582 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ December 9, mo. 
good setter, tbe fruit being very deep in the flesh, which is of a 
whitish colour, melting, and of rich quality. He intends growing 
it largely next year. Externally the fruit is very handsome, 
being bright golden yellow, distinctly and chastely netted with 
pure white. It is of medium size, globular and symmetrical, and 
was awarded a first-class certificate at the Reading Horticultural 
Show in August last; it also received the first prize in its class, 
and the high encomiums of the Judges. Messrs. Sutton &. Sons 
have received the stock of this Melon for distribution, and we are 
indebted to them for the accompanying accurate representation 
of the fruit that was certificated. 
/y 
WORK/ofiTHE WEEK. 
HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 
The Apple and other orchard trees should now have whatever 
attention they may require in pruning and thinning-out superfluous 
branches, spurs, and dead wood. The thinning of the heads will 
require to be done with considerable care, as to take out a quantity 
of wood at once would only cause a number of shoots to be produced 
in the following season, and these will crowd the head with much 
useless wood. Confine the thinning to cutting out growths that 
cross each other, and where they are crowded or weak. Moss or 
lichen may be removed from the stems and branches of aged trees 
by scraping, and afterwards dressing with strong limewash, or with 
brine ; add 1 lb. of soft soap to every gallon of brine, and apply it 
with a painter’s brush. The brine is preferable to limewash, which 
is unsightly, and if used should have the addition of a portion of soot. 
Gooseberries and Currants are too often neglected in pruning at this 
season on account of the danger of the destruction of the buds by 
birds in severe weather. In pruning it must be borne in mind that 
the Gooseberry bears chiefly on the young wood of the present year’s 
growth, and on spurs ; where the young wood has been shortened 
back the growths should be moderately thinned, those not required 
spurred-in, and the long shoots shortened so as to form a symmetrical 
bush. Pendulous varieties may be encouraged to make more erect 
growth by keeping a clear stem, and shortening the points of the 
lower shoots so as to keep the fruit when in bearing clear of the 
ground. Red and White Currants may be spurred-in to the main 
branches, those not being more numerous than requisite to form a 
well-shaped bush, keeping the centre open, so as to admit light and 
air to the fruit. Black Currants give the finest fruit from the young 
wood, which should be encouraged by thinning-out the old growths, 
shortening the upper branches where required. After pruning the 
bushes and clearing the ground a dressing of manure must be spread 
over the whole surface (unless the bushes grow too luxuriantly) and be 
lightly forked-in, except in the case of young trees, which will admit 
of cropping between, when the ground may be worked deeper. 
Where the roots are mutilated annually they are driven downwards, 
resulting in a superabundance of half-ripened strong shoots, pro¬ 
ducing little if any fruit. The Raspberry is one of the most useful 
of small fruits, and prefers a moist soil, but free from stagnant 
water. Ground intended for new plantations should be deeply 
trenched and well manured. The mode of training is variable, some 
using stakes of 4 to 5 feet above ground, and cutting back the canes to 
the same height; others tie the selected canes, dispensing with stakes. 
