376 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ May 10, 1883. 
process may be in some degree accelerated during the 
passage through the tropics ; but in these days of fast 
steamers this is not a serious contingency. The most 
important question is that of freight. That Australian 
Apples can arrive here perfectly fresh and sound and in 
first-rate marketable condition, is demonstrated by 
what may be termed this small pioneer consignment; 
and they arrive, too, at the period most advantageous 
to consumers here and producers on the other side of 
the globe. 
But before the importation of Australian Apples can 
become successful, it will be necessary to ascertain 
what varieties will prove the most satisfactory. It is 
quite clear from the samples we have received that 
both English and American Apples succeed admirably 
in Australia; and if cargoes of such popular sorts as 
Cox’s Orange Pippin and Newtown Pippin can reach 
us in April, May, and June, in the same attractive 
state as the Northern Spy, Lemon Pippin, and some 
others have reached us now, there is little, if any, 
doubt that they would find ready purchasers if they 
could be disposed of at fairly moderate prices—say to 
consumers at Id. each, many of both the two varieties 
named having realised 2d. each during the present season. 
We suggest, both in the interest of Australian culti¬ 
vators and British consumers of their produce, that in 
the next consignment the names of the varieties be 
securely attached to the fruit, we shall then be able to 
express an opinion as to the varieties that are likely 
to be the most suitable for the markets of this country.] 
THINNING HARDY FRUIT. 
Too much importance cannot be attached to the practice of 
thinning hardy fruit. If we expect fine fruit and of good 
flavour we must (if there is an over-abundance) thin to gain 
those ends. Of course we do not expect to thin the fruit on 
orchard standards, as that would be next to an impossibility; 
but trees on walls, espaliers or pyramids, to do them justice 
must have superfluous fruit removed. Many gardeners, and 
especially young men, when the trees are loaded with fruit 
rejoice to see it, little thinking what harm is being done to the 
trees, but in after years they find it out, too often to their cost. 
There is in all fruit trees a certain amount of fruit-producing 
power according to the health of the tree, and it is by far the 
best plan to direct it to maturing a certain number of good 
fruit than to distribute it amongst numberless small ones. 
Gardeners are expected to maintain a good dessert, and it is the 
ambition of most of them to produce it. They have if they 
thin no trouble to pick fine fruit; but, on the other hand, if 
not thinned in a productive season quite one-half are not fit to go 
to the table, and the others are unsatisfactory. I am sure those 
who thin fruit once will not allow the crops to go unthinned after¬ 
wards. The best time to thin is when cultivators are sure of a 
crop. In the case of Pears thin according to the size of the 
variety. Most varieties do well with fruits 1 foot apart, and 
Apples, Plums, &c., according to the size of the variety. 
Never leave two together. We thin Grapes, Peaches, and 
Apricots to gain size ; why not Pears, Apples, and Plums ? 
Such varieties of excellent Pears as Winter Nelis, Josephine 
de Malines, Bergamot Esperen, Passe Crassane, and others of 
that type are almost worthless if allowed to carry heavy crops. 
Dessert Apples, which are very much appreciated during the 
winter months, are not very presentable if the trees are allowed 
to carry too many. I daresay many gardeners will say, “We 
have no time to thin Apples and Pears.” Well, I can only 
say we should have had no time to thin if we had waited until 
all other work was done ; but I had one of the finest collections 
of hardy fruit in the country to manage, and to satisfy my 
employer we were obliged to thin, so we found time.— 
A. Young. 
P.S.—If Dr. Mackenzie were to remove all the flower buds 
from the extremity of every branch it would be beneficial to 
the trees ; and if the trees are required to have extension, a 
wood bud is the best to remove the blossom to. I suspect the 
branches referred to are of last year’s growth. 
MARIE LOUISE VIOLET. 
As some time since you expressed a wish to know our system 
of Violet culture, I send a few remarks on growing this, the 
finest of all the double kinds, as practised here. We grow them 
similar to the way we prepare Strawberries for forcing— 
namely, from runners every year. During the summer the 
plants are grown in the open ; a north or west border suits 
them well. They are kept clear of weeds, and in our case 
nothing more is done to them until the end of September or 
early in October. They are then carefully lifted with good 
balls, and planted in cold frames having a south aspect, keep¬ 
ing them near to the glass. If the soil is heavy a third part 
of leaf mould is added, and as the planting progresses two or 
three runners on each plant are pressed into the soil, no pegs 
being used. These are to form the plants for next season, and 
by spring are well rooted, strong, and bushy. 'Ihey are 
then carefully cut off and planted, the old plants not.being used 
the second time. Plants so treated are often a foot in diameter 
by the following autumn. By this system we consider that we 
procure much stronger plants, and consequently larger flowers. 
The Neapolitan we treat in the same manner, but this pro¬ 
duces a greater number of runners, which no doubt would be 
better taken otf dining the summer. We do not remove 
runners from Marie Louise until planting in frames in the 
autumn, and we always have plenty of Violets. The two 
evils to guard against is red spider at all times and damp in 
winter. Against the former we ply the syringe freely on 
bright mornings, and against the latter we sprinkle powdered 
charcoal between the plants. Ventilation must be well attended 
to at all times when not actually freezing, propping up the 
sashes sideways, so that a current of air can pass freely among 
the plants. From plants so treated we have not missed a day 
since early in September last up to the present time without 
gathering such blooms as I sent you a few weeks ago.— 
G. Summers, Sandbeck Park. 
[Finer Violets we never saw than those referred to.] 
VINE MILDEW (OIDIUM TUCKERI). 
This is the worst disease, phylloxera excepted, to which 
Vines are susceptible, as those who have ever had to contend 
with it in a severe form know only too well, and if allowed 
to have its own course too long, and is permitted to get a firm 
hold of the Vines before remedial measures are applied, the 
disaslrous consequences resulting therefrom may not only 
render the current year’s crop worthless, b ;t will endanger in 
a very great degree the succeeding one, and, as a matter of 
course, will cause no end of vexation and disappointment to 
those on whose shoulders the safety and well-being of the 
crop depends. One fruitful source of the disease is low tem¬ 
perature accompanied by a moist stagnant atmosphere and 
insufficient ventilation. It may also be stated that Vines grow¬ 
ing near the seacoast are much subject to mildew, and let their 
treatment be ever so skilful, if preventive measures are not 
taken they are almost certain to be attacked by it. Being a 
fungoid disease like the Peronospora, which affects our Potato 
crops, it spreads with great rapidity. Unlike the latter, how¬ 
ever, it is curable ; were it not so, Grape-growing in this 
country would not be so profitable an undertaking as it proves 
to many. Although it was first discovered in this country 
about the year 1845 by a Mr. Tucker, it is not unknown in other 
parts of Europe ; indeed, it has been known to almost totally 
destroy the crops in bad seasons in some parts of France and 
Italy. Failures, however, from this disease are not of so fre¬ 
quent occurrence now, I believe, as formerly, owing in a great 
measure to its cause and cure being better understood. 
For the benefit of those who are unacquainted with it, it 
may be stated that in its early stages it is first discernible to 
the naked eye in the shape of minute specks smaller than a 
