September 21, 1882. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 281 
Alderman De Keyser (Fenn).—A second early coloured kidney; a 
cross between American Snowflake and a discarded seedling. Skin 
rough, dull red, inclining to white ; form roundish, even, and few eyes. 
James Abbiss (Fenn).—A white round very early dwarf variety, a 
cross between Turner’s Union Round and Shutford Seedling. Of 
moderate size, but even and of good form. 
Sir Walter Raleigh (Ross).—A seedling from Excelsior, white, round, 
and of good form. 
Miscellaneous exhibits were numerous. Messrs. Sutton & Sons, 
Reading, had a very extensive and handsome collection of English 
and American Potatoes, representing a great number of varieties, 
large heaps of Reading Russet, Suttons’ First and Best, and Magnum 
Bonum being staged. Messrs. Harrison & Sons, Leicester, had a large 
collection of Potatoes, comprising numerous varieties. Mr. R. Dean, 
Ealing, had an extensive collection of Potatoes, some fine samples of 
Trebons Onions, and a number of Fenn’s seedling Potatoes. Messrs. 
Webb & Sons, Stourbridge, exhibited a large collection of handsome 
tubers, representing over seventy-five varieties. Messrs. C. Lee and 
Sons, Hammersmith, contributed a large collection of varieties, the 
tubers being mostly of good size and even. Mr. T. Laxton, Girtford, 
Bedfordshire, sent samples of his new Runner Bean Girtford Giant, 
Selected White Spanish Onions, and White Beauty of Hebron Potato. 
Mr. G. Fidler, Reading, had a large collection of Potatoes represent¬ 
ing a number of the best varieties, and Messrs. Daniels Bros, had a large 
heap of White Elephant Potato. 
HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 
Root-pruning is absolutely necessary to insure fertility in fruit 
trees confined to limited space and formal training as wall trees, 
cordons, espaliers, pyramids, and bushes, which are not forced into 
fruitfulness by summer-pruning or pinching. From the absence of 
fruit in this and previous seasons trees have made much foreright or 
breastwood, the early pruning or stopping of which has caused a mul¬ 
tiplicity of subsequent growths, which are more likely to be followed 
by a late growth than be formed into spurs or fruit buds, especially 
if the autumn prove wet and sunless. It seems that in planting fruit 
trees to be trained formally and limited to space, that the root space is 
not taken into consideration so as to insure a reciprocal action between 
the head and roots ; consequently when the season is moist the roots 
extend in the unrestricted area, often of loose and rich soil. The 
nutriment absorbed is more than is needed for the swelling of the 
fruit and the formation and perfecting of growth for future crops. 
Pruning in cases of this description, instead of being an aid to fertility, 
induces late growth, and is thus practically useless, as is evidenced by 
a number of trees in gardens which, though faultless as to training 
and to outward appearance healthy, are conspicuous year after year 
for sterility. If trees can be induced to bear full or fair crops of fruit 
there is little difficulty with them either as regards the pruning to 
keep them in shape or insure their continued fertility. 
Root-pruning is generally postponed until the fall of leaf, when no 
change can occur in the character of the buds. This should be born e 
in mind by those contemplating root-pruning, as, if done after the 
leaves fall, a year must elapse before any transformation of the buds 
can be anticipated. It has been proved that root-pruning practised 
sufficiently early in the autumn or late summer to check any tendency 
to late growth may cause the wood buds to be developed into fruit 
buds, and its benefit be felt in the ensuing year. To effect any good 
for next season it must be done during the present month carefully 
and judiciously. The very vigorous must not be operated upon so 
severely as those that are moderately vigorous, as they will have 
larger sap vessels and be likely to suffer most from the larger extent 
of their evaporation surface when the supply is cut off; hence in their 
case a root or two should be cut at a time, and its effect seen before 
proceeding further. If the severing of a few roots does not cause any 
drooping of the young sappy growth, or only slightly under powerful 
sun, then a few more roots may be cut, and at the same time any useless 
spray removed. If the root-pruning be so carried out as to prevent 
any further growth in the trees, but not to the extent of causing the 
shrivelling of the young shoots or the severe flagging of the foliage, 
the object of the operation will be attained— i.e., the prevention of 
late growths, the conversion of wood into fruit buds, and the 
thorough maturation of the growth ; but with the sudden collapse 
of the foliage none of those can be effected. 
