134 
February  16,  1899. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
THE  YOUNG  GARDENERS’  DOMAIN. 
Musheoom  Culture. 
MugHROOMS  if  well  grown  will  prove  very  profitable,  and  no  doubt  a 
few  notes  on  their  culture  will  be  found  useful  to  readers  of  the  Domain. 
There  are  several  different  methods  of  procedure,  but  this  article  refers 
to  those  grown  in  cold  houses. 
The  material  to  use  for  making  the  bed  should  consist  of  fresh  horse 
manure  with  plenty  of  straw  in  evidence,  merely  removing  the  very 
longest,  adding  one  load  of  tan  to  every  five  loads  of  manure,  which  will 
cause  it  to  retain  its  heat  for  a  longer  period.  Some  prefer  removing  as 
much  of  the  straw  as  possible,  but  I  am  of  opinion  that  if  this  is  done 
there  is  not  sufficient  heat  to  make  the  spawn  run  well.  Tnrn  the 
material  alternate  days  to  sweeten  it  and  dissipate  rank  steam,  and  if  in 
any  way  dry  apply  water,  but  on  no  account  drench  it.  To  tell  if  it  be 
either  too  wet  or  dry,  take  a  handful  and  press  it  together,  and  if  in 
proper  condition  it  will  hold  together  without  any  water  coming  from  it. 
When  the  material  has  been  properly  sweetened  the  bed  should  be 
made  forthwith  in  the  form  of  a  ridge,  it  being  2  feet  9  inches  in  breadth 
at  the  base  and  the  same  in  height,  allowing  4  inches  across  the  top, 
with  no  limit  as  regards  length,  making  firm  with  a  fork  as  the  work 
proceeds.  Place  a  thermometer  in  the  bed  to  obtain  the  correct  tempe¬ 
rature,  and  when  the  heat  is  falling  and  gets  to  75°  spawning  should  be 
done  without  delay,  using  pieces  the  size  of  hens'  eggs  a  foot  apart  all 
over  the  bed  and  an  inch  deep.  When  this  part  has  been  performed  place 
an  inch  of  soil  over  the  bed,  beating  well  with  the  back  of  a  spade  to 
make  the  surface  smooth.  Cover  the  bed  with  clean  straw,  more  or  less 
according  to  the  weather. 
From  three  to  four  weeks  after  spawning  it  can  be  plainly  seen  if  the 
spawn  has  done  its  work,  as  if  so,  the  bed  will  look  as  it  were  covered 
with  white  threads,  and  if  it  appears  to  be  dry,  give  a  watering,  using 
warm,  soft  water.  In  another  fortnight  Mushrooms  will  be  ready  to 
gather,  and  in  doing  so  pull  all  the  stems  out  of  the  bed  with  them  ;  do 
not,  on  any  account,  cut  them  and  leave  the  stumps  on  the  bed,  for  they  will 
decay  and  cause  those  growing  round  it  to  decay  also.  Watering  should 
be  attended  to  w  hen  necessary,  using  judgment  in  the  matter.  A  little 
salt  mixed  with  the  water  will  often  be  found  beneficial.  When  the 
weather  is  bright,  it  is  good  practice  to  remove  part  of  the  straw,  giving  the 
bed  a  light  watering  with  a  very  fine  rose  water-can,  and  cover  again  as 
scon  as  it  is  done. 
Mice  and  woodlice  are  often  troublesome  to  the  Mushroom  grower. 
The  former  can  easily  be  got  rid  of  with  ordinary  traps,  while  for 
the  latter  I  have  found  it  a  good  plan  to  place  flower  pots  filled  with 
sweet  horse  droppings  on  their  sides  close  to  the  bed,  examining  every 
few  days,  when  woodlice  in  great  numbers  will  be  found  lodged  amongst 
it,  and  may  be  readily  destroyed. — P,  R. 
The  Melon. 
The  Melon  still  holds  its  own  on  the  dessert  table,  and  well  ripened 
highly  flavoured  fruits  are  always  in  demand.  The  method  of  culture  and 
the  structures  in  which  the  plants  have  to  be  grown  will,  to  a  large 
extent,  determine  the  time  of  sowing.  For  the  earliest  crops  grown  in 
heated  pits  seeds  can  be  sown  singly  in  3-inch  pots  the  first  or  second  week 
in  February,  using  a  compost  of  two  parts  fibrous  loam  and  one  part  of 
decayed  manure.  After  sowing,  the  pots  ought  to  be  plunged  in  a 
temperature  of  75°  or  80°,  giving  no  water  until  germination  has  taken 
place.  When  the  young  plants  have  attained  a  height  of  4  or  5  inches, 
fill  the  pots  with  soil,  previously  warmed,  place  a  neat  stake  to  each 
plant  to  prevent  damage,  and  stand  them  on  a  shelf  where  they  can 
receive  as  much  light  as  possible.  If  the  plants  are  to  be  trained  to  a 
trellis  in  a  house  no  stopping  will  be  required. 
