40i 
JOURXAL  -  C/F  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
May  18,  1899. 
of  the  last  annual  meeting  staled  that  some  notice  should  be  taken  of 
the  services  of  the  Hon.  Secretaries,  the  Committee  felt  the  present 
time  a  fitting  opportunity,  at  least  in  Mr.  Mackereth’s  case.  Mr. 
Hodgson  in  making  the  presentation  referred  to  it  as  a  pleasing  duty. 
He  had  the  greatest  possible  pleasure  in  presenting  to  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
IMackereth  the  pretty  set  of  flower  vases,  and  he  hoped  that  they 
might  be  long  spared  to  have  Roses  and  flowers  to  fill  them.  Mr. 
I\lackereth  expressed  his  deep  gratitude  for  the  gift,  saying  that  what 
he  had  done  was  because  he  loved  the  flowers,  and  that  he  was  always 
willing  to  work  for  the  good  of  the  Community. 
The  pre.sentation  consisted  of  a  solid  silver  Rose  bowl,  standing 
upon  an  ebony  plinth,  with  cover  for  fixing  and  displaying  flowers ; 
and  two  solid  silver  “  specimen  ”  vases,  all  very  beautifully  embossed, 
and  of  excellent  design  and  workmanship. 
The  Committee  is  considering  the  advisability  of  holding  a 
Chrysanthemum  Show  in  the  district,  Mr.  Keiller,  of  Conishead 
Priory,  promising  to  stage  150  or  200  blooms.  The  usual  votes  closed 
the  proceedings. — R.  P.  R. 
NOTES  ON  FORCED  FIGS. 
Earliest  Trees  in  Pots. 
After  the  fruit  forming  the  first  ciop  is  cleared  from  the  trees, 
recourse  must  be  had  to  syringing  twice  a  day,  also  watering  copiously  at 
the  roots  with  guano  or  other  form  of  all-round  liquid  manure.  That 
from  manure  heaps  and  stable  tanks  will  bo  improved  by  a  little  superphos¬ 
phate,  about  an  ounce  to  a  gallon  of  liquor.,  This  will  enable  the  trees  to 
make  more  vigorous  growth,  and  it  is  essential  that  the  second  crop  be 
w'ell  nourished,  and  the  w'ood  not  over-burdened  with  fruit.  If  the  second 
crop  fruits  show  very  abundantly,  they  must  be  thinned,  leaving  those  at 
the  base  of  the  current  year’s  growth  fur  the  crop,  and  not  too  many  even 
there,  as  the  vigour  must  not  all  be  expended  on  this,  or  the  first  crop 
next  year  will  be  prejudiced. 
Trees  ripening  their  fruits  should  have  lessened  supplies  of  water  at 
the  roots,  but  still  afford  sufficient  to  keep  the  foliage  in  good  health, 
and  discontinue  syringing  the  trees.  A  circulation  of  warm  air  is  necessary 
for  the  colouring  process,  leaving  the  top  ventilators  open  a  little  at 
night,  the  highest  coloured  fruit  being  the  best  flavoured. 
Planted-out  Trees. 
The  first  crop  of  Figs  on  the  earliest  started  trees  are  now  ripening, 
and  until  it  is  perfected,  a  little  ventilation  should  be  allowed  constantly 
at  the  top  of  the  house,  and  whenever  the  weather  is  favourable  a  free 
circulation  of  warm,  rather  dry  air  must  be  afforded.  Cease  syringing 
the  trees  directly  the  fruit  commences  to  ripen,  and  avoid  a  superabundance 
of  moisture  about  the  house,  but  a  moderate  amount  is  necessary  for  the 
health  of  the  foliage.  If  a  good  watering  is  given  at  that  time,  and 
the  surface  of  the  border  is  mulched,  it  will  lessen  the  need  of  water 
during  the  ripening  process  ;  but  trees  with  only  limited  space  for  the 
roots  w’ill  need  occasional  supplies,  and  none  must  be  neglected  if 
necessity  arise  for  the  application. 
Succession  Houses. 
Attention  will  be  needed  in  stopping  the  young  shoots  at  the  fifth  or 
sixth  leaf,  to  induce  a  sturdy  habit  and  shoots  at  the  right  place  and 
proper  length  for  furnishing  the  trees  with  bearing  wood  evenly  in  every 
part.  Crowding,  however,  should  be  avoided  by  removing  growths  that 
cannot  have  ample  room  for  development  and  exposure  of  the  foliage  to 
light  and  air,  rubbing  off  such  growths  early.  When  the  shoots  are 
sturdy  and  short-jointed  the  terminals  or  extension  growths  should  not 
be  stopped,  and  only  a  judicious  number  of  the  side  shoots  be  pinched  to 
form  spurs. 
