December  5,  1901. 
523 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDE  A  EL. 
Fruit  Forcing. 
CUCUMBERS. — Foggy,  wet,  and  dull  weather,  alternating 
with  windy,  frosty,  and  bright  intervals,  tax  the  energies  of  the 
plants  severely,  growth  being  very  unsatisfactory.  Keep  the 
glass  clean,  both  inside  and  outside,  for  every  ray  of  sunlight  is 
of  consequence.  Use  sweet,  warm  soil,  and  not  very  wet,  for 
earthing-up  the  roots,  covering  them  lightly,  as  showing  at  the 
sides  of  the  ridges  or  hillocks.  A  few  sweetened  horse  droppings 
with  an  occasional  light  sprinkling  of  soot  spread  on  the  surface 
will  attract  the  roots,  and  afford  nourishment  to  the  plants  when 
watered.  This  is  preferable  to  liquid  manure,  unless  the  plants 
are  growing  in  very  small  beds,  or  confined  to  boxes  or  pots, 
then  copious  supplies  will  be  necessary.  Always  apply  it  weak 
and  tepid,  and  not  too  often.  Sufficient  moisture  will  be  secured 
by  damping  the  paths  and  walls  in  the  morning  and  afternoon 
of  fine  days ;  but  avoid  an  excess,  and  do  not  afford  water  at 
the  roots  until  the  soil  becomes  dry,  yet  before  the  foliage  flags 
for  lack  of  a  supply,  then  give  a  thorough  watering.  Look 
over  the  plants  at  least  once  a  week  for  stopping,  removing  bad 
leaves,  thinning  as  required,  but  neither  stopping  nor  thinning 
will  be  much  needed  ;  yet  these  must  not  be  neglected,  as  crowd¬ 
ing  is  one  of  the  greatest  evils  in  the  growth  of  winter  Cucumbers. 
MILDEW  is  sometimes  trouble.-ome  at  this  time  of  year.  It 
may  be  combated  by  dusting  the  affected  parts  with  flowers  of 
sulphur,  and  the  atmosphere  should  be  kept  drier.  A  light  brush¬ 
ing  over  the  hot  water  pipes  with  a  cream  of  sulphur  and  skim 
milk  is  useful  against  mildew,  red  spider,  and  white  fly.  Thrips 
and  aphides  are  best  destroyed  by  fumigation  with  tobacco 
paper,  or  vaporisation  with  nicotine  compound.  Tobacco  powder 
dusted  on  black  or  green  aphides  destroys  them,  and  fumigation 
on  two  or  three  consecutive  evenings  eradicates  these  pests. 
PEAUrx^S  AND  NECTARINES— EARLIEST  FORCED 
TREES  IN  POTS. — To  have  fruit  at  the  earliest  possible  time, 
and  without  overtaxing  the  trees  by  very  hard  forcing,  they 
should  be  started  without  loss  of  time  to  ripen  the  fruit  at  the 
end  of  April.  Only  the  very  early  varieties  will  do  that,  such  as 
Alexander,  Waterloo,  Early  Beatrice,  Early  Louise,  and  Early 
Leopold  Peaches ;  Advance,  Cardinal,  and  Early  Rivers  Nec¬ 
tarines.  These  embrace  varieties  with  both  large  and  small 
flowers,  so  that  there  is  no  difficulty  in  securing  pollen  for  cross¬ 
fertilisation.  The  trees  do  admirably  in  a  three-quarters  span- 
roofed  house  facing  south ;  quarter,  half,  and  full  standard 
trees  being  grown  so  as  to  have  their  heads  near  the  glass. 
Tomatoes  can  be  grown  against  the  back  wall  for  an  early  supply 
of  fruit,  and  when  the  Peach  and  Nectarine  trees  go  outside, 
the  house  will  be  at  liberty  for  Tomato  plants  in  pots.  The 
fruit  trees  require  the  same  treatment  as  trees  in  borders. 
EARLIEST  FORCED  PLANTED-OUT  TREES.— The  trees 
started  in  December,  or  at  an  early  date  in  previous  years,  swell 
their  buds  promptly  without  incitement  from  artificial  heat,  but 
those  forced  for  the  first  time  are  slower  in  starting  into  flower. 
