462 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ November 27,189ft. 
more generally it would help very much to prevent exhaustion of 
the Pear trees in the spring months. If this disbudding were 
carried out systematically great benefit would accrue to the trees, 
and probably they would flower more regularly every year. It is a 
well known fact that when Pear trees have large numbers of flower 
buds one year they have few, if any, the next. 
I do not propose to say much about stocks further than I find 
some varieties do not like the Quince stock with us, others thrive 
upon it. My opinion is the Pear stock suits the majority of 
soils better than the Quince stock. However, cultivators would 
do well to consult the fruit tree growers in their own districts, and 
further find out from a few gardens where Pears are well grown 
what stocks suit the district—that is, the soil and situation. Soil 
has a great deal to do with Pear growing in any district. 
The wall Pear trees have the same protection during winter 
and spring as the Peaches and Nectarines—namely, 11-inch wide 
boards at the top, fastened to iron brackets or bolts. These 
boards are put up in November, and taken down about the 
end of May. They are all the protection the Peach, Nectarine, 
and Pear receive during the spring months, and we grow these 
fruits very successfully, and have done so every year for twelve 
years past. My twelve years’ successive crops of Pears should 
tempt others to become cultivators, and those who have only been 
partially successful should persevere until they attain still better 
results, procuring with wall Pear trees crops of fruit every year. 
This is better than blaming the weather for failures, which is too 
often done undeservedly. 
In the above practical notes by a cultivator who has “ done 
what he teaches” we hope our correspondent will find the infor¬ 
mation he seeks. 
SYRINGING AND WATERING PLANTS. 
As a supplement to the remarks of “ M. D.” on syringing, 
page 397, perhaps it would not be out of place to say a few words 
on watering plants in pots, especially at this time of year, when 
water should be supplied cautiously. 
In the first place let it be said that there is a right and a wrong 
way of watering plants, and depend upon it if a person is not of a 
thoughtful and observant nature the wrong way will present itself, 
and perhaps be adopted first. Not a few gardeners suppose that it 
is positively essential to water a plant as soon as it is fresh potted, 
and if their method is opposed they will bring various worthless 
arguments to support it, the most common one being “ that a good 
watering settles the soil.” There is no doubt that it does “ settle 
the soil,” and it is my opinion that in a good many cases it also 
goes a long way to “ settle ” the plant. 
To prove the error of this practice let us take for example a 
plant that is recently potted, say from a 5-inch into an 8-inch pot. 
The root action of that plant is suspended for a time, and if the 
potting soil is in proper condition—that is, neither too wet nor too 
dry—no water will be required until the young roots have fairly 
commenced to move. But suppose that plant is watered, the old 
roots and the new soil are saturated, and the young rootlets on 
pushing out feel this cold wet soil, and as a natural consequence 
turn black and wither, and the plant struggles out a weary exist¬ 
ence until the soil becomes in a suitable condition for the roots to 
penetrate. Hard wooded plants, particularly Roses in pots, are 
most susceptible to this treatment on account of their root action 
being slow. Pelargoniums, if watered as soon as potted, never 
come away so freely as they would were they left eight or ten days, 
or even longer in dull weather. 
Another erroneous way of watering plants in pots is giving 
them a little drop every day. The watering is done one day, and 
if a plant is not dry enough to water thoroughly, it is given a little 
drop “ just to prevent it becoming dry.” The next day the plant 
is in a similar condition and a little drop more is given, and so on 
from day to day. Some plants will stand this kind of treatment 
longer than others, but all must sooner or later become a prey 
to sour soil, for the roots are never properly dry nor thoroughly 
wet. 
An evil arising from this continual dribbling is that the plant in 
time becomes waterlogged. How is this? Because enough is not 
given to pass straight through the pot and keep the crocks clear. 
So it follows that the right way to water a plant is to first let the 
soil get dry enough, not too dry mind, and then to fill the pot 
from the surface of the soil to the level of the rim. This will be 
enough to pass through, wetting the whole thoroughly, and clearing’ 
the drainage as it passes out. 
