222 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
March  10,  1901. 
Hardy  Fruit  Garden. 
LABEliS. — All  rocontly  planted  troG.s  .should  he  at  once 
.supplied  with  labels  more  or  less  ot  a  permanent  natui'e.  The 
paper  labels  .supplied  with  the  trees  from  the  nurseries  do  not 
la.st  long,  and  are  liable  to  be  blown  away  and  lost.  These 
.shoidd  be  replaced  by  metallic  or  wooden  labels  fa.stened  to 
tlie  trees  with  wire,  allowing  ample  room  for  the  branch,  .so  that 
the  nire  may  not  cut  into  the  Inirk  in  time  to  come.  My 
own  preference  inclines  to  the  use  of  Acme  labels,  as  these  are 
easily  and  always  decipherable,  and  practically  imperishable. 
Older  trees  may  well  receive  attention  at  the  .same  time, 
examining  the  wire  ties  and  lenewing  or  loo.seiiing  them  where 
necessary. 
BUSH  FRUIT. — Where  Gooseberries  are  liable  to  attacks 
of  red  spider  it  is  a  good  plan  to  begin  operations  against 
this  pest  in  the  earliest  stages  of  growth.  A  mild  insecticide 
may  be  .sprayed  upon  the  growths,  and  this  is  the  best  remedy 
I  have  yet  found.  A  mixture  of  soot  and  lime  in  equal  parts 
should  be  du.sted  over  the  bushes  when  damp  from  dew  or  rain. 
This  dressing  not  only  cleanses,  but  when  washed  into  the 
land  acts  also  as  a  stimulant  to  growth.  Ply  the  hoe  freely 
in  dry  weather ;  it  is  much  better  to  commence  in  good  time 
than  to  allow  weeds  to  gain  sufficient  strength  to  cause  hand 
weeding.  The  Currant  bud  mite,  if  apparent  in  plantations 
of  Black  Cuiu-ants,  may  be  ke])t  in  check  by  handpicking  where 
only  slight  infestation  has  taken  place,  and  if  the  work  ha.s 
not  yet  received  attention  there  .should  be  no  longer  delay  in 
removing  and  burning  all  “big  buds”  to  be  found  upon  the 
bushes. 
WALL  TREES. — Many  of  the.se  that  have  their  roots  .some 
di.stance  below  the  surface,  and  have  become  eiifeebled,  would 
derive  considerable  benefit  if  the  upper  soil  at  the  foot  of  the 
plant  could  be  cleared  away  down  to  the  roots,  i-eplacing  this 
with  fresh  turfy  loam  mixed  with  a  .small  proportion  of  horse- 
droppings,  to  which,  in  the  case  of  stone  fruits,  a  small  amount 
of  lime  rubble  has  been  added.  This  would  induce  the  forma¬ 
tion  of  surface-feeding  roots,  and  the  blossoming  and  the  bear¬ 
ing  capacities  of  the  trees  might  be  considerably  improved.  Old 
trees  are  also  greatly  assi.sted  over  flowering  period  when  given 
a  thorough  .soaking  of  liquid  manure  when  the  buds  are 
.swelling. 
BLACKBERRIES. — These  growing  on  arches  and  arbours 
.vliould  have  the  old  growths  removed  as  recommended  for 
Raspberries  if  not  attended  to  in  autumn,  the  young  canes 
being  fastened  to  their  supports,  and  having  the  unripe  ends 
of  growth  removed  to  a  plump  bud.  Those  grown  for  fruiting 
against  wires  or  .stakes  should  be  pruned  and  trained  according 
to  the  height  of  their  supports.  A  mulching  of  manui'e  will 
assist  in  producing  strong,  healthful  growth  for  bearing  the 
following  season. 
STRAWBERRIES.  —  On  thoroughly  well-prepared  land 
young  plants  of  these  may  now  be  put  out  in  I’ows  2ft  ai>ai’t, 
and  from  loin  to  18in  asunder  according  to  the  strength  of  the 
variety.  Endeavour  to  lift  the  plants  with  good  balls  of  earth, 
and.  especially  if  of  a  light  nature,  make  the  soil  firm  around 
them.  They  should  not  be  allowed  to  flower  this  season,  but 
be  induced  to  make  strong  groA\'tlis  and  ci’owns  for  another 
year. — J.  W.,  Newent,  Glos. 
