Jonnary 20, 1876. J 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



to the light, and in a week or two their produce will be fit to 

 cut. — T. Kecoud. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST AND WORK FOR 

 THE PRESENT WEEK. 



HABDY FRUIT GAKDEN. 



O^^^NO to the severe frost and snow it haa not been possible to 

 do any out-of-door work, but the men have been cutting out 

 some of the short branchlets to which we have previously alluded, 

 to support the Strawberries when ripe. They are tied up in 

 bandies, and placed in a dry place to be ready for use when 

 required. 



In the gardens of amateur fruit-growers of small means, who 

 do their own gardening or who cannot afford the expense of 

 a skilled gardener, a frequent blemish is to be found in the 

 nnskilful management of the fruit trees on the garden walls. 

 One finds a few of all sorts of fruit trees, but none of tbem giving 

 any real satisfaction. The worst managed of all are the Peaches 

 and Nectarines. The walls are generally from 6 to 9 feet in 

 height, and the trees are trained so that not more, perhaps, than 

 one-third of the wall is covered with bearing wood. 



Now unless the amateur has plenty of spare time and is an 

 enthusiast in fruit culture he ought not to grow Peach and 

 Nectarine trees. They are the most difficult to manage cf all, 

 principally because of their liability to bo attacked by insect 

 pests. As soon as the leaf buds open in early spring they arc 

 attacked by the Peach aphis, which very soon spreads over the 

 trees and causes the leaves to curl; the experienced cultivator 

 will destroy this insect pest before the leaves are injured, by 

 careful washing with soft soap dissolved iu weak tobacco water. 

 I have seen Peach trees so badly attacked with aphis that not 

 only was the crop of fruit spoiled for that season but also for the 

 next, and the trees so much injured that it would require several 

 seasons of the best management to restore them to good con- 

 dition. If the trees efcape the attacks of aphis in the spring 

 they are very likely to fall a prey to red spider iu the autumn. 

 This pest will begin its attacks as soon as the hot weather sets 

 in. It is easily detected by the appearance of the leaves, which 

 show a lighter green in blotches on the upper surface from the 

 spider sucking the juices from the under sides. Spider may be 

 kept in check by the trees being syringed freely once or twice 

 a-day in hot dry weather. All this is well understood by the 

 trained gardener, but the amateur has not often the time to 

 spare, nor does he care for so much syringing. Plum and Cherry 

 trees also suffer from insects peculiar to the different trees, but 

 they are usually free from red spider, and are also much more 

 hardy than Peach trees. 



The most useful hardy fruit for an amateur's garden is the 

 Pear, not because the fruit is of more value than Plums or 

 Cherries, but because a succession can be had from July until 

 March or April. The Pear is also equally well adapted for low 

 or high walls. The best form to train the trees is the horizontal, 

 and when the walls are of brick the work of training is very 

 simple. Let us take a tree one year old. It has one strong 

 single growth : this is cut back to 14 inches from the surface of 

 the ground . When the tree starts in the spring train one growth 

 perpendicularly, and one on each side in a horizontal direction 

 a foot from the ground. If the centre growth is strong it may 

 be stopped at 9 inches, when three growths are again selected 

 and trained as the others. We have sometimes had three pairs 

 of horizontal growths in one season by pinching the centre 

 growth. A course of bricks is 3 inches, so that if the growths 

 are trained at every third course they will be 9 inches apart, 

 which is a good distance. This is the best method to fill the 

 wall with bearing wood, and the trees can be pruned by anyone 

 with ordinary judgment. The branches will soon become studded 

 with fruitful spurs, and their production must be encouraged by 

 pinching back closely the young growths in summer. As the 

 trees become old the spurs stand out a great distance from the 

 wall, and the trees sometimes become too crowded with them. 

 It is bad management to allow this. It the spurs are cut back 

 to within an inch of the main stem they will start again and 

 new spurs will be formed. If they are too thick, cut the branch 

 on which the spurs are close back to the main stem. On our 

 Poar wall we have planted at the middle of the space between 

 each tree a single upright cordon ; these are all well studded 

 with fruit buds from the base to the summit. 



Apricots are the next best trees for an amateur to pj^ant, and 

 they must be trained on the fan system. The trees are not 

 subject to insect attacks, but branches die off in a mysterious 

 manner sometimes. 



Some of the finer Apples may be grown, and ought to be 

 trained like the Pear trees. The old Golden Pippin is greatly 

 improved by wall culture, and the Newtown Pippin, Eibston, 

 &o., are all worthy of walls. 



FRUIT AND FORCING HOUSES. 



