JOURKiL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ Jdnnary 15, IPf j 
WOKK/o^theWEEK. 
HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 
Apple Trees.—A continuance of wintry weather will delay the 
•work of pruning and nailing wall trees, but when not so very severe 
good progress might be made with Apple trees. Even this is cold work, 
the feet and hands suffering most. Both, however, can be obviated — 
the former by placing hay socks in the boots and wearing wooden clogs 
outside, and a strong pair of gloves will keep the hands fairly warm. 
Too free use of the knife is a mistake in many instances, but garden 
trees especially have to be kept within bounds. 
Cordons must have all lateral growth shortened to the old spurs. 
•Supposing summer stopping was practised as it ought to be, but not 
very closely, the first formed with second growth attached ought to be 
-further shortened, being cleanly cut back to within about 2 inches of 
dhe old wood, leading shoots to be laid in to their full length. 
Pyramids and bushes, if on a dwarfing stock, do not, as a rule, 
Tequire much pruning, these often being too chary of forming young 
shoots. When shoots are principally produced at the points of main 
branches it is advisable to cut them rather hard back in order to pro¬ 
mote growth where more needed, perhaps—viz., nearer the centre of the 
tree. Summer stopping will also conduce to the same end. Where 
more branches are required shorten the young growths freely, also cut 
‘back straggling growths; but where they can be left to their full length 
without disfigurement this should be done. Much the freest growth is 
made by trees on the Crab stock, and in this case even more judgment 
■must be exercised in pruning, or the chances are not much fruit will be 
•obtained. No attempt should be made to unduly confine the size of 
these trees, or nothing but wood growth will result. While they are 
being formed most of the leading branches must be cut to rather less 
than half their length ; but when a good foundation has been laid the 
best placed shoots ought to be left to their full length and the rest well 
shortened. Unfruitful young trees and apparently worn out older ones 
•can both be restored to good fruiting condition by simply leaving a 
number of young shoots at their full length. In one case this plan 
•checks luxuriance, and in the other promotes vigour. To shorten these 
reserved shoots however slightly, as many are tempted to do, spoils the 
effect. Thus treated they would only break near the ends, the rest of 
■the shoot being naked ; but when left their full length, no matter how 
strong or how weak they may be, fruit buds would most probably form 
:at every joint during the coming summer. Some young shoots on 
old trees will even bear fruit during the season following their 
iormation. 
Pears. —Much that has been advanced concerning Apples also 
applies to Pears. The Quince or dwarfing stock has the same effect on 
‘the latter as the Paradise and Doucin stocks have on Apples. If minia¬ 
ture early productive trees are desired these only can be had with the 
• aid of the Quince stock. Pruning rather freely in order to preserve or 
improve the form of any trees on the dwarfing stock will not greatly 
■check productiveness, but the same tactics with those on the Pear stock 
-will, as long as continued, unless lifting and root-pruning are resorted 
■to, be followed by little but thickets of wood. If this close pruning is 
discontinued and the shoots merely thinned, those reserved being left 
'to their full length, a complete change for the better will soon be 
apparent in the productiveness of the trees. Allowing the branches to 
extend in a natural manner is the simplest method of growing large 
profitable trees. The limbs for a few years may be somewhat slight, but 
if these are weighted down by fruit, as often happens, propping them 
up is a very simple and pleasurable occupation. Thinning superfluous 
inner growths must not be neglected, or otherwise the interior of the 
'trees will not have sufficient light and air, and will be unproductive 
accordingly. 
Orchard Trees. —It is a noteworthy fact that more orchard trees 
are being thinned this winter than usual, though probably this is due to 
a scarcity of other work and lack of firewood than from any other cause 
as far as farmers are concerned. The trees, whether the varieties are fit 
for cider making only or of some marketable value, ought not to have 
been so long neglected as to necessitate the removal of many faggots of 
wood from them, but late thinning better than none. Where much 
crowded a few of the innermost trees of the most worthless varieties 
might well be destroyed, letting more light into the rest. In any case 
all trees with crowded branches ought to be freely thinned, many of the 
underside branches also being cleanly sawn out. Straggling branches 
to be foreshortened or cut back to well placed inner branches, and a 
general freedom imparted to all. An improvement will most probably 
be observable in the quality of the crops next season, and it is a 
moderately heavy crop of large sound fruit that pays best, larger 
quantities of scrubby fruit being altogether unprofitable. 
Other methods of improving orchard trees ought also to be adopted 
in many instances. Well liming the trunks and greater portion of the 
branches will usually clear them of moss and lichen, and when these 
Hie thus disposed of a healthier growth will soon be observable. Newly 
slaked lime may be shaken over them when damp through coarse sacks 
or bags, or a moderate thick well strained limewash may be made and 
either syringed over them, or, better still, be distributed with the aid of 
a garden engine. A limewash is sometimes well brushed into the stems 
and principal branches, this, though the slowest, being also the most 
effective way of liming the trees, as it also destroys American blight and 
eggs and grubs of other injurious pests. Excessive damp is the most 
frequent cause of the spread of moss and lichen, and one or two rather 
deep drains taken through an orchard might c rrect much of this damp¬ 
ness in the atmosphere. The old drains are apt to become clogged by 
roots and other causes, and frequently would act better if the outlets 
were kept properly cleared. 
