November 17, 1802. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
449 
Primulas from Mr. Garrod were good, albeit not very varied, and were 
placed first. Messrs. Rickwood and Burton, gardener to Sir E. Paul, 
being second and third. Mr. Wilkins, gardener to Mrs. Pearson, showed 
some beautiful table plants and won readily ; but Messrs. Debnam and 
Sage, who were second and third, also had good material. Mr. Garrod 
won with Zonal Pelargoniums. Miss Clarke had the best stand of 
flowers—a pleasing arrangement ; Mr. Reeves was second, and Miss 
Cole third. The latter won with a bouquet, and Mr. Reeves was 
second. Miss Cole won again with buttonholes and sprays. 
The first prize for twenty-four blooms, twelve incurved, twelve 
Japanese, went to Mr. Waite, whose flowers were of medium size, very 
fresh, and of good colour. Viviand Morel was very broad in petal 
amongst the Japanese, and the other flowers were also substantial. The 
incurved were exceptionally good, the flowers being very smooth and 
symmetrical ; Prince Alfred, Empress of India, Golden Empress, and 
John Doughty were admirable examples. Mr. Hunt, gardener to 
P. Ralli, Esq , was second with better Japanese, but much inferior 
incurved, these being rough. Mr. Woodgate was third with smaller 
flowers, but the incurved were smooth and good. Mr. Waite won 
again with twelve incurved, and although the flowers were somewhat 
small they were smooth, fresh, and well finished. The best were Prince 
Alfred, Violet Tomlin, and Lord Alcester. Mr. Woodgate was a very 
good second, his flowers being smooth but rather uneven. Mr. Wilkins 
was third. Mr. Hunt had a very fine stand of twelve Japanese, the 
flowers being much too large for the board. Viviand Morel, Mons. 
Bernard, and Mdlle. M. Hoste were splendid. Mr. Waite was second, 
J. Woodgate third, these being very close. The latter won with 
Anemones, having a very fine stand, and also w ith Pompons, of which 
he had a charming box. Mr. Garrod was second. With six incurved, 
one variety, Mr. Waite won, having Violet Tomlin splendidly coloured. 
Mr. Hunt was second with the same variety, heavier, but paler. Mr. 
Wilkins was third. Mr. Woodgate won with six Japanese, one variety, 
showing Etoile de Lyon, and Mr. Hunt was second with Edwin 
Molyneux. Mr. Fordham, Mr. Tracy, and others exhibited plants not 
for competition, and there was an extensive display of fruit and vege¬ 
tables, for particulars of which space cannot be found, 
[We have received several other reports of Chrysanthemum Shows, 
but regret our inability to insert them this week. We, however, desire to 
thank our correspondents who have kindly favoured us with reports of 
shows. 
WORK^theWEEK. 
HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 
Planting- Wall Trees.— In planting wall trees now, doing the 
work well, and with reasonable expedition in fine weather, there is 
every reason to expect good results. The soil is now moist, comparatively 
warm and friable, and the youDg fibrous roots of fruit trees are just in 
the condition to make a good start. Late or spring planting, except 
with well prepared trees, is somewhat risky, the trees requiring more 
attention in order to encourage a regular growth. 
Forms of Trees. —These comprise horizontally trained trees, the 
best form in a general way for Apples and Pears ; standard fan-trained 
for very high walls, half-standard for medium walls, and dwarf fan- 
trained for lower walls ; also oblique and upright trained cordons, with 
single and double lateral cordons for low walls. Fan-trained trees are 
the most generally adopted for stone fruits for one important reason, 
which is the liability of fruit trees of this class to lo3e branches, often 
suddenly and unexpectedly. When this occurs with any other form but 
the fan-shaped specimens there is a difficulty in filling up the vacant 
spaces. This can be done with fan-trained trees, as branches can be 
originated at almost any point, or those that are good re-arranged on the 
wall. The latter plan is beneficial when growths are rather crowded 
and need more room. 
Distances Between Trees. —Apples on the Crab stock and Pears 
on the Pear stock should be planted 20 feet apart, but the former on the 
Paradise stock and the latter on the Quince stock may be planted 12 to 
15 feet apart, as growth is not so vigorous. These distances are for 
horizontally trained trees. Oblique and upright cordons of the same 
fruits can be planted 2 feet apart. Peaches, Nectarines, and Cherries 
grown on the fan system should be planted 15 to 20 feet apart; while 
Apricots and Plums ought to have the greater distance—20 feet. 
Age of Trees.— In selecting trees for wall planting give preference 
to clean, healthy specimens some few years old from the bud or graft. 
These will have been trained in the nursery for the purpose for which 
they are wanted. In addition to being carefully trained, such trees 
have generally a fair amount of fibrous roots through frequent trans¬ 
planting. They, therefore, lift well, and with care in removal soon 
obtain a fresh start in their new positions. Avoid, however, obtaining 
trees of greater age and size, as they are rarely satisfactory. 
Preparing Borders.— The borders for fruit trees against walls 
should be permanently prepared before planting the trees. In some soils 
and positions artificial drainage is essential. When this is the case every 
precaution must be taken to ensure a complete arrangement so that 
superfluous moisture can find a ready outlet. A good drain 3 to 4 feet 
deep placed along the front of the border, and connected, with sufficient 
fall, to some main drain will usually prove ample. The width of 
borders varies according to the height of the wall, the lateral area which 
trees are expected to cover, and the stock upon which they are grown. 
