380 
JOURNiL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ May 14, 1891. 
of blossoms, are totally unreliable for producing fruit ; whereas 
those of an opposite nature, with short well nourished wood, and 
properly developed blossoms, are as certain to bear fruit as it is 
in the power of man to make them. But there is a limit to his 
power, and the weather, notwithstanding all his efforts, may prove 
the master. 
There are two kinds of weather that are most injurious and may 
be fatal to fruit crops—these are the extremes of prolonged wet at 
a critical time, the blossoms “ never dry ” on the one hand, and 
unusually hot sun and dry winds extracting the moisture from 
them and shrivelling them up in a few days on the other. The 
danger from an excess of wet is generally admitted, that from the 
opposite circumstance not so widely appreciated. With an unclouded 
sky by day, no dew at night, and a brisk dry wind blowing all the 
time, fruit blossom vanishes too soon for the setting and swelling 
of fruit, and probably the more thickly the trees are covered 
with flowers the greater the liability of failure, because of the 
greater expanse of evaporating surface provided by the myriads 
of petals. 
Fruit never sets and swells so well as when the blossoms are 
not overcrowded, when the temperature is genial, with sun enough 
to dry the pollen, gentle winds to disperse it, an occasional shower 
to freshen and sustain it, and promote free uninterrupted sap 
movement for the support of the embryo fruit. Those are the 
conditions to be hoped for. We cannot produce them, though we, 
perhaps, supply something that may be wanting. Small trees 
overladen with blossom may be relieved, others that need support 
may be supported. A few “ dashes ” with the syringe at a well 
judged time, in dry blossom-exhausting weather, has caused fruits 
to set on one half of Plum trees thus refreshed on a hot south 
wall, the other half being fruitless ; and the same results have 
followed a similar experiment with Peach trees under glass, 
when the atmosphere of the house has been too dry, not 
otherwise. 
Liquid manure applied to certain trees when blossoming may 
be of very great beneflt—trees that do not make much growth 
extension, but develop many fruit buds, and now covered as with 
a sheet by pink or sil7ery flowers. Let a pailful or two of liquid 
manure be given to such trees as are small, and a proportionate 
quantity to larger, to feed the blossom, and note the results. The 
application cannot do harm to such tree°, but may, and probably 
will, do good. Let an example be adduced. It may have been 
narrated before, but if it has is worth repeating. Mr. A. J. 
Thomas who had such a splendid table of fruit at the Guildhall 
Show last October is a grain, root, and fruit farmer near Sitting- 
bourne. He has a Gascoigne’s Seedling Apple tree on grass—a low 
standard, apparently nearly twenty years old. It affords him 
about £6 worth of its scarlet fruit annually, seldom or never failing. 
When the blossoms are opening he gives it a barrel or two of 
strong liquid manure, not a mere sprinkling, but a good soaking. 
To that he attributes its productiveness and handsome fruit. The 
liquid does much more good given to the tree then than later in 
the season, and perhaps it would do more good still if given a little 
sooner; but the owner of the tree is satisfied, for he says by the 
few hours’ labour expended and liquid supplied he obtains more 
profit from the small plot of ground the tree covers than he does 
from an acre of Wheat. There is not the least doubt he does. 
The tree is the reverse of luxuriant, but makes moderate healthy 
fruitful growth. The treatment suits it, as it would many another 
in similar or worse condition. 
Blossoming time is a pleasant but an anxious time. We know 
not what the weather may be, what fruit blossoms may have to 
endure ; but there is one favourable provision—a good leaf growth 
with the flowers, to afford them a little shelter or shade as may 
be needed, and neither will do harm, while the extending 
shoots and expanding leaves will draw the sap to the blossoms and 
sustain, let us hope, a good set of fruit for swelling to maturity. 
—J. Wright. 
A CLEAR COURSE. 
