520 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  uOTTAGE  GARDENER. 
December  6,  1900. 
Notes  on  Figs  Coder  Glass. 
Where  a  house  of  this  much  neglected  fruit  was  started  in  November 
with  fermenting  materials,  the  trees  are  now  showing  signs  of  growth 
by  the  swelling  of  the  terminal  buds  ;  the  roots  also  that  were  cut  back 
are  sending  forth  fresh  feeders  through  the  compost  placed  about  the 
pots,  this  desirable  state  of  things  being  effected  under  the  genial 
heat  of  the  fermenting  materials.  These  should  now  be  examined,  and 
if  the  heat  does  not  exceed  75^  they  may  be  trodden  down  round  the 
pedestals  and  bases  of  the  pots  preparatory  to  the  introduction  of  fresh 
material,  which  should  be  properly  worked  and  warmed  before  being 
taken  in.  Take  care  that  the  heat  about  the  pots  does  not  exceed  70*^ 
to  75°.  The  heat  and  moisture  given  off  by  the  fermenting  material 
will  greatly  facilitate  forcing  operations  by  modifying  and  reducing  the 
amount  of  fire  heat. 
On  cold  nights  the  temperature  should  fall  to  50°,  and  55°  by 
artificial  means  will  be  sufiicient  in  the  daytime,  with  a  rise  of  10°  from 
sun  heat.  Syringe  trees  and  walls  with  tepid  water  on  fine  mornings, 
and  again  in  the  afternoon  from  1  to  2  p.m.  ;  but  with  the  moisture 
arising  from  fermenting  materials  there  will  not  be  the  need  of  this  in 
dull  weather ;  nor  must  the  moisture  be  excessive,  or  it  will  promote 
growth  at  the  expense  of  the  fruit.  Keep  the  glass  clean  and  free 
from  condensed  moisture  by  ventilating:  on  all  favourable  occasions. 
Where  a  start  has  not  been  made,  and  it  is  desired  to  have  ripe  Figs 
in  late  April  or  early  in  May,  the  trees  should  be  introduced  and  started 
forthwith.  Low  lean-to  or  three-quarter  span-roof  houses  facing  the 
south  are  the  best.  Bottom  heat  is  not  indispensable,  but  it  is  a  great 
mistake  not  to  utilise  material  that  can  often  be  had  for  the  trouble  of 
collecting,  as  the  heat  generated  by  leaves  is  a  great  aid  to  forcing 
operations,  the  trees  being  accommodated  on  brick  pedestals  and  the 
pits  filled  with  fermenting  materials,  but  the  heat  at  the  base  of  the 
pots  must  not  exceed  70°  at  the  start.  It  is  also  advisable  to  have  a 
few  trees  of  such  vaiieties  as  Early  Violet  and  St.  John’s,  or  Pingo  de 
Mel,  to  afford  early  dishes,  and  rely  on  Brown  Turkey  for  the  main 
supplies.  The  temperature  should  be  similar  to  that  advised  for  trees 
started  in  November. 
Succession  house  trees  will  require  attention  in  pruning,  losing  no 
time  in  getting  the  work  finished  ;  cut  back  or  entirely  remove  all  old 
spurs,  and  thin  out  or  remove  the  least  promising  shoots  that  have 
reached  the  extremity  of  the  trellis  to  make  room  for  fresh  growths  and 
full  development  of  wood  and  foliage.  The  Fig  delights  in  heat, 
moisture,  and  good  living,  with  abundance  of  light  and  a  free  circulation 
of  air.  Thorough  cleanliness  is  essential  to  success,  therefore  spare  no 
pains  in  cleansing  the  trees,  woodwork,  and  walls.  If  brown  scale  has 
been  troublesome  use  a  mixture  of  softsoap  and  petroleum,  dissolving 
1  lb.  of  softsoap  in  a  gallon* of  water  by  boiling,  and  on  removing  from 
the  fire  add  a  wineglassful  of  petroleum,  working  in  briskly.  Apply 
while  hot  (135°  to  140°)  with  a  brush,  using  the  implement  at  an  angle 
of  45°  to  the  branch,  so  that  the  bristles  may  get  under  the  scale  and 
dislodge  it;  then  the  eggs  as  well  as  parent  insect  comes  to  grief. 
Merely  drawing  the  brush  over  the  growths  as  in  painting  is  the  way 
not  to  make  the  most  of  the  dressing,  but  by  pushing  the  brush  upwards 
or  downwards  on  the  shoot  or  branch  and  at  the  angle  named  the  scale 
cannot  escape. — Grower. 
- - 
Darlington  Antuinn  Sliow. 
November  23rd. 
The  second  autumn  Fruit  and  Chrysanthemum  Show  of  the 
Darlington  Horticultural  Society  was  held  in  the  Central  Hall, 
Darlington.  The  entries  were  considerably  in  excess  of  last  year,  and 
in  quality  surpassed  anything  of  the  kind  shown  in  Darlington,  and  the 
judges  declared  the  Japanese  blooms  in  vases  to  be  the  finest  in  the 
show.  Owing  to  the  regrettable  illness  of  Mr.  J.  McIntyre,  Woodside,  Mr. 
