20 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTTCULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
July  2,  1903, 
Fruit  Forcing. 
FIGS  :  SECOND  CROPS. — The  fruits  on  early  forced  trees 
have  now  swelled  to  a  good  size,  and  to  insure  a  number  of  fine 
Figs  they  must  not  be  overcropped,  the  foliage  kept  free  from 
insects,  and  the  feeding  liberal.  Early  forced  planted  out  trees 
.should  have  the  young  wood  ripened  and  be  resting  by  the 
middle  of  October.  Borders  that  have  beccnie  dry  must  be 
watered  to  bring  them  into  a  moist  condition  down  to  the 
drainage.  Liquid  manure  will  be  required  by  trees  having  the 
roots  in  borders  of  limited  extent.  Mulch  lightly,  and  keep 
damped  when  it  becomes  dry,  so  as  to  encourage  surface  roots. 
Syringe  daily,  except  in  dull  weather,  when  morning  or  early 
afternoon  .syringing  will  be  sufficient,  and  always  early  enough 
to  allow  of  the  foliage  getting  drv  before  night.  Judicious  and 
forcible  syringings  are  usually  sufficient  to  keep  down  red  spider, 
but  if  it  gets  a  hold  dislodge  by  means  of  an  insecticide.  Main¬ 
tain  a  night  temperature  of  fiOdeg  to  65deg,  and  70deg  to  7odeg 
by  day.  Ventilate  early,  especially  on  bright  mornings.  Keep 
the  house  through  the  day  at  SOdeg  to  85deg  with  sun  heat,  and 
close  early,  so  as  to  run  up  to  8odeg  or  90deg,  or  even  9odeg, 
providing  plenty  of  atmospheric  moisture. 
SUCCESSION  HOUSES. — When  the  fruit  changes  colour 
afford  more  air.  insuring  a  circulation  constantly.  Reduce  the 
moisture  gradually,  keeping  it  from  the  fruit,  which  expose  as 
much  as  possible  to  light  and  .air.  Lessened  supiffies  of  water  at 
the  roots  tell  in  favour  of  quality,  yet  they  must  not  be  allowed 
to  suffer.  Tree.s  swelling  their  crops  will  be  benefited  bj’  a 
light  mulching  of  short  material  over  the  roots,  and  through 
this  .supply  liquid  manure  in  the  case  of  trees  carrying  heavy 
crops.  In  fine  weather  syringe  twice  a  day,  always  in  good 
time,  and  close  .so  as  to  run  up  to  90deg,  95deg.  or  lOOdeg.  As 
the  fruit  approaches  ripening  provide  a  little  ventilation  con- 
.stantly,  putting  it  on  just  before  nightfall,  and  let  it  remain, 
increasing  it  early. 
VINI^S. — When  the  fruit  has  been  cut,  syringe  the  foliage 
well  in  order  to  preserve  it  as  long  as  possible  in  a  healthy  state, 
for  if  the  leaves  fall  early  second  growth  not  unfrequently  sets 
in  when  they  ought  to  be  resting.  A  moderate  extension  of  the 
laterals  will  usually  prevent  premature  ripening  of  the  foliage, 
and  will  not  do  any  harm,  but  irregularities  of  growth,  and  par¬ 
ticularly  gross  ones,  should  be  checked  by  pinching,  or  be  entirely 
removed.  Admit  air  to  the  fullest  possible  extent,  and  maintain 
moderate  moisture  in  the  border,  particularly  at  the  surface,  so 
as  to  keep  the  roots  there  instead  of  allowing  it  to  become  dry, 
and  so  causing  them  to  descend  in  quest  of  moisture.  Weakly 
Vines  must  have  liquid  manure  occasionally,  which  will  help 
them  to  retain  the  foliage,  and  assist  them  in  plumping  the  buds 
and  storing  nutritive  matter  in  the  adjacent  wood. 
