260 



JOURNAL OP HOBTICULTUEB AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. 



t March SO, 1876. 



the types of hardy Primroses, and there were plants (named) 

 in the Exhibition very far from possessing high qualities.] 



FIG, DR. HOGG'S BLACK. 



As a knowledge of the wholesome properties of the Fig 

 becomes better known there will, no doubt, be an increased 

 demand every season for any variety posseasing sufficient 

 merits to distinguish or recommend it as superior in some 

 respects to others. One of the chief merits of the new variety 

 known as Dr. Hogg's Black is its being early and good for 

 forcing. We find it a fortnight earlier than any other variety 

 we have; it is also an abundant bearer with frequently as many 

 as a dish ripe at onoe on a pot plant. In this respect it is very 

 different to some of the large varieties, as Castle Kennedy, 

 Brunswick, or White Genoa, where, unless the tree is of large 

 dimensions, there is seldom more than two or three fruits ripe 

 at one time. Its habit is also sturdy and good for pot culture. 

 The following is Dr. Hogg's description in the "Fruit 

 Manual: " — 



" Fruit medium size, oblong obovate. Neck short or want- 

 ing. Skin slightly hairy, of a dark mulberry colour, covered 

 with a thick bloom and various little white specks on the 

 surface, which is slightly furrowed in longitudinal lines, and 

 the skin cracks lengthwise when the fruit is fully ripe. Stalk 

 Tery short and thick. Eye small and closed. Flesh dull red, 

 with a thick syrupy juice, very richly flavoured." 



Mr. Barron, the Superintendent of the Royal Horticultural 

 Society's Garden, after endorsing the above adds — " Floch 

 reddish amber quite to the centre, rich, juicy, and excellent. A 

 very handsome Fig, and a great and free bearer. The plant 

 is of somewhat stubby growth, and is admirably adapted for 

 pot culture." 



The history of this Fig is, as I understand : Dr. Hogg, who 

 has a keen eye for anything good in the fruit line, saw it in a 

 vineyard at Toulouse, and sent it in 1864 to the gardens of 

 the Royal Horticultural Society. Previous to that the only 

 plant in this country that I knew of was at Cliveden. — J. F., 

 Cliveden. 



NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 



Thb difficulties with which importers of plants have to 

 contend, and the expense which is incurred in providing 

 healthy stocks of rare plants, is demonstrated in the case of 

 a consignment of plants from Columbia to Mr. Bull of Chelsea. 

 We are informed that out of 11,000 plants which were packed 

 only 3000 arrived in a live state, which goes far to explain the 

 high prices which are maintained by rare plants from distant 

 countries, 



A viRT succeesful meeting of the members of the 



Wimbledon Gardeners' Society was held in the Lecture Hall 

 on the evening of the 24th inst. Mr. OUerhead was elected 

 chairman. Mr. Roser was called upon to read a paper on 

 TRCiT ccLTURi. Mr. Roser, who is a gardener of long expe- 

 rience, also possesses a store of humour, and he instructed and 

 also amused his hearers. The purport of his paper was that 

 a judicious pruning both of the roots and branches of fruit 

 trees is the only means of producing handsome and profitable 

 trees, and he submitted excellent specimens of branches which 

 had been produced by the system which he described. 



A CORRISPONDENT (Mr. F. A. Fawkes) writes that " in 



Whitehall Place — the Chief communicating street between 

 Charing Cross and the Thames Embankment before the new 

 street was opened — is to be seen a sight which will gladden 

 the heart of any lover of nature ; for in that short street may 

 be seen a David which has braved and withstood the fury of 

 the modern Goliath of bricks, mortar, and masonry. Not 

 long since the street was widened, and part of the gardens on 

 one side was enclosed. In doing so a tree would come in 

 the middle of the paved pathway. Strange to say, considering 

 bricklayers' and stonema'^ons' usual appreciation of trees, that 

 tree stiU exists in the middle of the path, the flagstones being 

 neatly cut to fit the trunk." 



The first Exhibition of the Bcrton-upon-Trent Hor- 



TicuLTnRAL Society is announced to be held on June 28th. 

