178 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND C0T1AGE GARDENER. 
[ February 26, 1885. 
oil, allowing it to dry on, whilst the house is empty, as we can then do 
no barm, and I think any insects must succumb to such treatment. We 
next fill the pits with fresh bark from the tannery, and after mixing the 
old and new together, we leave it until the heat rises, turning off the 
bottom heat, as there will be sufficient heat for a time without them. 
The soil is next prepared for potting the suckers. Various kinds have 
been recommended, but I do not consider this so important if they receive 
proper attention afterwards. As I never yet saw a Pine too firmly potted, 
1 use the following compost, with the view of securing that firmness which 
i3 so essential to strong leathery foliage, dwarf sturdy plants, anil fine 
solid fruits. Four parts strong fibry loam, one part cow’s dung, gathered 
from the pasture, dried in the sun, and one part wood ashes, adding to 
each barrowful of this mixture an 8-inch potful of finely ground hones, 
with a slight sprinkling of charcoal, using more charcoal when without 
wood ashes. 
The suckers are prepared by cutting half an inch or an inch from the 
base, and taking off the lower leaves, so as to expose the roots, which in 
several will be curled up under the leaves, the others being just ready for 
pushing into the soil as soon as placed into suitable heat and moisture. 
The pot used for them is 6 inches in diameter. After carefully placing a 
potsherd over the hole hollow side down, this is covered to the depth of 
2 inches with more potsherds, finishing with smaller pieces. Over these 
is placed some of the roughest compost, and a little finer on that, which 
is rammed well down with a hlant stick. Then place the sucker in the 
centre of the pot, and with a suitable stick press the soil firmly around it, 
taking care that the compost is neither too wet nor too dry, but in such a 
condition that the stick will work freely and not be clogged. As the 
work proceeds they are taken into the stove ready for plunging. Those 
intended to fruit are also examined, and if any require top-dressing they 
receive a little of the same compost as the suckers. They are then 
plunged in the pits, those that are to fruit being on one side of the path 
and the suckers on the other, so that the bottom heat can be regulated to 
suit both. Those in the autumn and winter that are swelling and ripening 
their fruit requiring a higher bottom heat than the suckers of the previous 
spring. The distance the plants are placed apart in the pits are 18 inches 
between the rows, the pits allowing no more, and 2 feet 8 inches from 
plant to plant for those that are established for fruit-bearing, whilst the 
suckers are placed so that they stand clear of each other until they become 
rooted and ready for a shift. 
Those intended to fruit and suckers are started in a bottom heat of 90°, 
this being a suitable heat for assisting the former to throw up their fruits, 
and the other to emit their roots quickly. Sometimes the heat of the 
bark rises much higher, but there is no need to be alarmed. If it should 
become too high the best thing is to loosen the pots in the bark so that 
there is a space all round to let the heat escape. One spring it rose to 
130° with me, and I felt very uneasy about the result, but those plants 
subjected to such an extreme heat produced the same summer the finest 
fruits I have had, the only discernible effect being that they were slight'y 
drawn in the stem, with a few blotches on some of the leaves near to the 
6tem very similar to a scald. As the heat of the bark declines the heat 
under the pits must be turned on, and the evaporating troughs should be 
kept filled with water. 
(To be continued.) 
FEBRUARY FLOWERS. 
Snowdrops, Crocuses, Violets, Primroses ! Are there any flowers 
more generally appreciated? Does even summer with its Roses give 
us as much real heart-stirring pleasure as early spring with its lowly 
blossoms, the first to rise from winter’s sleep out of the cold brown earth ? 
The garden now is just charmingly invigorating ; ofteD gayer, but never 
more attractive ; often more gaudy, cloying with the fulness of its 
treasures, but now in every flower I read eager expectation, hope, 
promise, youthful energy, stored-up energy which by-and-by will work 
wonder?. 
Thrushes and blackbirds ring out their clear wild songs. The fresh 
crisp wind makes the white helmets of the Snowdrops nod ; and what an 
army of these white-helmeted soldiers have risen up this year 1 I suppose 
their sleep was sounder than usual owing to the hot dry summer; anyhow 
they stand in serried ranks a countless host. Crocuses are staring with 
wide-opened eyes at the sun. And the Violets. Oh, the Violets ! what a 
delicious whiff came up with that last breeze ! Mr. Editor, I must send 
you a few of our Devonshire Violets. Like the Snowdrops they are 
positively brimming over with luxuriance this spring, delicious, ravishing ! 
May our hopes be fulfilled.— R. W. Beachey. 
[The flowers sent are among the finest we have ever seen, the varieties 
are Comte de Brazza, double white, large, pure and sweet; White Czar, 
pure, but less fragrant; Czar, single, well known ; Victoria Regina, twice 
as large as the Czar and twice as sweet; De Parme, a large, dark, and 
highly perfumed form of the Neapolitan ; and New York, still darker, 
more massive, and powerfully scented.] 
DEUTZIA GRACILIS IN SMALL POTS. 
The above well-known shrub is invaluable for early forcing. No one, 
where early cut flowers are in demand, should fail to have a few plants. 
