416 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
May  12,  1904 
^  WEEK,.  S 
a 
Mi 
Fruit  Forcing. 
C'UCr^MBERS.  — If  aphides  or  tlirips  appear  fumigate  on  a 
calm  evening,  and  repeat  the  following  morning  as  early  as  day- 
lignd,  having  the  foliage  dry,  bnt  the  floors  well  damped.  With 
a  proper  amount  of  atmospheric  moisture,  and  supplies  of  water 
at  the  roots,  red  spider  will  not  give  much  trouble,  but  this 
pest  with  white  fly  ana  mildew  may  be  kept  down  by  lightly 
coating  the  hot  water  pipes  with  sulphur.  Plants  that  have 
been  in  bearing  some  time  will  be  showing  signs  of  exhaustion, 
and  should  be  removed,  clearing  out  the  old  .soil,  thoroughly 
cleamsing  the  hou.se,  and  putting  out  healthy  plants  in  new 
compost.  This  is  better  than  striving  to  renovate  old  plants. 
Assist  young  plants  showing  signs  of  weakness  by  removing  tlie 
staminate  flowers  and  the  first  fruits,  stopping  at  every  rnird 
joint  or  thereabout,  cutting  off  ail  weakly  and  superfluous 
gi'owths.  Sbading  will  be  necessary  for  an  hour  or  two  in  the 
middle  of  the  day  when  the  sun  is  hot,  especially  houses  facing 
south.  Little  or  no  fire  heat  will  be  required  by  day,  shutting 
the  valves  at  about  eight  a.m.,  and  opening  them  again  at 
about  five  p.m.  Syringe  the  plants  moderately  between  three 
and  four  p.m.,  keeping  a  moist  atmosphere  all  day  by  damping 
the  floors. 
SOW  SEEDS  EOR  RAISING  PLANTS  to  occupy  pits  and 
frames  as  they  become  cleared  of  forced  vegetable  crops  and 
bedding  plants.  A  fair  bottom  heat  shonld  be  secured  by  using 
the  less  decomposed  material  from  Vine  borders  or  exhausted 
hotbeds,  which,  with  about  one-fourth  of  fresh  material,  Aviil 
afford  all  the  bottom  heat  now  required.  The  nights  have  lately 
been  cold,  in  which  case  close  pits  and  frames  as  early  in  the 
afternoon  as  safe,  not  allowing  the  temperature  to  exceed  huaeg 
to  9odeg,  ‘and  afford  good  night  coverings.  The  bottom  heat 
mirst  be  maintained  by  daily  renewing  the  linings. 
PEACHES  AND  NECl  AHINES  :  EARLY  HOUSES.— Trees 
started  at  the  new  year,  and  the  varieties  Alexander,  Waterloo, 
Duche.ss  of  Cornwall,  Amsden  .Line,  and  Early  Rivers  Peaches, 
Cardinal  and  Early  Rivers  Nectarines,  are  now  ripening  the 
fruit,  and  must  not  be  syringed;  but  Hale’s  Early,  A  Bee,  Dr. 
Hogg,  Dymond,  or  Grosse  Mignonne,  Stirling  Castle,  Royal 
George,  and  Crimson  Galande  Peaches,  with  Lord  Napier, 
Rivers’  Orange,  Humbokli,  and  Stanwick  Elruge  Nectarines  are 
only  about  conipleted  stoning,  and  must  be  syringed  up  to  the 
fruit  commencing  to  ripen.  If  the  fruits  on  these  trees  are  too 
thick,  remove  the  smallest,  apportioning  the  crop  to  the  vigour 
of  the  trees.  Draw  the  leaves  aside  or  even  shorten  them,  so 
as  to  expose  the  fruit  to  light,  raising  such  as  require  it  on  thin 
laths  placed  across  the  wires  of  the  trellis  with  their  apexes  to 
the  light  of  the  sun.  Maintain  a  good  moisture  in  the  house, 
but  never  a  stagnant  atmosphere.  'Water  the  inside  border 
copiously,  and  mulch  the  surface  with  about  an  inch  thickness  of 
short,  rather  lumpy  manure.  If  the  fruit  is  required  ripe  as  soon 
as  possible,  maintain  a  night  temperature  of  6.5deg,  70deg  to 
Todeg  by  day,  with  80deg  to  85deg  oi'  90deg  from  .sun  heat,  but 
it  is  better  for  Hie  trees  to  continue  tiOdeg  to  fi-odeg  as  the  night 
tenqierature,  65deg  artificially  by  day  in  dull  weather,  70deg 
to  75deg  with  sun  heat,  closing  at  the  latter. 
