February  14,  1901. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COT'/  AGE  GARDEN  LA. 
M3 
a  cold  frame,  on  tbe  rocker}’,  or  even  in  the  choice  border — in  the 
two  last  with  glass  above  the  flowers — they  will  give  delight  as  we 
stand  or  stoop  over  them  to  admire  their  perfect  loveliness. 
Then  we  have  also  the  flowers  of  the  earliest  Snowflake — the 
form  of  Leuc  >ium,  known  to  some  as  L.  carpathicum — which  comes 
early,  and  is  very  beautiful  with  its  white  flowers  so  charmingly 
tipped  with  green.  It  calls  for  no  glass  above,  but  stands  for  long  the 
changes  and  storms  of  “  February  fill-dyke.”  Then  there  is  the  bonny 
little  Cyclamen  Coum,  which,  if  we  please,  can  now  be  procured  in 
crimson,  white,  lilac,  aud  rose  forms.  It  is  ever  chaiming,  and  gives 
unalloyed  pleasure  as  we  look  upon  its  little  flowers  and  round,  thick 
leaves. 
The  earliest  of  the  Daffodils  often  pcome  with  February  in  the 
shape  of  the  unique  little  Narcissus  minimus  or  the  charming 
N.  pallidus  praecox,  though  it  is  a  pity  that  the  latter  does  poorly  in 
many  gardens.  The  Daffodils  are  so  fair  that  their  advent  gives  us 
much  and  rare  delight. 
What,  too,  is  a  garden  early  in  the  year  without  the  green  and 
golden  sprays  of  Jasminum  nudiflorum  ?  It  is  too  often  absent  from 
gardens  because  some  think  it  “common,”  yet  it  gives  us  a  bit  of 
blight  colour  when  and  where  we  want  it  much.  Robert  Fortune 
gave  us  in  his  plant-hunting  career  no  more  useful  flowering  shrub 
than  this,  which  one  can  hardly  use  it  amiss  for  winter  bloom, 
though  it  might  well  be  combined  with  a  Clematis  lor  succession  in 
the  days  when  winter  has  been  left  far  behind. 
Then  we  have  Prunus  Davidiana,  with  its  white  or  pink  flowers 
wreathing  its  1  afless  branches  with  so  much  beauty.  Another  boon 
it  is  for  those  of  us  who  spend  our  winters  at  home.  One  might  tell 
also,  did  not  space  lot  bid,  of  Chimonanthus  fragrans,  with  its 
perfumed  flowers  ;  of  Hamamelises  ;  and  of  other  shrubs  and  flowers 
which  can  yield  us  pleasure  in  our  gardens  until  spring  comes,  with 
its  overflowing  chalice  of  Nature’s  bounties. — S.  Arnott. 
- - 
Young  Gardeners’  Domain. 
Grevillea  robusta. 
There  are  few  plants  raised  from  seeds  that  are  of  such  great  value 
to  the  gardener,  whether  for  house  decoration  as  small  specimens,  or 
to  associate  with  flowering  plants  in  the  conservatory.  Here  we  also 
use  it  extensively  for  the  flower  garden,  as  having  a  number  of  vases  on 
a  terrace  we  find  it  makes  a  grand  plant  for  the  centre,  surrounded  with 
Ivy-leaved  “  Geraniums.” 
We  usually  sow  our  earliest  seeds  about  the  middle  or  the  end  of 
January.  Prior  to  sowing  the  seeds  are  soaked  in  water  and  placed  in 
a  warm  house  for  about  twenty-four  hours.  We  then  sow  in  a  well 
drained  pan  on  a  light  porous  compost,  on  the  top  of  which  we  place  a 
thin  layer  of  silver  sand,  in  which  the  seeds  are  placed  edgeways 
rather  thinly.  The  pan  is  then  placed  in  heat,  and  the  soil  kept 
pleasantly  moist.  When  the  plants  are  large  enough  to  handle  they 
should  be  potted  into  3£-inch  pots,  using  a  light  compost  to  induce  free 
root  action.  When  the  pots  are  fairly  full  of  roots  the  plants  should  be 
transferred  to  5  or  6-inch  pots,  the  soil  being  a  little  heavier  than  at 
the  previous  potting. 
