200 



JOURNAL OF HORTIOULTDRE AND COTTAGE GABUENBB. 



[ March 15, 1877. 



formed at this season, and we agree with thena to a certain 

 extent, and would limit the trees to be operated upon to those 

 wMoh showed very exuberant growth indeed, and were not likely 

 to bear any frnit daring the ensuing season. It is now gene- 

 rally agreed amongst practical men that the best time to root- 

 prnne is in November, and the earlier in the month the bettor. 

 If the root-pruuing is done mow it should only be partially, by 

 cutting a few of the main roots and placing round them some 

 maiden loam free from manure. So far back as the time of I'.ve- 

 lyn attention had been given to checking the flow of superfluous 

 sap in fruit trees; but it is not certain that cutting the long 

 bare roots to cause the form.ition of fibres near the main stem 

 had been thought of. Evelyn recommended to lay bare the 

 roots in the winter ; but this is a dangerous practice, and with 

 cur present knowledge could not for a moment be entertained. 

 A mistake is sometimes made in pruning newly-planted trees 

 lay cutting them in too cloae. When Roses are bought in and 

 planted one year old from the bud, we cut them back to two or 

 three eyes ; and the old writers recommended the same practice 

 with wall trees two and three years old. If the trees have 

 been under good management in the nursery they will be well 

 furnished with fibrous roots, and when this is the case the shoots 

 should be out back to two-thirda of their length only. 



The present is a good time to plant Fig trees. They may be 

 turned out of the pots, and all the roots that are matteil round 

 the ball should be laid carefully into some good loam — clayey 

 loam is the best, and it should not be too rich, as the tendency 

 of the Fig tree is to run too much to strong unfruitful growths. 

 The branches, being easily broken, .should be nailed to the wall. 

 Cuttings taken oft with heels and laid in against the wall in 

 some fine soil will soon strike out roots. If any newly-planted 

 fruit trees sway with the wind to the extent of loosening them 

 at the roots some support ought to be placed to them. 



It is not our own practice to put out Strawberry plants at this 

 season, but many persona do so. The runners are selected in 

 the autumn and planted closely together in beds. They are 

 now starting into growth, and no time should be lost in trans- 

 ferring them into their permanent (juarters in deeply-trenched 

 and well-manured ground. Plants put out at this time will 

 throw a few flowers and would bear fruit ; but it is better not to 

 allow them to do .so. In suitible clay soil the same plants will 

 continue in bearing for many years. In light, gravelly, or sandy 

 soil they will do better if the beds are renewed annually. In 

 that case the plants must be put out early in August, 



riNE IIODSES. 



Fruiting plants in the earliest house are now going on well; 

 some of the frnit is considerably advanced, and a few plants 

 have it just showiu,;,' in the centre. Much attention is neces- 

 sary.as to watering. It will not do at all to allow the plants to 

 Buffer for want of water. We look over the plants twice a week, 

 and give manure water for every second watering. The tem- 

 perature at night when the weather is mild is 7U°, and even 

 with cold frost winds it is not allowed to fall below 05°. We 

 have not yet besn able to place the succession plants into their 

 fruiting pots owing to the cold weather. Xo time oiaght to be 

 lost in seeing to this if the plants are intended to fruit early 

 next year. Now that so much foreign fruit finds its way to our 

 markets the most profitable variety to grow is the Queen, and 

 (his is also by far the best for summer fruiting. It is not well 

 to allow too many suckers on the old plants. About two to each 

 plant will be enough, and if the plants are not require 1 it is 

 much better not to allow more than one. Queens throw up 

 suckers freely, sometimes from .six to nine cluster round the 

 base of a plant. Smooth-leaved Cayenne and Charlotte Itoth- 

 scbild do not usually throw up many suckers. With a higher 

 temperature and increa ed solar light and heat more moisture 

 is necessary, and this is applied both from the cvuporating 

 troughs and by sprinkling the walls and paths of the house 

 with water as often as may be necessary, 



OECHABP noU^E. 



The Peach and Nectarine trees are now in flower, and as Uio 

 weather is unfavourable for the setting of the fruit, more care 

 is necessary in seeing that the pollen is applied to the stigma 

 either by shaking the trees twice daily or by using a small 

 brush of camel's hair. It is better to use the brush for shy- 

 setting sorts, and it may also be well to tike pollen from, say. 

 Royal George Peach, and apply it to the flowers of lixipiisite 

 or Walbmton Admirable. With us the blossoms of Nectarines 

 set more freely than Peach blossoms, but it is better withal to 

 shake the trees once a-day, about 10 .\ m. Pear and Plum trees 

 have been taken into the huuse, but they are not yet in flower. 

 We have always found Pears the most difticult to set, but when 

 the trees are placed in the lightest part of the house with air 

 freely admitted, and the atmosphere kept as dry as possible, the 

 difEcuUy is overcome. None cf the trees must suffer by want 

 of water at the roots, and if this ia the case the fruit is sure to 

 aet badly. The shelves all round the house are tarnished with 

 Strawberry plants in pots, and seldom have we had a better 

 show for fruit; the crowna are very largo and plump, and they 

 are now bursting into leaf. The pots are occasionally supplied 



with weak manure water, and aa aoon as the frnit is set on the 

 trees we shall syringe them and the Strawberries freely to 

 prevent the attacks of red spider. 



