April  16,  18§8. 
JOURNAL  OR  HORTICULTURE  AtfL  COTTAGE  CARLE  E'ER. 
359 
WGKK.F0HTHE  WEEK..  S 
FRUIT  FORCING. 
Peaches  and  Nectarines. — Earliest  Houses. — The  stoning  process 
being  over  with  the  earliest  varieties  they  may  be  given  a  temperature 
of  70°  to  75°  by  artificial  means,  allowing  it  to  fall  to  65°  or  even  60°  on 
cold  nights,  keeping  through  the  day  at  80°  to  85°  from  sun  heat, 
ventilating  by  the  top  at  75°,  and  opening  the  front  at  80°,  so  as  to 
insure  a  circulation.  Admit  a  little  air  constantly.  Close  the  house  at 
80°  sufficiently  early  to  allow  of  an  advance  to  85°  or  90°  from  sun  heat, 
the  trees  being  well  syringed  and  good  atmospheric  moisture  secured,  but 
the  fruit  and  foliage  must  become  fairly  dry  before  night.  Draw 
aside  or  remove  the  leaves  over  or  in  front  of  the  fruit,  and  turn 
this  up  to  the  light  by  thin  laths  placed  across  the  trellis.  Syringing 
should  cease  when  the  fruit  commences  ripening,  but  a  genial  condition 
of  the  atmosphere  must  be  maintained  for  the  benefit  of  the  foliage  by 
damping  the  paths  and  borders  twice  a  day  or  as  necessary.  Unless  the 
fruit  is  required  by  a  given  time  or  as  early  as  practicable  it  is  advisable 
to  proceed  more  gradually,  not  keeping  the  temperature  more  than  60° 
to  65u  at  night,  and  70°  to  75°  by  day  with  gleams  of  sun,  and  5°  to  10° 
advance  on  bright  days  until  the  stoning  is  completed  or  even  during 
the  last  swelling  of  the  fruit. 
Houses  Started  at  the  New  Year. — The  fruit  is  in  a  more  forward  state 
than  usual,  the  disbudding,  heeling-in  of  the  shoots,  and  the  fruit 
thinning  having  been  attended  to.  Allow  no  more  growths  to  remain 
than  are  necessary  for  next  year’s  fruiting  or  for  the  extension  of  the 
trees.  Stop  gross  growths  or  remove  them,  as  it  is  highly  important  the 
sap  be  equally  distributed.  Pinch  laterals  at  the  first  joint,  and  shoots 
retained  to  attract  the  sap  to  the  fruit  should  only  be  allowed  moderate 
extension,  stopping  them  in  the  first  instance  at  three  or  four  joints  of 
growth.  Endeavour  to  provide  an  even  distribution  of  foliage  that  will 
shade  and  protect  the  wood  from  the  direct  rays  of  the  sun  as  the  season 
advances.  Ventilate  early,  freely  but  carefully.  As  the  fruits  are 
swelling  fast  thin  the  berries,  as  with  the  trees  in  good  health  the 
fruit  is  more  likely  to  stone  well  than  when  they  are  overburdened. 
Water  the  inside  border  copiously  when  supplies  are  required,  and 
mulch  with  a  little  sweet  rather  lumpy  manure. 
Houses  Started  in  February. — Disbudding  should  be  proceeded  with, 
being  careful  to  retain  a  shoot  at  the  base  of  the  current  year’s  bearing 
shoots,  and  to  leave  no  more  on  the  extensions  than  will  be  required  for 
furnishing  the  trees  with  bearing  wood  at  15  to  18  inches  distance  apart, 
and  all  the  others  on  these  may  be  pinched  in  closely  to  form  spurs. 
A  shoot  on  a  level  with  or  above  the  fruit  must  also  be  retained  on  each 
bearing  shoot,  and  be  pinched  at  the  third  joint.  As  the  fruit  is  swelling 
freely  remove  those  worst  placed,  and  leave  only  a  few  more  than  will 
be  required  for  the  crop.  Syringe  early  on  fine  mornings,  give  a  little 
air  shortly  afterwards,  gradually  increasing  it,  and  close  about  3  P.M.  ; 
but  if  the  weather  be  very  bright  later  closing  must  be  practised. 
Houses  Started  in  March. — As  soon  as  the  fruit  is  set  and  the  young 
growths  progressing  aphides  usually  make  their  appearance,  when  they 
should  be  promptly  assailed  by  nicotine  vapour,  tobacco  smoke,  or  some 
liquid  insecticide.  Syringe  moderately  in  the  morning  and  on  fine 
afiernoons,  always  early  enough  toallow  the  foliage  to  become  fairly  dry 
before  nightfall.  Disbud  gradually,  and  rub  off  all  small  and  badly 
placed  fruit  a9  soon  as  the  most  promising  show  signs  of  taking  the  lead. 
Ventilate  freely  on  all  favourable  occasions  and  close  early  with  a  view 
of  husbanding  the  sun  heat,  but  avoid  a  close  vitiated  atmosphere, 
admitting  a  little  air  constantly  to  prevent  it. 
