September 11 , 1890. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
221 
Early Rivers, Hale’s Early, Early Leopold, all ripen in July in an 
unheated orchard house. In August the succession is continued by 
Rivers’ Early York, a very valuable market Peach, the Early Grosse 
Mignonne, the large Early Mignonne, the Condor, Dr. Hogg, Crimson 
Galande, and Early Alfred. In September Peaches are numerous 
enough, and the best sorts are well known, the principal varieties beiDg 
the Grosse Mignonne, Galande, Goshawk, Alexandra Noblesse, Noblesse, 
Royal George, English Galande, Stirling Castle, Dymond, Barrington) 
Princess of Wales, Nectarine, Late Admirable, Walburton Admirable, 
and Gladstone. Lady Palmerston and Golden Eagle are late yellow 
Peaches of excellent flavour. In October we have the Desse Tardive 
•and Catherine, and in November the Salway and Comet. This seems a 
long list of Peaches, but I assume that Peach growing will be eventu¬ 
ally entirely carried on under glass, and instead of the cumbrous trellis, 
■trees will be grown in their natural form—that is, either as half¬ 
standards or bushes ; and more varieties can, of course, be planted 
even in the area of a glass house than on trellises. 
Of late years a very considerable advance has been made in the 
varieties of Nectarines. Before the Stanwick Nectarine was introduced 
into England the available sorts were very limited both in season and 
quality. The small and worthless Fairchild’s Early was the earliest, 
ripening about the second week in August. We have now the Advance 
Nectarine in July, and in August and September a series of large and 
’fine Nectarines very much superior in size and flavour to the older 
varieties. These are Lord Napier, Improved Downton, Spenser, Stanwick 
Elruge, Newton, Milton, Goldoni, Rivers’ Orange, Humboldt, Pine Apple, 
and Victoria. These Nectarines will supply fruit from August to October, 
and there is a steadily increasing demand, consequent, I imagine, on the 
discovery that Nectarines of the present day are much better than those 
formerly offered for sale. This improvement is due in a great measure 
to the mixture of the Stanwick Nectarine race with the old sorts. There 
are two very distinct types of Nectarines, the orange fleshed and the 
green fleshed, the former being the more popular from its peculiar rich¬ 
ness of flavour, especially when allowed to shrivel. 
In my opinion a profitable business may be made by the cultivation 
•of Nectarines alone, but no large profit can be expected from either 
Peaches or Nectarines grown on walls, or by the very expensive trellis 
training. Trees trained to walls are cultivated under conditions which 
■can hardly succeed for any length of time. It cannot be conducive to 
the health or well being of a tree to place one side in perpetual shade 
during the summer when its best energies are required, this is done 
when the tree is placed against a wall, and when portions of the bark 
on all the branches are prevented from enjoying the healthy action of 
the sun by fastening with woollen shreds. Trees trained to trellises under 
glass are not, of course, grown under the same vicious conditions, but the 
system is expensive and the training tedious, and also requires to be 
managed by skilful practitioners. 
The dwarf standard, either planted out or grown in pots, is the most 
profitable form. Span-roof IS feet wide will take three rows of trees, 
and all the pruning and training can be managed with the budding 
knife and the finger and thumb. With an abundant supply of water 
■and a calcareous soil I believe that a fair profit can be made even by 
■cultivators who have not been specially educated for the business, but 
who have their wits about them and a good faculty for observation. 
I should not recommend lofty houses. Every tree should be grown at a 
height which the cultivator can reach, as during the time when the 
Peach is starting in growth it seems to be singularly liable to the 
attacks of those intolerable nuisances red spider and aphis, which will 
•certainly prevent success if not destroyed as soon as observed, on low 
trees they are sooner found out, and when once a vigorous and healthy 
-growth is established there is no danger to be feared. Abundant venti¬ 
lation and sunlight are two of the primary elements to bring about this 
desirable result. 
PLUMS FOR MARKET. 
By Mr. J. SMITH, of Mentmore, Bucks. 
In the few practical remarks that I am about to make it is not at all 
accessary for me to decide from what part of globe we first obtained 
our cultivated Plums, whether from America, Asia Minor, or if they 
were found wild in Europe ; this can be best determined by our botanical 
friends. I consider the Plum next in importance to the Apple in a 
oommercial point of view. In years of plenty they can be dried, in 
which state they will keep good for years. They can also be made into 
jam, which will keep for a considerable time. 
