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FRUIT TREES IN POTS. 



MORE attention is now being given to the culture of fruit trees in pots, especially 

 stone fruits and Grapes. In the case of stone fruits, as soon as the fruits are 

 gathered the trees can be placed outside to ripen and rest, and the house 

 used for some other purpose. An empty house is especially valuable in October 

 now that so many Chrysanthemums are grown, and there are other purposes to which valuable 

 space could be put in winter that will occur to anyone interested. 



ApriCOtS. — The Apricot is not always satisfactory as a 

 pot tree, though when a house can lie given up lo il it does 

 well, but in this case we should prefer to plant it out in 

 soil that was freely dressed with old plaster and wood ashes, 

 and the house should he constructed with movable lights, 

 so that the trees can be fully exposed when the fruit has been 

 gathered. We have seen very heavy crops in cool houses 

 under these conditions. The ventilation is a most important 

 matter. Success to a considerable extent hinges upon this 

 being :<s perfect as possible without cold currents being 

 created. 



Cherries. — Cherries are not so much grown under glass 

 as formerly ; they do not succeed so well with other fruit, 

 but when a light house can be given up to them Cherries 

 are very prolific, and they are easily protected from birds, 

 which is not so easy to do outside, for even when netted the 

 birds somehow seem to find their way inside. For pot 

 culture Cherries should be budded on the Mahaleb stock. 

 In preparing the potting compost do not forget the old 

 plaster, for lime is essential for allstone fruits, especially for 

 Cherries. When failures occur it is usually through 

 imperfect ventilation when the trees are in blossom or from 

 a deficiency of lime in the soil. Fruit trees are easily kept 

 free from green and black fly by vaporising with nicotine. 

 And il is true economy in every sense to begin when the 

 first fly is seen. Pinch the young shoots when five leaves 

 have been made, and turn the trees outside as soon as the 

 crop has been gathered. The compost used for Peaches and 

 Plums will do for Cherries. Varieties : May Duke, Arch- 

 duke, Late Duke (all the Duke Cherries succeed in pots), 

 Early Rivers', Waterloo, Governor Wood, Elton, liigarreau, 



Frogmore Early, Bigarreau Napoleon, and Black Fleart 

 (Werder's). 



Fig's. — These are dealt w ith separately. 



Nectarines. -In all cultural details Nectarines require 

 the same treatment as Peaches. Those who grow for sale 

 often find Nectarines more satisfactory than Peaches. Early 

 Rivers' is the best early variety ; Lord Napier succeeds ; 

 Early Humboldt follows quickly after Lord Napier; Violette 

 Hative, Rivers' Orange, Stanwick Elruge, and Victoria (late). 



Peaches. — The value of light and free ventilation 

 for Peaches, in fact for all fruits, has always been under- 

 stood and appreciated by gardeners. A span-roofed structure 

 is best, and it can scarcely be too wide or too lofty. There 

 should be ample ventilation along the ridge, and also along 

 each side, though side ventilation may not be much required 

 when the trees are in blossom unless the weather is mild 

 and sunny; but later on the side ventilation will be essential 

 fcr perfect ripening of both fruit and wood. 



The initial expense of potted trees may in some cases be 

 rather more than w hen permanent trees are planted, but in 

 the latter case border-making is expensive, especially when 

 the maiden loam insisted on by gardeners has to be pur- 

 chased. We have known more money spent on Peach borders 

 than would have purchased trees and pots several times 

 over, and then afterwards the training of these permanent 

 trees takes up much more time than need be given to trees 

 in pots, so that the latter system in the matter of labour 

 appears to offer some compensation. It is true that bearing 

 trees are rather expensive to buy, but a neighbour of 

 ours bought bearing trees in pots at half-a-guinea each, and 

 he said the first year's crop paid for the trees. This may 



