400 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
May  9,  1901. 
Royal  Scottish  Arboricultural. 
At  a  meeting  of  council  of  this  Society,  held  at  5,  St.  Andrew  Square, 
Edinburgh,  the  arrangements  proposed  for  the  excursion  to  Ayrshire 
during  the  last  week  of  July  were  explained,  and  it  was  decided  that 
the  general  meeting  of  the  Sooiety  should  be  held  in  Ayr  during  the 
excursion,  instead  of  in  Edinburgh  previous  to  starting,  as  formerly. 
The  General  Purposes  Committee  reported  the  progress  made  in 
connection  with  the  proposed  forestry  exhibition  at  the  Highland 
Society’s  Show  at  Inverness,  and  a  special  committee  was  appointed 
to  act  along  with  a  committee  of  the  Highland  Sooiety.  It  was 
unanimously  agreed  to  recommend  that  Sir  Robert  Menzies,  Bart.,  be 
eleoted  an  honorary  member  of  the  Society  at  the  next  general 
meeting.  It  was  remitted  to  the  president,  Lord  Mansfield,  and  the 
honorary  secretary,  Mr.  Munro  Ferguson,  M.P.,  to  endeavour  to  arrange 
a  conference  in  Edinburgh  with  Mr.  Hanbury,  the  President  of  the 
Board  of  Agriculture,  on  the  subjeot  of  forestry  education. 
Leeds  Paxton. 
'  Mr.  Wm.  Moore,  The  Gardens,  Allerton  Hall,  Gledhow,  Leeds, 
discoursed  to  a  good  number  of  the  members  of  the  Leeds  Paxton 
Sooiety  on  the  Chrysanthemum,  how  to  grow  for  exhibition  being  the 
•chief  point  aimed  at  by  the  essayist.  Mr.  Moore  said  in  his  opening 
remarks  that  the  southern  growers  recommend  a  great  many  of  the  up- 
to-date  varieties  to  be  grown  on  the  second  bud,  but  he  did  not  in  this 
district  so  far  north,  only  in  some  few  cases.  A  very  good  way  of 
growing  plants  of  a  dwarf  nature  was  to  strike  in  March,  pinch  the  late 
varieties  latter  end  of  May,  and  early  varieties  beginning  of  June  ; 
grow  one  bloom  to  a  plant  in  6-inoh  pots.  The  essayist  said  hp  had  had 
some  excellent  exhibition  flowers  from  such  culture.  Striking  cuttings, 
first,  second,  and  final  potting,  manures  (organic  and  inorganic),  housing 
of  plants,  diseases,  &c.,  were  all  gone  through.  One  thing  the  essayist 
pointed  out  was  to  be  very  careful  with  manures  and  feeding,  as  he 
thought  more  Chrysanthemums  were  ruined  by  overfeeding  than  any¬ 
thing  else.  A  very  good  disoussion  took  place,  and  a  great  many 
members  asked  questions,  which  were  answered  to  the  satisfaction  of  all. 
A  very  warm  and  cordial  vote  of  thanks  was  accorded  Mr.  Moore,  who 
suitably  replied,  and  said  he  was  only  too  pleased  to  try  and  assist  any 
of  his  brother  Paxtonians  in  this  great  work  of  growing  Chrys¬ 
anthemums  for  exhibition. — J.  Yeadon,  Sec. 
Notes  on  Figs  Dnder  Glass. 
The  fruits  of  the  earliest  trees  in  pots,  and  of  the  very  early  small 
varieties,  Early  Violet  and  St.  John’s,  are  ripe,  and  the  large  White 
Marseilles  and  Brown  Turkey  are  nearly  so,  henoe  the  supply  of  water 
at  the  roots  must  be  diminished,  discontinuing  syringing,  and  affording 
a  free  circulation  of  warm  air,  leaving  a  little  top  ventilation  at  nights. 
Although  watering  is  advised  to  be  lessened  during  the  ripening  of  the 
fruit,  the  soil  must  be  kept  moist,  and  a  moderate  moisture  in  the 
atmosphere  secured  by  an  occasional  damping,  but  this  will  only  be 
neoessary  in  very  bright  weather.  As  soon  as  the  first  crop  is 
gathered  syringe  the  trees  twice  daily,  renewing  the  top-dressing,  and 
water  with  weak  liquid  manure.  If  the  second  crop  be  very  abundant 
the  fruits  must  be  thinned  so  as  not  to  over-tax  the  trees  for  early 
forcing  next  season. 
