46G 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
November  11,  1897, 
Muscat  and  Muscat  of  Alexandria  need  especial  care  in  this  respect.  All 
through  the  flowering  period  the  atmosphere  must  be  kept  drier  than 
usual. 
As  soon  as  flowering  is  over  an  increase  of  moisture  must  be  allowed, 
and  when  it  is  perceived  which  berries  ai’e  swelling  thinning  should 
commence.  A  sharp,  clean  pair  of  scissors  is  required,  as  if  the  stalks  be 
torn  instead  of  cut  it  is  liable  to  cause  early  decay.  This  is  especially 
the  case  in  late  hanging  (trapes.  Experience  vvill  teach  the  distance  to 
leave  between  each  berry.  For  instance.  Black  Hamburgh  or  Foster's 
Seedling  do  not  requite  so  great  a  distance  as  Black  Alicante  or  Gros 
Colmaii.  In  the  case  of  Muscats  little  thinning  is  required,  as  there  is 
generally  so  much  waste  from  unfertilised  berries.  In  thinning  always 
commence  at  the  bottom,  and  work  upwards,  and  the  stem  must  not  be 
twis:ed  in  holding. 
During  the  growing  season  the  border  must  never  be  allowed  to  become 
dry.  As  each  vinery  is  started  the  liorder  must  be  examined,  and  if  dry 
should  have  a  sufficient  supply  to  thoroughly  soak  the  whole,  while  when 
the  Vines  are  in  full  growth  it  is  astonishing  the  quantity  of  water  a  Vine 
will  take  up.  If  the  soil  is  light,  water  is  required  once  a  fortnight  ;  if 
heavy,  once  in  about  every  three  weeks.  The  growth  and  bunches  are 
greatly  benefited  by  occasional  waterings  with  soot  water,  and  by  the  use 
of  some  well  proved  fertiliser.  These  should  never  be  applied  after  the 
Grapes  are  fairly  colouring,  or  they  may  cause  the  berries  to  be  bitter. 
In  applying  water  to  Vine  borders,  it  must  always  be  several  degrees 
warmer  than  the  mean  temperature  of  the  house. — Semper. 
POINSETTIA  PTJLCHEREIMA. 
For  brightening  the  conservatory  or  plant  stove,  or  for  decorative 
purposes,  during  the  dull  winter  months  there  are  few  plants  to  equal  the 
Poinsettia.  If  the  old  plants  are  placed  in  a  house  with  a  genial  heat 
about  the  beginning  of  April  and  given  a  good  watering  they  soon  start 
into  growth.  When  the  growths  are  about  3  inches  in  length  they  should 
be  taken  off  the  plants  with  a  heel,  and  inserted  singly  in  thumb  pots 
which  have  been  filled  with  a  light,  sandy  compost.  Place  them  in  a 
propagating  frame  with  a  gentle  bottom  heat,  keep  them  close  and  shaded, 
when  they  will  soon  form  roots.  When  growth  commences  admit  air  for 
a  few  days  to  strengthen  them,  after  which  remove  them  to  a  shelf  in  a 
warm  greenhouse.  It  is  desirable  to  keep  the  plants  as  near  the  glass 
as  possible,  to  insure  stout,  not  weakly,  growths. 
After  having  rooted  freely,  transfer  them  to  large  GO-size  pots  in  a 
com)>ost  of  half  loam  and  half  leaf  soil  and  an  addition  of  sand.  When 
they  have  filled  the  pots  with  roots  move  them  into  G-inch  pots.  See 
that  the  pots  are  clean  and  well  drained;  a  little  soot  sprinkled  over  the 
crocks  is  of  great  assistance  in  keeping  out  worms.  Use  the  same  com¬ 
post  with  a  free  sprinkling  of  wood  ashes.  This  provides  a  sound  rooting 
medium,  yet  sweet  and  porous. 
About  the  middle  of  July  place  them  in  a  cool  frame,  ventilating  freely, 
yet  judiciously,  during  the  day,  and  leaving  a  little  air  on  at  night  to  harden 
the  wood.  Weak  liquid  manure  given  twice  a  week,  and  a  little  soot 
water  occasionally,  will  be  found  of  great  benefit  to  the  plants  at  this 
stage.  Syringe  them  with  tepid  water  in  the  afternoon,  as  they  delight 
in  a  moist  atmosphere  when  growing. 
About  the  end  of  September  remove  them  into  a  house  with  a  tempera¬ 
ture  of  65°  by  day  and  G0°  at  night,  because  if  left  out  when  the  nights 
become  cold  they  lose  their  foliage,  which  spoils  the  appearance  of  the 
plants. 
Cuttings  may  be  inserted  till  the  middle  of  July,  and  by  keeping  the 
plants  in  small  pots  they  prove  attractive,  and,  for  various  decorative 
purposes,  useful. 
