July  3 I,  1902. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
115 
Fruit  Forcing. 
CHERRY  HOUSE. ^ — The  trees  have  the  wood  sufficiently 
ripened  and  t lie  buds  enough  plumped  to  allow  of  their  being 
fully  exposed  to  the  atmosphere.  This  applies  to  the  house 
started  early  in  the  year,  therefore  remove  the  roof  lights, 
which  is  the  best  means  for  arresting  premature  growth,  to 
which  the  Cherry  when  forced  year  after  year  successively  is 
liable.  The  leaves  from  their  hard  texture  are  not  very 
inviting  to  black  aphides,  but  red  spider  will  prey  upon  them 
unless  prevented  by  syringing  or  an  insecticide.  Black  aphides, 
however,  may  appear  on  any  young  growths,  in  which  case 
syringe  the  points  with  tobacco  water,  rubbing  the  worst  infested 
parts  gently  between  the  fingers  whilst  wet  with  the  insecticide, 
For  red  spider,  syringe  the  trees  with  paraffin  emulsion,  adding 
\oz  of  sulphide  of  potassium  to  3  gallons  of  the  solution,  2oz  of 
paraffin  emulsion  per  gallon  of  water  being  used.  The  border 
must  not  be  allowed  to  become  parchingly  dry,  but  have  copious 
supplies  of  water,  and  if  the  trees  are  weakly,  liquid  manure  may 
be  employed,  as  poverty  of  bud-perfecting  means  collapse  of  the 
fruit  after  setting  if  it  gets  beyond  the  blossoming.  Trees  in 
pots  may  be  removed  from  the  house,  stood  on  a  base  impervious 
to  worms,  plunged  in  ashes  in  a  sunny  position  outdoors,  where 
they  must  be  duly  attended  to  for  water,  and  properly  syringed 
to  maintain  the  foliage  in  a  healthy  state  as  long  as  possible. 
CUCUMBERS. — Any  house  or  frame  at  liberty  may  yet  be 
planted  with  Cucumbers,  the  frame  having  a  bed  of  fermenting 
materials  which  will  give  a  supply  of  fruit  in  September,  and 
continue  to  do  so  nearly  to  Christmas  if  due  regard  be  had  to 
lining  the  bed  and  to  protecting  the  plant  by  mats  over  the 
lights  at  night  after  the  weather  sets  in  cold.  Let  the  growths 
of  plants  in  frames  or  houses  be  thinned  at  least  once  a  week, 
and  in  growing  weather  twice,  removing  exhausted  growths  to 
make  room  for  young  bearing  shoots.  Keep  the  growths  well 
stopped  to  one  joint  beyond  the  fruit,  or  at  the  fruit  if  the  plants 
are  vigorous  and  showing  no  signs  of  exhaustion.  Always  allow 
weakly  plants  more  extension,  and  crop  them  lightly.  Maintain 
a  temperature  of  70deg  at  night,  7odeg  by  day,  80deg  to  8odeg 
with  sun,  closing  early  to  increase  to  90deg  or  95deg.  Maintain 
root  activity  by  surface  dressings  of  turfy  loam  or  lumpy 
sweetened  manure,  and  pay  due  attention  to  watering  two  or 
three  times  a  week.  Syringe  in  the  afternoon  of  hot  days,  but 
avoid  late  syringing,  for  the  foliage  should  be  dry  by  sunset. 
The  autumn  fruiters  should  be  planted  on  hillocks  or  ridges 
moderately  firm,  maintaining  a  moist  and  genial  atmosphere, 
and  they  will  grow  and  show  fruit  in  plenty  shortly,  being  far 
better  for  a  supply  of  late  summer  and  early  autumn  fruits  than 
old  plants,  which  produce  knobbed,  crooked,  and  otherwise 
inferior  specimens  at  that  season. 
