February  20, 1896. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
171 
WATER  AGAINST  FROST. 
Of  course,  there  ii  no  way  of  protecting  plants  or  crops  from  injury 
when  the  temperature  falls  several  degrees  below  the  freezing  point,  but 
for  light  frosts  the  practice  of  burning  any  material  that  will  form  a 
dense  smoko  has  been  found  useful  in  vineyards  by  forming  a  canopy 
over  the  field,  which  prevents  the  escape  of  heat  by  radiation  from  the 
ground.  Protection  by  water  is,  however,  more  practicable  than  protec¬ 
tion  by  fire,  and  the  “  Garden  and  Forest  ”  condenses  the  following  notes 
from  an  article  by  Professor  Kedzie,  of  the  Michigan  Agricultural 
College,  which  appeared  originally  in  the  bulletin  of  the  Michigan  State 
Weather  Service  : — 
The  vapour  of  water  in  the  atmosphere  may  control  excessive 
changes  of  atmosphere  in  two  ways — 1,  By  condensing  into  water  it 
liberates  enough  heat  to  raise  through  1°  the  temperature  of  a  thousand 
times  the  amount  of  water  condensed,  and  hence  it  arrests  the  fall  of 
temperature  by  giving  out  heat.  In  this  way  the  beneficent  dew 
becomes  a  warming-pan  for  chilling  fields.  2,  Vapour  of  water  in  the 
air  as  well  as  clouds  prevents  the  escape  of  heat  by  radiation  from  the 
soil,  and  the  consequent  cooling  of  the  air  by  night.  But  for  the  vapour 
of  water  in  the  air  we  should  have  a  frost  every  night  in  the  year. 
Professor  Tyndall  says  that  the  removal  for  one  summer  night  of  the 
aqueous  vapour  which  covers  England  would  bring  about  the  destruction 
of  every  plant  which  a  freezing  temperature  could  kill. 
If  the  gardener  is  forewarned  of  the  approach  of  a  slow  frost  he  may 
do  something  to  avert  the  calamity.  The  old  plan  of  a  tub  of  water 
under  a  fruit  tree  with  a  rope  reaching  from  the  tub  into  the  branches 
may  serve  a  useful  purpose.  The  evaporation  from  the  water  in  the 
tub  and  of  the  water  carried  up  through  the  rope  may  spread  a  water 
blanket  about  the  tree.  The  shallow  cultivation  of  hoed  crops  draws  up 
capillary  action  upon  the  reservoir  of  water  in  the  subsoil  and  keeps  the 
surface  soil  in  a  condition  which  prevents  the  rapid  distribution  of  soil 
moisture,  and  in  this  way  saves  plants  from  frost  by  a  covering  as 
impalpable  as  air,  but  as  effectua'  as  eider-down.  One  night  the  Indian 
Corn  in  Michigan  was  almost  entirely  killed  by  frost,  but  a  few  fields 
on  the  banks  of  rivers  and  the  borders  of  lakes  were  spared.  In  these 
fields  the  corn  stalks  next  morning  were  dripping  with  dew.  There  had 
been  but  one-eighth  of  an  inch  of  rain  in  two  weeks,  but  evaporation 
from  river  or  lake  had  moistened  the  air  and  staved  oil  the  frost.  If  the 
air  over  the  whole  State  had  been  as  moist  as  it  was  along  the  rivers  a 
heavy  dew  would  have  fallen  everywhere,  and  the  corn  crops  would 
have  been  saved.  Beds  of  Coleus  and  other  tender  plants  which  have 
been  wetted  with  cold  water  in  the  evening  have  escaped  frost  in 
October  when  other  plants  near  by  were  killed. 
Mr.  E.  P.  Powell  says  that  the  best  preventive  against  frost  is  a 
thorough  spraying  with  water  during  the  evening  and  night.  By  this 
means  the  danger  from  a  fall  of  2°  or  3°  can  be  averted,  and  this  will 
often  save  a  crop. 
LONDON  MARKETS. 
There  are  still  many  old-fashioned  middle-class  housekeepers 
who  regard  the  thought  of  a  Becond  vegetable  as  sheer  extravagance, 
and  a  great  many  more,  who,  if  they  bring  themselves  to  depart  from 
Potatoes  as  the  solitary  accompaniment  of  the  domestic  Sunday  joint, 
will  limit  their  choice  to  Winter  Cabbage,  Brussels  Sprouts,  Turnip-tops, 
Carrots  or  Turnips.  This  list  is  in  some  cases  extended  by  the  substi¬ 
tution  of  “  Curly  Kale”  or  Cauliflowers,  or,  perhaps,  Tomatoes  for  one 
or  other  of  the  above  vegetables.  Cauliflowers — they  are  coming  from 
Cornwall  at  present,  few  of  the  Italian  now  reaching  this  country — have 
won  their  way  because  they  are  so  cheap.  “White ’’vegetables,  however, 
appear,  and  not  altogether  justly,  to  be  regarded  as  luxuries.  Seakale 
is  the  next  best  thing  to  Asparagus.  The  mild  winter  has  forced  its 
growth.  The  sticks  are,  no  doubt,  thin  and  lanky,  but  the  yield  has 
been  enormous,  and  the  price  has  been  in  many  shops  less  than  that 
which  a  few  years  ago  waB  customarily  paid  for  Brussels  Sprouts. 
