October  29,  1903. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORriGULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
407 
Young  Gardeners’  Domain. 
Marguerite  Carnations. 
These  plants,  I  am  of  opinion,  are  not  grown  .so  much  as  they 
deserve  to  be.  Few  plants  afford  such  a  generous  and  useful 
display  of  flowers  during  the  next  two  or  three  months  in  return 
for  the  treatment  they  require.  Procure  seed  of  a  good  strain, 
and  sow  in  a  fine,  light,  sandy  soil  in  a  well  drained  pan,  early 
in  March,  and  place  in  a  temperature  of  from  -oOdeg  to  GOdeg  F. 
So  soon  as  the  seedlings  are  large  enough  to  handle,  they  should 
be  pricked  out  into  well  drained  pans  containing  the  same 
cempost  as  above,  and  these  may  be  placed  on  a  shelf  in  a  cool 
house.  In  a  month  or  five  weeks  they  should  be  ready  to.  pot 
singly  into  small  sixties  in  a  compost  consisting  of  two  parts 
fibry  loam,  one  of  well  decayed  leaves,  and  one  of  sharp  road 
grit ;  and  in  removing  the  plants  from  the  pans  care  should  be 
taken  not  to  injure  more  roots  than  necessary.  Place  the  plants 
on  a  bed  of  a.shes  in  a  cold  frame,  and  keep  close  for  a  few  days, 
shading  them  from  hot  sun,  and  give  water  with  discretion,  and 
as  the  plants  grow  admit  air  more  freely.  When  in  a  fit  state, 
transfer  to  32-sized  pots  and  return  to  a  cold  frame,  and  keep 
close  till  established,  after  which  remove  to  a  bed  of  ashes  in  a 
sunny  and  open  position.  When  the  plants  require  it,  tie  them, 
to  a  neat,  well  pointed  stake.  In  the  autumn  the  plants  rvill 
commence  to  form  their  buds,  and  if  the  pots  are  well  filled  with 
roots  the  plants  will  need  some  nourishment.  Soot-water  is  a 
good  stimulant,  wdth  a  change  to  guano,  care  being  taken  not 
to  use  too  strong,  as  the  roots  are  very  fine  and  easily  injured. 
If  lar.ge  blooms  are  desired,  the  plants  can  be  disbudded. 
— E.  B.,  South  Berks. 
Malmaison  Carnations. 
Now,  when  Carnation  layers  are  engaging  attention,  is  the 
time  when  failures  can  be  averted.  They  should  now  be  all 
potted  into  four-inch-  pots,  in  a  compost  of  two-thirds  good 
fibrous  loam  broken  very  small,  and  the  remaining  third  to 
consist  of  leaf  soil,  peat,  and  coarse  grit  in  eciual  parts.  See 
that  good  drainage  is  given.  The  layers  should  then  be  placed 
in  a  house  or  pit  where  they  will  secure  full  light,  and  if  possible 
they  should  be  on  ashes,  close  to  the  glass.  It  will  be  found  that 
failures  are  mainly  due  to  overwatering,  for  the  Carnation — or 
an}^  plant  of  this  type — should  be  dry  before  being  watered  ; 
blit  in  the  dull,  damp  months  of  winter  they  are  far  better  if 
kept  dry  for  a  few  weeks.  They  should  then  be  watered  on  a 
fine  day,  as  early  in  the  morning  as  possible,  and  repeat  the  opera¬ 
tion  when  quite  dry  again.  Air  should  be  given  freely,  as,  by 
keeping  a  moving  atmosphere  the  plants  will  not  be  subject  to 
the  ru.st  or  spot  disease  to  any  great  extent. 
At  the  beginning  of  March  the  plants  should  be  potted  into' 
five  and  six-inch  pots,  in  a  compost  consisting  of  two-thirds  good 
fibrous  loam  (yellow,  if  obtainable),  the  remaining  third  of  leaf 
soil,  peat,  half-inch  bones,  and  good  coarse  grit — no  chemicals. 