In growing for market one of the first questions asked is, What 
varieties would you recommend 1 Now, this is a very important point, 
for when you go into a nursery to purchase trees you will find, as a 
rule, all varieties are charged the same price, except it be some new 
and untried variety, which may be charged a fancy price for a year or 
two. It is a well-known fact to fruit growers that in certain localities 
and on certain soils one variety will flourish and bear abundant crops 
year by year, while other varieties will never grow enough fruit to pay 
for the first outlay. I may just give one well-known instance to 
impress on growers the importance of this being well understood before 
recommending certain varieties for any given district or soil. At 
Sawbridgeworth Messrs. Rivers have, as a rule, splendid crops of Rivers’ 
Prolific Plum ; in fact that variety seems perfectly at home in the 
stoney clay of that district. Here, in a chalky clay which suits many 
varieties admirably, Rivers’ Prolific grows freely, but seldom bears any 
fruit, although, as a rule, the trees flower freely. The question of 
selecting suitable varieties for any given district can only be learned by 
practical experience and observation. Growers of the Plum are aware 
that the number of varieties of the cultivated Plum is almost legion. I 
have just gone through one catalogue before me, and find no less than 
237 varieties described, with a supplemental list of some 180 more, or 
in all, say, about 400 varieties. Now, this would plant about 4 acres of 
ground of one plant or tree of each variety. But would any grower 
who had any idea of making a profit be foolish enough to plant these, 
or even half this number ? It would be a far moro profitable invest¬ 
ment to plant only one variety on the 4 acres, but this I should by no 
means recommend. My idea of Plums for market is to find out five or 
six varieties that are known to succeed in the district, and plant only 
these. 
I have already remarked that certain varieties favour certain districts. 
Here the soil is a strong chalky clay, and the following varieties are 
grown by hundreds, and in the case of the Damson by the thousand :— 
Green Gage, Jeffersons, Mitchelsons, Gisbornes, Victorias, and Damsons. 
Victorias and Damsons are most grown. 
This might well be termed the “ Home of the Damson,” for many 
acres are planted, and during the fruit season from twenty-five to thirty 
tons per week of these are sent away from our railway station. The 
Damsons here sell for more money than any other variety grown. In 
seasons of plenty they have been soli as low as £3 per ton. and other 
years they have made from £35 to £40 per ton. 
The plan adopted is to plant on grass land at a distance of 22 feet 
apart each way. This will give about 105 trees per acre. Nothing but 
standards should be planted, and they should always have a clear stem 
of 6 feet. Before deciding to plant a field, the ground selected should 
be thoroughly drained, as stagnant water about the roots would soon 
prove fatal to the trees. In planting young trees a small portion of 
rotten manure may be mixed with the soil if the ground is poor, but I 
never make a point of recommending much manure to be placed in 
immediate contact with the roots while the trees are in a young state. 
I consider it better to merely mulch the trees with rotten manure after 
they become established. In planting the trees should be kept slightly 
above the ground level, as they are sure to settle down, although the 
ground is made firm, which I should strongly recommend. Immediately 
the trees are planted they should be securely staked, and the heads cut 
close back, only leaving two or three eyes on the young growths. 
Established trees should be gone over every year, and a certain portion 
of the small shoots removed, so as to keep the centres of the trees clear 
and open for the sun and air to reach every part of the trees. In many 
districts where the Plum flourishes I am aware that they are grown 
much closer, and many growers prefer bush trees, but of this style of 
growing I have had no practical experience, and shall pass it over for 
someone who has had experience to take this part of the subject up. 
In the orchards here sheep, calves, and poultry are kept to the mutual 
benefit of all. 
It sometimes happens that some of the young trees will in a few 
years become “stunted” and hardly make any growth, more especially 
Damsons. My plan with such trees is to cut them hard back, almost to 
the stem ; by this means they often start away and make vigorous 
growth. If the ground is at all poor it is a good plan before cutting 
them back to lightly break up the surface all round the trees, say 6 or 7 
feet all round, and on this ground spread three or four barrowfuls of 
good manure. If this is done early in the autumn, so that the rains can 
wash the properties of the manure to the roots, the trees will start away 
with fresh vigour, and form fine healthy shoots the first season. I con¬ 
sider the Damson the most profitable for field cultivation. Next to it 
comes the Victoria Plum. Many acres of Damsons are grown here, and 
from experience I find the Farleigh, or Cluster Damson, is the hardiest of 
all; it will be found fresh and good when other varieties of the Damson 
are completely spoiled by frost. The Prune Damson as grown here is 
