Aniuat  20,  189«i 
JOURN'AL  OP  HORTWDLTURP  COTTAOE  0 ARDEN ER. 
FRUIT  FORCING. 
Peaches  and  ITectarlnes. — Earliest  Forced  Trees, — The  leaves 
will  soon  be  off,  but  there  must  be  no  attempt  to  forcibly  remove  them. 
When  leafless  loosen  the  trees  from  the  trellis,  cleanse  the  house,  attend¬ 
ing  to  needful  repairs,  and  painting  the  woodwork  and  trellis.  What¬ 
ever  pruning  is  necessary  should  be  done  as  soon  as  the  bouse  is  put  in 
order.  Dress  the  trees  with  an  insecticide.  In  applying  insecticides  take 
care  to  reach  every  part,  and  use  the  brush  in  such  manner  as  not  to 
disturb  the  buds.  Trees  cleaned  and  neatly  secured  to  the  trellis  look 
and  are  better  than  those  left  untrimmed  until  the  latest  period  before 
starting.  Remove  the  mulching  and  loose  surface  soil,  giving  fresh 
loam  with  an  admixture  of  a  fifth  part  of  thoroughly  decayed  manure. 
Planting  or  Lifting  Trees  for  Early  Forcing. — Where  new  houses  or 
fresh  trees  have  to  be  inserted,  and  fruit  is  wanted  at  an  early  period, 
the  trees  should  be  planted  at  as  early  a  time  as  consistent  with  safety. 
The  most  suitable  trees  are  those  that  have  been  trained  three  or  four 
years  under  glass  or  on  walls,  and  have  been  lifted  annually  or  biennially. 
Those  against  walls  intended  for  moving  to  be  star'ed  early  ought  now, 
if  there  is  any  tendency  to  a  late  growth,  or  any  doubt  as  to  the  maturity 
of  the  wood  and  buds,  to  have  the  soil  taken  out  as  deeply  as  the  roots 
one-third  the  distance  from  the  stem  that  the  trees  extend,  letting  the 
trench  remain  open  a  fortnight  or  three  weeks,  when  it  may  be  refilled  ; 
but  do  rot  allow  the  trees  to  suffer  for  insufficient  supplies  of  water 
whilst  the  trench  is  open.  This  will  effectually  check  the  growth  and 
insure  its  ripening,  whilst  it  will  materially  assist  lifting  with  a  mass 
of  fibrous  roots.  Plant  the  trees  for  early  forcing  by  the  end  of  Sep¬ 
tember.  Lifting  early  forced  trees  should  be  commenced  as  soon  as  the 
leaves  give  indications  of  falling.  Soil  and  draining  materials  ought  to  be 
in  readiness  The  mouM  may  consist  of  any  good  loam,  preferably  rather 
stiong  and  calcareous.  Any  deficiency  of  calcareous  substance  may  be 
overcome  by  an  addition  of  chalk  to  sandy  soil,  and  of  old  mortar 
rubbit-h  ♦■o  heavy  soil.  New  borders  must  have  efficient  drainage,  the 
bottom  of  the  border  being  concreted  if  the  strata  beneath  be  unfavour¬ 
able  ;  or,  better,  laid  with  bricks  run  in  cement,  the  border  being 
enclosed  with  walls  so  as  to  confine  the  roots ;  but  it  must  have  3-inch 
drains  with  proper  fall  and  outlet,  the  bottom  of  the  border,  whether 
ciDcrete  or  cement,  falling  to  the  drains.  A  border  one-third  the  width 
of  the  trellis  will  be  sufficient  in  the  first  instance,  and  need  not  at  any 
time  exceed  the  width  of  the  trellis.  The  best  varieties  for  very  early 
forcing  are  Alexander,  E<»rly  Louise,  and  Stirling  Castle  Peaches  ;  Early 
Rivers  and  Lord  Napier  Nectarines. 
Succession  Borises. — When  the  fruit  is  gathered  cut  out  all  the 
bearing  wood  of  this  season  unless  forming  extensions,  and  the  shoots 
for  next  year’s  fruiting  where  too  crowded  should  be  thinned  to  admit 
light  and  air.  Supply  water  to  the  roots  so  as  to  keep  the  soil  in  a  moist 
condition.  Weakly  trees  will  be  benefited  by  the  application  of  liquid 
manure.  Ventilate  the  house  fully  day  and  night. 
Late  Houses. — Let  the  fruit  have  full  exposure  to  the  light,  drawing 
the  leaves  aside,  and  raising  depending  fruit  with  its  apex  to  the  sun  by 
placing  laths  crosswise  of  the  trellis.  Keep  the  growths  tied  as  they 
advance  in  length.  Laterals  should  be  kept  pinched  to  one  leaf,  but  in 
the  case  of  trees  carrying  heavy  crops  they  may  be  allowed  moderate 
extension.  Continue  syringing  on  fire  days  in  the  morning  and 
afternoon  until  the  fruit  commences  ripening.  Provide  a  little 
ventilation  constantly,  and  increase  it  early  in  the  day.  See  that  the 
borders  inside  and  outside  have  sufficient  water.  A  light  mulching  of 
short  lumpy  manure  will  tend  to  keep  the  soil  moist. 