GRAPES  RIPENING. — A-fford  plenty  of  air  directly  the 
Grapes  begin  colouring,  with  a  little  fire  heat  to  insure  a  circu¬ 
lation  of  atmosphere  constantly,  and  prevent  the  deposition  of 
moisture  on  the  berries  during  the  night  or  in  dull  periods,  which 
is  one  of  the  chief  causes  of  “.spot,”  especially  in  the  case  of 
Muscat  of  Alexandria.  Maintain,  however,  a  fair  amount  of 
atmospheric  moisture  to  insure  the  proper  swelling  of  the  berries 
and  the  preservation  of  the  foliage  in  health.  Allow  the  tem¬ 
perature  to  fall  to  Godeg  at  night,  otherwise  securing  a  tempera¬ 
ture  by  artificial  means  of  70deg  to  7.jdeg,  and.80deg  to  85deg 
through  the  day  for  Black  Hamburghs  and  similar  varieties  with 
sun  heat.  Muscats  should  have  a  night  temperature  of  Godeg  to 
70deg,  7.5deg  to  SOdeg  by  day  from  fire  heat,  and  S.odeg  to  90deg 
frem  sun  heat.  Supply  water  or  liquid  manure  thoroughly  to 
the  inside  borders,  enough  to  reach  the  drainage,  and  a  light 
mulching  will  keep  the  surface  moist.  Outside  borders  must  be 
watered  if  dry  weather  prevail,  always  giving  enough  water  or 
liquid  manure  to  moisten  the  soil  down  to  the  drainage. 
GRAPES  STONING. — Ventilate  early,  so  as  to  allow  the 
moisture  to  escai^e  and  the  atmosphere  to  gradually  warm  in 
order  to  avoid  scorching,  and  a  gentle  warmth  in  the  pipes  with  a 
little  air  constantly  is  the  best  safeguard  against  scalding  of  the 
berries.  This,  with  free  ventilation  by  day,  and  not  closing  early 
at  this  critical  period,  will  usually  ward  off  the  moisture  that, 
heated  on  the  berries,  causes  them  to  scald.  As  the  liability  to 
scald  does  not  extend  over  a  period  of  more  than  a  fortnight  or 
three  weeks,  give  particular  attention  in  the  late  stages  of  stoning 
to  the  ventilation.  In  bright  weather  succeeding  a  dull  and 
cold  period  there  is  most  danger  of  scorching,  and  with  the 
modern  system  of  large  panes  of  glass  there  is  absolute  nece.ssity 
at  .such  times  from  bright  sun,  especially  for  Muscat  of  Alex¬ 
andria.  A.  double  thickness  of  herring  net  over  the  roof  lights 
i.s  very  beneficial,  and  affords  all  the  shade  required. — St.  Albans. 
Kitchen  Garden. 
CELERY  PLANTING. — All  Celery  plants,  with  the  exception 
of  those  recently  i^ricked  out,  will  be  ready  to  transplant  finally 
into  the  trenches.  Shallow  trenches  about  loin  wide  into  which 
has  been  worked  some  decayed  manure  will  provide  a  good  rooting 
medium.  They  may  be  prepared  on  a  piece  of  ground  from  whicli 
another  crop  has  been  cleared,  at  a  distance  of  about  4ft  or  .jft 
apart.  Single  rows  are  the  most  convenient,  as  the  cultivation 
of  Celery  entails  a  considerable  amount  of  trouble  in  trimming, 
earthing,  watering.  If  space  is  limited  double  rows  may  be 
grown  ;  but  the  trenches  must  be  wider  apart  to  allow  of  tlie 
extra  banks  of  soil  for  earthing.  The  plants  should  lift  with 
good  balls  of  soil  attached  to  the  roots.  They  are  then  easily 
planted  and  soon  start  into  vigorous  growth.  A  suitable  condi¬ 
tion  for  lifting  is  easily  ensured  if  the  nursery  bed  is  thoroughly 
moistened  the  day  previously  to  planting.  Plants  that  are  short 
and  sturdy  are  in  every  way  the  best  fitted  for  planting,  and  entail 
less  trouble.  Those  which  do  not  poissess  a  good  ball  of  roots 
are  almost  sure  to  flag  under  strong  sunshine,  hence  need  shading 
until  root  action  indicates  that  they  are  established.  Plant  in 
the  evening  or  on  dull  days. 
SAVOYS. — Providing  that  the  plants  in  the  seed  beds,  or 
which  have  been  picked  out  to  .strengthen,  are  sturdy  enough,  they 
should  be  inserted  in  permanent  quarters.  The  early  varieties 
may  be  planted  first,  and  these  being  dwarf  and  not  requiring 
much  room  may  be  planted  closer  together  than  the  more 
vigorous,  large  growing  sorts.  Tom  Thumb  Savoy.s  may  be 
plantecl  as  close  together  as  a  foot,  while  the  larger  varieties  may 
be  planted  loin  to  18in  apart,  in  rows  2ft  asunder.  The  ground 
for  Savoys  may  be  moderately  well  enriched  and  dug  deeply.  It 
should  also  lay  well  open,  and  the  plants  ought  to  have  the  whole 
space,  which  is  much  better  for  growth  than  crowding  them 
among  Potatoes  in  order  to  economise  room. 
