June  5,  1£02. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
501 
Fruit  Forcing. 
Cl'CUMBERS. — Cold  and  sharp  winds  with  gleams  of  bright 
snn  has  rendered  careful  attention  to  ventilation  imperative.  In 
such  weather  it  is  a  good  plan  to  turn  the  heat  off  when  the  tem¬ 
perature  is  75deg  on  sunny  mornings  and  keep  it  off  all  the  day, 
only  using  it  to  maintain  a  temperature  of  Godeg  to  TOdeg  at 
niglrt'  and  TOdeg  to  75deg  on  dull  days.  This  will  lessen  the 
necessity  for  air-giving  and  shading,  which  must  be  had  recourse 
to  when  necessary  to  prevent  flagging  and  scorching.  Permanent 
shading  is  only  desirable  where  no  ventilation  is  given ;  then  the 
greatest  danger  is  about  4  to  5  p.m.  with  span-roofed  houses 
facing  the  east  and  west,  and  whitewash  is  generally  employed 
on  the  latter  side  of  the  house.  Go  over  the  plants  frequently 
for  stopping  the  growth,  cutting  out  eld  ones  and  thinning  where 
likely  to  become  crowded.  Liquid  manure  will  be  required  two 
or  three  times  a  week,  but  top-dressing  of  artificial  fertiliser  may 
be  used  between  times  with  advantage.  Maintain  a  good 
moisture  by  sprinkling  the  floor  and  other  surfaces  when  they 
become  dry.  Where  straight  fruits  are  required  gla.sses  should 
be  used.  In  pits  and  frames  night  coverings  over  the  lights  will 
still  be  necessary,  and  attention  must  be  given  to  the  linings 
of  the  beds,  as  a  good  bottom  heat  is  one  of  the  best  means  of 
securing  healthy  root  action  and  vigorous  groAvths.  Keep  the 
grovdhs  fairly  thin,  and  close  sufficiently  early  to  run  up  to 
OOdeg  or  lOOdeg,  sprinkling  the  plants  lightly  at  closing  time. 
Supply  water  at  the  roots  as  required,  and  always  in  a  tepid 
state. 
CHERRIKS. — The  crop  being  nov'  ripe,  consideration  must 
be  given  to  keep  them  fresh,  so  as  to  prolong  the  season.  Shad¬ 
ing  will  effect  that,  but  it  is  midesirable  Avhere  the  fruit  is  not 
exposed  directly  to  the  sun,  cthenri.se  it  will  be  necessary  to 
have  recourse  to  it.  Onlj'  light  material,  as  hexagon  netting, 
should  be  used.  Free  ventilation  must  be  attended  to,  and  in 
warm  weather  a  sprinkling  cf  the  .surface  of  the  border  in  the 
hottest  part  of  the  day  will  assist  keeping  the  fniit  plump.  The 
roofs  must  not  be  neglected  for  water,  as  dryness  is  inimical  to 
the  foliage,  and  on  the  preservation  of  health  depends  the  proper 
formation  of  the  buds  for  the  ensuing  crop  cf  fruit. 
VINES :  EARLY  HOUSES. — Where  ripe  Grapes  are  hanging 
afford  sufficient  Avater  to  the  inside  borders  to  maintain  the 
soil  in  a  moist  condition.  No  injury  Avill  result  to  the  Grapes 
provided  the  atmosphere  is  not  stagnant;  but  the  air  must  be 
kept  more  or  less  in  motion  by  ventilating  constantljq  and,  in 
accordance  Avith  external  conditions,  maintaining  a  temperature 
of  GOdeg.  When  the  Vines  are  cleared  of  ripe  fruit  the  foliage 
should  be  cleansed  of  dust  and  red  spider^  employing  tepid  Avater, 
and,  if  necessary,  an  insecticide,  as  keeping  the  foliage  clear  and 
healthy  to  the  last  is  important  for  aiding  the  formation  of  buds 
for  another  season.  The  leaves  being  fresh  and  clean,  keep  the 
laterals  in  check  by  pinching,  yet  if  there  be  anything  defective 
Avith  the  principal  foliage  a  little  freedom  may  be  alloAved  to  the 
laterals. 
