236 



Journal of horticultobe and cottage gardener. 



[ September 10, 1874. 



made, it is of no use whatever trying to obtain fruit by cur- 

 tailing tlie head. Catting the shoots do not fashion the roots, 

 but the roots make the growth of the head what it is. Place 

 them in a soil where they will, by having to find their way 

 through firm rich ground, become much divided ; stiff short- 

 jointed growths will be the result, with broad healthy foliage 

 and a preponderance of fruit buds. Have them in a rich open 

 soil, the roots will ramble and the head will be straggling. 



Boot-pruning with trees on the dwarf stock I do not com- 

 prehend, as nothing more than a spade is needed to cut off 

 every root in opening-out the trench to just as far as the ma- 

 jority of the branches extend, any loose soil being removed. 

 The spade may then bo driven under the ball at about a foot 

 to 15 inches below the surface roots all round, and with the 

 spades (it may take two for a tree 9 feet high) under one side, 

 lifting the handle upwards, and the head being drawn over at 

 the same time, the tree may be laid on one side quite easily, 

 and with a mass of roots and ball of soil upheaved. We have 

 now to apply the spade, cutting off any roots that may go 

 down, and, throwing in some soil, not rich, tread it or ram it 

 hard. The quantity of soil to put under each tree depends on 

 the depth the trees are in the ground and the surrounding 

 level, but they should have such a quantity as will raise the 

 tree fully 9 inches above the surrounding level for trees 7 feet 

 high, and 1 foot for trees 9 feet in height, calculating the 

 height from 3 inches below the junction of the stock with the 

 scion. The tree is then to be turned the reverse way, lifting 

 with the spades as well as drawing the head, cutting off any 

 roots as on the other side, and adding soil to bring it up to the 

 level of the other side, and the head may then be placed per- 

 pendicularly. Soil thit ia taken out of the trench Bhould be 

 placed so as to form a ooue, it being trodden as firmly as 

 possible, barely covering the uppermost roots, and upon it 

 apply a 2-inch thickness of short manure, equally disposed 

 upon the cone, and upon this 3 inches of soil. Tread hard, 

 and we have only to level-up for neatness, the tree appear- 

 ing on a cone that may have a base of 1 feet and a height 

 in the centre of 9 inches to a foot. It will be necessary 

 to mulch lightly with short littery manure. This keeps out 

 frost, and will be decomposed by spring, or nearly so, and 

 may then be lightly covered with soil for neatness and to pre- 

 vent its drying. The junction of the stock and scion ought 

 never to be covered with soil or top-dressing. It induces the 

 emission of roots from the scion stem which should not be per- 

 mitted, but all the available stem of the stock, except the least 

 possible distance necessary for the separation of the scion 

 stem from the soil, should be employed for rooting, and to 

 effect this it should be covered with soil. Of trees lifted in 

 this way not one in all that I have operated on has died ; all 

 form at the apex of nearly every spur a plump fruit bud. They 

 will fruit well in the second year after being lifted, and will be 

 good for two or three years or longer, perhaps for life, depend- 

 ant upon one thing— viz., that they do not make growths 

 of more than 9 inches in length, which may be the results 

 of the trees having the blossom destroyed by frost, for in this 

 case, there being no fruit to take up the sap, it will be expended 

 on new parts ; then stopping should be early practised and 

 growth closely restrained. It will be seen by autumn if lifting 

 must be resorted to ; if there are fruit buds sufficient for a 

 good crop lifting will not be advisable, for the tree bearing a 

 full crop next year will prevent any continuance of undue 

 vigour. Matters will thereby be righted ; but if there are only 

 a few fruit buds or none, lift. 



The best time to lift trees is in autumn as soon as the ma- 

 jority of the leaves have fallen, but it may be performed in mild 

 weather up to February. The earlier it is done in autumn 

 after most of the leaves have fallen the better, as the trees 

 have the benefit of roots which are certain to be put forth 

 daring the winter. One of the greatest advantages of lifting 

 is the better ripening of the wood which is by it secured; it is 

 a perfect remedy for late and immature growths. 



I have one other observation to make with respect to lifting 

 trees that may have been deeply planted. If you happen to 

 have trees of this description to deal with, be cautious in ex- 

 posing either the stem of the stock or that of the scion — -it 

 matters not which ; for if you bring the buried stem above the 

 soil it is likely the trees will die, or the branches die back an 

 undesirable distance. Wrap a hayband round such raised 

 stems, and put over it some sacking, so as to protect this part 

 of the stem for a year at least from the influence of the atmo- 

 sphere, removing the covering by degrees the following autumn. 

 — G. AuDEt. 



LITTLE HEATH MELON. 



