October 7, 1888. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
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7 
th 
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16th Sunday after Trinity. 
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Meeting of the .National Chr> *anttemum 'Society, Bishopsgate Street. 
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Royal Hort. Soc. Committees at 11 a ji m and Fruit Show (tw’o days). 
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National Chryeanthemnm Society, Floral Committee at the Westminster 
[Aqaarinm 
OVERHAULING. 
0 “turn over for examination, to inspect,” is the 
dictionary interpretation of the above not parti¬ 
cularly elegant word; but as utility is of greater 
moment than euphony to all who are earnestly 
engaged in gardening, our heading will not be 
inadmissible. Every department in a large 
garden should be thoroughly examined periodi¬ 
cally, and its exact condition noted, with the 
object of registering any failures or mistake, and 
recording impressions in respect to desired improvements. 
Small gardens should also be similarly inspected, with the 
view of rendering them, if possible, more satisfactory in the 
future than they have been in the past. It is a mistake to 
suppose that this care is not necessary in the case of small 
and medium sized gardens. As much thought is needed in 
the conduct of these as in the management of large establish¬ 
ments ; and even more planning, scheming, and forecasting are 
often requisite where the demands of the owners are great 
and the resources limited, than are called for under differing 
circumstances, where the space is fully equal to meet every 
want and with a considerable margin to spare. 
No better time than the present can occur this year for a 
general overhauling in gardens. Everything of a structural 
nature should be brought under close inspection for ascer¬ 
taining any possible deficiencies or dilapidations, and putting 
right anything that may be found wrong in the best manner 
and with the least inconvenience. Doing work out of season 
is always costly and seldom satisfactory to anyone con¬ 
cerned. Owners of property, builders, painters, glaziers, and 
gardeners are often irritated during the progress of repairs, 
when all would have gone smoothly had not the work been 
commenced a month too late. There has been a tendency of 
late to a greater extent than formerly to let small faults pass, 
with the object of restricting expenditure; but small faults 
thus left quickly grow into large ones, and the liabilities that 
are being incurred for future eventualities grow faster still, 
and no long time elapses before we have a great ruin and a 
great reckoning day. No plan is so good and economical as 
rectifying small evils and making good small omissions with 
promptitude, every week’s delay adding to the ultimate cost 
and inconvenience. There is nothing so cheap as paint when 
applied at the right time for preserving woodwork, nor of 
timely pointing for preserving masonry. In the general 
overhaul, then, do not forget the pointing and painting. 
Let the heating arrangements be subjected to a rigid 
examination. Boilers, pipes, and flues should be cleansed 
and tried, and these with all valves tested, as in no other 
way can assurance be felt that they will be equal to the 
demands upon them when the time of trial comes. A little 
labour devoted to this work now, and a trifle expended in 
putting any little wrongs right, is as nothing compared with 
the loss attending a breakdown three months hence, and 
nothing should be omitted that can be done for the aversion 
of such a calamity. All drains should be operative and 
supply pipes in order, so that future trouble may be avoided, 
and outlay, the result of neglect, prevented. Nor should the 
No. 328. — Vol. XIII., Thibd Series. 
winter’s fuel supply be overlooked, as stores can be replenished 
or contracts completed now at much less cost than may have 
to be endured in a few months time, for it seems to be the 
“custom” to raise prices in winter, and vendors’ stores are 
filled to overflowing in readiness for the harvest they hope to 
reap from their own foresight and the habitual procrastina¬ 
tion of their supporting friends. 
A thorough examination should be made of pleasure 
grounds, plantations, and trees now in connection with pro, 
jected alterations. This overhauling is too often left till the 
foliage has fallen, and consequently neither the thinning of 
trees that are getting too crowded nor the arrangement of 
others that are to be planted is well done. The extent to 
which trees should be thinned cannot be so well determined 
at any other period of the year as just when their season's 
growth is completed. The full extent of the crowding can 
then be seen; but in midwinter, when the leaves are down, 
the crowding is not apparent to the inexperienced, and thus 
gardeners and foresters are not allowed to do what is needed, 
and trees and plantations are spoiled. Let the trees for 
removal be marked now, and the decisions arrived at adhered 
to when the time arrives for doing the work. It is deplorable 
to see thousands of trees spoiling, and ornamental planta¬ 
tions going to ruin, because owners of pleasure grounds and 
directors of public parks are afraid to thin the trees. This 
policy of fear is a fatal policy, and the sooner it is reversed 
the better. Large sums are expended on trees, shrubs, and 
labour in producing a jungle; the magnificent specimens that 
adorn many parks and pleasure grounds in various parts of 
the country are the reward of a very different system. 
Modern planters might advantageously take a lesson from 
the old-fashioned arboriculturists and landscape men of the 
past. If they commence at once they may learn the alphabet 
of the subject before the leaves fall; they will not be able to 
see the letters afterwards. 
Equally in the disposition of trees for picturesque effect 
the key to the work should be mastered now. At no other 
time can such a clear conception be formed as to what is 
best fitted for certain positions as when trees are studied in 
their autumn garb. All planting arrangements should be 
settled now clearly and definitely, and when the period for 
carrying out the plans comes round the work will proceed 
with alacrity. 
Orchards and fruit plantations should be carefully 
examined, and individual trees scrutinised, so that their 
exact condition can be appreciated, and the best line of treat¬ 
ment determined in respect to removals, thinning, root- 
pruning, grafting, or whatever is suggested as beat to be done 
under the circumstances. Fruit trees innumerable are 
habitually fruitless because the disposition of the branches is 
determined at the winter’s pruning. They appear to be thin 
enough then, but are delusive when leafless, and thin-looking 
trees in winter are in summer a thicket of growths and con¬ 
stitutionally imperfect foliage. This applies to trees on walls 
as well as to bushes and pyramids, for the evil is flagrant all 
round, but not in all gardens, for cultivators who grow the 
best fruit do what all others are now invited to do—see that 
the trees are not crowded when in leaf, the disposition of the 
branches afterwards is quite immaterial. 
The same close inspection of Vines and fruit trees under 
glass should be made without delay. It is not too much to 
say that the great majority are seriously overcrowded, and 
half the laterals of the former and growths of the latter 
should be cut away. The true condition of Vines and Peach 
trees can be seen now, it will soon be less apparent. But let 
no one think the evil is removed when the leaves are swept 
away. Faulty enough many of these were through want of 
space for development and light for strengthening their 
tissues ; but after they are gone the evil, the source of their 
imperfect character, remains—overcrowded growths. Look 
very carefully into this matter at once, and determine on a 
method for future improvement and better crops of finer fruit 
before it is too late. 
No. 1984 —Vol. LXXV., Old Series 
