JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
May 12,1881. ] 
383 
buds and have a wood bud at their extremity should never be 
shortened.” He also advises disbudding as it is generally under¬ 
stood and practised. 
Speaking of Teaches under glass he says, “It is a common 
practice to shorten every shoot less or more. This may be proper 
for Peaches growing in the open air, as ... . when the extremities 
are injured by frost; but it can only be proper in the Peach house 
to cause wood to push to fill vacancies, or to keep the bottom part 
of the trellis filled with young wood .”—(Garden Directory, p . 75.) 
1 cannot give the date of this publication, nor the name of the 
publisher, as some leaves are wanting ; but the following occurs 
in “The Scots Forcing Gardener,” first published in 1797, and 
which ran through several editions :—“ Observe this practice 
(shortening the shoots) till the trees have filled their places, 
and afterwards shorten none, unless to fill any casual vacancy.” 
He also recommends planting in October. Peaches he recom¬ 
mends to be planted at 15 feet apart, on open walls 15 feet 
high, and wider under glass. This seems to me the extension 
principle with such modifications as must be practised. 
The materials for, and the manner of making the borders, are 
precisely what every successful gardener adopts now. Alto¬ 
gether I cannot see that this has been any improvement on 
old Nicol’s system, and we think if he had his due many of 
our “ dons ” would own that they had learnt their lessons at 
Nicol’s feet. Certainly no practitioner has advanced a step 
since his day and nothing new except Rivers’ dwarfing system 
has been submitted. There are only two systems worth men¬ 
tioning practised at the present day. Wherever roomy houses 
are erected Nicol’s system, with very little modification, is the 
system practised ; with small structures Rivers’ system is, or 
should be, adopted. No one has made any improvement on these 
systems, for they suit the trees, and until their (the trees) nature 
alters, altered systems will ever remain what they are—pet notions 
of the few. 
I do not think Mr. Simpson has had justice done him in the 
matter of low night temperatures for Vines. Nothing in modern 
times has done so much to produce improved health in Vines and 
better quality in Grapes, the lowering of night temperatures con¬ 
sequent on his teaching. There may be nothing new under the 
sun, but the high night temperatures of a few years ago are a 
thing of the past, because those temperatures were destructive. 
I do not mean to say that nobody practises the old method, but I 
know that most of our best growers have abandoned the practice. 
I think gardeners are in many instances jealous of each other, 
and occasionally perverse in consequence. I could name one not 
unknown gardener who, previous to Mr. Simpson’s published 
strictures on high night temperatures, kept up the temperature 
of his vineries as much above 70° at night as possible, and who 
quarrelled with many a good journeyman in cold weather when 
in the morning the temperature was down to 65°, and who at a 
dinner in connection with a flower show (just after the discussion 
on Mr. Simpson’s practice) made a speech in which he maintained 
that he had always kept his vineries at anything between 40° and 
55° at night, although that very spring he had parted w T ith his 
foreman because the latter could not keep up a higher tempera¬ 
ture than 65°, even although the man had not been in bed all 
night, and although the water in the pipes was at boiling point, 
and a higher temperature an impossibility. Latterly he adopted 
much lower temperature, I believe because of what Mr. Simpson 
published, and yet I have heard that man say that while he 
adopted a high night temperature and abandoned “Simpson’s” 
low one he never had succeeded, whereas the exactly opposite w r as 
the case. I do not mean to insinuate that such conduct is common 
even among gardeners, but occasionally the public are misled by 
such men, and gardeners sometimes grudge their fellow gardeners 
any fame they may honestly win, and I think the one who re¬ 
viewed Mr. Simpson’s book showed too much of that spirit.— 
Single-handed. 
[Our correspondent is in error respecting the reviewer of the 
book in question, who did not refer to low' temperatures for Vines, 
nor said so much against Mr. Simpson being the originator of the 
extension system of training Peach trees as is contained in the 
above article. Mr. Simpson formed a more just estimate when 
he described the review as “fair and impartial.”—E d.] 
