Juno  12,  1302. 
JOURXAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
523 
four  fibro-vascular  bundles  with  interfascicular  phloem,  forming 
a  tough,  wiry,  supporting  fibre  which  can  be  e>itracted  separately 
from  the  surrounding  cellular  tissue  or  cortex.  It  is  by  the 
outward  growth  and  coalescence  of  these  bundles,  that  the  heart- 
wood  of  trees  is  formed. — J.  H.  D. 
Outdoor  Vines. 
The  growth  of  Vines  on  open  walls  is  pushing  freely,  and  a 
considerable  amount  of  disbudding  must  be  practised  or  the 
shoots  Avill  eventually  be  too  thickly  crowded  together,  with 
results  that  are  not  satisfactory.  Usually  several  shoots  push 
from  one  spur ;  the  best  of  these  which  are  fruitful  must  be 
selected,  and  the  others  either  rubbed  off  by  the  process  of  dis¬ 
budding,  or  cut  off  when  they  have  extended  long  and  strong. 
Remove  the  surplus  shoots  close  to  the  old  rod.  One  fruitful 
shoot  to  a  spur  is  sufficient.  In  some  cases  two  shoots  may  be 
reserved,  but  one  only  should  be  allowed  to  carry  a  bunch. 
Secure  the  shoots  in  position  as  early  as  jDOSsible,  so  as  to  prevent 
breakage  by  wind.  Almost  immediately  after  this  the  growths 
will  require  stopping,  doing  this  at  two  eyes  beyond  the 
bunches. 
Where  growths  are  wanted  to  fill  in  bare  spaces,  train  in  some 
special  shoots  for  this  purpose,  and  allow  them  more  freedom  of 
growth.  The  lateral  growths  which  push  after  the  stopping 
should  be  pinched  at  the  first  leaf.  With  careful  attention  to  this 
the  wood  and  foliage  will  not  becxjmc  crowded.  Two  bunches  on 
a  spur  or  shoot  must  not  be  retaiiied.  If  not  reduced  at  first, 
do  so  as  soon  as  it  can  be  seen  which  are  the  best.  An  occasional 
syringing  on  warm  days  will  largely  assist  in  keeping  the  foliage 
clean.  An  adequate  amount  of  Avater  should  be  afforded  the 
roots. — E.  D. 
- - 
Young  Gardeners’  Domain. 
Cordon  Melons. 
Sow  the  seed  singl.y  in  Sin  pots,  filled  with  good  loam.  Put 
in  double  the  quantity  that  will  be  needed,  and  select  the 
.strongest  .seedlings,  the  object  being  to  .start  Avith  vigorous  plants 
free  from  all  insects.  Place  the  pots  in  a  frame  or  house  having  a 
bottom  temperature  of  about  75deg.  After  the  plants  are  up, 
expose  them,  to  light  and  sun,  alloAving  no  checks  to  their 
groAvth.  When  rooted  nicely,  shift  into  bin  pots,  using  loam,  a 
little  soot,  and  a  pinch  of  bonemeal.  Keep  a  night  temperature 
not  beloAV  65deg  Fahr.  by  day,  rising  to  80deg  and  8odeg,  and 
shut  up  the  hou.se  so  soon  as  it  can  be  safely  done.  The  plants 
must  be  put  in  their  final  pots  before  they  become  root-bound. 
This  time  the  .soil  is  important,  and  should  con.si.st  of  .sound  turfy 
loam,  and  to  every  barroAvload  of  this  add  a  4in  pot  of  bonemeal, 
a  Gin  pot  of  coal  soot,  and  a  little  mortar  rubble.  Use  I2in  or 
14in  pots,  and  giA'e  a  .sprinkling  of  ^in  bones  on  top  of  crocks. 
Warm  the  .soil  before  using  it  by  heated  bricks  or  otherwise, 
and  if  it  can  be  thoroughly  baked,  much  trouble  may  be  .saved 
from  soil  pests.  HaA^e  the  compost  on  the  dry  .side,  and  pot  A^ei-^" 
firmly.  Light  span  houses  are  mo,st  suitable  to  groAV  the  plants 
in,  and  if  the  pots  can  be  placed  fairly  clo.se  to  the  hot  Avater 
pipes  no  other  bottom  heat  Avill  be  required.  Let  the  plants  i"un 
up  their  allotted  length  before  stopping,  but  keep  useless  laterals 
pinched  out.  Once  the  leader  is  checked,  laterals  Avill  be  throAvn 
freely,  and  it  is  on  these  the  fruit  aauU  shoAv.  When  tAvo-  female 
blooms  open  simultaneously  on  the  same  plant,  fertilise  them,  and 
the  ovaries  will  SAvell  evenly.  Two  fruits  to  each  plant  are 
generally  sufficient.  The  plants  should  stand  about  2ft  apart. 
