January 13, 1912.] 



THE GARDENERS 1 CHRONICLE. 



23 





THE HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 



By F. Jordan, Gardener to Lady Nunburnholme, 



Waiter Priory, Yorkshire. 



Apricots. — These are generally the first trees 

 that require protection from frost, and the buds 

 are now swelling fast. The latest rains will, 

 however, have put matters right below the sur- 

 face. Few, I imagine, who treat their trees 

 methodically will be in arrears with the pruning 

 and tying of these trees, especially where the old 

 spurs required thinning. Should, however, this 

 be the case, the work must be completed at the 

 earliest opportunity. Board or some other 

 material should be placed on the borders to pre- 

 vent treading the soil into a pasty mass, and, as 

 soon as the operations are completed and the 

 trees syringed, the next question will be that of 

 providing protection for the flowers. Those who 

 have permanent fixtures may almost dispense with 

 extra coverings, but the majority are obliged to 

 depend on any rough-and-ready materials. Two 

 or three folds of fish-netting make a very good 

 protection, and the netting catches the atmo- 

 spheric moisture before it reaches the blossoms. 

 The careful gardener will soon be fixing his poles, 

 but will defer putting on the nets until the flowers 

 are ready to open, which will possibly be in Feb- 

 ruary this year, unless frosts come quickly to 

 check them. The largest flowers produce the 

 finest fruits, and all possible care should be taken 

 of the first flowers that open. 



Pruning and Training Apples. — This 

 work is invariably left to the last, and yet I see 

 no reason for this, as Apples, Pears, and Plums 

 may be pruned immediately after the leaves fall. 

 It is a question if this practice is not preferable 

 if American blight is present, as the trees may 

 at once receive a dressing of some compound, 

 which can be repeated occasionally through the 

 winter months. The Paradise stock is now gener- 

 ally used for bush and cordon trees, which are 

 the best trees for garden cultivation. Pruning 

 is often overdone ; still, the knife cannot be dis- 

 pensed with altogether; but, beyond shortening 

 extra strong shoots to preserve the balance of the 

 trees, and the thinning out occasionally of 

 crowded spurs, the less trees on Paradise stocks 

 are pruned the better. Pinch in all side snoots 

 in June, July and August if necessary, and as 

 long as the balance of the tree is maintained, 

 allow the terminal shoots to grow, suppressing 

 only those that are running away. In training, 

 do not attempt to twist the trees into fancy 

 shapes; beyond judiciously thinning the shoots 

 and occasionally tying a branch here and 

 there to prevent crowding, which should always 

 be prevented, the trees may safely be left to form 

 perfect specimens. By good cultivation and care- 

 ful attention to pinching and other details the 



trees soon become complete cordons of healthy 

 spur wood. 



THE FLOWER GARDEN. 



By J. G. Weston, Gardener to Lady Northcote, 



Eastwell Park, Kent. 



Protecting Tender Shrubs and Plants. 



—Very cold weather may occur at any time now, 

 and protecting material should be got in readi- 

 ness. It is a mistake to coddle plants unneces- 

 sarily, as this makes them tender and more 

 susceptible to injury by frost; it is better to 

 leave them exposed until the weather is very 

 cold. Branches of evergreens, such as Laurel 

 and Rhododendron, may be utilised to ward off 

 much of the frost, tying them round the stems of 

 such tender plants as Palms and Cordylines, and 

 working in a little dry Bracken Fern between 

 the evergreens and the branches. A piece of 

 wire netting may be enclosed around a plant 

 needing protection, and filled in with dry leaves, 

 placing a few shoots of evergreen over the net- 

 ting to render it less conspicuous. Eryngium 

 pandanifolium survived for several winters quite 

 unharmed when protected in this manner; but 

 left exposed for one winter, the plant was 

 crippled and unsatisfactory the next season. 



