March  31,  1904 
JGUR.yAL  CF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COn'ACE  GARDENER. 
285 
O  WEEK.  ] 
M 
tfaiGL 
=  - 
Fruit  Forcing. 
CrCr.MBERS.-Tlie  hriglit  sun  lias  caused  plants  kept 
close  during  the  cold  and  prolonged  dull  wet  weather  to  flag, 
and  therefore  light  shading  is  desiralile  for  a  couple  of  hours  at 
midday,  when  the  sun  is  powerful.  Plants  in  hearing  will  need 
water  with  a  little  nourishing  food  in  it  once  or  twice  a  week, 
and  the  roots  must  be  earthed  occasionally.  Old  plants  that 
have  been  in  heai’ing  some  time  should  have  the  exhausted  soil 
removed  without  injuring  the  roots.  Add  a  little  lich,  lumpy 
compost,  previously  warmed.  Exhausted  growths  should  be  cut 
out,  and  young  beai'ing  shoots  encouraged.  Damp  the  floors  and 
other  surfaces  in  the  morning  and  evening,  and  syringe  the 
])lants  lightly  on  fine  afternoons.  A  temperature  of  (iodeg  to 
TOdeg  at  night,  TOdeg  to  7odeg  by  day  artiticially,  80deg  to  8odeg 
with  sun,  closing  sufficiently  early  to  run  up  to  90deg  or  lOOdeg, 
with  abundance  of  atmosphei  ic  moistni’e,  will  be  suitable.  Ven¬ 
tilate  early,  but  moderately,  avoiding  sudden  changes  of  tem¬ 
perature,  for  pernicious  cutting  winds  and  currents  of  cold  air 
cripple  the  foliage  and  detoiun  the  fruit. 
IN  PITS  AND  FDAIMES  the  necessary  heat  should  be  main¬ 
tained  by  renewing  the  linings,  taking  care  to  keep  I'ank  heat 
out  of  the  frames.  Train  the  giowths  rather  thinly,  and  stop 
them  one  or  two  joints  beyond  the  show  for  fruit.  Follow  direc¬ 
tions  given  for  plants  in-houses. 
MELONS. — "When  the  earliest  plants  are  in  flower,  and 
during  the  setting  period,  water  should  only  be  given  to  prevent 
flagging,  and  the  atmosphei-e  must  be  kept  drier,  with  an 
increase  of  temperature  of  about  odeg,  EeiTilise  the  blossoms 
every  day,  pinching  each  gi'o\rth  at  the  same  time  at  one  joint 
beyond  the  fruit.  When  the  fruits  are  set  and  about  the  size  of 
a  bantam’s  egg,  give  a  thorough  watering  with  tepid  licpiid 
manure  or  water,  having  the  soil  for  earthing  the  roots  warmed. 
Stop  the  subsequent  growths  to  one  or  two  leaves,  and  avoid 
overcrowding  by  removing  superfluous  growths.  Maintain  the 
bottom  heat  between  80deg  and  8ddeg.  Syringe  moderately 
about  3  p.m.  on  bl  ight  and  warm  afternoons,  or  soon  after  mid¬ 
day  Avhen  the  air  is  sharp.  Damp  the  floor  in  the  morning, 
and  keep  the  evaporation  troughs  charged  with  liquid  manure. 
Liquid  manure  will  be  needed  by  plants  in  restricted  borders, 
and  a  mulching  of  rather  lumpy  manure  encourages  roots  and 
affords  support. 
PEACHES  AND  NECTARINES:  EARLIEST  FORCED 
TREES. — The  trees  must  not  be  hurried  during  the  stoning  pro¬ 
cess,  but  continue  thd  temperature  at  70deg  to  7odeg  by  day  with 
sun  heat,  and  about  65deg  in  dull  weather.  Tie  the  shoots  to 
the  trellis  as  they  advance,  and  i-egulate  the  growths  for  future 
bearing,  so  as  not  to  have  them  too  crowded.  Shoots  more  than 
I4in  in  length  that  are  not  required  for  extensions  may  have 
the  points  pinched  out  and  laterals  should  be  .stopped  at  the 
first  leaf.  When  the  stoning  process  is  over,  the  fruits  will 
require  regulating  for  the  swelling  period.  Supply  weakly  trees 
with  liquid  manure,  and  inside  borders  mirst  be  kept  properly 
watered,  mulching  the  snilace  with  partially  decayed  manure. 
