144 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
February  12,  1903. 
Notes  on  Fruit. 
Pineapples. 
The  plants  recently  started  into  fruit  rvill,  especially  Queens, 
if  in  good  condition  at  the  roots  produce  strong  suckers.  When 
these  are  large  enough  to  handle,  all,  except  one  sucker  to  each 
plant,  should  have  the  growth  checked,  rvhen  not  removable  en¬ 
tirely,  by  taking  out  the  centres  with  a  chisel-like  iron  rod.  To 
supplement  the  autumn-potted  plants  select  others  which  have 
been  wintered  in  7in  or  Sin  pots,  choosing  the  most  vigorous 
plants.  The  remainder  of  such  plants  may  be  reserved  until  the 
general  spring  potting,  when  they  should  be  shaken  out  and 
treated  like  suckers. 
Procure  good  fibrous  loam  with  the  herbage  reduced,  or  if  used 
fresh  it  should  be  heated  in  a  flue  so  as  to  kill  the  grass  and  any 
herbage  it  may  contain,  and  when  tom  up  in  suitable  compost  add 
a  quart  of  soot  to  every  bushel  and  a  pint  of  superphosphate. 
If  the  turf  has  been  laid  up  it  must  be  placed  under  cover  some 
little  time  before  using  to  become  dried.  Drain  the  pots 
moderately  but  efficiently,  dusting  with  wood  ashes  or  soot,  so  as 
to  exclude  worms,  which  is  done  effectively  by  using  Poi'ter’s  Ex¬ 
cluder,  and  keeping  the  pots  well  down  in  the  pots ;  ram  the  soil 
firmly  round  the  roots,  leaving  sufficient  space  to  admit  copious 
.supplies  of  water  when  necessary.  For  Queens,  lOin  pots  are 
suitable,  and  llin  or  12in  pots  for  varieties  of  stronger  or  more 
robust  growth.  A  temperature  of  GOdeg  to  Godeg  will  be  suffi¬ 
cient  for  these  plants,  also  for  those  potted  last  autumn,  and 
8()deg  to  85deg  at  the  roots. 
Plants  in  beds  about  to  be  started  into  fi’uit  must  not  have 
the  heat  over  90deg  or  95deg,  or  their  roots  will  be  injured.  It 
is  well  to  have'  the  heat  ascertained  bj'  a  thermometer  with  its 
bulb  level  with  the  base  of  the  pot.  If  sufficient  fruit  be  started 
to  meet  requirements,  later  successional  plants  may  be  advanced 
slowly,  they,  with  autumn-potted  suckers,  requiring  careful 
attention  in  watering,  efspecially  when  the  heat  is  supplied  by 
fermenting  materials. — Pbactice. 
Cucumbers. 
Plants  in  bearing  will  need  copious  supplies  of  water  and 
nourishment,  the  latter  being  supplied  in  the  form  of  top-dress¬ 
ings  or  liquid  manin-e  in  a  tepid  state.  The  thing  is  to  be  careful 
not  to  give  it  too  strong,  and  only  when  needed,  but  always 
before  the  plants  are  distressed  for  lack  of  it.  Perhaps  the  most 
telling  fertiliser  is  a  mixture  of  two  parts  phosphate  of  potash  ancl 
one  part  nitrate  of  ammonia,  ^oz  to  loz  of  the  mixture  per  gallon 
of  water,  but  both  sub.stances  are  too  expensive  for  profitable  use. 
Crop  lightly,  and  keep  the  plants  clean.  Avoid  overcrowding, 
keep  the  foliage  fairly  thin,  remove  bad  leaves  and  exhausted 
growths,  stopping  others  one  or  two  joints  beyond  the  fruit,  as 
space  allows  inaintaining  a  supply  of  young  growths  for  succes¬ 
sional  bearing. 
Melons. 
Bottom  heat  is  absolutely  necessary  to  succeed  in  the  culti¬ 
vation  of  early  Melons,  ancl  it  shouki  be  durable.  Hot-water 
pipes  are  the  best,  affording  a  regular  heat  when  sufficient  in 
amount.  A*et  a  good  result  can  be  had  from  fermenting  materials 
if  due  regard  is  paid  to  their  preparation.  Stable  litter  and  an 
ec]ual  proportion  of  Oak  or  Beech  leaves  are  suitable.  A  bottom 
heat  of  80deg  to  8odeg  is  necessary ;  that  from  dung  and  leave® 
.should  be  Sudeg  to  90cleg  at  the  commencement. 