Melons. — In  the  case  of  the  latest  plants  the  leading  shoot  should 
not  be  stopped  until  it  reaches  two-thirds  across  the  trellis,  rubbing  off 
the  laterals  up  to  the  lowest  wire  and  then  every  alternate  one  on 
opposite  sides  of  the  primary.  Maintain  a  temperature  of  65°  to  70°  at 
night,  70®  to  75°  by  day,  80°  to  90°  with  sun  heat,  closing  early  so  as  to 
run  up  to  90°  or  even  100°.  Stopping  the  laterals  should  not  be 
practised  unless  the  plants  are  weak  and  they  do  not  show  fruit  at  the 
second  or  third  joint.  Weakly  plants  should  have  the  first  shows  of  fruit 
removed.  Early  ventilation  and  plenty  of  light  are  essential. 
The  last  plants  in  pits  and  frames  are  swelling  their  fruits  freely. 
Barth  the  roots  if  necessary,  but  late  plants  on  manure-heated  beds  do  not 
require  much  soil.  Close  early,  affording  the  needful  supplies  of  water, 
not  allowing  the  laterals  to  interfere  in  any  way  with  the  principal 
leaves.  If  the  weather  be  dull,  afford  good  linings,  and  admit  a  little 
air,  as  nothing  is  so  fatal  to  quality  in  the  fruit  as  a  close  atmosphere. 
Practise  sprinkling  only  on  fine  afternoons.  Gradually  withhold  water 
at  the  roots,  and  moisture  in  the  atmosphere  from  plants  ripening  fruit. 
Cacumbers. — Old  plants  bearing  from  an  early  part  of  the  season 
produce  fruit  about  this  time  with  “  knobby  ”  ends.  These  are  capital 
for  8(  ed,  but  they  are  poor  for  use.  To  keep  the  plants  producing  straight 
fruits,  old  growths  should  be  cut  out,  and  young  encouraged.  Train  this 
thinly,  removing  old  leaves  to  make  room  for  new,  and  shopping  at  one 
joint  beyond  the  fruit.  The  surface  soil  should  be  removed  and  fresh 
lumpy  loam  supplied.  Plants  in  frames  may  be  restored  to  vigour  by  a 
free  thinning  out  of  the  shoots,  supplying  fresh  loam,  and  laying  a  few 
of  the  most  promising  growths  at  a  joint,  giving  a  moderate  watering 
and  a  sprinkling  over  the  foliage  on  bright  afternoons,  closing  at 
about  8  P.M. 
The  autumn-fruiting  plants  must  be  encouraged  to  make  a  strong 
growth  by  earthing  betimes,  applying  enough  soil  each  time  to  cover  the 
protruding  roots  and  taking  care  to  have  the  soil  moist  and  warm. 
Supply  water  to  the  roots  only  when  wanted,  and  give  a  thorough 
supply  each  time.  Syringe  at  3  p.m.,  damping  in  the  morning,  at  noon, 
and  in  the  evening  in  bright  weather.  Maintain  a  night  temperature  of 
65°  to  Y0°,  70°  to  75°  by  day  artificially,  80°  to  90°  from  sun  heat,  and 
close  so  as  to  retain  90°,  95°,  or  even  100°, 
PLANT  HOUSES, 
Crotons. — Where  small  plants  are  required  in  large  numbers  for 
decorating  during  the  autumn  and  winter  in  from  2  to  4-inch  pots  very 
few  plants  surpass  Crotons,  either  for  beauty  or  lasting  properties.  To 
have  them  in  good  condition  they  must  be  highly  coloured  or  their 
effectiveness  is  lost.  Well  coloured  side  branches  should  be  taken  off  at 
once  and  rooted  in  the  pots  in  which  they  are  to  be  used.  Cuttings  of  a 
suitable  nature  should  be  plentiful  on  plants  from  which  the  heads  were 
taken  and  rooted  some  time  ago.  We  invariably  find  the  smallest 
cuttings  with  three  or  four  well  developed  leaves  very  useful  in  thumb 
pots.  It  is  useless  to  insert  cuttings  that  are  not  fairly  well  coloured, 
for  they  will  not  improve  after  the  end  of  September.  As  soon  as  these 
small  plants  are  rooted  gradually  expose  them  to  full  light  and  sunshine 
close  to.  the  glass,  and  if  the  weather  prove  bright"  for  a  few  weeks  the 
colour  of  their  foliage  will  be  highly  developed.  The  Crotons  intended 
for  autumn  and  winter  decoration  should  by  now  be  placed  in  their 
largest  pots — in  fact,  only  the  best  rooted  should  remain  to  be  potted, 
and  these  must  be  attended  to  at  once.  All  our  plants  are  well  estab¬ 
lished,  and  will  soon  have  grown  as  large  as  they  are  desired,  while  the 
beautiful  markings  of  a  few  of  the  young  leaves  near  the  top  only  need 
developing.  Where  the  plants  have  been  grown  close  to  the  glass  they 
should  be  examined  for  fear  red  spider  has  attacked  the  young  leaves. 