Pinch  tlie  laterals  tAvo  leaves  beyond  the  fruit.  After  the  Melons 
are  SAvelling.  a  little  lateral  groAvth  helps  to  keep  the  plants 
healthy  ;  but  a  thicket  must  not  be  alloAved.  Syringe  every  leaf 
thoroughly,  AA'eather  permitting,  and  keep  the  house  Avell  damped 
doAvn.  Red  spider  may  thus  bo  kept  at  bay  until  the  fruit  is  far 
advanced. 
When  the  fruit  are  developing,  feeding  Avill  be  requii-ed,  Avhen 
it  is  best  to  .start  gradually  Avith  Aveak  liquid  manure  and  soot 
water.  As  they  get  accustomed  to  this,  giA'e  a  dose  of  guano  or 
some  approA'ed  chemical  tAvice  a  week.  If  a  good  top-dressing  is 
alloAA-ed,  it  Avill  not  be  nece.s.sary  to  feed  so  much  for  a  time.  Rub 
in  lime  and  fine  charcoal,  if  the  stems  become  affected.  The 
fruits  Avill  need  support,  and  a  net,  or  small  piece  of  suspended 
wood  will  ansAver  the  purpose.  The  temperature  .should  noAV  be 
70deg  at  night,  and  about  85deg  by  day  from  sun  heat.  When 
the  Melons  sIioav  signs  of  ripening  all  manure  Avater  mu.st  be 
stopped,  and  more  air  given,  and  a  drier  atmosphere  maintained. 
At  this  stage  .some  of  the  fruits  may  be  inclined  to  crack ;  such 
fruit  should  have  the  stem  cut  aI)Out  half  through,  and  the  plants 
be  carefully  Avatered.  GroAving  Melons  a,s  cordons  Avill  be  found 
interesting",  and  they  haA'e  the  advantage  of  being  completely 
under  the  control  of  the  cultiA'ator. — V  .  F.,  Journeyman. 
/OKI 
r^FOfi.THEV 
/EEK..  S 
Hardy  Fruit  Garden. 
YOUNG  FRUIT  TREES. — The  groAvths  noAV  being  made  by 
young  specimens  planted  in  autumn  ought  noAv  to  be  vigorous 
and  free.  In  this  case  some  regulation  Avill  be  required  in  order 
to  equally  balance  the  branches.  Retain  as  many  as  possible  of 
equal  strength,  and  all  Avell  placed,  as  by  this  means  only  can  Avell 
shaped  trees  be  formed.  Trees  groAving  somewhat  Aveakly  may 
need  a  little  extra  food  in  the  soil  to  give  them  a  start.  Weak 
liquid  manure  Avill  give  the  necessary  impetu.s,  and  frequent 
syringing  Avill  assist. 
STRAWBERRIES.- -The  laying  doAvn  of  mulching  material 
for  the  purpose  of  keeping  the  fruit  clean  must  not  be  longer 
delayed.  The  early  varieties  are  setting  and  SAvelling  fruit,  Avhile 
others  are  in  floAver  and  commencing  to  open  their  blooms.'  In 
light  dry  soils  the  liberal  mulching  afforded  jnay  be  supplemented 
by  giA'ing  the  plants  frequent  applications  of  liquid  manure  during 
the  time  the  fruits  are  SAvelling.  PreA’ious  to  the  fruit  beginning 
to  colour,  endeavour  to  remove  as  many  Aveeds  as  pos.sible, 
especially  any  of  a  deep  rooting  character,  Avhich  Avill,  if  left  alone, 
make  rapid  headAA'ay  during  the  summer,  for  it  is  more  difficult 
to 'deal  Avith  Aveeds  after  the  fruit  commences  ripening  and  the 
beds  are  netted  over. 
RASPBERRIES. —  Young  suckers  springing  from  the  stools 
must  be  leduced  in  number,  retaining  the  strongest  to  form  the 
future  bearing  canes.  The  outside  sucker;^  are  the  be.st  for  plant¬ 
ing  canes,  and  if  some  are  Avanted  in  autumn,  leave  a  sufficient 
number.  Clear  off  Aveeds  and  give  a  heavy  mulching  of  manure 
round  the  .stools,  Avhich  Avill  serve  to  retain  moisture  in  the  .soil 
during  the  fruiting  period. — East  Kent. 
