January 6, 1906 



HORTICULTURE 



11 



Cocos Weddelliana 



This well-known palm is a universal favorite and 

 were it an easier subject to grow its position as a ser- 

 viceable table plant would be in the front rank. How 

 rarely one sees it in perfect condition ! On the conti- 

 nent of Europe and especially in Belgium they are 

 specially successful with it. Most people avoid the 

 risks of home production and the risk also of over- 

 stocking in either case. With imported plants the tips 

 soon go bad, leaves assume a lighter cast and growth is 

 stunted, making the plants a ready prey to scale, quickly 

 spoiling their symmetrical beauty. Most of Horti- 

 culture's readers have doubtless had painful experi- 

 ence. The cause is not wholly climatic, but often for 

 want of special treatment and suitable accommodation 

 not always at disposal. There can be no question that 

 this species requires a warmer temperature than most 

 other marketable palms and should never drop less than 

 65 degrees at night the year round. Overpotting as 

 well as overwatering are frequent causes of failure. 

 The experiment suggested, and it is a tried one, is to 

 keep the plants on the dry side in a desert-like atmos- 

 phere and especially avoiding moisture on the foliage, 

 coupling with this equality of temperature as nearly as 

 can be maintained; if a whole house can be devoted so 

 much the better, but if not, a section should be marked 

 off for culture on these lines. A heavy shade is neces- 

 sary but a roller blind is preferable to that of a perma- 

 nent character. The strung heat required is favorable 

 to attacks of red spider and scale but as a general rule 

 vigorous, healthy stock are immune. Sulphur applied 

 with syringe is the best remedy, being preventive as 

 well as a cure. 



Immense quantities of seeds are annually exported 

 from Brazil and usually a good percentage are of sound 

 quality. Seed should be soaked well in water for 

 twenty-four hours to ease the outer covering of the 

 nut, and long two-inch pots should be used unless large 

 quantities are in demand, when deep pans serve best. 

 One of the causes of failure is the breaking of the 

 seedling tap root in potting, which in nearly all eases is 

 fatal. If in pans they should be potted up early before 

 tin 1 tap root is too long, plunging eocoanut-fibro on a 

 warm bottom and kept in small pots until about a foot 

 high when an occasional watering with soot and weak 

 liquid cow-manure is helpful, though generally this 

 palm abhors too much feeding. As potting compost 

 use leaf-mould and peat in equal parts with a little 

 loam and plenty of sand, not ramming too hard or 

 keeping the base too deep. The persistent ill-luck with 

 this general favorite is a challenge to the grower, the 

 winning of which may not only be a personal satisfac- 

 tion but will give a lift to the reputation of this plant 

 as a suitable subject for table or house decoration, for 

 after all a fairly warm room with its dry air is really not 

 against its maintainence in health and freshness for 

 many months though of course it cannot be expected 

 under house conditions that this beautiful palm will 

 remain a joy forever. 



Fruit Trees in Pots 



The practice of growing fruits in pots is not likely to 

 appeal very strongly to our growers. Our atmospheric 

 conditions are such that many of the artificial devices 

 practiced by our English and French brothers in their 

 less congenial climate can be done away with as super- 

 fluous here. However, there are certain advantages that 

 may be gained which all would do well to consider. It 

 is a quick and satisfactory method for testing new fruits, 

 especially peaches, nectarines, apricots, and plums. 

 Pears and apples, being hardier, have so wide a range 

 that such culture would be of little advantage, except in 

 special localities, but for tender fruits it is an easy and 

 convenient means of quick testing. 



The pot-grown trees will produce earlier fruit or a 

 winter crop by judicial forcing under glass. 



But the greatest benefit undoubtedly is to the tenant 

 "i- to the owner of a limited area. So many of our 

 people hire their homes, rather than own them, that the 

 population is constantly shifting. It has been estimated 

 that the tenant class shifts about once in five .years. 

 Hence a person with pot grown trees is independent of 

 the landlord, for as often as he moves he can take his 

 orchard with him. 



Lastly, the man with a desire to raise something a 

 little different from his neighbors will find plenty of 

 opportunity in this field. 



The soil for the trees is a mixture of three parts 

 sandy loam and one part rotted manure. The trees are 

 chosen when one year old in the nursery and potted in 

 March or April. Nine-inch pots will be sufficiently large 

 at first, later shifting in to thirteens. Pound the soil in 

 firmly around the roots. After potting cut back to three 

 or four buds, and as the new shoots grow pinch back 

 constantly to keep the whole tree compact in shape and 

 to cause the formation of numerous fruit buds. The 

 first season's growth in the pots takes place out of doors. 

 It is a good idea to plunge the pots and to let the roots 

 grow down through the drainage holes to protect the tree 

 if the pots become dry, something that should be guarded 

 against. 



On approach of cold weather the pots are raised and 

 replunged in a shed or cold frame where they will get 

 moderate and uniform freezing. After a short rest they 

 may be brought in, gradually started, and forced at any 

 time; or else they may be left intact until the following 

 spring. 



The second year cut back the growth one-half and 

 continue to preserve the symmetry of the tree. 



As the trees are gross feeders plenty of fertilizer must 

 be supplied, the best being fresh wood ashes, while liquid 

 manure is good. It is a good plan to renew the old 

 soil around the roots often. 



The trees sin mid be occasionally syringed, and the 

 various insect and fungus pests kept in submission. 



R. L. Adams. 



$dn oJL Si 



l>VAJk_ 



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