Azalea indica Madeleine. —One of the finest double white 
Azaleas I have yet seen was that showm by Mr. C. Turner at the 
Royal Horticultural Society’s meeting on Tuesday last. The 
flowers are of great size and substance, very full of petals, and 
pure white, except for a very slight greenish tint at the base, 
which is not readily noticeable. The habit also appears very com¬ 
pact, and the variety is altogether a very promising one. It is, 
I understand, one of Mr. Turner’s own raising, and I was also 
informed that the plants exhibited at South Kensington last Tues¬ 
day were subsequently sold to Mr. B. S. Williams of Upper Hollo¬ 
way. Testimony of the excellence of this variety is afforded by 
the fact that it w r as certificated in 1879 by the Royal Horticultural 
Society.—R. 
HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 
Apricot trees have now sufficient foliage to protect the fruit, 
which is only moderately abundant, and the coverings may be re¬ 
moved, excepo in low situations ; but in such cases it is well to un¬ 
cover the trees on fine days so as to harden the foliage, which might 
otherwise be injured by sudden exposure to bright sunshine. Thin¬ 
ning the fruit must also have early attention, removing the smallest 
and those not well placed. The trees will need attention in removing 
any foreright and other shoots, it being better to rub off gross shoots 
than allow them to advance and afterwards seek to restrain their 
vigour by stopping. Shoots required to form spurs should be 
pinched at the third leaf, and those for extension must have timely 
attention in tying or nailing in when sufficiently advanced. Keep a 
sharp look-out for caterpillars. Peach and Nectarine trees are set¬ 
ting the fruit fairly well and are growing freely. The trees are clean 
where efficient protection has been provided, which should still be 
continued on cold nights, and where permanent coverings are em¬ 
ployed advantage should be taken of fine days to uncover the trees. 
Disbudding will also soon require attention, commencing with the 
more forward growths, and to do so gradually so as not to check the 
action of the sap, as would result from disbudding the whole of the 
tree at once after the growth is somewhat advanced. Some care and 
judgment is necessary to supply the trees with young shoots for 
next season, bearing in mind that the Peach and Nectarine produce 
fruit on the growth of the previous season ; consequently the bearing 
wood of this season must be replaced by young growth for the next, 
retaining a shoot at the base of the bearing shoot, and another at its 
extremity. The growth above the fruit should be stopped when a 
few inches long unless required for extension. Shoots must also be 
retained upon trees extending at about 15 inches apart, and those 
for forming the branches should be trained at similar distances. 
If aphides appear apply an insecticide, tobacco juice diluted with 
six times the quantity of water being efficacious, and should be 
employed as early in the afternoon as to allow the foliage to be¬ 
come dry before night, especially if there is a prospect of frost. 
If mildew appear apply flowers of sulphur to the parts affected. 
Keep a strict look-out for the Gooseberry caterpillar, and upon its 
first appearance dust the bushes with fresh hellebore powder. 
Mulch plantations of Strawberries with littery manure, to allow 
time for its being washed by rains so as to form a clean bed for the 
fruit. Chopped straw forms one of the best materials for mulching 
Strawberries, and is disliked by slugs. 
FRUIT HOUSES. 
Peaches and Nectarines .—Complete disbudding in the latest houses, 
being careful not to allow more growths than will be necessary to 
supply the bearing wood of next year, and to continue the extension 
or furnishing of the trees. Many failures in Peach culture are caused 
by overcrowding the foliage. The shoots may be 15 inches apart, and 
the branches 12 to 15 inches distance from each other. If the exten¬ 
sion system is practised the distance may be increased with advantage. 
Very fine fruits result from this mode of treatment, but it is no use 
attempting it unless space be allowed the foliage to insure the 
thorough ripening of the wood. Any shoots outgrowing the limits 
assigned the trees should be stopped, and the laterals be pinched at 
the first joint. Carefully tie-in the shoots at the base, and pinch out 
the point of those retained to attract the sap to the fruit. Thin 
the fruit in good time, removing the smallest and worst placed. See 
that there is not any deficiency of moisture in the inside borders. 
