310 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ Cclolier 11, 1883. 
the great merit of being easily grown, and will stand almost any rough 
treatment, hence its great value. Cuttings taken in early spring, placed 
in heat until rooted, afterwards potted, and placed in close frame or pit 
for a few days. Harden them, and in May plant them out in some spare 
corner of the garden, occasionally pinch them to keep them in shape, and 
water when neccessary. This is all the attention they will require until 
September, when they may be lifted and potted, afterwards placing them 
in a close pit until established in their pots, when they may be removed 
to wherever they are desired to flower. Such is the modus operandi 
whereby this species, also E. odoratum, may be grown, with a minimum 
of trouble and attention, into useful plants. 
Impatiens Sultani .—A most useful and accommodating plant. It 
t lives in either a high or medium temperature. Cuttings struck and grown 
in small pots make admirable little gems for associating with miniature 
plants of Gloxinias grown by us in small-size pots with two to three 
flowers on each plant, and small Ferns in the jardinieres of the 
dr iwing-room. 
Salvias .—Such varieties as Pitcheri, rutilans, splendens, gesneraefolia, 
and patens, are also very useful for winter work. Patens is going out 
of flower, but the remainder are coming into flower. Splendens and 
gesnermflora may be planted out where labour power is curtailed, and 
lifted and treated similar to the Eupatoriums.—J. U. S. 
FRUIT-GROWING. 
To a gardener who is slrongly attached to his calling, especially 
if he happens to he what is generally termed “an all-round man,” 
there is probably no work connected with his duties that is more 
interesting, or for which he has a greater fondness, than planting 
fruit trees. The falling of leaves and the ingathering of fruit 
announce to us that the season will soon be here for such work to 
commence. Where it has not already been done no time should be 
lest in making a close examination of every tree in the garden, at 
the same time noting all such as are in an unsatisfactory state, and 
deciding what remedial measures are to be applied in each case. It 
is seldom indeed that we find every tree in such a satisfactory con¬ 
dition as we desire. Where there is a tendency to over-luxuriance 
and the production of wood instead of fruit, root-pruning must be 
resorted to. When it so happens that the trees which are in this 
condition have been undisturbed for a number of years, it will in 
some cases take three or four seasons to accomplish4he desired result, 
and the work must be proceeded with gradually-—the first season 
operating on one side of the tree only ; this being done by digging 
out a trench at a reasonable distance from the trunk, and cutting 
through all roots which come in the way. Work out all the soil 
from amongst the roots with a four-pronged fork, at the same time 
severing all the large ones taking a downward course. Afterwards 
cut off with a sharp knife all jagged ends and those roots which have 
been bruised during operations. Too much importance cannot be 
attached to this point. Fill in with the same soil, and tread it down 
as the work proceeds, finishing off with a mulching of half-decayed 
stable manure, and in the event of the soil being of a porous nature 
give a good soaking of water. The following year adopt the same 
plan with the other half of the tree. 
When trees are comparatively young and unproductive they may 
with safety be entirely lifted and rep’anted the first season of then- 
being root-pruned ; but with old-established trees, especially if they 
are growing in what are termed strong soils, the treatment recom¬ 
mended above will be found much the best. Although we say this 
by way of an inducement to keep on the safe side, we have success¬ 
fully lifted and transplanted old trees in one season ; but of course 
more care and caution is required, otherwise the result might have 
been the reverse of satisfactory. With Apricots, Apples, Pears, and 
Plums there are probably more failures due to over-luxuriance than 
to any other cause. It should therefore at all times be regarded as a 
matter of the highest importance to adjust where necessary the 
balance of power betw r een root and branch. 
There is another source of disappointment besides the one we 
have alluded to, and by no means an uncommon one, and with which 
fruit-growers are well acquainted—viz., “ the yellows,” as it is termed 
in gardening phraseology. Peaches and Nectarines, owing, it may 
be, to their more tender constitutions, are more liable to this disease 
than any other kind of fruit grown in our climate. The causes of 
its appearance are various, but may be attributed chiefly to badly 
drained soils and to those of a hungry poverty-stricken nature. 
Subsoils of the worst characters are also a fruitful source of the 
disease. When trees are in this state they are very subject to red 
spider, the leaves fall prematurely, and the wood fails to ripen. In 
very bad cases the best plan to adopt is to destroy the trees and 
plant young ones ; but if it is a mild form, or, say, of two or three 
years’ standing, then undoubtedly the best and safest course to take 
is to lift the roots entirely, bring them nearer to the surface, and 
plant in fresh soil, which may consist of good turfy loam mixed 
with charred rubbish and a little well-decomposed stable manure. On 
Peach walls where the disease we are now dealing with has made 
its appearance measures should be taken as soon as the leaves fall 
to prevent it3 recurrence for some years to come. This may easily 
be done, provided there is an ample supply of suitable material at 
hand when the time ariives for the work to commence. 