HOUSES  WITH  THE  FRUIT  SWELLING.— Although  fires 
cannot  be  dispensed  Avith  at  night  and  on  cold  dull  days,  much 
may  be  done  in  economising  fuel  by  closing  early  on  fine  after¬ 
noons,  but  it  must  be  accompanied  by  plenty  of  atmospheric  mois¬ 
ture,  aA'oiding  a  constantly  saturated  atmosphere  by  a  little  A’enti- 
lation  at  night  and  increasing  it  early  in  the  morning.  NeA’er- 
theless,  a  moist  atmo, sphere  is  essential  to  the  SAvelling  of  the 
fruit,  and  it  shoidd  be  secured  Avitheut  stagnation  by  damping 
the  floors  and  borders  tAVO  or  three  times  a  day — in  the  morning, 
at  closing  time,  and  before  nightfall.  Do  not  allow  the  laterals 
•  to  groAV  so  as  to  croAvd  the  principal  leav-es,  but  keep  them  Avell 
in  hand.  Whei’e,  hoAA'ever,  there  is  plenty  of  space,  they  may 
be  alloAved  to  extend,  yet  not  so  as  to  neces-sitate  their  remoA^al 
to  a  great  amount  later  on.  The  temperature  should  be  main¬ 
tained  at  G,5deg  at  night  or  a  feAv  degreess  le.ss  on  cold  nights, 
TOdeg  to  75deg  by  day,  and  80deg  to  8odeg  from  sun  heat, 
alloAving  an  adA'ahce  to  OOdeg  after  closing  or  early  in  the  after- 
iiocn. 
HOUSE  WITH  THE  GRAPES  RIPENING— Allow  a  con¬ 
stant  and  liberal  supply  cf  AA  arm,  rather  dryq  air  ;  but  a  genial 
condition  of  the  atmosphere  is  necessary  for  the  benefit  of  the 
foliage,  yet  the  air  moisture  must  not  be  excessive  or  stagnant, 
or  it  Avill  prejudice  the  ripening.  Do  not  neglect  to  supply 
AVater  to  the  roots,  and  if  nourishment  is  required  it  should  be 
given  of  a  sweet  nature,  or  the  Grapes  may  be  tainted,  as  they 
are  Avith  late  applications  of  soot  and  other  organic  matter.  If  a 
light  mAilching  of  short,  SAveet  manure  be  applied  it  Avill  tend  to  a 
more  ec^uable  moisture  at  the  roots.  A  good  heat  is  necessary  to 
ensure  the  highest  ((ualit.v ;  indeed,  there  is  no  compari.son 
between  Grapes  that  are  properly  ripened  in  a  ratlu'r  Avarm  and 
Avell-ventilated  atmosphere  and  those  finished  in  a  Ioav  and  moist 
temperature. 
GR.JPKS  SCALDING.— r-Muscats  and  other  A'arieties  com¬ 
pleting  the  stoning  should  be  carefully  AAatched  in  hot,  bright 
Aveather,  and  in  case  of  scalding — or,  rather,  to  prevent  it — air 
must  be  admitted  more  freely  or  until  the  colouring  commences. 
At  that  period  all  danger  Avill  be  pa.ssed  as  regards  the  black 
varieties;  but  Muscat  of  Alexandria  aauU  sGald  Avhen  AAmll 
developed  and  advanced  in  colour,  and  it  is  necessary  in  houses 
Avith  large  panes  of  glass  to  employ  a  slight  shading,  as  that  of 
herring  netting,  OAmr  the  roof  lights  in  very  bright  periods.  It 
is  essential,  hoAvever,  that  the.se  Grapes  be  Avell  exposed  to  light. 
With  Hamburghs  and  black  Grapes  generally  it  is  different;  they 
colour  best  beneath  a  good  spread  of  foliage,  and  it  is  one  of 
the  best  means  of  avoiding  scalding,  proAuding  that  the  supply 
cf  air  is  bountiful  by  day  and  a  little  ventilation  left  on  con¬ 
stantly  at  the  upper  part  of  the  house  Avith  a  genial  warmth  in 
the  hot-AAater  pipes.  A  temperature  of  Godeg  to  TOdeg'  by 
artificial  means  suffices,  or  a  little  less  for  Hamburghs. 
LATE  GRAPES. — Where  the  Vines  are  in  floAver  a  constant 
supply  cf  dry,  Avarm  air  Avill  further  a  good  .set  of  fruit,  the 
temperature  being  kept  at  TOdeg  to  75deg  by  artificial  heat  and 
rising  to  80deg  or  OOdeg  Avith  sun.  Thin  the  berries  freely 
immediately  they  are  set ;  but  this  in  the  case  of  shy  setters 
must  be  confinecl  to  the  removal  of  the  smallest  and  imperfect 
berries  in  the  first  instance,  deferring  the  general  thinning  until 
the  properly  fertilised  ones  can  be  determined  by  their  free 
SAvelling.  There  must  not  be  any  deficiency  of  moisture  at  the 
rccts,  therefore  afford  liquid  manure  copiously  after  the  Grapes 
are  thinned  and  sAvelliiig,  or  a  tcp-dre.s'.sing  may  be  given  of  .some 
approA'ed  fertiliser,  distributing  it  evenly  OA’er  the  surface  and 
Avash  in  moderatery.  If  the  Aveather  is  dry  and  the  soil  light, 
outside  borders  Avill  need  Avatering,  affording  liquid  manure  or 
top-dressings  of  artificial  UAanures  if  the  Vines  are  not  very 
strong  cr  are  carrying  a  full  crop. 
