244 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTIGULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
Jilarcli  13,  1902. 
Fruit  Forcing. 
PEACHES  AND  NECTARINES:  EARLY  FORCED 
TREES. — During  the  stoniiig  j^rocess  an  equable  temperature 
•is  desirable.  With  too  mucli  heat  at  night  the  trees  are  deprived 
of  rest,  and  this  is  not  favourable  to  the  fruit.  Cold  and  di*ying 
currents  of  air  in  the  daytime  are  even  more  injurious,  a  sudden 
'check  sometimes  proving  fatal  to  the  crop.  Continue  the  night 
temperature  at  GOdeg  to  G5deg,  and  in  dull  weather  70deg  to 
’75deg  in  the  daytime,  and  ventilate  from  65deg.  Attend  to 
thinning  the  fruit  betimes.  It  is  not  advisable  to  leave,  during 
:the  stoning  process,  many  more  fruits  than  are  to  be  left  for 
the  crop.  One  fruit  to  a  foot  of  trellis  covered  vuth  foliage 
is  ample  for  the  large  Peaches ;  the  medium  sized  may  have  the 
iruits  left  a  little  closer.  Nectarines  being  generally  smaller 
than  Peaches,  are  often  left  much  too  close,  which  reduces  the 
size  of  the  fruits  proportionately,  hence  to  secure  fine  fruits 
they  require  similar  thinning  to  Peaches.  Tie  loosely  all  the 
shoots  required  for  extension  and  next  year’s  bearing  to  the 
trellis  as  they  progress,  stopping  any  gross  successional  growths 
•  at  about  15in.  If  the  stopping  results  in  laterals  pinch  them 
at  the  first  leaf,  and  so  on  as  produced.  If  extension  is 
wanted  the  uppermost  lateral  may  be  trained  in.  Pinch  laterals 
-on  extensions  at  the  first  leaf,  and  succeeding  growths  also  to 
one  joint.  If  the  trees  are  in  good  order  there  will  be  little 
necessity  for  stopping  the  shoots  if  they  are  allowed  space  for 
the  development  of  the  foliage  to  solidify  the  Avood  as  made. 
Shoots  retained  to  attract  the  sap  to  the  fruit  should  be  stopped 
to  one  leaf,  they  having  previously  had  the  first  groAvth 
stopped  at  the  second  or  third  leaf.  Avoid  stimulating  the  trees 
whilst  stoning,  but  afford  due  supplies  of  Avater  and  food  of  a 
phosphatic  ratlier  than  a  nitrogenous  nature. 
HOUSES  STARTED  AT  THE  BEGINNING  OF  FEB- 
RITARY. — The  trees  of  the  early  A-arieties  have  set  the  fruits, 
Avhile  the  late  trees  are  in  full  blossom,  and  should  be  fertilised 
Avhen  the  pollen  is  ripe.  When  the  fruit  is  set  recourse  must  be 
had  to  syringing  in  the  morning  and  afternoon  of  fine  days,  but 
an  occasional  sprinkling,  Avith  damping  the  house,  Avill  suffice  in 
dull  weather,  always  having  the  foliage  and  young  fruits  dry 
before  nightfall.  Disbudding  must  be  done  gradually,  com¬ 
mencing  with  the  most  forAvard  groAvths ;  also  thinning  the  fruit 
when  it  is  seen  Avhich  takes  the  lead  in  SAvelling,  removing  the 
smallest  first,  but  avoid  large  reductions  of  foliage  or  of  fruit 
at  one  time.  A  temperature  of  55deg  at  nigbt,  50deg  on  cold 
mornings,  55deg  to  GOdeg  by  day,  advancing  to  65deg  or  70deg 
■with  gleams  of  sun,  Avill  bring  the  trees  on  fast  enough,  A’enti- 
lating  from  55deg  to  GOdeg,  and  not  alloAving  an  advance  above 
‘65deg  AAuthout  full  ventilation. 
