385 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ June 2, 1870. 



the Vines make before bearing, the better will they stand 

 bearing fruit. 



However, we agree with yon so far, that Vine shoots rambling 

 in shade can do little to improve root-action. Also, as the 

 young shoot grows, it is important to encourage laterals, and 

 these in a healthy shoot will generally appear without stop- 

 ping the shoot so short as you recommend ; and if theBe 

 laterals appear and are encouraged, the main stem will not 

 lengthen so freely, and the base of that stem will be the 

 thickest and the best. 



Had we a«voung Vine coming away pretty freely, and yet 

 not makinglJLerals at the joints, we should certainly nip out 

 the point*? you suggest, say 4 feet from the base, and the 

 check to mere extension at the point would cause the laterals 

 to be produced freely ; but whilst we would let the laterals grow 

 two or three joints before stopping, we would also let the lead- 

 ing shoot that was formed after stopping go on again for several 

 feet without stopping, to encourage free root-action, as we 

 never yet found we had too much of that in any case. 



We consider that your remarks may lead some to think that 

 something else than mere length of stem is required, and we 

 greatly approve of the thought and consideration of the subject 

 that your letter unfolds ; but in our opinion so important is 

 free root-action at first, that after, in the modes stated above, 

 securing the best well-ripened wood near the base of young 

 Vines, we would do as much as we could to promote free root- 

 action. We never found the roots of Vines more fibrous from 

 keeping the tops when young in small compass. Were we plant- 

 ing young Vines now, we would encourage free lateral growth 

 from the base, and be only concerned to remove that growth 

 gradually in autumn when the thorough ripening of the wood 

 became of more consequence than its mere size. Thus, if we 

 had three joints to some laterals, we would first shorten to two, 

 then to one, and ultimately leave nothing but the large leaf at 

 the bud ; but if, as stated above, we nipped out the point of 

 the leader to encourage laterals, we would let a new leader grow 

 again to encourage free root-action. 



We shall be glad to have the opinions of others on this inter- 

 esting subject. We will not enter on the extension and re- 

 striction system, farther than to say that if we thoroughly 

 believed in the former we would at first act on the restriction 

 system until we filled the house by degrees. In several cases 

 we must own we have been disappointed when removing, per- 

 haps, the half of the top of a Vine, expecting what was left to 

 do better, but it did not do so. As to a few years' bearing, we 

 have Vines now that we wish to give fresh borders to or trans- 

 plant, that have produced heavily, though not so large bunches 

 as we should like, for from thirty-five to forty years, and we 

 might have done what we liked with them if rats had not 

 stripped and gnawed the stems. Encouraging free rooting the 

 first, or even second, season after planting, will not, therefore, 

 cause the bearing powers of the Vine to be so much sooner ex- 

 hausted. Here, as in most cases, the middle path is the safest 

 and most profitable, and our correspondent's remarks may lead 

 many to choose that path of safety and profit. It will at once 

 be seen that the curtailed system of growth that may be best for 

 quick fruiting, may not be equally applicable to Vines that are 

 expected to fruit for a great many years.] 



CHOROZEMA CORDATUM SPLENDENS 

 CULTURE. 



Cultivators would derive greater benefit from their labours 

 if they were to pay more attention to the choice of subjects in 

 beginning to grow plants. I have been led to think so from 

 inspecting a fine and vigorous specimen of this plant, and I 

 have thought that service might be rendered by my writing a 

 paper on it. 



Chorozema cordalum is one of the most beautiful of all the 

 early-flowering New Holland plants, and valuable for either 

 large or small specimens. It is a free grower, developing shoots 

 fully 3 feet long in one season. These should be regulated and 

 tied so as to give the plant the desired shape. I have seen 

 very handsome specimens grown as pyramids by bending and 

 tying the shoots properly — first one to a good central stake, 

 then the rest to each other in turn, as they best suited, till, 

 when fiaished, they formed, without stiffness, a firm whole with 

 only one support. Very good plants can be produced by the 

 second or third year either from seed or cuttings. It makes 

 an excellent conservatory plant. 



