168 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 
[ August 17, 1993, 
the nourishment available. Refreshment given regularly with a syringe 
or garden engine is conducive to cleanliness and a prevention of red 
spider, also an aid to the steady development of the fruit. Adequate 
root moisture, too, must not be overlooked, giving stimulating assistance 
only up to the period of the first signs of fruit showing colour, not after, 
clear water only being used during ripening if moisture is needed. 
Ripening: Peach and Wectarlne Wood. —Nothing superfluous 
should be allowed to remain on the trees which will tend to retard the 
necessary hardening of the future bearing shoots. The earliest trees 
from which fruit has been gathered must have the bearing shoots cut out 
at once, training in the succession shoots at suitable distances apart. 
Remove any that are likely to crowd the rest. Attend diligently to the 
cleanliness of the trees, red spider being perhaps the most insidious pest 
that attacks the leaves at this period of the year. Frequent syringings 
with soapsuds or soap dissolved in water at the rate of 2 ozs. to the gallon 
will destroy the pests and prevent their reappearance if regularly applied, 
Gishurst compound and other insecticides may be used instead if pre¬ 
ferred. Such faith, however, is placed in the efficacy of the various 
insecticides to destroy pests which prey upon trees that insects are 
allowed to attain a strong foothold before means are applied to destroy 
them. In the case of red spider this is a very dangerous plan, as the 
mischief they are able to inflict upon the foliage of Peach and other trees 
is irreparable. It is, therefore, important to make war with red spider 
upon its first appearance. Serious attacks of this insect cause premature 
ripening of the wood, the leaves as a result falling considerably earlier 
than they should instead of being retained to the very latest period to 
assist in feeding and plumping the buds. Clear water, forcibly applied 
to reach the under as well as the upper surfaces of the leaves, is a 
ready means of maintaining the trees in health, attention also being 
paid to moistening the borders. Dryness at the roots is very frequently 
the cause of attacks of red spider in the first instance. 
Treatment of Gross Growing: and Weakly Trees. —Trees that 
are rather weak in growth and lack vigour may be improved by apply¬ 
ing stimulants to the roots judiciously, while those growing too strongly 
must be gradually checked by withholding water and exposing every 
shoot fully to sunshine and air. In some cases root-pruning will be 
necessary shortly, or lifting and replanting, the latter method being the 
best means of regulating the growth in young trees. 
Early Apples and Pears. — Early Apples, such as the Red 
Astrachan, Joaneting, Devonshire Quarrenden, Irish Peach, and Mr. 
Gladstone, will as they ripen require gathering. Jargonelle Pears are 
unusually fine in many districts this year, especially where the fruits 
have been thinned. The reduction to two or three on a spur has resulted 
in examples being developed above the average size, but where 
clusters of more have been left the individual fruits are as a rule 
under the average size. The fitness of fruit for gathering is known 
generally by the footstalks parting readily from the spurs, or when 
sound fruits begin to fall of their own accord. A cool period of the 
day, when the fruit is dry, is the best time for gathering, exercising 
special care in the handling of choice specimens, as well as in select¬ 
ing the precise time for securing fruit in the best condition. Some, 
if gathered too soon, are watery ; others, allowed to hang too long, 
being mealy, a musky disagreeable flavour being apparent, which is not 
appreciated. Remove all fruit bored by maggots, whether ready for 
gathering or not. 
Removing: Dead Wood from Fruit Trees. —The present is an 
opportune time for cutting out dead shoots, twigs, or branches in all 
forms of fruit trees. Such wood can now be easily distinguished, and 
in the case of wall trees it often appears very conspicuous, as evidenced 
by dying branches of Plums, Apricots, and Cherries. Remove them at 
once back to their point of origin, training in their place the healthy 
adjoining branches, 
IHorello Cberrles. —Thin out the wood in crowded trees to admit 
plenty of light and air to the shoots retained. It is not necessary to tie 
shoots closely in at present, that is securing them their full length to 
the wall or trellis. The extremities will ripen better by being allowed 
to hang free, the lower parts being fully secured. Ripe fruit required 
to hang protect with netting. 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Peaches and RTectarlnes.— Earliest Forced Houses .—The leaves 
are now beginning to fail, and this takes place far more gradually with 
early forced trees than later in the season. The trees being exposed as 
advised by the removal of the roof lights, there will not be need to assist 
their falling, as the wind will do it most eilectually. Allow them to 
remain until they part from the trees readily, clearing them away as 
they fall. Avoid a dry condition of the border, as this may cause the 
blossom buds to drop when they should be swelling. Excessive moisture 
at the roots is frequently the cause of premature growth, which should 
be guarded against, but it is not desirable to replace the roof lights 
unless the weather is excessively wet. Early forced trees require little 
pruning, for they do not make strong growth, and have a larger per¬ 
centage of single blossom buds than those started in spring under more 
favourble conditions, hence in pruning it is not so desirable to cut back 
the bearing wood unless of excessive length, and in that case it must be 
to a wood bud, to insure growth for attracting sap to the fruits. Very 
little pruning will be needed provided disbudding has been properly 
attended to and no more shoots laid in than are necessary to take the 
place of the current year’s bearing shoots and to renew worn-out growths, 
as \^11 as to provide for the proper extension of the trees. 
Early forced trees are seldom too vigorous after they have been 
subjected to the process a few years, but generally become so enfeebled 
as to need the removal of the weak growths, which, though plentifully 
furnished with fruit buds, are undesirable from their affording smaller 
fruit than is furnished by the better fed and more vigorous growths. 
