352 



JOURNAL OF HOBTIOULTDBE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEB. 



[ AprU IS, 1869. 



fmitf al trees ; and certainly no one can eee tlie splendid speci- 

 mens of dwarf trees growing here without at once feeling 

 convinced he has fully succeeded. The pruning knife has in 

 this instance had but very little to do with the matter, for the 

 ■whole of the pruning amounts to just keeping the centres of 

 the trees clear, to shortening the leading shoots for a year or two 

 in order to obtain enough shoots to form a handsome head, 

 and to regulating the side branches as they become too crowded. 

 The results of this very moderate pruning are that the trees 

 have grown to a large size quickly, and as their vigour received 

 little or no check from the knife, a tendency to produce strong 

 wood rather than much fruit was perceptible for the first five 

 or sis years, when fruit began to appear in such quantities as 

 to offer considerable returns. 



The development of the fruiting properties of such trees is 

 Tory interesting, some kinds exhibiting a tendency to produce 

 fruit much sooner than others ; for instance, a Calville Malingre 

 will become fruitful much sooner than a Blenheim Pippin, and 

 a Court-Pendu-Plat will be cropping heavily, while a Red 

 Astrachan of the same age will afford but an occasional glimpse 

 of its beautiful fruit, the high colour of which offers such a 

 pleasing contrast to the deep green of its foliage. But although 

 the production of fruit may be slower in some instances than 

 in others, yet it most assuredly acquires an increasing develop- 

 ment in all kinds year by year, as the trees advance in age ; 

 and as the fruit is produced more and more abundantly until 

 it attains the proportions of a full crop, so surely does the 

 annual wood growth diminish ; and this rule holds good equally 

 in the highest branches as amongst the lowest side shoots. 

 In looking at the trees lately, I noticed that the growth of 

 last year, with but few exceptions, did not exceed 9 inches in 

 length, while nothing could appear more vigorous or healthy 

 than the majority of the trees, the bark presenting that clean 

 mddy appearance which is indicative of a high state of health. 



Additions have from time to time been made to the number 

 of the trees, and consequently to the size of the orchprd, but 

 it is to the original part only that these notes refer. One tree 

 which I measured, as being of a fair average size, was 16 feet 

 in diameter, and quite as much in height. Some of the trees 

 are larger than this. Observing a very vigorous standard grow- 

 ing in the clay, I was told it was a Blenheim Pippin, and that 

 it was regarded as a curiosity. The Apple stock was planted 

 in the position which the tree now occupies, and there grafted ; 

 a union between the stock and scion was quickly effected, and 

 the graft grew to the height of 6 feet in the same year ; its top 

 was pinched off at this height at midsummer, and it then 

 actually threw out several side shoots of sufficient vigour to 

 form the base of the future head. 



It was noticeable that but very few sorts were alike vigorous 

 and healthy in all three soils, yet of Blenheim Pippin, Han- 

 well Souring, Eed Astrachan, and Court-Pendu-Plat, fine 

 specimens, equally vigorous and fruitful, may be seen growing 

 in the heavy tenacious clay, the deep loam, and the mixed soil 

 of rocky debris and loam. Jlost kinds thrive in the loam, but it 

 is in the mixed gritty soil that the highest excellence is attained ; 

 the trees of all the kinds growing in this soil are everything 

 that can be wished — the bark, without the least suspicion of 

 lichens, is absolutely glistening with health, the growth free 

 and healthy, and the crowded bloom buds abimdant enough to 

 satisfy even a Rivers. 



One other result in connection with the soil worthy of notice, 

 is that as we proceed from this favourable soil downwards to 

 the clay, signs of lichens gradually appear, till in the clay itself 

 mossy limbs are visible on all. sides, thus proving that a cold, 

 damp soil, even when free from stagnant water, as this is (for 

 it is well drained), has a great influence on the production of 

 lichens. 



Of the kinds of Apples grown here, the most profitable are 

 Winter Queening, Dumelow's Seedling, Northern Greening, 

 Court-Pendu-Plat, Alfriston, and Hanwell Souring. Hanwell 

 Souring is undoubtedly one of the best Apples for culinary pur- 

 poses in cultivation ; healthy, vigorous, very prolific, and most 

 hardy, adapting itself to all "treatments and soils, equally fruit- 

 ful as a closely-pruned tree, or when its unpruned branches 

 have in the very wantonness of vigour assumed a close resem- 

 blance to one of Nature's wild children, it may justly be called 

 f/ie winter kitchen Apple. 



