460 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTUKE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



f Juno 20, 1S95. 



of the traditional school, opposed to every change, he pro- 

 ceeds to cut out, perhaps, two-tliirds of the superfluous 

 shoots, thereby rendering the tree liable to canker, and he 

 has no choice left but to preserve the remainder, which, 

 from the confusion and croivdingf of the past summer, are 

 often unfit to bear. This may be an extreme cnse, but 

 ■whenever a sunless summer occurs any similar system must 

 fail. "The cautions." says McEwen, "given as to layinej-in 

 reserve shoots have done much injury ; the vast amount of 

 unnecessary wood laid in prevents the proper expansion of 

 the leaves, or the action of the sun on the walla. Reserved 

 shoots are only 'reserved' to be cut out, and green shoots, 

 soft at the core, .are the result, and a prey to a thousand 

 diseases. This is smothering the tree \vith superfluous 

 ■wood." And to the same purpose his Editor — "Over- 

 cropping with wood is as injurious as over-cropping with 

 fruit; Loth shorten the existence of trees." Much more 

 might be added, but it is needless. In short it may be 

 taken as certain that the system of long pruning tends to 

 produce too much wood ; that such wood is not fruitful, not 

 having had its due share of our capricious sunshine; that 

 the amputations of shoots and branches, rendered necessary 

 for a " fresh supply," are dangerous in the extreme, and that 

 the trees ai-e extremely liable to become bare at the centre. 

 If to this be added the injudicious forms of trees, and un- 

 drained borders, every failure seems easy of explanation. 



It remains to suggest some remedy. All late experience 

 tends in one direction — closer pruning. The results which 

 have been obtained in the orchard-house, under very close 

 pruning, serve to show that this system, when modified so 

 as to suit the exigencies of the open air, contains within it 

 the germ of a new style. Could this be made to suit, both 

 for trees under glass and for those on the open wall, no 

 doubt a great step would thereby be made towards uni- 

 formity and simplicity. Ten years of experiments made on 

 trees in the open air have shown that this is possible. 



"The Modern Peach Pruner" does not favour long pruniug, 

 but as, when properly practised, it may be rendered suffi- 

 ciently successful, the ensuing chapter will contain what is 

 considered the best method of so doing. The remaining 

 chaptere will be devoted to close pruning, and especially to 

 describing an entirely nev,- system of managing Peach trees 

 on the open wall. — T. Brkhaut, Richmond House, Guernsey. 



KITCHEN GAEDENING. 



(Continued from paje 432.) 



Having thus far treated on light and dry soils, our next 

 consideration will bo those of a wet clayey nature, which 

 are, generally speaking, the worst kinds of soil for a garden. 

 The first thing to be done is to see that the ground is 

 thoroughly drained, and then to trench it two spits deep all 

 over; but instead of throwing the top soil in the bottom of 

 the trench as is usually done, merely turn it back, and fork 

 the bottom of the trench, replacing the top soil on the sur- 

 face. As the trenching goes on have all manner of rubbish 

 that ean be procured wheeled into the trench. In fact, I 

 always dispose of my rubbish-heap in that way, and the 

 longer the manure is the better it will answer the purpose. 

 It also frerjuontly h.appens, that in consequence of a railway 

 being made, or building going on adjacent to the garden, a 

 good lot of cheap soil can bo obtained and worked in to im- 

 prove the natural soil. Road scrapings, lime rubbish, or 

 anything that will lighten the soil should likewise be taken 

 advantage of, not forgetting to manure well every time 

 the ground is cropped. This system, if persevered in, will 

 make the ground work well and produce earlier crops, which 

 are great conuiderations as well to the amateur as to the 

 market gardener. 



Having thus far disposed of soils and the different systems 

 of working them, I shall, as well as I am able, de8cril)e my 

 system of cultivation and cropping, so as to maintain a good 

 supply of vegetables and salads all the year round, hoping 

 that my readers will not forget that it is of a small garden 

 I am writing, and for men who take an interest in sucii. 



