422 



JOURNAL OE HORTICULTURE AST) COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[June 9, 18(33. 



of the ground had kept the soil moderately moist beneath among 

 Strawberry-rows, but still they seemed at a stand-still, looking 

 woe-begone and refusing to Bwell kindly, so managed to give 

 them a watering along the rows after strewing the ground 

 slightly with soot and lime. Covered up immediately close to 

 the plants with long litter, well shaken to get out most or all of 

 the droppings ; and, if the dry weather continue, will cover that 

 again with a sprinkling of short grass that has been heated dry 

 in a heap. This, from making the covering closer, will still 

 farther prevent evaporation. "We used at one time to use short 

 grass from the lawn for thus protecting Strawberries and keeping 

 them clean ; hut, among other objections, there waB almost the 

 certainty of getting afterwards, ail over the ground, a green 

 sward of Daisies. By throwing all such material in a heap, 

 it will heat and ferment so violently as to kill all the seeds, and it 

 then may be shaken out and used for this purpose, or mulching 

 any growing crops, as Cauliflowers, Peas, Beans, &c, and every 

 shower will wash some nitrogenous matter into the soil. A 

 clergyman, who seems to be at home in gardening, told us the 

 other day that the very best thing he ever found for mulching 

 and keeping the fruit of Strawberries clean was rough fresh tan 

 from the tanyard ; and a moderate layer being used, yerj little 

 moisture would evaporate from it after the surface was dry. In 

 answer to our inquiry, he stated he never perceived the least 

 taint in the fruit from the fresh tan. Very likely, just as in the 

 case of our litter, it would generally he washed several times 

 before the fruit was ripe. We should like those near lanyards 

 to give the plan a trial, and report the result. 



Gathered lots of Gooseberries for bottling, as they much 

 needed thinning owing to our having pruned little last season. 

 Observe fly clustering on the points of some of the young shoots, 

 and sent a lad to nip the points off, and then bum them ; and 

 ■will syringe or engine with clear soot water to keep them at 

 a distance, aB when such fly gets a-head the berry is scarcely 

 presentable. Tied-up canes of Raspberries that had been blown 

 down by the wind, and thinned the young shoots. Stopped the 

 pointB of the stronger shoots of Pears, Plums, and Apples, 

 especially dwarf standards, and cut back very strong shoots to 

 a few buds from their base, or removed them altogether where 

 wood of moderate growth was not wanted. To keep trees dwarf 

 and full of bloom-buds young shoots should be pinched when 

 from 6 to 9 inches in length. This will swell but not start the 

 buds near the base, and many of these will be bloom-buds next 

 season. Looked over a few Plum trees that were a picture in 

 spring, and which the birds in a few hours left a wreck, scattering 

 the ground with flower-buds, and wood-buds too, so that the 

 shoots are thin, and many of them stronger than they ought to 

 be ; stopped the latter early to get serviceable twigs of moderate 

 growth. Very few bloom-buds escaped the onslaught, so we 

 must set this against the clearing of caterpillars from the Goose- 

 berry bushes. We hope the caterpillar will not come a second 

 time. The extreme dryness is causing Black Currants to be 

 slightly affected with honeydew, and we must syringe, as we 

 cannot water. This Currant is extremely fond of moisture, 

 provided the moisture is not stagnant, and much the same may 

 be said of the Raspberry. The best fruit we ever Baw were wild 

 ones on the shelving banks of a running stream with the shade 

 of deciduous trees not over-thick above tbem. 



Watered the trees, and moistened the borders in orchard- 

 houses to keep them cool and comfortable. Went over Cherries 

 against walls again, the points of the shoots getting black fly on 

 them again, though they had been dipped in tobacco and size 

 water. We never found any plan of dipping or washing of 

 much use unless adopted in time, as what is strong enough to kill 

 the insectB is generally sufficient to kill or blanch the leaves. 

 Many of these leaves and young points may be pulled off at 

 once and burned, and save much bother ; and for insect-de- 

 stroying, after all there ia nothing like nimble fingers catching 

 them and squeezing them, and shortly afterwards getting rid of 

 the debris from such destruction by a good syringing with warm 

 water. Such water at times may be used safely at 120°, but not 

 too often, and must be used when cloudy or in the evening. 