The  fruit  on  early  forced  planted-out  trees  is  advancing  rapidly 
towards  the  ripening  stage,  and  must  have  sufficient  nutriment.  If 
necessary  give  the  trees  a  thorough  supply  of  water  or  liquid  manure, 
and  mulch  the  border  with  a  little  partially  deoayed  rather  lumpy 
manure.  Do  not  oease  syringing  until  the  fruit  commences  ripening, 
avoiding  then  a  superfluity  of  moisture  about  the  house,  having  a  little 
ventilation  at  the  top  constantly,  and  a  free  circulation  until  the  fruit 
is  all  gathered.  Do  not  gather  the  fruit  until  it  is  thoroughly  ripe, 
unless  it  has  to  be  packed. 
In  succession  houses  attention  must  be  given  to  stopping  the  shoots 
at  the  fifth  joint,  and  subsequently  to  one  or  two  ;  but  too  many  side 
shoots  must  not  be  encouraged,  as  the  fruits  and  wood  require  light  and 
air  for  maturation.  Train  extensions  in  their  full  length,  thinning  or 
removing  strong  growths,  so  as  to  admit  light  and  air  to  the  fruit. 
Attend  daily  to  syringing  the  trees,  and  supply  water  as  necessary  to 
maintain  thorough  moisiure  at  the  roots.  Renew  the  mulching  from 
time  to  time,  and  keep  it  moist,  but  not  always  saturated,  so  as  to 
encourage  the  roots  and  keep  them  at  the  surface. — Grower. 
- - 
Horseradish. — Horseradish  is  a  plant  cultivated  and  used  chiefly 
as  a  condiment  to  correct  rich  diet.  The  fresh  root,  says  the  author  of 
“Fruits,  Nuts,  and  Vegetables,”  is  a  strong  stimulant  because  of  its 
ardent  and  pungent  volatile  principle,  which  becomes  inert  by  exposure 
and  cooking.  It  contains  sulphur,  and  is  therefore  recommended  for 
rheumatism.  Scraped  and  swallowed  it  is  also  good  for  relaxed  sore 
throat.  For  neuralgia  of  the  face,  scraped  and  applied  as  a  poultice,  it 
usually  gives  relief.  Horseradish  may  be  bought  in  the  torm  of  a 
tincture  for  use  in  these  several  ailments.  This  vegetable  chemioally 
contains  sulphur,  a  volatile  oil,  bitter  resin,  sugar,  starch,  gum, 
albumen,  and  acetates. 
Ms  WORKFOfiTHEWEEK,.  <31 
Fruit  Forcing. 
Melons. — Early  Plants. — When  the  fruit  commences  ripening  lessen 
the  supply  of  water  at  the  roots,  but  not  so  as  to  distress  the  plants,  for 
if  the  foliage  has  been  kept  clean,  and  the  roots  are  in  good  condition, 
a  second  crop  may  be  had.  Withhold  atmospheric  moisture,  and  provide 
a  circulation  of  warm  air,  increasing  the  temDerature  to  70°  or  75° 
artificially,  and  80°  to  90°  with  sun  heat.  If  any  fruits  show  a  tendency 
to  crack  cut  the  shoots  about  half  way  through  with  a  sharp  knife,  a 
few  inches  below  the  fruit,  diminishing  the  supply  of  water  at  the 
roots  and  in  the  atmosphere,  leaving  a  little  extra  ventilation  constantly 
to  prevent  moisture  condensing  on  the  fruit. 
Succession  Plants. — When  the  plants  are  coming  into  flower  keep  the 
atmosphere  rather  drier  and  warmer,  ventilating  early,  and  leaving  a 
little  constantly  to  prevent  the  blossoms  beooming  too  damp.  Fertilise 
the  flowers  when  fully  expanded,  stopping  the  shoots  at  the  same  time 
one  or  two  joints  beyond  the  fruit.  Earth  the  plants  with  some  rather 
strong  loam  after  the  fruits  begin  swelling,  ramming  it  firmly.  Plants 
swelling  their  fruits  may  be  syringed  in  hot  weather  about  3  p.m., 
damping  the  floor  several  times  a  day,  and  occasionally  in  the  evening, 
with  weak  liquid  manure.  Shade  only  to  prevent  flagging,  ventilate 
freely  in  favourable  weather,  commencing  from  75°  to  80°,  increasing 
during  the  day  as  may  be  necessary,  maintaining  a  day  temperature  of 
80°  to  85°  or  90°  with  sun  heat,  closing  between  80°  and  85°,  and  if  an 
advance  is  made  after  dosing  to  90°  or  95°  it  will  materially  assist  the 
fruit  swelling,  but  it  must  be  accompanied  by  plenty  of  atmospheric 
moisture. 
