162 



CASSELL'S POPULAR GARDENING. 



and insects. Houses started after Christmas will re- 

 quire similar treatment through the different stages ; 

 the quantity of water used must, however, he aug- 

 mented with increasing length of days, as solar 

 heat and light will protect the early huds from in- 

 jury, and evaporation will be more rapid. It gene- 

 rally happens that the late and latest houses are 

 found to be on the verge of bursting into vigorous 

 flower before syringing is thought of, a fair proof 

 that incessant syringing is not absolutely necessary. 

 An occasional washing with tepid water before they 

 expand will refresh and help them on, provided it 

 is always applied early in the day, and tire-heat is 

 at command in the event of frost. 



Watering No rule can be laid down for 



watering the trees, _ as so much depends upon the 

 depth, width, and elevation of the borders. When 

 the surface of a border is on a level with the floor, 

 it does not take so much water as one that is 

 elevated above it. Then again the nature of the 

 materials used, and the depth of drainage, make a 

 great difference, as sandy loams take water more fre- 

 quently than niarly or clayey loams. The roots 

 should never be allowed to become dry, otherwise 

 spider will attack the foliage in summer, the fruit 

 will ripen prematurely, and dormant buds will drop 

 in showers when they ought to be swelling into leaf 

 and blossom. 



It is usual to advise the first watering to be given 

 when the house is closed ; but in order to make suc- 

 cess a certainty, preliminaries for the next year's crop 

 should commence as soon as the last is gathered. 

 Many crops of Peaches are doomed long before the 

 closing of the house takes place, when the generally- 

 advised first watering would be too late. Conse- 

 quently, in order to keep the roots progressing, as 

 Peach-roots will progress, be very careful to keep the 

 soil in a thoroughly moist, growing state throughout 

 the winter, and there will be but little fear of the 

 trees not swelling their buds. If we examine a Peach- 

 tree that has been lifted in the autumn and re-planted 

 or potted in fresh, fairly moist soil, we find that two 

 or three weeks have sufficed for the formation of 

 numerous new roots. These, if inside the house, 

 should be kept progressing by means of continuous 

 supplies of moisture from the tanks ; if outside, the 

 natural rainfall will keep them right, and they in 

 their turn will steadily feed, fill, and plump up the 

 buds ready to burst into perfect flower when a little 

 warmth is applied to them, almost as soon as the 

 house is closed. Assuming then that the trees" have 

 been wintered properly, and well watered before the 

 house was closed, it is not unlikely that the occa- 

 sional syringing and partial covering with ferment- 

 ing material will keep them in a satisfactory state 



until the fruit is set. Then, if necessary, another 

 watering can be given ; but unless it is really need- 

 ful, it is best to avoid heavy watering until the young 

 fruits have pushed off the remains of the flowers. 

 From this time until the fruit begins to show signs 

 of ripening, three or four thorough waterings will be 

 needed. 



The quality of the water must be regulated by 

 the age and condition of the trees ; if young, 

 vigorous, and not over-cropped, ordinary tank- water 

 passed through a thin layer of old Mushroom dung 

 just enough to prevent evaporation, will be sufficient, 

 certainly at first, if not throughout the season. Uld 

 heavily-cropped trees that make a profusion of short 

 pieces of blossom-wood require more generous treat- 

 ment, and may receive liberal supplies of clear, 

 diluted liquid at every watering, always in sufficient 

 quantity to moisten every part of the borders, with 

 the greatest advantage. For general purposes there 

 is nothing better than the clear liquid which drains 

 from hot-beds or the cattle-shed, provided it is well 

 diluted. Weak solutions of guano or soot, when the 

 foliage is deficient in substance or colour, also make 

 excellent stimulants for occasional use. These stimu- 

 lating liquids are easily prepared by filling bags with 

 soot or guano, and sinking them in soft-water tanks 

 in the houses or in barrels outside, where clear water 

 can always be had ready for use. When watering 

 the borders in fruit-houses, the great danger attend- 

 ing the application of strong stimulants must be 

 guarded against, and the water should always be a 

 few degrees warmer than the mean of the house. 

 The watering of late and early houses differs in no 

 way, except that the quantity which large trees with 

 every leaf exposed to the sun and not more than 

 eighteen inches from the glass will take, will be con- 

 siderably in excess of the supplies required by early 

 trees, while heavy mulchings will greatly economise 

 labour in its application. The latest houses, including 

 Peach-cases, should be furnished with hydrants, to 

 which short lengths of hose-piping can be attached 

 for watering and cleansing purposes. Where a 

 pressure of water is at command, the fixing of a set 

 of pipes is inexpensive, and the saving in labour, 

 independently of the superior quality of the fruit 

 from well-fed trees, quickly covers the first outlay. 



Fertilisation of the Flowers.— Little need 

 be added to what has been said upon this head under 

 The Orchard HorsE, Vol. III., p. 131. All other 

 conditions being right, it is questionable if free pollen- 

 producing varieties would not set plenty of fruit 

 without artificial aid, but shy kinds like Noblesse 

 barely set enough even when foreign pollen is care- 

 fully applied. Where Royal George, Violette Hative, 

 or Bellegarde are grown, they should be passed over 



