June 4, 1885. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
458 
4 
b 
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Linnean Society at 8 p m. ; Royal Society at 4.30 p.m. 
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7 
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First Sunday after trinity. 
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Bath and West of EDgland Show at Brighton. 
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Royal Horticultural Society—Committees at 11 A.M. ; Orchid Show. 
SMALL HARDY FRUITS. 
T may not be necessary on all soils to make 
plantations of Strawberries purposely for yield¬ 
ing a bountiful supply of runners for layering 
into pots early in the season for forcing. On 
light soils this system is, however, of importance, 
for the plants are very liable to suffer from 
drought, and few, if any, runners can be ob¬ 
tained from old fruiting plants until late in 
the season. Even on soils of a more retentive 
nature, if runners are freely produced seveial difficulties have 
to be contended against, and frequently the young plants 
are drawn weakly by the mass of foliage produced by the old 
plants, and thus they are rendered almost useless. It is not 
my intention to discuss the relative merits of the two 
systems, but to deal with plantations made in August last 
on light sandy soil, for several years’ experience points con¬ 
clusively to the fact that when young plants are purposely 
prepared and reserved solely for runners the first year it is 
only by close attention aud careful culture that the required 
number can be obtained in some seasons. 
Obtaining early runners that can be grown into good 
plants and ripened early in the season is in a great measure 
the secret of having ripe fruit early in the year. If the 
necessary attention is not paid to the plants at the present 
time, and the season proves a dry one, the runners will 
be late, and even then not proportionate to the demand. 
The flower spikes will be all visible, and these should 
be removed without delay; in fact, no fruits must be 
allowed to form before this important work is completed. 
Clear the ground of all small weeds, and give a good soaking 
of liquid manure if possible during showery weather; if not, 
it should be well washed down to the roots with clear water 
and the ground mulched with decayed leaves, old Mushroom 
bed refuse, or short manure. This will prevent evaporation 
and keep the soil moist for a long time, and strong stout 
runners will be the result in a very short time. If dry 
weather continues this may be repeated in two or three 
weeks, and probably if the plants are well mulched no 
farther waterings will be needed. The strength and quantity 
of the runners early in the season will more than compen¬ 
sate for the care and labour, to say nothing of the superior 
condition of the plantation for fruiting next year when sub¬ 
jected to this treatment. The plants are now very back¬ 
ward, and every attention consistent with the well-being of 
the plants must be given to push them forward as rapidly as 
possible. 
Plantations intended to bear a crop of fruit must be well 
watered with liquid manure, especially those from which 
large fruits are required for dessert. It is also wise to thin 
the fruits for the latter purpose so that larger and better 
fruits can be ensured. Directly after watering with the 
liquid the ground between the plants and rows should be 
covered with clean straw or long litter, which answers a two¬ 
fold purpose, and not only insures the fruit being kept per¬ 
fectly clean, but prevents evaporation, which is of real im- 
No. 258.—Vol. X., Thibd Skbies. 
portance in assisting the swelling of the fruits. Another 
matter, and one that may to many appear a very trifling 
one, is the removal of all runners as they are seen. In a few 
hours an active man can remove the whole from a large 
plantation if taken in hand directly they are visible. This 
saves labour considerably at the end of the season when the 
whole of the fruit has been gathered. But this is not all, as 
their removal reserves the strength and energy of the plants 
for swelling off the fruits instead of being wasted on the pro¬ 
duction and support of runners that are useless. The plants 
required to produce dessert fruits may when set and thinned 
be well syringed once or twice daily during hot weather, and 
this will assist the fruits to swell. 
Red Currants as soon as they are set, especially if the 
trees are luxuriant, should be examined, and the whole of the 
growing shoots that are 6 inches or more in length may 
be pinched, leaving them 4 or 5 inches long. The leading 
shoots or any required for the formation of the bushes may 
be left two or three weeks longer with advantage. It is a 
great mistake to leave the growing shoots unstopped until 
midsummer, and then partially prune them to four or five 
leaves, and thus expose the fruit and lower leaves to full 
light and air. The result of this treatment is the premature 
ripening of the fruit and the destruction of those leaves that 
it is of vital importance to retain unto the end of the season. 
Not only does pinching and thinning the shoots at the pre¬ 
sent time admit light and air to strengthen and develope 
the lower leaves, but it throws support into the fruit that 
would otherwise be wasted, and plump the fruit buds wonder¬ 
fully for another year. When the trees are left until mid¬ 
summer and then shortened many of the leaves at the 
base that are so essential have turned yellow and are useless 
if they have not fallen. Pinching and thinning can be done 
now with dispatch while the shoots are young and tender, 
and it is surprising what a number of trees can be attended 
to in a day. The shoots pinched will soon break again into 
growth, and will be ready for stopping again in about a 
month or five weeks; this time one eye only should be left 
on the lateral shoots, which will be ample for the trees to 
start fresh growth without fear of the lower buds starting. 
When the fruits have been gathered and the lower wood 
becomes firm and ripened all growing shoots may be removed; 
and finally, when there is no fear of farther growth, the 
pruning frequently done during winter may be completed. 
This can just as well be done while the foliage is fresh upon 
the trees and the weather genial for the operation as to be 
left until the foliage has fallen and the weather is cold. The 
bushes when pruned early may require examination after 
the foliage has fallen, for solitary shoots may have escaped 
observation. By this system light and air will be admitted 
for perfecting and thoroughly maturing the fruit buds for 
the ensuing year. Frequently Red and White Currants are 
sadly neglected as regards the early stopping and disbudding 
of the lateral growths. In some gardens the shoots are 
shortened only once during the growing season, and in 
others the trees are only annually pruned, and which of the 
two evils is the worse it would be difficult to determine. The 
treatment advised is as essential towards obtaining good 
fruit and plump buds, as it is important to stop and regulate 
the lateral growths of Grape Vines under glass frequently 
during the growing season. 
Gooseberries are frequently pruned annually during the 
winter and left to their own resources during the -whole of 
the growing season. Certainly this is all the attention bushes 
need that have become stunted and are crowded with fruit 
buds only, making little or no growth. The remarks that 
will be given are not intended for such, but for those that are 
vigorous and make moderate growth. Trees subjected to 
the spur system of pruning during winter will by this time 
have made fully 6 inches of wood, and these shoots should 
be pinched—thinned out if desirable, and also the leading 
shoots stopped if farther extension is not needed. The shoots 
No. 1914.— Vol. LXXII., Old Sm«s, 
