58 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



March, 1910 



limbs of last year's growth, to spread out 

 the head of the tree. This is especially 

 necessary for the Black Tartarian, May 

 Duke and all upright growers, otherwise 

 they grow up a tall, dense mass like 

 poplar trees. 



After the sixth year, very little pruning 

 is necessary, except every other year to 

 cut back the central upright limbs to 

 keep the tree from growing too tall and 

 to make it spread outward. 



SOUE CHERRIES 



In just the same way, sour cherries 

 should be planted first and then trimmed 

 back like the sweet ones. After two 

 years' growth, trim so as to form a 

 shapely spreading tree. After that, the 

 sour cherry trees need very little prun- 

 ing. If it is continued, the trees will 

 make only a great growth of wood and 

 very few fruit spurs. 



There is no fruit tree that requires less 

 pruning than the cherry, after it comes 

 into bearing. There is much more harm 

 done by pruning them too heavily, than 

 by leaving them unpruned. To thin 

 out a tree, never cut out a large limb to 

 make more room. 



The Montmorency is a more upright 

 grower than the Early Richmond, so 

 the central upright limbs of last year's 

 growth should be cut off to make the 

 tree spread out and to keep it from 

 growing too tall. 



Pruning the Orchard 



John Spencer, Henrysbnrg Centre, Que. 



There is not one man in ten that knows 

 how to prune an orchard. The best time 

 to prune is when the sap is done running, 

 say, in June or the first of July, as the 

 wood of the tree is then growing. Leave 

 no stubs on the trunks of the trees. Keep 

 the top open to let the sun in. Cut out 

 all suckers and branches that spread 

 over. [Note. — What is the opinion of 

 others respecting best time to prune? — 

 Editor.] 



Some men cut off all the lower limbs. 

 They claim that it gives a chance to get 

 around better but they have a tall tree 

 twenty feet or more from the ground. 

 What are apples good for that fall on 

 the ground from such trees? Perhaps 

 they can grade them No. i ; I cannot. 



Low trees are preferable to high. You 

 can pick and spray to better advantage. 

 Trees have different habits of growth, 

 and cannot be pruned by rule. 



Pruning Currant Bushes 



Wm. Fleming, Owen Sound, Ont. 



The pruning of red, white and black 

 currant bushes should be performed late 

 in the fall or early in the spring, and the 

 work should not be committed to an in- 

 experienced hand, as the result would 

 certainly be disastrous. The following 

 method should be followed : 



I. The operator should note the ex- 

 tent of space the bush can occupy, how 



close the limbs are to the ground, the 

 crowded state of the limbs and the sym- 

 metrical condition. 



2. If the bush can afford it, the limbs 

 that lie too close to the ground should 

 be removed, and the bush generally, if 

 required to admit air and sunshine free- 

 ly, should be trimmed. 



3. About half the preceding year's 

 growth (if the bush is in a healthy condi- 

 tion) should be cut back, but not in any 

 case to injure the symmetrical condition. 



4. The severity of the pruning should 

 be controlled by the space the bush has 

 to occupy. 



5. The pruning should be performed 

 annually. 



A Spruce Hedge TweWe Years Old 



Thig hedge was planted In April, 1898, by Mr. 

 Peter Barrett, Truro, N. S., who telle how he 

 trained it as follows: "During the first year or 

 two, the pruning was done with a pocket prun- 

 ing knife, heading back the leaders and evening 

 up the hedge generally. An inverted "V"-shapc 

 is the system adopted which approaches nearer 

 to Nature's method than any other. The hedge 

 is now pruned about three times annually. 

 Training to a point at the top gives the under 

 branches a chance to thrive. Furthermore, this 

 shape admits more sun light to the garden. By 

 pruning this way, one can get any kind of a 

 hedge to a desired height in less time than by 

 the round-top sy stem." 



Some Little-Known Annuals 



A list of new and little-known peren- 

 nials recommended by the novelty com- 

 mittee of the Ontario Horticultural As- 

 sociation was published in the January 

 issue of The Canadian Horticulturist. 

 Herewith are mentioned four annuals 

 recommended by this committee and in 

 later issues will appear lists of gladioli, 

 chrysanthemums, cannas and other gar- 

 den subjects. The following annuals 

 were noted at the Ontario Agricultural 

 College, Guelph, as giving promise of 

 being useful additions : 



I. Dimorphotheca aurantiaca (golden- 

 marguerite). — A new introduction from 

 South Africa. Might be termed an an- 

 nual Gazania splendens, as its flowers 

 somewhat resemble the flowers of this 

 well known perennial plant so often 

 seen in hanging baskets, etc., and, like 

 the Gazania, it opens its flowers only in 

 bright sunshine. Will make a good an- 

 nual for bedding out in sunny positions. 

 The deep bronzy orange flowers which it 

 produces in profusion are very showy 

 and conspicuous. 



2. Eschscholtzia (Dainty Queen). — A 

 novelty that deserves its suggestive 

 name and is quite a departure in point 

 of delicacy in coloring to older types. 

 The ground work of flower is of a deli- 

 cate cream, and the top of the petals 



, are suffused and shaded coral pink to 

 ro.se pink. If the type will perpetuate 

 it.self true from seed it will prove of 

 merit. 



3. Eschscholtzia (Mandarin). — Deeper 

 shade of yellow than ordinary California 

 poppy. Base of petals deep orange 

 faintly shaded crimson, margin of petals 

 sulphur yellow. A more imposing and 

 and showy flower than the old type. Up- 

 right habit. An acquisition to this class 

 of plant. 



4. Sunflower (Starlight). — One of the 

 prettiest of the decorative type of the 

 helianthus. The graceful star-like for- 

 mation of its canary yellow petals, twist- 

 ed and arranged very Jike a cactus dah- 

 lia makes this variety a splendid addi- 

 tion for cut flower purposes. Flower 

 four to five inches in diameter. 



The Heliotrope 



C. M. Bezio, Berlin, Ont. 



This plant is propagated from seed 

 or cuttings. It is a delightful fragrant 

 and free flowering species and for that 

 reason is admired by all. Seed should 

 be sown in shallow boxes of rich light 

 soil and placed in a sunny window of a 

 warm room. Great care must be exer- 

 cised so as not to plant the seed too 

 deeply. The best way would be to sow 

 the seed thinly on top and sift over it a 

 very thin layer of fine soil or sand, just 

 enough to hide from view. W'hen wat- 

 ering do so with a fine spray until the 

 plants are well started. Until the 

 plants are up keep covered with glass 

 or newspaper to prevent evaporation of 

 moisture and the seed drying out. 



When about one inch high transplant 

 to small thumb pots and early in June 

 they may be planted in the permanent 

 flower bed. The soil should be very 

 rich, as the heliotrope is a gross feeder 

 and requires an abundant supply of 

 plant food to produce the largest clus- 

 ters of bloom. For this purpose sheep 

 manure is excellent. Make a weak li- 

 quid from the manure and apply twice a 

 week, or if plenty of it is at hand spread 

 a mulch of the manure over the bed. 



If desirable the plants may be taken 

 up in the fall and potted, cutting the 

 tops back to allow a fresh growth and 

 they will bloom throughout the winter 

 in the house. Young plants may also be 

 started from cuttings rooted in the sand. 



Bnigmansia. — By an oversight, credit 

 for the article and photograph on this 

 subject that appeared in the January is- 

 sue of The Canadian Horticulturist, 

 was given to S. J. Jackson, Bowman- 

 ville, Ont., instead of S. J. Jackman. 



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