250 
March  21,  1901. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
Fruit  Forcing. 
Cucumbers.  —  The  winter  fruiting  plants  will  require  frequent 
attention  for  removing  exhausted  growths  and  bad  leaves,  thinned 
where  too  crowded  in  order  to  encourage  a  free  growth  and  a 
suocessional  supply  of  clean  straight  fruit.  Stop  the  bearing  parts  two 
joints  beyond  the  fruit,  and  secure  the  growths  to  the  trellis.  It  will 
much  invigorate  the  plants  by  removing  a  little  of  the  surface  soil 
where  it  can  be  done  without  injuring  the  roots,  supplying  a  top- 
dressing  of  turfy  loam  with  a  sprinkling  of  approved  fertiliser.  When 
the  roots  are  active  in  the  top-dressing  sprinkle  a  few  sweetened  horse 
droppings'  on  the  bed  occasionally,  with  a  small  handful  of  soot 
alternating  with  the  fertiliser,  so  as  to  get  plenty  of  vigour  in  the 
plants  and  colour  in  the  fruit.  If  that  is  not  enough,  and  the  plants 
crop  heavily,  supply  liquid  manure  of  a  nitrogenous  nature,  such  as 
nitrate  of  soda,  at  the  rate  of  a  quarter  ounce  to  a  gallon  of  water, 
always  having  the  water  or  liquid  equal  in  temperature  to  that  of  the 
mean  of  the  house.  Young  plants  will  need  more  soil,  adding  to  the 
ridges  or  hillocks  as  the  roots  protrude,  always  having  it  previously 
warmed  and  in  a  properly  moist  condition.  Maintain  a  night  temperature 
of  65°  to  70°  when  mild,  70°  to  75°  by  day,  keeping  through  the  day  at 
80°  to  85°  or  90°  from  sun  heat,  closing  early  in  the  afternoon  with 
abundance  of  moisture,  so  as  to  run  up  to  95°  or  100°  on  bright  days, 
securing  a  steady  bottom  heat  of  80°,  though  in  commercial  culture 
this  is  generally  dispensed  with. 
Manure-heated  pits  and  frames  set  to  work  some  weeks  ago  will 
require  good  linings.  This  is  effected  by  removing  as  much  of  the 
outside  of  the  beds  as  can  be  spared,  and  if  the  heat  has  not  much 
declined  it  will  suffice  to  line  one-half  of  the  bed  at  once,  deferring 
the  other  half  until  the  heat  is  again  on  the  decline.  To  be  effective 
the  lining  should  be  2  feet  wide,  for  thin  linings  are  soon  spent,  and 
sooner  require  renewal.  Look  carefully  to  the  frame  after  the  heat 
generates  in  the  lining,  to  see  that  there  is  no  accumulation  of  rank 
steam,  preventing  it  by  a  little  ventilation,  especially  when  the  sun 
shines.  Add  more  soil  as  the  roots  spread  on  the  surface,  taking  care 
to  have  it  warmed.  Attend  to  training  the  shoots,  not  overcrowding 
them,  pinching  the  leaders  about  15  inches  from  the  sides  of  the  frame, 
and  stop  the  laterals  one  or  two  joints  beyond  the  fruit.  In  watering 
do  not  wet  the  foliage  more  than  can  be  helped,  as  it  is  soft  and 
easily  injured  and  affected  by  damp  or  scorched  by  sun.  A  good  night 
temperature  of  65°  to  70°,  falling  5°,  or  even  10°,  on  cold  nights, 
should  be  maintained  by  the  needful  night  covering.  Admit  a  little 
air  at  75°,  allowing  the  temperature  to  rise  to  85°  or  90°,  closing  before 
it  falls  below  85°,  and  if  it  rise  to  90°  or  more  the  day’s  work  will  be 
better,  and  a  good  heat  stored  for  the  night.  The  night  coverings 
should  be  put  on  by  the  time  the  sun  is  off  the  lights,  say  five  o’clock 
in  severe  weather,  never  delaying  beyond  six  o’clock  in  the  afternoon 
at  this  time  of  year. 
