March 23, 1875. J 



JOURNAL OF HOBTIOOLTCRE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 



231 



of tliem, for the Plnm is a surface-rooter, and does not descend 

 beyond a depth of 2 to 2} feet. Everything is gained by a 

 border '3\ feet deep, and of this '.) inches will bs taken np 

 by drainage, leaving 2i-feet depth for compost. Beneath the 

 drainage should be drains ',1 to 12 feet apart, having proper 

 fall and outlet. 



Soil. — Though the Plum succeeds best in rather light soil, 

 it is not the case with the Peach upon it. In poor light eoil 

 growth is weak, and the fruit correspondingly poor in (juality ; 

 whilst if light soil is made rich the wood produced is slender 

 though long, and wood rather than fruit buds result. Scil 

 most suitable for the Peach is a medium-textured loam, neithf r 

 sandy nor clayey, and if of a calcareous nature all the better. 

 The soil, known as yellow or hazel loam, taken from a pasture, 

 the top 3 inches, chopping it up in siiuares of about 2 inches, 

 and to this add a fourth part of marl— that known as chalk- 

 marl is mo?t desirable for soil of the above description — the 

 fihe?l-marl, leing very little, if at all, inferior, is a good 

 compost. For sandy loam clay-marl is a beneficial addition ; 

 whilst for a heavy loim sandy-marl is good, in both cases 

 adding the respective marls in proportion of ono-fourth of the 

 loams. An admixture of chalk we advise in every instance, 

 excepting, of course, with soils of that formation. This 

 should form one-eighth of the compost, and should bo broken 

 up moderately small, say in sizes from a hazel nut to an egg. 

 Flint (silica) also broken up, or better crushed in a pugmill, in 

 the same iiaautity as the chalk, is a welcome addition to a 

 compost for the Peach, and, in fact, all stone fruits. The 

 whole to be well mixed and be in a moderately dry state when 

 used. On no account must the border be made with the com- 

 post in a wet condition. 



I recommend the above mixture because the best trees and 

 finest fruit I ever saw under glass were produced by such com- 

 post ; at the same time I am aware that good fruit has been 

 grown in plain loam. Those who cannot well procure the in- 

 gredients named above I advise them to mix with the loam 

 one-fifth of cow dung and a sixth of old mortar rubbish. The 

 materials to compose the border should be put firmly together, 

 and it is hardly necessary to say that the lighter the compost 

 the greater necessity for solidification, and the more adhesive 

 the materials the less need is there to make firm. A light 

 soil should be made hard and all firm. 



Selection of Teees. — For very early forcing it has been 

 recommended to have the trees in pots as pyramids, bushes, 

 or standards. I can vouch for their answering well, the pots 

 being about half plunged in a border of good rich soil the 

 roots leave the pots and have extra feeding ground. Such 

 trees are, however, more trouble in watering, and require very 

 liberal treatment in top-dressings, and liquid manure if the 

 fruit is expected to equal in size that of trees in borders. 

 They also answer very well when the pots are not plunged, but 

 the watering requires to be more frequent, and the feeding 

 must be high. The trees should be of a fruiting size, and the 

 growth ripeued-o£f early in the previous year if the fruit is to 

 be ripened early in the year following. 



For starting early in December the trees should have the 

 wood ripe in September, and may be plunged outdoors in a 

 sheltered yet open situation. Trees so exposed suffer no 

 damage, but are, I think, every way benefited. Not a bud 

 drops, and they swell the buds more regularly than those kept 

 inside ; they start into growth Booner, and appear to be 

 thorough cUaosed of insects. 



It will not be needful to make any extended remarks on the 

 trees which are to be planted out ; they should be of fruiting 

 size, having been two or three years trained against a wall, 

 and have a good extent of head to begin with, with some pro- 

 spect of fruit the first season. The trees chosen should be well 

 furnished, and it is better they be moderately strong, yet by 

 no means haviug long luxuriant growths, as these receive too 

 great a check in removal, and often lose some of the branches 

 by gumming. 



The mode of training the trees should be on is that known 

 as the fan, selecting such trees as have evenly-balanced heads, 

 clean healthy bark, and stiff, short-jointed, well-ripened wood. 

 If young trees are planted they will require at least a year 

 before they come into bearing, and ought not to be allowed to 

 bear heavily the first two or three fruiting years. All this, 

 however, is best avoided by planting fruiting trees in the first 

 instance, such as will cover at least a third of their allotted 

 space at once. There is no risk of the trees receiving any 

 great check from removal if the work be done carefully, for the 

 Plum ia the best of stoeks to lift with a mass of fibres. 



