Cucumbers.--To prolong the season of fine crisp fruit it is necessary
to keep the plants clean and healthy by giving them plenty of top and
bottom heat.
Figs.--The trees having no fruit likely to come to perfection, and whose
leaves are fading, to be kept cool and dry, to induce an early rest. A
seasonal rest should also be given by the same means to trees in pots,
that they may be in a fit state for forcing early.
Melons.--Continue to maintain a warm, dry atmosphere, to give flavour to
the fruit. They will require little or no water after this.
Peaches.--Vacancies to be filled with trees from the walls on the
open ground. This is a plan preferable to having young trees from the
nursery, which are usually some years in covering the space allotted to
them. Where the lights have been wholly removed, after being repaired
and painted, they should be put upon the houses to protect the trees and
borders from unfavourable weather.
Pines.--Ripening fruit to be kept in a dry, warm atmosphere, to give it
flavour. The swelling fruit to have a warm, moist atmosphere. Water to
be given to the plants cautiously; every one to be examined before it
receives any, and manure water to be dispensed with altogether. The heat
of the dung-pits to be kept up by renewing the linings. The crowns and
suckers that are planted in the tan to have no water; all they require
is attention in giving air and keeping up the heat.
Vines.--Attention to be given to the young Vines in pots that are
intended for forcing, that they may not become soddened, which would
injure the young roots considerably. Where netting or any other such
material had been used over the lights that open in houses containing
fruit, to prevent the ingress of wasps, it may be taken down as little
mischief will now be apprehended from their attacks. Mice are sometimes
very troublesome in vineries at this season, and will spoil a whole
house of Grapes in a short time if not prevented. Traps should,
therefore, be kept set, and every means used to prevent their ingress
from the garden. Cover the border when the trees are planted outside,
with a good coat of fern or any other such material before they become
saturated and chilled by the autumnal rains, to be laid on thickly in
layers, beginning at the front of the border, the whole to be covered
with a thin layer of good straw, and fastened down as a thatcher does
the straw on stacks.