June 4, 1885. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
459 
number of small fruits. Fine fruits when well ripened are also of 
much better flavour than small ones. The safest guide when to thin 
is to make sure of the crop and thin accordingly. The size of the 
tree, the size of the fruit for the variety, and the general health of 
the tree, should all be taken into account. By the present prospect of 
affairs, if the thinning of Apples and Pears is not carried out freely 
this year, there will be a superabundance of small fruits that will not 
be worth storage room. The force of this will be seen where the 
thinning process is not attended to when the time arrives for placing 
presentable fruits on tables. 
Next to thinning the fruits and stopping and disbudding the 
shoots, training the trees should be considered, as this must also 
nave timely attention. The young main shoots which are to form the 
framework of the tree must be nailed or tied in as soon as they are in 
a fit state for handling, for if this is neglected the shoots are not 
trained in with such ease, and the future appearance of the tree is 
greatly marred. From the first year when the tree is planted the 
future form should be fixed in the mind. When the trees are planted 
m the open to be grown as pyramids or bushes the natural habit 
should be taken into account, as all varieties have a style of growth 
peculiar to themselves. Those varieties which have a naturally 
pyramidal habit must be grown as such, and when of a drooping or 
spreading habit as a bush shape. When the trees are grown against 
walls they can be managed with pruning and stopping the shoots, 
so that the main branches are in a suitable position. When a Pear or 
Apple tree ip being trained each main branch must be trained out 
from the main stem at a certain angle and carried right out to the top 
of the wall or to the given space allotted to the tree, so that the 
branches will not interfere with each other in any way. Train the 
main branches of Plums, Peaches, Cherries, and Apricots on the 
same principle, and nail or tie in the side or lateral branches, so as 
not to cross or interfere whatever with their neighbours. If required 
for filling up or extending the tree a clear headway should be 
afforded. 
After the fruits are set and swelling attend to mulching the 
borders. In some gardens time and means are at command for 
supplying trees which have a prospect of a fair crop of fruit, with 
two or three good soakings of sewage during the growing season. 
When this is the case the borders should be mulched after the first 
watering with about two inches thickness of short manure. This will 
benefit the crop very much, as it will cause the fruits to swell to a 
large size. When no means are at command for giving the trees 
sewage mulch the borders immediately after a heavy soaking of rain. 
This is not practised nearly so much as it deserves, and it is astonish¬ 
ing what a heavy weight of fruits, Black and Bed Currants, Basp- 
berries and Strawberries produce when treated in this way. 
The most effectual application we have found for keeping the 
foliage free from insects is 1 quart of tobacco water to 3 gallons of 
soft water, heated to about 120°. The trees should be well syringed 
with this in the evening, and again early the following morning with 
clear water. All trees on walls after the fruit is set and swelling are 
much benefited by being syringed thoroughly with clear soft water, as 
it removes the old and decaying petals of the flowers —A. Young. 
OUTDOOR MUSHROOM CULTURE IN YORKSHIRE. 
At Col. Gascoigne’s, Partington Hall, Leeds, there are some splendid 
Mushroom beds in full bearing, made on the principle advocated in 
“ Mushrooms for the Million.” I was over the other evening to see them, 
and was perfectly astounded at the great quantity of fine Mushrooms 
that almost covered the surface of the beds, or rather ridges. The ex¬ 
periment is being carried out on commercial principles by the gardener, 
Mr. Dunn, at Col. and Mrs. Gascoigne’s special request, so as to prove to 
those of their tenantry who may be disposed to go into the Mushroom 
trade, that it can be made a profitable business. Over £40 worth has 
been already disposed of, the average price being about 9d. per lb. whole¬ 
sale. Spawn purchased from several leading firms was used, some £8 
being expended. There are about 160 yards, lineal measure, in the beds. 
The spawn varies as to time in coming into bearing, but as a rule all the 
lots are fairly good. - 
Since writing the above, Mr. Dunn informs me that during the week 
after I called at Parlington he has gathered 315 lbs. of Mushrooms, 
making a total of 1244 lbs., which have been sold for £50 3s. lOd. The 
beds have now paid themselves and all labour, and if they continue 
another month good profits will be realised.—H. F. C. 
Potash and Potatoes. —It is found by experiment, that while the 
different forms of commercial potash increase the crop of Potatoes they 
impair its quality, making the tubers watery and spongy. It is very 
likely that ashes have the same effect. The trials of Potatoes on 
newly cleared land and that recently burned over have generally dis¬ 
appointed expectations,"at least in the quality of the tubers. By the 
way, it is a noteworthy fact that the commercial importance of the 
Potato crop is of recent date, and since much of our land has been con¬ 
siderable time under cultivation. Now the Potatoes which sell the 
highest in all markets are from sections where there can be compara¬ 
tively little new land put in this crop. The far western Potatoes are 
not so good as those grown farther east. Here a moderately firm soil 
brings better Potatoes than one that is soft and spongy.— (Florida 
DUpatch.) 