Ornamental Grasses. — When replanting 

 herbaceous borders or in front of shrubberies, a 

 free use should be made of the many beautiful 

 ornamental grasses. Grasses are, as a rule, very 

 strong-rooting subjects, not at all fastidious as 

 to soil, and, when once established, will thrive 

 in almost any position. Many of them may be 

 planted under the shade of large trees, and will 

 flourish where other plants would fail. The 

 Eulalias, though a small family, are particularlv 

 useful subjects. E. gracillima 1 has light, elegant 



foliage, and a single plant is charming in a bor- 

 der. E. zebrina, with its yellow bars across the 

 leaves, is a very striking plant, and about half- 

 a-dozen specimens should be grouped to form a 

 bold clump. The flower-spikes appear in 

 autumn, when the plants are at their best condi- 

 tion ; but they often remain attractive till mid- 

 winter. They are excellent subjects for the 

 waterside, and associate well with Gynerium 

 (Pampas Grass) and Bamboos. Arundo conspicua 

 makes an ideal specimen, throwing up its stately 

 plumes quite early in the season, and, on this 

 account, is often called the summer -flowering 

 Pampas. This species is very distinct from A. 

 Donax (the Giant Reed), which is not planted as 

 often as its merits deserve. This plant thrives 

 best in a fairly warm and sheltered situation, 

 where, with a liberal treatment and plenty of 

 moisture, it will attain to a height exceeding 

 12 feet. After cutting the growths down in 

 winter, a heavy mulch of manure should be ap- 

 plied. The variegated form is much more ten- 

 der than the type, and requires an extra warm 

 corner, with protection in winter. The ordinary 

 Pampas Grass (Gynerium argentium) should be 

 planted in bold groups by the water side, or on 

 the edge of a shrubbery, with a background of 

 dark foliage. We have planted it largely in com- 

 bination with the stronger-growing forms of Kni- 

 phofia (Torch Lily), which, if planted in the 

 foreground, provides brilliant colouring in the 

 autumn. Several of the small perennial grasses 

 are useful edging plants. Festuca glauca has 

 bluish, thread-like foliage, and is a very attrac- 

 tive plant. Dactylis glomerata elegantissima is 

 a dwarf Grass, with silver variegation, and is, 

 perhaps, used for edging purposes more than any 

 other kind. Several species of Carex are worth 

 growing, C. japonica pendula being one of the 

 best for gardens. This plant will thrive in a 

 shady place. C. Morrowii is a compact-growing 

 plant, suitable for planting in the front of a 

 flower border. Apera arundinacea is also a very 

 elegant plant. 



FRUITS UNDER GLASS. 



By E. Harriss, Fruit Foreman, The Royal Gardens, 



Windsor. 



Strawberries in Pots.— The plants which 

 were placed into gentle heat early in December 

 will now be showing their flower-spikes, and the 

 temperature must be increased to about 60°. They 

 should occupy a position quite close to the roof- 

 glass, where they will get the full benefit of light ; 

 the glass must also be kept quite clean. The 

 plants may now be watered occasionally with 

 diluted liquid manure and soot-water, but stimu- 

 lants should be withheld for a time when the 

 flowering period arrives. Except when the 

 flowers are opening, the foliage must be vigo- 

 rously syringed with luke-warm water twice a 

 day, paying particular attention to the under- 

 side of the leaves, where red spider may be pre- 

 sent. It is advisable also to fumigate the plants 

 before they come into flower, to destroy aphides, 

 which, if allowed to remain, are injurious to 

 the ripe fruits. During the flowering period 

 the atmosphere must be kept dry, and air 

 carefully admitted more or less in accord- 

 ance with outside conditions. The flowers 

 must be pollinated at mid-day by passing 

 a camel's-hair brush lightly over them. When 

 the fruits have set, the atmosphere must again 

 be kept moist and syringing resumed as before. 

 Stimulants must also be given more often and 

 with increased strength. To bring on succes- 

 sional batches of plants, there is no place better 

 than a shelf near to the glass in a Peach house 

 or vinery which has just been closed ; but they 

 should not be placed too near the permanent occu- 

 pants of the house, as Strawberries are very sub- 

 ject to attacks of red spider. Before placing the 

 plants indoors, lay them on their sides and tho- 

 roughly drench trie foliage with an insecticide. 



