February  26,  1903.  JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
191 
'WOKK.foiitheWEEK.. 
Fruit  Forcing. 
VINES :  EARLIEST  FORCED  IN  POTS.— Generous  treat¬ 
ment.  and  avoidance  of  checks  is  essential  to  the  health  of  the 
Vines  and  the  swelling  of  their  crops.  As  feeding  depends  in 
great  measure  on  the  number  of  active  rootlets,  place  a  ring  of 
turf  about  Sin  wide  and  deep  on  the  rim  of  the  pot,  and  secure 
just  within  the  rim  with  galvanised  wire  pegs,  so  that  the  turves 
extend  over  the  rim  about  half-au-inch,  thus  forming  a  dish, 
which  should  be  utilised  for  top-dressing  with  a  compost  formed 
of  equal  parts  good  turfy  loam  and  thoroughly  decayed  manure, 
intermixing  with  it  a  handful  of  air-slaked  lime,  soot,  and  wood 
ashes  mixed  to  evei’y  peck.  This,  in  equal  parts  of  lime,  soot,  and 
wood  ashes,  Avill  sweeten  the  soil,  and  render  its  components 
more  readily  available,  whilst  contributing  nourishment  directly. 
Keep  the  Vines  watered  with  weak  li([uid  manure  at  the  same 
temperature  as  thei  medium  in  which  the  roots  are  growing,  and 
where  the:  Vines  extend  their  roots  into  the  fermenting  material, 
keep  this  and  the  turves  properly  moist,  avoiding,  however,  any 
approach  to  soddenness  of  soil  or  material. 
THE  EATILIEST  STARTED  TREES  are  stoning  the  berries, 
and  this  is  a  critical  time,  necessitating  careful  treatment, 
especially  in  ventilating,  taking  care  to  -avoid  cold  currents  of 
air,  which  frequently  cause  “rust,”  and  harden  the  epidermis, 
so  that  the  berries  do  not  afterwards  swell  freely,  and  in  some 
varieties  cause  cracking.  Ventilate  early  in  the  day,  affording 
a  little  air  at  TOdeg,  increasing  it  with  sun  heat  tO'  Sodeg,  closing 
between  that  and  SOdeg,  and  if  an  advance  folloiw  up  to-  OOdeg 
all  the  better.  Red  spider  usually  puts  in  appearance,  and  should 
be  prevented  from  spreading  by  spongipg  the  first  specks  on  the 
under  side  of  the  leaves  with  a  solution  of  softsoap  and  water, 
2oz  to  the  gallon.  A  genial  condition  of  the  atmosphere  is  very 
important,  and  when  it  holds  a  little  ammonia,  the  Vines  profit, 
and  the  red  spider  is  retarded  correspondingly.  Neat  stable 
drainings  diluted  with  six  times  the  bulk  of  water,  answer  for 
sprinkling,  also  Clay’s  noted  fertiliser,  lib  to  20gals  of  water, 
dissolved  and  strained  before  use,  applying  it  at  rate  of 
about  a  gallon  to  a  dozen  square  yards  of  surface,  such  as  paths, 
and  not  for  general  damping  purposes,  which  must  be  attended 
to  two  or  three  times  a  clay,  using  the  ammoniated  water  about 
twice  a  week,  or  regularly,  for  filling  the  evaporation  troughs. 
EARLY  FORCED  PLANTED-OUT  VINES.— Houses  started 
eai'ly  in  December  will  now  have  the  fruit  set,  and  need  the 
berries  thinnned,  in  effecting  which  lose  no  time  as  soon  as  it 
can  be  seen  which  are  properly  fertilised  by  their  taking  the  lead 
or  swelling.  Remove  badly  set  and  ill-shaped  clusters,  seeking  a 
crop  of  good  shaped,  perfectly  finished  berries.  Allow  laterals  to 
extend  beyond  the  fruit  where  there  is  space  for  its  full  exijosuro 
to  light,  yet  not  encourage  growth  to  the  prejudice  of  the  prin¬ 
cipal  leaves.  Attend  to  stopping  freciuently,  for  the  alternating 
accelerations  and  checks  to  root  action  consequent  on  encouraging 
the  laterals  and  then  removing  them  by  armfuls,  are  attended 
by  the  worst  consecjuences  to  the  foliage  and  fruit.  Afford  a 
thorough  supply  of  liquid  nourishment  to  the  outside  border  at 
intervals  as  required  to  maintain  the  soil  in  a  thoroughly  moist 
condition,  but  do  not  supply  it  till  the  border  is  getting  rather 
dry.  If  the  Vines  need  feeding,  it  is  better  to  moisten  the  border 
properly  with  water,  and  afterward.s  supply  the.  liquid,  using 
about  4gals  per  square  yard.  A  liglft  mulching  of  short  lumpy 
manure,  such  as  is  prepared  for  Mpshroom  beds,  tends  to  en¬ 
courage  surface  roots,  but  avoid  fresh  horse  droppings  in 
quantity,  as  they  give  off  too  much  ammonia  vapour,  especially 
when  the  house  is  kept  close. 