Strong-growing  and  long-jointed  sappy  wood  is  best  removed,  but  if 
the  trees  produce  much  of  that  they  ought  to  be  marked  for  lifting  and 
root-pruning,  or  they  may  have  the  growth  checked  by  taking  out  a 
trench  down  to  the  drainage,  cutting  off  the  roots  at  about  one-third  the 
oi  tance  from  the  stem  the  branches  cover  of  trellis.  This  will  give  a 
sudden  check,  and  the  trees  responding  by  concentrating  their  forces  on 
leproduction,  fruitfulness  ensues,  and  the  fruit  is  aided  in  developing  by 
thi  fibrous  root  action  induced.  Do  not  give  so  severe  a  check  as  to 
cause  the  leaves  to  fall,  but  when  done  judiciously  summer  root-pruning 
is  better  than  winter,  as  a  year  is  gained.  Attend  to  syringing  the  trees 
twice  daily’,  and  water  abundantly  at  the  roots  as  often  as  required, 
employing  weak  liquid  manure,  especially  where  the  borders  are  small. 
Unheated  Houses. 
T^o  trees  are  showing  good  crops,  and  will  with  favourable  weather 
afford  an  acceptable  supply  of  fruit  in  August  and  September.  The  roots 
being  confined  to  narrow  and  well  drained  borders  inside  the  house,  they 
will  require  copious  supplies  of  water,  and  the  trees  will  need  syringing 
twice  a  day  in  fine  weather.  In  cloudy  weather  the  afternoon  syringing 
may  be  dispensed  with,  and  in  bright  it  may  be  performed  early,  with  all 
the  solar  heat  that  can  be  shut  in  to  secure  the  prop“r  drying  of  the 
foliage  before  nightfall.  The  young  growths  should  be  trained  a  good 
distance  apart,  so  as  to  admit  light  and  air  freely  to  the  wood  for  insuring 
Its  ripening.  Avoid  close  stopping  without  due  attention  to  disbudding, 
as  the  results  are  the  production  of  a  number  of  late  growths,  which  do 
not  get  properly  matured  before  the  leaves  fall.  The  best  course  is  to 
secure  firm,  sturdy,  short-jointed  wood.  Allow  the  points  of  the  shoots 
^  grow  up  to  the  glass,  and  they  will  then  form  abundance  ■  of  embryo 
Figs  ready  for  swelling  in  the  spring, — Grower. 
AN  AMATEUR’S  GREENHOUSE. 
1  AM  not  a  little  proud  of  the  achievements  of  my  small  green¬ 
house,  and  I  think  that  I  have  a  right  to  be  so,  for  throughout  the 
year  I  have  always  plants  in  flower ;  at  times  it  is  quite  gay,  while 
there  is  always  in  it  something  to  admire,  and  in  the  hope  of  encourag¬ 
ing  others  to  work  on  the  same  lines,  and  to  obtain  a  like  amount  of 
pleasure  as  myself,  I  think  it  may  be  useful  to  say  wlat  it  has  lately 
contained,  what  has  preceded  these,  and  what  I  hop3  will  follow 
after  ;  and  first,  let  me  give  a  description  ot  the  house  itself. 
It  is  20  feet  long,  a  span  roof  of  12  feet  wide ;  there  is  a  path 
running  down  the  centre  formed  of  battens,  under  which  pots  may 
be  stowed,  and  bulbs  that  have  done  flowering  may  be  placed 
until  they  are  thoroughly  ripened.  On  each  side  there  is  a  stage 
4  feet  wide  and  about  4  feet  from  the  ground ;  over  the  pathway, 
during  winter,  shelves  are  laid,  on  which  nuny  things  are  placed.  The 
house  is  heated  by  an  old-fashioned  flue — of  course,  I  am  aware,  not  as 
pleasant  as  hot  water,  but  in  a  place  like  thi.«,  where  water  is  so  charged 
with  chalk  that  we  have  great  difficulty  in  keeOi'g  our  kitchen  range 
clear,  the  same  reason  which  induced  me  not  to  heat  the  church  with 
hot  water  has  led  me  to  adopt  the  flue  plan  of  heating. 
Adjoining  the  greenhouse  is  a  lean-to  of  about  12  feet  long,  which 
is  not  heated,  and  is  really  a  sort  of  lumber  room  for  plants  when  out 
of  bloom  and  for  others  which  may  be  coming  on.  In  addition  to 
these  I  have  a  few  frames  which  one  way  or  another  give  me  some 
help  in  furnishing  the  house.  I  have  just  had  the  lumber  house  filled 
with  a  plentiful  supply  of  spring  flowering  bulbs — Hyacinths,  Freesias, 
Narcissi,  Lachenalias,  and  Tulips.  These  have  all  now  done  their 
duty  for  this  year,  and  the  very  early  ones,  such  as  the  Paper  VI  hite 
Narcissus,  Roman  Hyacinths,  and  early  Jonquils,  are  regarded  as 
annuals,  and  are  thrown  away  when  their  time  for  blooming  is  over. 
