Gardening for Amateurs 



1041 



which practically does away with the neces- 

 sity of winter pruning. 



It is a great mistake to allow the trees to 

 bear too heavy a crop, especially during their 

 earlier years ; it has the effect of weakening 

 them considerably. 



Apples and Pears and Cherries should be 

 placed at the coolest end of the house, and 

 Plums, Peaches and Nec- 

 tarines at the warmest end. 

 Figs require more warmth 

 still, and are often grown 

 in a separate portion, Avhere 

 greater heat can be applied. 

 As the amateur makes pro- 

 gress he will find it is pos- 

 sible to force certain Peaches 

 and Nectarines so as to have 

 them ripe in May. He may 

 then get two crops from the 

 same house in one year, by 

 keeping one set of trees out 

 of doors plunged in ashes 

 (protecting when in bloom) 

 and bringing them in the 

 glasshouse to replace those 

 which have fruited. Or, if 

 preferred, a crop of Melons 

 could be grown after the first 

 crop of Peaches. Apples and 

 Pears cannot be forced ; they 

 only ripen properly in sum- 

 mer. When these fruits show 

 signs of colouring place the 

 trees out of doors in a 

 sheltered sunny position ; the 

 effect of this treatment in 

 colouring the fruit is magical. 



Watering must be prac- 



Potting the Trees. Once in two years as 

 a rule is often enough to repot the trees ; 

 trees which have not made good growth had 

 better be repotted in the same sized pots, 

 reducing the ball of soil and roots to enable 

 this to be done, and to allow of the addition 

 of new soil. Trees which have made pro- 

 gress should be placed in a flower-pot a size 



tised with great care ; the 



Peach Peregrine, a valuable early variety. 



successful cultivation of fruit 

 trees in pots depends very largely on this. 

 During winter, whilst dormant, they need 

 little water, though the soil must not become 

 really dry. Give a good soaking when the 

 soil gets rather dry. As the season advances 

 more is, of course, required, and in high 

 summer it will often have to be given twice 

 a day. If the trees are bearing good crops 

 weak liquid manure is beneficial each alter- 

 nate watering when the fruits are swelling ; 

 soot water is excellent for a change. Less 

 water must be given as the fruit ripens. 

 66 



larger ; pot firmly, using a wooden rammer 

 to get the soil down by the side of the pot. 



Pots and crocks must be clean and dry 

 when used. A depth of 1 inch of crocks 

 is sufficient, and some rough turfy soil is 

 placed on these. October is the best time 

 for potting. Trees which are not repotted 

 at this time should be top-dressed as 

 directed before. The best compost consists 

 of old turf chopped into pieces about the 

 size of a hen's egg ; to each bushel add 

 mortar rubble and 1 pint of bone-meal. 