J.  Short,  Hummersknott,  was  responsible  for  the  arrangements  of  the 
show,  and  in  this  work  he  was  ably  assisted  by  Mr.  Raine,  Woodside. 
The  hall  presented  a  very  interesting  appearance,  the  fruit  being 
excellent,  and  the  Chrysanthemums  much  admired  for  their  beauty. 
Cut  flowers,  sprays,  and  buttonholes  were  nicely  arranged,  and 
attracted  attention.  We  append  a  list  of  the  principal  prizewinners,  as 
given  in  a  local  contemporary. 
In  the  cut  bloom  section  the  classes  were  numerous.  For  Japanese 
and  incurved — First,  Marquis  of  Ripon ;  second.  Aid.  W.  Harding, 
Darlington.  Japanese. — First,  Marquis  of  Normanby ;  second,  Mr.  A.  J. 
Dorman ;  third.  Marquis  of  Ripon.  Incurved. — First,  Marquis  of 
Ripon.  Japanese. — First,  Mr.  A.  J.  Dorman ;  second,  Mr.  A.  Nicholson, 
Boroughbridge  ;  third.  Marquis  of  Normanby.  Incurved. — First, 
Marquis  of  Ripon ;  second.  Aid.  W.  Harding.  Vases  of  blooms. — First, 
Mr.  A.  M.  Dewar,  Ainderby ;  second.  Marquis  of  Ripon ;  third,  Mr. 
A.  J.  Dorman.  Japanese. — First,  Marquis  of  Normanby  ;  second,  Mr. 
E.  Wilkinson,  Richmond ;  third.  Marquis  of  Ripon.  Incurved. — ^First, 
Mr.  J.  W.  Lee,  Clifton  Castle;  second,  Marquis  of  Ripon  ;  third,  Mr.  J. 
Smith,  Darlington.  Centrepieces  of  Chrysanthemum  blooms. — First, 
Mr.  H.  Johnston,  Darlington  ;  second,  Mr.  J.  J.  Middleton,  Darlington  ; 
third,  Mies  N.  Hewitson,  Darlington.  Hand  bouquet  of  Chrys¬ 
anthemums. — First,  Mr.  J.  J.  Middleton ;  second.  Marquis  of  Normanby  ; 
third.  Miss  Hewitson.  Sprays  of  Chrysanthemums. — First,  Mr.  H.  H. 
Hilliar,  Darlington ;  second  and  third,  Miss  Hewitson.  Gent’s  button¬ 
holes. — First,  Marquis  of  Normanby;  second,  Mr.  J.  J.  Middleton; 
third,  Mr.  H.  H.  Hilliar.  Plants  in  pots. — Japanese. — First,  Mr.  J. 
Smith;  second,  Mr.  H.  Allen,  Darlington;  third,  Mr.  H.  Johnston. 
Incurved. — First,  Mr.  J.  Smith.  Japanese — First,  Mr.  J.  Smith;  second, 
Mr.  H.  Johnston ;  third,  Mr.  H.  Allen.  Incurved. — First,  Mr.  H. 
Johnson  ;  second,  Mr.  J.  Smith. 
Fruit  was  admirably  shown.  Bunches,  black  Grapes. — First,  Mr. 
J.  W.  Lee ;  second,  Mr.  G.  Craig ;  third,  Mr.  J.  W.  Glaister.  White 
Grapes. — First,  Mr.  A.  Nicholson,  Boroughbridge.  Culinary  Apples. — 
First,  Mr.  J.  W.  Lee,  Clifton  ;  second,  Mr.  J.  W.  Glaister,  Darlington  ; 
third,  Mr.  A.  Findlay,  Grey  Towers.  Dessert  Apples.— First,  Mr.  J.  W. 
Lee;  second,  Mr.  A.  Nicholson;  third,  Mr.  J.  W.  Glaister.  Pears. — 
First,  Mr.  A.  Findlay;  second,  Mr.  G.  W.  Glaister.  Culinary  Apples. — 
First,  Mr.  J.  W.  Lee ;  second,  Mr.  G.  Craig,  Richmond  ;  third,  Mr.  W. 
Mallabar,  Darlington.  Dessert  Apples. — First  and  second,  Mr.  H.  H. 
Hilliar,  Darlington;  third,  Mr.  J.  W.  Glaister.  Stewing  Pears. — First, 
Mr.  W.  H.  Beasley,  Darlington  ;  second,  Mr.  A.  Findlay  ;  third,  Mr.  W. 
Mallabar.  Dessert  Pears. — First,  Mr.  J.  W. Lee;  second,  Mr.  J.  Smith; 
third,  Mr.  A.  Nicholson. 
- - 
Young  Gardeners’  Domain. 
Iris  iimbriata. 