Fruit  Forcing. 
MELONS. — The  earliest  plants  in  hou.ses  ai'e  now  well 
advanced,  and  if  stop])ed  when  they  have  extemded  about  two- 
thirds  across  the  trellis  laterals  follow,  with  fruit  showing  at 
the  second  oi'  third  joint.  To  ensure  a  good  and  ]noni])t  set 
of  fruit  afford  a  bottom  heat  of  80deg  to  8bdeg,  and  sufficient 
water  only  at  the  loots  to  iirevent  flagging.  This  will  arrest 
growth,^  and  in  combination  with  a  rather  dry  atmosphere,  a 
'cii'culation  of  warm  air  passing  through  the  house  will  favour 
the  production  of  pollen.  When  this  is  ripe,  fertilise  the 
l>istillate  blossoms  as  they  expand  every  day,  and  stop  the 
.shoots  at  the  same  time  one  joint  beyond  them.  When  the 
fruits  commence  swelling,  earth-up  the  root^  by  placing  warm 
.soil  against  the  sides  of  the  ridges  or  hillocks.  .Apply  wat-'-r 
as  required,  but  avoid  a  soddened  condition  of  the  soil,  duly 
maintaining  moi.sture  by  sprinkling  the  paths  in  the  morning 
and  evening,  and  .syringing  lightly  at  closing  time  in  bright 
weather.  If  a  succession  of  fruit  is  recpiired  in  the  .same  house, 
deprive  some  of  the  plants  of  the  flowers  that  appear  on  the 
first  laterals.  Stopping  tho.se  at  the  first  or  second  joint  will 
cause  the  sub-lateials  to  show  fruit,  which  will  be  later  and 
finer,  owing  to  the  increa.sed  vigour  of  the  plants. 
CHERRY  HOI  SE. — The  main  art  in  forcing  Cheri’ies  is 
attention  to  the  ventilation;  a  free  circulation  of  air  should  pass 
through  the  hoi’se  whenever  the  temperature  exceeds  50deg, 
the  amount  of  air  being  regulated  by  the  condition  of  the  out¬ 
side  atmos2)here.  Fire  heat  need  only  be  applied  to  lU’event 
the  temperature  falling  below’  uOdeg  in  the  daytime,  and  to 
maintain  a  night  temperature  of  40deg  to  4odeg.  Attend  to 
fertilising  the  blossoms  with  a  camel’s-hair  bru.sh  or  a  feather. 
Aifliides  generally  appear  just  as  the  trees  set  their  fruit.  They 
must  be  de.stroyed,  or  they  will  ruin  the  growths  and  spoil  the 
Cherries.  Grubs  also  infest  the  foliage  ;  one  kind  of  caterpillar 
rolls  it.self  up  in  the  leaves,  and  can  be  extiiqiated  ])y  squeezing, 
but  another  encases  itself  in  a  web  on  the  under  side  of  the 
leaves,  and  they  appear  as  if  scalded,  and  from  the  foliage  the 
j)e.st  makes  its  way  to  the  flowers  and  devouns  them.  Thelure.st 
means  of  riddance  is  to  examine  the  trees  occasionally  and 
de.stroy  the  grubs. 
VINES:  EARLIEST  FORCED  IN  POTS.— The  canes 
started  early  in  last  November  will  now  have  the  fruit  .stoned 
and  taking  the  last  swelling.  Surface-dre.ss  the  pots  w’ith  rich 
material,  and  feed  with  liquid  manure.  W  hen  the  Graiies  are 
evenly  coloured  supply  water  only,  and  just  enough  to  pre.serve 
the  foliage  fresh  and  the  fruit  pluini). 