LATE  HOUSES. — Where  the  roof  lights  have  been  remoA^ed 
they  should  be  replaced  at  once,  the  buds  being  well  advanced 
in  SAvelling  and  promising  an  abundant  crop  of  fruit.  If  there  be 
•  any  trace  of  aphides  apply  an  insecticide  or  fumigate  the  house 
before  the  flowers  expand.  Nothing  conduces  more  to  a  good 
set  than  removing  the  floAvers  on  the  under  side  or  back  of  the 
trellis,  and  turning  on  the  heat  after  the  anthers  shoAv  for  a 
short  time  in  the  early  part  of  the  day,  to  advance  the  tempera¬ 
ture  to  50deg  and  to  permit  of  ventilation,  as  there  is  a  pre¬ 
valence  of  dull  weather  and  cold  at  that  time;  closing  the 
ventilators  for  safety  prejudices  the  pollen.  Houses  that  have 
fixed  roof  lights  must  have  the  borders  rendered  thoroughly 
moist. — St.  Albans. 
The  Kitchen  Garden. 
LETTUCE.— Follo'wing  upon  earlier  soAvings,  a  feAv  more  roAvs 
of  approved  varieties  in  both  classes— Cos  and  Cabbage  Lettuce 
— may  noAv  be  soAvn.  It  is  more  convenient  and  economical  to 
SOAV  in  drills  than  broadcast,  for  the  neces.sary  thinning  and 
'Cleaning  can  be  better  carried  out. 
RADISHES. — Sow  another  bed  of  olive-shaped  or  long 
Radishes,  scattering  the  seed  broadcast  thinly,  and  cover  Avith 
fine  soil.  A  light  covering  of  litter  Avill  protect  the  seed  until 
germination  ensues. 
RHUBARB. — Rhubarb  just  commencing  groAvth  may  be 
much  forAvarded  by  covering  the  croAvns  with  pots.  New  planta¬ 
tions  can  be  made  by  lifting  a  feAv  old  roots,  dividing  into  por¬ 
tions  Avith  croAvns  to  each,  and  planting  3ft  apart  in  rich  ground. 
P ARSNIPS.— A  bed  of  Student  or  Tender  and  True  Parsnips 
niay  be  soAvn  now.  Parsnijis  like  deep  rich  .soil  of  a  moderately 
light  character,  but  it  should  not  contain  manure  in  the  top  spit 
■of  .soil.  The  old  Celery  ridges  re  the  best  for  this  and  similar 
root  crops.  Make  the  surface  fine  and  level,  and  draAV  drills 
12in  apart  and  lin  deep. 
CARROTS. — Under  suitable  Aveather  and  soil  conditions 
Carrots  may  be  soAvn.  The  Short  Horn  varieties  are  suitable  for 
a  Avarni  border  to  come  in  early.  The  intermediate  and  long 
varieties  .should  haAm  deep  rich  ground  and  an  open  position.  If 
soAA-n  in  roAvs  12in  apart  they  have  ample  room  for  development. 
PExtS. — Main  crop  varieties  may  be  freely  soavii  iioav.  AIIoav 
plenty  of  space  betAveen  the  roAvs,  the  tallest  A'arieties  being 
groAvn  10ft  or  12ft  distant,  as  intercropping  Avith  smaller  crops, 
such  as  Potatoes,  CaulifloAvers,  Lettuce,  can  ahvays  be  done. 
The  greatest  care  must  be  exercised  iioav  to  preA’-ent  depredations 
by  birds,  as  immediately  the  seeds  germinate  the  toijs  are  liable 
to  be  nipped  off.  Wire  Pea  guards  must  be  placed  over  the  roAvs 
as  the  best  protection ;  failing  the.se,  strands  of  black  cotton 
stretched  tightly  a  feAV  inches  above  the  roAvs  Avill  do  much  to 
thAA'ait.  the  birds.  Small  mesh  fish  netting  may,  of  course,  be 
used,  supporting  it  over  the  roAvs  Avith  bent  hoops  of  Avood  or 
AA'ire. — Lymington,  Hants. 
- - - 
Observer’s  Mes¬ 
on  Sunday,  March  9,  a  handsome  wasp  was  observed  flitting 
about  in  the  sunshine  at  ChisAvick.— J. 
