Novcmbc-r  13,  13C2. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
459 
Fig.  2.— Mr.  Strugnell’s  Seedling  Nectarine,  No.  2. 
C,  fruit,  natural  size;  ligh'  shaded  part  of  fruit,  pale  yellow;  .</,  portion  of 
fruit,  bright  crimson  in  stains  and  streaks  ;  ft,  white  suture. 
D,  leaf,  two-thirds  natural  size;  i,  petiole  with  round  glands;  j,  edges  sharply 
serrated. 
Lord  Palmerston  and  Sea  Eagle  Peaches.  4.  Tree  on  its  own 
roots.  5.  Stone  planted  in  1899. 
No.  1  seedling  resembles  Hardwicke’s  Nectarine,  though  the 
fruit  is  smaller,  but  this  would  no  doubt  be  considerably  enhanced 
by  working  on  the  Plum  stock,  seedling  trees  not  usually  pro¬ 
ducing  large  fruit.  The  seedling,  however,  ripens  a  month  later 
than  Hardwicke’s,  or  at  the  same  time  as  Victoria,  from  which 
it  differs  in  the  higher  colour  of  the  fruit  and  in  the  leaves  being- 
glandless.  Mr.  Strugnell  says  there  is  “  no  tree  of  Hardwicke 
on  the  place,”  and  the  tree  appears  hardier  than  Victoria,  hence 
the  seedling  is  likely  to  prove  an  acquisition  to  late  Nectarines. 
No.  2  seedling,  fig.  2,  C  and  D,  was  sketched  and  tested  on 
October  14,  1902.  Fruit  rather  large,  about  as  high  as  wide, 
terminating  in  a  point  at  the  apex,  where  is  a  black,  minute 
nipple,  from  which  issues  a  faint  suture,  which  appears  iike  a 
white  hair-line  towards  the  stalk.  Skin,  pale  yellow  or  lemon, 
stained,  streaked,  and  mottled  with  bright  crimson  at  the  apex 
or  next  the  sun,  and  even  with  crimson  shading  on  the  shaded 
side  of  the  fruit.  Flesh,  pale  yellow,  very  tender  and  .juicy, 
stained  with  red  next  the  stone,  from  which  it  separates  freely. 
Flowers  large,  glands  round. 
This  is  a  very  richly  flavoured  Nectarine,  and  resembles 
Humboldt,  but  ripens  about  a  month  later.  Mr.  Strugneil 
describes  it  as  a  chance  seedling,  whose  origin  is  unknown.  The 
tree  is  on  its  own  roots,  and  is  grown  against  a  south  wall.  He 
says  the  seedling  No.  2  resembles  Pineapple  in  shape  and  colour 
of  flowers.  The  tree  dates  from  1898,  and  this  its  first  fine  of 
fruiting.  Hownton,  Pineapple,  and  Victoria  are  the  varieties 
of  Nectarine  grown  at  Rood  Ashton  for  late,  but  young  trees  of 
Humboldt,  Spenser,  and  Newton  are  in  hand  for  late  gathering 
in  the  future. 
I  may  say  that  Mr.  Strugnell  also  forwarded  fruits  of  Hum¬ 
boldt,  Pineapple,  and  Victoria  for  comparison,  and  from  these 
the  seedlings  have  distinct  features. — G. 'Abbey. 
Fruit  Forcing. 
CUCUMBERS. — Plants  that  have  been  in  bearing  some  time 
can  be  invigorated  by  a  top-dressing  of  turfy  loam,  to'  which  has 
been  added  about  a  fifth  of  thoroughly  decayed  manure  or 
sweetened  horse  droppings  and  about  a.  tenth  of  “  nut  ”  charcoal. 
A  sprinkling  of  superphosphate,  with  an  equal  amount  of  soot, 
added  to  it  and  mixed,  sprinkled  on  the  surface,  will  promote 
root  formation  and  sturdy  growth,  with  good  colour;  also 
resistant  power  against  disease.  Afford  copious  supplies  of  water, 
but  let  the  soil  be  getting  dry  before  any  is  given,  then  supply 
enough  to  moisten  the  bed  through,  using  it  at  the  same  tem¬ 
perature  as  the  houses.  Thin  the  exhausted  growths  and  lay  in 
young,  by  which  means  the  plants  will  continue  bearing  for  some 
time  longer.  The  autumn  fruiters  are  in  full  crop.  These  must 
not  be  overburdened  ;  therefore  remove  fruit  as  soon  as  it  attains 
a  fair  useable  size,  and  all  deformed  fruit  when  observed. 
Examine  the  plants  at  least  oncei  a  week  for  the  removal  of  bad 
leaves,  stopping  or  cutting  away  superfluous  growths,  keeping  the 
foliage  fairly  thin,  yet  an  even  spread  on  the  trellis. 
