454 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
May  14,  1896. 
NYCTERINIA  SELAGINOIDES. 
One  of  the  prettiest  dwarf  annuals  suitable  for  edging  large  beds  is 
the  subject  of  this  brief  note.  The  plant  is  by  no  means  a  novelty,  but, 
like  so  many  old  favourites  that  have  been  partially  displaced  by  more 
modern  rivals,  it  is  seldom  seen  in  gardens  except  where  simple  flowers 
are  cherished. QWhen  seen  its  compactness  of  habit  and  abundance  of 
FIG.  74.~NYCTEF.INI A  SELAGINOIDES. 
pretty  white  and  rose  flowers  always  secure  admiration.  These  at  a 
glance  resemble  some  of  the  dwarf  Silenes  and  Saponarias;  It  succeeds 
in  almost  any  soil  that  is  not  too  heavy  or  wet,  and,  as  above  statedi 
it  is  particularly  well  adapted  for  an  edging  to  a  bed  of  miscellaneous 
plants.  Nycterinia  selaginoides  (fig.  74)  may  be  readily  raised  from 
seed,  which  is  cheap. — S.  W. 
WOKK.F0fl.THE  WEEK. 
FRUIT  FORCING. 
Peaches  and  nectarines. — Trees  Started  at  the  New  Tear. — The 
very  early  varieties,  such  as  Alexander  and  Early  Louise  Peaches, 
Advance  and  Early  Rivers  Nectarines,  are  ripening,  or  ripe,  and  must 
not  be  syringed,  otherwise  the  fruit  will  crack,  or  acquire  a  rusty 
appearance  and  a  musty  flavour.  Second  early  sorts,  such  as  Hale’s 
Early,  A  Bee,  and  Dymond  Peaches,  with  Goldoni,  Lord  Napier  and 
Darwin  Nectarines,  will  shortly  commence  ripening,  when  syringing  the 
trees  must  cease ;  bat  moisture  shoald  be  maintained  by  damping  the 
paths  and  borders  in  the  morning  and  afternoon,  and  due  supplies  of 
water  given  at  the  roots.  Midseason  kinds,  sach  as  Royal  George, 
Stirling  Castle,  Crimson  Galande,  and  Grosse  Mignonne  Peaches, 
Stanwick  Elruge,  and  Humboldt  Nectarines,  will  have  completed  the 
stoning  process  and  be  taking  the  last  swelling,  it  not  being  advisable  to 
subject  them  to  a  higher  temperature  until  that  is  insured  than  60°  to 
65°  by  artificial  means,  commencing  to  ventilate  at  65°,  and  not  allowing 
70°  to  be  exceeded  without  full  ventilation.  Tie  in  the  shoots  as  they 
advance,  removing  superfluous  growths.  Allow  one  fruit  to  each  square 
foot  of  trellis  covered  by  the  trees,  which  will  be  one,  or  at  most  two  to 
every  shoot  of  last  year.  After  stoning  maintain  a  good  moisture  in  the 
house,  and  water  the  inside  border  copiously,  mulching  the  surface  with 
about  2  inches  of  short  spent  manure.  Unless  it  is  desired  to  accelerate 
the  ripening,  continue  60°  to  65°  as  the  night  temperature,  and  65°  by 
day  artificially  by  day  in  dull  weather,  and  75°  with  sun  heat,  closing 
at  the  latter  with  plenty  of  moisture  in  the  house. 
Trees  Started  in  February. — The  fruits  of  these  are  now  commencing 
stoning,  and  should  have  the  number  reduced,  leaving  two  on  strong  shoots, 
but  one  will  be  sufficient  on  the  weaker.  Thin  the  shoots  where  crowded. 
The  temperature  by  artificial  means  should  be  kept  at  55°  to  60°  at 
nigbt,  and  60°  to  65°  by  day  artificially,  ventilating  from  65°,  and  fully 
between  70°  and  75°. 
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,  thin  them  to  two  or  three  on  strong  shoots,  and 
proportionately  less  on  weaker  growths.  Afford  nourishing  food  to 
weakly  trees,  either  as  top-dressing  or  in  liquid  form,  but  vigorous  trees 
being  prone  to  cast  the  fruit  should  have  phosphatic  nourishment  or 
water  only.  Remove  all  superfluous  shoots,  the  remaining  growths  being 
trained  to  the  trellis  as  they  advance. 
Late  Houses. — The  crops  in  these  and  unheated  houses  are  abundant. 
A  moderate  syringing  on  fine  mornings  is  a  great  aid  in  the  matter  of 
cleanliness  and  maintaining  a  genial  condition  of  the  atmosphere,  but 
in  unheated  houses  there  must  be  no  attempt  at  an  afternoon  syringing 
for  the  present,  and  no  sprinkling  practised  likely  to  cause  a  moist 
atmosphere  at  night.  Ventilate  at  50°,  not  allowing  an  advance  to  65° 
without  full  ventilation,  and  close  at  50°,  or  before  if  there  is  a  prospect 
of  frost  at  night.  If  water  be  necessary,  apply  it  sufficiently  early 
in  the  day  to  allow  of  the  surface  becoming  fairly  dry  before  closing 
time. 
Fines. — A  moderately  high  temperature  and  a  moist  atmosphere  are 
essential  to  plants  with  fruit  in  an  advanced  condition.  Large  and 
well  finished  fruits  are  only  to  be  obtained  by  close  attention  to  details. 
