252 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
September  9,  1897. 
watering,  which  ought  to  be  done  very  carefully.  The  soil  should  always 
be  on  the  dry  side,  and  during  the  winter  the  pots  ought  to  ring  clearly 
before  water  is  given. 
As  the  growth  advances  the  plants  ought  to  be  repotted  some  time 
before  the  flower  buds  are  developed.  The  very  small  buds  take  no 
harm,  and  the  fresh  soil  at  the  roots  puts  new  life  into  the  young 
growths.  The  best  plants,  with  most  strong  shoots,  should  be  selected, 
lireference  being  given  to  those  with  shoots  near  the  base  of  the  stem, 
as  a  long-stemmed  Carnation  is  unsightly.  During  the  summer  months  a 
cold,  airy  frame  suits  the  plants  well.  Green  liy  is  one  of  the  worst 
enemies  of  Carnations.  Fumigating  occasionally  keeps  the  insects  in 
check.  Tobacco  powder  dusted  into  the  points  of  the  growths  answers 
very  well,  but  some  persons  object  to  seeing  it  about  the  shoots.  I  have 
had  the  good  fortune  to  have  had  very  little  to  do  with  disease,  so  have 
nothing  to  say  about  it. 
Malmaison  Carnations,  like  most  choice  plants,  require  care  and 
attention  to  grow  them  well,  but  when  seen  in  the  best  condition  are  a 
credit  to  the  cultivator  and  afford  pleasure  to  all.  -  S.,  JUNIOR. 
Culture  of  the  Gr.vpe  Vine. 
{Continued  from  page  227.) 
For  early  forcing  small  lean-to  houses  facing  south  are  generally 
preferred,  having  both  top  and  bottom  ventilators.  Sufficient  ]>iping 
should  be  provided  in  ordei-  that  the  required  tenqierature  may  be  main¬ 
tained  without  the  pipes  being  unduly  heated.  This  refers  to  all  vineries, 
as  M'hen  the  pipes  are  highly  heated  weakly  growths  and  red  spider  are 
the  result. 
We  were  told  in  the  Journal  of  HortiruUure  foi-  July  3:5 rd,  1891,  “  A 
house  requiring  a  temperature  of  65°  during  winter  will  need  1  foot  of 
4-inch  piping  to  every  17^  cubic  feet  of  air.”  If  this  were  taken  as  a 
guide  we  should  not  be  far  off  the  mark,  as  the  article  is  by  an  eminent 
authority.  For  succession  houses,  which  are  generally  larger,  either 
lean-to  or  three-quarter  span-roofed  structures  are  the  best.  For  late 
Grapes  span-roofed  houses  running  north  and  south  are  the  most 
serviceable.  If  possible  these  latter  should  have  a  lantern  ventilation. 
Much  care  and  trouble  are  taken  off  one’s  mind  when  Lady  Downe’s 
Grapes  are  stoning,  if  the  necessary  chink  of  air  can  with  safety  be  left 
on  the  house  all  night.  With  older  structures,  having  sliding  ventilators, 
these  have  to  be  closed.  In  these  cases  an  extra  half  hour  in  bed  by  the 
duty  man  often  means  ruin  of  the  bunches  by  scalding,  and  in  some  cases 
costs  the  young  man  his  berth. 
In  making  Vine  liorders  it  must  be  taken  into  consideration  for  what 
jmrposes  the  Grapes  are  intended,  whether  for  early  or  late  use.  If 
for  early  use  the  excavation  for  holding  the  compost  need  not  be  so  large 
as  for  midseason  or  late  Grapes.  A  border  of  from  5  to  6  feet  inside  the 
house,  allowing  the  same  space  outside,  will  be  quite  sufficient  for  early 
forcing  ;  while  for  later  houses,  9  feet  inside,  and  from  9  to  12  feet  outside, 
will  be  found  serviceable  distances.  The  depth  of  the  early  border  should 
be  2  feet,  or  at  most  2  feet  6  inches,  while  3  feet,  or  3  feet  6  inches,  is 
advisalde  for  the  later  ones.  The  sides  of  the  excavation  should  be 
bricked  in  cement  the  depth  of  the  border  both  inside  and  outside  the 
house.  This  will  kee])  the  roots  from  rambling,  and  under  proper 
control.  The  bottom  of  the  space  must  be  concreted,  having  a  slope  to 
the  drain.  On  the  concrete  small  draining  pipes  are  placed  at  intervals 
of  from  8  to  10  feet,  connecting  with  main  drains  running  the  whole 
length  of  the  border.  These,  in  their  turn,  must  connect  with  a  drain 
so  made  that  all  superfluous  water  may  be  carried  away.  For  the 
drainage  proper  half  brickbats  or  good  sized  clinkers  placed  on  the 
concrete  to  a  depth  of  9  inches,  with  smaller  pieces  on  the  top,  making  a 
depth  in  all  of  from  15  to  18  inches,  will  be  found  a  lasting  provision  if 
the  drainage  is  protected  with  turves.  The  compost  and  planting  must 
be  deferred  to  a  further  article. — Semper. 
