1870.] HINTS FOR AMATEURS. 393 



are planted, but for temporary rather than for permanent effect. 

 Nevertheless they aid in imparting a furnished appearance to the 

 house. The pot-plants round the sides of the house simply stand on 

 the border, and are not planted out as in the case of the central 

 beds. 



The soil of these central beds is as hard as it is possible to make it, 

 and is kept thoroughly saturated with water as the trees make growth. 

 The border is something like 30 inches in depth, and one-half of this 

 is formed of lime-rubbish and chalk for a free drainage — the remainder 

 with a good suitable soil. The trees round the side borders have 

 their pots plunged in leaves during the winter, which is an excellent 

 check on evaporation, and this remains till the fruit ripens. If it be 

 objected that it has a "littery" appearance, Mr Barron has well 

 demonstrated how snug and orderly it can be kept with a very little 

 attention. 



The trees in pots are repeatedly top-dressed with rotten manure, 

 loam, and burnt ashes, which, raised up about an inch round the rim 

 of the pot, gives a kind of shallow basin. There is no stint of water 

 when it is requisite to be applied, and once or twice a-week some 

 manure-water is given. The trees are syringed twice a-day — at morn- 

 ing and at evening — and are kept clean by the occasional use of 

 Pooley's tobacco-powder, applied with a small dredger, and dusted 

 over the shoots when wet. The shoots are kept pinched in very 

 closely. 



Some of the trees have been in pots for a space of ten years. Dur- 

 ing the winter the roots are examined, and those requiring more root- 

 room are transferred to bigger pots ; those not requiring a shift have 

 some of the soil shaken from the roots if it be sour, and are repotted. 

 The biggest trees were only in pots 16 inches in diameter. There is 

 no doubt about it, judging from what can be seen here, that fruit as 

 tender in the flesh, and as nicely flavoured as possible, can be obtained 

 from plants grown in pots in this fashion, if the trees are not allowed 

 to carry a heavy but simply a reasonable crop. R. D. 



~^-xs>^p^~i^ — ■ 



HINTS FOR AMATEURS.- SEPTEMBER. 



When so many crops at this season are likely to be past use, the vege- 

 table garden is liable to become untidy. Peas, Beans, Scarlet Runners, 

 Potatoes, &c., will be turning in for use quickly; and if the ground is 

 not to be cropped again, it should at least be cleaned. Where manure is 