Beginning with .January, my supply of vegetables consists 

 of Brus-iels Sprouts, Savoys, Coloworts, or Hardy Greens 

 and Kale of sorts, with a good breadtli of Winter Spinach. 

 for Bolading I generally depend upon such as Mustard and 



Cress, Endive, ic, under protection, the Celery being pro- 

 tected where it grows. The fii'st lot of Rhubarb and Sea- 

 kale is in by this time. The above is about all I can muster 

 at that time of the year. As early as possible in the mooth 

 I sow my first lot of Peas, Daniel O'Rourke, having pre- 

 viously selected and prepared a piece of ground on the border 

 lying under the wall ; and as a protection against mice 

 below and birds above, I cut up a quantity of furze very 

 small, and put in the drills with the seed, laying some 

 more along the top in rather longer pieces. I do not find 

 that the furze has any injurious effect on the future growth 

 of the crop, and it acts as a very good preventive from all 

 the ills that early-sown Peas ai-e subject to. 



While on the subject of Pea-sowing, perhaps I may be 

 allowed to say a word or two about some new sorts that 

 have rather put me out of my reckoning this year. My 

 seedsman sent me a quart each of two sorts called Dickson's 

 Early and Carter's First Crop. I sowed them exactly five 

 weeks after Daniel O'Rourke, and under exactly the same 

 circumstances. The two new sorts were fit to pick on the 

 26th of May, whilst Daniel O'Rourke was not ready till the 

 1st of June, and was not then in nearly such good condition 

 when it was picked as the first-mentioned sorts, as the pods 

 of these were as hard and full as any one could desire. 



Before the month is out I sow two rows of Sangster'a 

 No. 1 in the open quarters, at 5 feet apart, thus leaving 

 room for a trench in which to plant the thinnings of the 

 Cauliflowers under hand-lights, which are succeeded in the 

 trench by Celery. If the ground is at all in working condi- 

 tion, I plant some Potatoes in the open ground before the end 

 of the month, well covering them with litter, though I have 

 some planted at the same time in a three-light pit, jjutting 

 the sets in deep, and sowing Radishes on the top. I very 

 seldom sow any Lettuce in January as I have a good sort to 

 stand the severity of the weather, called the White Cos, and 

 if I can possibly get a piece of ground clear of winter stuff, 

 I sow it with Early Longpod Beans. This month I generally 

 cover up iny second lot of Sea-kale and Bhubarb, for forcing 

 under pots in the ground, as I can do better with it in that 

 way than in any other, I also take the opportunity of wheel- 

 ing any manure in the garden to any available place where 

 there is room, amons the growing crops of winter stuff, and 

 on the borders. I prune the fruit trees and have the borders 

 neatly dug, and as soon as a piece of ground is done with 

 I trench it or ridge it at once, as it will not do to lose 

 the pulverising effect of the frosty weather on the land. If 

 any new plantations are in contemplation, it is a good plan 

 to prepare for them before the busy season comes on, as 

 January is about the slackest month of the year in the 

 kitchen garden. — Bubntwood, P.D. 

 (To bo cuntiuued.) 



LIQUID MANUUE. 



{Continued from page 427.) 



House-sewage and Urinals. — The manure from these 

 sources is more powerful than the drainings of dunghills, 

 but is not suitable for pot plants, and such as require 

 frequent applications of water. For fruit trees and garden 

 crops generally it will be found more powerful, more stimu- 

 lating, and more certain in its action than the drainings of 

 a dunghill. 



Tlio tank for the reception of house-sewage should be at 

 a distance from the house, and no place is better than a 

 covered shed, where earth can be dried for the dcodorisa- 

 tion of the more solid matter. There should be a place 

 whore this can be separated from the fluid, and at such a 

 height that the latter may run off after a short time. This 

 receptacle need not bo either deep or largo, but sufUcient to 

 hold the sewage and allow of the solid matter settling.^ It 

 should be cleaned out once a-week, and the deposit mixed 

 witli dry sod. For this purpose soil is far preferable to 

 ashes, and charcoal or peat is better than either. This solid 

 manure is more stimulating than the dung of animals, but 

 is not BO lasting. It is not necessary to separate the solid 

 from the liquid house-sewage, but if this is not done fer- 

 mentation soon takes place, and the tank must be more fre- 

 quently emptied, whilst it is hardly possible to use the 

 contents without some disinfeotont : besides, if the solid 