I may say just a word in favour of bushes, pyramids, and 

 standard trees planted out. They are no more trouble ia 

 watering than fan-trained trees, and a span roofed house wiU 

 accommodate them admirably. In this way it is more natural 

 thau trniaiug them flat to a trellis, and they answer quite as 

 well, only for very early forcing the shoots are best near the 

 glass ; and as some of the parts of the bushes and pyramids 

 must be at a considerable distance from it, they do not receive 

 so much light as the upper part of the trees, consequently the 

 growth and fruit there is not equal to that nearer the glass. 



Sorts. — Royal Gcori/e. — This is the best of all for early 

 forcing, being a certain setter, a sure sweller, and ripening off 

 well. Whatever the weather — sun or no sun, this kind in- 

 variably sets well, and is unquestionably the very best forcing 

 kind. 



Grosse Mipymnne. — This I consider the next best forcing 

 Peach, being a first-rate setting kind, swelling kindly, and 

 ripening off perfecSly. The fruit is larger than Royal George, 

 and comes in a few dsys later. 



Nohlesst\ — A free setter, but the fruit does not swell so 

 kindly as Royal George or (irosse Miguonne, but is neverthe- 

 less one of the best forcing kinds, and the three aforenamed I 

 consider the three best kinds for early forcing. 



Molette HAtive is a good setter and excellent kind for forcing. 

 It ripens a few days later than Grosse Mignonne. 



Harrington sets well, and is every way desirable, being a 

 little later than Noblesse. 



Bdlcgarde sets freely, but the flowers do not open well in 

 sunless weather. It is a grand Peach, yet I do not recommend 

 it, Birrington, or Violette Hative for early forcing, but all are 

 excellent for starting after the new year. 



I have omitted Early Beatrice and Early Louise (the latter 

 only a few days later in ripening than the former), because 

 they are an entirely new race, and one certain to upset our 

 notions of early Peaches. The fruit of these is of fair size, 

 but their merit is their earlinoss, ripening five to six weeks 

 before Koyal George in the same house. Early Louise is the 

 better fruit, and both are very desirable. 



With these we recommend the earliest house to be planted, 

 the second with the three first-named, and any or all of the 

 six first-named for the third house, and each house to be taken 

 at a month's supply, though it will usually be longer continued. 



Early York and Early Grosse Mignonne with others I do not 

 recommend, as they do not either set well, or the fruit drops 

 after setting. Almost any kind answers if not started until 

 after February ; but some kinds evidently have great aptitude 

 to make wood when under the influence of high and continued 

 artificial heat, and usually, though promising well, disappoint 

 in the end. 



Nectarines. — Stauwick Elruge, a few days earlier in ripen- 

 ing than the Elruge, is a capital setter. It is a very desirable 

 forcing kind. 



Lord Naiiicr sets well, and ia the earliest and best for early 

 forcing. 



Elruge is a good setter, even in dull weather, and one of the 

 best kinds. It is desirable to associate it and Stanwiok Elruge 

 with Royal George, Noblesse, and Grosse Mignonne Peaches; 

 whilst Lord Napier is suitable for the same house as Early 

 Beatrice and Louise Peaches. 



Pitmaston Orange and Rivers' Orange Nectarines are both 

 free-boarers, and those with Elruge we recommend for the 

 second house, as is also Stauwick Elruge. For the third house 

 any of the four last-named and Violette Hative, Pine Apple, 

 Victoria, and Albert Victor, the three last having large fruit, 

 and are most excellent. 



The above are all good kinds for their purpose, and will not 

 disappoint. — G. Abbey. 



GERANIUMS FOR BEDDING. 



Now that the season is at hand for potting the above (where 

 they have been wintered in their catting boxes) many will be 

 at a loss to find pots for that purpose, when thousands are 

 required ; and if potted, at a greater loss to find a suitable 

 place in which to put them. As we are among that numerous 

 class who have a great deal to do with comparatively little 

 means and accommodation, I will just detail our usual practice 

 with Geraniums. 



The cuttings are struck iu the usual cutting boxes, and 

 wintered in any suitable place. About this time, the begin- 

 ning of March, the plants are taken carefully out of the boxes 

 with a hand fork, a little tough sod is then wrapped around 



