18 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ January 1, 1885. 
trees, replant in fertile soil, top-dress annually, afterwards with specially 
prepared soil, or failing that, with manure, and the trees will become 
healthy and continue so. The soil we use for the replanting and subse¬ 
quent top-dressing is really a compost consisting of all the garden wet ds, 
road sidings, turf trimmings, decayed vegetables, and other garden refuse. 
Upon this we put a thick layer of stable dung, another of coal ashes, and 
a still thicker one of 180 bushels of lime fresh from the kiln. The heap 
is then turned and mixed, and again turned in about a week, by which 
time the lime is slacked and the mixing more thorough ; yet it is turned 
once more and thoroughly blended, and then we have a grand heap of the 
best possible compost for fruit culture, infinitely preferable to the best 
fibrous loam both for planting and as a top-dressing. Failing the accu¬ 
mulation of enough poor soil with the weed, we can easily add enough to 
impart consistency to our heap. 
We commend this plan to the attention of those gardeners who pin 
their faith to fibrous loam and long in vain to possess some. For their 
comfort and guidance we may add that fibrous loam is often a snare and 
delusion. Fibre decays, vegetable matter becomes absorbed by the greedy 
roots, the soil then soon becomes poverty-stricken, and frequently settles 
down into a compact mass, through which rain water falling upon the 
surface passes more and more slowly. But in our comp 'st this can never 
occur—the lime and coal ashes prevent it, and the annual surface dressing 
affords fresh supplies for the roots and serves to attract them. 
It must not be forgotten, however, that canker is also caused by severe 
frost ; the severity with which the extremities of fruit spurs are often 
attacked by canker proves this. Shelter must therefore be regarded as 
another important factor in fruit culture. Trees raised by budding and 
grafting are never s> hardy as wildings. We have plenty of wild Cherries 
and Crabs, pictures of health and vigour ; yet many of our Apple trees 
have canker, and some sorts of Cherry never take kindly to the soil. The 
hint so given us by Nature is not difficult to understand. We must feed 
and protect our garden trees with all possible care, and now is the time, 
before the pressure of spring work comes aeain, to renovate the soil, to 
lift and replant where the necessity is clearly apparent, and to do all we 
can to render our gardens snug and sheltered from hard frost and cold 
cutting winds. 
FRUIT FORCING. 
FIGS.— Early-forced, Trees in Pots. —When the terminal buds have 
fairly broken advantage may be taken of any favourable change in the 
weather— i.e., mildness after the turn of the days—for increasing the mean 
temperature of the house, as when fairly started into growth the Fig 
delights in a good heat, plenty of moisture, and all the light that can 
possibly be secured to it. On this account the glass should be kept per¬ 
fectly clean, and the increase in temperature will be more beneficial if it 
can be obtained from fire beat combined with sun heat by day in prefer¬ 
ence to maintaining a temperature in dull weather, and especially at night, 
that will cause any great advance in growth at those times. Syringe the 
trees and walls twice a day on fine days, but when the weather is dark 
and wet omit the early afternoon syringing and damp the floors in 
the evening instead, as it is important the trees become fairly dry 
before nightfall. Examine the plunging material, and if it exceed 
70° to 75° let it be turned over as a means of reducing the bottom 
heat, and be careful not to allow the heat about the pots to rise above the 
temperature indicated. Provide a night temperature of 55° to 60°, 
ventilating a little at 70° to give a little air when the morning promises 
an increase from gleams of sun, and c’ose sufficiently early for the 
temperature to run up to 80°. 
Early House of Planted-out Trees. —If conveniently arranged for the 
introduction of a good body of fermenting leaves and short stubble 
little fire heat will be necessary at night until the buds are swelling, 
especially when the trees have been started about the same lime for a 
number of years ; but young trees that have not been forced will require a 
somewhat higher temperature. Syringe twice a day with water a little 
warmer than the air cf the house, and if it be found necessary to repeat 
the root-watering use water at a temperature of 80° to 90°. 
Late Houses. —Pruning should be done as soon as convenient. Thin 
out the wood that has reached the extremity of the trellis, wash the trees 
with warm soapy water, and in the event of scale having obtained a 
hold add a wineglassful of petroleum to every gallon of the w ater, and 
keep it well mixed by constant stirring whilst being used. Have the 
house thoroughly cleansed. 
Young Trees in Pots. —Prepare the compost for repotting young plants 
intended for next year’s forcing, using good strong loam, a sixth of old 
mortar rubbish, and a little thoroughly decayed cow manuie. If wanted for 
early work the plants should be placed in gentle bottom heat by the end 
of the month, in order that they may make and properly ripen their growth 
by September. Train them to a clean slraight single stem, and allow the 
radiating shoots to form the foundation of a good pyramid. Insert cuttings 
or eyes of any varieties it is desired to increase, and in order to make a 
good growth they should be encouraged with bottom heat and started not 
later than the end of this month or the beginning of February. 