(To  be  continued.) 
HARDY  FRUIT  GARDEN. 
Hints  on  Gathering  and  Storing  'Erxa.t,  -  Cleansing  the  Fruit  Eoom.~ 
In  order  that  fruit  may  keep  well,  ripen  satisfactorily,  and  be  of 
good  flavour,  one  of  the  conditions  of  success  is  that,  when  stored,  the 
surroundings  ought  to  be  clean  and  sweet.  Previous  to  gathering  fruit 
in  quantity,  therefore,  the  receptacles  in  which  it  is  finally  placed,  or 
rooms  where  it  is  stored  on  shelves,  must  have  a  good  cleansing.  Damp, 
dirt,  cobwebs  and  dust  are  inimical  to  the  preservation  of  fruit  for  an 
extended  period.  Scrub  down  all  woodwork  with  soap,  soda,  and  hot 
water,  paying  special  attention  to  drawers  and  the  interstices  of  latticed 
shelves.  Walls,  whether  of  brick,  stone,  or  wood,  may  be  whitewashed 
with  fresh  lime.  Deal  also  with  the  floor.  The  structure  ought  to  be 
thoroughly  dry  before  any  fruit  is  introduced. 
^  When  to  Gather  Fruit.— requires  good  judgment  to  select  fruit  which 
IS  quite  right  for  gathering.  Few  varieties  of  Apples  and  Pears  re(iuire 
to  hang  on  the  trees  until  perfectly  ripe.  The  majority  should  be  picked 
at  such  time  as  is  indicated  by  the  brown  or  dark  colour  of  the  pips,  or 
the  ease  w'ith  which  the  fruits  are  detached  from  the  spurs  when  raised 
to  an  horizontal  position.  If  on  doing  this  they  do  not  easily  separate 
from  the  spurs,  the  fruits  may  be  allowed  to  hang  some  time  longer.  It 
is  probable  they  will  improve  in  size  and  flavour,  and  will  keep  better 
when  picked.  Many  varieties  of  Apples  and  Pears  are  liable  to  shrivel 
if  gathered  too  soon.  The  best  time  to  gather  is  when  the  fruit  is  dry  and 
cool. 
How  to  Gather  Fruit. — The  right  time  being  selected  for  gathering, 
handle  each  specimen  carefully,  placing  in  single  layers  in  a  basket  lined 
with  soft  material.  Bruising  the  cells  of  the  fruit  underneath  the  skin 
causes  decay  to  set  in,  preventing  the  fruit  keeping.  Similar  care  must 
be  exercised  in  moving  the  fruit*  from  the  baskets  to  the  drawers  or 
shelves.  Handle  as  little  as  possible. 
Storing  — Place  the  fruit  in  single  layers  on  clean  whitepaper' 
If  not  stored  in  a  proper  fruit  room  on  shelves  or  in  drawers,  boxes  or 
detached  drawers  will  answer  well,  placing  one  receptacle  on  the  top  of 
the  other.  It  is  requisite  that  the  fruit  when  stored  be  kept  cool  and 
dark.  If  possible  keep  each  variety  separate,  as  there  is  a  difference  in 
the  time  of  ripening.  Some  of  the  earliest  Pears  do  not  require  much 
time  in  ripening.  They  will  finish  within  a  short  time  after  being 
gathered  and  placed  in  a  comparatively  cool  room.  Others  need  a  little 
assistance  in  finishing  by  introducing  them  into  a  slightly  higher  tempera¬ 
ture  for  a  brief  period.  Store  Apjiles  separately  from  Pears.  Examine 
the  fruit  frequently,  seeing  that  no  decayed  specimens  are  allowed  to 
remain,  for  they  speedily  contaminate  others. 
Outdoor  Vines. — Vines  on  walls  or  trellises  re(iuire  a  little  attention 
in  regulating  the  growths,  so  as  to  expose  the  bunches  of  fruit  to  the 
light.  Black  varieties,  however,  are  best  for  some  shade  of  foliage,  as 
they  colour  better  than  when  exposed  to  unobstructed  sunshine.  On  the 
other  hand,  white  varieties  need  more  sunshine  to  colour  and  ripen  satis¬ 
factorily.  The  principal  pruning  consists  in  the  removal  of  superfluous 
lateral  growth,  shortening  it  back  so  that  the  main  growths  are  not 
crowded  or  shaded.  Laterals  bearing  the  bunches  will  need  well 
supporting  with  ties,  disjiosing  them  in  a  regular  way,  for  with  the 
weight  of  the  fruit  they  are  liable  to  break  loose.  If  the  soil  lacks 
moisture  the  crop  will  be  assisted  by  affording  a  liberal  supply  of  water 
to  the  roots. 
