,  keeping  a  moist  atmosphere  all  day  by  damping  the  floors. 
Sow  seed  for  raising  plants  to  occupy  pits  and  frames.  A  fair  bottom 
heat  should  be  secured  by  using  the  less  decomposed  material  from  Vine 
borders  or  exhausted  hotbeds,  which,  with  about  a  fourth  of  fresh 
material,  will  afford  all  the  bottom  heat  now  required.  The  nights  have 
lately  been  cold,  in  which  case  close  pits  and  frames  as  early  in  the 
afternoon  as  safe,  not  allowing  the  temperature  to  exceed  90°  to  95°,  and 
afford  good  night  coverings.  The  bottom  heat  must  be  maintained  by 
duly  renewing  the  linings. 
Fines. — Changeable  weather  necessitates  careful  attention  in  the 
cultivation  of  Pines,  especially  as  regards  plants  with  fruit  in  an  advanced 
condition,  a  moderately  high  temperature  and  a  moist  atmosphere  being 
essential  to  their  well-doing.  Large  well-finished  fruits  are  only  to  be 
obtained  by  close  attention  to  details,  especially  when  the  plants  are 
cultivated  in  pots.  Watering  will  require  attending  to  once  a  week,  but 
avoid  indiscriminate  periodical  waterings.  Plants  that  have  heat  at  the 
roots  by  means  of  hot-water  pipes  require  more  water  than  those  having 
the  heat  furnished  by  means  of  fermenting  materials.  Admit  air  at  the 
top  of  the  house  at  80°  to  90°,  closing  at  85°,  but  unless  it  be 
desired  to  enlarge  the  crowns  do  not  quite  close  the  house.  Fire  heat 
must  be  employed  to  prevent  the  temperature  falling  below  70°  at  night, 
and  to  raise  it  to  75°  in  the  day,  the  bottom  heat  being  kept  at  80°  to  90°. 
Syringe  the  plants  two  or  three  times  a  week,  according  to  the  weather, 
and  maintain  the  atmosphere  in  such  a  condition  as  is  likely  to  secure  the 
perfect  development  of  the  fruit. 
Peaches  and  Nectarines. — Trees  Started  at  the  New  Year. — The  early 
varieties,  such  as  Alexander  and  Early  Louise  Peaches,  Cardinal  and 
Early  Rivers  Nectarines,  are  now  ripening,  and  must  not  be  syringed. 
The  other  varieties,  such  as  Hale’s  Early,  Dr.  Hogg,  Stirling  Castle, 
Dymond,  or  Grosse  Mignonne,  Crimson  Galande,  and  Royal  George 
Peaches,  with  Lord  Napier,  Darwin,  Stanwick  Elruge,  Humboldt,  and 
Dryden  Nectarines,  will  have  stoned,  or  to  make  sure,  they  should  not  be 
hurried,  and  the  trees  will  be  all  the  better  if  the  fruit  finish  with  a  night 
temperature  of  60°  to  65°,  commencing  to  ventilate  at  65°,  and  not 
allowing  75°  to  be  exceeded  without  full  ventilation.  Tie-in  the  shoots 
as  they  advance,  removing  superfluous  growths.  If  the  shoots  are 
crowded  thin  them  well  as  soon  as  the  stoning  is  completed.  After 
stoning  maintain  good  moisture  in  the  house,  and  water  the  inside 
border  copiously,  mulching  the  surface  with  about  2  inches  thickness  of 
short  manure.  Unless  it  is  desired  to  accelerate  the  ripening  continue 
60°  to  65°  as  the  night  and  65°  as  the  artificial  day  temperature  in  dull 
weather,  and  75°  with  sun  heat. 
Trees  Started  in  February. — The  fruits  of  these  will  soon  be  commencing 
stoning,  and  should  have  the  number  reduced,  leaving  two  fruits  on  strong 
shoots,  but  one  will  be  sufficient  on  the  weaker.  The  fruit  retained  must, 
iu  all  instances,  be  best  situated  for  receiving  air  and  light.  Thin  the 
shoots  where  crowded,  and  tie  the  growths  in  loosely.  The  temperature 
by  artificial  means  must  be  kept  at  55°  to  60°  at  night,  and  60°  to  65°  by 
day  artificially,  ventilating  from  65  and  fully  between  70  and  75°. 
Syringe  the  trees  morning  and  afternoon,  not  allowing  red  spider  to 
secure  and  maintain  a  footing  on  them,  and  supply  water  as  required  to 
the  border. 
Trees  Started  in  March. — With  the  fruit  swelling,  attention  must  be 
given  to  thinning,  and  as  it  can  now  be  seen  which  fruits  have  been 
properly  fertilised  by  their  taking  the  lead  in  swelling,  thin  them  to  two 
or  three  on  strong  shoots  and  proportionately  less  on  weaker  growths. 