During  the  earlier  stages  of  growth  the  plants  should  be  kept  in 
a  warm,  humid  atmosphere,  and  as  they  attain  to  a  desirable  size 
they  should  be  hardened  for  outdoor  purposes,  and  those  retained  for 
house  decoration  should  be  placed  in  a  cool  house,  and  when  the  pots 
get  full  of  roots  they  should  be  given  some  stimulant,  such  as  sheep 
manure  water  and  an  occasional  dose  of  soot  water  (about  the  colour  of 
pale  brandy),  which  helps  to  preserve  a  dark  colour  in  the  leaves. 
In  the  autumn  we  frequently  lift  the  old  plants  that  have  been 
plunged  in  beds  or  vases  and  keep  them  through  the  winter  in  a  green¬ 
house.  Then  early  in  the  year  we  cut  them  down  rather  hard  and  place 
them  in  heat,  keeping  well  syringed,  and  as  they  grow  they  should  be 
placed  in  larger  pots,  when  they  will  make  useful  stock  for  the  summer. 
— W.  Hitchman,  Moor  Hall,  Stourport. 
Cherry  Crop  In  Sanger. — At  the  last  meeting  of  the  Royal 
Agricultural  Society  a  report  by  the  society’s  consulting  botanist,  Mr. 
W.  Carruthers,  F.R  S.,  was  presented  on  a  serious  disease  in  the  Cherry 
orchards  in  Kent,  which  in  the  early  summer  affected  the  leaves  and 
fruit  simultaneously,  rendering  the  latter  unfit  for  market.  The  report 
recommended  as  the  only  method  of  stamping  out  the  disease  the 
gathering  and  burning  of  all  diseased  leaves,  and  it  stated  that  it  was 
the  more  essential  that  steps  should  be  taken  for  the  destruction  of  the 
dead  leaves  because  of  the  abundant  presence  of  the  living  fungus  that 
had  been  observed  in  them.  It  would  be  a  serious  source  of  danger  to 
the  new  crop  if  these  active  fungi  were  to  take  possession  of  it.  To  be 
efficient,  this  collecting  and  burning  of  the  dead  leaves  must  not  be 
done  in  a  solitary  orchard  here  and  there,  but  must  be  carried  out 
throughout  Kent.  It  was  decided  that  this  report  should  be  printed  as 
a  leaflet,  with  illustrations,  and  freely  circulated  amongst  fruit  growers 
in  Kent  and  other  fruit-growing  districts. 
Fruit  Forcing. 
Vine3. — Early  Forced  in  Pots. — The  Vines  now  in  full  development 
of  leafage  will  require  abundant  supplies  of  nourishment,  and  must  nob 
sustain  any  check,  either  through  dryness  at  the  roots  or  in  the  atmo¬ 
sphere.  If  the  pots  are  stood  on  a  hard  base,  insert  strips  of  slate 
within  the  rim,  and  top-dress  with  rich  turfy  loam  and  decayed  manure 
in  equal  parts,  intermixed  with  a  handful  of  superphosphate  to  each 
peck  of  the  compost.  Where  the  pots  are  plunged  in  fermenting 
material,  strips  of  turf  about  3  inches  wide  should  be  laid  over  the  rim 
so  as  to  form  the  necessary  dish.  The  turves  should  be  watered  with 
liquid  manure,  and  the  plunging  material  kept  moist,  especially  where 
the  roots  are  allowed  to  find  their  way  from  the  bottom  of  the  pots,  and 
thus,  with  plenty  of  feeders,  secure  well  grown  berries.  Top-dressings 
of  some  approved  fertiliser  also  should  be  supplied  occasionally,  and 
liquid  manure  employed  for  watering,  though  be  careful  not  to  keep 
the  soil  sodden  and  induce  bad  colouring,  and  shanking. 
To  encourage  the  swelling  of  the  berries  keep  the  laterals  below  the 
bunches  somewhat  closely  pinched  or  even  rubbed  off,  but  allow  those 
level  with  and  above  the  fruit  more  liberty.  Avoid  overcrowding,  as 
only  foliage  fully  exposed  to  light  elaborates  the  juices  fully  and 
healthfully.  Careful  treatment  is  necessary  in  ventilating  at  this  early 
season,  avoiding  cold  currents,  which  cause  “  rust,”  prevent  free 
swelling,  and  sometimes  cause  cracking  of  the  berries.  Ventilate 
early  in  the  day,  affording  a  little  air  at  7CF,  increasing  it  with  the  sun 
heat  to  85°,  closing  between  that  and  80°,  and  if  an  advance  follow  to 
90’  all  the  better.  If  red  spider  appear,  let  the  affected  leaves  be 
promptly  sponged  with  a  weak  solution  of  softsoap  and  water,  keeping 
the  atmosphere  ammoniated  by  damping  the  paths  and  walls 
occasionally  with  liquid  manure. 