Late  Houses. — The  trees  in  these  are  unusually  forward.  This  is  no 
great  disadvantage  where  they  are  provided  with  meana  for  excluding 
frost,  as  the  ripening  can  be  retarded  by  free  ventilation  through  the 
summer.  Ventilate  freely,  but  keep  safe  from  frost.  During  the  flower¬ 
ing  and  afterwards  a  temperature  of  50°  should  be  maintained  by  day, 
keeping  it  at  that  with  a  gentle  circulation  of  air,  turning  off  the  heat 
early  in  the  afternoon  so  as  to  allow  the  pipes  to  cool  before  night,  and 
the  temperature  falling  to  its  night  minimum  of  40°  to  45°,  which  is 
quite  safe,  and  ought  to  be  secured  with  a  little  air  to  prevent  the 
deposition  of  moi.ture  through  the  night  on  the  flowers.  Artificial 
fertilisation  should  be  resorted  to,  but  the  beBt  security  for  setting  are 
perfectly  developed  blossoms  and  a  genial  well-aerated  atmosphere. 
Melons. — Plants  swelling  their  fruits  require  liberal  supplies  of 
water  or  liquid  manure  at  the  roots,  providing  plenty  of  atmospheric 
moisture.  Theie  must  be  no  deficiency  of  moisture  at  the  roots  or  in 
the  atmosphere  until  the  fruit  commences  ripening,  and  not  then  if  the 
plants  are  to  continue  for  a  second  crop.  A  little  air  coastaDtly  is 
advisable  during  ripening  to  prevent  the  fruit  crackiDg  and  insure  high 
quality.  During  the  setting  of  the  fruits  a  drier  condition  of  the 
atmosphere  is  advisable,  but  the  soil  must  not  become  so  dry  aB  to  cause 
the  foliage  to  flag.  Attend  daily  to  setting  the  flowers,  stopping  the 
growths  as  the  blossoms  are  fertilised.  Keep  the  temperature  at  65°  to 
70°  at  night,  70°  to  75°  by  day  artificially,  and  between  80°  and 
90°  with  sun  heat,  ventilating  carefully  at  all  times,  avoiding  sudden 
fluctuations. 
Plants  in  frames  are  showing  fruit,  and  unless  they  are  sufficiently 
numerous  to  insure  two  or  three  fruits  to  a  plant  setting  at  the  same 
time,  it  is  desirable  to  remove  the  first  blossoms,  as  with  more  shoots 
there  will  be  no  difficulty  in  securing  five  or  six  fruit-bearing  flowers 
of  simultaneous  growth  on  each  plant,  which  should  be  fertilised. 
Maintain  good  linings,  bottom  heat,  and  a  dry  condition  of  the  atmo¬ 
sphere  when  the  fruit  is  setting.  Earth  the  plants  as  they  advance 
in  growth,  having  this  effected  before  the  fruit  is  set,  as  it  cannot  well 
be  attended  to  afterwards  in  frames.  Make  new  beds,  and  put  out 
plants,  sowing,  potting,  and  otherwise  preparing  for  planting  successional 
beds. 
Cucumbers. — Shading  will  be  necessary  in  the  middle  of  the  day 
for  an  hour  or  two  in  bright  weather  to  prevent  flagging.  In  watering 
plants  in  pits  and  frames  do  it  early  in  the  afternoon,  maintaining  a 
good  bottom  heat  by  linings  renewed  as  required.  Ventilate  early  and 
moderately,  securing  90°  from  sun  heat,  husbanding  this  by  early  closing, 
and  employ  good  night  covering  over  the  lights.  Avoid  overcrowding, 
stopping  the  shoots  one  joint  beyond  the  fruit,  and  removing  bad  leaves 
as  they  appear. 
Keep  young  plants  near  the  glass,  sow  seeds  for  raising  plants  to 
occupy  houses,  pits,  or  frames  after  forced  vegetables  or  bedding  plants 
are  removed.  Water  plants  in  houses  abundantly,  keeping  plenty  of 
moisture  in  the  atmosphere  all  day  by  frequent  damping,  syringing  the 
plants  about  3  30  P.M.,  closing  the  house  at  the  same  time.  To 
secure  straight  fruit  employ  glass  tubes. 
THE  KITCHEN  GARDEN. 
Cabbage. — Although  there  have  been  no  losses  from  frosts,  early 
Cabbages  will  not  be  very  plentiful  this  season.  In  some  instances  fully 
three  parts  of  the  plants  put  out  last  autumn  have  “  bolted  ” — that  is, 
run  to  seed  prematurely.  The  best  way  out  of  the  difficulty  is  to  pull  up 
all  that  have  run  to  seed,  and  plant  fresh  rows  between  where  the  old 
ones  ran.  Small  plants  from  the  old  seed  beds,  and  any  recently  raised, 
are  suitable.  In  order  to  hasten  the  growth  of  those  plants  that  are 
standing  well  either  stir  in  a  light  surfacing  of  nitrate  of  soda  (2  ozs.  to 
the  square  yard)  among  them,  or  a  fairly  heavv  dressing  of  soot,  leaving 
it  to  the  rains  to  wash  it  down  to  the  roots.  Once  more  Ellam’s  Dwarf 
Spring  Cabbage  is  doing  good  service,  only  a  very  few  plants  of  this 
variety  running  to  seed  prematurely. 