Afford  liquid  manure  to  weakly  trees,  but  vigorous  trees  should  be  supplied 
with  water  only,  and  have  top-dressings  of  dissolved  bones,  always  dry 
and  crumbly,  and  pointing  in  without  disturbing  the  roots.  Remove  all 
superfluous  shoots,  pinching  growths  retained  to  attract  the  sap  to  the 
fruit  at  two  or  three  leaves,  and  keeping  stopped  to  one  or  two  afterwards, 
the  remaining  shoots  being  trained  to  the  trellis  as  they  advance. 
"Strawberries  in  Pots. — Moisture  must  not  be  lacking  at  the  roots  of 
these  plants,  as  when  the  sun  is  powerful  the  fruits  are  apt  to  have  the 
skin  dried,  and  do  not  swell  well  afterwards.  After  the  fruit  commences 
swelling  a  brisk  moist  heat  is  essential,  supplying  liquid  manure  liberally 
until  the  fruit  changes  colour.  Admit  air  freely  whenever  the  weather  is 
favourable,  avoiding  drying  currents.  Fumigate  late  plants  if  aphides 
appear,  but  not  when  in  flower.  Water  the  plants  twice  or  three  times 
a  day. 
THE  KITCHEN  GARDEN. 
Runner  Beans. — Seeds  sown  early  in  May  are  liable  to  decay  or  become 
a  prey  to  millipedes.  In  anticipation  of  failures,  sow  more  seeds  in  boxes 
or  pots  under  glass,  hardening  the  plants  before  they  become  drawn,  and 
plant  where  blanks  occur.  Protect  the  earliest  rows  from  frost.  For 
the  main  crop  sow  seeds  now  in  the  open,  and  the  sites  ought  to  be  heavily 
manured  and  deeply  dug.  It  is  also  advisable  to  dispose  the  rows  in  a 
convenient  position  for  watering  and  feeding  with  liquid  manure  during 
the  hottest  part  of  the  summer.  Crowding  is  a  common  mistake  that 
should  be  avoided.  If  grown  in  single  rows  these  ought  to  be  as  far  apart 
as  the  stakes  used  are  high,  the  double  rows  requiring  even  more  space. 
Groups  of  three  to  six  plants  disposed  3  feet  to  4  feet  apart  each  way  and 
duly  staked  produce  extra  heavy  crops,  and  so  also  do  plants  thinly  grown 
alongside  pathways  or  trained  over  walks,  these  proving  both  ornamental 
and  profitable. 
Beam  without  Stakes. — Runner  Beans  can  be  successfully  grown  wdthout 
stakes,  provided  they  are  not  neglected.  If  the  running  growth  is  allowed 
to  develop  and  become  entangled,  the  crops  will  be  light  and  difficult  to 
find.  Kept  closely  topped  capital  crops  should  result.  Sow  on  well 
manured,  deeply  cultivated  ground,  in  rows  3  feet  apart,  eventually  thin¬ 
ning  the  plants  to  about  1  foot  asunder.  Mulch  with  strawy  litter,  this 
answering  the  double  purpose  of  conserving  moisture  and  keeping  the 
pods  clean. 
Peas. — Robust,  mildew-resisting  varieties  should  be  sown  now,  these 
frequently  cropping  heavily  when  the  heat  and  drought  cripple  weaker 
sorts.  The  sites  should  be  well  prepared  by  manuring,  deep  digging,  or 
trenching.  Sow  the  seed  thinly  in  wide  deep  drills,  covering  with  fully 
3  inches  of  soil.  If  the  rows  are  disposed  from  12  to  20  feet  apart,  early 
Broccoli,  Cauliflowers,  Brussels  Sprouts,  and  other  winter  greens  may 
cover  the  spaces  between,  all  apparently  benefiting  from  the  association. 
Thinly  grown  plants  also  succeed  best,  as  these  branch  strongly  and  bear 
more  continuously  than  do  those  in  a  more  crowded  state.  The  young 
plants  must  not  be  allowed  to  fall  about  before  they  are  supported  first  by 
a  ridge  of  soil,  and  subsequently  by  stakes. 
New  Zealand  Spinach. — The  true  Spinach  fails  in  hot  weather,  and 
the  New  Zealand  Spinach  should  be  grown  as  a  substitute.  As  each 
plant  of  this  is  capable  of  covering  a  piece  of  ground  a  yard  in  diameter 
only  a  few  need  be  grown  to  provide  numerous  baskets  of  young  tops  for 
cooking.  The  plants  thrive  on  a  sunny  border  only  moderately  rich,  and 
a  few  seeds  may  be  sown  at  once  in  patches  a  yard  apart  each  way,  or 
the  requisite  number  of  plants  can  be  raised  singly  in  small  pots  under 
glass  and  planted  out  when  large  enough,  or  about  the  first  week  in 
Jane. 
Vegetable  Marrows. — Seeds  should  be  sown  now,  singly  in  3-inch 
pots,  under  glass  in  gentle  heat,  so  as  to  secure  healthy  seedlings  for 
planting,  when  it  may  be  done  safely.  Although  Vegetable  Marrows  are 
principally  grown  on  beds  of  manure,  or  a  mixture  of  decaying  manure. 
