864 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ Jliiy 4 1803. 
WOKK^foiitheWEEK. 
HAEDY FEUiT GAEDEN. 
Summer IVIulchlng Truit Trees. — The advantages of a 
manurial mulch on the surface of the s&il round fruit trees and bushes 
are very apparent during hot dry weather. The rapidity of evaporation 
which takes place from surface soil soon exhausts the available moisture 
within reach of the upper roots. The result of this is that the finer 
and most important feeding fibres suffer considerably. Eoots dislike to 
ramify in dry soil, and those so situated will, when the surroundings 
are not moist, attempt to find the moisture they need by descending to 
lower levels. Thus, the absence of a summer mulch encourages deep 
rooting, and causes strong unfruitful growth to be made in trees. 
When to Mulch. —The best general time for applying mulching 
material is during May, after the ground has received benefit from the 
warm spring sunshine, raising the temperature of the soil for several 
inches below the surface. It should be applied before long-continued 
drought has deprived the soil of the needful moisture which is necessary 
to maintain healthy root action near the surface. If the soil appears 
too dry, the area occupied with roots ought to be thoroughly moistened, 
either with clear water, or if the trees are old and fruitful with liquid 
manure prior to spreading the mulch. The manure being sweet and of 
a lumpy character may be applied about 2 inches thick, spreading it in 
a circle round the bole, so as to cover the distant rootlets. 
Renewing- Mulch to TTewly-planted Trees. —With young trees 
planted in autumn or early spring the mulching material then applied con¬ 
sisting chiefly of open, strawy material will to a great extent be dried and 
exhausted. The loose material may, therefore, be raked off and a little 
fresh substituted. Should the soil be at all dry water may be needed, 
and it will be best to apply it before renewing the mulch over the roots. 
This will ensure a moist condition of the soil for a considerable time. 
Apply the mulching a little beyond the points to which the roots extend, 
taking care that the manure used is not heavy and solid, but of a light, 
partly decayed character. The object with young trees is not to feed 
the roots but to conserve the moisture about them, at the same time 
admitting air and warmth to the soil. 
Mulching Stone Trults.— The treatment of stone fruit trees as 
regards the roots needs special attention, as the application of an excess 
of manure is very likely to produce strong gross growth and favour 
gumming. In applying a mulch to these, then, neutralise rich manure 
with loamy soil of a calcareous nature. If not possessing the last 
characteristic add old mortar rubbish well pulverised, or lime in 
some other available form. Introduce such material direct to the roots, 
carefully removing the soil until they are reached. See that the soil 
below is moist. After placing on the roots a couple of inches of com¬ 
post return on the top a layer of the old soil. Weakly trees that require 
the growth accelerating may receive a mulching composed of manure 
only, or at least with less soil added. Heavily cropped trees also require 
extra support in order to swell the fruit, and to such a mulching of 
manure will be of great assistance in finishing the crop. 
Mulcblng Strawberries. —It is quite time now that all beds and 
borders of Strawberries which have not already been attended to 
should be mulched with good manure. Manure containing an equal 
quantity of both long and short material may be used. The latter will 
feed the plants as well as conserve the moisture about them in hot dry 
weather. The former is useful for providing a clean base for the fruit 
to rest on when ripe. 
Watering Strawberries. —In most soils this spring, but especially 
in that which is light and dry, watering will be beneficial. Liquid 
manure, however, in most cases will be preferable, affording a thorough 
soaking before mulching, or it can be done with advantage after. New 
plantations will need moisture in order to aid the plants to obtain good 
roothold before the hottest weather arrives. If manure is not laid 
between the rows as a mulch, keep the surface open with the hoe. 
Tblnnlng Apricots, Peaches, and Nectarines. —Much fruit, 
especially of Apricots, has received a preliminary thinning, the weather 
having favoured a good set, and quickly brought on the young fruit to 
the size of horse beans when the first removals are effected. Thinning 
the fruit, like disbudding the shoots, should be performed gradually, 
carefully eschewing all the worst-placed first and those which are 
behindhand in swelling. More fruit may be left on a vigorous tree 
than on a weakly one. The same applies to the number left on the 
branches. Over-vigorous parts may be considerably checked by allowing 
an extra quantity of fruit to remain. Weaker parts, on the other hand, 
may be proportionately invigorated by early reducing the number of 
fruits. In thinning, also take the size of the fruit into consideration. 
That which naturally develops to a large size thin to wider distances. 
Properly fertilised fruit swells the soonest; therefore retain these to the 
last, or until it is seen that some may be dispensed with to the advan¬ 
tage of the trees, and the whole can be considered safe from adverse 
climatic influences. The stoning period is a critical time. If any injury 
has been received when in a young state the fruit will drop at this time, 
if not before. Leave the final thinning until this important period is 
past, taking care not to overburden trees with too many in order to see 
which will pass through the ordeal the best. 
Watering- Fruit Trees. —Newly planted trees will need sufficient 
moisture to maintain a healthy growth. Let the water used stand, if 
possible, exposed to the sun and weather for a day or two, or obtain it 
direct from a soft-water tank. It is always best to apply slightly aired 
and softened water in preference to that which is cold and hard. 