I, LIKE many others, have grown Little Heath Melon both 

 last year and this, and can speak in its favour. I have an 

 old brick pit with three lights, 1 feet wide and 5 feet long. 

 After being planted with Potatoes, which I hfted the last week 

 of March, I just shook up the bed, which consisted of leaves, 

 and then mixing some short horse dung to start the heat 

 again, I put in a bushel of soil under each light, and no more, 

 consisting of three parts good loam two years old, and one 

 part of cow dung put in a heap two years ago. I then planted 

 the Melons, which were strong, one under each light. The 

 plants were raised from seed sown in a 48-sized pot, and 

 potted singly as soon as the first rough leaf was produced ; 

 after planting they grew such healthy dark green foliage, that 

 my gardening friends told me I should have nothing but 

 leaves. Very soon, however, they set plenty of fruit, and 

 fourteen of these in all on the throe plants weighed .50 lbs. ; my 

 largest was 5.^ lbs. weight. They were all cut by the 16th of 

 August, and now I have the pit planted again with May-sown 

 Cauliflower for late autumn use, with the lights off till protec- 

 tion shall be wanted ; thus by Christmas the pit will have done 

 good duty, if I have not. My other favourite Melon is Gilbert's 

 Improved Victory of Bath, which I planted in one of Messrs. 

 Boulton's frames, which give me groat satisfaction. My 

 employer says we want no other Melon but this, for it is of most 

 delicious flavour, and Little Heath was nearly approaching it, 

 but certainly not equal to it. 



As regards affording air to Little Heath Melon, I gave them 

 about the same treatment a^ the Potatoes, which grew in the 

 pit before them, except that in dull days the lights were pushed 

 off back and front to have a free circulation of air from early 

 in the morning until I shut up, and it always fell to their 

 lot to be last. — C. Meaoock, The Gardens, Morville Rouse, 

 Warwick. 



NOTES ON VILLA. .\xd SUBURBAN GARDENING. 



As a rule, the ornamental or pleasure portion of the garden of 

 a villa residence receives the greatest share of attention, and 

 the vegetable or fruit garden, though it may be small, is fre- 

 quently not taken in hand with the same interest and worked 

 with the same animated spirit that somehow seems to grow-up 

 with the former. In my opinion this is not as it should be, for 

 however much pleasure may be derived from the cultivation of 

 flowers, there is such a substantial and profitable return from a 

 well-managed kitchen garden, that the two departments ought 

 to be on a level. 



Veoet.vbles. — Some, such as the Potato and Onion, will have 

 come to maturity, and should be taken-up and stored away. The 

 former is in most seasons a peculiar crop to deal with ; early sorts 

 I presume have been taken up, but the later kinds are beginning 

 to grow, though still unrijje, and are likewise affected with the 

 blight, and the question is to know what to do for the best. If 

 the quantity is not large and the tubers are to be used, say this 

 side of Christmas, by all means take them up, but if wanted for 

 use early in spring the tops should be cut off and the tubers 

 left in the ground some time longer. In storing them take care 

 not to lay them thickly in a heap, and let them be put away as 

 dry as possible. 



Earth-up such crops as Broccoli and Cabbage, as well as Cauli- 

 flowers, and hoe between those just establishing themselves. 

 Some of the late spring sorts may still be planted-out, though to 

 be successful in a high degree they should have been in before. 

 This is the time to plant-out the Uttle Bosette Colewort in 

 quantity; it is one of the best vegetables for winter ever in- 

 troduced into the garden. It can be planted thickly, say 1 foot 

 each way, and is a very hardy sort, turning-iu for use by Christ- 

 mas and onwards. Clear all ground as crops come off, and dig 

 it up ; it may then be planted with different sorts of Kale, 

 such as the tall and dwarf Green Curled, Scotch Cabbaging, and 

 Asparagus Kale. Savoys, too, of the Drumhead kind may still 

 be planted, though I like to plant-out the main crop earlier. 

 Cauliflowers, also, must not be omitted ; the most forward for 

 use this autumn should be earthed-up, and those for storing 

 under hand-glasses must be pricked-out in rich soil, while the 

 ground is being prepared for them. It is not well to get them 

 too large towards autumn ; therefore, others should be pricked- 

 out from a later sowing. Sow another batch of seed so that a 

 number of the plants may be put-out thickly under walls, and 

 also under glasses, or a frame for the first plantation in 

 spring. 



Celery that is to come-in for use next month should be finally 

 earthed-up, but that for winter and spring supply should be 

 allowed to grow freely all this month before much earth is put 

 to it. I find it stands the severe weather much better, owing to 

 the hardier state of the outer stalks resulting from these having 