YOUNG  VINES. — Those  in  pots  for  next  yeaFs  fruiting 
should  haA’e  the  leading  shoot  or  cane  stopped  at  8ft  to  9ft,  and 
the  laterals,  cr  .sub-laterals  pinched  at  one  leaf  as  produced. 
Supernumeraries  or  recently  planted  should  also  liaAm  the  canes 
stopped  at  the  length  named,  the  laterals  and  .sub-laterals  being 
closely  pinched.  This  Avill  concentrate  the  energies  of  the  Vines 
on  the  principal  leaA'es  and  buds,  and  is  necessary  for  those 
intended  to  fruit  next  .season.  The  permanent  Vines,  however, 
may  be  alloAA’ed  to  make  all  the  groAvth  there  is  room  for,  but  it 
is  a  mistake  to  encoAirage  groAvth  by  over-stimulation  and  an 
excessively  humid  atmosphere,  but  groAvth  should  be  accelerated 
by  closing  the  house  early  in  the  morning  on  fine  days.  When 
ycung  Vines  become  e.stablished  they  Avill  rec^uire  abundance  of 
Avater  at  the  roots :  yet  avoid  making  the  soil  sodden  bj'  needless 
applications,  and  sprinkle  .surfaces  tAvo  or  three  time.s  a  day,  so 
as  to  maintain  a  genial  condition  of  the  atmosphere. — St.  Albans. 
The  Kitchen  Gardtn. 
BRUSSELS  SPROUTS.— The  sooner  a  good  breadth  of  these 
are  planted,  the  more  heachvay  the  plants  Avill  make,  becoming 
vigorously'  rooted,  sturdy  in  stem,  and  much  more  capable  of 
affording  compact  spi’outs  tliaii  later  planted  specimens.  Or 
course,  the  best  plants  are  those  AA’hich  have  been  treated  to  a 
liberal  amount  of  room  in  nursery  beds  since  attaining  the 
rough  leaf  stage.  Brussels'  Sprouts  are  a  valuable  crop,  there¬ 
fore  good  ground  in  an  open  position  must  be  given  them,  the 
roAA'S  haA'ing  a  distance  of  at  lea.st  2ft  Gin  and  18in  betAveen  the 
plants.  The  plants  Avill  lift  with  plenty  of  soil  attached  to  the 
roots,  and  may  be  planted  Avith  a  troAvel,  or  a  trench  may  be 
fermed  Avith  the  .spade,  the  plants  being  placed  in  it  at  the 
proper  distance  apart,  partly  surrounded  Avith  soil,  made  firm 
and  AA’atered  in.  Liciuid  manure  may  be  used.  Then  fill  in  Avith 
clry  scil,  and  little,  if  any  moisture  Avill  be  required  for  some 
time,  especially  if  a  fine  mulch  is  kept  on  the  surface  by  hoeing. 
BROCCOLI. — The  plants  becoming  croAvded  in  the  seed  beds 
should  be  thinned  out.  A  number  mu.st  be  pricked  out  on  a 
border  to  strengthen  for  the  subsequent  final  planting,  winch 
must  be  done  later  on  in  the  firmest  possible  ground.  Utilise 
plants  Avith  good  centres. 
( '  AULIFLO  WERS .— T1  le  early  plants  transfer!’. 'd  to  rich  soil 
in  the  open  ground  some  time  ago  Avill  be  largely  benefited  by 
hceings  and  Avaterings  cf  licpud  manure.  Cut  the  heads  Avhen 
they  arrive  at  the  be.rt  condition,  and  immediately  pull  up  the 
stiiinps.  Walchereii  and  Autumn  Giant  iiiaA’  be  planted,  the 
latter  mere  freely  than  the  former,  because  <  f  its  high  quality, 
large  size,  and  usefulness  during  the  early  autumn.  Rich 
greund  will  afford  the  best  results,  placing  the  plant'  in  rows 
2ft  apart. 