The  exhibition  Hyacinths,  of  which  I  grow  about  three  dezen,  are  either 
turned  out  into  the  border  or  given  to  friends  to  ornament  their  gardens. 
Trop^olum  tricolorum. 
I  now  come  to  what  may  be  called  the  second  act  of  this  drama, 
and  will  try  to  give  an  idea  of  what  the  house  is  at  present.  Azaleas, 
Fuchsias,  Cyclamens,  Polygala  Dalmaisiana,  Doronicums,  Cinerarias, 
Sparaxis,  Ixias,  Salvias,  Acacias,  Tropseolums,  Arums,  Schizanthus, 
Agathea,  Primula  obconica,  Primula  verticillata,  Babianas,  Erios- 
temon.  Iris  Morea,  Aphelexis,  Disa  grandiflora,  and  T)iaa  Veitchi.  I 
have  three  plants  of  the  Tropseolum  tricolorum,  which  are  now  profusely 
covered  with  bloom.  It  is  very  odd  that  this  plant  is  .so  seldom  seen, 
for  it  is  of  very  easy  culture,  and  forms  a  beautiful  and  striking 
object  when  in  flower.  My  tubers,  after  they  have  done  flowering,  I 
place  under  the  stage,  and  there  they  remain  until  the  autumn,  and  as 
soon  as  their  slender  white  shoots  show  themselves,  they  are  potted  in 
a  light  mixture  of  peat,  leaf  mould,  a  little  loam,  and  some  sand.  They 
make  additional  tubers  every  year,  and  these  I  am  glad  to  give  away, 
as  I  have  not  room  for  more  than  the  three  jilants. 
Azaleas. 
1  have  a  few  nice  plants  of  Azaleas,  and  as  I  think  it  is  always  as 
well  to  have  good  things  which  do  not  take  up  more  room  than 
indifferent  ones,  I  select  some  of  the  best  Belgian  varieties ;  in  fact, 
the  old  English  raised  sorts  seem  to  have  been  superseded  by  these 
newer  varieties.  The  great  mountains  of  bloom  which  we  used  to  see  at 
our  metropolitan  shows  are  completely  gone,  and  the  Belgian  varieties, 
which  are  so  free  blooming  and  so  delicate  and  brilliant '  in  their 
colouring,  have  taken  their  place.  My  plants  are  about  18  inches  high, 
and  the  same  across,  and  I  am  obliged  occasionally  to  get  rid  of 
them  and  get  smaller  plants.  How  do  I  grow  them  ?  After  they 
have  done  flowering  I  sometimes  repot  them,  but  not  always,  and  then 
place  them  in  the  annexe  to  which  I  have  alluded.  After  they  have 
made  their  fresh  growth  I  put  them  out  of  doors,  protecting  them 
from  heavy  rains  and  not  in  a  very  sunny  position,  and  there  they 
remain  during  the  summer,  and  when  the  autumn  rams  commence 
they  are  moved  under  cover.  I  do  not  think  it  is  well  to  repot  these 
hardwooded  plants  annually,  at  least  for  such  purposes  as  I  require 
them ;  in  fact  I  have  left  them  for  two  or  three  years  and  still  my 
plants  are  covered  with  bloom.  I  at  one  time  grew  some  Azalea  mollis, 
but  I  have  been  obliged,  owing  to  want  of  space,  to  give  them  up. 
Doronicums  and  Salvias. 
I  find  Doronicum  austriacum  a  very  useful  dw’arf,  hardy,  yellow 
flowering  plant  for  brightening  up  the  house  at  this  early  season.  It 
is  perfectly  hardy,  and  when  the  plants  have  flowered  I  remove  them 
from  the  house,  divide  them,  and  plant  them  in  some  shady  place  in 
the  open  border,  from  whence  they  are  lifted  in  the  late  autumn, 
potted,  and  put  into  a  cold  frame  until  a  place  is  ready  for  them  in 
the  greenhouse.  I  have  two  or  three  p’ants  of  Salvia  splendens, 
which  are  most  useful  during  the  winter,  and  which,  although  they  are 
still  in  flower,  have  pretty  well  fulfilled  their  mission.  The  same 
exigency,  want  of  space,  compels  me  to  grow  only  small  plants,  and 
then  turn  them  out  into  the  border,  and  prepare  fresh  plants  from 
cuttings.  Callas  I  referred  to  on  page  370. 
