9 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
Carrots,  Beet,  and  Onions  all  deriving  great  benefit  from 
the  application  of  this  item,  given  either  in  the  form  of 
kainit  or  sulphate  of  potash,  in  addition  to  the  other  fer¬ 
tilisers.  In  this  connection  it  may  be  noted  the  detrimental 
effect  of  this  manure  upon  Strawberries.  Proof  is  given  of 
an  appreciable  loss  in  weight  on  each  occasion  of  its  appli¬ 
cation.  With  this  crop  note  should  be  taken  of  the  decided 
gain  in  earliness  by  the  use  of  the  artificial  manures. 
The  question  of  quality  in  the  products  has  received  due 
attention,  but  here  the  gardener  must  proceed  with  caution. 
Mariy  of  his  crops  must  in  an  all  the  year  round  supply  have 
lasting  properties,  and  the  use  of  nitrate  of  soda  in  large 
doses  for  Broccoli,  Celery,  spring  Cabbage,  or  similar  crops 
which  pass  through  the  winter  for  use  during  that  period 
and  in  spring  ought  not  by  stimulants  of  a  forcing  nature  to 
be  rendered  soft  and  tender  and  altogether  free  from  vas¬ 
cular  tissue,  otherwise  their  chances  of  surviving  continued 
hard  weather  are  remote.  Experiments  of  my  own  have 
proved  this  over  a  term  of  years  to  the  satisfaction  of  myself 
and  interested  friends.  Noteworthy,  too,  are  the  data 
obtained  from  the  experiments  carried  out  Avith  leguminous 
plants.  Lucerne  is  outside  the  scope  of  pri\'ate  gardening, 
but  the  heav'y  gains  from  the  use  of  nitrate  of  soda  in  addi¬ 
tion  to  the  potash  and  phosphates  should  give  careful 
readers  food  for  thought.  The  gain  AA'ith  DAvarf  French 
Beans  is  shown  to  haA'e  been  equallj^  substantial,  but  no 
practical  results  folloAved  its  use  upon  Green  Peas  except 
in  distinctly  better  quality  of  produce. 
These  are  but  a  feAA*  of  the  many  crops  upon  Avhich 
experiments  haA’e  been  tried.  The  report  proAes  conclu¬ 
sively  AA'hat  is  becoming  more  Avidely  knoAA'n  every  year — 
that  artificial  or  supplementary  fertilisers,  though  they 
cannot  possibly  displace  farmyard  manure,  they  may,  Avhen 
used  with  discretion,  aid  the  market  groAver  and  farmer  in 
reducing  in  great  measure  heavy  cartage  and  railway 
charges,  and  add  inestimably  to  the  fertility  of  the  land. 
The  trials  of  the  varying  quantities  and  combinations  of 
manures  have  been  carried  out  on  Avhat  was,  Avhen  taken  in 
hand  by  Dr.  Dyer  and  his  eminent  colleague,  Mr.  Shrivell, 
ideal  land  for  the  purpose,  being  poor  and  incapable  of  pro¬ 
ducing  a  remunerative  return  in  any  Avay.  I  should  like  to 
see  the  report  placed  Avithin  the  reach  of  every  market 
groAver  and  every  young  gardener— yes,  and  many  older 
ones,  too— in  the  kingdom.  No  higher  praise  than  that 
could  be  given. — Proa’incial. 
- - 
Notes  for  Exhibitors. 
The  dull,  sunless  skies  and  deluge  of  rain  recenth’ 
experienced  must  have  caused  great  anxiety  to  exhibitors  of 
garden  produce  generally,  because  such  climatic  conditions 
render  the  task  of  timing  ”  the  exhibits  an  extremely 
difficult  one,  especially  in  the  case  of  those  intended  for 
early  shoAvs.  Under  faAOurable  conditions  in  regard  to 
weather  it  is  by  no  means  an  easy  matter  to  get  either 
fruits  or  vegetables  in  the  best  condition  early  in  the 
season,  and  during  unfavourable  seasons  the  difficulties  are 
greatly  intensified.  Nothing  in  the  Avay  of  cultural  atten¬ 
tion  can  Avholly  make  up  for  lack  of  sunshine  ;  still,  much 
can  be  done  to  help  crops-  forAvard  at  critical  times,  and  no 
ambitious  exhibitor  can  afford  to  neglect  such  necessary 
attention.  The  folloAving  notes  AA'ill,  I  trust,  be  of  service 
to  many,  if  only  as  reminders. 