PEACHES  AND  NECTARINES  —  LATE  SUCCESSION 
HOUSES. — Every  attention  must  be  given  the  trees  in  syringing 
to  keep  the  foliage  free  from  red  spider  and  in  watering  the 
inside  borders.  It  will  be  an  advantage  to  mulch  the  borders 
with  short  lumpy  material,  as  stable  litter  freed  from  the  straw ; 
but  it  must  not  be  used  in  great  amount  at  a  time  in  the  fresh 
state,  or  the  ammonia  vapour  will  seriously  injure  the  foliage, 
particularly  if  the  lights  for  ventilation  are  kept  close,  a  little 
air  constantly  being  a  safeguard  against  scorching,  soft  and 
attenuated  growth.  The  value  of  using  manure  rather  fresh,  but 
not  rank,  as  a  mulch,  is  that  the  ammonia  given  out  is  inimical  to 
insects  and  invigorating  to  the  plants,  the  waterings  making  its 
soluble  constituents  available  for  taking  up  by  the  roots,  and  by 
being  lumpy  or  open  atmospheric  influences  have  freer  access  for 
effecting  the  assimilation  of  food  in  the  soil  than  rvhen  it  is 
practically  sealed  by  a  close  mass  of  little  manurial  value.  The 
shoots  must  be  regularly  tied  in,  allowing  space  in  the  ligatures 
for  the  swelling  of  the  shoots.  To  assist  the  colouring  and 
ripening  of  the  fruits,  they  should  be  exposed  as  much  as  possible 
to  the  influences  of  sun  and  air  by  removing  or  shortening  some 
of  the  foliage  where  too  thickly  placed.  When  the  fruit  is  on 
the  under  side  of  the  trellis,  the  shoots  may  be  untied  and  regu¬ 
lated  so  as  to  bring  it  with  the  apex  to  the  light,  supporting 
each  fruit  in  position  by  a  lath  placed  across  the  trellis.  Dis¬ 
continue  the  syringing  when  the  fruit  commences  to  ripen,  and 
lessen  the  supplies  of  water,  but  on  no  account  must  water  be 
withheld  to  the  prejudice  of  the  health  of  the  trees.  A  piece  of 
soft  netting,  such  as  hexagon,  placed  below  the  trellis,  and  so 
arranged  as  to  form  pockets  to  save  the  fruit  from  a  long  run 
against  each  other,  will  prevent  any  fruit  being  bruised  should 
they  fall.  Both  top  and  bottom  ventilation  will  be  necessary 
constantly,  except  in  cold  weather,  after  the  fruit  commences 
ripening. 
LATE  HOUSES. — Continue  syringing  the  trees  as  often  as 
necessary  to  keep  red  spider  in  check,  but  avoid  keeping  the 
foliage  constantly  moist.  Inside  borders  must  be  well  watered 
and  mulched,  avoid  making  the  soil  sodden  and  sour  by  needless 
watering.  Tie  in  the  shoots  regularly  and  evenly,  keeping  them 
rather  thin.  Stop  any  gross  shoots,  or  preferably  cut  them  clean 
out,  thereby  causing  a  division  and  more  equalisation  of  the  sap 
and  vigour  throughout  the  tree.  When  the  fruit  commences 
swelling  after  stoning,  and  it  being  desired  to  accelerate  the 
ripening  of  the  fruit,  close  the  house  somewhat  early  in  the  after¬ 
noon.  Let  the  temperature  rise  to  80deg,  or  85deg  or  90deg, 
ventilating  a  little  before  nightfall.  Increase  the  ventilation 
early,  and  keep  through  the  day  from  70deg  to  85deg  whenever 
practicable.  The  wood  is  so  unripe  in  many  cases  that  every 
possible  advantage  should  be  taken  of  the  solar  heat,  alike  to 
perfect  the  current  crop  and  the  wood  and  buds  for  the  ensuing 
season,  especially  in  unheated  houses. 