The  temperature  may  be  inci’eased  to  65deg  or  70deg  at  night, 
and  in  the  day  to  70deg  or  7odeg,  maintaining  8odeg  or  90deg 
throughout  the  day  by  sun  heat  ;  ventilate  from  7odeg,  and  close 
early,  with  plenty  of  atmospheric  moisture.  This  is  only  advis¬ 
able  when  it  is  desired  to  accelerate  the  ripening  of  the  fruit, 
a  temperature  of  COdeg  to  (iodeg  at  night.  70deg  to  7odeg  by 
day,  with  gleams  of  sun,  and  lOdeg  to  Iodeg  rise  undei’  a  cloud¬ 
less  sky,  being  better  for  the  health  of  the  trees.  Tlie  very 
early  varieties  will  .soon  give  indications  of  lipening,  when 
syringing  must  cease,  and  the  leaves  that  shade  the  fruit  mmst 
be  drawn  aside. 
TREES  STARTED  AT  THE  NEW  YEAR. -The  weather 
on  the  whole  has  been  favourable  to  the  swelling  of  the  fruits, 
especially  where  a  genial  temperature  has  been  maintained,  and 
stoning  is  commencing.  Avoid  sudden  checks  by  injudicious 
ventilation,  cold  air  in  the  day,  causing  excessive  evaporation, 
and  too  high  a  temperature  at  night  are  fatal. 
TREES  STARTED  EARLY  IN  iVIARCH.— These  are  now 
flowering  well.  Provide  a  little  ventilation  con.stantlv  at  the  top 
of  the  house,  and  lose  no  opportunity  of  ventilating  freely.  The 
night  temperature  .shoidd  be  oOdc'g  in  mild  weather,  falliiig  5deg 
to  lOdeg  through  the  night,  and  i)i  severe  weather  oOdeg  to 
•Yodeg  by  day,  and  (iodeg  from  sun,  with  a  li'ce  circulation  of  air. 
Let  there  be  no  mi.stake  as  to  the  moisture  of  the  in.side  border, 
giving  a  thorough  supply  of  water  when  required.-  G.  A.,  St. 
Albans,  Herts. 
The  Kitchen  Garden. 
THE  :MAIN  crop  of  POTATOES  should  now  be  planted. 
The  soil  ought  to  be  thoroughly  prepared  by  deep  cultivation 
during  autumn  and  early  winter,  in  order  to  allow  ot  aeration, 
and  it  may  now  be  deeply  stirred,  and  any  artificial  manure  to  be 
applied  siiould  be  sown  on  the  surface,  being  dug  in  as  the 
planting  proceeds.  It  is  a  great  mistake  to  use  hall-decayed 
manure  at  tins  time  of  year,  as  it  admits  too  much  air  to  the 
newly-formetl  I'oots  and  checks  grow  th  in  dry  weather,  and  con¬ 
duces  to  disease  in  wet  weather. 
EARLY  CELFRY.  — The  plants  will  now  be  large  enough  to 
prick  off  if  sown  as  advised.  High,  rich  soil  should  be  used. 
The  plants  may  be  kept  grorving  Itriskly  in  a  tempei'atui'e  ot 
podeg  near  the  glass,  avoiding  a  check,  as  this  would  be  notice¬ 
able  later  on.  Ihe  trenches  should  now  lie  prepared  tor  tlm 
earliest  plants,  and  need  not  be  deeply  dug  out  unless  the  heads 
are  intended  for  exhibition.  Dig  into  the  trenches  a  mixture 
of  thoroughly  decayed  manure,  wood  ashes,  loam,  and  a  little 
old  soot.  I  always  .sow  a  dwarf  Marrowfat  Pea  on  the  ridges, 
which  yields  an  abundant  crop. 
LETTUCES.  — Anothei-  sowing  of  Cos  and  Cabbage  varieties 
should  now  be  made  in  a  warm  border.  The  .soil  ought  to  be 
rich  and  warm  in  order  to  drive  the  plants  on  briskly,  when  the 
hearts  will  be  crisp  and  good. 
PARSNIPS  may  now  be  sown  in  deeply  prepared  ground. 
Give  the  rows  a  good  distance  from  each  other — not  less  than 
12in.  I  like  to  drop  three  or  foni’  seeds  in  holes  prepared  with 
a  blunt  dibber,  at  intervals  of  Sin  to  lOin  apart.  This  takes  a 
little  longer,  but  saves  a  great  deal  of  thinning  afterwards,  and 
the  hoe  can  l)e  used  several  days  earlier. 
