90 



JOURNAL OF HOSTIODLTUBE AND COTTAGE GAEDENES. 



[ Angnat 6, 1888. 



favour of weak shoots on robnst trees ; these are left altogether 

 unstopped. 



Now it ia that the renewed balance of strength takes place, 

 the weaker and unstopped shoots at this general stopping soon 

 show signs of having gained strength at the expense of their 

 proud neighbours, and before the latter can develope other 

 buds, autumn with its chills has arrived, and it is scarcely 

 possible for them to do much mischief. 



There can be little doubt that this general stopping, which 

 should be performed as soon as the last swelling has fairly 

 commenced, increases both the size and the flavour of the fruit. 



The Pear — that fruit so necessary to the winter dessert, for 

 who does not wish for a rich melting Pear in December and 

 January ? — deserves some consideration as well as the Peach. 

 Althongh the principles of stopping, and the general control 

 and equalisation of the sap are equally applicable to both Pear 

 and Peach trees, yet some peculiarities of habit in the former, 

 partly arising from modes of training, require special notice. 



In the first place, then, go over the trees thoroughly, and 

 remove all watery spray produced since the previous dis- 

 ■budding, leaving not a vestige of it. Next, take oare that every 

 leading shoot considered necessary for the future year shall be 

 carefully tied down or nailed. This done, all that remain may 

 be examined closely, and every short-jointed shoot that is 

 brown and fruitful-looking, especially those with enlarged buds, 

 «nd affording, therefore, a guarantee of early and sure fruiiful- 

 ness, should be tied down or nailed. The remainder will be 

 rejected spray, but a little caution is necessary in the disposal 

 of this on the cooler aspects ; and where a donbt exists in any 

 sitaatton in our northern counties it will be well to cot such 

 all away to within two or three leaves of the base of each shoot. 

 In doing this regard must be paid to kind as well as to aspect. 

 iSuch varieties as the Easter Beurre and some of the autumn 

 'Pears will be apt to ripen prematurely if exposed too suddenly 

 to intense sunshine, for that which perfects the future blossom 

 bod is not always faviurable to the development of the highest 

 amount of flavour in the fruit. Nature, it would seem, is more 

 intent on the former than the latter process. Everyone, 

 therefore, should regulate bis proceedings according to the 

 slimate, aspect, and variety with which he has to deal, and to 

 enter fully into these points would require more explanation 

 ihtin I have now time to give. 



Aa soon as the more tender fruits, as Apricots, Peaches, 

 Nectarines, and Pears, have been attended to, the Ciierry and 

 Plum trees must also undergo a revision. As to Plum trees, 

 they may be treated precisely like the Pear trees; and tie down 

 ihe Cherry trees in a similar manner, but they are not so 

 manageable by this mode as the other fruit trees. The Morello 

 Cherries may have their shoots laid in three times as thickly 

 as the large-leaved kinds. 



With Apricots the utmost care should be taken after this 

 period to keep down all superfluous breastwood. The sun 

 mast be permitted to shine on the embryo fruit bads without 

 hindrance until the leaves fall ; this is the chief secret of the 

 Uoosom setting well in the followinp; spring, and thus it is 

 that old Apricots which produce scarcely any breastwood, gene- 

 rally succeed much better than young and gross trees. 



I hope ere long to read in the pages of this Journal the 

 opinions of brother fruit-growers as to the best mode of ripen- 

 ing the wood of fruit trees in general. — Chables Bobeets, 

 9mfOld HaU. 



THIN PLANTING OF FLOWER BEDS. 



Some writers, both in these and other pages, are not nn- 

 irrequently in the habit of comparing flower gardening to music; 

 and though the idea is not altogether a happy one, yet taking it 

 39 it is, and in a matter-of-fact sense, there are some features in 

 both which do rather resemble one another. As an instance. 

 STerybody knows the ludicrous effect produced when the first 

 aote of a piece is struck in a key so hish that the succeeding 

 higher notes are found to bo far above the shrillest capabilities 

 of the human pipe, so that a dead halt or something worse is 

 the inevitable result. This feat is called by rustic musicians, 

 " a going up and never coming down again," and though it is 

 anything but pleasant to listen to, it yet carries with it a useful 

 lesson, as the most of misfortunes do. 



Somewhat analogous to this is the common mistake which 

 many of us comn.it, of attempting to decorate a far greater 

 area with what are popularly known as bedding plants, than 

 the extent of our winter and spring accommodation will permit. 