MELONS. — The  weather,  broiling  hot  a  short  time  and  then 
cold  from  the  prevalence  of  north-easterly  winds,  has  not  been 
favourable  .to  late  crops  in  frames,  as  keeping  close  means  a 
moisture-laden  atmosphere,  and  gives  Melons  on  manure  beds  an 
impulse  in  the  direction  of  growth.  As  the  fruit  sets  badly  on 
luxuriantly  growing  laterals,  the  growths  should  be  kept  rather 
thin,  crowding  tending  to  nothing  but  disaster.  Air  a  little 
constantly  to  prevent  the  deposition  of  moisture  on  the  blossoms, 
which  is  necessary  to  secure  a  good  set,  affording  no  more 
water  at  the  roots  than  is  necessary  to  prevent  flagging  of  the 
foliage.  Do  not  neglect  to  fertilise  fully  expanded  flowers  daily, 
and  to  go  over  the  growths  frequently  for  the  removal  of  super¬ 
fluous  and  stopping  the  unruly,  or  to  concentrate  the  nutriment 
on  the  fruits,  being  careful  "to  avoid  overcrowding.  Copious 
supplies  of  water  are  necessary  to  plants  swelling  their  fruits, 
about  twice  a  week  in  bright  weather,  once  a  week,  or  more  dis¬ 
tantly,  in  cold  and  moist  dull  weather.  Sprinkle  the  plants  at 
closing  time  on  fine  days,  those  in  houses  being  well  syringed 
both  ways  in  the  afternoon  of  bright  days,  and  a  good  moisture 
maintained  by  sprinkling  the  floor  two  or  three  times  a  day, 
damping  being  all  that  is  necessary  in  dull  weather.  Keep  the 
atmosphere  dry  when  the  fruit  is  setting  or  ripening.  Maintain 
a  top  heat  of  65deg  at  night,  75deg  by  day,  in  dull  weather 
admitting  a  little  air  at  that  if  there  be  a  prospect  of  some  sun, 
increasing  the  ventilation  with  the  increasing  temperature  up 
to  85deg  or  90deg,  closing  sufficiently  early  to  raise  the  heat  to 
90deg  or  95deg  or  lOOdeg.  A  free  circulation  of  rather  dry  air 
and  warm  greatly  improves  the  finish  and  quality  of  Melons 
when  near  ripening.  If  canker  appear  at  the  collar,  rub  quick- 
lime  into  the  affected  part  until  it  becomes  dry,  repeating  as 
necessary,  maintaining  a  drier  and  better  ventilated  atmosphere. 
If  there  be  any  indications  of  the  fruit  cracking,  cut  the  vine 
about  half  way ‘through  a  few  joints  below  the  fruit,  reducing  the 
supply  of  water  at  the  roots,  and  maintain  a  dry  well  ventilated 
atmosphere,  not  neglecting  to  afford  some  air  at  night. 
St.  Albans. 
The  Kitchen  Garden. 
SOWING  CABBAGE. — From  the  present  time  to  the  middle 
of  August  may  be  considered  the  best  period  to  make  the  sowing 
of  Cabbage  for  spring  use.  Ground  should  be  well  dug  over  to 
bury  rubbish  and  provide  a  broken  up  surface  of  fresh  pulverised 
soil  which  can  be  made  fine  and  level  for  distributing  the  seed 
upon.  Should  the  soil  be  very  dry,  and  the  weather  likely  to 
remain  hot  and  dry,  a  thorough  soaking  of  water  ought  to  bo 
given.  Drills  may  then  be  drawn,  and  the  seed  sown  in  them 
thinly,  or  it  may  be  scattered  thinly  broadcast.  If  the  latter 
plan  is  adopted,  cover  the  seed  with  a  thin  layer  of  fine,  dry  soil. 
Good  varieties  to  sow  now  are  Flower  of  Spring,  Ellam  s  Dwarf 
Early,  Wheeler’s  Imperial,  Enfield  Market,  Early  Offenhani.  In 
continued  dry  weather  sprinkle  with  water  to  assist  germination 
and  early  growth. 
PARSLEY.— Sowings  of  Parsley  made  at  different  times 
always  ensure  that  a  supply  of  this  much  esteemed  herb  shall  be 
forthcoming.  After  plants  commence  to  throw  up  flower  stems 
they  are  seldom  worth  retaining,  and  as  the  oldest  beds  are  sure 
to  do  this,  fresh  sowings  must  be  made  to  fill  up  probable  gaps 
in  the  regular  supply.  There  may  not  be  much  fear  of  shortage 
at  present,  but  in  the  winter  and  early  spring  the  supply 
frequently  runs  short.  A  bed,  however,  sown  now  will  make 
excellent  growth  during  the  autumn  which  will  last  well  through 
the  winter.  Sow  on  a  plot  of  good  ground  in  drills  6in  apart. 
The  seedlings  are  readily  thinned  by  this  method,  and  the  hoe 
may  be  used  between  the  rows. 
CELERY.— The  earliest  rows  of  Celery  may  receive  a  final 
earthing,  seeing  before  doing  so  that  the  roots  are  thoroughly 
moist.  Apply  soil  round  the  plants  only  when  they  are  quite 
dry.  Successional  rows  also  require  frequent  attention  according 
to  the  advanced  condition  of  the  plants.  The  second  early  rows 
will  most  likely  require  earthing  another  stage,  while  the  rows  to 