EARLY  HOI  SES. — The  \ines  have,  as  a  I’ule,  made  satis¬ 
factory  progress,  but  there  are  cases  in  which  the  Vines  have 
started  slowly  and  broken  irregularly,  a  few  bunche.s  showing 
a  tendency  to  blindness,  and  others  twisting  and  tunning  in 
any  but  the  right  direction.  In  such  instances  a  slTght 
inci-ea.se  of  temperature  and  a  reduced  supply  of  moisture  'for 
a  short  time  may  be  beneficial.  Thinning  the  berries  should 
be  kept  well  in  hand,  commencing  as  soon  as  those  likely  to 
swell  freely  can  be  detected,  and  as  a  rule  thin  well  in  the 
interior  of  the  bunches,  leaving  room  for  the  berries  to  attain 
their  full  .size  without  w’cdging,  and  yet  so  full  as  not  to  fall 
out  of  shape  when  placed  on  a  dish.  Liquid  manure  applied 
to  inside  borders  will  materially  assi.st  the  swelling  of  the 
Grapes  after  thinning,  but  it  is  be.st  to  vary  the  diet,  giving  a 
top^lressing  of  some  approved  fertiliser  ‘about  every  three 
weeks.  A  liberal  .siijuily  of  atmosiflieric  moi.sture  is.  also 
necessavy,  and,  if  moderately  siqjplied  with  ammonia,  it  is 
bimeficial  to  the  Vines  and  inimical  to  red  siiider.  It  may  be 
secured  by  sjn’inkling  the  border  and  ^laths  with  clear  guano 
water,  11b  guano  to  twenty  gallons  of  water,  or,  still  better, 
supjily  a  mulch  of  .sweetened  horse  drojiiiings  a  little  at  a  time 
over  the  whole  border,  but  too  much  at  once  will  ^n'pjndicially 
affect  the  foliage.  Sharp  winds  necessitate  care  in  ventilating, 
so  as  to  avoid  sudden  changes  of  temperature  and  moisture, 
and  thus  crijijiled  foliage  and  rusted  GrajiGs  may  be  avoided. 
Air  should  be  admitted  with  great  care  in  such  iveather,  closin.g 
early  in  the  afternoon  at  85deg,  allowing  an  advance  of  5deg^ 
and  from  that  jioint  the  temjieratiire  should  gradually  fall  to 
Oodeg  at  inght.  Dunng  the  daytime  the  lieat  should  be  main¬ 
tained  at  <0deg  to  Todeg  when  the  sky  is  overcast. 
GRAPES  PAST  THE  STONING  PROCESS  ought  to 
have  copious  supplie.s  of  liquid  manure  in  a  tepid  .state.  Avoid 
the  close  stofij^ing  system  until  the  trellis  is  evenly  covei’ed 
with  foliage,  as  every  leaf  ^^romotes  root  action  and  assimilates 
food,  which  it  i.s  necessary  resjiectively  to  maintain  active 
and  as  clean  as  ^lossible  for  securing  jiroperly  sAvelled  berries ; 
but  remember  that  this  also  depends  on  the  full  exiiosure  of 
every  leaf  to  the  light,  therefore  avoid  the  least  tendeuev  to 
overcrowding. -G.  A.,  St.  Albans,  Herts. 
Orchids :  Cultural  Notes. 
Cattleva  citrina  is  rapiedy  advancing  for  flower,  the  tips 
ol  the  .s])ikes  beiiig  plainly  seen  in  the  young  grow’th.  As  the 
new  bulb  i.s  also  lorming,  it  follows  that  the  roots  will  have  to 
be  kejA  moist  to  provide  the  requisite  sustenance.  No  attem})t 
to  make  this  plant  grow’  otherwise  than  upside  down —as  it 
appears- lia.s  been  successful,  for  if  potted  with  the  points  of 
the  growth  upwards  it  resumes  its  i^osition  directly  the  first 
new  growth  reaches  the  side  of  the  pan  or  basket.  The  plant 
grows  naturally  on  the  under  sides  of  large  boughs  of  trees 
w  here  the  moistut-e  reaches  the  I'oots,  .  l>ut  where,  owing  tg 
their  juverted  position,  it  cannot  po.ssibly  enter  tlie  cup-like 
lormation  of  the  growths,  when  it  would  lead  to  decay  of  the 
latter. 
Aftei-  the  flowei's  are  past  and  the  pseudo-bidbs  are 
ilevelo])ed,  the  plants  take  a  fairly  long  rest,  and  the  best 
l)osition  lor  them  during  this  time  is  in  a  cool,  .shady  and 
moderately  moi.st  house  where  there  is  a  con.stant  sm^ply  of 
tie.-'li  air  inoving  about  them.  Some  ten  or  twelve  years  ago, 
when  virgin  cork  was  more  us^d  for  orchid  culture,  I  had’  a 
numlier  of  large  jilants  of  it  some  2ft  across  growing  on  larg-^ 
pieces  of  this  material,  and  these  were  kejit  constaiitlv  in  the 