Watering  must  be  attended  to,  the  plants  having  heat  at  the  roots  from 
hot-water  pipes  needing  more  than  those  having  the  heat  furnished  by 
fermenting  material.  Admit  air  at  the  top  of  the  house  at  80°,  and 
maintain  the  temperature  through  the  day  at  80°  to  90°,  closing  at  85°, 
but  unless  it  be  desirable  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°,  as  with  this  well  sustained  a  few  degrees 
variation  in  the  atmosphere  is  not  of  material  importance.  Syringe 
the  plants  and  house  two  or  three  times  a  week  according  to  the 
weather. 
Cherry  House. — The  Cherries  are  ripening  rapidly.  The  fruit 
should  be  kept  dry,  but  the  border  must  not  lack  moisture,  damping  the 
paths  and  borders  with  the  syringe,  and  air  being  admitted  constantly, 
there  will  be  no  condensation.  Tie  in  the  extension  and  successional 
shoots  as  they  lengthen,  and  stop  those  not  required  for  training  at  the 
fifth  leaf.  Black  aphides  can  be  kept  under  by  dipping  and  rubbing 
the  shoots  in  tobacco  water.  Ventilate  freely  on  all  favourable  occa¬ 
sions,  and  when  the  external  conditions  are  unfavourable  recourse  must 
be  had  to  the  heating  apparatus  to  insure  a  circulation  of  air.  Netting 
will  be  necessary  over  the  ventilators  to  prevent  birds  attacking  the 
Cherries. 
Cucumbers. — If  aphides  appear  fumigate  on  a  calm  evening,  and 
repeat  early  the  following  morning,  having  the  foliage  dry,  but  the 
floors  well  damped,  especially  if  there  be  any  white  fly.  For  thrips 
tobacco  fumigation  is  effective,  but  for  mealy  bug  and  red  spider 
vaporisation  with  nicotine  is  necessary.  If  mildew  appear,  dust 
the  plants  with  flowers  of  sulphur.  Take  care  that  the  plants  do 
not  suffer  through  insufficient  supplies  of  water,  applying  it  at  the  same 
temperature  as  the  bed.  Remove  plants  as  they  become  unprofitable, 
and  after  thoroughly  cleansing  the  house  put  in  fresh  soil  and  young 
plants  without  delay.  Assist  young  plants  which  show  signs  of  weak¬ 
ness  by  removing  the  staminate  flowers  and  the  first  fruits,  stopping  the 
growth  at  every  third  or  fourth  joint,  removing  all  weakly  and  surplus 
shoots.  Shading  will  be  necessary  for  an  hour  or  two  when  the  sun  is 
hot,  but  only  to  prevent  flagging.  Little  or  no  fire  heat  will  be 
required  by  day,  shutting  the  valves  at  about  8  AM.,  and  opening  them 
again  at  about  5  p  m.  This  answers  on  bright  days,  but  during  dull 
weather  sufficient  warmth  must  be  maintained  in  the  pipes  to  insure  a 
night  temperature  of  65°,  and  70°  to  75°  by  day.  Syringe  the  plants 
moderately  in  the  afternoon,  at  closing  time,  or  on  fine  days  between 
3  and  4  p.m.,  keeping  a  good  moisture  by  damping  the  floors. 
Seed  may  be  sown  for  raising  plants  to  occupy  pits  and  frames.  A 
fair  bottom  heat  should  be  secured  by  using  the  least  decomposed  material 
from  exhausted  hotbeds,  which,  with  about  a  fourth  of  fresh  material, 
will  afford  all  the  bottom  heat  now  required.  The  nights  lately  have 
been  cold,  in  which  case  close  pits  and  frames  as  early  in  the  afternoon 
as  is  safe,  the  temperature  rising  to  90°  to  95°,  or  even  100°,  and  afford 
good  night  coverings.  See  that  a  bottom  heat  of  80°  to  90°  is  maintained 
by  duly  renewing  the  linings. 
Strawberries  in  Pots. — When  moisture  is  lacking  at  the  roots  of 
these  plants  and  the  sun  is  powerful,  the  fruits  are  apt  to  have  the  skin 
dried,  and  they  do  not  swell  afterwards  in  a  satisfactory  manner. 
Examine  the  plants  twice  a  day  and  in  bright  weather  three  times,  in 
no  case  supplying  water  where  not  required  or  withholding  it  when 
necessary.  This  and  due  supplies  of  liquid  manure  with  a  genial  condi¬ 
tion  of  the  atmosphere  is  essential  to  insure  good  fruit ;  but  after  the 
fruit  commences  ripening  a  rather  drier  condition  of  the  atmosphere  is 
desirable,  also  lessened  supplies  of  water  at  the  roots.  Admit  air  freely 
when  the  weather  is  favourable.  Fumigate  if  there  be  the  least  traces 
of  aphides,  but  avoid  doing  so  whilst  the  plants  are  in  flower. 
THE  FLOWER  GARDEN. 
Clearing  Flower  Beds. — Spring  flowering  plants  have  been 
particularly  effective  this  season,  and  the  majority  will  be  past  their 
best  soon  enough  to  admit  of  the  beds  being  properly  and  early  prepared 
for  their  summer  occupants.  There  ought  to  be  no  undue  delay  in 