Tomato. — The season has been very favour- 



able for the winter fruiting plants which are still 

 carrying plenty of fruits. These late fruits may 

 be assisted to ripen more readily by removing 

 most of the foliage, thus exposing them to the 

 .light. The old plants may be encouraged to set 

 further fruits if necessary by selecting some of 

 the strongest shoots near the base of the plants 

 and training them thinly over the trellis. Top- 

 dress the roots with a mixture of fibrous loam, 

 well-decayed horse manure, and wood ashes. If 

 white flv is present on the foliage, gather all the 

 ripe fruits, then fumigate the house with a nico- 



tine vaporising compound. The young plants 

 which were raised here from seed sown on Octo- 

 ber 6 were potted into their fruiting pots on the 

 4th inst. They are already showing two trusses 

 of flowers, and give promise of furnishing ripe 

 fruits at a very early date. The potting materials 

 for Tomatos at this time of year should be 

 much lighter than later on when growth is 

 quicker. A suitable compost is one consisting of 

 good fibrous loam, manure from a spent mush- 

 room bed, and a good sprinkling of old mortar 

 rubble and wood ashes. To every barrow T -load of 

 soil add one 8-inch potful of crushed bones. The 

 plants should be potted firm, but not excessively 

 so. Another batch of plants should be raised 

 now for succession. Sow the seeds thinly in pans 

 in a light compost, and place them in a warm 

 house till the seedlings are through. Then keep 

 them growing quite near to the glass in a mini- 

 mum temperature of 60°. 



THE FEENCH GARDEN. 



Wi 



By Paul Aquatias. 



Crops. — The last 



of the three 



batches of Chicory Witloof have been placed in 

 trenches as previously described. The paths, 

 between the frames have been lined with dry 

 manure. The first batch is ready for cutting, and 

 a constant supply of this crop is assured till the 

 end of February. The Cabbage Lettuces planted 

 in frames in the middle of September have proved 

 a very good and useful crop. When the frames are 

 cleared the soil will be stirred and some black soil 

 added previous to planting Passion Lettuces, 

 which will be ready for the market in April. 



Spring Crops.— The first batch of Lettuce 

 " Little Grott " is very forward. Ventilation is 

 afforded day and night to keep the plants in 

 check until the hotbeds have been made. The 

 plants of the other varieties are of medium size, 

 which is preferable at this time of the year ; 

 as Lettuces grow very rapidly during January 

 and often become drawn should the final planting 

 be delayed. The Cos Lettuces are well esta- 

 blished after their second transplanting. Venti- 

 lation is afforded whenever the weather is favour- 



able. The Cauliflowers have grown too luxuri- 

 antly, though ventilation was given freely, and it 

 has become necessary to replant them' deeper^ 

 setting 180 instead of 250 plants as hitherto in 

 each light. 



Crops Grown Without Heat. — These crops 

 as a complement to those on the hotbeds, are 

 always remunerative, especially where black soil 

 is plentiful. The ground should be well manured 

 and prepared at an early date. The frames need 

 to be set straight and level and sunk 2 inches in 

 the ground, so as to economise the black soil and 

 have the plants close to the glass. A path 9 inches 

 or 10 inches wide should be provided between 

 each row of frames. From three to six barrow 

 loads of black soil may be placed in each frame. 

 The lights should be placed on the frame to keep 

 the soil in a good condition until the time of 

 planting arrives. 



Hotbeds. — The extent of the hotbeds for 

 the coming season should be decided upon,, 

 taking into consideration the markets and local 

 requirements. At this establishment two-fifths 

 of the hotbeds are devoted to growing Straw- 

 berries and Turnips and the remainder to Car- 

 rots. Lettuces (56 per light) will be grown 

 before the Turnips are sown or the Strawberries 

 forced. No Radishes will be sown as an inter- 

 crop. The first hotbed will be made on the 

 16th of the present month. A quicker growth 

 with less manure is more certain than when start- 

 ing at an earlier date, and should snow fall or 

 severe frost set in, the work may be delayed with 

 advantage. In this case preparation must be 

 made to hasten the making of the hotbeds, all 

 frames and lights being placed handy. Some 

 fine soil should be brought under shelter for cover- 

 ing the seeds. 



Seeds. — The purchase of seeds this year will 

 represent an important item in the working ex- 

 penses. The wholesale rate is trebled on the 

 Carrots and Radishes, whilst Turnip and Cauli- 

 flower seeds are very dear. Great care must be 

 taken to prevent waste when sowing : trial sow- 

 ings will repay the trouble. A certain number of 

 seeds should be placed on a piece of cloth or felt, 

 kept damp by infiltration and placed in a warm 

 house. In a few days the seeds will germinate, 

 and the percentage of good seeds may then be 

 easilv ascertained. 



