862 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ May 12, 1892. 
Azalea Spi^rt. —Mr. G. Paul sent sprays of Azalea mollis with 
yellow fl )wei8, but associate 1 with orhers wliich were pure white, the 
petals beina; only about three-quarters of an inch in length. The 
stamens, five in number, were almost inelubed together with the pistil, 
within the short tube of the corolla Mr. Paul reports that “ It was a 
chance seeiling, and possibly the flowers might have been fertilised 
with some of the other varieties of Azalea, sucu as pontica alba ; but I 
think that the reversion to white is through the yellow forms of mollis, 
which have smaller flowers as a rule than the orange coloured kinds, 
which also open with a whitish shabe ” 
Pine Apple., Monstrous —Mr. Morris exhibited a photograph of a 
tall variety of a Pine Apple from the St'aits Settlement, from Sir Hugh 
Low. It was called the Heii-aiid-Cnickeiis, as it produced a number 
of smaller Pines from the base of the stem. Tney were descrioed as 
beins; of a bright red colour, and of excellent quality. 
Carnations Diseased .— Mr. McLachlau reports that the name of the 
fly which attacks Carnations, referred to at the last meeting, is Hylemyia 
nigrescens. 
IRIS PALE3TI^^^. 
There seems no end to the new Irises with which we are being 
favoured through the enterprise of collectors, and still we can welcome 
each new addition with great pleasure. Last autumn I received one 
under the above name ; and alihou h frame culture was recommended 
for it,it was planted on a rockery facing almost due south, where it has 
remained wi'hout protection all the winter and spring, no slight test, as 
the season has been worse than for many years. I can find no notice of 
I. Pales inse, and for my information of its native habitat have to depend 
entirely on the account given by the vendor, who stated that it grows in 
the valley of the Jordan near Jerusalem, where it is said to flower from 
October to November. It is also said to be allied to I. alata, and the 
whole appearance of the plant bears out this statement. The first 
flowers ope I) el on April 9tb, and although not showy were singular and 
attractive, being of a similar form to tho.se of I. alata and about the same 
size. They are white, freely marked with oblong green blotches, and 
the yell iw streak down the centre of the falls is profusely spotted with 
small blackish-brown dots Tne leaves are about 8 inches in length, inch 
bro.id at the base, and tapering to a sharp point ; bright green under¬ 
neath, with conspicuous ribs. The upper surface of the leaves, when 
examined, presents a curious and pretty appearance, looking as if pro¬ 
fusely covered with a thin silvering or a sli^jht hoar frost, and the edges 
are whitish. The whole plant is only ab)ut H inches in height. Each 
plant w’as said only to produce one fljwer, hut from my two plants I 
have had three flowers. Of course the test of one season is insufficient 
to establish the hardiness of 1. Palestiuse, but should it do as well as this 
season, when 1. alata in the same p isition perished, it would be a 
welcome addition to our rock garden plants.— S. Arnott. 
WOK1^foi(theWEEK.. ' 
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HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 
Training Young Fruit Trees —Attention must be paid at the 
present time to young fruit trees recently planted in order to see that a 
proper branch foundation is laid for forming the future tree. In 
many cases young trees will have been pruned back with this end in 
view. With these, therefore, little is necessary just now beyond the 
selection of the best placed shoots for training in the desired directions. 
Others that have not been pruned at the proper time, but ought to have 
been to secure strong basal growths, may be disbudded to positions on 
the branches where shoots are desired to start. The disbudded portion 
can afterwards be cut back when the foliage has developed. Early 
autumn-planted trees sometimes need but little pruning if the desired 
form of training had been partly secured before planting, and that was 
effected withmt a great loss of roots. Some of these trees will have 
developf d short spurs with an abundant show of blo-som buds. It is 
not desirable to retain all these, as if the majority set exhaustion of the 
tree must inevitably follow in the ta-k of perfecting the fruit. It is 
better by far to severely thin the blossoms and allow only a few fruits 
to swell on the strongest parts. Theie is an advantage in doing so when 
trees exhibit a tendency to grow strongly the first year. The practised 
eye can soon detect this, either from knowledge of the variety, the 
present appearance of the trees, or acquaintance with their condition 
when planting, as well as the method in which this important operation 
was carried out, A light crop of fruit on an abundantly rooted tree 
often check-< grossness, couducinr thereby to a be ter balanced growth 
of wood. Should, however, extension ot the trees be the main object, 
filling the allotttd space quickly being aimed at, then no fruit ouyht to 
be allowed to remain. Rather concentrate the enc-yies of the trees in 
prodncintr main branches and la eral shoots, care being taken that such 
are evenly distributed by a wise system of restricting strong growths and 
encjuraging wmaker, suppressing an undue amount of foliage in vigorous 
parts by stopping and retaining it in the weaker. 
Horizontally Trained Tree.s. —To effectively clothe a wall or 
espader treilis with horizontally trained trees requires very careful 
management from the first in order to maintain a due balance of growth. 