 Plums received much the same treatment. Those in pots and 

 well shortened-in the previous season are some of them better 

 supplied with fruit than wood-buds. Went over Apricots, 

 thinning wood, nipping the points of moderate-sized shoots, and 

 shortening back to a few buds very Btrong ones when they 

 appeared. Eruit thin as a whole, owing to the wood being 

 imperfectly ripened laBt season. A great object in such circum- 

 BtaneeB is to secure moderate-sized wood, and to keep it and spurs 



as close to the wall as possible. Next to ripe wood and buds, 

 dryness and sun and heat when the trees are in bloom, with 

 plenty of air, are the chief essentials for a crop. The best and 

 most regular crops we ever saw were on the gable ends of houses 

 facing south, south-east, and west, with a fireplace and chimney 

 on the other side of the wall. In cold seascus it was easy to see 

 to what beneficial width the warmth of the chimney extended. 

 For Apricots, therefore, if building, we should like a hollow wall 

 heated with pipes or flues, and no other protection given except 

 in severe weather. A very ingenious friend has just been telling 

 us — nay, showing us — how a twelve-inch hollow brick wall can 

 be built with three per cent, more bricks than a solid nine-inch 

 wall, and every brick be tied and held firmly in its place, which 

 is not the case with the common nine-inch hollow wall. 



Moved the whole of the Strawberries out of the houses 

 (vineries and Peach-houses) to cold pits, where they could get 

 more light and air, as in shade they were getting soft and rather 

 flavourless in the houses. The houses will now have some room 

 in them, and not before it was wanted. The fruit, swelling and 

 ripe, will keep much longer in such pits with plenty of air, and 

 will keep us going until we get them ripe from the front of an 

 orchard-house. Thinned urapes, tiea-up shoots, and gave a 

 good heat to the late house now in bloom, in addition to drawing 

 a dry hand over the Muscats every day. Other vineries will 

 average from 55° to 60° at night, and in these bright days will 

 range with air given early from 80° to 90° during the day. The 

 late house has rather less air and more artificial heat, ranging 

 from 70° to 85° and more during the day, and averaging 65° to 

 70° at night, or a few degrees more, until the fruit is set, when 

 we will let the temperature decline at night. The 70° and 75° 

 at night for any continuance we consider more than mere waste 

 of material in the case of Vines in general. High temperature 

 in sunlight is a very different thing. 



Regulated Melons setting, and those swelling and ripening 

 were placed on inverted pans or saucers. They had been placed 

 on the top of pots, but were changed to saucers or slates, as we 

 always think that a Melon, like a bunch of Grapes, is best when 

 the foliage protects the fruit from the full force of the sun. 

 Some Cherries in pots have come in useful, and neither they nor 

 those on short standards out of doors have been troubled with 

 fly, like those on walls out of doors. Watered Eig-house ; a 

 very heavy, too heavy, crop now swelling fast and ripening ; 

 and removed the covering of leaves, and the tar and sawdust 

 jacket from the Vine- border. A few places exposed were very 

 dry, but all under the jacket was just nicely moist. However 

 hot the jacket no moisture would rise from it, and the heat of 

 the sun acting on the hard smooth surface, would bring moisture 

 to the roots from long distances. Once we let a jacket of 

 concrete and tar remain on a border for four years, and only 

 removed it when we found the Vines getting far too fruitful, 

 giving more bunches than fair-sized leaves. If we have cold 

 evenings, will cover the border with litter. It is just moved on 

 the surface to take a little warm rain if it come. 



Attended to plants in conservatory, and those planted in 

 flower garden, but have delayed finishing bedding plants, Dahlias, 

 &c , as they are so much easier watered in groups close together, 

 than if planted out. — R. E. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



* # * We request that no one will write privately to the depart- 

 mental writers of the " Journal of Horticulture, Cottage 

 Gardener, and Country Gentleman." By so doing they 

 are subjected to unjustifiable trouble and expense. All 

 communications should therefore be addressed solely to The 

 Editors of the "Journal of Horticulture, 6fe." 1H2,, Fleet 

 Street, London, E.C. 



We also request that correspondents will not mix up on the 

 same sheet questions relating to Gardening and those on 

 Poultry and Bee subjects, if they expect to get them answered 

 promptly and conveniently, but write them on separate 

 communications. Also never to Bend more than two or 

 three questions at once. 



We cannot reply privately to any communication unless under 

 very special circumstances. 



Flora of the Nile {Mary). — We are not aware cf any special work, 

 upon this subject. It is probable there will be some information on the 

 subject in the account Capts. Speke and Grant will publish of their dis- 

 covery of the Btmrce of tbat river. Mr. Wyid, Charing Cross, has pub- 

 lished a map showing their track as well as those of Eebrnann, Livingstone. 

 Andersen, Mofi'att, Burton, Du Chaillu, and others. 



