576 



THE CENTURY BOOK OF GARDENING. 



not always be so, and many would prefer to start with 

 maiden trees, which when polled in the right kind of stuff 

 soon develop into first-rate bearing trees. We have gathered 

 fruit the second season from maidens, and there is some 

 advantage in having the trees from the first under one's own 

 management. Assuming it is decided to buy maiden trees, 

 visit the nursery and select healthy, clean-stemmed trees, 

 and as soon as the wood is ripe, without waiting for all the 

 leaves to fall, have them home and pot immediate!}', so 

 that the trees may commence at once to make new roots. 



The compost should consist chiefly of two-thirds good 

 loam, heavy rather than light, and if the loam of the district 

 is inferior have a load or two from some district where good 

 loam can be had ; this will be money well spent. The loam 

 should be enriched with some old manure and a sprinkling 

 of bone meal, soot, and old plaster ; it will be all the better 

 it the remains of the hair usually mixed with the lime for 

 making plaster are left in. Trim the damaged roots with a 

 sharp knife, drain the pots well, and have the compost in a 

 condition which may be described as neither wet nor dry ; 

 then pot very firmly, and set the pots outside either on a bed 

 of ashes or on some impervious bottom which cannot be 

 penetrated by worms. If the trees are potted early in 

 October they may remain outside till the middle or end 

 of January, especially the late varieties. If frost comes 

 whilst the trees are outside, the pots must be sheltered with 

 long, dry litter or herns. 



The size ol the | ots must be suitable to the trees, ranging at 

 first hem Sin. to gin. in diameter. Shift into larger pots 

 w hen necessary, doing the work early in October, or even 

 earlier in the case of the early-ripening kinds. When the 

 trees have reached full size thev mav probably occupy No. I 

 pots, and in these pots may be carried on for a number 

 ol years by annual lop-dressings, removing as much of the 

 old soil as possible, and filling up with good compost, 

 ramming it in firmly. 



One cannot fix a limit to the life ol a potted fruit tree ; it 

 is mainly a question ol good soil and careful management. 

 We believe Messrs. Rivers have some of their old original 

 trees in pots still doing good work now ; therefore there is 

 no reason why a tree in a good-sized pot, well cared for. 

 should not live as long as when planted in the border. 



The summer management of a Peach tree in a pot is 

 more simple than with one trained on a trellis. The aim of 

 the primer must be constantly directed to keeping the trees 

 in all their parts supplied with young bearing wood. This 

 is not difficult w hen the wielder of the knife thinks before 

 he acts. This is specially important when disbudding 



the young shoots in spring. Always leave a shoot or two 

 as low down the branches as possible, and encourage 

 them to grow and get strong. As regards stopping, all 

 gross shoots, if any, should either be removed or stopped 

 early in their career; if left they only rob the more moderate- 

 growing shoots from which the next season's crop will be 

 obtained. It is not necessary or desirable to stop all the 

 young shoots at the same time. Peach trees should not be 

 pinched so closely as the Plum, or the back buds may burst 

 and the next shoots fail to ripen. Our custom is to pinch 

 when about a dozen leaves have been made, stopping each 

 shoot when that amount of growth has been made, without 

 reference to any other shoot on the same tree. The back 

 eyes that will bear the next season's crop will Chen be safe 

 and remain dormant till the right season comes round. 



In unheated houses it is advisable to retard the blooming 

 of the trees as long as possible by giving free ventilation till 

 the buds begin to swell. When that period arrives a 

 regular system of management must begin. Ventilate 

 freely in mild weather, but avoid cold draughts, keep the 

 roots moist, and use the syringe freely to keep down insects. 

 Early morning ventilation and early closing in the afternoon 

 encourage growth and cause the fruit to swell rapidly, but 

 a little air should be given along the ridge at night. 



Peaches for Potting 1 . — Waterloo ripens in July, 

 resembles Alexander, but is more reliable ; Hale's Early, 

 early in August; Earl}' York, rather later than Hale's Early, 

 very free bearer ; Royal George, August ; Stirling Castle, 

 similar to Royal George — both are good ; Alexandra 

 Noblesse, early in September ; Dymond, a grand Peach ; 

 Crimson Galande, September ; Barrington, September ; 

 Princess of Wales, Sea Eagle, and Goshawk. 



PllllllS. —Plums may be grown in the same house as 

 Peaches and Nectarines, and as regards soil and potting the 

 treatment is the same, but the young shoots should be 

 stopped when four or five leaves have been made. Splendid 

 Plums are obtained in pots, but if the crop is heavy some of 

 the fruit should be thinned off when young. It is important 

 that the ventilation should be as perfect as possible, but this 

 does not mean that cold air should rush through the trees 

 at any time. Perfect ventilation consists in changing the 

 air inside without causing cold currents. Varieties : Early 

 Transparent <iage, Oullin's Golden Gage, Late Transparent 

 Gage, Coe's Golden Drop, Jefferson's, Kirke's, Belgian 

 Purple, Monarch, Pond's Seedling, Prince Englebert, 

 Victoria, Washington, and The Czar. If possible, a division 

 of the house should be given up to Plums. They are delicious 

 when grown under glass. 



COB AND FILBERT NUTS. 

 By G. Wythes. 



IN many gardens these could be profitably grown. One often sees hedges of Privet or 

 Thorn where Not bushes might be planted instead that would give a crop, and at the 

 same time answer the purpose of a screen. The Cob and Filbert give an excellent 

 return under a regular system of culture. 



As many growers are aware, the trees may be easily raised from seed and suckers. 

 The last are not always satisfactory, as they reproduce growths too freely, but if the trees 

 are grown on a single leg or stem from the start, it is easy to keep down suckers not 

 required. Man)' trees have been planted in land that would not grow other crops, and left to 

 chance — that is, to make what wood they liked. Of course, the results have been woefully 

 poor, as even Nuts need some attention in the shape of suitable soil, food, and proper pruning. 

 The best soil is that which will grow fruit well. A strong, heavy, wet soil induces too much 

 leaf or wood growth and few fruits. The best Nuts 1 have ever seen were in a well-drained 

 soil of fair depth, having a sandy or rock base, and the trees were manured freely every other 

 year. Man)' may think manures out of the question for Nuts, but 1 do not see why, and if 



