September 7, 1882. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 231 
C. regalis somewhat resembles the above, but grows larger in 
every way. It is of spreading habit. The fronds often attain 
the length of 12 or 15 feet. The plant requires to be elevated, so 
as to show the fronds off to the best advantage. It is a native of 
Mexico, and makes a handsome conservatory plant. 
Cyatheas are numerous, and some species in this genus are 
favourites with all. They are amongst the most noble plants that 
assist in furnishing our large conservatories. C. medullaris is the 
largest and strongest-growing of the genus : a very fine specimen 
may be seen in the temperate house at Kew, which for some years 
has been one of the greatest ornaments of that noble structure. 
The stipes are glaucous black ; the fronds are bi-tripinnate and 
coriaceous. This is another New Zealand species, and thrives 
admirably planted out in a well-drained border, requiring abun¬ 
dance of water when growing. 
C. arborea is a native of the West Indian Islands and is very 
abundant in Jamaica, therefore requiring a stove temperature. 
This is a well-marked plant, and attains the height of from 30 to 
40 feet. I lately saw a plant at Kew that must be quite 30 feet 
high. The stem is rather slender, carrying a fine whorl of fronds 
at the head, and is covered the whole length with prominent scars 
formed by the old fronds. 
C. insignis is one of the most useful and ornamental, and well 
adapted for an intermediate temperature. The fronds are dark 
green above and glaucous beneath. The lower part of the stipes 
are furnished with long glossy scales. 
C. Gardneri is a Fern that should become more popular. It is 
supposed to be a very scarce plant, and is certainly ornamental. 
Large specimens can be grown in pots of moderate size provided 
water is freely supplied after the plants become root-bound. 
The stipes and around the crown of the plant is densely furnished 
with light brown scales. Being a native of Brazil it requires a 
moderately high temperature. 
The above are a few of the most useful and showy of Tree 
Ferns. There are many others that could be mentioned, for they 
are all more or less ornamental and deserve more attention from 
horticulturists.—W. K. 
:f:) 
WORKjW 1 ®WEEK. • l 
fWWS. 
HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 
Consequent upon the light crops fruit trees have required more 
than usual attention in stopping their shoots, this more particularly 
applying to bush, pyramid, and espalier trees, which have not yet 
ceased growing. These should now be attended to, and have the 
lateral stopped back to one bud so as to strengthen the buds for 
next season, and by admitting more light and air insure the thorough 
ripening of the wood. Trees that have the spurs much elongated, 
and are little less than clusters of sappy growths, may have such 
cut back to suitable buds nearer their base, as it is rare that such 
growths can by any amount of summer pinching be converted into 
spurs— i.e., fruit buds. Any trees that produce fruit sparingly and 
are unduly prolific of wood should be marked for root-pruning at 
the proper time, as the part above ground is indicative of the condition 
prevailing at the roots. Booting in too rich and loose a soil can only 
be remedied by allowing more extension to the growths or by re¬ 
stricting the root-action. 
Pear and Plum trees against walls are, from their light crops and 
the moist weather, producing much spray, which should be removed 
where the trees are already well furnished with spurs, as the growth 
stopped so late in the season and so closely cannot possibly be 
converted into blossom buds, and their retention is certain to be 
followed in the coming season by growth difficult to restrain. Trees 
that grow too luxuriantly for fruiting should be judiciously root- 
pruned, as no amount of pruning will cause the formation of fruit 
buds, but tends to crowd the trees with growths, which appropriate 
most of the alimentary matter afforded in excess by the roots. 
Peaches and Nectarines .—The trees will require attention in securing 
the growths and stopping the laterals on vigorous shoots to one leaf 
of growth as made. Late kinds will need to have the foliage turned 
aside or shortened, so as to expose the fruit as much as possible to 
light and air—the great imparters of colour and flavour. Any long 
sappy growths may be shortened, but this must be done carefully, or 
the diversion of the sap will cause the buds that would otherwise 
be developed as fruit buds being started into growth. Trees that 
have been cleared of fruit should have the older bearing wood cut 
out, and the wood where too crowded should be well thinned. 
Where it is intended to plant new walls or renew old worn-out 
trees the borders should be prepared as soon as possible, so as to get 
the soil ameliorated before the time for planting arrives. All fruit 
trees thrive best in a medium-textured loam, inclining to be heavy 
rather than light. Where the soil is of a heavy clayey nature it 
would be much improved by burning part of the clay and mixing 
it with the surface soil to a depth of 24 to 30 inches, or by mixing 
with it a goodly proportion, say one part in six, of old lime rubbish 
and ashes. Light soils should have a good marling, mixing clay 
in as small pieces as possible with the soil, one part in six not being 
too much for very light soils, a lesser proportion being added as the 
soil inclines to medium texture. Soils not calcareous should have an 
addition of lime rubbish or chalk, one part in ten being ample for 
most soils. Heavy soil will be improved by a good liming, a bushel 
per rod not being too much. Drainage must be attended to, as no 
fruit tree will long remain healthy with water lodging in the subsoil. 
It is also necessary to make choice of such varieties as seem most 
likely to succeed in the locality, much disappointment resulting from 
indiscriminate planting, which careful note-taking and an exchange 
of views with careful observers in different localities would do much 
to prevent. 
Strawberries should now, if not already done, have all runners or 
weeds cleared off between the old stools, and a good manuring given 
as opportunity offers and material is available. Where it is necessary 
to defer planting until spring runners should be thickly inserted in 
nursery beds, from which they can eventually be transferred with 
balls to their permanent quarters. 
FRUIT HOUSES. 
Vines. —The earliest-forced Vines must now be pruned, it not being 
necessary to wait until all the foliage falls before doing this, provided 
the wood be hard and brown and the majority of the leaves are 
turning yellow, as early pruning induces early resting. Both the 
house and Vines should have a good cleansing; and if insects have 
been troublesome the wood should be washed with soap and water, 
and the Vines, after removing the loose bark, be washed also, and 
afterwards dressed with an approved insecticide. Perhaps the 
readiest and most effectual means of cleansing a vinery is syringing 
the Vines and the house thoroughly with petroleum and water, as 
practised by Mr. Wm. Taylor. This is especially to be recommended 
where the Vines are infested with scale or mealy bug. Remove the 
loose inert soil from the border and replace with fresh strong loam, 
t o which has been added some fertiliser such as bone meal or earth- 
closet manure, which, though so long neglected, seems destined to 
become an important factor in horticultural practice. Any Vines in 
an unsatisfactory state may be improved by partially lifting the 
roots, removing the old soil, and adding new, lifting and laying in 
the roots in fresh soil, which, however, should be done before the 
leaves have fallen. Keep the house as cool as possible, so as to 
induce complete rest. 
Vines in pots intended to be placed in warmth in November ought 
now to be fully ripe and at rest. They should be kept rather dry, 
b ut the roots suffer great injury when the soil is allowed to become 
dust dry. Later Vines in pots should now be turned outside, and be 
secured to walls or other situations to mature the growth and 
insure rest. 
Young Vines that have made strong growth will require a con¬ 
siderable time to ripen, and fire heat will be requisite with a free 
circulation of air to enable them to mature the wood, keeping 
m oderately dry at the roots, but not entirely depriving them of 
moisture, as the buds will need plumping as well as the wood ripen¬ 
ing. Discourage any further growth by keeping the laterals closely 
pinched. 
Late Vines, with the object of checking further growth, should 
have the laterals cut back after the Grapes are perfected, and what is 