They  should  then  be  put  in  a  house  where  they  can  again  stand 
on  ashes.  Sufficient  moisture  should  come  from  the  floor,  as 
the  plants  ought  not  to  be  subjected  to  overhead  syringing  or 
to  steam  caused  from  wetting  the  pots  or  walls,  and  they  should 
again  have  plenty  of  air.  When  showing  bud,  they  will  be 
benefited  by  an  occa.sional  watering  with  liquid  manure  or  some 
fertili.ser,  if  the  plants  are  well  rooted. — F.  H.  W.,  Journeyman. 
[“  F.  H.  W.”  writes  very  well,  and  we  shall  be  pleased  to  have 
occasional  notes  from  his  pen.  He  will  certainly  find  the  writing 
practice  good  in  every  way.  We  would  ask  him  to  leave  half 
an  inch  space  at  the  top  of  his  letter  for  our  use,  and  to  allow 
a  little  more  space  between  the  lines  and  at  the  left-hand  margin. 
—Ed.] 
- - 
A  Handy  Flower  Support. 
The  above  can  be  easily  made  by  peforating  a  piece  of  flat  lead  or 
copper,  and  then  giving  it  the  rounded  form.  Place  this  in  a  dish, 
and  a  flower  support  is  prepared. 
Fruit  Forcing. 
VINES:  EARLIEST  FORCED  IN  POTS.--Many  lovers  of 
Grapes  do  not  appreciate  the  thick  skinned  varieties,  and  desire 
thin  skinned  Grapes  at  all  times.  In  that  case  it  is  better  to 
take  the  early  supply  from  Vines  in  pots  than  to  start  the  perma¬ 
nently  planted  Vines  at  a  very  early  period.  Vines  in  pots  pro¬ 
duce  fruit  little  inferior  to  that  borne  by  others  planted  out, 
mid  often  .superior  to  that  produced  by  those  having  the  roots 
in  inside  borders,  and  always  better  than  when  the  roots  are 
wholly  outside.  Success  in  early  forcing  is  more  certain  where 
there  is  convenience  for  affording  bottom  heat,  the  canes  being 
sufficiently  strong,  plump-eyed,  thoroughly  ripened,  and  duly 
rested.  The  materials  for  affording  bottom  heat — such  as  two 
parts  tree  leaves  and  one  part  stable  litter — should  be  in  course  of 
preparation.  The  heat  to  begin  with  must  not  exceed  65deg  about 
the  pots,  augmenting  it  by  bringing  up  the  fermenting  materials 
to  the  level  of  the  pots  by  degrees,  so  as  to  raise  the  temperature 
to  70deg  to  75deg  when  the  Vines  are  in  leaf.  We  advise  the 
pots  to  be  stood  on  pillars  of  loose  bricks.  Let  the  Vines  be 
su.spended  over  the  fermenting  materials  in  a  horizontal  position, 
to  induce  the  buds  to  break  evenly.  Sprinkle  the  Vines  three 
times  a  day,  and  damp  every  part  of  the  hou.^e  at  the  same  time 
in  bright  weather.  In  order  to  ensure  regularity  of  starting,  a 
somewhat  higher  temperature  is  necessary  at  this  period  than 
later  in  the  season ;  5(}deg  to  55deg  at  night  and  GOdeg  to  G5deg 
by  day  is  not  too  high  to  begin  with.  The  Vines  to  have  fruit  ripe 
in  April  must  be  started  early  in  November. 