Destroying Gooseberry Caterpillars. —When first attacked 
and the pests are not numerous, hand-picking is effectual to rid the 
trees. During the early stages dusting with hellebore powder will 
destroy numbers. Lime also, newly slaked and in fine powder, dredged 
on the under side of the leaves when damp, acts both as a destroyer of 
the larvse and a deterrent to further deposits of eggs upon the foliage. 
FRUIT FOECING. 
Peacbes and Nectarines.— Early Houses, —Alexander or Waterloo 
Peaches started at the beginning of last December now have the fruit 
ripe, and the foliage must be kept dry until the whole of the fruit is 
cleared. The wood that has borne fruit and not being required for 
extension should then be cut out to the successional bearing shoot at the 
base of each, and the foliage afterwards be thoroughly washed by means 
of the syringe or garden engine, so as to cleanse the trees of red spider 
and dust. This will need to be attended to daily in bright weather to 
preserve the foliage in health. The soil must also be kept in a moist 
condition, air being freely admitted, but a very low night temperature 
is not advisable at present, nor too close restriction of the laterals, as 
upon the health and preservation of the foliage mainly depends the 
retention of the fruit buds during the rest period. Early Louise Peach 
and Advance Nectarine started at the same time are now ripening their 
medium-sized well-flavoured fruits. Water, of course, should be with¬ 
held from the fruit, but the trees must not be neglected for water at the 
roots, and moisture in the atmosphere is absolutely essential to the health 
of the foliage. Damp the floor and border in the morning and afternoon 
of fine days, and at other times when these surfaces become dry. Hale’s 
Early Peach and Lord Napier Nectarine in the same house are advanced 
towards ripening and require similar treatment. 
Eoyal George Peach and Elruge Nectarine, however, under the same 
conditions are swelling and colouring the fruit, and require a free circu¬ 
lation of air in order to secure flavour, but it should be given carefully 
during the prevalence of cutting winds, placing some netting over the 
ventilators. Elevate the fruit well above the foliage by placing pieces 
of lath on the trellis for them to rest upon. Guard against crow'ding or 
shading with more young wood than is necessary for next year’s supply 
of fruit and the extension or furnishing of the trees. Finish stopping 
and tying the shoots. Continue syringing until the fruit commences to 
ripen, employing water that will not leave a stain upon the fruits. 
Inside borders should be well watered, also outside borders, this being 
necessary on account of the deficiency in the rainfall. A little spent 
manure placed on inside borders will keep the soil more evenly and 
longer moist, and by damping the mulching when it becomes dry, 
surface roots will be encouraged and the moisture evaporated favour the 
health of the foliage. In reducing the material on outside borders 
enough should be left to protect the roots and act as a light mulch. 
Succession Houses, —Attend to the usual routine operations, and keep 
the trees healthy and vigorous by the timely application of water to the 
roots and foliage. Early and free ventilation is necessary to secure the 
solidification of the growth. Weakly trees, and those carrying heavy 
crops, should be assisted with liquid manure, mulching the borders wdth 
a little partially decayed lumpy manure. Allow a free growth of wool 
through the stoning process, but guard against retaining more shoots 
than can be tied to the trellis. If red spider appear apply an insecti¬ 
cide, and afterwards syringe forcibly. Brown scale usually attacks the 
young wood first, and if care is taken to remove it with an insecticide 
and a brush it may be kept from spreading to the foliage. 
Plgrs.— Earliest Forced Irees in. Pots, —When the very early varie¬ 
ties—Early Violet, St. John’s, and Angelique—are cleared off their first 
crop, the trees should be well syringed, the top-dressing renewed, and 
copious supplies of liquid manure given to induce the second crop fruit 
to swell freely. If the fruit is very abundant it should be thinned, 
leaving a moderate crop only of the best fruits at the base of the 
growths, for it is necessary to secure a full first crop next season that the 
points of the shoots be well ripened, and not burdened with fruit in 
the current year. The watering at the roots will still require to be 
moderate for White Marseilles and Brown Turkey, now affording ripe 
fruit; but still afford the supplies needed to keep the foliage in good 
health, and damp available surfaces occasionally to prevent too arid a 
condition of the atmosphere. For the colouring and ripening process a 
free circulation of warm air is necessary, leaving the top ventilators 
open a little at night. This is essential to the fruit attaining perfection 
—high colour and quality. When the first crop of fruit is gathered 
commence syringing the trees twice a day, also watering copiously at 
the roots with weak guano or other form of liquid manure, with top- 
dressings of lumpy material, so as to encourage active feeders, and 
enable the trees to make a more vigorous second growth. If the fruit 
in the second crop sho-w very abundantly they must be thinned, as 
before advised, so as not to overburden the trees, to the prejudice of next 
season’s bearing. 
Planted Out Forced Trees, —The trees in the house started at the 
new year are now giving indications of the first crop of Figs ripening 
and from that until the crop is perfected a little ventilation should te 
allowed constantly at the top of the house, and when the weather ii 
