358 VILLA GARDENING PART iv 



very beneficial. The choicer dessert Phims only should be planted 

 luider glass, as these kinds oftener fail in the 0]3en air. I need 

 not take up space by details of management, as routine work is 

 the same both indoors and out. Insects must be kept down by 

 fumigation and timely attention to the wants of the trees. Care must 

 be taken not to bring on exhaustion by over-cropping, for generally 

 under glass the fruits set freely, and there is a great temptation to 

 over-crop ; this, in fact, constitutes a real danger. The disbudding 

 of the young wood should be done early, as in the case of the 

 Peach, though, as the crop is borne on spurs, the disbudding of 

 Plums will be merely thinning the shoots where too much crowded. 

 The pinching of the young shoots will begin when four leaves 

 liave been made, taking tlie shoots in rotation as they arrive at 

 the right stage. Though this necessitates watchfulness and care 

 for a longer period, it involves less check to the trees. Pinch all 

 laterals to one leaf The fruit shoidd be thinned rather severely 

 if fine Plums are wished for, and as soon as the crop is thinned 

 mulch the border with old Mushroom manure or something similar. 

 The syringe must be used freely every fine day, and during the 

 growing season the border must be kept in a moist condition ; 

 but discontinue both atmospheric and root watering as soon as the 

 Plums show signs of ripening, throwing open all ventilators to 

 their fuU extent. The 



Pruning, Training, and Cleaning should be done as soon 

 as possible after the leaves fall, but the borders must not be 

 allowed to get dust-dry, not even in winter. In winter, it is 

 important that the condition of the borders in all fruit -houses 

 should be thoroughly examined, and all dry spots completely 

 moistened before work begins in spring, as neglect frequently leads 

 to fruit dropping. 



Varieties. — Green Gage, Transparent Gage, July Green Gage, 

 Purple Gage, Guthrie's Late Green, Golden Drop, Denniston's 

 Superb, Jefterson, Kirke's, Heine Claude de Bavy, and Washington. 



The Cherry-House.^ — ^When the young wood of the Cherry 

 has been well ripened, which it always is under glass, a crop of fruit 

 may be relied on, under fairly good management. The Cherry 

 forces well if the temperatiure be kept regular and steady, avoiding 

 extremes of heat. The border where the trees are planted out 

 should be composed of tm-fy loam, inclined to be sandy rather 

 than heavy. Autumn planting is best, as it allows the trees tiirie 

 to get their roots to work before spring, with its excitement of 

 light and warmth. Any kind of house will do for Cherries, but 

 except for early forcing a span-roofed house is best, with a circular 

 trellis spanning a central path, planting the trees on each side 