The plant before referred to is folly i feet across, by 5 J feet 



high. It has been flowering for about two months, since the 

 first week in February, and is nearly a mass of beautiful orange 

 and brown blossom. It grows in a soil consisting of about 

 equal parts of turfy loam and peat, with a small proportion of 

 silver sand and broken crocks mixed well together, and made 

 firm. Its age is a little over three years, and it is trained on a 

 Pear-shaped trellis, which it plentifully covers. I do not think 

 it has been shifted or potted more than three or four times, 

 and the pot it is now growing in measures about 20 inches 

 across. Common treatment as a hardwooded plant is all it has 

 ever been subjected to. It has been kept in a conservatory all 

 the year round, except for a few weeks in summer, when it 

 was placed out of doors in a sheltered part of the garden among 

 other greenhouse plants. Sometimes it may be attacked by 

 red spider, but the insects can be removed easily by a free use 

 of the syringe. Treated as a conservatory plant, with ordinary 

 care, and with a short period out of doors in summer to ripen 

 the wood, it succeeds well, and produoes a most charming effect 

 in spring. — R. M. 



THE FIG AND ITS CULTURE.- No. 6. 



Top-dressing. — Trees in pots, especially those which are 

 somewhat potbound and bearing heavy crops of fruit, should, 

 after they are in active growth and the first crop of fruit fairly 

 set, have a liberal top-dressing of some rich compost ; one half 

 horse droppings, and the other half-fresh loam, with a mixture 

 of burnt ashes and charcoal, I have found to answer well. The 

 roets will soon be seen rising and spreading through this like 

 great white threads, and when they have become pretty well 

 established and matted another top-dressing should be ap- 

 plied. By placing thin pieces of turf round the edges of the 

 pot, or putting in all round a few little pins, this top-dressing 

 may be raised several inches above the rim of the pot. The 

 Fig, as already stated, is a gross feeder ; the roots revel in this 

 rich top-dressing, and immense benefit is thus afforded the 

 plant for the well-being of the fruit. 



Manures. — No manures should be applied to Fig trees unless 

 they are potbound or in a very fruitful condition, as manures 

 tend so much to leaf and shoot production, to keep which in 

 subjection we have continually to take measures. Trees in 

 pots, however, bearing an abundant crop, when swelling off 

 their fruit, I have found benefited by a little guano water or 

 liquid manure given once or twice a-week. 



Watering. — The Fig while in a growing state requires an 

 abundant supply of water at the roots — indeed, when the pots 

 are well drained it is scarcely possible to give too much in 

 this way. Where the trees are very much potbound they are 

 even benefited by placing the pots in shallow pans of water. 

 When the fruits are ripening greater care in watering has to 

 be exercised, as an excess of moisture at the roots then is apt 

 not only to destroy the flavour of the fruits, but to cause them 

 to split open and spoil. As the fruits ripen somewhat in suc- 

 cession, it is difficult to restrict the supply for those jnBt ripen- 

 ing without in some measure injuriously affecting those suc- 

 ceeding, and the plants themselves, being accustomed to so 

 much water, do not relish the want of it. It must, however, 

 be withheld gradually as soon as the fruits show signs of ripen- 

 ing, and no more should be given than is necessary to keep the 

 leaves and plant in a healthy condition if the highest-flavoured 

 fruit are desired. 



Trees planted out must be treated in the same manner as 

 far as possible. As soon aB the first crop is gathered the trees 

 should again have their liberal supply of water. 



The Fio House. — The Fig is most accommodating, and will 

 grow almost anywhere — in any aspect, and in almost any situ- 

 ation. Although it may grow, and that vigorously, it will not 

 freely bear fruit in any but the best situations, where the trees 

 can have the full and direct influence of the sun. The Fig 

 house, therefore, should be of a light and airy description, for 

 just in proportion as this is the case so will the quality of the 

 fruit and the general result be. Low span-roofed houses are 

 the best of all where there is plenty of light on all sides. There 

 should also be ample means of ventilation, which is so much 

 required when the fruits are ripening. The Fig house should 

 also be heated with hot water to maintain the desired tempe- 

 rature at all times. In general, heating may not be much 

 required, excepting in cold weather and to assist in ripening 

 the late varieties. If the Fig trees are cultivated in pots the 

 house in which they are grown may in winter, whilst the plants 

 are at rest, be used for any other purpose, the plants them- 

 selves being removed to some other place where they can be 