HOIiSES  STARTED  IN  EEBRUARY. — The  fruit  being  in 
the  early  stages  of  stoning  should  be  reduced  to  two  on  strong 
shoots,  and  one  on  the  weaker,  not  leaving  too  many,  for  there 
is  danger  of  their  not  stoning  in  that  case,  whilst  they  will  be 
sniall  if  they  should  .stone.  Retain  in  all  cases  the  fruit  best 
situated  for  stoning  in  pre.sence  of  light  and  air.  Thin  the 
shoots  where  crowded,  pinching  laterals  to  one  leaf,  and  secure 
tlie  growths  to  the  trellis  as  they  advance.  Syringe  the  trees 
twice  a  day  in  bright  weather,  but  only  once  in  dull,  and  not 
4^06''^  Vot  become  dry  before  nightfall,  or  it 
n  ill  be  found  dripping  with  nioi.sture  in  the  morning.  The  tem¬ 
perature  by  artificial  means  may  be  kept  at  55deg  to  60deg  at 
night,  and  60deg  to  65deg  by  day,  ventilating  from  65deg,  and 
fully  betwemi  70deg  and  75deg.  Supply  water  to  the  roots  as 
lequired,  affording  weakly  trees,  and  those  carrying  heavy 
crops,  top-dre.s.sings  of  fertili,ser.s  occasionally,  say  every  fort¬ 
night  or  three  weeks,  Avashing  them  in  moderatelv,  or  afford 
liquid  manure,  alternated  with  the  waterings. 
If-  STARTED  IN  MARCH. — Thin  the  fruit  now  that 
t  IS  swelling  freely ,^and  choice  can  be  made  of  the  most  promis- 
‘01’  tbe  crop.  Reserve  tho.se  on  the  upper  side  or  front  of 
t  le  tielliS’  two  or  three  on  strong  shoots  will  be  ample  to  leave, 
"'Pakly  growths.  Remove  all 
s.ipeifluous  .shoots  gradually,  retaining  those  only  for  attracting 
the  sap  to  the  fruit,  which  stop  at  two  or  three  joints,  and  those 
from  the  liase  of  the  present  liearing  wood  for  furnishing  fruit 
another  season,  with  such  extensions  as  are  nece.ssary.  Train 
the  growths  as  thev  advance,  .securing  them  loosely  to  the 
trellis.  Afford  liquid  manure  to  .such  as  require  more  vigour, 
but  avoid  stimulating  trees  too  much,  as  that  will  encourage 
wood  at  the  expen.se  of  the  fruit  in  stoning.  Keep  red  .sjuder 
under  by  .syringing,  and  if  aphides  or  other  pests  appear 
promptly  apply  an  insecticide. 
LATE  HOUSES.  — The  fruits  have  .set  well,  and  .should  be 
thinned  as  soon  as  the  best  can  be  decided  upon  by  their  taking 
the  lead  in  swelling.  Remove  the  smallest  and  worst-placed 
first,  leaving  a  few  more  only  than  will  be  required  for  the  crops, 
but  regard  inirst  be  had  to  the  vigour  of  the  trees,  and  their 
liability  to  cast  some  of  the  fruit  or  otherwise  in  stoning.  Dis¬ 
budding  and  tying  in  the  .shoots  should  be  carefully  attended  to, 
doing  the  first  gradually,  and  the  latter  with  due  regard  to  Hie 
.swelling  of  the  shoots.  A  temperature  of  oOdeg  at  night  ail 
oodeg  by  day  artificially  will  be  sufficient  to  keep  the  trees  lu 
steady  progress.  Ventilate  freely  about  that  unless  it  is  de.sirable 
to  hasten  the  crop,  when  a  temperature  of  oodeg  at  night  and 
(iOdeg  to  65deg  by  day  may  be  secured,  with  70deg  to  7odeg 
from  sun  heat,  ventilating  from  6odeg.  Syringe  the  trees  in 
the  morning  and  on  fine  afternoons. 
UNHEATED  HOUSES. — Commence  thinning  the  fruits  as 
.soon  as  they  are  the  .size  of  Horse  Beans.  Overburdening  the 
trees  in  the  early  stages  of  the  fruit  swelling  prevents  their 
making  wood  for  another  season’s  crop,  while  excessive  dis¬ 
budding  may  cause  the  fruit  to  fall  or  a  strong  gi'owth  to  be 
made.  A  moderate  syringing  on  fine  mornings  will  be  a  great 
assistance  in  ridding  the  trees  of  the  remains  of  the  blossoms, 
but  afternoon  syringings  are  not  advisable.  Ventilate  at 
oOdeg,  not  allowing  an  advance  above  65deg  without  full  ven¬ 
tilation,  and  close  at  50deg,  or  before  if  there  is  a  prospect  of 
frost. — G.  A.,  St.  Albans,  Herts. 
