850 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ October 19, 1893, 
be overcome before cultivation of the highest order can be 
achieved. 
Intimately connected with this subject of high culture is that 
of feeding plants and crops, indeed it is the very foundation of it, 
but the essential conditions to ensure success are that whatever 
fertilisers be given must be applied at the right time and in the 
proper way. Much injury may be done by over-feeding or by 
giving stimulants at the wrong time, and I have repeatedly pointed 
out in the Journal of Horticulture the disastrous effects of applying 
liquid manure in too strong a condition, or before root action is 
sufficiently advanced to require it. The whole question hinges 
upon the exercise of sound judgment in determining when this 
stage is reached, and the knowledge requisite for the purpose can 
only be gained by observation and experience. Let this point once 
be mastered and there is no comparison between the results 
achieved by those cultivators who feed their plants and crops 
continuously and those of others who follow only haphazard or 
irregular methods of doing it. The former keeps innumerable 
diseases and insects at bay, which are a continual source of trouble 
to the latter, for it is an undoubted fact that vegetation of all 
descriptions speedily become a prey to their attacks when weakened 
through want of nourishment, or get out of health from other 
causes, while, on the other hand, when health and vigour are main¬ 
tained insect pests are generally conspicuous by their absence. 
The foregoing will show I hold the opinion that many of the 
ills from which plants suffer are brought about directly or indirectly 
through lack of a sufficient supply of nourishment; but let it be 
distinctly understood I add the saving clause, that this nourishment 
must be given under the right conditions if the best results are to 
be obtained. In the spring and early summer our thoughts 
naturally turn to the practice of enriching the soil with manure, or 
feeding crops by means of natural liquid manure or chemical 
fertilisers. This has become so much a matter of routine that in 
many instances feeding is carried on with a lavish hand during the 
period above named, and singularly neglected or only indulged in 
spasmodically during the greater part of the year. 
The question arises in my mind, Do we pay sufficient attention 
to feeding (especially in the case of fruit trees and plants in pots) 
during the late summer and autumn ? I think not. The roots of 
the former are known to be extremely active during that period, 
and trees which have borne heavy crops of fruit derive immense 
benefit if liberal applications of liquid manure are given, either 
before or after the leaves have fallen, preferably before, as the 
buds are then enabled to develop to their fullest extent; the 
leaves being kept healthy and robust continue to perform their 
functions till the gradually lowering temperature diminishes the 
flow of sap and causes them to turn yellow and drop very slowly, 
hanging with great tenacity to the branches till the last vestige of 
green has left them. The buds are thus nourished to their fullest 
development, and the trees begin the rest of winter in a sound 
healthy condition. With hard prominent buds and a natural fall 
of foliage the prospect for the succeeding year is always good. 
Contrast the condition of such trees with that of others which may 
have been equally healthy during the previous summer, but having 
borne heavy crops of fruits were, by the beginning of the autumn, 
in a partially exhausted state, and no special means being taken to 
enable them to recoup their energies, the leaves fall early and 
quickly, while the buds are neither so hard nor prominent as they 
should be. Trees which go to rest in this enfeebled state can 
scarcely be expected to produce vigorous flowers in spring, neither 
do they. Blossom there may be in abundance, but it either fails 
to set properly, or the greater part of the fruit drops in its early 
stages. Thus the loss of a crop of fruit may be distinctly traced 
to the neglect of feeding at a critical time. I am convinced there 
are thousands of fruit trees which would give infinitely better 
results if this matter received greater attention, though, unfor¬ 
tunately, in many instances, through pressure of other work, it is 
impossible for gardeners to give it, except in the case of choicer 
fruits, such as Peaches, Nectarines, and Pears on walls. Numbers 
of o‘ber fruit trees of various descriptions which have gradually 
drifted into a sterile state through neglect and continual starvation 
may often be met with. It is surprising how greatly old trees in 
this condition may be improved provided the branches are sound and 
free from canker, but too much must not be expected in one season. 
