Marcli 7, 1695. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
215 
and when rain enough has fallen to moisten the ground, say in October 
or November, and from then digging, packing, ploughing, and planting, 
all go on with a rush, only stopping when it rains, or when the land 
is too wet. 
No one with the proper amount of intelligence and experience will 
fix a date, or even a month, for any horticultural or agricultural opera¬ 
tion in California ; it is absolutely suicidal. There have been more 
wrecks upon this rock of arbitrary time than upon any other. A man 
will fix upon the month of February in which to plant his orchard. 
Previous to that the weather is fine and land in good condition, but he 
does not hurry. February comes, he engages his extra teams, and starts 
his ploughs. The clouds gather, the Weather Department says there is 
a “ cyclonic disturbance ” off the mouth of the Columbia River, or a 
“ barometric depression ” along the Oregon coast; the rain begins and 
continues with little intermission until March. Then spring is on us, 
or rather summer, and the favourable opportunity is gone. Or the time 
fixed may be a period of dry north winds, very detrimental to the pre¬ 
paration of the land or the handling of trees, Therefore push all work 
in the nursery, orchard, or farm, never resting unless obliged to by 
reason of rain. 
Root-grafting indoors is seldom practised now, while it used to be in 
early days, when stocks and roots were scarce. Budding during July, 
August, and September is the chief method of propagation, and also 
crown-grafting in the nursery rows in the winter or spring. 
Third, The stocks most used are the Peach for the large stone fruits, 
with Myrobalan for some varieties of Plum, and for Plums and Prunes 
generally for planting in heavy soil. Apricots are worked on Myrobalan 
to some extent, and Peaches ; but the latter is not a success, and if the 
land is too wet to grow Apricot on Peach, far better let it be planted in 
Plums and Pears. 
The best Peach stock is the “ natural ” or seedling seed, and it will 
germinate readily if kept moist in sand until planting time, without the 
frosts, which in the east are considered necessary. 
Almonds are worked on hard-shell seedling Almond, or for planting 
in shallow soil the Peach stock is preferable. 
Cherries are budded mostly on Mazzard, the Mahaleb being appa¬ 
rently short-lived. Pears upon Pear, and Apple upon the common 
Apple stock. Quince and other stocks for dwarfing are seldom used. It 
is found that in time a Pear grafted on Quince, or Apple, or Paradise 
stock will throw out roots above the graft, and overcome its dwarfish 
aspirations. 
The fruit-planting public is very hard to please in the matter of 
stocks. After a wet season, when trees in low spots are apt to suffer, the 
demand for trees of every description on Myrobalan root is very great. 
A customer (he said he was a nurserymen too) frantically demanded 
Bartlett Pears on “ Mary Boland,” which reminds us of our cook of 
Hibernian descent, who, being of an orderly turn of mind, labelled a 
certain article of food “ McRoney ”—doubtless fond recollections in 
both cases. Our Pear, Plum, and Cherry stocks are mostly imported 
from France. 
Fourth, Varieties. Not to be wearisome, I will name but a few as 
types of what are most largely grown in California. In the warm 
valleys the Red Astrakan Apple is very profitable, because early, and of 
large size and handsome. Gravenstein and Alexander are among the 
best late summer Apples, and Fall Pippin, Hoover, and Yellow Bell¬ 
flower for autumn ; Newtown Pippin, Paragon, Arkansas Black are 
valuable for winter. In the mountains of Northern California and in 
many parts of the coast range Apples are grown with all the keeping 
qualities of the best Apple regions of the United States. This fact is 
not generally known, but it can be abundantly vouched for by Prof. 
Emory E. Smith, late chief of Department of Horticulture at Mid- 
Winter Fair, and by Prof. Husmann, one of the judges. As fine an 
exhibit was there shown of Apples during March and April as could be 
seen anywhere in America at that time. The Bartlett Pear is the 
standard in California ; Winter Nelis, P. Barry, Doyenn4 du Comice, 
President Drouard, are good winter varieties. 
Early Crawford, Foster, Muir, Susquehanna, Salway Peaches are 
types of yellow freestones. Muir is of Californian origin, resembling 
Wager, but drier. Alexander and Hales’ represent the earlier varieties ; 
Orange and Heath typify the clingstones. There are many seedlings of 
local reputation, some of them of exceptional value. The field, however, 
is so extensive and so prolific that the State Horticultural Society has 
not yet been able to control it as to identification and nomenclature. 
The standard Apricots are Royal, Blenheim, Peach, Moorpark, 
Montgamet. Nectarines—Boston, Hardwicke, and New White. 
The varieties of Plums and Prunes are almost endless. All standard 
European varieties succeed well in the valleys of Sacramento and the 
Bay counties. The Japanese varieties and their hybrids grow to per¬ 
fection best near the bay or not too far inland. Most of the early varieties 
of Plums succeed in the warm valleys and plains, but the climate there 
is too hot for later varieties, unless like d’Agen and others for drying 
purposes. 