Tinerirs. — The early houses are starting but slowly this 

 season. One reason may be that the sun is not seen for days 

 together, and the temperature by day is not much different from 



what it is by night; we fancy that the mild autumn had also 

 something to do with it. The Vines lost their leaves towards 

 the end of summer, and the natural consequence of this is to 

 cause the buds to start, and just in proportion as the buds are 

 started so is it diflicult to start the Vines the following season. 

 Of course, it is only the buds towards the extremities of the 

 lateral growths that begin to move in the autumn ; the buds at 

 the base do not start, but it is quite certain that they are very 

 considerably weakened by the others beginning to grow at the 

 wrong season. 



Many Grape-growers must be iu the same plight this season. 

 One grower stated at an exhibition in the first week iu .July that 

 his Vines had not a leaf on them at that time, and he had just 

 cut splendid fruit from the Vines, to which was awarded a first 

 prize. 



If we are to have good Grapes, with perfect bloom, the Vines 

 must not be syringed, and if the fruit is to be kept free from 

 rust it is not safe to apply sulphur to the hot-water pipes. If, 

 therefore, red spider appears what is to be done ? The pest 

 unchecked will destroy the leaves, and if this is continued 

 unchecked for a series of years the speedy decline of the Vines 

 must be reckoned upon. We do all that can be done at present 

 by careful attention as to ventilation, moisture in the atmo- 

 sphere charged with ammonia, &c.. to prevent the appearance 

 of spider. If it does appear on the Vines it is destroyed or kept 

 in check by fumes of sulphur from the hot-water pipes. 



In a few days all that is left of the late Grapes will be cut. 

 The bunches with the laterals attached will be placed iu the 

 fruit-room ; the end of the branch will be inserted in water. 

 The Vines will be pruned and the houses washed as well as the 

 Vines, as has been already directed in the " Doings." The walls 

 are washed with lime water, to which is added a pound of 

 flowers of sulphur to a pailful of " wash." 



Peach House. — Those who have trees in flower in the early 

 house must see that the house is judiciously ventilated, and the 

 flowers must be artificially set. The beat way is to pass a small 

 camel-hair brush over the flowers. It is tedious work to go over 

 a large house this way, but two or three of the best blooms on a 

 branch may be done. When the trees have been partially gone 

 over they may be gently shaken, which will disperse the pollen 

 on such flowers as have not been touched with the brush. The 

 trees must not be syringed while in flower, but the paths and 

 borders may be sprinkled every morning. Syringing the trees 

 may be continued as soon as the flowering period is over. 55" is 

 the proper night temperature during the flowering period. 



The borders of later houses that are ready to be started should 

 be first well watered and the house kept close for the first 

 week, no more fire heat being required than will keep out the 

 frost. The second week raise the temperature to 40° at night, 

 syringing the trees every morning. Peach trees in pots require 

 but little attention at present. It is necessary to lock over 

 them once a-week, watering such as require it. 



Strawberry pots on shelves in the orchard house are also 

 watered once a-week, and as soon as the plants show signs of 

 growth they will have an occasional watering with weak liquid 

 manure. 



Melon House. — To have ripe Melons about the end of May or 

 early in June the seeds may now be sow^n in a little bottom heat. 

 Sow in loam with a little leaf mould. The compost should be 

 moderately moist, as it is better not to water the seeds or young 

 seedhngs before they are potted-off. The plants will \>q ready 

 for potting-off as soon as the seed leaves are fully developed. 

 At this season the stalks become drawn up, perhaps 2 inches iu 

 length, before the plants are potted. All this stalk must be 

 covered iu potting, so that the mould comes up nearly to the 

 seed leaves. The young plants will do better on shelves near 

 the glass than in bottom heat at a considerable distance from 

 the light. 



GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. 



Little has been done in this department except to remove 

 decaying leaves and flowers. These are always unsightly, and 

 if allowed to remain they spread disease and decay to the 

 healthy tissues. A few spots of mildew appeared on some of 

 the summer-flowering Heaths and other hardwooded New 

 Holland plants ; the diseased portions were at once dusted with 

 flowers of sulphur. 



Cyclamens are very much subject to mould on the flower 

 stalks, which causes them to decay. It is best to look over the 

 plants frequently, as decay spreads very rapidly, and much 

 damage is done if there is any neglect. 



Eoses have been placed in a house to force with a temperature 

 of 55° and a little bottom heat. Eoses are easily forced if the 

 plants are kept near the glass and free from insect pests. On 

 the first appearance of green fly the house must be fumigated. 



Hyacinths and Tulips in pots never do first-rate if the plants 

 are not kept near the glass when they are in the forcing house. 

 After the plants are placed in the greenhouse it is not material 

 where they are placed. 



It has been very unfavourable weather for stage and fancy 

 Pelargoniums. We keep them near the glass and water very 



