October 31, 1887. ] 



JOUfiNAIi OF HORTICULTUBB AND COTTAGE GABDEMEB. 



335 



for such sweeping scorn as some writers pour upon orcbard- 

 hoases, on account of their own failures iu culture. An average 

 of less than twenty fruit to a tree, iucluiliug I'lums, loaves bim 

 mnch room for bopo iu coming years, if bo will but follow care- 

 fully Mr. Rivers '3 directions. I bavo gatberej more than two 

 hundred Pears off a potted tree this autumn, and as to I'lums, 

 they aro wlien green as thick as berries on the most clo.scly- 

 packed Gooseberry branch. .\s to counting tbem when ripe it 

 would be a troublesome business. Of course, thinning must 

 be practised to a heartbreaking extent ; but, perhaps, the 

 most economical way of using the glass is to have two sets of 

 trees, and work them to the full, and give them perfect rest in 

 alternate years, the tree out of use being kept under the glass 

 for the winter months to secure healthy roots and well-ripened 

 wood. But as I write in no spirit of boasting of my own doings, 

 or of contempt for those of " C. P.," who is on the right road 

 after all, I would urge him to go and visit Mr. Kivers's houses, 

 and see for himself, both liis method and the results, which 

 make those of an amateur fade into insignificance. 



However, the object I bavo iu writing this letter is to warn 

 amateurs, and especially beginners, against any careless readmg 

 of Mr. Eivers's treatise. They are to an experienced gardener 

 easy reading, but at the same time the writing of one who has 

 for years been master of his subject. They are so full of infor- 

 mation, and so concisely expressed, that almost every sentence 

 requires to be weighed in order to be sure of all its meaning. 

 Indeed, I know few books so overllowing with the unconscious 

 expressions of vast experience, and genuine experimental 

 science. 



I have found many persons fail in fruit tree culture from 

 overlooking a sentence, sometimes even a word in these ma- 

 nuals compressed, as he advises the soil iu the pots to be. 

 Without any other help, a keen observer of nature after a few 

 blunders might meet with fair success. — \V. Kingslev, South 

 Kilvin(/ton. 



the wood and bark are just covered with soil, pressed rather 

 firmly. Iu three weeks, if they have been kept just moist, 

 they will all be rooted, and in the same time another crop of 

 cuttings will be ready. This process must bo repeated until 

 three or four joints are left on each shoot, when it must cease. 

 The old plants will make good bushes in a little time, and with 

 care every cutting will make a good plant by June. 



I have just taken up some of my jplants, seven months old 

 from the cutting, and I find they measure from l°i to IH inches 

 in diameter. 



I hope Mr. Luckhurst will not tbink I have taken this matter 

 up in an unfriendly spirit. I have heard of many failnres, 

 and think that those who have succeeded should make their 

 practice kuown. — Geobge Boyes, liarUy Thorpe Gardnn. 



A CAUTION TO NURSERYMEN AND OTHERS. 

 A TEitsoN of the name of Bichmond having visited varioua 

 nurseries and obtained goods under false pretences, we caution 

 the nursery trade. He is a man about 5 feet G or 7 inches in 

 height, of dark complexion, with dark brown whiskers, has lost 

 bis front teeth ; is of good address, and represents himself as 

 having been a traveller to a large nursery establishment. 



NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 



The Viceroy of Egypt, when recently here, was so struck 

 with our flower culture, and the plants and flowers he saw, that 

 be has given a commission to send him out a thoroughly 

 proficient flower gardener, one capable of carrying out horti- 

 culture in a similar manner to the style adopted in this 

 country. The Viceroy already has an English gardener, but 

 the one now sent out goes exclusively for the cultivation of 

 flowers, a new and entirely separate appointment. 



PROPAGATING MRS. POLLOCK PELARGONIUM. 



Mr. LccKiiuiiST describes Ipage 27o), his system of propa- 

 gating this fine bedder. Your excellent correspondent, " K. F.," 

 observes in the succeeding page, " It is not ea.sy to have all 

 advantages," and Mr. Luckhurst's mode of propagation is no 

 exception to this rule. I would not for a moment doubt the 

 success of his plan. I think it good, and that it would answer 

 for those who could cut their plants up early in the season ; 

 but I fear it would not answer for the majority of gardens. 