The Sacramento Valley is, perhaps, the home of the Peach, although 
while in Solano, Santa Clara, Fresno, Napa, one would be apt to think 
that there alone did the Peach, the Prune, or the Apricot grow to 
perfection. 
The whole question of adaptability is too extensive to deal with in 
detail. California, as a fruit-producing State, is so immense that to 
more than touch upon these points would be impossible. For the same 
reason our Nurserymen’s Association has never been able to accomplish 
much. Every nurseryman is for himself, too much so for his own good. 
The whole world is ransacked for varieties of fruit or nuts, new or old, 
which may prove of value here. Many nurserymen have their own 
experimental orchards, and all are constantly acquiring knowledge 
which, if sifted down and disseminated, would be of much value. 
As nurserymen, we do not desire to antagonise our brethren east of 
the Rockies. We have been blamed for insisting upon unnecessary 
quarantine laws against outside nursery stock. Instead of that the 
nurserymen here could often make more money by importing trees, while 
labour in California is so much higher than elsewhere. 
The fruit growers have had expensive battles to fight against 
Australian and other insect pests, and they wisely took action, resulting 
in an enforced inspection of all nursery stock from outside the State, or 
as between one country and another. The State Board of Horticulture 
has done a grand work in this way, and the results are generally 
appreciated. 
I cannot close without expressing the hope that the American Pomo- 
logical Society will give ui some insight of the workings of State 
organisations and assist us in perfecting a plan whereby our fruits 
may be uniformly named, and varieties apparently identical or nearly 
so weeded out from the list.— Leonard Coates, Napa City, California. 
—{Reai at meeting of the American Pomological Society.') 
HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 
Spring Planting Fruit Trees. —When the ground has become 
warmer and comparatively dry on the surface after the prolonged frost, 
fruit tree planting may be proceeded with. It is unwise to carry on 
such important work when the soil is sticky after frost or rain. The 
subsoil, too, must have time to thaw ere much is done on the surface. 
There will be no time lost in waiting for the conditions to become 
more favourable. On heavy, retentive soils a dressing of wood ashes 
and decayed vegetable refuse will do good if forked into the surface. 
Should March and early April prove to be open and dry, the soil would 
then naturally be in a pulverised condition. Cold, drying winds 
ameliorate the surface, quickly rendering it workable, so that it neither 
adheres to the tools or the boots. The soil having reached this stage, 
it is best to grasp the opportunity and endeavour to complete planting. 
Quarters dug before the frost may be lightly forked over, working in a 
little light dry material, or if in ridges these may be broken down. 
Prepare holes for the reception of the trees at the proper distance apart. 
Make them wide and shallow so that the roots can be spread out, yet 
not buried deeply, and never plant lower than the visible earth mark 
on the stems. If the soil has had no preparation the digging or 
trenching required ought to be pushed forward as quickly as possible. 
Planting may follow immediately, because the newly turned soil, after 
a few days’ exposure, is in admirable condition. 
Preparing the Trees. —Fruit trees and bushes may be planted up to 
the time of the buds swelling. While out of the ground the roots must 
be carefully kept in a moist condition. The prospect of a good start 
and a continuous vigorous growth depend largely on the healthy state of 
the roots. It is useless for nurserymen to pack trees well if on receipt 
by the customers the material is quickly taken from them, leaving the 
roots bare for a considerable time before planting. Instead of this the 
trees should be inserted in moist soil, and if any have the roots dry or 
shrivelled they should be placed in water for some time. Before planting 
cut off broken ends of roots with a sharp knife, taking care that none 
are left with jagged ends, as this means loss of time in forming new 
fibres. Roots with smooth extremities soon heal, and put forth fibres 
that make rapid headway as growth strengthens. Those with injured 
points are slower in sending forth rootlets. The damaged extremities die 
back a considerable distance, and the root power of the trees is lessened 
accordingly. 
Planting, —When planting it is desirable to have in readiness a 
barrowful of compost, consisting of light loamy soil and wood ashes 
incorporated together. This forms an admirable mixture for spreading 
among the roots as the work proceeds. These having been trimmed 
should be spread outwards in layers to their full extent, beginning with 
the lowest. Sprinkle soil among them, working from the stems of the 
tree outwards, so that none of the young fibres are turned upwards, down¬ 
wards, or backwards by its distribution. Treat the next layer the same, 
and so on till all are properly distributed, the upper roots being finally 
3 or 4 inches from the surface. A stake should be fixed firmly by the 
side of the tree to keep it in position. The soil worked in this manner 
should be made firm, but it is not advisable to trample over the roots, 
especially near the tree, for fear of damaging any of them. A light 
mulching of manure spread over the surface will prevent the soil drying 
too quickly, yet admitting sufficient air and warmth. 
Pruning: Newly Planted Fruit Trees. —Whether planted in 
the autumn or spring most fruit trees will require the branches 
shortened before growth fairly commences. The extent to which they 
need pruning back will depend on their condition when planted. Many 
trees lose a large proportion of their best roots in the process of trans- 