After  the  plants  have  passed  their  best,  they  should  be  arranged  on  a 
shelf  in  an  intermediate  house  to  ripen  their  wood,  gradually  withholding 
water  from  them.  I  have  found  that  they  break  much  better  in  the  spring 
if  left  exposed  to  the  light  than  when  stored  away  under  a  stage  or  in 
some  dark  corner. 
Red  spider  and  scale  are  the  chief  pests  of  the  Poinsettia  ;  but  if 
watering  and  syringing  are  carefully  attended  to,  and  a  sufficiently  moist 
atmosphere  is  maintained  during  their  growing  period,  it  is  not  often  the 
plants  are  troubled  much  with  these  enemies. — J.  V. 
TRADE  CATALOGUES  RECEIVED. 
W.  Atlee  Burpee  &  Co.,  Philadelphia,  U.S.A. —  Trade  List  of  Sweet 
Peas, 
W.  Clibran  &  Son,  Altrincham. —  General  Catalogue. 
J.  Cocker  &  Sons,  Aberdeen. — Boses. 
J.  Cooling  &  Sons,  Bath. — Poses  and  Fruit  Trees. 
Dicksons,  Ltd.,  Chester. — Forest  and  Ornamental  Trees  and  Shrubs. 
Dicksons  k  Co.,  1,  Waterloo  Place,  Edinburgh. — Forest  and  Ornamental 
Trees. 
F.  A.  Haage,  jun.,  Erfurt. — Bulbs. 
J.  Jefferies  &  Son,  Cirencester. — Roses  and  Trees. 
Little  &  Ballantyne,  Caidisle. —  Trees  and  Plants. 
R.  C.  Notcutt,  Wood’s  Nursery,  Woodbridge. — General  Nursery  Stock. 
T.  Rivers  &  Son,  Sawbridgeworth. — Fruit  Trees. 
F.  Roemer,  Quedlinburg,  Germany. — Flower  Seeds. 
The  Devon  Chrysanthemum  Co.,  Pearly  Cross,  Teignmouth. —  Chrys¬ 
anthemums. 
W.  Welch,  Rush  Green,  Romford,— (I/irysani/iemwms. 
FRUIT  FORCING. 
Vines. — Earliest  Forced  in  Pots. — Vines  started  now  will  afford  Grapes 
fit  for  table  in  April  or  a  little  earlier  with  sharp  forcing.  For  early 
work  not  any  are  better  than  Black  Hamburgh  and  Foster’s  Seedling,  or, 
for  quality,  White  Frontignan  and  Madresfield  Court.  Stout  well- 
ripened  canes,  with  plump  buds,  and  given  a  short  rest,  answer  for 
earl}"^  forcing.  The  Vines  require  alight,  airy,  efficiently  heated  structure, 
which  may  be  a  lean-to  facing  south  or  a  three-quarter  span-roof  having 
the  same  aspect,  or  a  span-roof  with  ends  east  and  west.  If  the  hot-water 
pipes  are  at  the  front  of  the  lean-to  and  three-quarter  span,  also  at  the 
sides  of  the  span-roof,  the  Vines  may  be  stood  upon  them,  placing  tiles 
or  slates  on  the  pipes  and  standing  the  pots  upon  them.  The  tiles  or 
slates  become  warmed  and  transmit  the  heat  to  the  pots,  which  are 
more  or  less  warmed  at  their  base,  and  the  roots  are  not  prejudiced  by 
the  heat.  The  tiles  or  slates  also  throw  off  much  of  the  water  or  liquid 
manure  escaping  from  the  pots,  so  that  there  is  no  risk  of  a  surfeit  of 
steam. 
Pedestals  of  loose  bricks  should  be  formed  for  Vines  in  beds  for  the 
pots  to  stand  upon,  thus  raising  them  to  the  required  height  and  preventing 
sinking.  Vines  in  ])Ots  and  restricted  thereto  afford  excellent  fruit  with 
judicious  feeding.  Oak  or  Beech  leaves  are  the  best  for  affording  bottom 
heat.  They  supply  a  genial  warmth  and  regular  moisture  in  the  early 
stages,  and  rich  stimulating  food  when  the  demands  of  the  Vines  are 
greatest.  The  house  must  now  be  ready  and  the  plants  placed  in  position. 
The  canes  should  be  kept  horizontally,  or  have  the  ends  dejiressed,  if 
necessary,  to  insure  their  breaking  evenly  from  the  base  upwards.  Damp 
the  Vines  and  house  two  or  three  times  a  day,  and  maintain  a  tempera¬ 
ture  of  55°,  on  fine  days  65°,  the  heat  about  the  pots  not  exceeding  60°  to 
65°.  Gnly  afford  water  to  render  the  soil  evenly  moist,  as  a  wet  medium 
retards  root  action,  and  in  no  wise  contiibutes  to  a  good  break,  but  the 
reverse. 