Trees only moderately vigorous will need but little root-prun¬ 
ing to check the tendency to late growth and secure the thorough 
ripening of the wood. In any case it must be done with judgment 
and suited to individual requirements, remembering that it is not 
the roots near the stem of the tree that should be detached, but those 
at a distance of not less than one-third the distance the tree is in 
height or extension of head, calculating from the stem, so as to save 
as many as possible of the fibres proceeding from the root-stem and 
encourage them there. 
It will also be necessary to discriminate between trees that are of 
full size and those that are extending. The former, having shorter 
and firmer growth, will bear more severe root-pruning than young 
trees with fewer and more sappy growths. If the growth be not 
completed any severe check given the growth of young trees will 
probably cause them to lose their points or die, if indeed it does not 
cause the wood generally to shrivel. This must be carefully guarded 
against. Another example of the need for cautious proceeding will 
be present in the Peach and Nectarine, they being prone to make 
late growth and have the shoots more sappy in late summer than 
most other fruit trees. These should be operated on very moderately 
at first, by degrees curtailing the supply of nutriment to check fresh 
growth and yet retain the foliage for the benefit of the wood and 
buds. 
FRUIT HOUSES. 
Melons .—Plants just swelling their fruits require attention to 
guard against canker at the collar and in the old growths, freshly 
slaked lime being applied on the first appearance of canker, rubbing 
and pressing it well into the affected parts. Repeating the application 
if it becomes necessary will arrest the further progress of the malady. 
As regards cracked fruits, the best preventive is a lessened supply of 
water at the roots and a drier condition of the atmosphere, cutting 
the shoot carrying the fruit about half way through a few inches 
lower than the fruit towards the collar of the plant. Maintain a 
night temperature of G5° to 70° and 75° in the day, advancing to 80° 
from sun heat, increasing to 85° or 90° with ventilation. Syringing 
must only be practised on bright afternoons, and then early and 
moderately. Earth up the last batch directly the fruit commences 
swelling, and keep the laterals closely pinched, so as to admit all the 
sun possible to the principal growths. The foliage of plants in pits 
or frames should seldom be damped, and water at the roots must be 
given carefully. Apply good linings to the bed to finish off the 
crop as soon as the heat is found to be declining, and close early, 
employing a covering over the light on cold nights. 
Vines .—Vines intended to ripen their fruit next April or early in 
May must be pruned at once, so as to afford a season of rest before 
commencing to force. Clean the glass and woodwork thoroughly, 
painting if necessary, so as to have it hard and dry before closing the 
house. Remove the old mulching and inert surface soil, and supply 
good loam and a little bone manure. This annual surface-dressing 
encourages the formation of surface roots, which should be fed in 
summer or during the growth of the Vines by manurial mulchings. 
Intermediate houses will now, or soon, be cleared of the crops ; and 
if the wood of the Vines is not thoroughly ripe fire heat should be 
applied in the daytime, ventilating freely, turning the heat off at 
night, and check all lateral growth. 
Young or recently planted Vines that have been allowed to ramble 
may now have some of the surplus growths removed, being careful to 
retain the leaves on the principal rods, maintaining a warm dry airy 
atmosphere till the wood is brown and hard. Late Grapes ought 
now to be fully ripe, or if not afford a circulation of warm rather dry 
air until all uncertainty about their being thoroughly ripe is past. 
Black Hamburghs in their stages of ripening should also have a little 
fire heat in the daytime. Thin-skinned kinds of Grapes will require 
frequent examination for decayed berries, damp being their greatest 
enemy, which should be expelled as much as possible by fire heat in 
the daytime when ventilation is given, turning off the heat at night. 