Pines. —If it be found necessary to bring together any plants for the 
purpose of inducing them to come into fruit sooner than they would under 
other circumstances, a light house or pit should be provided where they 
can have the benefit of more heat. This being done, a batch is to he 
selected from the successional plants, choosing those which appear likely 
to show fruits quickly, which are quickly distinguished by an examination 
of the centre or hearts of the plants, those likely to throw fruit having 
high centres and are quite stout in the upper part of the plan stem. Let 
these be plunged in a bed which should stand constantly at a temperature 
of 90° to 95° at the base of the pots. If the plants are^ in the least dry 
water them copiously, and maintain the top heat at 65° to 70° at night, 
with 5° more from fire heat by day, and 10° to 15° from sun. Keep the 
atmosphere about the plants in an invigorating and genial state by 
damping available surfaces as they become dry, and syringing as may he 
necessary. 
THE FLOWER GARDEN AND PLEASURE GROUNDS. 
Tree and Shrub Moving. —Whenever the weather is fine and not 
frosly the work of Iree ai.d shrub planting and transplanting should be 
pushed forward. It may be done with safety later on—say up till 
May, but much more care must be taken, and the plants will require 
much closer attention in the shape of watering during the following 
summer ; besides, later on there is much other work to be done. Many 
shrubberies of comparatively recent formation if planted at all thickly 
will now pay for thinning out in order to enable the choicer shrubs and 
Conifers to grow to their full dimensions. This thinning out, provided 
the shrubberies have been properly planted in the first instance, is a 
simple matter, all the commoner kinds being filled in after the choicer 
shrubs and trees have been planted that are to be regarded as permanent. 
Those inexperienced in forming shrubberies should first mark out with 
tall stakes where they propose to plant either deciduous trees, Conifers, or 
tall-growing choice evergreens, and to avoid subsequent confusion it is 
also advhable to label each stake with the name of tree or shrub to be 
substituted for it. Then if smaller stakes are inserted where it is pro¬ 
posed to fill in with smaller flowering shrubs and evergreens, it can 
easily be ascertained how many of each are required, and the whole 
process be thus much simplified. 
Why many trees and shrubs fail to grow satisfactorily is simply 
because they are planted in much too poor ground, and in many cases 
being only crammed into small holes. The ground should in most cases 
be either very deeply dug or bastard-trenched, and some rich soil and 
manure, or plenty of peat, leaf soil, or spent tan, be worked well about 
the roots of the trees as they are being planted. Very often the trees 
and shrubs have been previously growing in good soil, and it ought not 
to be expected that they would “ take to ” poor and often clayey 
soil of the intended shrubberies. They may do well in such soil eventually, 
but they must have some good soil about them in order to give them a 
good start. 
The Process of Lifting. —In no case when lifting trees or shrubs for 
the purpose of thinning out the shrubberies, or which are being trans¬ 
planted from a nursery, should they be dragged out of the ground, as but 
few will survive such rough treatment. Large balls of soil may not be 
necessary or obtainable in each instance, but that is a good reason why 
as many roots should be preserved as possible. The operator should open 
a trench round each tree or shrub, working with his side to them, and 
thus preserve many roots that he would otherwise cut through. Having 
opened a deep trench well under the principal roots, he can then under¬ 
mine the tree and reduce the balls of soil to moderate proportions with ease ; 
and when it is left standing on a slight pedestal of soil a strong flat board 
or a handbarrow without legs, such a? are used by masons, can be 
worked under, any top roots remaining be cut, and the tree carefully 
slided on to the board or barrow. It can then he carried to its fresh site, 
stood just as best suits the position, and the board or barrow carefully 
withdrawn. If they have to be carried to a considerable distance a small 
handtruc.k would be serviceable, but the tree or shrub should never be 
taken off the board or barrow, nor be carried about other than in an 
upright position, or a greater portion of the soil will crumble away from 
the roots. Very large trees may be transplanted safely, but seldom by 
inexperienced persons, or without appliances suitable for the work. They 
also generally need preparation one year in advance for this removal. 
This preparation consists in cutting a deep trench round the tree slightly 
beyond the proposed size of ball, much of the soil thrown out being 
replaced with leaf soil or other fairly light rich soil. All the roots cut 
through will thus be induced to form a mass of fibres, and these will, 
when the tree is moved, serve to keep the ball together, and also support 
life when in its fresh quarttts. 
Planting and After-treatment. —In most cases it is best to plant 
slightly ab we the level, and large trees especially seem to recover from 
the severe check most quickly when deposited almost on the surface—this 
being principally due to the fact of the surface soil being most conducive 
to root-action. The more the plants or trees are raised, however, the 
greater is the danger of their becoming injuriously dry at the roots. For 
one season at any rate newly planted trees or shrubs should not be allowed 
to suffer for want of water, or death in many cases will be the result. 
When first plauted, if at all dry at the roots or the surrounding soil is 
dry, they should receive a good soaking with water, but in the event of 
their being sufficiently moist the first watering may well be deferred t il 
the drying March winds are being experienced. Driblets are of no avail; 
they must be thoroughly soaked, and always before the ball becomes too 
dry to be easily moistened again. It is during the spring months when 
the weather is sometimes dry and drying winds are experienced that 
many newly moved trees are greatly injured, but they must also he well 
looked after later on. Many trees and shrubs, notably Rhododendrons, 
if required for planting in a loamy or clayey soil should be procured 
where possible from nurseries where they were reared in somewhat 
similar soil, or they will not always take to their new quarters. Failing 
this endeavour to procure a quantity of common peat or good leaf soil 
for mixing with the soil. All newly planted trees and shrubs should 
have the ground about them heavily mulched with rough manure or 
litter, and any requiring it be at once properly supported with stakes. 
