April 6, 1893. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
283 
ensure a crop of even fair sized heads. When strong land has to be 
dealt with effectively, it must not be allowed to lie long enough to 
become solid before planting. 
Every cultivator has to study the peculiarity of his own soil, and 
deal with it accordingly. My opinion is that sowing the seed is too long 
deferred. The plants have not then sufficient time allowed them to 
grow large enough to give the best results. It is not a question of 
obtaining extremely large leaves and gross stems by heavy manuring 
and liquid stimulants, but it is rather the plan of allowing sufficient 
time for the plants not only to grow to a full size, but to mature before 
severe frost sets in. In this latter detail lies the chief secret of 
successful Broccoli cultivation. 
Manure is essential, but not to the extent that many persons imagine 
it is. The land must be made rich enough to produce leaves and stems, 
but not so gross as to prevent maturation taking place afterwards. We 
commenced to put our plants out last year on June Ist, being assured 
then of a long season of steady growth. A second breadth, planted 
three weeks later, exhibits a marked diflerence at the present time. The 
same piece of land has been occupied continuously for the last twelve 
years with Broccoli and Brussels Sprouts alternately. The land receives 
an occasional heavy dressing of quicklime. No manure is used that 
year. We always dig the land during dry weather ; the drier it is the 
better we like it. The year following the liming process as much 
manure is used as can be covered, but, as very often happens, this is 
little better than straw and we do not scruple at the quantity. We plant 
in dry weather, and water the plants once or twice, and have then little 
trouble from slugs. We never earth-up the plants when growing, nor lay 
their heads to the north upon the approach of winter. 
The following notes will show the varieties and the results after the 
experience of the winter. Winter Mammoth, planted on the Ist of June, 
was ready for use six weeks before the appointed time, owing no doubt 
to the peculiarity of the weather. Leamington has come out of the 
ordeal remarkably well, out of 750 plants there were only sixty dead 
from the effects cf the frost. Our stock of Late Queen numbers 800, 
not more than thirty have succumbed to the effects of winter. For trial 
I put out this year 100 plants of Sutton’s Pearl, and only sixteen are 
dead, so this appears to be a deserving variety for further trial. Vanguard, 
grown for the first time, suffered considerably by the frost. I omitted 
to say that we put out the plants direct from the seed bed. I cannot 
see the advantage of transplanting them previously, but we endeavour 
to get them into their permanent position before they are at all weakened 
by overcrowding.—B. M. 
CULTURE OF PLUMS IN POTS. 
In continuation of my remarks on Plums in pots on page 215, I may 
say that it is better to purchase trees already formed and estab¬ 
lished in pots than to rear them. If furnished with blossom buds, and 
given proper treatment, they will bear a crop of excellent fruit the first 
season. Trees two or three years from the bud or graft are suitable for 
potting from the open ground, if they have been transplanted the year 
previously ; they will be more or less provided with blossom buds, and, 
being potted as soon as the leaves fall, a crop of fruit may be had the 
following year, but the fruit will not be as large and well flavoured as 
that produced by trees established a year or more in pots. 
The pots used must be proportionate in diameter to the size of the 
trees, 10-inch to 12-inch pots accommodating those of the age men¬ 
tioned. A suitable compost is three parts rather strong calcareous loam 
and one part decomposed manure, a 9-inch potful of bonemeal and a 
quart of soot being added to every 3 bushels of compost. Calcareous 
loams generally contain enough silicious matter—stones or flints ; but 
strong loams are often deficient both of grit and lime. In that case add 
a fourth part of sifted old mortar rubbish to the compost ; if the loam 
is fibrous use Thomas’ phosphate instead of bone dust. In all cases it is 
necessary to provide good drainage, potting firmly, and allowing 
sufficient room in the pots above the soil for the large quantity of water 
required in summer. This is a great point in Plum culture in pots, for 
they not only require abundant liquid feeding, but space for surface 
dressings, so as to get as many feeders as possible. The trees may be 
placed outdoors in a sheltered situation after potting, and on a bed of 
rough ashes, surrounding the pots and up to their rims with finer ashes. 
After a year’s growth outdoors they may be placed under glass, but some 
prefer to pot maiden trees and grow them under glass. I prefer 
placing the trees outdoors every year after the leaves fall, but all the 
great authorities on orchard house trees, except Mr. Douglas and the 
Rev. W. Wilks, prefer to keep them under glass. 
The trees in spring—before the buds are so far expanded as to show 
colour—must be stood apart or be returned to the house, allowing each 
plenty of room for the development of its growths, and standing each 
pot on two or more bricks on the flat, a little distance apart, so that the 
roots will not pass into the soil, whilst insuring a free passage for the 
drainage water. Such trees are perfectly under conttol, and they can 
be moved anywhere at any time without prejudice to the growth. 
Success or failure with Plum trees in pots depends greatly on the 
attention given to wintering. They must never be distressed for lack of 
a supply. In summer they require water twice, sometimes three times 
a day ; also surface dressings of rich compost, pieces of turf preferably, 
to encourage plenty of surface roots, which can be fed to any extent by 
liquid manure and sprinklings of artificials occasionally. This is 
absolutely essential to sustain the trees in health and fertility. 