Some growers tie the ends of one set of canes to those of the next 
stool in the line, so as to form an arch of the bearing canes ; and 
others, again, merely thin-out and shorten the canes, leaving them 
loose, with the exception of surrounding the plantation with a line of 
tarred string or wire supported by stakes to maintain the outside 
canes in position ; and some adopt the best plan of all—viz., securing 
the canes to light rails or wires formed similar to espaliers, and 
about 5 feet in height. As soon as the pruning is completed manure 
the ground and have it dug or pointed over. Among the varieties 
Red Antwerp, Carter’s Prolific, and Fastolf are the best. If a yellow 
be wanted Yellow Antwerp is good. Autumn-fruiting Raspberries 
are a most useful addition to late culinary fruits. October Red, 
Belle de Fontenay (red), and October Yellow are good free-bearing 
varieties. They may now be cut down close to the ground, having 
previously taken up any straggling canes if any are needed for plant¬ 
ing,"afterwards giving a good dressing of half-decomposed manure, 
merely pointing it in. The canes should be thinned in early summer, 
so as to induce a strong growth in those retained and insure an 
autumn crop, which is borne on the young growth of the current 
season. 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Forcing Department .—Where large supplies of French Beans are re¬ 
quired a suitable structure should be devoted solely to them, in which 
the seeds can be sown and plants grown in beds under conditions 
that will afford much more satisfactory results than from pots. A 
bed of 10 to 12 inches depth should be provided of rich light soil, 
sowing the seed in rows about 18 inches apart. The front of Pine 
beds maybe utilised in this way for single rows, sunshine having free 
access, making a border about a foot wide and 10 inches deep, which 
will yield satisfactorily if properly attended to with water, mixing a 
little guano with it occasionally, or some other stimulant. In ac¬ 
cordance with the demand continue successional crops of Asparagus, 
Seakale, and Rhubarb, and prepare fermenting materials for advancing 
succeeding supplies. Make up beds of leaves and litter in pits and 
frames for Potatoes, Carrots, and Radishes. The Carrot and Radish 
seed should be sown in alternate rows in shallow drills about 4 inches 
apart, using fine rich soil. Early Nantes and French Forcing are 
suitable varieties of Carrots. As soon as the seeds vegetate, especially 
those of Radish, ventilation must be freely attended to. Insert sets 
of Potatoes in leaf soil in boxes, placing them in a house where there 
is a moderate temperature preparatory to planting in the beds. 
Myatt’s Prolific and Yeitch’s Ashleaf are suitable varieties. Rhubarb 
and Seakale in Mushroom houses must be abundantly watered when 
necessary. Asparagus in bearing should be liberally ventilated when 
external conditions are favourable. Admit air freely to Lettuces, 
Endive, and Cauliflowers in mild weather ; but during severe weather 
they will not suffer any damage if the coverings are left on for 
several days. Heated pits containing Lettuce and Endive require 
regular attention in ventilation. 
FRUIT HOUSES. 
Pines .—If a supply of ripe fruit be desired in May and June, and a 
sufficient number of plants are not showing fruit to meet such re¬ 
quirements, it will be necessary to take some of the plants from 
those which were started last March and are now in a state of rest. 
Select the best developed plants of the Queen, Enville, and Provi¬ 
dence varieties, such as appear most likely to produce fruit when 
subjected to a higher temperature. Do not, however, start more 
plants than are needed ; they will throw the fruit up more readily 
and be much stronger if started a month or six weeks hence. If the 
plants cannot be placed in a compartment to themselves a light posi¬ 
tion in the house where the fruit is swelling off should be given them, 
continuing the routine as before advised. 
reaches and Nectarines .—Fire heat will now be necessary in the 
earliest house if all the preparations for forcing have been made ; but 
the night temperature must not exceed 40° to 45°, and 50® in the day¬ 
time artificially until the blossom is well advanced, when the heat 
may be gradually increased to 45®, not exceeding 50° at night, and 
55° in the daytime from fire heat, ventilating freely above that 
temperature. The trees may be syringed daily until the anthers 
show, then confine the damping to surfaces in the house. A little 
air may be admitted at night to prevent a close vitiated atmosphere, 
which is unfavourable to the proper fertilisation of the blossoms. See 
that the borders inside do not become too dry. An excessively dry 
condition of the soil may not cause the buds to be cast at once, but 
they may drop later instead of swelling. 
Cherry House .—With a view to obtain ripe Cherries at the end of 
April, or from early May onwards, the house must now be closed. If 
the border be deficient of moisture a thorough soaking of water 
should be given. Syringe the trees and surfaces in the house early 
on fine afternoons. Fire heat will only be necessary to maintain the 
night temperature at 40®, a couple of degrees less being better than 
over that temperature at night; 50® in the daytime is suitable, from 
