JOURNAL OF HORTIGOLTCRB AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ March 29, 1877. 



a bunch on the long upright branches like ropes of Onions. 

 The tree forme a very beautiful dwarf upright bueh. Another 

 variety vrhich I think requires the Crab stock is the Baldwin. 

 Thia i3 a very heavy cropper. In 1875 I had six bushes six 

 years old from the graft which produced six bushels of fruit ; 

 they are planted among others at 6 feet apart each way. The 

 highest fruit gathered was 5 feet from the ground. Two of 

 the trees were very small. At this rate an acre would produce 

 1210 bushels— pretty fair for one year's crop. The fruit was 

 very large, one-third of the crop having been thinned away in 

 the summer. 



I have not had much experience with Lord Suffield, but it 

 looks as though a strong Crab stock would suit it. I have six 

 pyramids of this variety on seedling Paradise stocks ; they pro- 

 duce abundant crops of very handsome fruit, but they seem to 

 want vigour. Much has been said in praise of Lord Suffield ; 

 it is a very fine variety and produces large crops, and is a sure 

 cropper at an early age, but I do not think that the flavour is 

 to be compared with many other Apples of the same season. 



I do not consider it advisable to root-prune the Crab stock. 

 I have a long row of pyramids of Damelow's Seedling all on 

 Crab stocks. Some years ago I had them root-pruned to 

 check over-luxuriant growth ; in three or four seasons they 

 recovered from this treatment sufficiently to bear a crop of 

 fruit, but the next year they were as luxuriant as ever. They 

 are now about twelve years old, and are beginning to look like 

 giving small annual crop?. I suppose I must keep them sum- 

 mer-pruned and wait their time. 



Gardeners very often depend upon the knife only in forming 

 their pyramids and bushes. 1 have formed some very good 

 pyramids by carefully tying-out the branches, arranging them 

 at regular distances from each other; thus utilieing many 

 crowded branches which I have often seen gardeners cut out. 



Many varieties, such as Hawthornden, Lord Suffield, &c., 

 produce fruit buds at the ends of almost every shoot. In 

 forming the tress it is necessary to cut-off these buds from 

 the leading shoots so as to insure regular growth. 



In planting an orchard note should be taken of the great 

 difference that is found in the mode of growth among the 

 varieties of Apple trees. Although many are very suitable for 

 pyramids, others spread and droop remarkably; others, again, 

 are almost as upright as Poplars. The advantages of arranging 

 an orchard in accordance with the mode of growth will become 

 very evident after the trees have been grown a few years. In 

 planting a plot of ground as an orchard it is desirable that 

 trees of any peculiar mode of growth should be kept by them- 

 selves. The greater number of the varieti3s might be grown 

 as pyramids on the Nonsuch Paradise stocks C or 7 feet apart. 

 I find it inconvenient to grow bushes among pyramids. Some 

 varieties have a spreading habit, these are bettor kept in a 

 separate part of the orchard and planted somewhat wider apart 

 than the general run of bushes. 



I find Northern Greening, if I have it true to name, a very 

 upright grower, and should be planted in a row by itself 4 or 

 5 feet apart if on the Nonsuch Paradise stock. Melon Apple 

 does not readily make fruiting wood, and should be very care- 

 fully Bummer-pruned to keep its strong arms within bounds ; 

 it has a very spreading habit. Hawthorndens should be on 

 strong Crab stocks in a row by themselves, say 8 feet apart, 

 and allowed to send out strong shoots and strong roots. Let 

 them be maiden trees when planted. Encourage vigorous 

 growth. Do not summer-prune, but tie-out the branches into 

 their proper places to let in sun and air ; prune when required 

 in the winter. They will give abundant crops at an early age ; 

 in fact one of the difficulties with this variety is the formation 

 of too many fruit buds before the grower has had an oppor- 

 tunity of forming a bueh to his taste. By growing the Ilaw- 

 thornden as above, and in a deep rich soil, the orchardist will 

 have his eyes gladdened and his palate gratified by an abundance 

 of large and beautiful fruit on trees free from canker. Should 

 the soil not be suitable do not waste time by planting it. 



Hitherto I have only grown forty varieties of Apples, I am 

 therefore looking forward to the pleasure of perusing the 

 results of the forthcoming election. In the meantime I should 

 like to make a few remarks on some kinds that have given me 

 the greatest satisfaction. 



In kitchen Apples French Codliu commences the season 

 here with its large crop of fruit of excellent flavour. Lord 

 Suffield makes a very fine pyramid ; it has handsome foliage 

 and abundance of fine fruit, and is very beautiful when in full 

 blossom. 



