yi8 



THE 



GARDENERS' MAGAZINE, 



November 30, 1912. 



Th© two great factors which remaiu are 

 1 and site. Is the soil suitable, from the 

 point of view of texture, and from its 

 natural chemical constitution, and how does 

 the land ''lie'' with respect to the sur- 

 rounding country, and also with regard to 

 its ^'tilt;' if any? 



First as regards *'soil/' The very best 

 soil, from an all-round point of view, for 

 fruit growing, that is, best to suit all kinds, 

 is a good holding " loam of a depth rang- 

 ing from two to three feet, and has 

 been well drained. Such a soil will grow 

 healthy trees of all kinds of fruit, which 

 will l>e of good size, the only point 

 on which it may fail is in the colour of 

 the skin, which may not be so good as 

 some grown on more shallow and hotter 

 lands. 



The lighter loams, almost amounting to 

 sands, which are often of gcxxl depth, are 

 not quite so gooil as that just mentioned, 

 and they are certainly poorer, and require 

 more given to them in the way of manur- 

 ing, but still must be considered favour- 

 able for fruit growing. Another tvpe of 

 soil frequently met with, wlii< h ' ^^rows 

 good and highly-coloured fruit, is a loam, 

 often light, overlying a deiK>sit of gravel 

 Very frequently the surface soil is of very 

 little depth, and in such cases considerable 

 quantities of manure rich in humus is 

 needed, but if the requirements of the soil 

 in this direction are attended to excellent 

 fruit can be grown, while the colour will 

 be unequalled by fruit produced on any 

 other type of soil. 



In contradistinction to the alx)ve there 

 is a type of soil on which fiiiit should not 

 be planted, in the opinion of the writer, 

 that is a thin loam, often heavy, sometimes 

 light and gravelly, overlying a stiff clay 

 subsoil. 



Trees in this soil grow fairly weW for 

 the first few years, while the roots rre in 



the top soil, but when they reach the eold 

 subsoil all sorts of trouhl*' sot in, and often, 

 as in the case of apples, tlio tr(H^s aie 

 doomed. 



A thoroughly <'layey soil may suit some 

 sorts of fruit, plums and black currants, 

 and, to some extent, gooseberries, fairly 

 well, but as it is so difficult to work, 

 and costly, in comparison with })etter soils, 

 it cannot be said to be favourable for fruit 

 culture. 



With regard to the chemical constituents 

 of the soil it is frequently, if not always, 

 possible to supply any deficiency there may 

 be found to exist in the soil on which it 

 is intended to plant fruit, hut it is ad- 

 visable, in the case of })adly worked, ex- 

 hausted land, to bring the soil into a 

 better state of cultivation some vear or 

 two before plantinp; by the application of 

 the nf^^essary ()ro;ani< ' tnanurv to .suuply 

 humus, and also by the supply of chalk to 

 renew any shortage there mav be in the 

 lime content of the soil. 



The other point concerning the situation 

 and aspect of the land is almost as impor- 

 tant as that of the nature of the soil itself. 



In the first place, low-lying land, at the 

 bottom of a valley, or in a hole anvwhere, 

 should not be chasen, as the' frost in 

 the spring always gathers in such places, 

 and the damage is always more serious than 

 on higher ground. 



On the other hand, it is seldom wise to 

 choose the top of a hill that is at all bleak 



H -M- K W 4 K 



posed 



^ere winds, as the fruit 

 shed to thft 



fore it is mature enough to pick, and the 

 trees themselves will often be damaged bv 

 being thrashed about by gales. The best 

 position IS midway between these two ex- 

 ^J^^^. and, if it is possible, the land 

 shoukl have a slope towards tho sun tliat 

 IS to the south or west. 



Such land is always slightly warmer than 

 a dead flat, and appreciably so than lands 

 which tilt either to the north or east. 



It may be extremely difficult, in fact, im- 

 possible, to find a plot of land which fulfils 

 to the full all these requirements, but if 

 the intending planter has in miAd that 

 which is most desirable in ev^ery way, he 

 can thoroughly weigh all the advantages 

 and drawbacks any projiosed plot may have, 

 and then, after mature consideration, de- 

 cide for himself the wisest course to pursue 



Pilgrim's Hatch. F. Hammond. 



In the fxjllowing notes attention k 

 directed to the most suitable sorts for oar 

 den use. 



C. aijplanata.— This is a new species from 

 A\estern China, which was introduced to 

 British gardens early in the present cen 

 tury by Messrs. Veitch, who received see' s 

 from their collector, Mr. Wilson. 



loo 



It 



COTONEASTERS 



ock foils 



portant group of shrubs, insomuch that the 

 us includes some of the 



genus includes some of the most showy 

 iruiting shrubs to be found in the garden, 

 that some of the species are really good 

 evergreens, and that nearly all the kinds 

 thrive without any special cultural atten- 

 tion. Considerable variation in habit is 

 noticed among the species, for while cer- 

 tain ones grow into very large bushes, or 

 almost small trees, others rarely rise more 

 than a foot or two alx)ve the ground, 

 whilst at least one kind is of trailing habit! 

 Their uses are many, for they are equally 

 at home in shrubberies and specimen beds ; 

 some form handsome isolated specimens', 

 others are useful for covering walls, while 

 the strong-growing sorts may be planted 

 about the outskirts of plantations. They 

 have also the advantage of being suitable 

 for both coastal and inland gaixlens, and of 

 not being fastidious regarding soil, al- 

 though that of a loamy character is modt 

 suitable. 



