208 
THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA 
essary, but where unprotected it must be done and in 
light loose soil it is still more important. The stake 
should be in the same proportion as the stem of the tree. 
Stakes with rough edges are objectionable, for very often 
they are the cause of stem abrasion. The next step is 
pruning and this is when the most intelligent operation is 
about to commence. The systematic way, with a good 
deal of science attached to pruning to-day. calls for a 
thorough understanding as to aim and princii^le. The 
three main essential points to be considered are when 
to prune, how to prune, and why. for success greatly de- 
pends on this. Of course, the object is to increase fer- 
tility, highest standard in quality of fruit and lasting 
results. 
With young trees naturally one prunes for wood in or- 
der to lay a proper foundation first, for once the form 
to be adopted is there, the future work is comparatively 
easy. Early spring' is generally the best time to finish all 
cutting, although local conditions play an important part. 
To cut during frosty weather is to insure trouble right 
away ; the frost may, or probably will, get into the 
heart of the shoot causing the part cut to die back some 
considerable way. The point to have in mind when 
pruning is to keep the tree or bush open as well as the 
outside growths. To do this, cut back always to an 
outer wood and generally shoots are about eighteen inches 
asvmder in most practically grown trees. If too crowded 
cut clean out from the point of origination. Of course, 
fruit is carried on the spurs of the old wood, so cutting 
back hard to these should be done in the winter pruning. 
The summer pruning, or pinching, is to cut back two 
thirds of the season's growth. For yotmg trees after 
planting, opinions on cutting differ a great deal. It is 
said by good authority that cutting back in young trees 
helps them to recover from the shift: the roots, the claim 
is put forth, are not taxed so heavily. 
In pruning red and white Currants the practice is to 
form a tmiform bush, a greater part of the young shoots 
being taken off annually. \Miat remains shorten back 
to four or six inches with a clean cut to a bud. 
With Gooseberries, keep the bush thin of branches. 
These bear fruit on the young as well as the two-year-old 
wood, so it is well to encourage young wood to supply the 
place of the old. 
With Black Ctirrants. cut away the old wood and aim 
to have a uniform and a well balanced bush. 
With Raspberries, simply cut down after planting to 
about six or eight inches from the ground. Sttbsequent 
pruning is to keep the votmg canes in and cut awav the 
old. 
Although space will not jiermit one to touch upon everv 
fruit known, in fact, the subject is such a vast one that 
a beginning on a few is only attempted, before coming to 
a conclusion that important item spraying must be 
touched upon, for recent years have proved it is gaining 
more and more in importance every season. Fruit trees 
like everything under the sun are subject to blight and 
blessings and with the insectivorous birds diminishing and 
the caterpillars and aphides of all description ever on the 
increase gives alarm and constant care to the grower 
of fruits. Of course, the various kinds of b]i"hts to con- 
tend with make the work a great deal more difficult. For 
parasitic funcus diseases such as 1)lack-rot. niildew. etc., 
spravins: with lime and sulnhur or Bordeaux mixture, 
w^hile various insecticides for sale and other plant in- 
sects render certain death when thoroughlv annlied. 
Spraying to be eff'ectual should be done early and one 
should know exactly what to use. Recular systematic 
sprayins' in the different seasons is sound advice to ac- 
cept. .\bout the worst pests tn contend with .nre the 
winter mottled umber and 'March moths. Shoulcl these 
gain a foothold they would quickly destroy foliage and 
blossom of any tree, no matter whether Apple, Pear, stone 
fruit. Gooseberries, Currants, etc. 
I think I may safely state hardy fruit growing is one 
of the most interesting subjects within the gardening 
profession of to-day, though my feeble attempts in try- 
ing to set forth some idea as to the principles and meth- 
ods necessary to success falls into insignificance when com- 
pared to the great works on hardy fruits that are now- 
in reach of the public. Much as one might try to gather 
information from practical sources, no definite idea can 
be formed, for when success comes in one locality, alto- 
gether dift'erent methods in another probably would be 
necessary. Nevertheless it is as an old saying, utterecT 
years ago, "' 'Tis the varied opinions, failures and mis- 
takes that largely make gardening delightful and inter- 
esting." 
THE CRIMSON FRUITED MOUNTAIN ASH. 
pVRUS OCCIDENTALIS, T.-//?.— High in the Sierra 
■*■ Nevada Mountains, California, in eastern California,, 
there occurs a type or variety of the mountain ash that is 
worthy of extensive cultivation. 
This tree attains a height of about 30 feet, with ir- 
regular spreading branches ; the leaves resemble those of 
a gigantic rose bush : dark green in color in the summer 
and a beautiful orange red in autumn, btit the crowning: 
glory of this tree is its myriads of large fire red berries, 
which remain on the tree all winter. 
No other berried tree that we know of has such bright 
attractive winter fruits. The berries look as if made 
of fire red glass. The size "of these fruits is about one- 
half inch in diameter. 
Well do I remember my first meeting with this won- 
der of the forest. I was on a seed collecting trip in the 
high Sierras, on the North Fork of the Consumnes River, 
California, and rounding a bend in the river, there arose 
from a tangled thicket of vaccinium at the water's edge, 
a drooping flame colored mass of leaves and berries, 
perhaps 2^ feet in height. The bright early morning 
sun, streaking through the dark fir forests, lit up this 
magnificent tree with its thousands of sparkling dew 
drops, its gorgeous orange red foliage and fire red ber- 
ries : the gray towering cliffs of granite on either side 
of the river, the low rushing roar of the waters, the 
music of the winds through the dark forests, rendered 
this tree a fitting companion to its wild stirroundings. — 
-S'. /,. U'afkiiis ill Xatioiial Xurscrvinau. 
GREENHOUSE POTATO GROWING. 
TN relating his experience of starting potaiti jjlants un- 
der glass some }'ears ago, J. llebbington writes to 
The Canadian Florist : "The seed tubers were jilanted in 
rows in the greenhouses (in IMassachusettsi in March. 
In a few weeks they sprouted. They furnished three- 
inch cuttings in a short time. These were taken oft' by 
myself as propagater, inserted in a propagating bed of 
fiO X 3 feet, in sand. They were given a bottom heat of 
about 65 to 70, top heat 60. In about one week these cut- 
tings were well rooted and potted oft in 2' ..-inch pots. 
After the pots were filled with roots another shift was 
made into three-inch pots. By the time the first lot was 
rooted another lot was ready. 
"These cuttings are as easy to root as weeds. Keep 
moderately warm and moist. The plants when hardened 
off' in cool frames and planted out in good, open, welt 
prepared ground, were a great success. In the last lot 
planted the tubers were not so large as those planted frouT 
larger tubers, but it proved the best way to produce quan- 
tity in a short time. 