This  beautiful  plant  is  not  nearly  so  generally  grown  as  it  should 
be,  and  as  one  rarely  sees  it  perfection,  even  in  fairly  good  gardens,  I 
think  a  few  words  on  our  mode  of  culture  will  be  acceptable  to  my 
young  brother  gardeners  as  well  as  amateurs.  After  our  plants  have 
flowered  the  old  flowering  pieces  are  out  out  and  the  plants  receive  a 
little  top-dressing  of  good  compost.  This  will  encourage  the  young 
growths  to  move  that  have  formed  at  the  base  of  the  old  pieces  till  they 
are  large  enough  for  potting.  This  will  be  about  the  beginning  of  June. 
They  may  then  be  shaken  out,  and  the  best  pieces  selected,  and  placed 
eight  or  ten  in  well-drained  8-inch  pots. 
The  compost  should  consist  of  one-half  good  turfy  loam,  the  other 
half  to  consist  of  horse  droppings,  leaf  mould,  burnbake  or  wood  ashes, 
and  sand,  with  a  sprinkling  of  soot  and  bonedust.  They  should  then  be 
placed  in  a  pit  or  frame,  kept  rather  close  and  shaded,  and  if  the  soil  is 
in  good  working  order  they  will  require  no  water  for  the  first  two  or 
three  days.  In  potting,  be  careful  to  spread  out  the  roots  and  ram  the 
soil  slightly.  When  the  roots  begin  to  run  freely  gradually  give  more 
air  till  they  will  stand  full  exposure  to  the  sun.  Ripening  the  growth 
has  a  lot  to  do  with  the  flowering  of  this  beautiful  plant.  I  have 
frequently  met  with  it  in  greenhouses  growing  under  climbers  with 
foliage  fully  3  feet  in  length  bnt  not  a  single  flower,  which  clearly 
proves  that  it  must  be  fully  exposed  to  sun  and  air  to  get  it  perfection. 
A  sprinkling  about  four  o’clock  in  the  afternoon  through  the  summer 
will  greatly  assist  these  plants,  closing  the  frames  at  the  same  time  to 
obtain  a  buoyant  atmosphere. 
If  the  plants  have  been  well  grown  they  will  show  their  flower 
spikes  by  the  seco' d  week  in  November.  If  these  are  required  for 
Christmas  they  may  be  placed  in  a  gentle  heat  at  first,  gradually 
increasing  it  till  a  temperature  of  65°  is  reached.  If  more  heat  is  given 
it  induces  the  flower  spikes  to  become  weakly  and  drawn.  Water  must 
be  carefully  applied  at  this  time  of  the  year  or  the  flower  spikes  will 
turn  yellow  ;  liquid  manure  will  be  very  beneficial.  They  must  be 
looked  over  for  scale,  and  sponged  before  the  flowers  begin  to  open,  if 
any  is  found.  If  green  fly  appear  on  the  spikes  they  must  be  fumigated. 
Then  with  the  lengthening  days  of  spring  comes  a  long  and  beautiful 
supply  of  lovely,  delicately  tinted,  pale  blue  flowers,  which,  in  my 
estimation,  rival  many  Orchids;  in  fact  a  few  plants  placed  in  the 
Orchid  house  will  harmonise  grandly  with  the  many  Orchids  to  be  found 
in  bloom  at  that  time  of  the  year.  I  have  counted  as  many  as  sixty 
flowers  fully  expanded  at  one  time  on  a  plant  when  grown  on  this 
system.  The  plants  are  very  charming  when  used  in  the  mansion,  and 
although  the  individual  flowers  do  not  last  long  they  are  soon  replaced 
by  others. 
Ferns  in  Cottage  Windows. 
It  is  very  rare  that  one  finds  really  fine  specimens  of  Maidenhair 
Ferns  in  cottage  windows  that  are  grown  without  the  aid  of  any  glass 
structure.  I  was  recently  asked  to  see  some  Ferns  at  two  cottages, 
and  on  inquiring  if  they  were  grown  in  a  greenhouse  I  was  rather 
surprised  to  receive  a  reply  in  the  negative.  Perns  indeed  they 
were,  remarkable  plants  of  the  good  old  Adiantum  cuneatum,  fully 
3  feet  6  inches  through,  with  lovely  deep  green  foliage  that  would  do 
any  gardener  credit  to  produce.  On  inquiring  what  soil  was  used  I 
was  told  they  were  potted  in  burnt  refuse  and  a  little  soil  from  the 
Forest  of  Dean.  This  clearly  shows  the  value  of  potash  in  the 
cultivation  of  these  beautiful  Perns.  Not  only  was  this  one  variety  to 
the  front,  but  numerous  others  were  handsomely  represented,  including 
A.  Paooti,  the  double  Maidenhair,  souseful  for  buttonholes  ;  A.  tenerum, 
A.  capillus- Veneris,  and  Asplenium  bulbiferum.  The  growers  (Mrs. 
Langley  and  Mrs.  Taylor)  clear  off  the  whole  of  the  fronds  and  have  a 
fresh  start  every  spring,  and  fine  growth  they  make  afcer  their  short 
rest.  These  plants  when  purchased  three  years  ago  were  in  5-inch 