A  ridge  or  hillock  of  soil  should  be  foi’ined  along  the  centre  of 
a  pit  or  of  a  light  for  a  frame,  or  along  two  sides  of  hot  water- 
heated  beds,  about  a  barrow-load  sufficing  for  a  hillock,  placing  in 
the  form  of  a  cone,  flattened  at  the  top  .so  as  to  give  about  12in 
depth  of  .soil.  When  this  is  warmed  through  a  plant  should  be 
turned  out  on  each,  affording  the  conditions  for  Cucumbers.  In¬ 
stead  of  planting  seedlings  out  too  soon,  shift  them  into  larger 
pots  as  re((uireci.  plunging  them  into  a  bottom  heat  of  80deg, 
securing  the  plants  to  small  stakes  and  rubbing  off  the  laterals 
whilst  C{uite  .small  to  the  height  of  trellis  or  the  bottom  wire. 
Plants  for  pits  and  frames  .shoiild  be  stopped  at  the  second  rough 
leaf,  and  they  are  best  planted  at  that  time  or  soon  afterwards. — 
G.  A. 
Field  Work  for  Women. 
,  The  Berlin  Society  for  Agricultural  Schools  for  Women  has 
just  commenced  its  work.  It  will  aid  daughters  of  the  higher 
classes  who  are  iu  reduced  circumstances  to  .study  agriculture 
by  placing  them  in  schools  provided  for  tlic  purpose  in  country 
districts.  At  present  two  schools  exist,  and  others  are  about  to 
be  added.  The  society  has  already  300  iuembers.  Many  young 
girls  in  Germany  are  now  taking  to  agriculture,  but  it  i.s  only 
the  .strongest  and  healthiest  who  can  stand  the  hardships, 
although  in  some  cases  quite  delicate  girls  have  been  known  to 
become  hardy  and  strong  after  a  few  months’  work  in  the  fields. 
Gadding  and  Gathering. 
“Here  awa’.  There  awa’.” 
One  obtains  a  comprehensive  insight  to  the  variations  which 
the  Chinese  Primrose  (Primula  sinensis)  assumes  under  culture 
when  one  is  privileged  to  view  a  collection  of  over  13,000  plants 
all  a-bloom  at  one  time,  such  as  can  be  seen  within  the  new 
plant  house  erected  by  Messrs.  Sutton  and  Sons  at  Reading. 
Here  we  have  the  opportunity  to  mark  the  many  forms  or 
varieties  of  this  amenable  plant  ;  some  Avith  “  ferny  ”  foliage, 
others  Avith  broad  spathulate  plain  leaves ;  some  Avith  leaA’es 
evenly  spread,  and  others  whose  foliage  Avould  groAV  vertically, 
and  so  form  another  type  did  not  the  groAver  discard  such  way- 
Avardly  divergent  rogues,  whose  habits  do  not  conform  to  hi.s 
ideals.  The  Avork  of  maintaining  a  pure  strain  Avithin  the  pre¬ 
scribed  standards  of  merit  is  very  interesting,  for  these  charm¬ 
ing  plants  seem  more  or  less  like  a  school  of  children,  who  easily 
depart  from  the  etiquette  of  the  teacher’s  code,  and  demand  un¬ 
ceasing  Augilance  that  they  go  not  astray. 
Sutton’s  Primulas- 
Amongst  the  Primulas  one  can  notice  a  .speedy  development 
among  the  star  or  .stellate  sorts;  but  this  is  easily  accounted 
for  in  the  fact  that  the  original  Chinese  Primrose  is  almost 
identical  to  the  star  type.  The  magnificent  floAvers  seen  on 
Sutton’s  Giant  White,  or  others  of  the  Giant  cla.ss,  have  neces¬ 
sitated  long  years  of  arduous  application  to  secure,  Avhereas  the 
stars  represent  a  small-floAverecl  section  AA’ith  pyramidal  branch¬ 
ing  habit. 