Watering  Wall  Trees. — Wall  trees  need  considerable  quantities  of 
moisture  at  the  roots  during  the  early  part  of  autumn.  The  demands  of 
the  fruit  and  the  development  of  the  summer  growths  abstract  in  many 
cases  almost  all  the  moisture  from  the  soil.  This  leaves  an  insufficient 
amount  to  build  up  and  perfect  the  buds,  even  after  the  crop  of  fruit  has 
ceased  to  require  more.  The  lack  of  moisture  causes  a  check,  with  the 
result  that  red  spider  attacks  the  foliage,  especially  of  Beaches  and 
Nectarines,  Apricots  and  Cherries.  When  the  trees  have  been  cleared  of 
fruit  an  examination  may  be  made  of  the  borders.  If  they  are  very  dry, 
afford  clear  water  cojuously,  but  to  others  fairly  moist  liquid  manure  may 
be  applied.  Syringe  freely  as  an  antidote  to  red  spider.  In  bad  cases 
employ  also  insecticide. 
Strawberry  Planting. — Further  breadths  of  Strawberries  may  be 
planted  now.  Select  well  prepared  ground  that  has  been  deeply  culti¬ 
vated  and  liberally  manured.  Strong  plants  of  some  of  the  best  varieties 
should  be  planted,  including  Royal  Sovereign,  President,  British  Queen, 
Sir. Joseph  Paxton,  Noble,  Lord  Suffield,  and  others.  The  plants  must 
have  abundance  of  roots  if  the  object  is  to  secure  a  crop  of  fruit  the  next 
season.  Those  established  earlier  yield  the  best  crops  the  first  season, 
but  there  is  still  a  probability,  if  exceptionally  good  plants  are  inserted, 
that  useful  crops  will  result. 
FRUIT  FORCING. 
Peaches  and  Nectarines. — Early  Forced  Trees. — The  trees  have  now 
shed  their  leaves,  and  may  be  syringed  with  water  at  a  temperature  of 
130°.  It  must  not,  however,  be  used  carelessly  ;  if  too  hot  it  will  injure 
the  trees  ;  if  lower  in  temperature  it  is  useless  as  regards  scale,  red  spider, 
thrips,  and  aphides.  All  the  house  should  be  subjected  to  the  hot  water 
treatment,  as  simple,  effective,  and  safe  for  cleansing,  on  the  score  of  both 
fungoid  germs  and  insect  pests.  The  trees  being  loosened  from  the 
trellis,  and  tied  in  small  bundles  for  facilitating  cleansing  operations, 
wash  the  woodwork  with  a  brush  and  disinfectant  soap,  reaching  every 
angle  and  crevice.  Limewash  the  walls,  and,  if  required,  paint  the  wood 
and  wirework.  Pruning  will  be  a  light  affair,  merely  thinning  the  shoots 
where  crowded  or  too  weak  for  carrying  fine  fruits,  no  shortening  being 
necessary  except  for  the  production  of  shoots  for  extension  and  furnishing 
the  trees  with  bearing  wood.  Remove  the  loose  surface  soil  down  to  the 
roots,  and  supply  an  inch  or  two,  not  more,  depth  of  fresh  loam,  con¬ 
taining  about  a  fourth  of  well  decayed  manure  and  about  7  lbs.  of  raw 
bone  superphosphate  and  3J  lbs.  of  double  sulphate  of  potash  and 
magnesia  to  each  cartload.  Avoid  mulchings  of  manure  at  this  time, 
they  exclude  air.  If  the  roof  lights  have  been  removed  they  need  not 
be  replaced  until  the  time  arrives  for  starting  the  trees.  Where  the 
lights  are  fixed  admit  air  to  the  fullest  extent  constantly. 
Early  Forced  Trees  in  Pots. — The  trees  must,  if  not  already  done,  be 
top-dressed,  but  it  is  best  done  before  the  leaves  have  fallen,  as  fresh 
roots  ai’e  pushed  at  once,  and  this  makes  a  difference  in  the  setting. 
Roots  outside  the  pots  should  be  cut  off,  and  some  soil  removed  all  round 
the  inside  of  the  pots  about  two-thirds  down,  supplying  fresh  compost 
there  and  over  the  roots.  Give  a  good  watering,  and  plunge  the  pots  in 
ashes  level  with  the  rims  in  an  open  but  sheltered  situation  till  forcing 
time.  From  Alexander,  Early  Louise,  Hale’s  Early,  and  Stirling  Castle 
Peaches,  Cardinal  and  Early  Rivers  Nectarines  excellent  crops  may  be 