Train  out  the  growths  in  pits  and  frames,  still  maintaining  a  good 
bottom  heat  by  linings,  and  employ  night  coverings  over  the  lights. 
Earth  up  the  roots  as  they  protrude  through  the  sides  of  the  mounds. 
Do  not  allow  young  plants  to  become  root-bound  before  placing  them 
out,  as  they  rarely  make  free  growth  afterwards.  Any  plants  that  are 
likely  to  get  into  that  state  should  be  shifted  into  larger  pots,  but  not 
more  than  a  size  or  two  bigger  than  those  they  are  at  present  in,  in 
order  to  keep  them  in  steady  progressive  growth.  Sow  seeds  for  raising 
plants  for  pits  or  frames  as  thby  become  cleared  of  bedding  plants, 
potting  the  young  plants  as  required.  A  fair  amount  of  bottom  heat 
should  first  be  secured  by  using  the  le3S  decomposed  material  from 
Rhubarb,  Seakale,  Vine  borders,  or  exhausted  hotbeds,  which,  with  a 
fourth  of  fresh  material,  will  afford  all  the  bottom  heat  required. 
Vines. — Early  Forced. — Where  the  Grapes  are  ripe,  fire  heat  will 
only  be  necessary  to  keep  the  temperature  at  about  60°  at  night, 
ventilating  freely  by  day.  Black  Hamburgh  and  other  thin-skinned 
Grapes  will  need  slight  shade,  such  as  that  of  a  double  thickness  of 
herring  nets  over  the  roof-lights,  and  it  will  also  prevent  amber- 
coloured  Grapes  assuming  a  brownish  hue,  as  well  as  black  turning 
reddish,  detracting  from  their  appearance.  Damp  the  house  occasionally, 
not  allowing  moisture  to  be  condensed  on  the  berries,  but  prevent  it  by 
a  little  ventilation  constantly,  and  insure  its  dissipation  by  increasing 
the  amount  early.  A  certain  extent  of  air  moisture  is  necessary  for 
the  foliage,  and  will  not  injure  the  Grapes  provided  the  atmosphere  is 
not  stagnant.  A  moderate  extension  of  the  laterals  is  advisable,  as  it 
tends  to  keep  the  roots  active  and  prevents  the  premature  ripening  of 
the  foliage,  which  must  be  kept  clean  and  healthy  as  long  as  possible. 
If  the  principal  leaves  fall  a  prey  to  red  spider,  and  there  are  no  laterals 
to  utilise  the  sap,  it  is  probable  that  the  axillary  buds  will  be  started 
prematurely.  If  fermenting  materials  have  been  applied  to  the 
border,  part  of  them  should  now  be  removed,  leaving  sufficient  for  a 
mulch ;  and  if  the  roots  are  active  in  the  lower  part  of  the  material  a 
little  fresh  may  be  placed  on  the  surface  to  protect  them  from  the 
atmosphere  and  impart  a  neat  appearance. 
Early  Muscats. — It  is  hardly  possible,  and  certainly  not  desirable,  to 
have  Muscat  of  Alexandria  ripe  before  June.  Blaok  Muscat  (Muscat 
Hamburgh)  may  be  ripened  by  the  end  of  April,  but  it  sets  its  berries 
very  indifferently  at  an  early  season,  and  fertilisation  mikes  very  little 
difference,  as  the  pistillate  parts  of  the  flowers  are  often  devoid  of 
ovules,  and  cannot  possibly  be  set.  Madresfield  Court  cannot  be  classed 
as  a  Muscat  in  the  same  sense  as  a  Muscat  of  Alexandria,  but  it  forces 
admirably,  and  has  some  Muscat  flavour.  Crops  of  Muscat  of 
Alexandria  started  in  December  are  now  ripening,  and  the  Vines  must 
not  lack  water  at  the  roots.  Examine  the  inside  border  every  week, 
and  if  moisture  be  neoessary  give  it,  or  liquid  manure,  liberally  and 
warm.  The  temperature  should  be  kept  at  65°  to  70°  at  night,  70°  to 
75°  by  day  artificially,  and  through  the  day  at  80°  to  90°  from  sun  heat. 
A  circulation  of  air  should  be  kept  constantly,  warm  and  rather  dry 
air  being  neoessary  to  perfection  in  Muscats.  If  the  sun  is  very 
powerful,  and  the  panes  of  glass  large  and  clear,  a  single  thickness  of 
herring  nets  drawn  over  the  roof-lights  will  break  the  force  of  the  rays 
