January 28, 1869. ] 



jooenaIj of hortioultobb and corTAaa gaudener. 



67 



the mnttor" and how to rifibt it, when trees refuse to yield 

 their accustomed tribute. Severe climates seem to briug out 

 the gardener's powers, and in Canada and the States there 

 may bo as great triumphs effected over natural obstacles, as 

 Scotland can now so proudly show. 



Among the mountains, valleys, and on the western plains, 

 where the air is driest, no moss is found on trees, excepting a 

 little on the base of the north side only, and this often serves 

 as a most useful guide to wanderersi n the woods ; nor are 

 Apples, Sea., discoloured by extraneous licben-like blemishes 

 on the surface, excepting in humid sheltered spots. Near the 

 lakes, and especially near the gieat cataracts, there is constant 

 moisture, and Peaches or other delicate trees and shrubs 

 flourish there better than they do among the AUeghanies, three 

 hundred miles further south. At Itocheeter, on the southern 

 shore of Lake Ontario, there are a score or more of great nur- 

 sery establiehmentp, some of them occupying several hundred 

 acres individually. It is the distinguishing business of the 

 city. They are protected not only by the vicinity of the lake, 

 and by having their north-westeis tempered by the vapour of 

 the great falls of Niagara, but also by the falls of the Genesee 

 within the city, from which vapour is continually diffused. 

 Farther north, in Canada, the humefaotion of the air is se- 

 cured in summer by the proximity of lukes in (ill directions, 

 and the winters, althougb dry, are unbroken. 8now increases 

 with the increase of atmospheric moisture. It lies constantly, 

 and thus, althougb the cold is intense, plants in the ground 

 are securely landed in the lap of spring. — Pennsylvania. 



POMOLOGICAL GLEANINGS. 



It is not the charming little Tangierine Orange alone that is 

 to usurp the place in Okange ccltciie. Mr. Rivershas sent us 

 specimens of the true St. Michael's, lar^e and beautiful, and 

 perfectly ripened. A Malta Blood Orarge which was among 

 the rest, for excellence of flavour and a peculiarly ethereal 

 aroma never met with in imported Oranges, was the very per- 

 fection fruit. " Do not skin tbem, but pare them with a silver 

 fruit knife," said Mr. Rivers in a note accompanying the fruit. 

 The fact is, the fruit are so succulent they are positively brittle 

 with juice, and cannot be " skinned." 



The Gooseberry ArrLE. — But few people know the ex- 

 cellent qualities of this Apple, as it does not succeed well unless 

 on chalk. The finest and most perfect fruit I have ever seen are 

 from trees on the chalk cliffs opposite St. Catherine's, Guildford, 

 the staple of the garden so shallow, not 15 inches deep, that one 

 wonders how the trees can grow and bear so well. From these 

 trees the fruit is of a pale straw colour, and their shape much 

 like the White Calville (Calville Blanche), or, perhaps, more 

 resembling the Keswick Codlin, but with less prominent ribs. 

 A few days since I tested the Gooseberry Apple with the White 

 Calville, in their cooking qualities ; one would never believe the 

 great difl'erence in the flavour of two Apples, so much alike in 

 appearance. The former was brisk in flavour, with a delightful 

 acidity, and its flesh quite tender. The latter, equally tender 

 in its flesh, was so mild and sweet as to make one at once 

 reject it. It is equally mild and sweet when eaten uncooked, 

 having, in fact, no flavour ; yet large specimens of this kind of 

 Apple are imported and bought by "a discerning public," at 

 'is. Gd. each, and this reminds me of imported Newtown 

 Pippins, which are often sold at a high price, yet are perfectly 

 insipid. The last hot summer suited this Apple marvellously 

 well, the fruit from trees grafted on English Paradise stocks 

 being remarkably clean and bright, as they were in 18('i.5. No 

 Apple keeps longer sound in spring, it is always mild and 

 sweetish, not bad but never good — that is, never with any 

 aroma ; yet this sort has been praised to the skies by the im- 

 porters. It is just possible that in America, when freshly 

 gathered, it may be quite worthy of all that has been said 

 about it there, but its goodness seems to evaporate on the 

 voyage. I have just tasted a fine yellow fruit of this sort, 

 and also one of the White Calville. The flesh of both is 

 tender and juicy, but comparatively flat, lacking the briskness 

 of the Nonpareil race, and also that of our Pitmaeton Ilussets, 

 and the English Apples. — T. B. 



