60 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
July  15, 1897. 
time,  and  produce  dowers.  The  Bose  is  an  example  of  the  smaller  kinds 
of  shrubs,  the  Laurustinus  of  shrubs  of  intermediate  size. 
Between  herbaceous  and  ligneous  plants  is  an  intermediate  link,  con¬ 
sisting  of  plants  which  partake  partly  of  the  nature  of  each,  but  are 
dissimilar  in  some  respects.  These  are  termed  sub-ligneous  plants.  The 
hard  lower  portions  of  the  stems  of  these  are  lasting,  and  put  forth  fresh 
shoots  every  year  ;  but  the  extremities  of  the  shoots  perish  year  after 
year,  and  are  again  renewed  when  the  plant  makes  fresh  growth. 
Among  these  may  be  named  Sage,  Kue,  and  Southernwood. — C.  W.  M. 
(To  be  continued.) 
Cultivation  op  the  Melon. 
The  Melon  is  one  of  the  most  important  of  dessert  fruits.  Although 
the  style  of  growth  appears  similar  to  the  Cucumber,  quite  a  different 
course  of  treatment  is  required.  For  the  first  crop  seeds  may  be  sown  in 
December,  and  afterwards  at  intervals  for  succession  ;  but  no  sowing 
should  be  made  after  July,  for  the  Melon  requires  a  long  period  of  sun 
for  ripening  its  fruits,  and  by  the  time  those  on  plants  raised  at  the  end 
of  July  have  attained  their  full  size  very  little  sunshine  can  be 
expected. 
When  sowing,  one  seed  in  a  3-inch  pot  will  be  sufficient,  and  a  few 
more  pots  should  be  sown  than  the  number  of  plants  required.  Place 
the  pots  in  a  temperature  about  76°,  and  cover  them  with  pieces  of 
glass  or  paper.  When  the  seedlings  appear  remove  the  covering,  and 
afford  all  necessary  light  for  keeping  them  sturdy.  Prepare  a  hotbed  of 
litter  and  leaves,  and  upon  this  place  a  layer  of  turves,  the  grassy  side 
downwards.  A  narrow  ridge  of  heavy  fibrous  loam,  broken  into  small 
lumps,  with  a  little  crushed  lime  rubble  added,  is  placed  upon  the 
turves.  When  the  temperature  of  the  bed  has  sufficiently  cooled  down 
to  be  safe  the  plants  are  inserted  at  a  distance  of  2  feet  apart.  Next,  fix 
a  wire  trellis  to  the  roof  of  the  house  to  train  the  plants  upon,  placing 
it  about  a  foot  from  the  glass. 
The  plants  when  growing  require  copious  supplies  of  water,  both 
at  the  roots  and  in  the  atmosphere,  taking  care  not  to  apply  the  water 
too  near  the  stem,  as  that  is  apt  to  cause  canker.  Occasional  applica¬ 
tions  of  liquid  manure  are  beneficial  after  the  fruits  are  set,  and  when 
these  show  signs  of  ripening  water  must  be  gradually  withheld. 
Syringing  will  be  required  on  bright  days,  regulating  it  by  the  condition 
of  the  weather,  for  a  too  moist  atmosphere  inside  the  house  on  dull  days 
causes  the  plants  to  canker.  The  paths  of  the  house  should  be  kept 
damp  in  bright  weather ;  but  when  the  plants  are  in  fiower  both 
syringing  and  damping  must  be  discontinued,  as  a  dry  atmosphere  is 
required  to  set  the  fruit.  After  the  set  has  been  obtained  recommence 
syringing  and  damping,  and  continue  until  the  fruit  begins  netting, 
when  damping  alone  will  be  sufficient,  and  even  this  should  be  stopped 
when  the  fruit  changes  for  ripening.  No  shading  will  be  required,  as 
the  Melon  is  a  sun-loving  plant. 
The  night  temperature  ought  not  to  fall  below  70°,  and  may  be 
allowed  to  rise  to  90°  or  100°  in  the  daytime  Air  must  be  admitted  on 
bright  days  when  the  temperature  reaches  80°,  gradually  increasing  the 
amount  as  the  temperature  rises.  The  house  must  be  closed  early  in  the 
afternoon,  with  adequate  moisture  for  the  well-being  of  the  plants. — 
Elveden. 
(To  b'i  continued.) 
WQKK.foiitheWEEK.. 
HARDY  FRUIT  GARDEN. 