Fruit  Forcing. 
CUCLTMBERS. — In  houses  fire  heat  Avill  only  be  necessary  lo 
prevent  the  temperature  falling  beloAV  GOdeg  or  G5deg  at  night 
and  to  insure  70deg  to  7odeg  by  day,  adA’ancing  Avith  sun  heat 
to  85deg  or  90deg  Attend  Avell  to  stopping  the  shoots,  remoA'ing 
bad  leaves,  Avell  thinning  the  old  groAvths,  and  Avatering  Avith 
Aveak  liquid  manure  about  t.Avice  a  Aveek.  To  encourage  surface 
roots  sprinkle  the  bed  Avith  sAveetened  horse  droppings  once  a 
week  and  occasionally  Avith  a  little  soot  and  some  approA'ed  fer¬ 
tiliser,  both  of  Avhich  Avill  supply  nourishment,  and  give  off 
seme  ammonia  A'apour  beneficial  to  the  foliage. 
UTILISING  EMPTY  STRUCTURES.— Houses  cleared  of 
Vines  in  pots,  StraAvberries,  or  bedding  plants,  may  be  usefully 
devoted  to  Cucumbers.  They  can  be  groAvn  aa'cII  in  boxes  of  12in 
to  loin  depth  and  18in  to  24in  square,  placed  on  the  staging. 
No  fire  heat  Avill  be  necessarjq  the  house  being  closed  at  3  to 
4  p.m.  or  earlier,  according  to  the  sun  being  clear  or  overcast, 
.syringing  then,  the  floors  and  other  surfaces'  being  kept  damp, 
so  as  to  secure  a  good  moisture  through  the  day,  but  do  not 
syringe  in  the  morning,  this  often  being  a  cause  of  great  mis¬ 
chief  to  the  foliage.  Admit  air  at  75deg,  and  alloAv  the  tem¬ 
perature  to  rise  to  85deg  or  90deg  with  sun,  and  close  betAveen 
80deg  and  8.5deg,  and  if  the  temperature  rise  to  90deg,  9odeg, 
or  lOOdeg  all  the  better.  Train  Avith  a  single  stem  to  the 
trellis,  rubbing  off  all  laterals  to  that  height,  then  alloAV  to  gi-ow. 
Pinch  the  leader  after  it  has  groAvn  tAvo-thirds  across  the  trellis. 
The  laterals  must  be  stopped  one  or  tAvo  joints  beyond  the  shoAV 
of  fruit.  A  Avood  or  other  trellis  may  be  impi'ovised  at  1.5in 
from  the  gla.ss. 
PITS  AND  FRAMES. — Water  the  plants  about  4  p.m.,  as 
required,  lightly  hedeAving  the  foliage,  closing  then  or  earlier, 
according  to  the  Aveather,  but  it  is  not  safe  to  close  early,  so  as 
to  raise  the  temperature  above  90deg  or  9odeg.  Liquid  manure 
should  be  given  occasionally,  but  not  over  the  foliage,  and  not 
applying  it  too  often.  Keep  the  groAvths  fairly  thin,  thinning 
out  old  shoots  and  encouraging  young  growths  in  their  place, 
so  as  to  keep  up  a  succession  of  bearing  Avood.  Stop  one  or  tAvo 
joints  beyond  the  shoAV  for  fruit.  Avoid  crowding,  also  over¬ 
cropping,  and  do  not  alloAV  the  fruit  to  remain  on  the  plants 
after  it  is  fit  for  use  a  day  longer  than  can  be  helped. 
GRAPES  SCALDING. — Muscat  of  Alexandria  and  Lady 
DoAvne’s  are  most  liable  to  “scald,”  but  other  varieties,  even 
Hamburghs,  sometimes  ,'uffer  severely  AA-hen  completing  the 
stoning  process.  Ac.  that  time  air  should  be  given  abundantly, 
sufficient  warmth  being  kept  in  the  hot  water-pipes  to  maintain 
a.  night  temperature  of  Godeg  to  70dcg,  and  70deg  to  7odeg  in 
the  daytime,  leaving  ventilation  on  at  night,  and  increase  it 
before  the  sun  acts  poAverfully  upon  the  house  in  the  morning. 
This  attended  to,  there  will  be  little  if  any  scalding,  for  it  is 
