98 



JOUENAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



grape (Vitis Coignetiae). Cuttings are best made from November to 

 May, but late February to March is best to make them root. Grafting 

 is best done in March. 



Mulberries are grown by division, layering, cuttings, and grafting. 

 They are very easy to strike. Divide in May, when shoots have- 

 grown one foot or more. Cuttings are made in February, and grafting 

 is done at the same time. 



Goumi are easy to divide, while cuttings easily strike. Work in 

 spring before sprouting. 



Japanese gooseberries are propagated by suckering, cuttings, layers, 

 and divisions. The cuttings are inserted in beds in February, and 

 earthed up in May around the shoots. When these have rooted they 

 are divided. 



Brambles are readily propagated by suckers and cuttings, the work 

 being "done before sprouting commiences. 



Some Routine Operations in Japanese Orchards. 



Of the ordinary processes in Japanese orchards, irrigation and 

 draining, * ' bagging, ' ' manuring, hoeing, and protecting against 

 enemies are rather peculiar and noteworthy. Above all, the process 

 of " bagging" has been extensively adopted by growers as a pre- 

 ventive measure against insects and fungi. By this method every 

 fruit left after the final thinning is covered with a small paper-bag, 

 made of old newspaper or of " mino-gami," a strong Japanese paper. 

 The bags are provided with small holes in the corners to let out rain- 

 water freely, and to prevent breaking. 



Bags open at the bottom are preferred by some. In South Japan, 

 where peaches, pears, and grapes are largely grown, bottomless bags 

 made of newspaper are widely used. Near Tokio growers use 

 another kind of bag, made with native paper treated with " Kaki- 

 shibu," a juice expressed from unripe Kaki fruits. This juice makes 

 the paper water-tight, and from its antiseptic quality is extensively 

 used for many purposes, and the growing of date plums for the express 

 purpose of obtaining the juice is extensively carried on in some parts 

 of the country. When newspapers are used, new bags are annually 

 supplied, while in other cases they are only partially renewed, the 

 same bags being used for three years or more until they are worn out. 

 An immense number of these bags is prepared, so that growers are 

 always able to use them at the right time. .The time of bagging 

 varies for different fruits. Lately, bagging has been done very early, 

 to minimise insect and fungoid mjuries. For instance, the end of the 

 stoning period is a good time to bag peaches, but we are accustomed to 

 begin the work much earlier, just as they reach the size of ripe 

 cherries. (Fig. 59.) 



The primary aim of bagging is to protect the fruits from injury. 

 It is recorded in our old writings that this method was used a long time 

 ago by our forefathers, but it is now know^n that by the use of bags 

 the growth of the fruits is favoured and their ripening is accelerated 



