February 21, 1884. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
155 
sionally, at the same time, will certainly invite a crop of red spider 
Syringing must be less frequent pending the setting of the fruit, which is 
aided by each bloom being artificially fertilised with its own pollen. On 
this point the same treatment that is given to Vines is applicable. 
In the winter the roots must be kept somewhat dry, yet even then the 
soil must always be perceptibly moist. A minimum winter temperature 
of 45° is safe, and a plant that has been preserved for some years at a 
Sower temperature than this, but it is not advisable. 
In training, a vital point is to guard against overcrowding. If the 
young shoots are suffered to cling together and become interlaced, the 
plant will lose vigour and only produce useless spray. The aim should 
be to have the young growth thinly disposed, so that each shoot can have 
the benefit of light and air and become matured. It is only by this 
means that fruit can be expected. Spring is the best time for pruning, 
just when the plant is commencing to grow. The shoots can then be 
thinned out and shortened, so as to cover the space required. Taking out 
old wood by degrees and laying-in young is the necessary mode of pro¬ 
longing the vigour of the plant, and to preserve it in a flowering and 
fruiting state for many years.—W. 
Hollies. —The salt winds have been blamed for defoliating Hollies 
all over England, caused by the December storm. I think a little more 
information is desirable. I would suggest that the salt had nothing to 
do with the leaves falling, but that the terrible force of the wind ruptured 
the leafstalks, and the active state of the roots assisted by the open and 
mild winter caused the old leaves to fall and give place to a new growth. 
—J. E. Waiting, Grange-over-Sands. 
K5 WOHKjoiitheWEEK.. 
HAEDT FRUIT GARDEN. 
Arrears of Work .—Buds of Nectarines, Peaches, and Apricots are 
becoming very prominent; many Pear buds have swollen almost to 
bursting, some of the Gooseberry bushes are dangerously forward ; it 
it high time, therefore, that winter work should be finished. In well- 
managed fruit gardens the pruning is all done excepting amongst the 
Filberts and Nuts, which will quickly follow, for the pink brush-like 
female flowers are fast opening, and many of the catkins, or male 
blossoms, have some pollen, and when this becomes so plentiful that the 
fertilisation of the female blossom is a certainty pruning may be done. 
Planting is over; all newly planted trees are securely fastened to wall, 
espalier, or stake, are labelled, and mulched with manure. The entire 
plantation of Gooseberries, Currants, Raspberries, and Blackberries has 
had a thick surface dressing of old hotbed manure, the nailing and tying 
of wall trees and espaliers is done, wood for grafting old exhausted trees 
or inferior sorts has been thrust well into the soil at the foot of a north 
wall, screens, netting, and mats, are at hand for the protection of the 
blossom, and all is in readiness for the coming of spring. We thus 
briefly enumerate the chief details of our winter work a3 a reminder to 
all still having arrears on hand to delay no longer the finishing of work 
that cannot be put off without considerable risk of harm to the trees. 
Our last planting was several rows of Red Warrington Gooseberry 
which we find one of the most useful sorts of this popular fruit. It 
invariably crops well, the green fruit is ready for picking early, the 
ripe fruit keeps good later than almost any other sort, it makes delicious 
rich-flavoured jam, and is one of our best dessert fruits. Its growth is 
sturdy and free, and the bushes continue healthy and in full bearing for 
many years ; some planted thirteen years ago still show no signs of 
debility or decay. Fruit-growers for market find a plantation of this 
hardy prolific Gooseberry a profitable investment. The bushes are 5 feet 
apart, with a row of Strawberries between them for three or four years, 
especial care being taken when the Strawberry plants are destroyed to 
thoroughly enrich the soil they have grown in with manure for the 
benefit of the Gooseberries. 
The Fruit Book .—Every fruit tree planted should have its name 
entered in the fruit book, and sufficient space left for subsequent 
entries of importance, such as when it first has fruit, freedom from 
or tendency to disease, root-pruning and its effects, an annual note of 
its condition and crop, the quality, size, and season of its fruit, and any 
special method of treatment, so as to gradually accumulate a fund of 
useful knowledge that cannot be obtained in any other way, for many of 
our best sorts of fruit are so much affected by local peculiarities of soil 
and climate that it is hardly possible to say if they will answer without 
actual trial. By keeping such a book for several years we are now able 
to plant with certainty, and to assist many of our neighbours who are 
planting in the selection of the best sorts of fruit for our locality. 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Figs. —Early Pot Trees .—Continue the treatment advised in the last 
calendar, guarding against the evils which usually attend a high tempera¬ 
ture, especially at night, until the days are longer and brighter, when by 
judicious treatment in early closing with plenty of sun heat and moisture 
anything now apparently lost will be regained by the increased vigour of 
the trees and rapid advancement of the fruit. Attend regularly to the 
wants of the roots, and guard against a check from an insufficiency of 
water by giving copious supplies of tepid liquid as frequently as may be 
considered necessary. In the case of old-established plants the rapid 
increase of the fleshy roots filling the space left for water, a rim of zinc 
or lead about 4 inches deep may be placed round the inside of the pots 
for the reception of rich mulching, and to prevent the escape of water 
when supplied in sufficient quantity, as it should be to penetrate the ball. 
Syringe twice a day in fine weather, and moisten the paths, bed, and 
walls only in dull weather or when the drying of the foliage before night¬ 
fall is doubtful. Stop gross shoots, a few at a time, following the exten¬ 
sion system where space admits, removing a few of the badly placed 
fruits if thickly set. 
Succession Houses .—Repeat the treatment described for early trees. 
Let the temperature range from 55° to 60° at night. Mulch and water 
freely as a means of keeping the roots near the surface, and so maintain¬ 
ing the fertility of the trees. There is a difference in the prolificness of 
the varieties, some being more so than others, but all succeed best under 
prescribed root space in good loam of a calcareous nature resting on 
clear drainage through which water can pass freely. Red spider is the 
most troublesome enemy of the Fig, and unless provision is made for the 
free use of water, keeping the tree clean and healthy is impossible. 
Late Houses .—Complete the pruning of the trees in the latest houses. 
The shoots should be all thinned and laid in over a trellis 16 to 18 inches 
from the glass. When the bearing wood reaches the extremity of the 
trellis it should be cut away to make room for the most promising succes- 
sional shoots, which produce an abundance of young fruit on ripe wood 
ready for development in the spring, and instead of keeping the autumn 
growths closely tied down they should be allowed to draw up to the 
glass to receive the full influence of the sun. 
Cucumbers .—The weather so far has been very favourable for forcing. 
Continue to tie down the young growth, and thin out all superfluous 
shoots and badly formed fruits, syringing the plants in the afternoon of 
fine days, and keep the evaporation troughs filled with liquid manure, 
the ammonia from this being healthful to the plants and inimical to 
insect life. The bottom heat should be kept steady at between 80° and 
90°, and liberal supplies of tepid liquid manure given whenever the plants 
require it. 
Young plants must be well attended to, affording a minimum tem¬ 
perature of 70°. admitting a little air at 75°, keeping it through the day 
at 80° to 85°, closing at 85°, and then run up to 90°. Attend to the 
linings of dung-heated frames, which as soon as the heat begins to de¬ 
cline should be removed, and fresh sweetened material supplied from the 
reserve heap. 
Melons .—The first plants are making good growth, and must be 
encouraged in every way, maintaining the bottom heat at 85° to 90°^ 
and be careful not to overwater, and yet enough must be afforded to keep 