Recently  I  had  a  flower  taken  from  a  scape  of  Paper  White 
Narcissus.  All  the  floAvers  but  one  Avere  perfectly  normal,  and 
this  one  had  every  part  perfectly  doubled  ;  there  were  tAvo  pistils 
and  doubled  ovary,  tAvelve  stamens  (six  short  and  six  long),  and 
perianth  of  twelve  parts.  The  cup  was  quite  tAvice  the  size  of 
that  of  an  ordinary  floAver.  I  suppose  this  may  be  correctly 
termed  a  true  double  floAAmr? — H.  R.,  Kent. 
[Are  not  “  true  doubled  floAvers  ”  devoid  of  stamens  from  these 
having  been  metamorphosed  to  petals?  Such  is  our 
teaching. — Ed.] 
Gossamer  Webs. 
It  should  be  noted  that  the  Avord  “  gossamer,”  to  which  refe¬ 
rence  was  made  on  page  214  last  Aveek,  is  applied  to  two  very 
different  objects.  Tennyson’s  “  silvery  gossamers,  that  tAAunkle 
into  green  and  gold,”  are  the  Avebs  of  some  species  of  Epeira, 
fastened  to  bushes  and  shrubs,  Avhich,  Avet  Avith  morning  deAV, 
are  radiant  in  the  sunshine  of  a  September  day.  The  other 
gos.samer  is  the  Avork  of  spiders,  Avhich  are  not  webmakers,  but 
by  nature  hunters,  and  throAv  out  threads  which  enable  them  to 
migrate  without  trouble,  being  carried  along  by  the  breeze.  It 
may  be  true,  I  am  not  prepared  to  deny  it,  that  spiders  of  this 
sort  are  on  the  alert  in  the  March  winds ;  but  I  have  never  seen 
them  so  early  out,  though  for  many  years  an  observer  of  Nature. 
— Entomologist. 
- - 
Trade  Catalogues  Received. 
F.  Cooper,  Bulb  Specialist,  30,  Manners  Street,  Wellington,  New 
Zealand. — Daffodils. 
Pinehurst  Nurseries,  Pinehurst,  North  Carolina. —  Wholesale  Trade 
List. 
«• 
Meteorological  Observations  at  Chiswick. 
Taken  in  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society’s  Gardens  at  ChisAviek — 
height  above  sea  level  24  feet. 
Date, 
Temperature  of  the 
Air. 
Temperature  of 
the  Soil. 
At  9  A.M. 
0) 
1902. 
March. 
ection  c 
Wind. 
At  9  A.M. 
Day. 
Night 
Rain. 
At 
1 
At 
2-ft. 
deep 
At 
4-ft. 
deep. 
-2  £ 
S  2 
o  a 
S-l 
(3 
Dry 
Bulb. 
Wet 
Bulb. 
49 
03 
5 
Lowest. 
i-ft. 
deep. 
^S9 
«  • 
Sunday  ...  2 
S.E. 
deg. 
41-8 
deg. 
411 
deg. 
53-1 
deg. 
33-6 
Ins. 
0-09 
deg. 
40-6 
deg. 
41-8 
deg. 
42-3 
deg. 
28-4 
Monday  ...  3 
S.W. 
43-1 
42-4 
52-1 
36-0 
— 
41-2 
41-8 
42-5 
28-2 
Tuesday  ..  4 
S.E. 
38-7 
57-8 
44-9 
35-0 
— 
41-4 
42-0 
42-6 
25-9 
■VVed’sday  5 
N.E. 
35-7 
35-3 
47-3 
35-0 
— 
41-4 
42-1 
42-8 
24-1 
Thursday  6 
S.E. 
51-6 
31-3 
47-3 
31-5 
— 
40-1 
41-9 
43-0 
25-3 
Friday  ...  7 
S.W. 
35-2 
33'0 
52-4 
28'0 
0-01 
39-7 
41-8 
43-1 
23*9 
Saturday  8 
w.s.w. 
44-9 
44-2 
52-3 
35-5 
41-9 
41-8 
43-1 
36-0 
Means  .. 
38-7 
37-9 
49-9 
! 
33-5 
Total. 
0-10 
40-9 
41-9 
42-8 
27-4 
Cold,  dai'k,  foggy  mornings  and  dull  days  have  been  the  feature  of 
the  past  Aveek,  Avith  an  occasional  burst  of  bright  sunshine. 