Such trees should have the old soil carefully removed from amongst the 
roots, and fresh turfy loam, to which has been added a bushel of wood 
ashes to a cartload, supplied, firming it well, and giving a good watering. 
Lift any trees that grow too vigorously, shorten the long and bare roots, 
and lay the more fibrous ones nearer the surface, making the soil 
firm. These operations require to be performed as soon as the leaves 
are mature, and before they fall from the trees, yet not before they give 
indications of doing so. 
Succession Houses .—As the trees are cleared of fruit cut out all the 
current year’s bearing wood, not being extensions, and thin all the 
growths where too crowded. Syringe as is necessary to keep down red 
spider, or promptly apply an insecticide. Keeping the borders duly 
supplied with water or liquid manure will greatly assist weakly trees. 
Ventilate the houses to the fullest extent unless the wood is not ripen¬ 
ing, in which case ventilating freely at night and keeping the house 
rather close in the daytime ripening will be induced. Any young trees 
that are too vigorous should have a trench taken out about one-third the 
height of the tree from the stem and the roots cut, filling the trench 
again firmly. 
Late Houses .—The wood should be laid in thinner than is customary 
with trees in earlier houses, so as to secure the thorough solidification 
of the growths ; then the buds will become perfect, and matter be 
stored in the adjacent wood for the support of the blossoms and embryo 
fruit in the coming season. As gross growths tend to impoverish the 
weaker by drawing to them an undue amount of sap, and prevent an 
equal distribution of vigour, they must be stopped, or preferably 
removed altogether. Keep the trees free from red spider by forcible 
syringings until the fruit gives indications of ripening. The borders 
should be well supplied with water or liquid manure, and be mulched 
about an inch thick with short partially decayed manure. 
Mailing New Borders .—If any planting of trees in new houses, or 
replacing of old by young trees is contemplated, material for making 
the border should be procured, so that the work may be executed with 
despatch, and the borders made so as to have time to settle somewhat 
before the trees are planted. Strong turfy loam, with enough small 
stones and grit to allow water to percolate through it, is the best, espe¬ 
cially that off calcareous formations. The loam should be strong rather 
than light. Strong clay soils are not good unless they contain a large 
per-centage of small stones and grit. Where the soil lacks calcareous 
matter, a goodly admixture of lime rubbish to heavy and of clayey marl 
to light loams will improve them. 
New borders must have efficient drainage. If the bottom of the 
border is unfavourable it should be concreted 6 inches thick, gravel, 
coarse and fine together, with a third of lime made into a mortar-like 
mass, put in so as to slope to a drain of 3-inch tiles, having a proper fall 
and outlet. When the concrete has hardened 9 to 12 inches of drainage 
should be provided, placing the roughest at the bottom and the finest at 
the top. Cover the drainage with turves grass side downwards, and 
if a layer 3 inches thick of old mortar rubbish or chalk broken to the 
size of road metal is added, the roots will seldom pass through this 
into the strata beneath. Instead of making the border all at once a 
4 feet width is ample for a couple of years, and the openings in the front 
wall to let the roots out should be bricked up so as to insure the occupa¬ 
tion of the inside border before they pass into the outside. Loose bricks 
or dry walls will do for holding up the soil of the borders. The border 
need not exceed 30 inches and should not be less than 24 inches deep. 
The compost should be neither wet nor dry, and be put together firmly. 
The border ought to be made ready for planting by the end of 
September. 
In respect of varieties and structures it is beat to have few of the 
first and the latter of moderate size, so that those which ripen about 
the same time c?n be grown together. The structures for early forcing 
should face south, lean-to’s or three-quarter span-roofed houses being 
much the best if well ventilated and efficiently heated. For very early 
forcing Alexander, Early Louise, and Waterloo Peaches, with Advance 
and Early Rivers Nectarines are suitable. The Peach first named is 
somewhat liable to cast its buds, chiefly from over-maturity, as the buds 
on the spurs or stopped shoots are far less prone to be cast than those on 
the first made wood. For second early houses Hale’s Early Alfred and 
A Bee Peaches ; Nectarines, Darwin, Goldoni, and Lord Napier ; for 
succession, Stirling Castle and Royal George Peaches, the two best 
forcing varieties with BIruge and Dryden Nectarines, unsurpassed for 
cropping and quality. These cannot well be forced to ripen before the 
end of May or early in June, then they carry plenty of colour. For 
midseason houses, Dr. Hogg, Grosse Mignonne, Goshawk, Dymond, 
Noblesse, Bellegarde, and Belle Beauce Peaches ; Nectarines, Improved 
Downton, Stanwick Elruge, Rivers’ Orange, and Pineapple. Late 
houses, Barrington, Exquisite, Princess of Wales, Gladstone, Saa Eagle, 
Walburton Admirable, and Golden Eagle Peaches. Nectarines, Newton, 
Milton, Spencer, and Victoria. 
For an unheated house or wall case—Waterloo or Early Louise, 
Hale’s Early or A Bee, Early Alfred or Rivers’ Early York, Dagmar or 
Dr. Hogg, Crimson Galande or Magdala, Royal George or Grosse 
Mignonne, Belle Beauce or Goshawk, Dymond or Noblesse, Bellegarde 
or Barrington, Gladstone or Princess of Wales, Walburton Admirable or 
Lady Palmerston, Sea Eagle or Golden Eagle. Nectarines to succeed 
each other in an unheated house—Early Rivers, Lord Napier, Darwin, 
