488 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ November 25, 1880. 
bewildering sum really means, let us suppose it possible to place 
them in a line and at the rate of 100 to the inch, or about 400 to 
the breath of one’s hand. The sun is about 92,000,000 of miles 
from here, and this supposed line would reach it over 160 times. 
A man’s thumb may cover a square inch, and let us suppose it 
covers 10,000 of these minute insects, the produce of one of which 
in one season might be so very great as to cover an area of 
1,594,225 acres.— (The Journal of Forestry.) 
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» WORK/nniHEWEEK.. 
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HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 
Take advantage of favourable weather to push forward pruning, 
nailing, and tying-in wall trees ; also finish planting as far as prac¬ 
ticable. In pruning old trees, especially Apricot, Pear, and Plum 
trees, overgrown old and barren spurs should be gradually cut back 
alternately, doing a portion one year and another the next, the 
object being to keep the fruitful buds as close to the stems and wall 
as possible. The spurs so cut back will, if the tree is in good health, 
break at the base, and with proper attention to stopping the growths 
furnish buds for future bearing. It is, however, always advisable to 
retain if possible a portion of young wood, and so make sure of 
growths, as when the spurs are old they do not break freely. Apples 
and Pears, whether grown as espaliers, bushes, or pyramids, may be 
pruned with advantage, staking and tying as necessary. To make 
handsome and fruitful trees pyramids and bushes should be mode¬ 
rately thinned annually, as when hard stopping is practised during 
the summer the wood is apt to become crowded so much as to seriously 
affect the ripening of the wood, the production of fruit, and the 
proper maturation of the fruit if produced. Excessive thinning is 
not advised, as it would cause the production of useless shoots in the 
following season ; but examining the trees annually and operating so 
as to prevent them becoming thickets will keep them in good order 
without being compelled to resort to a severe thinning, as would be 
necessitated by neglect for a number of years. When the pruning is 
completed remove the loose inert soil from about the roots and apply 
some fresh compost, of which a fourth may be thoroughly decomposed 
manure. Raspberries should now be pruned and tied, leaving about 
four of the strongest canes to each stool, and after tying them stop 
at from 4 to 5 feet height, according to the vigour of the canes or 
height of the stakes or trellis. Apply a good dressing of manure, 
merely pointing it in about the stools, but in the spaces between the 
rows and stools it may be buried deeper, being careful to avoid injur¬ 
ing the roots. Proceed with the pruning of Gooseberries and Cur¬ 
rants, spurring the side shoots in to about three-quarters of an inch, 
and thinning-out where too crowded, encouraging young growths. 
Where Gooseberries grow freely and fruit sparingly, instead of cut¬ 
ting back the side shoots thin them moderately, especially such as 
cross each other, and this will probably result in a full crop of fruit. 
Black Currants should only have the old growths removed, encourag¬ 
ing the young shoots, which afford by far the finest fruit. If any 
fruit trees be infested with moss or lichen dust them thoroughly after 
rain with fresh-slaked lime, which will also render the buds distaste¬ 
ful to small birds. Bullfinches should be shot. Peach and Necta¬ 
rine trees may, as soon as the leaves have fallen, be carefully untied 
from the walls so as to retard their flowering. Thinning the growths 
or removing bearing wood of the past season may also now be per¬ 
formed, as well as shortening any shoots necessary to originate 
growths for furnishing the trees. This pruning is not usually per¬ 
formed at this season, but is advisable, as it tends to strengthen the 
buds for the next crop. 
FRUIT HOUSES. 
Peaches and Nectarines .—Employ heat in the earliest house only to 
prevent the temperature from falling below 35? in the morning, but 
turn on the heat so as to secure a day temperature of 40° to 45° and 
50? in mild weather. Ventilate freely above 50®, damping the trees 
and other available surfaces twice a day—in the morning and early 
in the afternoon. If a bed or ridge of fermenting materials composed 
of three parts leaves to one of stable manure be formed inside the 
bouse it will induce the free swelling of the buds, and if turned over 
and fresh material added occasionally an atmosphere will be afforded 
highly beneficial to the trees and inimical to insects. Ventilate freely 
when possible, and close early in the afternoon so as to lessen the 
necessity for artificial heat, allowing the trees to advance gradually. 