Early  Forced  Planted-out  Fines.- — The  house  started  early  in 
December  will  need  a  temperature  of  65°  at  night,  and  70°  to  75°  by 
day  whilst  in  flower,  keeping  the  temperature  somewhat  drier  by  free 
ventilation,  leaving  a  little  at  night,  yet  a  genial  condition  of  the  air 
must  be  insured  by  keeping  the  floors  sprinkled  two  or  three  times  a 
day  during  bright  weather.  Any  shy  setting  varieties  may  have  the 
pollen  distributed  by  a  camel-hair  brush.  Stop  the  laterals  at  the  first 
leaf  below  the  fruit,  but  those  beyond  the  bunch  may  be  allowed  to 
make  two  or  more  joints,  provided  there  is  space  for  the  full  exposure 
of  the  leaves  to  light  and  air.  Avoid  overcrowding,  it  being  better  to 
reduce  the  laterals,  yet  the  fruit  retained  must  be  proportionate  to  the 
foliage.  Where  the  Vines  are  heavily  cropped  they  make  corre¬ 
spondingly  little  lateral  growth,  and  the  Grapes  frequently  do  not 
colour,  but  the  same  thing  occurs  with  an  excess  of  foliage,  simply 
because  sufficient  chlorophyll  is  not  formed  for  conversion  at  the  time 
ot  ripening  into  the  desirable  black,  purple,  or  amber  colour. 
Vines  Started  at  the  New  Year. — As  these  are  coming  into  leaf  and 
showing  fruit  it  will  be  necessary  to  attend  to  disbudding,  proceeding 
gradually,  removing  the  weak  and  less  promising  growths  in  the  first 
instance,  then  give  further  attention  when  it  is  seen  which  shoots  are 
likely  to  afford  the  best  bunches.  One  bunch  on  a  spur  is  as  much  as 
is  likely  to  finish  satisfactorily,  but  if  there  be  space,  the  spurs  being 
widely  distant  along  the  rods,  two  shoots  may  be  left,  of  which  only  one 
is  to  carry  fruit.  When  the  Vines  are  weak  it  is  an  excellent  plan  to 
allow  growth  to  extend  where  there  is  spaoe,  even  cutting  out  some 
growth  to  allow  this,  so  as  to  secure  stouter  wood,  large  and  plump  eyas, 
and  better  bunches  the  following  season.  Give  the  needful  attention  to 
outside  borders  in  protecting  them  sufficiently  to  prevent  chill  by  frost, 
heavy  rain,  or  snow. 
Houses  to  Afford  Ripe  Grapes  in  July  and  August. — The  Vines  must 
now  be  started,  and  as  they  break  most  evenly  aud  strongly  when 
assured  a  moist  genial  atmosphere  the  rods  should  be  damped  three 
times  a  day,  and  other  surfaces  sprinkled.  Maintain  a  temperature  of 
50°  at  night,  55°  by  day,  and  65°  from  sun  heat,  until  the  huds  move. 
If  the  inside  border  has  become  dry,  bring  it  into  a  moist  but  not  sodden 
condition  by  repeated  applications  of  water  of  the  same  temperature  as 
the  house,  and  if  the  Vines  are  weak  through  heavy  cropping  afford  a 
supply  of  liquid  manure,  not  before  moistening  the  border,  but  after  it 
is  watered  sufficiently  for  healthy  growth,  the  liquid  being  used  rather 
thick  or  strong.  The  manurial  elements  will  displace  or  mingle  with 
the  water  previously  given,  and  become  available  as  food  by  the  time 
the  Vines  are  in  leaf,  the  soil  having  a  strong  affinity  for  the  salts  of  the 
manure,  grasping  and  retaining  them  for  taking  in  by  the  roots  as 
required.  A  little  stable  litter  should  be  placed  on  the  outside  border 
to  prevent  chill,  but  eschew  thick  coverings  of  manure,  particularly 
such  as  are  often  left  to  settle  into  a  soapy  mass,  giving  preference  to 
lumpy,  which  will  afford  the  needful  protection,  and  admit  of  the  free 
access  of  air. 
Succession  Houses. — Vines  allowed  to  start  of  their  own  accord 
usually  do  so  when  the  mean  external  temperature  reaches  5U°,  which 
occurs  in  April  and  May,  but  those  under  glass  are  sooner  influenced  by 