 It is open to all England, and prizes of £20, £10, and £5 are 

 offered for twelve stove and greenhouse plants. As a fpecial 

 attraction of the Show, and as a means of furthering the 

 BUCcesB of the Society, Mr. Bass, M.P., permits the plants of 

 Eangemore to be arranged as a prominent part of the Exhibi- 



tion — not as competing for the prizes, but as a generous grant 

 to the Society and the public. The Eangemore collection 

 usually occupies one large marquee, and is an attractive 

 feature of the Exhibition. 



Writing from Lincolnshire, a correspondent states that 



" a cold, wet, dreary winter has been followed by a most incle- 

 ment spring. Frost and snow has lately predominated, and 

 from the 9th to 24th inst. the thermometer has registered 8° to 

 9° of frost. Apricot trees are in full bloom, and where not 

 protected are greatly injured." 



Wk are informed that Mr. Coombbb has been ap- 

 pointed to succeed Mr. Don as Superintendent of the Royal 

 Botanic Society's Garden at Regent's Park. Mr. Coomber 

 has been gardener at Knole Park, Sevenoaks, for nine years, 

 and in consequence of his ability and courtesy a testimonial 

 is to be presented to him by his fiiends in that district. 



We have received from Messrs. Roberts, Bros., Brinfield, 



near East Grinstead, Sussex, twenty-four trusses of Vesuvius 

 Geranium from a consignment of flowers which were being 

 sent to Covent Garden. These trusses are exceedingly fine, 

 the colour of the flowers being even brighter than when grown 

 in the garden during the summer, and demonstrate that 

 Vesuvius is one of the most valuable of scarlet Geraniums for 

 winter-blooming and for forcing purposes. 



A TELEGRAM of recent date states that the Vine countbs 



in the east of France is seriously threatened by a continuance 

 of the heavy rains, which may spoil all the crops. The in- 

 habitants are in a state of great apprehension. Alsace is 

 suffering from all the severities of winter. The snow remains 

 in the streets, and all the water exposed to the atmosphere is 

 covered with thick ice. 



PEACH FORCING— THINNING AND 

 DISBUDDING. 



Most important in the culture of stone fruit is the practice 

 of attending to the growth which is to form the main and 

 fruit-bearing branches for future years. The well-being o£ 

 these should ever take precedence of the present year's crop, 

 for without well-ripened wood it is useless to expect fruit — 

 fruit buds there may be in abundance, and flowers which to 

 the ordinary observer may appear like other flowers, but some 

 of their parts will be deficient and they will prove abortive. 

 In the forcing house this needs more attention than it does 

 out of doors or in a cold house, for the growth is made at a 

 time when there is a deficiency of light, and owing to our 

 being anxious to use every inch of room we are too apt to have 

 the branches crowded. 



Disbudding, I consider, requires more thoughtfulnesB and 

 judgment than all the other operations connected with stone- 

 fruit culture. It should never be trusted to a novice unless 

 the trees are his own property. It is more difUcult to teach 

 than is winter pruning, though that is not easy with fan- 

 trained Peach trees. Even those who are not novices are 

 often far too careless about disbudding. They do not take the 

 time necessary to look to each branch separately. I would not 

 have a shoot removed without first looking at it twice. 



The petals should always be allowed to fall before there is a 

 wood bud removed, and before any branch is operated on it 

 should be decided which shoot is to be allowed to grow to form 

 the fruit-bearing branch for the following year. Generally 

 this should be from the lowest bud conveniently situated on 

 the bearing branch, and the growth from this bud should have 

 even greater care than the fruit, but happily we can care for 

 both at the same time. The first shoots to be removed are 

 those growing under the branches, and this whether they have 

 frnit on them or not ; for fruit situated there would not have 

 sufficient light to bring it to perfection. These under shoots 

 will generally be sufficient to remove at the first operation. 

 In about two days' time the trees may be gone over again, 

 taking two or three more shoots off each average branch, 

 always keeping an eye on that which is to be left for the 

 coming year. 



There should never be much foliage removed at one time, 

 but the trees should be looked over several times at intervale 

 of two or three days, and always manipulated with the same 

 finger and thumb. It is not well to strip a bearing branch for 

 several inches in length, but to leave shoots at intervals where 

 there is room, and keep them stopped to three or four leaves ; 

 this will encourage the circulation of sap towards the fruit. 

 The shoot which grows closest to the frnit, springing generally 