About  a  fortnight  or  three  weeks  prior  to  the  plants  being  ready  for 
their  fruiting  quarters,  the  compost  should  be  prepared  and  the  hou^e 
made  ready.  Wash  the  glass  and  woodwork  and  limewash  the  walls,  if 
this  has  not  already  been  done,  and  the  bed  or  mounds  may'  then  be  put 
in.  The  compost  in  which  they  are  to  grow  may  consist  of  four  parts  of 
heavy  loam,  one  part  each  of  spent  hotbed  manure  and  lime  rubbish,  a 
lew  wood  ashes,  and  a  little  soot.  From  the  time  the  plants  are  finally 
put  out  they  will  require  careful  and  constant  attention,  airing,  watering, 
lying,  and  pinching  the  lateral  growths  whenever  necessary. 
The  night  temperature  must  not  be  allowed  to  fall  below  65°,  with  a 
rise  during  the  day  of  10°  by  fire,  or  20°  by  sun  heat.  In  admitting  air, 
the  cultivator  must  be  guided  by  external  conditions  ;  if  these  be  favour¬ 
able  a  little  air  may  be  admitted  by  the  top  sashes,  when  the  thermometer 
stands  at  80°,  increasing  the  amount  as  the  internal  and  external  heat 
rises  ;  but  care  should  be  taken  to  avoid  all  cold  draughts,  or  injury  will 
be  done  to  the  tender  young  plants.  The  house  must  be  closed  early  in 
the  afternoon,  so  as  to  obtain  the  full  benefit  of  the  sun  heat,  and  if  after 
closing  the  temperature  rise  by  sun  heat  to  90°  or  100°  no  harm  will  be 
done,  provided  there  is  ample  atmospheric  moisture.  If  the  plants  require 
water  at  the  roots  it  should  be  given  at  closing  time,  when  the  house  is 
damped  down  ;  and  if  the  day  be  fine  the  plants  may  be  well  syringed  to 
keep  down  aphis  and  other  insect  pests,  taking  care  that  the  water  is  of 
the  same  temperature  as  the  house. 
Attention  must  be  given  to  training.  Until  the  plants  have  reached 
the  trellis  all  laterals  should  be  pinched  off,  but  from  that  time  the 
laterals  may  be  allowed  to  grow  until  the  fruits  appear,  when  they 
should  be  stopped  one  leaf  beyond,  also  pinching  the  sublaterals  at  one 
leaf.  The  stopping  of  the  laterals  will  cause  the  flowers  to  open  rapidly, 
and  these  will  require  fertilising.  Some  growers  defer  fertilisation  until 
a  sufficient  number  of  flowers  are  open  to  form  a  crop,  and  then  commence 
the  operation,  with  a  view  to  giving  the  fruits  an  even  start,  and  so  being 
able  to  ripen  them  at  one  time.  For  the  market  grower  this  may  be 
advantageous,  but  to  the  private  gardener  no  advantage  can  accrue. 
When  the  fruits  are  about  three  parts  grown,  they  can  be  sup¬ 
ported  by  strips  of  raffia,  nets,  or  other  material  to  prevent  them  from 
being  broken  off.  As  the  fruits  attain  maturity  and  commence  ripening, 
they  will  require  an  abundance  of  air,  a  little  with  advantage  being  left 
on  all  night ;  while  less  moisture  both  at  the  roots  and  in  the  air  will  be 
needed,  though  the  roots  should  not  be  allowed  to  become  too  dry.  If  the 
fruits  are  to  be  kept  any  length  of  time  or  to  be  packed  and  sent  away, 
they  should  be  cut  a  day  or  two  before  they  are  fully  ripe,  as  so  doing 
they  will  keep  longer,  travel  better,  and  their  flavour  will  be  improved. 
There  are  many  varieties,  and  each  cultivator  has  his  own  particular 
favourites,  but  the  following  will  be  found  very  good — Hero  of  Lockinge, 
Royal  Favourite,  Eastnor  Castle,  Blenheim  Orange,  Invincible,  and 
Sutton’s  Scarlet. — S.  P. 
HARDY  FRUIT  GARDEN. 
Planting  Fruit  Trees.  —  During  open  dry  weather  in  the  course  of 
the  present  month  fruit  trees  of  all  kinds  may  be  planted  with  the 
certainty  that  they  will  grow  satisfactorily  during  the  summer.  Spring 
planting  is  not  equal  to  autumn,  but  still  some  time  is  saved  by  planting 
now  instead  of  delaying  it  until  the  following  autumn  if  the  ground  is  in 
good  condition,  and  the  trees  or  bushes  are  well  grown  and  fibrous  rooted. 