Propagating  Strawberries. — The  best  and  strongest  plantlets 
showing  a  few  roots  at  the  base  may  now  be  layered  in  quantity  on  the 
surface  of  pots  filled  with  good  soil,  on  the  soil  or  under  surface  of  moist 
squares  of  turf,  or  in  the  natural  soil  between  the  plants  in  the  beds.  In 
the  latter  case,  a  little  preparation  may  be  necessary,  loosening  and 
breaking  up  the  surface,  if  hard.  A  little  fresh  material,  such  as  leaf 
soil,  decayed  manure,  and  old  potting  soil  lightly  worked  in,  will  be  of 
assistance  in  retaining  moisture,  and  so  promoting  the  early  emission  of 
roots.  Secure  the  plantlets  in  position  by  hooked  pegs  or  stones. 
When  pots  or  turves  are  used,  sink  them  slightly  in  the  ground  ; 
00  size  or  3-inch  pots  are  the  most  suitable.  No  more  drainage  is  required 
than  can  be  afforded  by  one  crock  at  the  bottom  and  a  piece  of  fibrous 
turf.  Loam  and  manure  in  equal  parts  pressed  firmly  in  the  pots  is  the 
best  compost.  By  all  means  select  runners  from  fruitful  plants.  Daily 
waterings  in  dry  weather  are  imperative,  especially  for  the  pots,  which 
frequently  require  water  twice  a  day.  Cut  off  the  runner  wires  beyond 
the  plantlets.  Superfluous  runners  ought  to  be  thinned  out  so  as  to 
afford  those  selected  the  most  favourable  conditions  for  rooting  freely 
and  growing  sturdily. 
Summer-pruning  Apples  and  Pears.— The  long  foreright  shoots 
or  breastwood  issuing  from  the  main  branches  of  trained  trees  on  walls, 
pyramids,  and  bushes  in  the  open,  require  now  to  be  gradually  pruned 
back.  Select  the  point  of  shortening  immediately  above  the  fourth 
good  leaf,  counting  from  the  base  of  the  shoot,  though  not  including  the 
small  examples  known  as  the  small  basal  leaves.  Commence  in  all 
cases  where  the  growths  are  strongest,  such  as  the  upper  parts  of  trees, 
working  gradually  downwards  to  the  weaker  parts.  It  is  a  good  plan 
to  divide  the  removal  of  the  whole  of  the  shoots  into  two  or  three 
operations,  which  will  not  make  the  check  to  growth  so  sudden.  This 
may  very  conveniently  be  carried  out  when  a  number  of  trees  require 
treatment  by  going  over  the  upper  parts  first.  Trees  in  a  generally 
fruitful  condition  do  not  produce  long  annual  shoots  to  the  same  extent 
as  those  in  a  less  satisfactory  state,  therefore  the  first  summer  prnnings 
can  be  completed  on  each  tree  in  one  or  at  most  two  operations. 
If  sappy  or  rampant  shoots  appear,  cut  such  out  entirely.  They 
usually  issue  from  the  old  wood,  and  are  seldom  required.  They  are  not 
often  found  on  trees  well  furnished  with  fruiting  spurs. 
Young  trees  still  extending  main  branches  ought  not  to  have  the 
leaders  shortened,  but  the  side  shoots  or  forerights  should  be  shortened 
as  iodicated  to  the  fourth  leaf.  This  assists  the  formation  of  spurs 
naturally  and  artificially. 
Hegulatlng  Wall  Tree  Growth. — Frequent  attention  must  be 
given  throughout  the  summer  to  wall  trees  needing  to  be  kept  furnished 
with  wood  for  bearing.  Apricots,  Peaches,  and  Nectarines,  as  well  as 
Morello  Cherries,  Figs,  and  to  some  extent  Plums  an4  Sweet  Cherries, 
are  provided  with  bearing  wood  by  the  annual  laying  in  of  young  shoots. 
Those  growths  which  have  previously  been  secured  in  the  proper 
position  will  only  demand  slight  attention  now,  simply  nailing  or  tying 
in  the  parts  which  have  extended.  The  objects  attained  in  doing  this 
are  riper  wood,  and  a  more  finished  appearance  of  the  trees,  together 
with  the  early  removal  of  superfluous  shoots.  The  freer  admission  of 
light  and  air  is  secured,  which  acts  upon  the  foliage  retained,  finally 
completing  the  full  maturation  of  the  wood  and  buds. 
Outdoor  Vines. — The  full  exposure  of  the  principal  leaves  is  im¬ 
portant.  Break  out  all  laterals  issuing  from  below  the  bunches  of  fruit. 
The  side  shoots  having  been  stopped  one  or  two  joints  beyond  the 
bunches,  lateral  shoots  will  require  repressing  at  the  first  leaf.  This  will 
prevent  overcrowding  and  shading  of  the  fruit  and  large  leaves.  Reduce 
the  number  of  bunches  to  one  on  a  shoot,  and  thin  out  half  the  berries. 