To do this it is necessary that buds for forming the lower branches should 
start strongly and take the lead both in strength and length, each 
successive pair above these being shorter. This is very important in 
maintaining the equilibrium as well as adding to the appearance of the 
trees. Start each pair of branches from buds situated just below the 
shortened point ot the leader, which must also have a strong bud to 
continue its growth, checking it again at the desired height for obtain¬ 
ing anoth-r pair of side branches. A foot between each pair is ample, 
and any buds or shoots between on the central stem should be rubbed 
out. In training the branches allow them to take an upward tendency, 
as the sap will flow better. Thev can be gradually lowered to their 
permanent positions afterwards. Lateral growths on the branches must 
be pinched back at the fourth full-sized leaf (not counting small basal 
leave-) to enable fruit spurs to form. Apples and Pears are chiefly 
grown when this mode of training is adopted. 
Fan-trained Trees. —Apricots, Peaches, Nectarines, Plums, and 
Cherries are grown successfully on walls by this method. Dwarf-trained 
trees are employed on ordinary walls, half-standard on higher walls, 
and tall standards on still higher positions. Training, however, mostly 
consi-ts in continuing ihe form, the foundation of which has been laid 
in the nursery. It is essential that good breaks be secured from some 
part of each shoot for continuing the extension. Such may be assured 
by shortening the branches before growth actively commences in spring, 
or, if neglected until too late, disbudding to suitable growths. Fan- 
training is best adapted for stone fruits because of their liability to lose 
branches, which can be easily replaced by training in other growths. 
The chief points in fan-training consist in maintaining an equally 
balanced growth of wood arid foliage, avoiding overcrowding in any 
part of the tree. Plums and Cherries do not always bear on the one- 
year-old wood, but on that of two-year-old growth and on spurs. 
Apricots bear on both kinds of wood. Peaches, Nectarines, and Morello 
Cherries chiefly on the young wood of the previous year. 
Cordon trained Treks. —These are useful and profitable on walls 
and wires. For walls both upright and diagonal cordons are appro¬ 
priate, Apples and Pears being chiefly cultivated. Single horizontal 
cordons are also grown for edgings to borders and low walls. Not 
much difficulty is experienced in training trees in these forms. The 
leading growths are allowed to extend with an occasional stopping of 
same to induce lateral growths to push, but this is seldom needed. The 
side growths are stopped at the fourth leaf, and at the winter pruning 
shortened to two buds. Weak laterals may remain unstoiped or 
allowed a few more leaves, but strong growths must be early dealt 
with. It is important when the terminal buds of your cordon trees 
are fruit buds that these be removed down to the best wood bud in order 
to secure the desired extension. 
Pyramid Trees. —This form of training is one of the most useful 
for open quarters where restricted trees are necessary. They are pro¬ 
duced by growing one shoot as a central stem, stopping it as is necessary to 
induce the production of side branches, which must be regul ted to the 
proper distances from each other, stopping and thinning to keep an 
even distribution of wood and foliage all round the tree. The lowest 
branches, like those on horizontally trained trees, must be the longest and 
strongest if possible, and the whole thinly disposed. They are often 
much too crowded. 
Bush Trees. —Currants and Gooseberries being imostly grown in 
this form only require the branches regulating to prevent a thicket of 
growth choking up the centres. Gooseberries are amenable to spur- 
Jruiting by summer stopping, also to wall and trellis training. They 
bear freely, too, on the previous year’s wood when that is left at full 
length, but it must he freely thinned to admit light and air in the 
summer. Red and White Currants must have the main branches 
thinly trained, the side shoots pinched in summer and spurred in winter. 
Black Currants bear on the previous year’s wood only. This is 
encouraged to grow strongly, retaining it at full length. American 
Blackberries, like Raspberries, require cutting down nearly to the 
ground after planting, the strong growths which follow being trained to 
wires or stakes for fruiting the following year. 
FRUIT FORCING, 
Vines. —Early Forced Vines —Where the Grapes are ripe fire heat 
will only be nece sary to keep the temperature at about 60° at night, 
ventilating freely by day. Black Hamburghs will need slight shade, 
such as that of a double thickness of herring nets over the roof lights, 
and it will also prevent amber coloured Grapes assuming a brownish 
hue, detracting from their appearance. Damp the house occasionally, 
not allowing moi-ture to be condensed on the berries, but dissipate it 
by early ventilation. A certain amount of air moisture is necessary for 
the foliage, and will irot injure the Grapes provided the atmosphere is 
not stagnant. A moderate extent of lateral growth should be 
enciuraged, as it tends to keep the roots active and to prevent the 
premature ripening of the foliage, which must be kept clean and 
healthy as long as p.jssible. If the principal leaves fall a prey to red 
spider, and there are no laterals to utilise the sap, it is probable that the 
axillary buds will be started prematurely. If fermenting material 
has been applied to the borders, part of it should now be removed, 
leaving sufficient for a mulch, and if the roots are active in the lower 
part of the material a little fiesh may be placed on the surface to pro¬ 
tect them from the atmosphere and impart a neat appearance. 