Tomatoes  hold  their  ground  ;  practically  they  are  never  out  of  season, 
for  as  fast  as  one  source  of  supply  is  exhausted  another  takes  its  place. 
Teneriffe  is  now  filling  the  gap.  The  Canary  Islands  Tomatoes  have 
been  good  this  winter,  and  they  have  sold  well  at  fair  prices.  Early 
Rhubarb,  it  appears,  is  being  successfully  grown,  as  the  Kale  is,  in  the 
outskirts  of  London,  notwithstanding  that  the  fuel — for  heat  is  the 
essential  thing — is  dearer  there  than  in  the  Midlands,  where  most  of 
the  Rhubarb  is  raised. 
Algerian  new  Potatoes  are  making  room  for  those  from  Teneriffe. 
We  are  still  dependent  upon  France  for  salads.  Crops  of  Lettuce  and 
Endive  in  succession  are  systematically  raised  in  that  country,  and  no 
one  seems  to  have  attempted  similar  methods  here.  Strolling  through 
the  markets  one  may  frequently  note  some  new  development  in  the 
trade,  and  as  a  rule  it  will  be  found  that  foreign  or  colonial  enterprise 
is  to  be  credited  with  the  improvement.  Thus  the  French  send  to  this 
country  Celeriac,  which  is  a  somewhat  ungainly  bulbous  root ;  but  West- 
end  chefs  make  capital  use  of  it  in  soup  when  Celery  is  not  to  be  bad,  for 
it  has  the  same  flavour.  Chicory,  too,  is  a  vegetable  which  is  eaten  largely 
abroad,  its  bitterness  being  gratifying  to  some  palates ;  but  here  one 
may  ask  for  it  in  vain  at  most  greengrocers.  It  is  not  to  be  ranked  in 
the  same  category  as  French  Beans,  or  the  pale  greenish  Haricots  called 
Flageolets,  or  new  green  Peas  (from  France),  or  Asparagus,  all  of  which 
are  at  present  in  the  nature  of  expensive  dainties. 
In  fruit,  perhaps  the  leading  features  are  the  continued  scarcity  of 
Oranges  and  the  extraordinary  plentifulness  of  Pine  Apples  from 
St.  Michael’s.  They  are  finely  grown,  weighing  as  much  aB  G  lbs.  apiece, 
and  are  very  cheap.  St.  Michael  and  West  Indian  Pine  Apples  together 
have  put  English  hothouse  Pines  out  of  demand.  Peaches,  beautifully 
coloured,  are  to  be  had  at  about  one-tenth  of  the  price  that  would  be 
asked  for  an  English  Peach,  if  such  were  obtainable.  Cape  Colony  is 
furnishing  this  luscious  fruit.  As  for  flowers,  Italy  and  France  are 
making  our  houses  bright  with  blossom,  for,  with  the  exception  of  the 
Lilies  of  the  Valley — many  of  which  are  forced,  as  required,  into  bloom 
in  England — and  the  Dutch  bulbs  in  flower,  cut  flowers  at  command  are 
mostly  from  the  Mediterranean.  Violets  are  arriving  daily  from  the 
most  southern  points,  while  Roses,  red  and  white,  are  coming  from  Nice, 
together  with  scarlet  Hibiscus,  Daffodils — which  are  improving  in  form 
and  colour  every  week — and  Narcissi  in  many  varieties.  There  is  no 
stint  of  them,  and  our  own  glass  houses  are  providing  Arum  and  other 
Lilies,  Cyclamens,  Spiraeas,  and  Marguerites  in  flower. 
Vegetable  producers  in  the  South  of  France  are  by  no  means 
pleased  at  the  present  winter.  Usually  the  weather  is  severe  enough 
in  the  North  of  France  to  prevent  them  fearing  any  competition  from 
growers  who  are  situated  in  less  favoured  latitudes.  This  year,  however, 
everything  is  in  a  very  advanced  state,  and  the  market  gardeners  here 
are  entering  the  field  against  their  Southern  confreres ,  who,  as  a  rule, 
were  wont  to  have  matters  all  their  own  way  in  the  Halles  of  Paris. 