Peaches  and  Nectarines. — Earliest  Forced  Houses. — Where  Peaches, 
such  as  Alexander,  Waterloo,  Early  Beatrice,  and  Early  Louise,  with 
Advance  and  Cardinal  Nectarines,  have  been  started  in  December,  and 
brought  on  under  safe  conditions  in  respect  of  temperature,  they  will 
now  have  completed  stoning,  and  after  this  there  is  little  danger  of  the 
fruit  dropping,  provided  the  trees  are  properly  supplied  with  water  and 
nourishment  at  the  roots,  the  foliage  kept  clean  by  syringing,  and  due 
moisture  maintained  in  the  atmosphere.  If  there  be  any  deficiency  in 
these  respects,  and  the  ventilation  be  such  as  to  cause  checks,  the  fruit 
may  ripen  prematurely  ;  that  is,  not  complete  the  final  swelling  properly, 
turning  soft  and  dropping,  the  quality  being  very  inferior,  as  also  is  the 
appearance  of  the  fruit.  Where  the  fruit  is  placed  at  a  disadvantage 
for  receiving  light,  bring  it  round  so  that  the  light  will  fall  on  the  apex, 
supporting  it  by  laths  placed  across  the  wires  of  the  trellis,  or  other¬ 
wise  draw  aside  or  remove  overshadowing  leaves.  Keep  the  laterals 
closely  pinched,  and  stop  overgrowing  shoots.  A  temperature  of  60°  to 
65°  at  night,  and  70°  to  75°  by  day,  with  10°  to  15°  rise  from  sun  heat, 
will  be  necessary  to  have  the  fruit  ripe-at  the  close  of  April  or  early  in 
May. 
Second  Early  House. — Disbudding  must  be  gradually  and  carefully 
done,  removing  the  strong,  ill-placed  shoots,  and  heel  in  the  leading 
and  successional  growths,  taking  care  not  to  overcrowd  them.  Thin 
the  fruit,  not  being  in  too  great  a  hurry,  but  taking  advantage  of  the 
first  swelling  so  as  to  get  a  good  size  in  the  fruit  retained  for  the  crop. 
Syringe  the  trees  early  on  fine  days,  and  ventilate  early  in  favourable 
weather.  The  temperature  may  range  from  55°  to  60°  at  night,  and 
60°  to  65°  by  day,  ventilating  at  the  latter  temperature,  and  allowing 
an  advance  of  5°  to  10°  from  sun  heat,  closing  the  house  when  the  heat 
is  decreasing.  Avoid  cold  draughts  of  air,  yet  admit  it  freely  in 
favourable  weather,  so  as  to  insure  sturdy  growth,  well  developed 
foliage,  and  thoroughly  solidified  wood. 
Houses  Started  in  February. — The  trees  are  a  “  sight,”  in  some  cases 
“pictures  of  beauty,”  in  others  the  floor  is  strewn  with  dropped 
blossoms,  and  there  is  a  strange  reflection  on  the  face  of  the  cultivator. 
The  flowers  in  one  case  are  perfect,  in  the  other  the  pistillate  organs 
are  defective,  but  the  staminate  are  laden  with  pollen.  This  is  the 
effect  of  some  cause,  and  in  most  cases  traceable  to  a  deficiency  of 
phosphorus  and  sulphur ;  that  means  lack  of  sulphate  and  phosphate 
in  the  soil.  Where  there  is  much  blossom,  all  that  on  the  under  side  or 
at  back  of  the  shoots  may  be  removed.  Fertilise  the,  flowers  when  the1 
pollen  is  ripe,  leaving  nothing  to  chance.  Ventilate  freely  above  55°, 
and  allow  an  advance  to  65°  with  sun  heat.  Maintain  the  night 
temperature  at  50°  to  55°,  and  the  latter  by  day  in  dull  weather,  with 
a  little  ventilation  constantly,  as  a  close  atmosphere,  especially  damp, 
causes  moisture  to  be  deposited  on  the  organs  of  fructification, 
impairing  their  power  of  setting  the  fruit.  Secure  a  genial  atmosphere 
by  sprinkling  the  floor  occasionally,  and  avoid  cold  currents,  but 
ventilate  early  and  judiciously. 
Houses  to  Afford  Fruit  in  Late  July  and  August. — Midseason 
varieties  are  seen  at  their  best  in  the  structures  started  in  March. 
The  trees  are  coming  into  blossom,  often  carrying  too  many  flowers  by 
half,  in  which  case  remove  those  on  the  under  side  of  the  shoots.  In 
other  cases  there  is  a  strange  scarcity  of  blossom,  all  the  buds  having 
dropped,  or  nearly  so,  and  this  where  the  trees  are  grown  on  the  natural 
system  as  well  as  on  the  orthodox  trellis  plan.  Lifting  is  the  best  cure 
for  this,  but  it  only  lasts  a  time,  hence  some  cultivators  lift  the  trees 
periodically,  others  without  such  expedients  have  plenty  of  Peaches  and 
Nectarines  every  year.  It  is  simply  a  question  of  soil  ingredients,  and 
not  one  of  cultivators.  Give  such  trees  phosphate  and  sulphate  of  lime 
with  a  little  iron  thrown  in,  and  avoid  nitrogen  as  the  pestilence  till 
the  stoning  is  over,  as  a  special  application.  Maintain  a  temperature  of 
50°  by  day,  40°  to  45°  at  night,  advancing  to  65°  with  sun  and  full 
ventilation. 