Hawthornden should be grown by all who can manage it ; 



the crop is abundant, the fruit large and of excellent flavour. 

 Children who know my garden always make their way direct 

 to the Hawthorndens when the fruit is lipe, and as long as 

 they are to be had will leave the other sorts. 



Baldwin, with its large crop, I would not be without ; it has 

 an excellent flavour, especially when baked whole. Dume- 

 low's Seedling and Rymer I depend upon to supply the kitchen 

 during the winter months — in fact till the middle of April. 

 Both are excellent, giving abundant crops ; they should be 

 grown more largely than the other kitchen sorts. 



Northern Greening I keep till spring, when it is an excellent 

 dessert Apple. My trees on the Nonsuch Paradise stocks bear 

 abundantly and regularly. I had a large crop of this last 

 season, and it is my chief dessert Apple during this scarcity of 

 other sorts. 



Blenheim Pippin makes a satisfactory amount of growth ; but 

 I suppose he who plants this excellent variety grafted on a 

 free-growing Crab stock should have patience as regards fruit. 

 I have a bush as above which by some mistake was planted 

 among those on the dwarfing stocks. I had a large circle 

 cleared round it, and live in hope. I have also a standard of 

 this fourteen years old from which I have gathered a large 

 specimen ; I am thus encouraged. I have also some bushes 

 on the Nonsuch Paradise stock, but they are too young to 

 produce a crop yet. 



Cox's Pomona I always save until it becomes a dessert 

 Apple, it is then delicious. I am now tasting a specimen ; it 

 is very tender, juicy, and refreshing. I strongly recommend 

 it. It is excellent as a culinary Appje in the autumn if it can 

 be spared for that purpose. It is an abundant cropper and 

 very handsome. I do not root-prune this, but manure the 

 surface of the ground over the roots. 



Cox's Orange Pippin is the finest-flavoured Apple that I 

 have tasted, it makes a good pyramid and is a great bearer. 



Reinette de Canada is one of the best of dessert Apples, very 

 delicious, and lasts till spring. My bushes of this variety bore 

 large crops last season notwithstanding the general scarcity. 

 It is one of the most useful dessert Apples we have. 



Scarlet Nonpareil is a beautiful Apple for the dessert table, 

 medium-sized, and very rich in flavour. It is an abundant 

 bearer and a very satisfactory variety in all respects. 



Winter Pearmain is a large, handsome, and fine-flavoured 

 dessert Apple; beyond this I am unable to testify as to its 

 merits, as my dozen trees on a variety of stocks do not afford 

 a sufficient supply to enable me to send any to the kitchen. 

 My trees bloom abundantly, but tho blossom in all eases seems 

 weak and does not set well ; moreover, the birds are too fond 

 of the fruit before it is ripe. Nearly all my crop of a dozen or 

 two is obtained from a strong-growing standard. What can 

 be the cause of my want of success as regards cropping this 

 variety ? 



I have also an unnamed Apple coming-in about the middle 

 of July, very juicy and refreshing, the flavour excellent. In 

 some respects it rcEembles Margaret, but in colour and form it 

 differs widely from that variety. 



I have already extended my notes far beyond my original 

 intentions, but I have yet another word to say. Could not 

 something be done to encourage planting fruit trees? I know 

 the Editors of our Journal are doing a great deal in this 

 respect, but when we find so much land lying almost waste, 

 and consider the great and increasing demand for fruit in this 

 country, and the profits that accrue from fruitgrowing, it is 

 enough to make one ask the question. What can be done ? 

 The root of the matter seems to be the fact that an immediate 

 profit cannot be made by planting. 



Then in regard to the gardens attached to moderate-sized 

 houses, the excuse for not planting is generally, " I am only a 

 tenant for a short period, and I do not suppose I should ever 

 gather the fruit il I were to plant the trees." But surely thia 

 is a very selfish and short-sighted policy. A few Apple trees 

 cost but little, and it very often happens that the tenant slays 

 until ho regrets not having planted. Besides if all did a little, 

 small gardens would very soon be profitably stocked, and no 

 one could reasonably regret having planted, even if others 

 should gather the fruit. — W. G. 



I 



GLADIOLUS CULTURE. 



I HAVE grown Gladioluses ever since I have heard the name, 



and as the way that I treat them is so simple and safe to the 



cultivator, I hope that it may encourage others to do the same. 



I shall begin with the antamn when the bulbs are considered 