Peaches  and  Nectarines. — The  full  exposure  of  the 
fniits  to  sunshine  and  air  at  an  early  stage  is  a  matter  not 
likely  to  be  neglected,  because  obAdous  to  all.  All  culti- 
A’ators,  hoAvever,  do  not  take  the  greatest  possible  advantage 
of  sunshine  AA’hen  it  does  occur,  in  those  instances  in  Avhich 
it  is  necessary  to  push  the  fruits  on  as  quickly  as  possible. 
While  the  last  SAvelling  is  taking  place,  much  can  be  done  to 
hasten  maturity  bA’  closing  the  house  at  2  p.m.  and  syringing, 
the  trees  and  walls  of  the  house  heavily.  During  dull  days 
and  eA’ery  night  a  little  heat  should  be  kept  in  the  hot-AA?ater 
pipes,  and  the  time-honoured  “  chink  ”  of  air  left  on  the  top 
of  the  house.  The  syringing  of  the  foliage  can  safely  be 
continued  till  the  fruits  shoAv  signs  of  becoming  soft,  and 
they  are  often  perfectly  coloured  before  that  stage  is 
reached.  Just  before  colouring  commences  the  soil  of  the 
borders  should  be  thoroughly  examined,  and  if  sufficiently  ) 
July  2,  1903. 
dry,  liquid  manure  and  some  chemical  fertiliser  given. 
There  are  many  excellent  manures  suitable  for  the  purpose 
advertised  in  the  Journal  of  Ilorticulfure.  Where  liquid 
manure  is  not  easily  obtained  an  excellent  stimulant  may 
be  made  by  dissolving  loz  of  nitrate  ot  potash  and  a  similar 
quantity  of  phosphate  of  potash  in  one  gallon  of  Avater. 
This  liquid  will  also  help  to  give  the  fruits  high  colour. 
When  there  is  no  need  to  hurry  the  aboA'e  crops  the  houses 
in  Avhich  they  are  groAvn  should  never  be  entirely  closed, 
but  the  air  gradually  reduced  durjng  the  afternoon.  Under 
this  treatment  the  fruits  are  not  usually  quite  so  large  as 
under  the  early  closing  system,  but  they  are  firmer  in  tex¬ 
ture  and  often  more  highlj'^  coloured.  Lord  Napier  Nec¬ 
tarine  Avill  not  bear  syringing  so  late  as  other  varieties.  If 
the  fruits  are  so  treated  after  colouring  commences,  they 
AA'ill  often  become  broAvn  and  spotted  on  the  surface. 
Grapes. — Both  black  and  Avhite  kinds  can  be  brought  on 
quickly  after  colouring  commences  by  greatly  reducing  the 
air  early  in  the  afternoon  of  sunny  days.  I  always  consider 
it  an  advantage  to  groAv  them  in  houses  Avith  a  south-east 
aspect,  because  the  ventilators  can  then  be  closed  entirely 
fairly  early  on  bright  afternoons  A\ithout  danger  to  either 
the  foliage  or  the  berries.  A  little  air  should,  of  course,  be 
again  admitted  early  in  the  evening.  A  common  mistake 
made  Avith  Vines  of  all  descriptions  is  to  increase  the  amount 
of  air  given  too  suddenly  after  colouring  commences.  It  is 
only  Avhen  the  berries  are  almost  ripe  that  A'ery  abundant 
ventilation  is  either  necessary  or  desirable,  except  when 
very  hot  Aveather  prevails.  In  the  case  of  black  Grapes 
damping  the  floors,  borders,  and  Avails  should  be  continued 
until  the  Grapes  are  almost  ripe.  Atmospheric  moisture 
must  then  be  gradually  lessened.  More  black  Grapes  are 
prevented  from  colouring  perfectly  by  maintaining  too  dry 
an  atmosphere  than  by  the  opposite  conditions.  Madresfield 
Court  is,  hoAvever,  an  exception  in  this  respect  on  account 
of  its  liability  to  crack.  When  it  is  necessary  to  hurry  this 
fine  variety,  a  good  deal  can  be  done  by  gradually  tying 
back  the  foliage  and  exposing  the  berries  to  full  sunshine. 