Kitchen gardens generally have for many weeks past pre¬ 
sented a desolate appearance, and few gardeners remember having 
previously seen them so destitute of green vegetables. Serving 
the kitchen and packing hampers has been, and still is, a very 
unthankful task, and in all probability many a vow has been 
registered that by “ hook or by crook ” such a scarcity shall not 
again prevail Naturally we are much at the mercy of the elements,, 
frosts included, and all we can do is to prepare as far as possible for 
all emergencies. Such a winter as that only recently passed through 
may not occur again during the lifetime of the present generation 
of gardeners, but, on the other hand, it may only be the first of a 
series of extra severe winters. In any case the course has been 
only too well cleared, and it will require no great amount of skill 
to arrange the crops for the ensuing year, the principal difficulty 
being how best to crop the ground so as to have plenty of vegetables 
during the summer and autumn, and above all things a well pre¬ 
pared stock for the winter and spring months. I am of opinion the 
majority of us frequently err in devoting too much space to 
summer vegetables, and also to winter crops of doubtful hardiness, 
and if I am wrong in my conclusions as far as the majority of 
gardens are concerned, it will yet be found that my remarks are 
applicable to many cases beside my own. 
There is no mistake about the effect of the severe winter upon 
the breadths of Broccoli, these being destroyed wholesale, very few 
instances of survivals being heard of. As a rule I consider that 
far more Broccoli are grown in the gardens of the well-to-do classes 
than is desirable. Even if the same amount of space can be 
devoted to the crop I would advise that fewer plants be placed 
out, the additional space, coupled with a fairly solid root run, 
causing them to be sturdier and hardier accordingly. Borecole, 
notably the ordinary Scotch or Green Curled, Cottagers’ and 
Asparagus Kale survived fairly well. Brussels Sprouts also came 
out of the ordeal better than might have been expected. Borecole 
and Brussels Sprouts being put out early on good ground, or 
between widely disposed rows of early Potatoes, can be depended 
upon to prove serviceable in the worst of winters, and if they 
receive more attention, from amateurs especially, and Broccoli less,, 
no mistake will be made. They will also thrive and survive in the 
lower or colder parts of a kitchen garden, whereas Broccoli ought 
to be located on higher ground. Savoys have proved of somewhat 
doubtful hardiness, at the same time are so useful, that I would 
advise them to be planted as largely as ever. 
Chou de Burghley, the seed being sown in May, and the plants 
placed out on fairly good ground, rarely fails to give satisfaction. 
Last winter we cut hundreds of tender hearts, the snow being 
cleared off them as they were wanted. When raised and put 
out much earlier it is far too coarse. 
After Peas and Beans are available in quantity Cauliflowers are 
less valued, and it is not advisable to plant large breadths of plants 
raised under glass. Better by far plant a moderate number now, 
sowing more seed in June and July, the plants thus obtained being 
serviceable in late autumn and early winter. Mistakes may easily be 
made in planting too many early Cauliflowers. During very early 
hot weather, or say during July, far more Cauliflowers are wasted 
than are cooked and eaten. Autumn Giant, raised now and planted 
in succession to early Potatoes or other crops that come off the 
ground quickly, would form an admirable succession to the same 
variety put out at the present time or during the next three or 
four weeks. Veitch’s Autumn Protecting Broccoli is extremely 
valuable, and it will be well to plant it extensively for use late in 
the autumn. 
Never before, probably, have roots of various kinds been more 
fully appreciated than during the past winter, Jerusalem and 
Chinese Artichokes, Parsnips, Salsafy, Scorzonera, Celeriac, 
Carrots, Turnips, Beet, Onions, and Leeks all being nearly or 
quite used up. This points to the necessity of growing all these in 
greater quantities, it may be, than formerly. Anything that could 
be forced to produce tender, blanched, or green tops, notably 
Asparagus, Seakale, and Swedish Turnips, were even more highly 
valued, every scrap of the two former that could be thus turned to 
good account being utilised. With good ground available it is 
advisable, therefore, in many cases, to plant both Asparagus and 
Seakale more extensively than heretofore, specially for lifting 
and forcing, and vegetables must be very plentiful indeed in any 
winter when either of the two kinds just named are too abundant. 
Nor will any mistake be made in growing a few rows of Swedish 
Turnips, as the roots obtained, if not actually wanted for forcing 
purposes, might come in handy after the ordinary Turnips are 
exhausted, or even as a change to them. Nor ought the great 
value of Winter Spinach to be overlooked. What we should have 
done without it is hard to say. A 11 the while the snow was off 
the ground, and there was no severe frost, large quantities of good 
