416 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AXD  COTTAGE  GARDENER . 
October  30,  1902. 
MULCHING. — A  winter  mulching  acts  beneficially  in  prevent¬ 
ing  frost  reaching  the  roots.  It  is  not  intended  the  first  season 
to  apply  a  mulching  for  the  purpose  of  fertilising  the  soil,  as  this 
is  not  required.  Therefore  the  material  used  should  be  loose 
and  light  rather  than  heavy  and  compact.  Half-decayed  manure 
is  as  good  as  anything.  Spread  it  as  far  as  the  roots  extend 
to  the  thickness  of  3in. — East  Kent. 
Fruit  Forcing. 
CHERRY  HOUSE. — The  trees  having  cast  their  leaves  should 
be  pruned.  Cut  back  to  within  an  inch  of  the  base  shoots  which 
were  made  during  the  summer  and  stopped  at  the  fifth  joint. 
This  applies  to  all  spur  growths,  but  the  extensions  and  growths 
for  forming  branches  to  furnish  the  trees  should  not  be  shortened 
unless  they  have  reached  the  extremity  of  the  trellis,  or  when 
it  is  necessary  to  multiply  the  branches  another  season.  The 
house  should  then  be  thoroughly  cleaned  and  the  trees  washed 
with  a  tepid  solution  of  paraffin  emulsion,  4oz  to  a  gallon  of 
water,  adding  ioz  of  sulphide  of  potassium,  then  limewash  the 
walls  with  best  fresh  lime.  Train  and  tie  the  trees  to  the  trellis. 
Clear  away  all  primings  and  other  matter.  Remove  the  loose 
material,  whether  mulchings  or  soil,  on  the  border.  If  the  roots 
are  near  the  surface  and  fully  occupy  the  soil,  a  light  pointing 
over  may  be  all  that  is  necessary  prior  to  top-dressing  with  an 
inch  or  two  thickness  of  fresh  loam  ;  but  no  opportunity  should 
be  lost  of  removing  inert  soil  and  changing  it  for  fresh  turfy 
loam  of  a  calcareous  nature.  The  roof  lights  being  off,  they 
need  not  be  replaced  until  the  time  of  starting  or  the  approach 
of  severe  weather.  Under  fixed  roofs  attention  will  need  to  be 
given  the  borders  for  watering,  keeping  them  evenly  moistened, 
ventilating  the  house  fully  up  to  starting. 
VINES— EARLY  FORCED  IN  POTS.— Where  thin-skinned 
Grapes  are  required  in  March  and  April  the  Vines  should  now 
be  placed  in  position  on  loose  brick  pillars,  so  that  the  rims  of 
the  pots  will  be  slightly  above  the  edge  of  the  pit,  and  this  being 
filled  with  Oak,  Beech,  or  Spanish  Chestnut  leaves  they  will  give 
out  heat  and  moisture  steadily  through  the  early  stages  of  growth, 
and  rich  stimulating  food  from  their  decay  during  the  swelling 
of  the  fruit,  when  it  requires  all  the  support  that  can  be  given. 
Take  care  that  the  heat  about  the  pots  does  not  exceed  70deg 
to  75deg,  supplying  water  only  to  keep  the  soil  moderately  moist, 
as  a  wet  condition  of  the  soil  does  not  favour  speedy  and  healthy 
root  action.  Allow  the  canes  to  fall  into  a  horizontal  position 
over  the  fermenting  material  until  they  have  broken,  but  not 
permitting  them  to  rest  upon  the  moist  and  warm  bed.  Syringe 
the  paths,  wall’s,  and  canes  two  or  three  times  a  day,  but  suffi¬ 
ciently  early  for  the  last  time  each  day  to  allow  of  the  canes 
becoming  fairly  dry  before  nightfall.  Maintain  a  temperature 
of  5odeg  at  night  and  GOdeg  to  Godeg  by  day,  with  a  free  circu¬ 
lation  of  air  at  and  above  that  temperature,  and  close  early  in 
the  afternoon. 