Early  Forced  Planted-out  Fines.— When  young  and  vigorous  Vines  have 
to  be  started  for  the  first  time,  to  afford  rij)e  Grapes  at  the  end  of  April 
or  earl}'  in  May,  the  house  must  be  closed  by  the  middle  of  the  month, 
for  they  do  not,  as  a  rule,  break  so  quickly  as  Vines  that  have  been 
forced  for  a  number  of  years.  The  older  Vines  that  have  previously 
been  forced  need  not  be  started  until  the  beginning  of  December.  To 
produce  a  soft  humid  atmosphere  and  to  economise  fuel  a  good  ridge  of 
fermenting  material  may  be  placed  upon  the  floor  or  inside  border,  and 
be  turned  at  short  intervals,  additions  of  fresh  being  made  as  the  heat 
declines.  The  temperature  of  the  house  should  range  about  50°  at  night, 
55  by  day,  and  65°  on  bright  days.  The  outside  border  must  be  protected 
from  frost  by  a  covering  of  leaves,  with  a  little  litter  over  them  to  prevent 
their  blowing  about.  If  spare  lights  are  at  command,  by  all  means  use 
them  to  throw  off  heavy  rains  and  snow. 
Houses  Cleared  of  Grapes. — When  the  Vines  are  leafless  and  the  Grapes 
cut  attend  to  the  pruning  without  delay,  for  nothing  contributes  more  to 
health  and  a  good  break  than  thorough  cleanliness  and  an  early  and 
complete  periocl  of  rest.  Vines  in  good  condition,  having  stout  short- 
jointed  wood  thoroughly  ripened,  may  safely  be  pruned  to  a  couple  of 
buds.  The  latter,  however,  are  not  always  sufficiently  develojjed  at  the 
base  of  the  annual  growths  to  give  as  large  bunches  as  desired,  and  in 
that  case  the  laterals  may  he  left  a  little  longer,  say  one  or  tw'O  more 
eyes.  It  is  necessary  that  a  plump,  round  (not  large  and  flat),  well- 
developed  bud  on  stout,  hard,  thoroughly  ripe  wood  be  selected  for 
pruning  to,  as  such  usually  produces  a  close,  Avell-set,  compact  bunch. 
When  the  wood  has  not  those  characteristics  the  basal  buds  are  often 
small,  which  arises  from  various  causes — sometimes  from  overcropping, 
at  others  through  overcrowding,  frequently  from  excessive  vigour,  and 
oftentimes  from  weakness.  The  result  is  small  bunches  when  hard  and 
fast  lines  of  pruning  are  practised.  Wash  the  Vines  with  tepid  soapy 
water,  3  or  4  ozs.  of  softsoap  to  a  gallon  of  water,  using  a  brush 
effectively,  yet  with  care  and  judgment,  so  as  to  reach  and  dislodge  any 
hibernating  pests.  If  there  have  been  infections  of  scale,  thrips,  or  red 
spider,  use  one  of  the  advertised  insecticides.  Remove  the  remains  of  the 
mulchings,  also  the  surface  material,  down  to  the  roots,  especially  near 
the  collar,  and  supply  a  top-dressing  of  turfy  loam  chopped  up  moderately 
small,  and  to  a  barrowload  (about  3  bushels)  add  a  pint  of  bonemeal  and 
a  similar  quantity  of  soot,  with  double  the  quantity  of  wood  ashes, 
incorporating  thoroughly.  Where  the  houses  must  be  used  for  plants 
they  should  be  kept  cool,  not  exceeding  40°  to  45°,  ventilating  freely  above 
that  temperature. 
Houses  of  Thin-shinned  Grapes. — The  soil  and  atmosphere  having  been 
saturated  by  rain,  these  have  caused  Grapes,  particularly  Black  Ham- 
burghs,  which  have  been  ripe  since  August,  to  damp  considerably  in  spite 
of  free  ventilation  and  a  genial  warmth  in  the  hot-water  pipes.  The 
Vines  that  ripened  their  crops  in  September  are  still  in  foliage,  and  will 
bear  more  moisture  at  the  roots  and  in  the  atmosphere — indeed,  moderate 
moisture  in  the  atmosphere  is  necessary  to  prevent  undue  evaporation 
and  the  shrinking  of  the  Grapes.  A  slight  warmth  in  the  hot-water 
pipes  will  be  required  almost  constantly  to  maintain  an  equable  tempe¬ 
rature,  but  this  must  not  be  too  high,  or  it  will  so  dry  the  atmosphere  as 
