FRUIT TREES IN POTS 67 



outside during the winter, but stored in a dry, airy house thoroughly to ripen 

 the wood. The early trees are started on November i ; these produce ripe 

 fruits from the ist March onwards, sometimes a week earlier. The latest trees, 

 on the other hand, are retarded as much as possible to prolong the season ; in 

 the spring, about the end of February, these are laid down out of doors in the 

 most sheltered spot available, remaining there until the middle of April, when 

 they are placed upright and watered, at first quite sparingly. As space is avail- 

 able they are brought under glass again, so that by the middle of May all are 

 together under cover. The soil is slightly varied for figs, less manure being 

 used, but in its place more lime rubble is added. It is for first and second early 

 crops and for late crops that the pot culture of figs is recommended. Figs in 

 pots succeed better if the pots are partially plunged. This practice minimises 

 the work of watering, besides which the plunging material affords a rooting 

 medium that is readily taken advantage of. The pot culture of figs is com- 

 mendable because so many more varieties can then be grown than when the 

 trees are planted in borders and trained over a large area. For first early 

 forcing no variety in pots can compare with St. John's, which is practically 

 identical with Pingo de Mel (where one is grown, the other need not be). To 

 follow St. John's nothing will surpass Brown Turkey and White Marseilles. The 

 later sorts will follow these, such as Bourjasotte Grise, Bourjasotte Noire, Negro 

 Largo, Violette Sepor, Nehian, and D'Agen, the last-named being the latest fig 

 grown. The White Ischia, quite a miniature fig, is well worth growing in pots ; 

 it is most prolific and of delicious flavour. 



The Orange, Lemon, and Allied Fruits. — All these may be treated 

 alike, and it may be taken that the soil recommended for such as peach, 

 nectarine, and other trees, will also suit in these instances, except that more lime 

 or mortar rubble should be added. It is much to be deplored that the cultiva- 

 tion of these useful and ornamental fruiting trees is practically non-existent in 

 this country. In no sense are they difficult to grow in cool houses, and they 

 are always admired when well fruited. On the Continent they are grown in 

 tubs of excessive size. These are not necessary if good soil is used, firm potting 

 practised, and care taken not to neglect the watering. Being evergreens they 

 will not bear much dryness at the roots, while for the same reason only 

 occasional repotting is advisable. Scarcely any pruning is needed. Just the 

 strong shoots should be checked so that they do not rob the weaker ones. The 

 greatest insect enemy of these trees is the scale, which, however, can be easily 

 kept down with the XL-All plant wash or insecticide, not the vaporizer. 



Nectarines. — Cardinal (Rivers') is beyond question the best first early 

 variety for pot culture, either for first early forcing or for ripening naturally. It 

 is not recommended by the raisers for planting out-of-doors ; with a properly 

 prepared border, however, I consider it safe to plant as a trained tree under 

 glass. It is fully twenty days earlier than Lord Napier under exactly similar 

 conditions of culture. The fruits "set" freely, and their colour is denoted by 

 the name. Early Rivers succeeds Cardinal, being about ten days later. It is 

 a larger fruit when ripe, and altogether an excellent variety. It is most reliable 

 when the trees are started at the new year. Lord Napier and Advance : two 