LATE  HAMBURGH  HOUSES.— The  atmosphere  in  which 
bunches  of  thin-skinned  Grapes  are  hanging  cannot  be  too  care¬ 
fully  attended  to,  as  the  berries  are  very  susceptible  to  injury 
from  excessive  moisture,  while  if  kept  too  dry  and  warm  they 
are  liable  to  shrivel.  A  gentle  movement  of  the  atmosphere  will 
prevent  the  decomposition  of  moisture  on  the  berries,  and  where 
ventilation  cannot  be  given,  a  little  warmth  in  the  hot  water 
pipes  will  keep  the  air  in  motion,  and  the  moisture  will  be 
condensed  on  the  glass  so  long  as  the  external  air  is  cooler  than 
that  of  the  house.  A  steady  temperature  of  50deg,  with  a  little 
warmth  in  the  pipes,  and  iiberal  ventilation  on  fine  days,  will 
suit  the  Vines  during  the  fall  of  the  leaf,  when,  unless  the  house 
is  well  adapted  for  keeping  them,  the  bunches  may  be  cut, 
bottled,  and  placed  in  the  late  house  or  a  cool,  dry  room.  The 
border  must  be  kept  fairly  moist,  or  the  Grapes  will  shrivel, 
even  while  the  leaves  are  on  the  Vines. — St.  Albans. 
Trade  Catalogues  Received. 
James  Cocker  and  Sons.  Rose  Specialists  and  General  Horticulturists' 
Aberdeen. — Roses,  Plants,  Shrubs,  Fruit  Trees,  dc. 
Damman  and  Co.,  Seed  and  Bulb  Merchants,  San  Giovanni  a  Teduceio, 
near  Naples,  Italy. — General  Price  List. 
M.  Herb  (ex.  Herb  and  Wulle),  Naples,  Italy.— Novelties  for  1903. 
Jardins  Correvon.  “Floraire,’  Chene  Bourg,  Geneva,  Switzerland. — 
Catalogue  of  Plants. 
Harlan  P.  Kelsey,  Highlands  Nursery,  Kawana.  N.C.,  and  Tremont 
Building.  Boston,  Mass. — Hardy  American  Plants. 
John  Peed  and  Son,  Mitcham  Road,  Streatham,  S.W.,  and  Roupell 
Park  Nurseries,  West  Norwood,  S.E. — Hardy  Perennial  Plants, 
Florists'  Flowers,  and  Alpines. 
Pinehurst  Nurseries,  Pinehurst,  North  Carolina,  U.S.A.— Wholesale 
Trade  List. 
*  **  All  correspondence  relating  to  editorial  matters  should  be  directed 
to  “  The  Editor,”  12,  Mitre  Court  Chambers,  Fleet  Street, 
London,  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. 
Plan  of  a  Bothy — Competition. 
•  “Well-wisher”  promises  a  first  prize  of  £3,  and  the  Editor 
supplies  a  second  prize  of  £1. 
The  rules  of  the  competition  are  as  follows  :  — The  plan,  drawn 
to  scale,  must  not  exceed  7in  broad  by  7in  deep,  and  must  be 
clearly  defined  on  stout  paper.  The  plan  must  provide  suitable 
accommodation  for  six  men,  and  the  cost  of  the  building  ought 
not  to  exceed  £200  to  £220.  A  statement  of  the  general  items 
of  cost  should  accompany  the  plans,  together  with  any  written 
comments  thereon.  The  competition  is  open  until  Christmas, 
1902,  by  which  date  all  plans  must  be  in  the  hands  of  the  Editor. 
The  sender’s  name  and  full  address  should  be  enclosed  when  send¬ 
ing  the  plan,  and  the  sender  will  alone  be  held  responsible  for  it. 
NAMES  OF  APPLES  (Sussex). — The  reply  was  intended  for 
you,  “X.  Z.  A.” 
RULES  FOR  A  VILLAGE  FLOWER  SHOAV  (R.  L.).— We 
have  forwarded  to  you  what  may  be  a  useable  or  adaptable  set 
of  rules  for  a  society  such  as  yours. 
CONTRIBUTION  OF  2s.  (J.  P.).— We  received  the  2s.  and 
handed  it  to  Mr.  B.  Wynne,  secretary  of  the  Royal  Gardeners’ 
Orphan  Fund,  who  lias  returned  a  receipt. 