This  pest,  if  in  existence,  will  quickly  spoil  the  appearance  of  the  plants. 
The  quickest  and  easiest  means  of  destroying  the  pest  is  to  dip  the  plants 
in  a  solution  of  softsoap  and  water,  1  oz.  of  the  former  to  a  gallon  of 
the  latter,  to  which  should  be  added  a  handful  of  sulphur.  This  may  be 
left  on  the  plants  two  or  three  days,  and  then  thoroughly  washed  off 
with  clean  water,  and  the  syringe  used  twice  or  three  times  daily. 
Panlcum  varlegatum. — A  good  stock  of  this  useful  decorative 
plant  should  now  be  prepared  by  inserting  cuttings  thickly  in  2  and 
3-inch  pots.  After  insertion  a  good  watering  must  be  given  and  the 
pots  stood  in  the  propagating  frame  and  shaded  until  they  are  rooted. 
Grow  the  plants  afterwards  under  moist,  shady,  warm  conditions  until 
they  are  well  furnished,  when  slightly  cooler  treatment  may  be  given 
them. 
Tradescantlas. — Large  numbers  of  the  variegated  forms  should  be 
prepared  by  inserting  about  five  cuttings  in  each  2-inch  pot.  These  will 
root  freely  enough  on  a  high  shelf  or  any  other  position  in  heat  if  shaded 
for  a  few  days  from  the  sun.  A  few  boxes  may  also  be  filled  so  that 
the  plants  can  be  lifted  out  for  various  purposes  when  vases  and  baskets 
have  to  be  made  up  with  a  variety  of  small  plants. 
Fittonias. — These  are  highly  ornamental  in  appearance  when  dotted 
among  small  Ferns  and  other  suitable  plants  near  the  edge  of  large 
baskets  or  vases  that  have  to  be  regularly  furnished.  The  plants 
required  first  should  be  rooted  singly  in  2-inch  pots,  and  quantifies  of 
others  in  boxes  and  pans  for  lifting  out  when  required  during  the 
winter.  If  they  can  be  used  in  small  pots  two  or  three  weeks  is 
ample  to  establish  them,  and  they  can  be  potted  from  the  boxes  in 
batches  as  required. 
Bertolonlas. — This  is  a  good  time  to  root  a  number  of  these  as  well 
as  Sonerilas.  Young  plants  pass  the  winter  with  greater  certainty  than 
those  that  have  been  growing  luxuriantly  the  whole  of  the  summer. 
The  established  plants  need  not  be  destroyed  for  this  purpose,  for 
cuttings  near  the  base  of  the  former  will  be  found,  and  young  growing 
shoots  from  amongst  the  latter  should  be  selected  without  destroying 
the  appearance  of  those  now  doing  duty  in  the  stove.  These  cuttings 
should  be  iuserted  in  light  sandy  soil  and  kept  close,  moist,  and  shaded 
until  thoroughly  established  ;  in  fact  they  will  winter  better  in  the 
propagating  house  than  the  stove,  where  more  airy  conditions  will 
presently  be  maintained. 
m 
m  BBE-KEEPER. 
!-i  T  1  1  -  1  - 1  ..  1  --I-.-T-T-  '  ,  .  1 .  1  . 1'.:  1 .  1  .  .T I  -  1  .  , .  ( 
SEASONABLE  NOTES. 
Re-qdeening  Stocks. 
Now  is  the  time  to  see  that  all  stocks  are  headed  by  young 
fertile  queens,  and  if  previous  instructions  have  been  carried  out 
the  majority  of  bee-keepers  will  have  several  surplus  queens  on 
hand.  The  difficulty  though  of  the  inexperienced  will  be  how  to 
introduce  a  young  queen  to  a  strong  colony  of  bees  without  any 
risk  of  her  being  killed,  which  she  doubtless  would  be  if  precaution 
were  not  taken  in  carrying  out  the  operation.  Sometimes  the  most 
unlikely  things  will  happen.  Qaite  recently  I  was  manipulating 
several  strong  colonies  in  my  apiary,  killing  off  old  and  worn-out 
queens  preparatory  to  re-queening  them,  when  I  thought  it  would 