The  soil  on  which  trees  or  bushes  are  planted  should  have  been 
thoroughly  well  prepared  in  autumn  by  deep  digging  and  adding  suitable 
material  for  improving  it.  Ground  prepared  now  ought  not  to  have 
animal  manure  introduced,  as  this  will  cause  rank  and  succulent  growth, 
which  is  undesirable.  Heavy  soil  must  be  thoroughly  broken  up,  adding 
old  mortar  or  road  scrapings  to  improve  it.  Comparatively  poor  soil 
would  be  greatly  benefited  by  the  addition  of  fertile?' loam.  Light  soil 
may  have  marl  or  clay  introduced  if  of  an  unusually  sandy  character,  and 
must  be  well  compressed  before  planting. 
Trees  and  bushes  for  planting  should  have  especial  care  taken  of  the 
roots  from  the  time  they  are  received  from  the  nurserv.  It  does  not  do 
to  let  them  be  out  of  the  ground  long  uncovered.  The  drying  of  the 
roots  will,  more  than  anything  else,  cause  unsatisfactory  growth  if  any. 
Remove  the  packing  material  at  once,  and  should  the  roots  from  unavoid¬ 
able  causes  have  become  dried,  plunge  them  in  water  for  some  hours, 
after  which  lay  them  in  a  trench  and  cover  with  soil  to  await  the  final 
planting.  Where  the  trees  or  bushes  have  only  to  be  lifted  and  replanted 
in  permanent  positions  the  lifting  ought  to  be  deferred  until  every¬ 
thing  is  ready  for  the  planting. 
Examine  the  roots  before  planting,  cutting  smoothly  all  bruised  ends, 
and  shorten  long  and  strong  roots.  Preserve  every  healthy  fibre,  spread¬ 
ing  the  whole  out  carefully,  and  cover  them,  from  the  stem  outwards, 
with  fine  soil.  Make  firm,  and  stake  the  trees  at  once,  which  will  prevent 
wind  moving.  A  mulch  of  short  manure  should  be  spread  on  the  surface 
as  a  means  of  arresting  evaporation  from  the  soil. 
Pruning  Gooseberries.— Gooseberry  bushes  require  annual  thinning 
out  of  the  growths  previous  to  the  buds  commencing  to  push.  Close  spur 
pruning  is  not  necessary  with  bushes,  which  ought  to  be  grown  in  a  free 
manner,  arid  not  have  the  bearing  wood  cut  away.  Some  of  the  older 
branches  and  partially  worn-out  shoots  may  well  be  dispensed  with.  Thin 
out  the  rank  wood  in  the  centre  of  bushes,  and  shoots  that  are  incon¬ 
veniently  near  the  ground  cut  entirely  away.  The  aim  of  the  pruner  must 
be  to  judiciously  thin  out  and  leave  shapely  bushes.  On  walls  and  trellises- 
permanent  branches  are  trained  at  equal  distances.  Each  year  the  side 
growths  are  shortened  back  to  two  or  three  buds,  forming  spurs.  Dead  or 
worn-out  branches  must  be  renewed  by  training  in  fresh  growths  from 
the  base. 
Pruning  Currants.— Red  and  white  Currants  as  bushes,  or  trained  on 
walls  and  trellises,  are  pruned  in  closely' — that  is,  the  side  growths  are 
shortened  to  a  few  buds  at  the  annual  pruning.  Bushes  must  not  be 
crowded  with  too  many  principal  branches,  five  to  seven  usually  being 
enough  for  forming  productive  trees. 
Black  Currants  should  be  grown  in  a  less  restricted  manner.  The 
pruning  of  these  may  be  confined  to  cutting  out  the  oldest  wood  and 
encouraging  vigorous  young  wood,  distributed  evenly  over  the  bushes. 
The  best  truit  is  borne  on  well-ripened  young  shoots. 
After  pruning  is  completed  Gooseberries  and  Currants  may  be  freely 
dusted  on  a  damp  day  wiih  lime  or  soot,  or  both  combined.  This  will 
have  a  cleansing  effect  on  the  bushes,  and  also  serve  to  protect  the  buds 
against  birds. 
Strawberries. — If  the  cleansing  of  Strawberry  beds  was  omitted  in 
autumn  it  ought  to  be  attended  to  now  without  further  delay.  Detach 
the  runners  from  the  principal  crowns,  and  then  hoe  or  fork  up  along 
with  weeds.  The  ground  between  the  plants  should  receive  a  liberal 
mulching  of  manure,  which  does  not  require  to  be  dug  in,  but  allowed  to 
remain  on  the  surface. 
Beds  cleansed  and  dressed  in  autumn  may  now  have  the  loose  material 
raked  off,  and  be  lightly  pointed  over  with  the  fork,  but  not  injuring  the 