If  successional  shoots  from  near  the  base  or  other  parts  are  being  trained 
in  give  them  space  to  develop. 
Outdoor  Figs. — Shortening  the  summer  shoots  of  Fig  trees  intended 
to  be  retained  for  future  bearing  must  not  be  practised.  Shoots  bearing 
the  fruit  this  season  require  pinching  a  few  leaves  beyond  the  fruit. 
These  growths  may  eventually  be  cut  out.  Crowded  growths  should  be 
thinned,  and  foreright,  ill  placed,  and  rampant,  strong  and  sappy  shoots 
cut  out  entirely.  Those,  retained  train  in  neatly  and  regularly  to  the 
wall  or  trellis,  leaving  them  full  length. 
Removing'  Suckers. — Suckers  spring  up  freely  round  Plum  trees. 
These  ought  to  be  carefully  dug  up  or  pulled  out.  When  roughly  cut 
off  just  below  the  surface  they  soon  appear  again.  All  sappy  shoots 
that  spring  from  below  the  soil  round  Gooseberry  trees  should  also  be 
cleared  away.  Cuttings  properly  prepared  when  propagating  do  not 
produce  trees  that  form  suckers.  The  sucker  growths  from  Raspberries 
may  also  be  thinned  out  round  the  stools,  and  those  a  distance  away 
dug  up. 
FRUIT  FORCING. 
Vines, — In  Pots  for  Early  Forcing. — The  canes  for  starting  the 
first  week  in  November,  to  ripen  the  fruit  in  March  or  early  in  April, 
should  by  this  time  have  completed  their  growth,  and  must  not  have 
any  more  water  than  will  prevent  the  foliage  from  becoming  limp. 
Expose  fully  to  light  and  air,  so  as  to  thoroughly  ripen  the  wood  and 
the  buds.  If  the  laterals  have  been  allowed  to  extend  with  a  view  to 
thickening  the  cane,  they  must  be  brought  back  gradually  by  cutting 
away  part  at  a  time,  reducing-  each  by  degrees  to  one  leaf.  The  Vines 
should  be  kept  free  from  insects,  syringing  occasionally  if  red  spider 
appear,  for  it  is  important  that  the  leaves  perform  their  functions. 
When  the  wood  becomes  brown  and  hard,  place  the  Vines  on  a  board  or 
slates  in  front  of  a  south  wall,  securing  the  canes  to  its  surface  to 
prevent  the  foliage  being  damaged  by  wind.  Afford  water  only  to 
prevent  the  leaves  flagging;  cut  away  the  laterals  close  to  the  cane,  and 
in  a  few  days  shorten  the  cane  to  the  length  required.  The  principal 
leaves  must  not  be  injured,  but  left  to  die  off  naturally.  The  best 
varieties  for  early  forcing  are  White  Frontignan,  Foster’s  Seedling, 
Black  Hamburgh,  and  Madresfield  Court.  Later  Vines  should  be 
encouraged  to  make  a  good  growth  and  perfect  it,  keeping  them  clean, 
also  exposed  to  all  the  light  and  air  possible.  They  must  not  be  over¬ 
watered,  nor  neglected  for  due  supplies  of  water  or  liquid  manure. 
Cut-backs  are  much  the  best  for  early  forcing,  as  the  Vines  make  an 
earlier  and  sturdier  growth,  and  perfect  it  sooner  than  others.  This  is 
important,  for  the  Vines  have  more  restand  start  with  greater  regularity. 
Early  Forced  Planted-out  Vines. — It  is  not  advisable  to  force  Vines 
year  after  year  to  ripen  their  crops  before  May  or  June,  and  houses 
which  are  started  in  December  or  at  the  new  year  to  afford  ripe  fruit  at 
the  times  mentioned  respectively  are  best  planted  with  varieties  that 
ripen  together,  the  structures  being  only  of  sufficient  size  to  admit  of  a 
supply  of  Grapes  for  a  period  of  not  more  than  six  to  eight  weeks.  This 
is  as  long  as  black  Grapes  will  hang  under  a  May,  June,  and  July  sun 
without  turning  red,  or  white  Grapes  from  becoming  brown  on  the 
exposed  side  of  the  bunches,  even  when  a  slight  shade  is  afforded  from 
sun.  Such  arrangement  admits  of  the  foliage  being  cleansed  with  water 
from  a  syringe  or  engine,  but  when  there  are  late  as  well  as  early 
varieties  in  the  house  the  dry  atmosphere  that  must  be  maintained  on 
their  account  when  the  Grapes  are  ripening  causes  red  spider  to  increase 
on  the  foliage,  and  this  is  very  disastrous  to  present  and  future  crops  of 
Grapes.  Early  Vines  that  ripened  their  crops  in  May  or  early  June 