MAINTAIN  A  NIGHT  TEMPERATURE  of  60deg  to  65deg, 
TOdeg  to  Todeg  by  day,  advancing  to  Sodeg  or  OOdeg  from  sun 
heat,  commencing  to  ventilate  from  TOdeg,  keeping  through  the 
day  at  SOdeg  to  Sodeg,  when  external  conditions  are  favourable, 
closing  between  those  temperatures,  damping  at  the  time  or 
early  in  the  afternoon.  Avoid  syringing  the  foliage  and  fruit, 
as  however  clear  the  water  may  appear,  there  is  danger  of  sedi¬ 
ment,  and  almost  invariably  a  deposit  is  inseijarable  from  the  use 
of  the  .syringe  over  the  Vines  after  the  Grapes  are  set.  All 
appears  clear  until  these  begin  to  colour,  then  the  purple  is 
stained  with  white,  and  the  golden  hue  marbled,  in  both  of  which 
it  is  a  serious  blemish. 
.  EARLY  MUSCATS. — The  house  started  early  in  December 
and  brought  on  gently  from  the  new  year  will  be  approaching 
the  flowering  stage,  and  need  a  temperature  of  Godeg  to  TOdeg 
at  night,  Todeg  to  SOdeg  by  day,  and  lOdeg  to  lodeg  rise  from 
sun  heat,  closing  at  between  SOdeg  and  S-odeg  when  bright  weather 
prevails.  It  is  desirable  to  keep  the  points  of  the  bunches  well 
up  to  -he  hght,  indeed  Mirscats  never  thrive  underneath  a  dense 
canopy  of  foliage.  When  they  commence  flowering  it  is  desirable 
to  dust  the  bunches  with  a  camel-hair  brush,  and  fertilise  every 
one  with  the  pollen  of  a  free-.setting  variety,  that  of  Alicante 
leing  !ungu,arly  potent  for  Muscat  of  Alexandria  and  Canon 
u  Mirscat  Hamburgh  forces  readily,  but  invariably 
sets  badlj'  and  colours  very  indifferently,  being  little  affected  by 
cross  fertilisation,  and  is  probably  much  nearer  the  species  than 
any  other  high-class  Grape.  Madresfield  Court  is  a  decided  im¬ 
provement  in  respect  of  con.stitution,  setting  and  finishing,  but 
it  seenis  by  no_  means  clear  of  some  of  its  faults,  and  should  bo 
carefully  fertilised.  Early  Muscats  require  inside  borders,  and 
to  ripen  early  in  June  must  be  pushed  ahead,  the  thing  being  to 
giA  e  plenty  of  heat  and  not  jiinch  for  air,  for  unless  the  foliage 
IS  well  developed  it  will  not  bear  the.  early  summer  sun,  nor  will 
the  Grape  bear  exposure  to  it  without  scorching  or  scalding. 
Muscats  require  plenty  of  nourishing  food  at  tfip  roots,  and  revel 
in  a  border  of  rather  firm,  gritty  material  of  a  sustaining  nature, 
never  being  satisfactory  in  very  light  soils,  but  these  are.  often 
made  suitable,  by  mulching  and  application  of  rather  thick  liquid 
nianure.  Lime  is  the  incasure  of  their  health,  especially 
phosphate,  and  J;hat  of  dissolved  bones  in  a  dry  crumbling  con¬ 
dition,  and  then  having  twoi  parts  of  nitrate  of  potash  and  one 
part  of  sulphate  of  magnesia  added  to  three  parts  of  dissolved 
bones  or  Thomson’s  manure  is  proved  suitable  for  Muscat.s, 
^PP^yiiig  4ozs  of  the  mixture  per  square  yard  at  starting,  after 
setting  the  fruit,  and  again  at  the  stoning  jieriod.  It  is  lack  of 
essential  food  that  cause.s,  the  white-edged  leaf,  and  is  one  reason 
why  Miiscats  are  so  much  more  difficult  to  dot  well  than  other 
Grapes. 