In concluding these remarks I would ask, by way of appli- 

 cation. Is not the question of profitable fruit culture worthy of 

 greater attention from those persons whose land is favourably 

 situated for ibis purpose ? Perhaps to no part of the British 

 Isles is this lemark more justly applicable than to the south- 



eastern counties of Kent, Surrey, and Sussex, where, owing 

 to the undulating character of the land, many a sheltered 

 sunny spot might be utilised for this purpose, and rendered 

 far more profitable to its owner than it would otherwise be. In 

 the case before us we have land which, as arable or pasture 

 land, for ordinary farming purposes produces an annual rent 

 of 'dOs. per acre, but which, when planted with thriving fruit 

 trees, assumes a value of at least £5, being even at such a rent 

 a very profitable investment, if we take the annual returns, 

 roughly estimated at about £30 per acre ; and this sum is, I 

 believe, quite within the mark. — Edwakd LncKHUEsr, Egerton 

 House Gardens, Kent. 



TENDER ANNUALS.— No. 1. 



These are not numerous, but some of them are very orna- 

 mental in the greenhouse and conservatory in summer and 

 autumn. 



Probably the finest of the annuals requiring constant glass 

 protection for their successful cultivation is the Balsam, of 

 which there are several varieties. Those known as the Ca- 

 mellia-flowered are, undoubtedly, the best, and of them there 

 are several colours. It is useless to attempt the cultivation of 

 B.dsams unless seed of a good strain is procured ; the best 

 that I have grown are Smith's Camellia-flowered ; the Bose- 

 flowered Balsams are also good. 



Balsams when sown too soon, and grown without sun, ate 

 apt to become drawn up, and have then a poor appearance. 

 No place is so good as a frame for sowing the seeds, and this 

 should not be done until the first week in April, making another 

 Bowing in May and one in June. A hotbed should be prepared 

 in March, so that by the beginning of April it may have a 

 bottom heat of 70" or 75°, and a corresponding top heat. The 

 bed should be covered with tan or other plunging material, 

 so that when the seed pots are plunged in the bed the surface 

 of the soil will not be more than G inches from the glass. The 

 seed ought to be sown thinly and evenly over the soil, the 

 surface of which should be within half an inch of the rim of 

 the pot or pan, and be made smooth by patting it lightly with 

 the bottom of a small flower pot ; then scatter fine soil over 

 the seed so as to cover it. Give a gentle watering if the soil 

 is not moist enough, and plunge the pots in the hotbed. In a 

 few days the seeds will have germinated. As soon as the plants 

 come up admit air freely, but the temperature must not be 

 lowered below G0°. Care should be taken not to overwater, bat 

 still have the soil moist, so as to promote healthy growth. 



When the plants are showing their rough leaves prick them 

 off singly in 3-inch pots, placing at the bottom a lump of soil 

 for drainage, and then so pot the plant that the seed leaves 

 may not be more than 2 inches above the surface. The pots 

 should be replaced in the hotbed, and if they are too near the 

 glass sink them by removing a portion of the plunging mate- 

 rial, or raise the frame, taking care not to have the plants 

 farther from the glass than 6 inches — indeed, they cannot be 

 too near it if they do not touch it and room is allowed for 

 growth. As soon as the pots are filled with roots, and before 

 these become matted, transfer the plants to 4-inch pots, potting 

 so deeply that the seed leaves will not be more than 2 inches 

 above the surface, and replace in the hotbed, sinking the pots 

 in the bed, or, by raising the frame, allow room for growth. 

 The heat must be kept up by linings, so as to be 55° or 60° at 

 night, and G5° or 70° by day, with a rise from sun heat, admit- 

 ting air freely, so as to keep the plants sturdy. When the 

 roots are forming round the sides of the 4-inch pots shift the 

 plants into 0-inch pots, and at this potting they should be 

 again sunk in the soil, and so that there will not be a distance 

 of more than IJ inch from the surface to the seed leaves. 

 Return the plants to the hotbed if the heat can be main- 

 tained, and if there is room for them to grow; if not they 

 must have another hotbed, which should be in readiness to 

 receive them. Those persons who have a light, airy house, 

 with a night temperature of 60°, or not less than 55°, will not 

 have any difiieulty in meeting the requirements of the Balsam, 

 there being a position near the glass and room for it to grow. 

 The plants, it they are disposed to grow all on one side, must 

 be turned round frequently. 



They should be shifted into 8-inch pots as soon as the roots 

 reach the sides of the pot, and this constant shifting will 

 need to be persisted in until they ere as large as required; 

 but it is needless to keep on potting the plants, as they will 

 not long continue in a growing state unless the flower buds be 

 picked off'. If large plants are required the flower bads must 