The  Flower  Garden. 
HARDENING  BEDDING  PLANTS. -It  is  much  too  close, 
warm,  and  moist  now  for  Geraniums  in  pots  or  other  subjects  in 
pots  or  boxes,  which  may  lie  well  rooted  and  of  good  size,  to 
remain  longer  under  glass  in  shade  and  warmth.  It  is  therefore 
desirable  to  place  them  in  frames,  where  they  can  not  only  have 
abundance  of  light,  but  as  much  ventilation  as  irossible,  to 
gradually  inure  them  to  outdoor  conditions.  At  first  keep  them 
shaded  from  fierce  sunshine,  which  may  discolour  the  foliage. 
Attend  carefully  to  the  watering.  Neglect  of  this  when  the 
pots  are  full  of  roots  and  the  plants  aie  in  frames  causes  loss  of 
leaves.  Seedling  plants  or  cqttings  of  various  annuals,  as  soon 
as  establi.shed  in  heat  and  moisture,  must  receive  cool  and  light 
treatment,  eventually  placing  them  in  frames  and  gradually 
exposing  to  the  open. 
PROPAGATING  ALTERN  ANTHER  AS,  IRESINES,  AND 
COLEUS. — Young  cuttings  are  readily  piopagated  now'  in  a 
slight  hotbed,  which  may  be  made  np  wdth  mixture  of  manure 
and  leaves,  covei'ing  with  3in  of  sandy  soil.  Cuttings  will  also 
strike  in  shallow  boxes  in  a  heated  house,  or  round  the  edges  of 
small  pots. 
PYRETHRU^il  AUREUM.— This  yellow  foliage  plant  comes 
in  useful  in  many  bedding  arrangements.  Small  plants  are 
better  than  large,  so  if  seed  is  sown  thinly  now  in  pans  or  boxes, 
suitable  plants  will  be  available  at  bedding  time. 
EARLY  ELCSYERING  CHRYSANTHEiMUMS.— To  meet 
the  demand  for  cut  flowmi’s,  the  early  flowering  Chrysanthemums 
are  indi,spensable.  They  a.ssociate  well  w'ith  any  other  flowei's 
that  are  in  season  at  their  blooming  period,  August  and  Septem¬ 
ber,  and  the  early  part  of  October.  Grow'  tbem  either  with 
other  subjects  in  the  herbaceous  border,  or  in  a  quarter  to  them¬ 
selves.  Small  bushy  plants  nray  now'  be  planted  out,  2ft  apart, 
in  rows  2ft  to  3ft  asunder.  In  bordeis  do  not  gi'ow-  them  so 
closely  together,  so  as  to  permit  of  other  things  succeeding. 
Six  or  8ft  apart  will  do  very  w'ell.  Among  the  most  u.seful 
varieties  are: — Japanese:  Claret  Belle  (crimson).  Crimson  ^larie 
Masse;  Golden  Queen  of  the  Earlies  (yellow).  Harvest  Home 
(red,  with  gold  tips).  Lemon  Queen  (yellow),  IVIdme  Desgranges 
(w'hite),  Mdme  ^larie  Masse  (lilac  mauve),  May  Manser  (creamy 
white),  Mytchett  Glory  (bi'onzy  yellow'),  IMytchett  (white),  Nellie 
Brow'n  (reddish  orange),  Ryecroft  Glory  (bronze,  tinted  yellow), 
Ryecroft  Scarlet.  Pompons:  P^iberta  (canary  yellow'),  PTora 
(golden  yellow),  Lyon  (rosy  purple),.  Precocite  (yellow),  iMr:s. 
Cidlingford  (blu.sh  white),  White  St.  Crouts,  Piercey  Seedling 
(bronze). 
HERBACEOUS  BORDERS. — Phequent  attention  shonld  be 
accorded  the  various  plants  in  the  herbaceous  border,  thinning 
out  weakly  and  crow'ded  stems,  and,  if  required,  supporting 
those  becoming  tall  and  advancing  to  flowering.  Annuals  that 
are  gi'owing  should  receive  their  first  thinning,  and  more  seeds 
may  be  sow'ii  of  Mignonette,  Poppies,  Nasturtiums,  or  of  any 
kinds  that  have  not  started  well.  Hoe  among  the  established 
plants  in  the  border  to  promote  growth  and  do.stroy  weeds. 