Presuming that the border which it is contemplated to take in 
hand is well drained, the work should be begun at one end by taking 
out a trench 2 feet wide and 18 inches deep, taking a distance from 
the wall of about 5 feet. The top spit and the loose soil should.be 
worked to the bottom of the trench, mixing along with it and filling 
up to about 6 inches above the surface with such compost as that 
recommended above ; and in the event of the natural soil of the 
garden being of a highly calcareous nature a little peat, if it can 
be obtained, will be found good to add thereto. As the trench¬ 
ing proceeds tread down the soil moderately firm, lifting and re¬ 
planting the trees at the distance of about 15 feet from each other, 
not forgetting to finish off with a mulching of stable manure. The 
branches may be tied up and slung to the wall, securing them in 
their positions early in the new year. 
Concerning young trees received from the nursery we would 
strongly urge the importance of having the ground for their recep¬ 
tion prepared beforehand, so that when they arrive they may be 
planted with the least possible delay. It is equally important to 
dispatch orders early ; then the trees may be expected to come to 
hand early, and be planted before winter weather arrives. Neglect 
and dilatoriness on this point not unfrequently ends in trees arriving 
with roots very much frozen, and the ground in which they are to be 
planted frozen also, and altogether in an unworkable state. 
Coming now to small fruits the Strawberry is perhaps the most 
important. The ground where these are to be planted should be 
trenched and heavily manured to a depth of fully 18 inches if the 
best results are desired, and such should always be the object 
in view, for, as the old adage says, “What is worth doing is worth 
doing well.” July and August we have found to be a very good 
time for making new beds, making use of plants which have been 
forced. These get well established before winter, and yield a full 
crop the following season. Of course beds may be planted now, 
but they will not bear such a good crop next year as those planted 
earlier. Give them plenty of space, say from 2 to 3 feet each way. 
Baspberries next demand attention. They often fail and yield 
the least satisfactory results from occupying the same quarters for 
too long a time. They like liberal treatment and rather a moist 
situation. With us the canes grow from 9 to 10 feet high, and are 
as thick as one’s thumb, producing fruit of a presentable appearance 
and of good qualitj'. Our modus operandi consists of trenching the 
ground 2 feet deep and giving plenty of strong manure, planting 
stools with two or three canes to each 6 feet apart each way as 
soon as the leaves have fallen. 
Gooseberries and Currants are all the better for not occupying the 
same ground for too long a time. Young bushes always produce the 
finest fruit, but where it is not convenient to incur any extra outlay 
old ones may with safety be transplanted towards the end of this 
month. Now is a good time to insert cuttings of the latter, bearing 
in mind to pick out the buds from the lower part of the cutting, and 
in three or four years hence they will be large enough to replace the 
old bushes. In conclusion we would strongly imp. ess upon the minds 
of those who contemplate planting fruit trees the importance of 
paying close attention to the following points—viz , avoid deep 
planting, stake and tie securely all such trees as require it as soon as 
they are planted, and give a mulching to the surface of 3 or 4 inches 
of half-decayed manure.— J. Horsefield, Heytesbury. 
EARLY OR SUMMER-FLOWERING 
CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 
In the Journal of Horticulture for July 26th, 1883, a paper 
appeared by Mr. J. Udale, gardener at Shirecliffe Hall, Sheffield, 
the concluding paragraph, of which, on summer and autumn¬ 
flowering Chrysanthemums, reminded me how little seems to 
be known of the progress made and being made in early-flowering 
Chrysanthemums. They are not all Pompons. Madame Castex 
Desgranges, at present the grandest white summer bloomer, is a 
large Japanese kind, quite as large, when well grown, as Elaine, 
but with the excellent quality of not growing more than half the 
height, and not being much more than half the time coming to 
perfection. Thus cuttings inserted at the beginning of May 
bloom during October, though if the earliest flowers are desired, 
the cuttings must be struck in June or July of the year before 
and wintered in cold frames kept from the frost, then they will 
bloom as early as the middle or end of May; in fact, from May 
onwards they may be bloomed any time. This has nothing to 
fear beside any of the late ones; it is a grand plant, one of the 
best ever grown. It is not new now\ I have grown it four 
seasons. It is said to have been sent out in 1877, but the trade 