SOW  THE  MAIN  CROP  OF  CARROTS  on  well  prepared  .soil. 
Carrot  seed  is  not  germinating  satisfactorily  this  .season,  con.se- 
quently  thicker  seeding  will  be  advisable. 
Sa'lSAFY  and  SCORZONERA.-  Seeds  may  also  be  .sown  on 
deeply  worked  soil,  and  give  ample  room  between  the  rows. 
PROTECTION  FOR  EARLY  POTATOES.— Some  kind  of 
protection  should  be  devi.sed  where  earlj.  Potatoes  aie  coming 
through  the  soil  on  warm  borders.  Long  green  rods  bent  over, 
and  canvas  or  mats  fastened  to  these,  make  a  good  piotection. 
POTATOES  IN  FRAiMES,  where  sufficiently  advanced,  may 
receive  a  top-dressing  or  earthing,  otherwise  many  of  the  tubers 
near  the  surface  will  be  exposed  to  the  sun  and  spoiled.  Should 
the  plants  I'eqnire  water,  see  that  it  is  given  in  a  tepid  state. 
Avoid  cold  winds  by  tilting  .the  lights  in  the  opposite  directiC^ 
to  the  prevailing  w  ind. 
CARROTS  IN  FRAIMES  may  be  thinned  so  soon  as  large 
enough  to  handle,  and  the  same  remark  applies  to  Turnips. 
HOEING.— Keep  the  hoe  going  as  much  as  possible  in  dry 
weather.  This  will  conserve  the  moisture  as  w'ell  as  kill  myriads 
of  seedling  weeds  and  insects. 
RADISHES.— A  sowing  of  the,se  should  be  made  on  a  warm 
border.  Choose  one  of  the  early  varieties,  such  as  Early  Gem  or 
French  Breakfast.  Birds  are  very  fond  of  the  seeds,  therefoie 
coat  the  seeds  with  red  lead  and  soot. 
PROTECTING  SEEDLINGS  AGAINST  BIRDS. -Seedlings 
of  Cauliflowers,  Sprouts,  and  other  plants  require  protection 
There  is  nothing  better  than  ^in  garden  netting,  supported  at 
some  distance  above  the  plants  by  means  of  cro.ss-rods.  — A .  1., 
Cirencester. 
The  Flower  Garden. 
lAYING  D04VN  LAAYNS  FOR  GRASS.— Excellent  lawns 
and  grass  plots  may  be  e.stablished  by  solving  seed.  Selections 
of  fine  lawn  grass  seeds  are  readily  obtainable  from  .seedsmen 
for  all  kinds  of  soil.  Lawns  for  playing  tennis,  croquet,  bowds- 
must  be  level ;  therefore,  before  sowing  the  .seed,  get  the  ground 
thoroughiv  firm,  level,  and  the  soil  tine.  Sow'  the  .seed  at  the. 
rat-  o1  a  quart  to  300  square  feet,  distributinji  it  evenly 
on  a  calm  day.  Cover  with  a  layer  of  fine  soil,  and  wdien  dry 
pass  the  roller  over.  Should  birds  be  troublesome  black  cotton 
mav  be  stretched  over  the  ground.  Existing  lawns  requiring 
renovation  should  have  faulty  places  scratched  over  with  the 
rake,  and  gras  seeds  may  be  sown  thickly.  Cover  with  hue  soil 
and  roll  down. 
TRANSPLANTING  CALCEOLARIAS.  — Shrubby  Calceo¬ 
larias  which  have  been  wintered  and  rooted  in  frames  from 
cuttings  inserted  in  autumn  are  now  ready  for  lifting  and  trans¬ 
planting  in  temporaiy  fiaines,  so  that  they  may  have  more 
room  and  an  opportunity  to  multiiily  their  roots  in  some  richer 
material.  For  this  purpose  mix  up  .some  loam  and  decayed 
manure  from  an  old  hotlied.  Plant  the  Calceolarias  4in  to  (3in 
apart,  the  plants  having  previously  been  .stopped.  Give  tem¬ 
porary  protection  on  frosty  nights.  AYater  at  first  should 
scarcely  lie  recpiired,  but  in  mild,  dry  weather  give  a  good  soak¬ 
ing.  When  the  shoots  have  grow  n  a  few  inches  top  them  again. 
The  final  planting  should  take  place  early  in  iMay. 
STARTING  DAHLIAS  IN  FRAMES.-  Old  roots  of  Dahlias 
may  be  brought  from  their  winter  quarters,  and  all  that  are 