PLANT STiiVE AND ORCHID HODSES. 



There is now plenty of work in these structures, aa with in- 

 creasing light and heat many plants are starting into active 

 growth, and those requiring to be repotted must be seen to with- 

 out delay. It is much better to repot now than to let the plants 

 make much growth, as they will then experience a considerable 

 check. The method of potting and composition of the aoila 

 have been frequently described, and it will be unnecessary to 

 allude farther to it at this time. All free-growing plants ought 

 to be repotted if they are in small pots and it is intended to 

 grow them on. Cuttings put in some time ago will now be 

 rooted, and ought to be potted-off into small pots. If there is 

 any sign of thrips or aphis in the houses it is best to fumigate 

 with tobacco smoke until the pests are quite destroyed. If a few 

 of these escape at this period they spread rapidly and do con- 

 siderable damage, and it is very dangerous to use tobacco smoke 

 when the young leaves of tender planta or Orchids have just 

 been formed. Mealy bug should alao be carefully watched. It 

 is very diflicult indeed to eradicate it from any plants where it 

 has gained a foothold, and when the planta have been washed 

 again and again until one would think not a veatige of the pest 

 remained anywhere, the ardent cultivator is surprised to find a 

 colony of young insects between the leaves at the points of the 

 young growths of a choice Ixora, or on the succulent shoots of 

 Stephanotis floribunda. There ia no way of cleansing the plants 

 but by constant watchfulness and destroying the insecta as they 

 appear. 



Caladiuma are now at rest under the stagea in the stove, but 

 they will be taken out presently and be aupplied with water, 

 and when they have made a little growth will be repotted into 

 the aame sized pots. Plants of Foinsettia pulcherrima are at 

 rest in a cooler house. At this time last year there waa a goodly 

 display of floral bracts, but, from what cause we know not, they 

 have dropped earlier this year. There are many planta subject 

 to the attacks of red spider, and it is always best to destroy or 

 keep it under by syringing if the plants have foliage or flowers 

 that would not be injured by the water. The shadings for the 

 roof have been put up, and they are used when the aun shines 

 strongly, but not more than is necessary, and they are let down 

 for a few hours only at midday. 



We have been repotting and rebasketingsome of the Orchids. 

 A few are better potted at this season, others when they atart 

 into growth in summer. Calanthea must be repotted as soon as 

 they start into growth. Ours were potted a week or two ago, and 

 are already rooting freely in the fresh compost. The old soil ia 

 entirely shaken away from the bulbs, and the potting material, 

 which is good turfy loam with a little decayed manure added to 

 it, is pressed firmly round the base of the bulbs. The species 

 potted at this time are all the vestita section and C. Veitchii. 

 This variety partakes of Limalodes rosea in its nature, and does 

 not always grow sj freely as the vestita section, but it requires 

 similar treatment. Anguloa Clowesii has also been repotted in 

 a compost of about equal parts of turfy peat, chopped apbngnnm, 

 and clean xiotsherds ; the pola are also clean, and are filled 

 rather more than half full of draieaga. The Indian Crocuaea 

 (Plciones) have also been repotted ; the compost is the same and 

 also treatment as for Anguloa. Several other species of t)rchids 

 have been repotted; we like to do this as they start into active 

 growth. Cattleyaa will still endure a fair share of aun heat, but 

 if the we^ither should be fine and the sun strikes the glass 

 directly about mid-day we shall shade; the blinds have been 

 fixed ready. 



Visa graniliflora ia a splendid Orchid when well grown. We 

 are sometimes t^ld " that it will do well in an ordinary green- 

 house ;" it sometimes succeeds admirably. At Chataworth 

 under the care of Mr. Speed it may be seen growing with great 

 freedom in an ordinary Heath house with very little shade. It 

 has failed at Loxfoid under exactly similar treatment; and Mr. 

 Ward cf Ley ton could do nothing with it aa a greenhouse plant, 

 but grew it fairly in the cool Orchid house. It requires plenty of 

 drainage and to be potted in peat and sphagnum. — J. Douglas. 



TRADE OATALOQDE RECEIVED. 



Francis & Arthur Diokaon it Sons, 10(3, Eastgata Street, 

 Cheater, — Catalogue of Select Farm Seeds. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 

 ',' All correspondence should be direotod either to "The 

 Editors," or to " The PablisUer." Letters addressed to 

 Mr. Johnson or Dr. Hogg often remain unopened unavoid- 

 ably. We request that no one will Write privately to any 

 of oar correspondents, aa doing so sabjeots them to nn- 

 justifiable trouble and expense. 

 Chrysantuemum Suows (IT. S.}.— We cannot publish saoh a list. They 

 must advertise. 