The maximum height of a wall for ordinary fruit trees is 12 feet. 
When such walls are intended to be covered by trees on the free stock 
with an area in breadth double their height a border 12 feet 
wide will ultimately be required. For trees of lesser dimensions, and on 
dwarfing stocks, borders 6 to 8 feet wide will suffice ; while for cordon 
trees, borders 2 to 4 feet in width, according to the height of the trees, 
must be afforded. A general depth of 2 to 3 feet is considered ample. 
Soil for Wall Trees. —The soil should, as a rule, be fairly rich 
and strong, loam partaking slightly of a clayey character, but not so as 
to be tenacious. Apples and Pears will thrive on a soil of this character 
if it be deeply worked. For stone fruits add lime rubbish broken fine at 
planting time. Manure may also be added to enrich it, taking care that 
it is incorporated well with the soil, so that no rank, strong portions 
can come in contact with the roots of the trees when planted. Poor 
soil or that of too light and dry character is of little use for fruit 
culture, especially against walls. 
Planting. — When everything is ready for placing the trees in 
position dig out the holes, making them wide enough to admit roots 
easily without being curled or twisted. Prune back to good portions 
all the crushed or injured roots, shortening gross roots considerably, and 
reducing the strong tap root. Place the bole of the tree fully 3 inches 
from the wall. In damp situations or in heavy cold soil it is imperative 
that the roots be raised above the surrounding level in order that a 
warmer position is afforded so that they can make a more satisfactory 
growth. Spread all the roots in an outward direction from the walls, 
carefully fixing and securing them between shallow layers of fine loamy 
soil mixed with charred refuse from a recent smother. Bury very few 
of the roots more than 3 or 4 inches deep. When all are carefully 
covered with the fine compost spread some of the ordinary soil over 
them to the required depth, and well water the ground to wash the soil 
closely around them. This is better than treading and stamping, 
injuring no fibres. In a few days mulch the surface with short littery 
manure. Only loosely secure the plants to the walls, but not so that 
they cannot settle along with the soil as it finally subsides. 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Strawberries in Pots. —All plants for early forcing should be 
placed in frames, with a view to protect them from severe frost, 
heavy rains, and snow. Severe frost does the plants no good, but heavy 
rains and snow often cause the drainage to become much choked. In 
the frames, and plunged in ashes to the rim of the pots, the plants are 
quite safe, only take care not to let any become and remain dry at the 
roots, to use the lights only when heavy rains prevail, and then with 
them tilted at the back, and closed when snow or frost happens, other¬ 
wise drawing off the lights. If protection, as that of mats, is given in 
severe weather, the plants can be removed at any time as required for 
forcing. One of the commonest and worst practices is to pile the pots— 
plants outward—in a sort of half cone against a wall, packing them 
in sawdust, leaves, or soil, and the consequence is they are frozen through 
and the roots injured, whilst not a few suffer from drought, as they are 
practically unavailable for watering. A greater mistake is made in 
placing the plants on the border of a Peach house with open ventilators, 
where the currents of air being constant and excessive provoke evapora¬ 
tion that simply wastes the energies of the plants, and mostly destroys 
the roots at the sides of the pots. It is a far better plan to stand the 
pots on a foundation of ashes in a sheltered situation, and surround 
them with ashes level with the rim of the pots, affording them a light 
covering of scraw or bracken in severe weather. This answers very well 
for midseason and late forcing plants, they being removeable at any time 
and take no harm, only if frozen they must be thawed in a house not 
much above freezing point. 
Where there is the convenience of a Strawberry house and fruit is 
required early—say in late February or early March—a batch of plants 
may now be introduced, placing them on shelves near the glass, and 
only employing fire heat to exclude frost at night, and to maintain a 
temperature of 50° by day, at and above which ventilate freely. The 
plants forming this batch should be the earliest matured, with well 
formed crowns, and of the most approved early forcing varieties, as John 
Ruskin, La Grosse Sucrhe, and Vicomtesse Hericart de Thury. The 
first named has all the characteristics of the old Black Prince, except 
that it is bigger and better, and not so liable to mildew, which often 
ruins the crop of forced Black Prince. The mildew almost always 
appears with the flowers, and then gets a hold on the fruit. Early 
treatment with bi-sulphide of calcium is an effective preventive. It 
may be made as follows :—Slake 1 lb. of freshly burned lime, add half a 
pound of flowers of sulphur and enough water to form a paste, then add 
one gallon of water, and boil fifteen minutes. It should be kept 
constantly stirred while it is boiling, then allowed to settle, and when 
cool pour off the clear liquid into a stone bottle, and keep well corked. 
For use add half a gill to a three-gallon waterpotful of water, and wet 
every part of the plants by spraying or dipping them in the solution 
just before the trusses start from the crown, and repeat before the 
flowers open, and again when the fruit is set. The mildew that infests 
Strawberries seems to be proof against dry sulphur—besides, flowers of 
sulphur dusted on Strawberries after they set is almost as bad as the 