Irrigating Orchards. —Not a few orchards are comparative 
failures, owing to the poverty of the ground in which the trees are 
rooting. Freely dressing the surface of the ground with good farm¬ 
yard manure acts beneficially, but often the moisture from this does 
not reach the greater portion of the roots, the latter in fact seldom 
having the benefit of any moisture from one end of the year to the 
other. Loosening the surface, or if this is not possible, forming numerous 
holes with a crow-bar at a good distance from the stem prior to empty¬ 
ing many loads of liquid manure among them, is a surer method of 
supplying the trees with both manure and moisture, and this is best done 
any time after the frost has broken up. Give enough to thoroughly 
moisten the ground round each tree to a good depth, driblets being 
simply thrown away. The plan of laying a 3-inch common pipe driin 
to a depth of 18 inches midway between rows of trees, the lower end 
being blocked up, and the upper one given a turn so as to bring a pipe 
well out of the ground, is a good means of distributing liquid manure. 
Being freely poured down or pumped into the upper end the liquid 
manure will travel the full length of the drain, and percolate through 
to the ground on either side. Not a drop will be wasted, and a wonder¬ 
ful improvement in the vigour and value of the trees be quickly 
effected. 
Saving Grafts. —The advice to re-graft inferior varieties of fruit 
of all kinds with others worth growing has too often been given in 
these pages to need reiteration, and it is only alluded to here in order to 
remind readers that an important preliminary must not be lost sight of. 
It is useless to cut back trees for the purpose of being regrafted if 
there are no suitable scions available, and those, therefore, who are 
about to prune their garden trees ought to save bundles of the prunings 
of best varietieties, more especially of Apples, Pears, and Plums. 
These being duly labelled should be bedded in behind a north wall 
or other cool moist position, the aim being to preserve them in a fresh 
yet dormant state as long as possible. If the sap of the scion or 
grafts is active before that of the trees or stocks to be operated 
upon, failure to “ take ” or unite will be the inevitable consequence. 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Figs. — Early Forced Trees in Pots. —The growths being somewhat 
advanced the temperature should be increased to 60° at night and 65° 
by day by artificial means, and 70° to 75° with sun heat, commencing 
ventilation at 70°, and if the temperature rise 5° to 10° it will be an 
advantage, provided it is due to sun heat. Avoid a high temperature 
by artificial means, as the sturdier and shorter jointed the young shoots 
can be kept the greater will be the chances of a satisfactory early crop. 
Syringe the trees and house twice a day—in the morning, and again at 
closing ; but if the days are dull damping will be sufficient, for a 
confined saturated atmosphere encourages soft growths, and those are 
fatal to fruit production. As the fermenting materials settle firm them 
well about the pots, add more fresh but sweetened leaves, bringing them 
nearer to the rims of the pot^^, taking care that the heat does not exceed 
70° to 75°. Water the trees as required with weak tepid liquid manure, 
giving a thorough supply, so as to moisten the soil through to the drainage. 
Place some turves about 2 inches thick, grass side downwards, extending 
over the inside of the rims of the pots, filling the space to the stems with 
short manure, keeping the turves watered with liquid manure, so as to 
render them moist and encourage the roots to extend into the ferment¬ 
ing material. 
Fig Trees Planted Out to Fipen Fruit in May or Early June. —To 
have fruit at the beginning of May trees in pots are most suitable, but 
for a supply of the finest fruit of the large varieties trees that have the 
growths trained near the glass are most satisfactory as regards the size 
and quality of their produce. The planted-out trees started at the new 
year will afford fruit at the end of May, or if not then started there 
must not be further delay. Thoroughly water the border, repeating it so 
as to moisten it through, after which the surface may be mulched with 
short manure about 2 inches thick, placing it rather thicker near the 
stems, to encourage the roots to extend from the collar, keeping the 
mulching well moistened. Syringe the trees and house occasionally, 
but avoid keeping the trees constantly wet, and the house close and 
saturated with moisture. Maintain a night temperature of 50°, and 55° 
from fire heat by day, advancing to 60° to 65° with sun heat, ventilating 
freely from that temperature. 
Vines. — Early forced Vines in Pots. —Directly the fruit is set 
attend to thinning, beginning as soon as the berries are fairly swelling, 
watering copiously with liquid manure weak and tepid ; keeping the 
evapora'^^ion troughs charged with liquid manure diluted with water, 
using some for damping in the afternoon, preferably after the customary 
syringing or sprinkling. Encourage growth above the fruit, yet only as 
much as can have exposure to light. Surface dress the soil with short 