To  have  ripe  fruit  in  May,  and  the  trees  being  of  the  second 
early  or  midseason  varieties,  and  not  before  early  forced,  the 
house  must  now  be  started.  They  must  not  be  hurried,  but 
given  time  to  advance  steadily,  and  develop  a  strong  flower, 
perfect  in  all  its  parts.  The  proper  procedure  is  to  admit  a 
little  air  constantly  at  the  top  of  the  house,  and  above  50deg 
it  should  be  increased  correspondingly  with  the  temperature. 
Do  not  allow  a  decline  below  50deg  in  the  daytime,  sufficient 
artificial  heat  being  employed  for  that  purpose,  and  with  sun 
heat  an  advance  may  be  allowed  to  65deg,  closing  for  the  day 
before  the  heat  has'  receded  to  below  55deg.  A  temperature 
of  40deg  to  45deg  at  night  is  ample,  or  in  mild  weather  50deg. 
When  the  flowers  are  advanced  so  as  to  show  the  anthers, 
cease  syringing,  but  afford  a  moderate  amount  of  air  moisture 
by  damping  the  borders,  paths,  and  walls  in  the  morning  and 
afternoons  of  fine  days.  Avoid  a  close,  moist  atmosphere  at  any 
time,  especially  at  night.  Examine  the  inside  border,  making 
sure  that  there  is  no  deficiency  of  moisture.  If  necessary,  afford 
a  supply  of  water  or  liquid  manure  to  weakly  trees.  The  surface 
soil  is  often  deceptive,  being  kept  moist  by  syringing,  therefore 
supply  enough  to  moisten  the  soil  through  to  the  drainage,  for 
surface  moistening  does  little  good.  Trees  often  have  weakly 
blossoms,  and  fail  to  set  the  fruit,  in  consequence  of  water  being 
given  to  the  tops  of  the  trees  instead  of  to  the  roots.  Remember 
a  sodden  soil  is  just  as  bad,  or  worse,  than  a  dry  one;  as  it 
promotes  a  sappy,  unfruitful  growth  and  disease,  therefore  guard 
against  extremes  either  way.  If  there  be  a  superabundance  of 
blossom  buds,  remove  those  on  the  under  side  of  the  trellis  or 
shoots  by  drawing  the  hand  the  reverse  way  of  the  growths. 
This  will  materially  assist  the  swelling  of  the  remaining  buds. 
If  there  be  any  trace  of  aphides,  fumigate  the  house  on  two  or 
three  consecutive  evenings.  Protect  the  outside  border  with 
leaves  and  litter,  but  not  so  thick  as  to  heat,  for  the  roots  cannot 
work  in  frozen  soil. 
SECOND  FORCED  HOUSE.— If  the  trees  are  very  early 
varieties,  such  as  Alexander,  Waterloo,  Early  Beatrice,  Early 
Louise,  and  Early  Leopold  Peaches,  Cardinal  and  Advance  Nec¬ 
tarines,  fruit  may  be  had  early  in  May  by  starting  the  trees  at 
the  new  year,  but  if  the  trees  are  such  as  Hales’  Early,  Dr.  Hogg, 
Early  Alfred,  A  Bee,  Stirling  Castle,  _  Royal  George,  Dymond, 
or  Grosse  Mignonne  Peaches,  Early  Rivers,  Lord  Napier,  Stan- 
wick  Elruge,  and  Humboldt  Nectarines,  the  fruit  will  not  ripen 
until  May  is  well  advanced,  or  early  in  June.  This  must  be 
taken  into  consideration  by  growers.  In  either  case  the  house 
where  the  trees  have  not  been  forced  before  must  be  closed  at 
once.  Fire  heat  must  only  be  used  to  exclude  frost,  the  trees 
being  sprinkled  occasionally,  or  on  fine  days  in  the  morning  and 
afternoon,  allowing  time  for  them  to  become  fairly  dry  before 
night.  Keeping  the  trees  constantly  dripping  with  moisture, 
especially  at  night,  enfeebles  the  blossoms,  and  is  provocative 
of  wood-bud  rather  than  of  blossom-bud  development.  Do  not 
allow  the  temperature  to  exceed  50deg  in  the  daytime  without 
full  ventilation.  Supply  water  or  liquid  manure  to  inside 
borders,  and  protect  outside  with  some  leaves  and  a  little  litter 
over  them. 