From the time the fruit is set until it begins to ripen each tree should 
be syringed early in the morning and in the afternoon, except on dull, 
cold days. Red spider is kept under by those means, and other insects 
must be subdued by the prompt use of insecticides. When the fruit is 
gathered the trees, especially the early varieties, may be placed in a 
sunny position outside, and receive proper attention to watering and 
syringing, or they may 1^ kept under glass constantly, but there is not 
the least necessity for it, and glass is worth much in winter for plants 
that really do require such protection. 
If the trees are kept under glass the ventilators should be wide open 
whenever the temperature is above the freezing point; when frost 
prevails they should remain closed. In those circumstances the trees 
will naturally start sooner in spring than those that have been placed 
outside, and from this time forward a circulation of air, except in severe 
weather, should always be maintained by leaving the ventilators open 
more or less day and night. Plenty of air and a dry atmosphere is the 
way to secure a proper set of fruit. By the time the fruits are set and 
swelling the sun will have considerable power, and may be taken 
advantage of to accelerate the growth by reducing the ventilation in the 
afternoon, yet leaving some on, airing early each fine morning, and when 
the wind is cold and sharp ventilate on the opposite side to that on which 
the wind blows. In summer the ventilators should be left open day and 
night, but some wire netting must be tacked over the ventilators so as to 
exclude birds. 
The fruit must be kept dry when it is ripening and as long as it 
remains on the trees afterwards. Wasps and bluebottle flies like ripe 
Plums. Hexagon netting over the ventilators and frame doors covered 
with it exclude them, otherwise use the thinnest muslin over the trees 
or enclose the fruits in bags of that material. After the fruit is removed 
recourse must be had to syringing, watering, and proper supplies 
of nourishment for the perfecting of the wood and buds for next 
year’s crop. Repotting or top-dressing should be done before the 
leaves fall. 
As to the training of the trees, bush and pyramid forms are best, a 
tree of the latter being easily formed by pinching the side shoots, and 
topping the leader to secure them. Summer pinching may be practised 
twice or even thrice on the leader, and the side shoots once or twice to 
four or six leaves, the growths on these and branches being stopped at 
three leaves, taking care to avoid overcrowding, otherwise the fruits are 
deteriorated for lack of light and air. Pruning may be performed early 
in spring, and will mainly need to be confined to thinning, and removing 
exhausted and superfluous shoots. 
Plum trees in pots are fine for table decoration when laden with 
showy luscious fruits. Those with red fruit tell best, a pyramid about 
three years old in a 9 or 10-inch pot, and carrying five dozen of fruits, 
are singularly effective, one of the best being Czar, its bluish hue 
rendering the fruit very attractive. Yellow Plums are very beautiful. 
—G. Abbev. 
CARNATION NOTES. 
Border Varieties. 
The three varieties recommended below are worth growing exten¬ 
sively ; in fact, they look best when whole beds are planted with 
them Marquis of Lome is a good dark flower that seldom splits its 
calyx, and the same may be said of the other two. This variety is the 
tallest of the three, and is a very good grower. Queen of Bedders may 
be described as a good red Carnation, and of dwarf sturdy growth, very 
free, large flower ; the flower stems seldom exceed 18 inches in height. 
This variety forms a charming bed, and should be grown in quantity to 
display its beauty. Hotspur is a grand companion to the above, being 
pink in colour and practically of the same habit of growth. These two 
kinds were selected from amongst many others at Messrs. Turner’s 
nurseries, Slough, and they have fully borne out the high opinion we 
then formed of them. For cold, late, and rather damp localities these 
three kinds may be relied upon to do well. 
Good Carnations for Pot Culture. 
Mrs. Reynolds Hole and Miss Mary Morris are excellent varieties for 
growing under glass. The former, although it possesses no scent, is a 
most popular variety amongst ladies, its salmon apricot colour being 
very striking. It does well in pots, and will if occasion requires bear 
gentle forcing. When grown under glass the plants naturally flower 
before those outside ; the flowers produced under glass are even more 
delicate and striking in colour. 
Miss Mary Morris when grown under glass is so delicate in colour 
that one can scarcely recognise it. The flower is large, and being so 
delicate it forms a good companion to the more striking Mrs. Reynolds 
Hole. To grow these varieties well in pots strong healthy layers should 
be selected from plants that have been layered outside. They can be 
placed singly into d-inch pots, or three may be put into 5-inch pots. 
These should occupy cold frames until the end of the year, and then be 
placed in the greenhouse. When well rooted they can be placed into 
6 and 8-inch pots respectively. This course should be followed when 
the plants are to be brought forward into bloom as early as possible ; 
but when they are to flower under almost natural conditions they ought 
to be kept in frames, or even stood outside on beds of ashes, and only 
removed under glass to flower. 
The old Crimson Clove is much more beautiful when grown in pots 
under glass than when flowered outside. This variety, on account of 