Late  Houses. — The  buds  are  swelling  fast,  and  in  some  cases  coming 
into  flower.  When  the  blossoms  show  colour  a  little  heat  by  day  is  a 
great  advantage  in  dull  weather,  as  it  allows  of  a  circulation  of  air,  but 
it  ought  not  to  be  used  to  maintain  a  higher  temperature  from  that 
source  than  50°.  Admit  a  little  air  constantly,  but  in  some  cases  the 
lights  fit  so  badly  and  the  laps  of  glass  are  so  open  as  not  to  need  any 
further  ventilation. 
All  correspondence  relating  to  editorial  matters  should  be  directed 
to  “  The  Editor,”  12,  mitre  Court  Chambers,  Fleet  Street, 
liondon,  E.C.  It  is  requested  that  no  one  will  write  privately 
to  any  of  our  correspondents,  seeking  information  on  matters 
discussed  in  this  Journal,  as  doing  so  subjects  them  to  unjustifiable 
trouble  and  expense. 
Flower  Boxes  (/.  E.  D.). — Probably  one  or  other  of  the  large 
horticultural  sundriesmen  may  stock  flower  boxes.  The  addresses  of 
these  you  will  find  in  the  “Horticultural  Directory  ”  (Is.  3d.)  or  from 
our  advertisement  pages. 
Camellias  (Ignoramus) . — The  presenoe  of  the  glutinous  liquid  on  the 
leaves  indicates  that  there  are  insects  either  on  the  plants,  or  some 
other  plants  near  to  them,  or  on  the  roof  above.  You  might  ascertain 
if  this  is  not  the  caie,  and  if  it  is  not  you  might  write  to  us  again 
enclosing  a  fsw  of  the  Camellia  leaves. 
Book  on  Making  Cricket  Green  ( R .  W.  Proctor  Sf  Sons).—  In  Messrs. 
Sutton  &  Sons’  book  on  lawns,  cricket,  tennis,  and  putting  lawns  are 
described,  but  not  bowling  greens.  The  price  of  the  book  is  2s.  6d. 
Messrs.  Toogood  &  Sons,  Southampton,  have  a  publication  (price  2d.) 
on  lawns  which  gives  a  great  amount  of  useful  information,  but  we 
have  no  idea  of  any  other  works  on  the  subject. 
Book  on  Herbaceous  and  Alpine  Plants  (T.  S.). — Mr.  Weathers’ 
new  book,  entitled  “  A  Practical  Guide  to  Garden  Plants,”  would  suit 
vour  purpose  exceedingly  well  ;  the  price,  however,  is  21s.  Mr. 
Robinson’s  “  English  Flower  Garden  ”  is  a  few  shillings  less.  Black¬ 
wood  &  Sons  publish  a  “  Handbook  of  Hardy  Herbaceous  and  Alpine 
Flowers,”  but  the  date  is  1871,  which  is  somewhat  ancient;  no  price 
is  stated.  “  Hardy  Flowers”  (Warne  &  Co.)  would  be  as  good  as  any, 
and  might  cost  5s.  or  6s. 
Rooting  Leggy  Nepenthes  (A.  W.). — The  surest  way  is  to  notch  the 
stem  just  below  a  good  leaf  on  last  year’s  well-ripened  wood  and  on  the 
same  side  as  the  leaf,  having  the  upper  cut  straight  across  and  about 
half  through,  then  taking  the  piece  out  by  a  slanting  cut  upward.  It  is 
well  to  operate  on  two  joints  consecutively  and  on  opposite  sides,  then 
cover  the  part  with  sphagnum  moss  aDd  bind  moderately  tight  with 
copper  wire.  By  keeping  moist  the  stem  will  root,  when,  say  in  six 
weeks  or  thereabouts,  detach  and  transfer  to  the  basket  or  pot.  Cuttings 
of  one-year-old  well-ripened  shoots,  however,  root  freely,  inserting 
either  in  sphagnum  in  a  close  frame,  or,  if  in  pots,  in  a  mixture  of  two 
parts  fibrous  brown  peat  and  one  of  sphagnum.  A  good  plan  is  to  fill 
a  small  pot  with  moss,  invert  it,  and  insert  the  cutting  through  the  hole 
in  the  bottom.  The  pot  then  keeps  the  moss  uniform  in  moisture, 
plunging  in  a  frame  with  a  bottom  heat  of  80°  to  85°.  The  pot  is 
broken  when  the  plant  is  removed. 