In the case of old wall trees which have covered their 
allotted space, a regular thinning of both spurs and branches and 
the laying in of young shoots, if carried out in conjunction with 
judicious feeding at the roots, will in the course of a few seasons 
convert them into vigorous fruitful trees. No better time than the 
present could be found to give them the attention they need at 
the roots. The surface soil should be removed, starting at a 
distance of from 4 to 6 feet from the main stem, and gradually 
working to it. Occasionally roots will be found near the surface, 
but generally they are fully a foot beneath it, except near the main 
stem. Strong roots destitute of fibre may be frequently noticed 
striking deeply into the soil, or extending a great distance from the 
wall. Trees in the condition above indicated derive their prin¬ 
cipal support from these ; it is therefore unwise to disturb many 
of them until new roots have been formed nearer the stem ; some, 
however, should, if possible, be traced to a point where they branch 
into numerous smaller ones, there be cut asunder, trimmed at the 
points with a sharp knife, and afterwards notched at intervals of a 
foot throughout their entire length. A compost consisting of good 
loam six parts, fresh horse droppings one, wood ashes half a part, 
with a little soot, and should the loam be heavy lime rubble added, 
is an excellent one with which to replace the worn out soil removed. 
First place a layer of this underneath the bared roots, so as to bring 
them to within 6 inches of the ground line. Next draw the points 
of the long roots which have been severed and notched toward the 
main stem so as to confine them if possible to within a radius of 
5 feet, secure them in position by means of strong wooden pegs, 
then cover them with the prepared compost, which should be 
trodden moderately firm. The surface when finished ought to be 
slightly above the ground level to allow for sinking. Over this a 
layer of short manure should be placed. In order to keep the roots 
of younger trees within bounds, a trench should be dug out every 
three years, at about 4 feet from the stem, the points of the roots 
cut with a sharp knife, and the trench filled in with the compost 
above described, a few inches of the surface soil between the trench 
and the stem being also removed and replaced with fresh soil, 
always finishing off with a layer of short manure, unless the trees 
have a tendency to grow too strongly. 
A certain position of this work should be carried out periodi¬ 
cally, otherwise it will assuredly get in arrears. In all instances in 
which trees must perforce stand over for another season before 
they receive this necessary attention, much help may be rendered 
them by applying liquid manure during the autumn and winter 
months. Every drop of this valuable fertiliser obtainable may be 
turned to good account in this way, by storing in the soil the food, 
which the roots of trees and crops will not be slow to appropriate 
during their season of need.—H. Dunkin. 
(To be continued.) 
ARE TOMATO DISEASES CONTROLLABLE? 
Bacterial and Eelworm Troubles — Specimens Wanted. 
“ Hygienist” (page 325) may be congratulated on his endeavour 
to reconcile theory with practice—scientists with cultivators. This 
cannot too soon be effected, for there is really no difference between 
sound theory and successful practice. The one is of no value without 
the other, and I have come to regard them as sjnonymous for all 
useful cultural purposes. 
As regards bacteria it may safely be concluded that these bodies 
generate heat, inasmuch as they act on the principles of a ferment, 
and are most active under droughty conditions of the atmosphere or 
surrounding medium and in high temperatures. In this way only can 
we account for the deposits of nitrate of soda in Chili and nitrate of 
potash in India. It is also well known that the micro-organisms which 
render soils fertile are active in the summer when the soil is driest 
and warmest, and are passive in the winter when the soil is wettest and 
coldest. But we must bear in mind that bacteria, like other forms of 
life, may—nay, must—be separated into the useful and malignant, 
and it is important that the one be known from the other, else the 
first cannot be encouraged and the latter discouraged. When a soil 
is excessively manured year after year or cropped with the same 
plant in consecutive years, we know that something will sooner or 
later befall the crop. It may be that the ground of a kitchen garden 
becomes sodden and sour, but we rarely consider that we have 
encouraged the micro-organisms whose office is to convert matter 
into elements poisonous to the crops we desire to grow. Now, 
instead of pursuing this disastrous course, manure is withheld and we 
give a dressing of lime. What happens? The chemist will tell us 
that it effects certain changes, liberates ammonia, and does many 
other things. He will only tell us what he knows. There is no 
theory about; it has all been found out by scientific inquiry and hard- 
headed practice. I know what the result is from a cultivator’s point 
of view; but I also want to know how, therefore must acquire 
chemical knowledge, and when I can ascertain whether the chemist’s 
theory is correct and my practice sound. Many cultivators acquire this 
intuitively or glean it by a round-about system of empirical practice 
and repeated experiments, which are characterised by more losses 
than gains, and the outcome is that as little is known of the why and 
how at the close as at the commencement. 
The chemist can only tell us so much and no more. The 
ammonia liberated by the lime is not a particle of use as food for the 
crop until it is converted by one organism into nitrite, and by another 
into nitrate. Therefore by the action of the lime we set machinery 