Ascertain that the border is thoroughly moistened with tepid water, 
and in the case of old trees with weak liquid manure of the same 
temperature. The house where the trees are intended to be started 
early in the year should be cool, ventilating when the weather is 
mild; but in frosty weather the house may be closed, except when 
bright, as to keep the house shut during bright days would cause the 
temperature to rise excessively. Attend to the pruning and dressing 
of the trees in late houses, and have the houses thoroughly cleaned. 
Straivlerries in Pots .—A batch of plants may now be started to 
afford ripe fruit in late February or early March. Early free-setting 
and swelling varieties should be chosen, such as Pioneer, Vicomtesse 
Hericart de Thury, and La Grosse Sucree, the plants being those that 
were layered and potted early and have formed well-developed crowns, 
in 5 or G-inch pots. The drainage should be examined, and if defec¬ 
tive rectified, decayed leaves being removed and the surface soil also, 
but not disturbing the roots, and giving each plant as much bone 
meal as can be held between the thumb and forefinger, afterwards 
mulching the surface of the soil with some fresh horse droppings, 
which will encourage the emission of rootlets. Press it down mode¬ 
rately firm, leaving sufficient space for watering. The pots should 
have the sides freed of any accumulation of moss or dirt. Place 
the pots on shelves not more distant from the glass than 2 feet in 
a house with a temperature of 40° to 45° at night and 50° in the 
day artificially, above which ventilate freely. The pots need not be 
on turves or in troughs or saucers, as the plants afford equally good 
results without, provided due attention is given to watering and the 
supply of liquid manure after the fruit is swelling. Examine the 
plants frequently to see that none lack water, and when required 
supply it liberally. Where there is no house devoted solely to forcing 
Strawberries they may be accommodated on shelves in an early 
vinery or Peach house, having the plants near the ventilators. 
FLOWER GARDEN. 
Poses .—Where it is intended to make new plantations preparation 
should be commenced at once by having the ground trenched to 
a depth of 2 feet, and a liberal quantity of manure incorporated* 
Place the manure in alternate layers with the soil, say a good layer 
of rather fresh manure at the bottom of the trench, then 4 inches 
of soil, 2 inches of manure, soil again, and so on. If the soil be 
light it will be greatly improved by a dressing of clay during the 
trenching. The clay is very retentive of moisture, and Roses are 
very partial to it. Eor stiff soils Roses on the Briar stock succeed 
admirably, but on light soils they are short-lived and unsatisfactory. 
Light warm soils may advantageously (and for beds especially) be 
planted with Roses on their own roots. Varieties that succeed in that 
way and make effective groups are Senateur Vaisse, Prince Camille 
de Rohan, John Hopper, General Jacqueminot, Franpois Michelon, 
La Prance, Dupuy Jamain, Etienne Levet, Duchess of Edinburgh, 
Comtesse d’Oxford, Charles Lefebvre, Madame Roland, (Marechal 
Vaillant, Marquise de Castellane, Baronne de Maynard, Capitaine 
Christy, Baronne de Rothschild, Madame Lacharme, Princess Beatrice, 
Thomas Mills, and Thomas Methven. Roses on the Manetti stock 
also succeed on light soils if well mulched during growth. Roses 
that are not thriving satisfactorily should be lifted and the ground 
trenched and well manured. If they have been long in the same 
position add some fresh soil, and after trimming in any straggling 
roots replant carefully, spreading out the roots, making the soil firm, 
and mulching with long manure for the winter. The growths must 
be well thinned out and cut moderately hard back in spring. 
The leaves of deciduous trees and shrubs having fallen shrubbery 
borders should be cleaned, and where pointing them over without 
injury to the roots can be performed it may be practised, which will 
have an invigorating tendency, but where the roots are near the 
surface a top-dressmg of thoroughly reduced material from the 