Propagation is effectetl in a variety of 

 ways. Seeds are the best means of in- 

 crease for some kinds ; in other instances 

 cuttings prove more satisfactory; branches 

 may be layei tHl, and now and then plants 



are grafted. Little can be said against 

 either of the three former methods, al- 

 though there is really no necessity for 

 layering, but cultivators should be warned 

 against grafted plants. When propagation 

 is carried on by grafting, the commoji 

 whitethorn is usually selected for the stock 

 I his produces suckery shoots rather freely 

 even when quite a small section of stern 

 is left between roots and scion, and it is 

 a very difficult matter to keep them cut 



away after the cotoneaster has attained a 

 fair size. 



The rockfoils do not require much prun- 

 ing, except when they are outgrowing their 

 positions. In such cases it is an easy 

 matter to draw out the longer branches 

 during winter. When grown against walls 

 It is a good plan to cut long shoots back 

 or the weight of the front growth will pro- 

 bably tear the main branches from the wall 

 Insect pests do not trouble the cotoneaster 

 much although aphis and scale may now 

 and then put in an appearance. 'J he 

 former may be destroyed by syringing witn 

 a solution of soft soap and qua.ssia chips 

 and water, and the latter by syringing 



nT^ffi ^'"^'^ -^"""8 ^^^P"^ May with 

 paraffin oiinii.sion. 



The genus is composed of about fifty spe- 

 cies some of which have been known for 

 half a centur.v or more, while others have 

 but recently been introduced 

 widely distributed, some 



silvery by reason of a dense pubescence cn 

 the under-surface, and dark green above 

 Ihe flowers appear in small clusters rrom 

 the leaf axils during May, and they aie 

 succeeded by bright red fruits, which ton.- 

 mence to colour about the end of August 

 It promises to be quite one of th© aiost 

 ornamental species, and is likely to be 

 widely grown in the near future. 



1 ■ 1 1 • -a 



They ;.re 



Europe, others in"Asia7and thTremafndrr 

 m America. The headquartens the 

 tamily appears to be the Himalayas but 

 many are found in China. Those from the 

 Himalayas and Chma are the most useful 

 k ndfdT'''*.'''' Purposes. The American 



fronts r*''^'^''^'^" ^-^ cultivation^but 

 from herbarium specimens they seem fo l>e 



ess showy than the l>est of the generall^ 



C. bacillaris is a large-growing kind fron 

 the Himalayas. Mature bushes may be 

 anythmg between twelve and tw^enty foe 

 high, with a wide spread. The deciduous 

 leaves are ovate in shape, and the wlijto 

 flowers are borne in flattened heads fi-um 

 axillary buds in May. They are foUow^xl 

 by dull reddish-purple 'fruits, which areiipp 

 in September. It is a good kind to uso 

 about the outskirts of a plantation, or at 

 the back of a shrubbery, where a go<-)(l 

 block plant is required, but it is not one 

 of the most showy species. 



C, buUata.— So far a« can be seen of this 

 species it is likely to be one of the most 

 useful of all, for it^is very showy and ea&ily 

 grown, and although it was unknown ten 

 or tw^elve years ago, it has already made 

 many friends. Its large deciduous leaves 

 are up to four and a-half inches in length 

 and two inches in width. They are densely 

 hairy on the under-surface, and the young 

 wood is pubescent. The flowers are borne 

 in large axillary panicles, and are followed 

 by glossy-red fruits, w^hich are at their best 

 in September. It is an excellent shrubbery 

 plant, and will also prove suitable for an 

 isolated specimen. 



C. buxi folia .—A Himalayan species 

 which has been grown for nearly a century 

 in British gardens. Belonging to the ever- 

 green section it is recognised by its small 

 oval, box-like leaves, which are dark green 

 above and grey beneath by reason of a denso 

 woolly pubescence. The conspicuous whito 

 flowers appear in May, and the bright red 

 fruits mature towards the end of August, 

 and hang for a considerable time in good 

 condition. Growing from six to ten feet 

 high, it is of vigorous constitution, and 

 spreads rapidly, therefore a wide space ot 

 ground should be allowed. 



C. Franchetti.— A comparatively new in- 

 China , whi ch was de- 



troduction from 



scribed with figures in the 



cole " ten years ago, and it was grown in 

 French gardens prior to its introduction to 

 the British Isles. Of vigorous habit, it at- 

 tams a height of six or eight feet in less 

 than ten years, and spreads to a consider- 

 able width. The ovate or ovate-lanceolate 

 leaves are from one to one and a-half inches 

 long, green above, grey and pubescent be- 

 neath. The flowers appear in small clusters 

 from the leaf axils. They are white, flushed 

 w ith rose, but not very showy. The fruits 

 ripen in September, at which time the 

 folour is scarlet. It has already proved 

 itself to be a useful and decorative shrub. 



C. frigida.-.The most ornamental, and 

 probably the best known, of the older and 

 stronger-growing kinds. A native of the 

 Himalayas, it grows into a very large bush, 

 or, sometimes, a small tree. Numerous 

 specimens twenty feet and upwards in 

 height, with a head diameter of as much 

 as forty feet, are to be found. The oval 

 deciduous leaves are three to five inches 

 long, and pale green in colour. As in other 

 cases, the white flow^ers are borne from the 

 leaf axils. They are showy, producer! in 



