April 17, 1884. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
811 
“ Orange, Lime, and Lemon trees,” and further states that at Sydney 
“ Vines, Orange, and Lemon trees are in a very thriving state.” These 
were introduced from Sydney into Norfolk Island, when Lieutenant King 
observes in his Journal of 1788, at that island, “ Tsvo Orange trees, which 
I brought with me (from Sydney) were kept in tubs until I should find a 
sheltered situation to plant them in. He afterwards says they were planted 
in the vale ; and in March, 1790, observes, “ Vines, Orange, and Lemon 
trees are in a very thriving state.” Thus we find that they appeared to be 
well established in Norfolk Island ; and at this time they were also 
thriving at Sydney, as we learn from “Phillips’s New South Wales in 
1790,” from which date we may consider the cultivation of the Orange 
tree as permanent in the colony. Orange cultivation is now a leading 
industry in New South Wales, its head-quarters being at Parramatta, near 
Sydney, where millions of Oranges are annually grown both for home 
consumption and for export. The Orange is also largely grown in other 
parts of the colony, being in some measure to the colonists what the Apple 
and Pear are to residents in the United Kingdom. 
WALL PLANTS IN SPUING. 
Jashinum NUDIFLORUM has been a mass of golden flowers since the 
new year, and where there is a background of green, like Ivy, to back it 
up it is simply lovely, but glare without relief is not acceptable, even 
in the dull season of the year. 
Cydonia japonica still holds its own as one of the brightest and 
freest of early spring-flowering plants against a wall, where it is well 
worth a place. In the open it flowers quite as well but later. Along¬ 
side our old favourite the new C. Maulei is less effective and more slender 
in growth, producing its salmon-rose flowers, however, abundantly on 
last year’s wood, and comes in in March. What its fruits may turn out 
to be is a question of experience, but its flowers certainly do not show 
to advantage in contrast with a red brick wall. 
Very different indeed is Magnolia Soulangeana with its large Tulip¬ 
like blossoms, pure white with a purple base, extending up the midrib or 
feathered up each petal outside, pure white inside. It is really very fine, 
and flowers very freely, even when not more than a yard high. It 
flowered about the middle of March, but lasts for some time. M. con- 
spicua superba and M. speciosa are also good, but I think M. Sou¬ 
langeana the best. 
What a dreary aspect have Ampelopsis hederacea and A. Veitehi com¬ 
pared with A. sempervirens, its deep green, small, divided, Vine-like 
foliage keeping fresh all the winter. This will undoubtedly take a first 
place amongst wall plants, being very free in growth and so very neat. 
It does well on a north aspect, and is evergreen. 
As an evidence of the mildness of the winter Tropaeolum speciosum 
has not died quite down ; some of the young growths are quite 18 inches 
high, and are now advancing freely from the root. Other plants have 
died quite down and are only just “budding” from the roots. The 
plants are of course on a north aspect.—G. P. P. 
CYCLAMEN PERSICUM. 
At Stumperlowe Hall, Sheffield, the residence of H. J. Dixon, Esq. 
is now to be seen a remarkable display of Cyclamens. The plants 
number about fifty, nearly twenty of which will average 2 feet in 
diameter, and a few are 2 feet 6 inches across. A dozen or more of the 
plants have 300 flowers each, and on one I counted nearly 500. The 
largest plants are six years old, and the corms are 9 inches in diameter. 
They are all good varieties, as only such are grown. A small batch of 
seedlings are raised annually, out of which a few of the best are selected. 
Mr. H. Watson, the gardener, who thoroughly mastered the cultivation of 
this plant, for which he has gained a local reputation, prefers sowing seed 
in March, and he grows the young plants on rapidly after the manner 
practised by the London market growers. The compost employed is 
about three parts of rich leaf soil to one part wood a-hes and charred 
refuse, with a liberal admixture of sand. The leaf mould is prepared as 
follows :—Fringing the lawn, which is extensive, is a single row of very 
large Sycamores some fifty years old. The leaves of these trees are 
annually collected and used as a covering for forcing Seakale in the 
open garden. A small amount of stable litter is added to the leaves 
to assist fermentation. After the Seakale is gathered these leaves and 
litter are together wheeled into a corner to decay, and the drainage from 
a dung heap is allowed to run amongst them. When sufficiently decayed 
it is turned out and laid up to dry, and when sufficiently pulverised is 
used as before stated as the main portion of the compost for Cyclamens. 
The plants, as will therefore be seen, are grown in a compost remarkably 
rich in nitrogenous matter and potash. 
In potting Mr. Watson keeps the corms well on the surface, and he is 
careful that the pot across the top shall not exceed the corm in diameter 
by more than from 1 to 2 inches, as he has invariably found that when 
such has been the case, the plants, though growing vigorously and making 
fine heads of foliage, have not been so floriferous. The largest corms, 
9 inches in diameter, are growing in 10-inch pots, thus just allowing 
space in potting to firmly press in the compost round the base of the 
corm. 