Carrots. — From  the  middle  to  the  end  of  April  is  a  good  time  to 
sow  the  main  crop  Carrots.  Ground  that  was  manured  freely  last  season 
ought  to  be  quite  rich  enough  for  Carrots.  A  liberal  dressing  of  common 
sand,  well  mixed  with  soil  of  a  somewhat  heavy  nature,  would  render  it 
more  fit  for  the  growth  of  Carrots,  and  so  also  would  the  fine  sandy  soil 
obtained  by  sitting  over  a  heap  of  old  potting  soil.  What  is  wanted  is  a 
free,  open  root  ruo.  Open  shallow  drills  12  inches  apart,  and  if  dry  give 
a  gentle  watering.  If  need  be  mix  the  seed  with  sand  the  better  to  sow 
it  evenly  and  thinly,  and  cover  with  fine  soil.  Nantes  Horn,  Inter¬ 
mediate,  and  Long  Red  Surrey  are  the  varieties  to  sow  now. 
Beet. — What  has  been  advanced  concerning  Carrots  largely  applies 
to  Beet,  coarseness  proving  objectionable  in  both  cases.  Prepare  the 
ground  thoroughly  well,  as  a  lumpy  soil  is  more  likely  to  produce  forked 
roots  than  ground  that  has  not  been  dug  this  season.  For  very  shallow, 
hot  soils  the  improved  forms  of  the  Turnip-rooted  Beet  are  the  best,  and 
they  are  also  the  first  fit  for  use.  The  drills  for  Dell’s  Crimson  and 
Turnip- rooted  may  be  drawn  from  12  inches  to  15  inches  apart,  allowing 
another  3  inches  for  the  coarser  varieties. 
Celery. — Plants  raised  thickly  in  seed  beds  soon  become  drawn  and 
spindly,  moving  badly  accordingly.  While  they  are  sturdy  proceed 
with  the  regular  routine  of  preparing  them  for  the  open  ground.  The 
earlier  plants  require  to  be  pricked  out  in  large  boxes  or  in  beds  of  fine 
soil  over  a  mild  hotbed  and  forwarded  with  the  aid  of  glazed  lights. 
For  successional  plants  place  about  6  inches  of  decayed  manure  in  a 
sheltered  position  ;  on  this  spread  2  inches  of  fine  soil,  and  then  prick 
out  the  plants  4  inches  apart  each  way.  Give  a  gentle  watering,  and 
with  the  help  of  stout  uprights  and  crois  poles  Bhade  from  bright  sun¬ 
shine,  cold  winds,  and  frosty  nights.  Kept  moist  at  the  roots,  sturdy 
plants  will  be  had,  which  ought  to  be  moved  to  the  trenches  directly 
they  touch  each  other.  Plants  from  later  sowings  may  be  similarly 
prepared . 
Lettuce. — Those  plants  early  pricked  out  in  boxes  or  frames  should 
not  be  allowed  to  crowd  each  other.  Plant  on  warm  borders,  and  let 
there  be  plenty  of  good  manure  under  them.  Later  plants,  when  large 
enough,  should  be  first  pricked  out  where  they  can  be  well  looked  after, 
and  when  too  large  to  be  easily  cleared  off  by  slugs  transplant  to  the 
Celery  ridges  or  other  open  quarters.  Sow  more  seeds  quite  in  the  open, 
this  time  where  a  portion  of  the  plants  can  remain  to  heart  in.  The 
rows  of  or  drills  for  Cabbage  varieties  may  be  disposed  10  inches  apart, 
allowing  another  2  inches  for  the  Cos  varieties. 
PLANT  HOUSES. 
Abutilons. — Plants  that  are  trained  to  cover  walls  or  pillars  in 
various  houses  may  now  be  well  pruned  back  if  they  are  to  oe  in  good 
condition  until  next  season  at  this  time.  When  the  plants  are  expected 
to  bloom  over  a  long  period  of  time  hard  pruning  should  be  resorted  to. 
Tnis,  combined  with  a  judicious  system  of  thinning  during  the  growing 
season,  will  insure  a  succession  of  bloom  for  at  least  eight  or  nine 
months  of  the  year.  If  the  roots  are  restricted  in  borders  remove  a 
good  portion  of  the  surface  soil  and  top-dress  them  with  equal  parts  of 
fibrous  loam  and  manure.  A  quantity  of  cuttings  of  dwarf  free- 
flowering  varieties  may  now  be  rooted  singly  in  2  or  3-inch  pots,  and 
afterwards  transferred  into  5  or  G-inch.  These,  if  grown  lor  a  time  in 
heat,  will  make  valuable  plants  for  the  decoration  of  the  conservatory 
during  the  summer  months.  Plants  rooted  some  time  ago  may  be 