CAULIFLOWERS. — Plants  recently  placed  out  are  becoming 
established,  and  ought,  in  order  to  aid  growth,  to  receive  frequent 
hoeings.  Copious  supplies  of  liquid  manure  will  be  of  great  assist¬ 
ance,  not  only  in  promoting  immediate  growth,  but  of  storing 
nutriment  in  the  soil  for  future  use  by  the  extending  roots. 
Cauliflowers  like  ricli  living,  especially  if  growing  in  an  open  posi¬ 
tion,  so  that  they  have  the  important  advantages  of  abundant 
light  to  build  up  a  sturdy  habit  with  good  leaves  and  fibrous  roots. 
Tliese  will  invariably  be"^ followed  by  close,  compact  heads,  tender 
and  white  in  autumn. 
TOMATOES. — A  considerable  amount  of  systematic  attention 
must  be  given  Tomatoes  planted  out  against  walls  and  fences  in 
the  matter  of  tying,  watering,  rubbing  out  superfluous  shoots, 
and  setting  fruit.  A  sunny  position  is  essential,  so  that  the  wood 
made  may  be  short  and  sturdy,  the  leaves  of  firm  texture,  and 
tlie  flower  trusses  strong.  A  thoroughly  healthy  and  moist  con¬ 
dition  of  the  rooting  medium  will  best  conduce  to  this,  therefore 
the  watering  should  not  be  neglected.  Strictly  confine  the  plants 
to  one  stem,  rubbing  out  the  side  shoots  as  they  form  in  the  axils 
of  the  principal  leaves.  Do  not  adopt  the  system  of  curtailing 
these.  If  the  plants  have  plenty  of  light  and  air  and  ample  room 
the  foliage  will  not  be  unduly  large.  Later  on,  if  the  leaves 
encroach  and  shade  the  fruit,  some  of  the  leaflets  niay  be 
shortened  back  slightly,  and  any  yellowing  foliage  at  the  base 
below  the  bunches  of  fruit  may  be  removed.  When  a  good  set  of 
fruit  has  been  secured  give  the  plants  liquid  manure,  and  a  mulch¬ 
ing  of  manure  over  the  roots  will  prove  useftd.  Heavy  bunches  of 
huit  ought  to  have  a  little  support. — East  Kent. 
- - 
Meteorological  Observations  at  Chisiiclr. 
Taken  in  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society’s  Gardens  at  Chi.s- 
wick,  height  above  sea  level  24  feet. 
1 
Date.  { 
Direction  of 
Wind. 
Temperature  of  the 
Air. 
}  Rain. 
Temperature  of 
the  Soil. 
At  9  A.M. 
Lowest 
Temperature 
on  Orass. 
1903. 
June. 
At  9  A.M.  1  Day.  j 
Nightj 
At 
1-ft. 
deep. 
At 
2-ft. 
deep. 
i 
At 
4-ft. 
deep. 
Dry 
Bulb. 
1  ^ 
Wet  1 
Bulb.'  60 
:  w 
m 
O 
o 
J 
deg. 
deg.  '  deg. 
deg. 
Ins. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
Sunday  ...21 
N.E. 
51-7 
46  3  61-7 
449 
— 
53-3 
54-4 
53  7 
Monday  ...22 
N.W. 
58-7 
50'2  67-3 
39-4 
— 
54-9 
54-5 
53  Y 
Tuesday  ...23 
S  E. 
'  61.6 
53-2  67-5 
41-5 
— 
56-2 
55-0 
53 '7 
66  4 
Wed’sday  24 
S.E. 
,  59  0 
540  67-5 
55-2 
— 
58-7 
55-8 
Y 
51'8 
Thursday  25 
w.s.w. 
54-7 
53-8  71-2 
47  5 
— 
58-2 
56-3 
53-7 
39  8 
Friday  ...26 
s.w. 
1  65  5 
59-5  76-2 
540 
— 
605 
56-9 
54  0 
48-5 
Saturday  27 
s.w. 
74-9 
64-8  82  7 
55  0 
63-4 
58’2 
54-2 
49  i 
1 
j 
1 
‘Total 
, 
Means  .. 
1 
!  60*9 
t 
54-5  70  6 
48-2 
— 
57  9 
55  9 
1 
,  53' 
1 
41  8 
A  week  of  bright  summer-like  weather,  with  a  rising  teixperature 
towards  the  end. 