Water is very liberally supplied while the plants are blooming. At 
the time of my visit the largest plants were standing in saucers filled 
with water. After blooming they are removed to the north side of the 
bouse, where they are shaded by large Camellias, and water is much more 
sparingly supplied. During the summer, from May onwards, they are 
placed out of doors on the north side of the potting shed, but at no time 
are they allowed to become thoroughly dry. One plant has about two- 
thirds of the flowers pure white, and the remaining one-third heavily 
tipped at the base of the petals with dark crimson.—W. K. W. 
So WOKK.fouthe WEEK.. § 
L 
HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 
Sewage .—As the blossom expands a feeling of anxiety arises as to the 
setting of a full crop of fruit, as one important means to so desirable an 
end liberal waterings of sewage tend to promote a full strong flow of sap. 
and thus invigorates tree and plant, and tends materially to a prompt 
healthy action in root and branch if there is auy tendency to dryness in 
the soil. This may be thought hardly possible in showery April, but the 
mean rainfall of the month is less than that of either May or June, and 
the mere surface wetting from a passing shower can hardly affect the 
roots of a large fruit tree. All bush fruits and Strawberries are unques¬ 
tionably much benefited now by sewage poured over the entire surface 
between the rows with a free hand. It is, of course, taken for granted 
that the land is well drained, for we have repeatedly called attention at 
the proper season to the importance of this matter as a fundamental rule 
in fruit culture. 
Strawberries .—New Strawberrv beds are usually made in the la‘e 
summer or early autumn months, but it is a moot point if then or now is 
the best time for doing this. New beds made in August undoubtedly 
afford an early supply of fine fruit next year, but that is precisely the 
time when space cannot be spared for the purpose, except in very large 
gardens. The work is therefore often put off for a month or two till the 
summer crops are cleared, and then there remains barely time for the 
young plants to become established in the soil before cold weather sets in. 
We prefer to secure the earliest runners and at once plant them a foot 
apart in nursery beds of leaf mould, in which the roots spread quickly 
and strongly. There they remain till March or April, and we have just 
finished making extensive new beds with plants so prepared, and which 
wese transplanted with very large balls of the leaf mould bristling with 
white healthy roots, and with full plump crowns, and plenty of stout 
healthy foliage. Some of our neighbours have shown their approval of 
the plan by accepting some of our surplus plants for their gardens, and 
we strongly recommend it to all whom space and time are much restricted 
in the busy summer months. 
Young Standards .—Standards planted in orchards laid down in grass 
should have the stems protected from cattle, either by bushes, or, better 
still, by cradles of iron or wood. Wooden cradles last sufficiently long 
for the purpose if the post bottoms are steeped in creosote or thoroughly 
charred in a fire before they are put in the ground. We have seen the 
bark of such trees when left unprotected so much eaten by sheep in a 
hard winter that the trees died. 
FRUIT-FORCING. 
Vines. —Early Houses .—In the earliest house the Grapes are now ripe or 
nearly so, and whesre they are expected to keep in good condition some 
time the temperature should be gradually lowered to 60° at night, and 70° 
to 75° in the daytime, admitting air freely, employing no fire heat in the 
daytime. In the case of Hamburghs it will be necessary to afford slight 
shade from bright sun after the Grapes are fully ripe, as they are liable to 
become reddish if they hang long. Keep up a fair amount of atmospheric 
moisture by damping the paths occasionally, and a little ventilation 
at night will prevent the deposition of moisture on the berries. The 
inside border must not be allowed to become dry, but should be kept moist, 
watering if necessary in the morning. Vines that were started in December 
or January will be taking their last swelling after stoning, and should 
have the bunches examined, and if any are likely to be crowded a few of 
the least promising berries must be removed, which will greatly improve 
the appearance of the bunches and their quality when ripe. The inside 
border should be given a thorough soaking with tepid water or liquid 
manure, so as to keep the soil in a moist condition until the Grapes are ripe 
and cut. The watering is best done in the morning of a fine day, as this 
will allow the superfluous air moisture to disappear before the house is 
closed, and to lessen the necessity for further watering mulch the border 
with a little fresh but sweetened stable manure, the ammonia from which 
and the liquid at the roots will keep red spider in check; but if the pest 
appear sponge carefully with an insecticide such as Gishurst or nicotine 
soap, 4 ozs. to the gallon of water. This is safer than sulphuring the pipes 
where the delicate-skinned varieties are grown. As soon as the Grapes 
change colour admit air night and day, increasing it as they become ripe, 
and gradually reduce the temperature as indicated above for the earliest 
forced Grapes. Continue a moderate degree of moisture in the house for 
the benefit of the foliage, not only after the Grapes change colour, but 
afterwards, as in the early part of the year air moisture is nit so m 
he dreaded. 
M'acats .—Houses in which these and other shy-setting varieties are in 
flower will need a high temperature by day, or 80° to 85° from sun heat, 
75° without sun, accompanied by a good circulation of air and moderate 
atmospheric moisture to prevent injury to the foliage. Fertilise each bunch 