Winter  fruiters  should  be  allowed  to  become  well  extended 
over  the  trellis  before  pinching  them  for  the  production  of  fruit, 
training  the  growths  evenly,  and  not  more  closely  than  to  allow 
of  the  foliage  being  exposed  to  light.  Stop  after  that  at  a  few 
joints  of  growth  or  one  or  two  joints  beyond  the  show  of  fruit,  but 
if  the  plants  are  weak  allow  more  extension,  and  crop  lightly  at 
first.  Remove  most  male  flowers,'  and  do  not  allow  tendrils,  but 
remove  them  as  fast  as  they  appear.  Keep  the  beds  replenished 
with  soil,  adding  fresh  and  warmed  as  often  as  the  roots  appear 
at  the  sides  of  the  ridges  or  hillocks. 
Maintain  a  night  temperature  of  65deg,  odeg  less  in  the  morn¬ 
ing  of  cold  nights,  70deg  to  75deg  by  day  artificially,  advancing 
to  80deg  and  90deg,  or  more  with  sun  heat.  Admit  a  little  air 
at  the  top  of  the  house  whenever  the  Aveather  is  favourable, 
affording  it,  however,  without  lowering  the  temperature. 
Judicious  ventilation,  however,  is  highly  beneficial  in  carrying  off 
superfluous  moisture  and  giving  solidity  to  the  growths,  enabling 
the  plants  to  tide  over  the  trying  ordeal  of  prolonged  severe 
weather,  when  plants  with  thin  textured  leaves  often  succumb. 
The  syringe  will  only  be  necessary  for  damping  paths  and  Avails 
in  the  morning  and  afternoon  in  bright  Aveather,  Avhich  will  give 
rise  to  the  needful  moisture,  especially  Avhen  the  evaporation 
troughs  are  charged  Avith  Aveak  liquid  manure  or  Avater.  On  bright 
afternoons  a  light  bedewing  of  the  plants  overhead  Avill  be  bene¬ 
ficial,  but  care  must  be  taken  to  practise  it  early  enough  to  alloAv 
of  the  foliage  becoming  dry  before  nightfall,  and  not  make  the 
foliage  tender  by  its  too  frequent  recurrence.  All  Avater  used  for 
damping,  watering,  or  liquid  manure  applied  to  the  roots  must 
be  of  the  same  temperature  as  the  house  or  bed. 
STRAWBERRIES  IN  POTS. — All  plants  for  early  forcing 
should  be  in  frames  Avith  a  view  to  protect  them  from  heavy 
rains,  and  render  them  available  for  being  draughted  to  the 
forcing  bouse  whenever  required.  Those  for  midseason  and  late 
forcing  are  as  well  plunged  in  ashes  in  a  sheltered  situation  as 
anywhere  else,  indeed  better  than  in  piles  against  Avails  or  houses 
with  constantly  open  ventilators,  which  form  the  currents  of  air, 
which  drive  the  life  out  of  them  and  favour  attacks  of  aphides 
and  red  spider.  When  plunged  outdoors  the  plants  are  cool, 
moist,  and  airy,  all  primary  conditions  for  Strawberry  plants,  and 
a  light  covering  of  bracken  or  straw  in  severe  Aveather  Avill  save 
the  tenderest  varieties  from  injury. 
Plants  of  La  Grosse  Sucree,  Royal  Sovereign,  and  Viscomtesse 
Hericart  de  Thury  should  be  held  in  readiness  for  starting  early 
in  next  month.  Where  Strawberries  are  required  very  early  the 
good  old  practice  of  affording  bottom  heat  has  no  equal  in 
securing  good  results.  A  light,  airy,  AA-ell-heated  pit,  with  a  path¬ 
way  up  the  centre  and  beds  or  pits  on  each  side  that  Avill  alloAv  of 
about  3ft  depth  of  tree  leaves  being  placed  in  and  brought  up  so 
that  the  plants  are  about  1ft  from  the  glass,  is  the  most  suitable. 
Strong,  healthy  plants  with  Avell-matured  crowns  may  be  given  a 
top-dressing  of  a  mixture  of  two  parts  phosphate  of  potarii  and 
one  part  nitrate  of  ammonia,  about  a  thimbleful  to  each  pot 
mixed  with  ten  parts  good  loam;  the  surface  soil  should  be 
removed  with  a  pointed  piece  of  wood,  and  the  top-dressing  applied 
to  the  pot  in  place  of  that  removed.  When  the  warmth  of  the 
leaf-bed  has  reached  65deg  the  pots  may  be  plunged  therein,  but 
care  must  be  taken  that  the  heat  about  the  pots  does  not  exceed 
70deg  at  tbe  base  of  the  pots.  If  the  soil  of  the  pots  is  in  a 
moderately  moist  condition  no  water  av i  1 1  be  required,  but  if  dry 
_ a  bad  thing  for  Strawberries — Avater  must  be  supplied  to  render 
the  ball  eA’enly  moistened  through.  After  this,  little  or  no  water 