SUCCESSION  HOUSES.— Where  the  roof-lights  are  move- 
able,  it  is  much  the  best  plan  to  remove  them,  and  expose  the 
trees  to  the  elements  for  the  winter,  the  wood  being  thoroughly 
ripe.  This  is  inimical  to  many  insects,  especially  brown  scale, 
and  the  trees  are  insured  complete  rest  and  thorough  moistening 
of  the  border.  Even  the  latest  and  unheated  houses  are  best 
treated  in  that  way,  often  having  the  effect  of  causing  trees 
to  retain  their  buds,  which  cast  them  under  fixed  roots,  and  the 
blossoms  are  generally  finer  on  trees  that  are  exposed  than  on 
those  that  are  kept  constantly  evaporating  from  the  young  wood 
through  the  time  they  are  at  rest  under  fixed  roots,  or  when 
they  are  subjected  to  alternating  rests  and  excitements.  \\  here 
plants  are  grown  in  the  houses,  the  fogs  and  damp  or  \\  inter,, 
with  the  drenching  rains  and  snow,  suit  Peaches  and  Nectarines 
in  well-drained  soil,  the  trees  being  invigorated  and  the  soil 
enriched.  If  the  houses  have  fixed  roofs,  ventilate  to  the  tullest 
extent  in  all  but  very  severe  weather.  Proceed  with  the  pruning 
bringing  matters  to  a  close  in  respect  of  cleansing  the  house  and, 
trees  as  soon  as  possible. — St.  Albans. 
The  Kitchen  GardeD. 
MANURING  GROUND. — In  suitable  weather,  hard  frosty 
days  being  the  best,  it  is  desirable  to  wheel  manure  on  to  the 
plots  of  ground  which  it  is  necessary  to  enrich.  The  manure 
should  be  placed  on  the  ground  in  sufficient  quantity  so  as  to. 
avoid  running  short  when  the  ground  is  dug  or  trenched.  the 
particular  crops  to  be  grown  in  certain  positions  ought  to  be 
decided  upon,  for,  by  so  doing,  the  amount  of  manure  required 
can  be  readily  judged.  For  Peas,  Beans,  Onions,  Spinach,  Cauli¬ 
flower,  Cabbage,  Lettuce,  and  Potatoes,  liberal  supplies  of 
decomposed  manure  of  any  kind  may  be  incorporated  with  the 
soil  For  root  crops,  including  Carrots,  Parsnips,  Beetroot, 
manure  is  best  not  added  to  the  soil  at  all  except  it  is  placed  in 
the  lower  layers  of  trenched  ground.  Mixing  manure  m  the 
upper  layers  causes  root  crops  to  grow  forked,  spoiling  their 
appearance  and  usefulness.  Mixed  farmyard  manure  is  the  best 
for  the  generality  of  soils  and  crops.  For  light  and  sandy  soil, 
however,  the  best  manure  is  cow  manure,  while  tor  heavy  and 
adhesive  ground  stable  manure  is-  more  appropriate,  and  it  may¬ 
be  used  in  a  comparatively  fresh  condition.  The  strongest 
and  richest  manure  may  be  worked  into  the  soil  tor  Unions, 
Cabbage,  Cauliflowers,  Peas,  and  Beans. 
TRENCHING  AND  DIGGING. — Trenching  is  one  of  the  best 
methods  of  improving  soil,  and  some  part  of  the  kitchen  garden 
ought  each  year  to  receive  this  special  attention,  tor  it  loosens 
the  soil  to  a  good  depth,  and  renders  more  food  available. 
Moisture,  too,  in  the  ground  is  longer  held  than  when  only 
prepared  in  a  shallow  manner,  leaving  the  subsoil  unbroken. 
There  are  two  methods,  however,  of  trenching.  One  is  to 
reverse  the  top  and  bottom  layers  pf  soil,  the  other  is  to  move 
both,  but  keep  the  layers  in  their  original  positions,  the  details 
in  managing  this  are  not  difficult  to  carry  out.  I  irstof  all  divide 
a  plot  of  ground  into  two  equal  parts.  At  the  end  of  one  division 
take  out  a  trench  2ft  deep,  placing  the  material  at  the  same  end 
of  the  other  division.  The  bottom  of  the  trench  must  be  broken 
up  and  left.  Next  mark  out  another  trench  of  the  same  width, 
and  remove  one  foot  or  spit  from  this,  adding  the  material  to  the 
heap  at  the  end  of  the  other  division.  Place  a  liberal  dressing 
of  manure  on  the  loosened  bottom  of  the  first  trench,  and  move 
the  second  spit  of  the  second  trench  on  the  manure  m  the  first. 
Loosen  the  bottom  of  second  trench,  manure  and  mark  out  the 
third  trench.  The  top  spit  from  this  should  fill  up  the  first 