One more point, and that is in watering plants in houses take 
care to have the water as near the temperature of the house as 
possible ; evil results cannot help but follow the application of very 
cold or very warm water.—F. A., Kelton, Aigburth. 
DAYALLIA PARVULA. 
This charming little Fern is a native of Borneo, and is deserv¬ 
ing of a place in every fernery, although at present it is not so 1 
frequently met with as might be expected. The rhizome is slender 
and creeping, as in the other species, but the fronds are very 
diminutive, finely divided, and dark green, while the height of the 
entire plant rarely exceeds 3 or 4 inches. It may be grown in a 
Wardian case or under a large bellglass, and requires a small portion 
of the stem of a Tree Fern to cling to. Over this the rhizomes 
will run freely, producing delicate and pretty little fronds, 
Any approach to stagnation in the soil or on the fronds must be 
carefully avoided or they wall speedily damp off, but at the same 
time a deficiency of moisture is equally fatal. For this reason a 
Wardian case is especially adapted to its requirements, as the 
suitable degree of moisture can easily be maintained. The pan 
must be well drained with clean potsherds, the largest at the bottom, 
and a layer of smaller pieces over them. The soil should consist of 
fine fibrous peat, with a good proportion of silver sand. If the 
Fern stem intended to support the plant is placed in an erect 
position the water may be applied at the top, and allowed to trickle 
down the sides. Sprinkling water over the fronds too freely is not 
advisable. A temperature of 60° to 76° is necessary to obtain it in, 
good condition.—F. 
STRAWBERRIES IN POTS. 
The weather during July and August encouraged rapid growth 
in plants that had been layered early in their fruiting pots from 
vigorous young plantations. The weather during September could 
not have been better for the development and maturation of the 
crowns. Throughout the plants should be in the best possible 
condition, and judging from our own stock good results may be 
anticipated during the forcing season. Cultivators will act wisely 
in leaving their plants] outside for some time to come. Nothing is 
gained by rushing them under glass to protect them from early 
frosts and heavy rains. The plants do not start into growth earlier 
by this treatment, but the reverse. They are often stubborn and 
refuse to itart freely when required to do so. This is reasonable, 
and only what may be expected. The protection of frames keeps^ 
the plants slowly moving and prevents their going to rest as early 
as they would if given natural treatment outside. If success in 
early forcing is anticipated it is important that the growth of th& 
plants be brought to a complete standstill before starting them again, 
into growth. Cessation of growth, if only for a brief period, is 
essential if the plants are to start when introduced into the forcing 
house strongly and quickly. It was a common practice at one time 
when closing early vineries and Peach houses in November to fill 
the shelves with Strawberries, and this often took place before the 
plants had completed their growth, and failure or partial failure 
was the result, plants started a month or six weeks later gene¬ 
rally surpassing them and giving more than double the weight of 
fruit. Drying the plants and thus forcing rest upon them is 
ruinous in its results. No artificial system of inducing the plants 
to rest can be compared with the low temperatures and frost to 
which the plants are exposed when left outside. Once the plants 
have been thoroughly frozen and are allowed to rest for a short 
time afterwards they may be introduced to the forcing house with 
certainty of success. If the pots have been well drained and are 
standing upon ashes heavy rains will do them no harm. 
When hard frosts commence, and heavy falls of snow may be 
anticipated, the plants may be placed in cold frames closely 
together if they can be spared for them. But in few gardening 
establishments can frames be devoted to them where large quanti¬ 
ties are grown. They are not necessary, the plants are perfectly 
safe outside if the pots are plunged to the rim amongst ashes or 
leaves to protect them from frost. Long spells of severe frost are 
liable, however, to damage the rims of the pots even when plunged. 
Perhaps the best of all methods of protecting them is to plunge 
the pots in beds of ashes facing the south, and place boards round 
them, secured into position by driving a few stakes into the ground, 
to which the boards are nailed. Corrugated zinc sheets or rough 
shutters made to throw off rain and snow is all the protection they 
need. Further protection can be afforded the pots when the 
weather is very severe by scattering over them a little dry bracken, 
or dry straw. For the next month or six weeks the plants will be 