Under  this  treatment  they  take  on  a  dense  black  colour  and 
fine  bloom  quite  up  to  the  base  of  the  footstalks.  Imme¬ 
diately  the  colouring  is  completed  the  leaA'es  should  be 
returned  to  their  original  position,  or  the  objectionable  red 
tinge  Avill  soon  be  visible  at  the  base  of  the  berries. 
All  Avhite  Grapes  intended  for  early  shoAvs  should,  as 
soon  as  the  colouring  stage  has  been  reached,  be  gradually 
exposed  to  full  sunshine  by  tying  back  the  foliage,  and  a 
black  board  fastened  at  the  back  of  special  bunches  will  do 
something  to  attract  the  sun’s  rays.  Those  Avhich  have 
plenty  of  time  to  ripen  should  not  have  this  full  exposure, 
because  if  the  shoots  are  trained  thinly  the  leaA'es  over  the 
bunches  Avill  only  provide  a  very  thin  shade,  and  the  rays  of 
sunshine  Avill  reach  the  berries  betAveen  the  leaves  and  cause 
them  to  colour  eA'enly.  The  process  is  a  sIoav  one,  but  giA'es 
the  most  satisfactory  results  in  the  end.  In  the  case  of 
white  Grapes,  the  exhibitor  cannot  ahvays  Avait  for  best 
possible  results,  but  rather  aims  to  get  the  best  results 
obtainable  under  the  circumstances  by  a  given  date.  With 
the  exception  of  Buckland  SAveetwater  and  Foster’s  Seed¬ 
ling,  all  Avhite  Grapes  need  a  good  deal  more  fire  heat 
during  the  colouring  period  than  black  ones.  This  is  par¬ 
ticularly  the  case  Avith  Muscats,  and  those  aa'Iio  have  not 
tried  the  plan  Avill  be  surprised  to  find  hoAv  the  “  golden 
tint  ”  may  be  laid  on  from  the  present  time  onAvards  by  a 
little  heat  in  the  hot-Avater  pipes  throughout  the  day, 
except  Avhen  the  sun  is  very  bright,  and  gradually  reducing 
the  air  in  the  afternoon  to  send  the  temperature  ujd  to 
85deg  or  90deg.  I  could  give  some  startling  illustrations 
on  this  point  about  the  practice  of  a  noted  exhibitor  of  ten 
or  fifteen  years  ago. 
An  excellent  stimulant  for  Vines  during  the  colouring 
stage  may  be  foi’med  by  mixing  nitrate  of  potash  and  phos¬ 
phate  of  potash  in  equal  quantities.  Apply  at  the  rate  of 
2oz  per  square  yard,  and  Avater  it  in.  A  someAA'hat  cheaper 
yet  equally  good  mixture  is  the  folloAA'ing :  Superphosphate, 
3  parts  ;  sulphate  of  ammonia,  1  part ;  sulphate  of  potaslp 
2  parts  ;  3oz  per  square  yard.  An  occasional  Avatering  Avith 
diluted  liquid  manure  from  stables  and  coAvsheds  is  un¬ 
doubtedly  of  advantage  to  Vines  and  other  fruits,  but  I 
have  never  found  Grapes  colour  so  Avell  Avithout  the  appli¬ 
cation  of  some  kind  of  chemical  manure  as  when  it  has  been 
applied.  This  may  be  because  the  artificials  supply  food  in 
a  more  appetising  as  Avell  as  more  concentrated  form  than 
these  natural  manures  do. — H.  D. 