 Granted that the object of most people possessing Mrs. Pollock 

 is to increase the stock as quickly and to as large an extent 

 as possible, I fail to perceive that this end is to be best attained 

 by following the plan suggested, for by Mr. Luckhurst's own 

 showing be only obtains two crops of cuttings, whereas by the 

 mode I am about to detail, the crops follow in succession 

 throughout the spring. There are thousands of places in the 

 United Kingdom where, as at this, the llower garden display is 

 required chiefly in September and October. In these cases it 

 would be the height of imprudence for a gardener to closely 

 prune such plants as Mrs. Pollock Pelargonium, because the 

 beds or borders would be spoiled, and the general effect ruined. 

 On the other hand, if the cuttings are taken late not half of 

 them will pass through the winter. For these reasons I have 

 adopted with success the follo'ving practice, which, perhaps, 

 may be of use to some of your readers. 



The plants are covered every night in the autumn to protect 

 them from the early frost. This is of great importance, for if 

 the wood is frozen much injury is done. They are taken 

 up about the middle of October, potted in the compost used 

 by Mr. Luckhurst, than which nothing suits them better, and 

 are placed in a bouse with a little lire heat. There they are 

 kept close and rather dry for a few days until the roots begin 

 to grow, when air is gradually allowed to play about them, and 

 they aro kept cool all winter. 



In the third week in February the points aro all taken off, 

 and each of these cuttings is placed in a thumb-pot in compost 

 consisting of three parts sand and one of loam. A length of 

 2 inches will be quite enough for these cuttings. The plants 

 are allowed no water until they break, which they will do in a 

 very short time ; the uppermost eyes will start first. The 

 plants should now have a little more heat. When the first 

 eyes have grown half an inch, or at most an inch, they should 

 be taken otT, together with the wood, half an inch above the 

 next eye. These eyes are cut out just like the eye of a Vine, 

 or a bud for budding Boses, and treated like the first cuttings ; i 



WORK FOR THE WEEK. 



HITCHES GARDEN. 



Asparaijus, it is time to think of forcing a little for early use ; 

 the principles applied to the forcing of Sea-kale are in the main 

 applicable to this delicious vegetable, except that Asparagus 

 requires abundance of air when growing through the soil. 

 Cabhaijes, hoe and loosen the ground between the rows. Celery, 

 earth-up. Endive, plant this and Lettuces in frames. Jeru- 

 salem Artichokes, take up. Peas, a few early sorts may be 

 sown in a sheltered border ; but too much dependance should 

 not bo placed on them, for they are liable to the attacks of 

 many enemies, such as mice and slugs, which must be guarded 

 against as much as possible ; plants should be reared under 

 protection to fill up vacancies. A few Mazagan I'.cans may also 

 be planted at the same time. Potatoes, keep them dry; they 

 will not bear putting together in large quantities this season ; 

 the straw scattered over them to prevent the access of light 

 should be dry, and lime in fine powder should be occasionally 

 diffused through the air of the apartment in which they are 

 stored. Salsa/ij, take up, also Scor:onera, packing the roots in 

 clean sand for a supply in case of frost. ,Sea-l;ale should now 

 be introduced to a bottom heat for the earliest supply. Those 

 who force it where it grows may apply some hot manure round 

 a few pots. 



FBriT OABDEN". 



Proceed with the preparation of borders, and the transplan- 

 tation of fruit trees. Watering newly-planted trees is not so 

 essential at this season as in spring, yet it ought not to be 

 omitted, for by washing down fine particles of soil about the 

 fibres, the latter are kept in better position, and, on the whole, 

 in closer contact with that from which they have to draw 

 nourishment, than could be effected by treading. When the 

 roots are covered, the soil about them may be flooded, and the 

 remainder of it filled in after the water has completely sub- 

 sided. Eemove leaves from the bottoms of walls, for although 

 they form good manure for the trees, yet they harbour injurious 

 insects. Proceed with the pruning of fruit trees as soon as the 

 leaves have fallen ; let nothing of this sort remain till spring, 

 which period will bring its own labour. 



FLOWEK OARIIEN. 



The flower garden is now so far robbed of its beauty, that 

 steps may be immediately taken to secure a better arrangement 

 for the next year ; this is necessary before the flowers are de- 