This  has  had  the  effect  of  bringing  down  prices  very  much,  and  only 
really  first-class  products  command  anything  like  good  terms.  In  the 
vegetable  departments  special  mention  is  made  of  Brittany  Cauliflowers 
and  Algerian  Artichokes.  The  first  named,  which  are  splendid  specimens, 
have  ousted  the  smaller  Southern  Cauliflowers  from  popular  favour. 
Not  only  are  the  latter  scarce,  but  there  is  no  demand  for  them,  and  the 
prices  rule  considerably  below  the  average.  The  Artichokes  from  the 
other  side  of  the  Mediterranean  are  very  abundant  and  are  cheap.  There 
is,  however,  no  special  display  for  the  moment.  There  is  rather  a  lack 
of  fruit,  home  grown  or  imported,  with  the  exception  of  Oranges  and 
Mandarins,  which  are  exceedingly  plentiful. 
But  if  market  gardeners  of  the  South  have  to  complain  of  competition, 
such  is  not  the  case  with  flower  growers.  That  strip  of  country  from 
Toulouse  to  the  Italian  frontier  well  deserves  the  title  of  the  Garden  of 
France  this  year.  Seldom  have  blooms  so  rich  or  abundant  come  North 
from  there,  especially  of  Roses  of  every  variety,  the  Narcissi,  and 
Hyacinths.  The  delicate  pale  yellow  of  the  Mimosa  is  now  to  be  seen 
in  every  flower  shop  in  Paris  or  hawked  about  in  large  quantities  in 
the  streets.  Paris  is  reaping  the  benefit  of  this  floral  copiousness,  for 
there  is  a  splendid  and  varied  selection  to  be  seen  daily  in  the  windows 
of  the  florists’  establishments  along  the  Boulevards  and  other  popular 
thoroughfares. — (“  Daily  Telegraph.”) 
FRUIT  FORCING. 
Pines. — Starting  Suckers. — To  provide  plants  to  give  a  succession 
of  fruit  from  next  December  onwards  some  of  the  most  promising  suckers 
will  have  to  be  started  at  the  beginning  of  March,  therefore  attend  to  the 
preparation  of  the  soil,  having  it  under  cover,  so  as  to  become  sufficiently 
dried  for  ramming  into  the  pots  without  clogging  and  to  become  warmed. 
A  fermenting  bed  should  also  be  provided  in  some  close  structure  to 
generate  and  maintain  a  bottom  heat  of  85°  to  90°  near  the  surface,  and 
with  means  of  maintaining  a  temperature  of  55°  to  65°  with  regularity. 
Plants  Starting  into  Fruit, — Those  which  were  selected  at  the 
beginning  of  last  December  and  started  by  an  advanced  temperature  and 
an  increase  of  moisture  will  now  be  showing  fruit.  As  it  is  advisable  to 
accelerate  the  ripening  of  the  fruit  of  these  plants  as  much  as  possible 
the  temperature  may  be  maintained  at  65°  to  70°  at  night,  and  75°  to  80° 
in  the  daytime  under  favourable  circumstances,  ventilating  at  80°, 
allowing  an  advance  to  85°,  closing  at  about  that  temperature,  utilising 
the  sun  heat  as  much  aB  possible.  The  plants  will  require  more  water  at 
the  roots,  examining  the  whole  stock  once  a  week.  Supply  water — always 
with  about  1  oz.  of  Peruvian  guano  or  some  other  complete  fertiliser 
dissolved  in  each  gallon — only  when  needed,  and  then  a  thorough  supply 
at  the  same  temperature  as  that  of  the  bed.  Recently  started  plants  to 
follow  those  already  named  should  have  a  night  temperature  of  65°,  and 
75°  by  day  from  fire  heat,  which  will  be  sufficient  for  them  for  some  time 
longer. 
Figs. — Earliest  Trees  in  Pots. — As  the  trees  have  now  a  number  of 
active  roots  and  fully  developed  leaves,  particular  attention  must  be 
given  to  the  watering,  which  should  be  regular.  Turves  may  be  placed 
around  the  rims,  or  strips  of  zinc  about  4  inches  deep,  and  rich  compost 
given,  say  an  inch  thickness  at  a  time,  as  the  roots  occupy  it,  and  liquid 
manure  in  a  weak  tepid  state,  always  in  sufficient  quantity  to  pass 
through  the  soil  to  the  drainage.  The  atmosphere  must  be  kept  congenial, 
syringing  the  plants  twice  a  day  when  the  weather  is  fine,  and  damping 
the  walls  and  paths  when  dull.  A  steady  temperature  of  G0°  at  night, 
5°  more  on  mild,  and  falling  below  those  degrees  on  cold  nights,  with  60° 
to  65°  by  day  when  cold  and  dull,  and  10°  to  15°  rise  with  gleams  of 
sun,  will  sustain  the  growth  made,  and  it  can  be  accelerated  under  the 
influence  of  light.  Admit  a  little  air  at  70°,  keeping  it  with  sun  heat  at 