EARLY  FORCED  PLANTED-OFT  VINES.— Those  for 
affording  fruit  at  the  end  of  April  or  early  in  May  should  be  set 
to  work  about  the  middle  of  November — not  later.  Thoroughly 
moisten,  but  not  saturate  to  soddenness,  the  inside  border  at  a 
temperature  of  90deg,  and  in  the  case  of  weakly  Vines  supply 
liquid  manure.  This  enriches  the  soil,  ever  conducing  to  a  good 
break  by  the  imperceptible  ferment  taking  place  in  the  soil,  and 
by  increa.sing  the  supply  of  food.  If  the  border  or  floor  of  the 
house  is  covered  with  leaves  and  litter  in  a  state  of  fermentation, 
occasionally  turning  the  material  and  adding  fresh,  the  moisture 
and  warmth,  also  the  ammonia-charged  atmosphere,  are  very 
beneficial  to  the  Vines,  and  make  a  considerable  difference  in 
the  fuel  used.  The  outside  border  must  have  a  covering  of 
leaves,  with  some  litter  or  fern,  sloping  from  the  house  outwards, 
and  thus  throw  off  some  rain,  as  well  as  exclude  frost.  No  roots 
can  work  in  frozen  soil.  Fermenting  material  is  not  indispen¬ 
sable  for  placing  on  outside  borders,  but  the  warmth  is  a  great  aid 
in  keeping  the  roots  active  and  near  the  .surface.  Outside  borders, 
however,  are  great  mi, stakes  for  Vines  that  are  forced  early  year 
after  year. 
VINES  FOR  STARTING  IN  DECEMBER.— Prepare  the 
Vines  and  house  for  active  service  at  the  time  stated,  which  i.s 
the  latest  to  have  Muscats  ripe  early  in  June  and  the  early 
varieties  in  May.  Prune  the  Vines  directly  the  leaves  have 
fallen.  In  pruning,  two  buds  are  usually  sufficient  to  leave  for 
securing  compact  bunches  of  Grapes.  Finger  pruning  may  be 
practised  when  the  Vines  are  wanted  to  give  fewer  and  larger 
bunches,  for  it  does  not  answer  to  allow  as  many  large  bunches  on 
a  Vine,  as  of  medium  sized.  Large  bunches  are  as  a  rule  loose, 
irregular  in  size  of  berry,  and  do  not  finish  satisfactorily. 
Medium  sized  bunches  are  more  regular  in  form  and 
size  of  berry,  and  finish  well.  If  the  eyes  at  the  base 
of  the  shoots  are  not  plump,  three  eyes  may  be  left, 
but  this  requires  frequent  renewal  of  the  spurs.  The  Vines 
should  be  stripped  of  loose  bark — indeed,  all  that  can  be  done 
without  stripping  them  to  the  live  bark — and  be  washed  with  a 
tepid  paraffin  softsoap  solution  (4oz  to  a  gallon  of  water).  That 
is  all  that  is  necessary  where  the  Vines  are  free  from  insects, 
and  where  there  has  not  been  mealy  bug,  scale,  red  spider,  or 
thrips ;  but  for  these  u.se  a  solution  of  caustic  soda  and  pearlash 
(loz  each  to  a  gallon  of  hot  water),  applying  with  a  brush  at  a 
temperature  of  130deg  to  140deg ;  it  kills  both  hibernating  pests 
and  eggs.  If  troubled  with  fungous  pests  in  previous  growth, 
use  a  solution  of  sulphate  of  iron  (lib  to  one  gallon  of  water), 
applying  cold  with  a  brush  ;  but  do  not  use  both,  the  latter 
sufficing  for  both  fungi  and  insects.  The  woodwork  mu.st  be 
thoroughly  cleaned — if  necessary,  painted — and  the  walls  lime- 
washed,  adding  a  handful  of  fl.owers  of  sulphur  to  each  pailful  of 
limewash.  Remove  the  surface  soil  down  to  the  roots,  and 
.supply  fresh  turfy  loam  with  a  nine-inch  potful  of  bonemeal  to 
each  barrowload.  Though  a  somewhat  dry  condition  of  the 
roots  is  desirable,  the  border  mu.st  not  be  allowed  to  become 
parched  and  cracked,  affording  water  if  necessary,  but  not  ,‘^aturat- 