SIiCCESSION  HOUSES. — Attend  to  disbudding  as  soon  as 
the  best  breaks  can  be  discerned,  proceeding  gradually.  Stop¬ 
ping  may  take  place  one,  two,  three,  or  four  joints  beyond  the 
sho'W  of  fruit  as  the  space  admits,  but  the  more  leaves  bejmnd  the 
fruit  having  exposure  to  light  the  more  certain  is  it  of  being 
well  supported.  If  the  space  is  limited  stop  at  the  second  joint, 
or  even  at  one  beyond  the  bunch,  but  if  the  room  admits  stop 
the  growths  at  the  third  or  fourth  joint  beyond  the  bunch,  and 
then  allow  the  laterals  to  extend  until  the  available  space  is 
covered  with  an  even  spread  of  leaves,  then  keep  closely  stopped. 
Tie  the  growths  down  before  they  touch  the  glass,  bringing  them 
down  carefully,  as  the  growths  of  vigorous  Vines  are  liable  to 
snap.  Allow  plenty  of  room  in  the  ligatures  for  the  swelling  of 
ffhe  shoots.  When  the  bunches  show,  increase  the  temperature 
to  oodog  to  GOdeg  at  night,  GSdeg  by  day  artificialljq  TOdeg  to 
Todeg  from  sun  heat,  and  an  increase  of  5deg  tO'  lOdeg  from  that 
source  after  closing. 
LATE  HOUSES. — If  late  Vines  are  not  yet  cleared  of  Grape.s 
it  should  be  done  at  once,  pruning  the  Vines  and  dressing  the 
cuts  with  best  French  poli,sh  or  patent  knotting  or  styptic,  shellac 
dissolved  in  alcohol  being  excellent  for  the  purpose,  and  cleanse 
the  house  and  Viir&s,  removing  the  loose  surface  soil  from  the 
borders,  supplying  fresh  loam,  keeping  the  house  as  cool  as  pos¬ 
sible.  Examine  Grapes  in  rooms,  removing  any  decayed  berries, 
as  one  soon  spoils  a  whole  bunch.  Maintain  the  temperature  at 
40deg  to  4odeg,  and  the  room  being  dry  the  Grapes  will  keep 
sound  and  give  little  trouble.  Muscats,  Lady  Downe’s,  and 
other  late  varieties  from  which  the  Grapes  were  cut  about  the 
new  year  may  now  be  encouraged  to  grow,  as  the  Vines  .sta.rting 
in  March  have  a  chance  to  mature  their  Grapes  thoroughly  before 
the. cold  and  sunless  weather  of  late  summer  and  autumn,  and 
the  fruit  keeps  much  better  ripened  not  later  than  early  in 
September,  late  ripened  fruit  being  in  every  way  less  desirable. 
The  inside  borders  must  be  brought  into  a  thoroughly  moist  .state 
by  the  application  of  water,  following,  in  the  case  of  weakly 
Vines,  with  rather  thick  liquid  manure;  the  outside  borders  will 
only  need  protection  from  frost,  cold  rains,  and  snow,  a  little 
short  litter  answering  the  purpose.  If  the  Vines  in  any  case  are 
planted  outside,  their  stems  must  be  well  wrapped  in  haybands, 
otherwise  the  Vines  will  suffer  in  periods  of  sharp  frosts. — 
St.  Albaxs. 
Kitchen  Garden. 
SOWING  ONIONS. — Tire  whole  of  February  to  the  time  of 
writing  these  notes,  has  been  in  excellent  condition  for  sowing 
Onions.  Owing  to  the  absence  of  excessive  moisture  in  the 
soil  it  can  bo  thoroughly  well  broken  up  and  made  firm  by  well 
treading  or  rolling.  Rake  off  rough  lumps  and  stones,  leaving 
a  fine,  friable  surface.  Drills  should  be  drawn  a  foot  asunder. 
As  they  do  not  require  to  be  deep  form  them  by  running  the  back 
of  the  rake  along  a  tightly  stretched  line,  pressing  it  down  to  the 
depth  of  a  quai’ter  inch,  forming  a  drill  of  even  size  and  depth. 
Sow  the  seed  thinly.  In  an  even  drill  of  this  kind  the  distribution 
can  be  regulated  nicelv,  giving  a  supply  of  seedlings  eventually, 
which  will  be  strong  and  sturdy  from  the  first,  thus  nuninnsmg 
the  ri.sk  of  attack  from  the  Onion  maggot.  Thin  sowing  is  also 
economical  of  .seed.  A  selection  from  the  best  well-known  sorts 
may  be  sown,  these  including  such  a.s  Bedfordshiie  Champion, 
James’  Long-keeping,  White  Spanish,  Rousham  Park  Hero, 
Cranston’s  Excelsior,  Ailsa  Craig,  and  others. 