The Foricnke Pear. — I send you a specimen of this 



Pear, which is remarkable for its long keeping, and, when quite 

 ripe, its agreeable briskness of flavour. It was raised in Belgium 

 early in the present century, by Mr. Parmentier, then well- 

 known by pomologists. He thought it a most fortunate gain, 

 hence its name. Lii c many late Pears, it is much influenced 



by site and soil. Here it rarely ripens, but in the garden of 

 my son at Harlow, tho tree budded on the Quince stock and 

 trained against a south wall, it never fails to ripen and prove 

 of excellent quality, generally keeping sound till April. The 

 soil is a light garden mould resting on gravel.— T. P.. 



Mr. James Backhouse.— Died on the 20lh inst., at his resi- 

 dence, Holdgate House, near York, in the 7.5th year of his age, 

 James Backhouse, senior partner of the firm of James Back- 

 house and Son, nurserymen and seedsmen, York. This is the 

 bald auuouncemsnt we have received of the death of Mr. James 

 Backhouse, who, during a long life, stood high as one of the lead- 

 ing nurserymen of this country. It was not, however, through 

 his connection with trade only that Mr. Backhouse was known. 

 As a, philanthropist and as a Christian gentleman his name 

 will long be remembered, not only in the Society of which he 

 was a prominent member, but wherever the deeds of good and 

 benevolent men are recorded. We hope to be able scon to give 

 a more detailed sketch of this excellent man. 



WORK FOR THE WEEK. 



FRUIT AND KITCHEN OAKDEN. 



As the season has proved so mild it will be difficult to wheel 

 manure over the ground where necessary, and few operations 

 injure soils for gardening purposes more than wheeling in 

 moist weather. As soon as the ground is fit, therefore, let 

 this work for all spring crops be forwarded as much as possible. 

 Where dung will have to lie on the surface till March, it 

 should be soiled over immediately, or drying winds will steal 

 away its properties. As soon as the blossom buds of Apricots 

 can be distinguished, the trees should be pruned and nailing 

 completed. 'The eggs of the caterpillar which so much infests 

 them in the leaf should be hunted for and destroyed ; they are 

 deposited on the branches in circular groups of about the size 

 of a Parsnip seed, and look somewhat like one pasted on. The 

 trees must have protection forthwith. Take eaie to secure 

 bundles of the main twigs of Apple prunings, give them a tie 

 at each end, and throw them in some dry place. They are 

 very useful during the summer. Let Peaches and Nectarines 

 be pruned and nailed. As soon as nailed well wash the trees 

 and walls with soapsuds, and when dry take a bowl of sulphur 

 mixture — viz., sulphur blended with soft-soap water until as 

 thick as paint or nearly so, and draw a strip with the brush 

 between every two shoots. This is a good preventive of red 

 spider. Watch Gooseberry buds. Country people in some 

 places tie feathers over the bushes to keep birds away. Spring 

 ISioccoli now coming ou, such as Orange's or Knight's, should 

 be protected. Push a handful of soft hay amongst the leaves. 

 Plant out August-sown Onions for early bulbs. Try to fit up a 

 few warm slopes with hoop-and-mat coverings to receive early 

 Potatoes, &c. Hoe and clean all winter Sjjoiach and other 

 standing crops. Put down scrapers where necessary, and top- 

 dress alleys or back walks with spare cinder ashes, which make 

 excellent and dry walks. Cncuinbrrs, look to your early frame ; 

 if the dung is sufiiciently worked buUd the bed forthwith. Plaee 

 brushwood a foot deep at bottom, and introduce more about 

 three-parts of the way upwards, if you can; it v.:il facilitate 

 the action of the back and front linings. Use -veil-wrought 

 dung for the outsides of the bed, and fill up tbf interior with 

 older and weaker material, such as half-spent leaves, &c. 



flower GARDEN. 



Grass lawns will now be benefited by a thorough rolling, as 

 will also gravel walks. Examine all belts, remove deciduous 

 trees where they injure the best evergreens, and plant Hollies 

 or trees of a perennial character in the blanks. If not already 

 done, stake newly-planted trees carefully, the harm resulting 

 from not staking is in some places very great this season. 

 Procure Kose stocks, and plant them in lines on highly ma- 

 nured ground in the kitchen or reserve garden. Owing to the 

 mild weather we have hitherto bad, most cnt-door plants will 

 be more susceptible than usual of frosts and cutting winds. 

 Many collections of Tulips are now so forward that unless 

 protected in some way serious consequences may result to 

 the embryo blooms. Kanunculns beds may be thrown up in 

 ridges of about 4 inches high, leaving the lower part of the 

 bed undisturbed ; advantage can then be taken of a fine day 

 for planting should the weather prove tiskle about the 14lh of 

 February, as when suffered to lie in this state the surface soil 

 becomes sooner dry, and by simply raking level is immediately 

 ready for the roots. 