 .WiieH'oa increase in the cumber of beds or borders to be so 



decorated is not met by a corresponding increase in the number 

 or size of glass structures, then thin planting must be resorted 

 to, and the ambition of having an extensive display thus defeats 

 itself by having little or none for the greater part of the season. 

 Eight weeks of rainless weather are a fearful ordeal for even 

 thickly-planted beds to pass through ; bat when we coma 

 to look at those planted on the "extended" system, we are 

 forced to the conclusion, that we have indeed aimed too high, 

 that we have, in fact, " gone up never to come down again," at 

 least, not during the remainder of the present season. 



There are several ways of preventing a recurrence of this 

 state of things without adding to either glass or labour, and 

 the first which presents itself, and the most natural, is to 

 reduce, where that is practicable, the number of beds to he 

 filled ; but that is a retrogressive step, and unless as a last 

 resource ought never to be thought of. Another is the mora 

 extensive use of florists' and other flowers, both showy and in- 

 teresting, and which at most need but the aid of a cold pit to 

 help them through the winter. Such plants as Phloxes, Pent- 

 stemons. Antirrhinums, Pyrethrums, &o., when only the beat 

 named sorts are grown, have that charm of individuality or 

 separate attractiveness about them which is not to be found in 

 a great bed of Pelargoniums, where each plant is an exact 

 counterpart of all the rest ; and if these and such as these were 

 planted with a more liberal hand we should then be enabled to 

 concentrate our limited number of bedding plants upon soma 

 given spot, making it as perfect as possible, bearing always in 

 mind that a dozen beds well filled and properly cared for after- 

 wards, will ever give more satisfaction to all concerned than a 

 score of the same size thinly planted. We are not all Handels 

 to compose oratorios, or Costas to render them, but a little song 

 exquisitely sweet and simple is what we all may sing. 



Some of the hardier variegated-leaved plants are proving 

 themselves subjects which, on the score of economy, we onght 

 to be really thankful for. Chrysanthemum Sensation, so far 

 as the roots are concerned, is almost hardy, for if laidin some- 

 what deeply in a dryish border over winter, and allowed the 

 protection of a few leaves and branches in hard weather, they 

 shoot up in spring most vigorously. Large quantities of the 

 Golden Feverfew can also be reared at one-half less cost and 

 trouble than is often bestowed upon many worse subjects, while 

 a cold frame or even a turf pit winters autumn-struck cuttings 

 of the variegated Polemonium to perfection. Any, or all of 

 these three can be used in conjunction with the be.^t bedding 

 plants we have without putting them to the blush. One of the 

 finest beds I h ive seen this season ia a large one, which for 

 ugliness of outline could not be easily beaten. It has a rather 

 broad edging of the old-fashioned variegated Pelargoninm 

 Manglosii, the narrow-petalled pink trasses of which are not 

 removed ; all over the bed about 15 inches apart are well-grewn 

 plants of this Polemonium, while the ground colour is sup- 

 plied by a very light variety of Lobelia Paxtoniana, and the 

 resnlt is, despite its ungainly form, a bed of surpassingly light 

 and airy beauty. 



Another disadvantage to which we subject ourselves by thin 

 planting — of bedding Pelargoniums at least — is that enttingsin 

 suflioieot quantities cannot be obtained in time to strike them 

 out of doors without giving a twinge to our heart-strings every 

 time the knife descends. Taking one cutting off each plant it 

 may be thought will not much hurt the appearance of a bed, 

 but when the plants do not meet by some inches it is a painful 

 proceeding. 



It is only just to state that this growl at the dry weather and 

 at thin planting, comes from a place where the soil is natu- 

 rally light and shingly, and where the beds do not in winter 

 and spring receive that elaborate treatment so long and ably 

 advocated by writers in the Journal, and wjtbont which any- 

 thing like perfection in bedding cannot be obtained. — Avbrhikk 



G.\EDESEK. 



SPECIAL GLADIOLUS EXHIBITION. 

 I iM sorry to say that for the present year this must be 

 abandoned, for owing to Ihe absence of the Secretary 1 did not 

 receive the answer of the Crystal Palace Company until thift 

 week ; but it was quite in accordance with their usual liberality, 

 as they placed £20 at Mr. Wilkinson's disposal, to be added to 

 whatever sum might be subscribed for the purpose. I had, how- 

 ever, received several communications from Gladiolus growers, 

 stating that owing to the very exeaptional character of the 

 season and the forwardness of their blooms, tb«y very much 

 questioosd whether thay could exMhit; and ae- everything 