CONTINUOUS-FLOWERING PLANTS. 
There is a feature in plant culture which, so far as my observation 
extends, has been very much overlooked, I refer to the continuous-bloom¬ 
ing qualities of many plants which we cultivate in pots. The generally 
received opinion, and which is acted on as closely as possible, is this, that 
if a certain plant is wanted in flower for an extended period, the cultivator 
must provide a certain number of sets of plants in order to secure the end 
in view. Anyone who is occupied with the demands of a country garden 
knows full well that the chief trouble is the potting and shifting of flower¬ 
ing plant", and if we can eave even one-third of this most necessary 
routine labour without affecting the supply in a manner otherwise than 
beneficial, I think we gain in a very decided manner. I know in my 
own experience that, instead of the ordinary demands decreasing, there 
has been a very decided increase in the demand for cut flowers, while 
the labour allowed has been in the opposite ratio to which gardeners 
would like it to be. We are of necessity obliged to make the labour go 
as far as possible, and one of the greatest labour-saving schemes is that of 
making one set of plants do duty for two or even three. One of the 
greatest improvements which has been wrought in plants during the past 
dozen years or so is the habit of continuous flowering which has been 
noticeable in them. Of course certain cultural treatment must be carried 
out in order to develope this habit and make it of value to a gardener. 
I sent for your inspection several weeks ago examples of a Chrysan¬ 
themum which had been blooming profusely for several weeks, and again 
I send you another small boxful of flowers to show that the plants are in 
u-aabated vigour, and, if anything, more floriferous than ever. I cannot 
guess the number of dozens of fine blooms that these plants have given us, 
nor can I say how I appreciate their usefulness. I have tried a number 
of Chrysanthemums, but none I have experimented with has in any 
measure approached the good qualities of Mrs. C. Carey, and the only 
reason I can give is that this habit is a varietal one. It is several years 
since we obtained a family of Zonal Pelargoniums that had the capacity 
of flowering through autumn, winter, spring, and summer. The only 
necessary points to follow on the part of the cultivator being to give the 
plants a suitable temperature for the various seasons, plenty of food, and 
a rigid system of cutting the trusses as developed. Bouvardias have 
also, in the case of a few varieties, this perpetual-flowermg habit. So 
have some Carnations, some Tea Roses, &c. Of late years, largely, I 
am inclined to believe, on account of the treatment to which the plants 
are subjected, our Richardias can be had in flower at any season; not 
one plant this month, and another two or three months afterwards, 
but the same plant at any season. Practically, the meaning of this 
is, that if I can have thirty plants to do the work of ninety, I have, 
in consequence, so much labour power and so much more space at com¬ 
mand for other plants. We can extend the system to other plants, 
such as to Cucumber and Tomatoes, and to foliage plants, as is often 
done, or wherever it is possible to obtain the same amount of produce 
the system is not only permissible but commendable. 
I will indicate very briefly the main points to be observed in obtain¬ 
ing good results from this system. A simple compost is of great im¬ 
portance. Pots comparatively small, and with the soil well firmed so as 
to form a store for the roots, is also necessary. Then, in order to keep 
the plants growing, they must have in the cold season a sufficiently 
high temperature to ensure this, and, in addition, deficiency of water 
or of food in the shape of manurial agents must be guarded against. 
The last item I shall mention is to remove the crop as it becomes 
ready. This is also of some importance in securing the end in view. I do 
not know whether I have made the matter sufficiently clear to any who 
have not tried our plan, and who would like to do so, but shall be elad 
to elucidate the matter more fully if anyone may find a difficulty.— 
R. P. B. 
[The Chrysanthemum flowers referred to were as fresh as could be 
imagined.] 
STRAWBERRY BEDS. 
As the planting season will soon be here, may I be allowed to offer 
a few remarks on a method of growing Strawberries in an annual bed, 
which has been practised here with satisfactory results 1 
I do not know whether it would be suitable for cultivation on a large 
scale, but it is an admirable plan for small gardens and for those who 
require a quantity of fruits of extra size and quality. Our system— 
which could, of course, be slightly modified if necessary—is to plant in 
beds 4 feet wide with a 2 feet pathway between each pair of beds. Thus 
bed and pathway occupy 6 feet. Thi3 is rather too wide, and 3 feet for 
the bed would be more suitable for gathering fruit. The land is worked 
into good condition previous to planting, and if required is well manured. 
For heavy land some lime rubble or ashes are useful. For light land 
a few turf sods are excellent if obtainable. 
The plants should be placed 3 inches apart, and the rows running 
at right angles to the pathway 1 foot apart, or dwarf varieties such as 
Rivers’ Eliza and Wizard of the North 10 inches. President and Sir 
Joseph Paxton will be better 15 or 18 inches. When planted, if in dry 
weather, water and shade for a few days. Do not allow the land to 
bake, but use the hoe, which may be done without treading on the bed. 