Hoav  many  types  of  the  Chinese  Primrose  are  there?  Three 
main  sections  are  cliA'isible  from  the  character  of  their  foliage  : 
1,  the  plain-leaved  (probably  the  handsomest  of  all);  2,  the 
Feni-leaved ;  and  3,  the  moss-curled  or  Parsley-leaved.  One 
could  .soon  add  another  to  this  set,  AAhich  would  be  called  the 
lA^-leaved  section  ;  but  as  this  form  finds  no  favour,  the  plant.s 
producing  “  Ic^y  leaves  ”  are  discarded.  Then,  apart-  from 
foliage,  tliere  is  the  stellate  section,  Avith  floAvers  single  and 
double ;  the  ordinary  floAvered  Primula  sinensis  in  doubles  and 
singles,  and  the  Giant  floAvered  doubles  and  singles.  One  could 
go  further  and  say  there  Avere  a  “  fringecl-edge  ”  section,  the 
flowers  of  Avhich  are  di.stinguished  by  a  finely  cut  fringe,  different 
from  the  ordinary  Avavy  and  crimpled  edge;  and  lastly  the  Car-; 
nation  fla,ked  section  could  also  stand  by  itself.  The  latter  is 
scarcely  appreciated  as  it  might  be,  and  perhaps  the.s©  prettily 
flaked  ancl  speckled  varieties  Avill  be  more  strongly  brought  to 
the  front.  What  is  prettier  than  a  floAver  of  smooth  form  and 
good  size  having  a  blush  ground  speckled  oArer  Avith  red  dots,  as 
though  judiciously  maculated  Avith  a  pen  ancl  red  ink  ?  The 
Chinese  cultiAmted  Primrose,  then,  has  from  eight  to  a  dozen 
types,  each  Avith  their  oAvn  A^arieties,  and  he  Avho  may  imagine 
that  there  can  be  little  interest  in  greenhouse  plants  had  better 
study  this  one.  Altogether  there  are  thirty-eight  distinct 
varieties  at  Sutton’s. 
To  come  to  .specific  named  varieties,  one  finds  that  the  selec¬ 
tion  is  embarrassing.  No  tAvo  of  us  see  exactly  alike — else  would 
there  be  feAver  kinds  to  choose  amongst ! — but  there  is  ahvays  a 
general  agreement  Avhere  conspicuous  merit  prevails.  I  have 
the  names  of  a  number  of  good  star  Primulas,  and  Avhile  .some 
of  the  notes  in  relation  to  them  avouIcI  be  read  Avith  interest', 
space  and  time  meantime  forbid  their  publication,  ancl  the 
names  only  are  given.  Thus  there  was  Primrose  Queen,  differ¬ 
ing  from  White  Queen,  it  having  a  SAveet  yelloAV  centre.  Again, 
star  Carmine,  star  Pink,  star  Ruby,  star  White,  and  star  Blue 
are  all  clistinctiAm'  A’arieties  of  a  high  order  of  merit.  Their 
names  denote  the  satisfactory  range  of  colour. 
Amongst  the  Giant-floAvered  A’arieties  (size  of  floAver  and 
truss,  form  ancl  substance  being  here  the  special  attribute.s)  there 
are  (iiant  Pink,  a  perfect  gem  for  SAveetness;  Giant  Crimson, 
Giant  White,  ancl  Giant  Terra-cotta.  The  large-floAA'ered  A'arieties 
take  longer  to  come  to  maturity,  and  demand  more  care  than 
do  the  stellate  or  smaller  floAvered  sorts. 
The  Fern-leaved  varieties  have  more  crimpled  or  fringed 
flowers  than  the  plain-leaAmcl  kinds.  Some  of  the  double 
Primulas  make  tolerable  buttonhole  floAvers,  ancl  particularly 
suitable  is  Pink  Beauty,  a  noAmltju  It  is  a  light  rose>-pink, 
double,  and  is  peppered  Avith  red  spots.  The  plant  is  Augorous 
ancl  produces  strong  floAvers. 
As  a  good  blue  Primula,  choose  Reading  Blue.  Sutton’s 
Double  Blue  is  not  so  A’igorous  or  good.  The  colour  of  the 
former  is  really  a  laAmnder-A'iolot,  a  most  magnificent  thing, 
seeds  of  Avhich  sold  at  a  guinea  a  packet  tAvelve  years  ago. 
Sutton’s  Fern-leaA'ed  Blue  frunishes  a  good  sort  for  those  avIio 
like  the  finer  foliage. 
In  naming  the  “Giants”  I  omitted  reference  to  Double 
Salmon,  which,  is  perhaps  the  finest  of  all.  A  point  to  be  borne 
in  mind  by  groAvers  Avhen  choosing  the  Double  White  (or  others 
of  the  Avhites)  is  that  there  is  a  form  Avith  light  leafstalks?  and 
another  Avith  dark  leafstalks,  the  other  characters  being 
identical.  The  Double  White  with  dark  foliage  and  petioles  is, 
to  my  mind, -the  more  desirable.  Royal  White,  Fern-leaAmcl 