It is so easily grown and forced into flower that no one need despair of 
success. Moreover, it is one of those accommodating plants that may be 
had in flower at the cultivator’s will, and amply repays any little trouble 
he may bestow upon it, producing as it does such a profusion of lovely 
white flowers, and at a season when they are highly prized. 
The usual way of propagation is by cuttings. These, made of the 
young growths and inserted any time during the next two months, will, 
with due attention as regards watering, potting, &c., make good plants 
during the coming season. But for forcing two-year-old plants are to be 
preferred. We have here a few such plants in 5 inch pots in flower now 
(February 21st), and very useful they are in this size pot. The first year’s 
growths of these plants I may say were removed last April, the current 
year’s growths alone being retained, and on these shoots, which average 
15 inches in length and ten to a plant, their beautiful racemes of flowers 
are freely produced. They may, however, be grown to almost any size 
and in any form the cultivator wishes ; but grown as here indicated and 
in the size of pot mentioned, they are in my opinion far more serviceable in 
every way. 
Many other plants, too, might be grown in smaller pots than they are 
usually seen growing in, and with the best results, by judicious treatment 
in the way of applying top-dressinys and stimulants when necessary.— 
J. Richardson, Calverton Hall, Notts. 
WORK foiithe WEEK,. <51 
JH 
HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 
Pruning, planting, training, and dressings for insects should all be 
finished ere now, and it only remains for us to remind our readers of the 
importance of seeing that all necessary attention has been or is promptly 
given to the roots before growth begins. For trees suffering from canker 
we have given proof that lifting clean out of the soil and replanting in 
fresh, sweet, fertile soil is a good remedy, so good that trees badly affected 
by canker recover fully and become healthy, flourishing, fruitful trees. Do 
not, then, lightly destroy cankered trees, but rather transplant. There are 
few fruit gardens where root-pruning, lifting, or transplanting might not 
advantageously be done to some of the trees every winter. It is by such 
careful timely attention to faults or failings early before much harm has 
been done that the trees are kept both healthy and fruitful, and annual 
attention renders such work trifling in comparison to what it must be if 
only done occasionally after the lapse of three or four years. Trees show¬ 
ing signs of incipient debility should be assisted by having a heavy dress¬ 
ing of old decayed manure dug in about the roots, and if subsequently, 
when a free vigorous root-action i3 by this treatment again established 
near the surface, we may assist it by surface dressings of manure. 
Remember that this applies strictly to old or exhausted trees. Young 
trees in full vigour do not require such rich food, for if it is given them 
the result but too often is a rank growth of useless wood. Every garden 
should have two compost heaps for the fruit trees—one ready for use, and 
the other in course of preparation. Weeds, sweepings, road trimmings, 
waste soil from potting sheds, vegetable refuse, leaves, coal ashes, stable 
manure, wood ashes, and lime are the component parts of the heap, which 
grows in a year to a considerable size, and is after a few turnings sweet, 
mellow, and so fertile that it is difficult to confine its use solely to the 
fruit trees. We call attention to it now in order that those who have not 
hitherto been accustomed to prepare such a valuable gardener’s assistant 
should at once begin doing so. Many a man while indulging in vain 
longings for sweet, fertile, fibrous loam might do better by making such 
an excellent substitute for it as we consider our compost to be. 
Have we done all that is possible by planting to improve the shelter 
of our fruit gardens ? If not, let this important matter be seen to before 
it grows too late for planting. Thick wide belts to guard the exterior of 
our orchards from high winds and biting north-easters, and intersecting 
hedges of Thuja Lobbi for the interior. We cannot too often call atten¬ 
tion to this important matter, for shelter or no shelter but too frequently 
mean? fruit or no fruit. The blossom of Plums, and Cherries suffers 
mofrom exposure to the north-east winds, which blow upon it with 
deadly effect nine springs out of ten. Pears come next in a certain degree 
of hardiness, and Apples last; but all fruit trees require that shelter 
which it is in the power of most gardeners to afford them—the protection 
of a thick screen of evergreen trees of quick growth and dense habit such 
as we have in the Norway Spruce, Scotch Fir, Austrian Pine, and best 
of all, where it will answer, Pinus insignis. They should be at least four 
deep—twice four would be better if space can be spared, and have plenty 
of Larches among them for the first few years as nurses, taking care to 
rem >ve them gradually as the permanent trees require space. We ask 
the especial attention to this matter of all who have or are planting new 
orchards. Plant against the cross winds, first of all from the north-east, 
and as of secondary importance against the south-west winds, which 
occasionally do much harm in battering tender blossom and foliage to 
pieces, and in blowing off the immature fruit. 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Vines. —Earliest House .—The thinning must be completed now, and 
as no rule can be laid down for this operation those in charge and 
acquainted with the capabilities of the Vines should be guided by their 
own judgment. One essential, however, may be noted —viz., that in a 
properly thinned bunch of Grapes there should be a sufficient number of 
perfect berries to keep it in shape when cut and laid upon the dish, and 