SECRETARY  I'.  H.  B.  AND  P.  S.  (E.  Smith).— Mr.  William 
Collins,  9,  Martindale  Road,  Balharn,  London,  S.W.,  is  secretary 
of  the  United  Horticultural  Benefit  and  Provident  Society. 
FERN  FOR  STAND  IN  NORTH  WINDOW  (L.  C.).— It  is 
not  possible  to  determine  the  name  of  a  Fern  from  a  single 
division  of  the  fronds,  but  we  think  it  is  Cyrtomium  falcatum, 
which  is  nearly  if  not  quite  hardy,  and  as  such  would  be  suitable 
for  a  stand  in  a  north  window.  Asplenium  flabellifolium  is  a 
charming  small  Fern  for  suspending  in  glass  cases,  but  in  the 
position  you  name  it  would- not  succeed  in  winter.  It  requires 
to  be  kept  from  frost. 
AJUGA  REPTANS  PURPUREA  PROPAGATION  (C.  P.  B.). 
— It  has  dark  purple  bronze  foliage,  and  forms  a  good  contrast  to 
Golden  Feather  Pyrethrum,  and  is  the  best  in  spring,  being  very 
valuable  for  spring  bedding.  It  is  propagated  by  cuttings  of  two 
joints  and  the  growing  point  inserted  in  sandy  soil,  kept  moist, 
and  shaded  from  sun;  or  they  may  in  summer,  or  even  now,  be 
put  in  on  a  north  border,  but  would  root  at  this  season  more 
freely  in  a  frame.  Plants  for  spring  bedding  ought  to  be  struck 
early  in  summer,  and  should  be  nice  plants  by  autumn.  It  is 
perfectly  hardy. 
PLUM  TREES  UNFRUITFUL  (Amateur).— The  trees  would 
be  best  lifted  as  soon  as  the  leaves  turn  yellow  and  begin  to  fall. 
Take  out  a  trench  about  3ft  from  the  stem,  cutting  off  all  roots 
and  lift  the  trees  with  the  roots  in  the  space  towards 
the  stem,  cutting  off  any  roots  that  go  down.  After 
putting  some  soil  under,  replace  the  tree  and  fill-up, 
treacling  the  ground  firmly.  The  trees  should  be  kept 
rather  high,  the  uppermost  roots  about  Gin  above  the  surrounding 
ground  level,  and  cover  them  about  3in  deep  with  fresh  soil, 
making  firm,  and  mulching  over  the  roots  with  littery  manure.  It 
is  not  desirable  to  defer  the  pruning  until  spring  with  a  view  to 
protect  the  blossom  from  frost.  If  summer  pruning  were 
properly  attended  to,  very  little  winter  pruning  would  be 
required. 
EDGING  PLANTS  FOR  BORDER  ON  LAWN  (M.  H.  M.).— 
For  a  permanent  edging  to  a  border  on  grass,  Ivies  of  the  green 
kinds  would  not  be  suitable,  as  they  would  not  contrast  unless 
you  had  the  .  border  raised,  and  then  they  would  answer 
admirably.  The  small-leaved  kinds  are  most  suitable,  as  Hedera 
Donolieriensis  and  H.  taurica.  The  best  silver  is  H.  Helix 
elegans.  H.  Helix  foliis  variegatis  is  also  good.  The  edging 
may  be  raised  with  stones,  over  which  the  Ivies  will  run  and  cling 
to,  and  soon  form  a  close  edging.  The  Euonymus  radicans 
variegatus,  with  green  leaves  broadly  margined  with  white  or 
silver,  is  excellent  for  edging  ;  E.  flavescens,  with  leaves  of  a  deep 
chrome  yellow,  is  also  good,  and  might  with  cutting  be  kept  to  the 
height  you  require,  it  being  of  free  growth,  but  compact.  The 
variegated  Thymes  are  desirable  edging  plants;  one  variegated 
yellow,  Thymus  citriodorus  aureo-marginatus ;  and  the  other 
white,  T.  variegatus. 
