260 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
March 21,1896. 
thickly bloomed, large flowers being prominent on stout footstalks, while 
the foliage was well marbled and sturdy. For a group of Lily of the 
Valley in pots Mr. R. Scott was first with plants of only moderate 
quality. For a group of Amaryllis Mr. H. Perkins, gardener to Hon. 
F. D. Smith, was awarded first prize for fine spikes of Charles Penny, 
Countess of Arran, Lady Winifred Gore, Miss Claire Stopford, and 
others. Mr. Jas. Douglas, gardener to Mrs. Whitbourn, Great Gearies, 
Ilford, was second, the spikes not being so fine as in the former 
instance. 
Mr. Jas. Douglas was first for twelve Hyacinths in pots, his group 
consisting of fine spikes of Lord Derby, King of the Blues, Garibaldi, 
Souvenir de J. H. Veen, Czar Peter, The Sultan, Koh-i-Noor, Sir Henry 
Barkley, La Grandesse, and Princess Mary of Cambridge, and others. 
Mr. H. Bason, gardener to B. Noakes, Esq., Hope Cottage, Highgate, 
was second, and Mr. R. Scott third. For twelve pots of Tulips Mr. Jas. 
Douglas was again first with splendid plants, the flowers being large and 
distinct in colour. Mr. R. Scott was second with plants not nearly so 
good, and Mr. H. Eason third. The best collection of Crocus was staged 
by Mr. R. Scott, and the second prize was gained by Mr. Jas. Douglai, 
the latter being first for a group of Deutzias. 
Miscellaneous Exhibits —Amongst the large number of miscellaneous 
exhibits Messrs. John Laing & Sons, Forest Hill, staged a fine group of 
mixed plants, for which a small silver medal was granted. Messrs. 
J. Peed & Sons, Norwood, staged a collection of flowering plants of 
bright colour. One of the chief features of the show was the group of 
Orchids and other plants staged by Messrs. B. S. Williams, Upper 
Holloway, for which a large silver medal was recommended. Olivias 
also made a magnificent display in this exhibit. A small silver 
medal was also recommended to Messrs. Williams for a superb exhibit 
of floral designs. 
Messrs. T. Jannoch, Dersingham, staged Lily of the Valley, the spikes 
of which were arranged in artistic clumps ani pyramids on a ground¬ 
work of green moss. A small silver medal was recommended for this 
group. Mr. T. S. Ware, Hate Farm Nurseries, Tottenham, was recom¬ 
mended a large bronze medal for a highly creditable group of hardy 
bulbous plants. Messrs. Barr & Son, Co vent Garden, staged a good 
collection of hardy bulbous flowers. 
Mr. J. R. Stevens, Clayton Nurseries, Hassocks, was awarded a 
certificate of merit for plants and fruit of his new Strawberry Stevens’ 
Wonder. A small but creditable group of miscellaneous plants were 
staged by Messrs. Jas. Veitch & Sons, Chelsea. Messrs. Paul & Son, 
Waltham Cross, staged Camellias in pots. Rose Duke of York, Clematis 
indivisa lobata, and stands of Camellia blooms, for which a large silver 
medal was recommended. 
HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 
Protectlngr Fruit Blossom.— and Blinds.—¥oi affording 
adequate protection to wall trees when in blossom and during the early 
stages of the young fruit’s development a coping either of wood or glass 
is most convenient, if not indispensable. In some cases and seasons the 
coping may be sufficient protection of itself, but the addition is almost 
invariably required of a light covering of tiffany, woollen netting, or 
double fish nets. Any of these protecting materials used must be made 
moveable, so that the trees can be covered or uncovered quickly. 
The best method is to depend the material from the front edge of the 
coping,^ fixing it there with rings which can run on light iron rods 
stretching the entire length, though they will necessarily be in sections. 
The material is thus easily drawn on one side or pulled upwards in 
favourable weather to admit light and air freely, and to prevent 
coddling. Before the blossoms of Apricots, Peaches, and Nectarines 
open it is advisable to shade the trees in bright weather, thus retarding 
the expansion of the blooms longer than would be possible with full 
exposure to hot sun. This is all the more necessary when sunny 
mornings are succeeded by sharp cold periods and frosty nights. When 
frost is imminent and the trees are in bloom run the protecting material 
over them at sunset. Should stormy weather prevail in the daytime 
while the blossoms are expanded keep the protection over them. If not 
in bloom there is no fear of a few degrees of frost doing harm—in fact, 
at this time cold weather is a useful check, preventing the influence of 
warm walls bringing the trees prematurely into bloom. 
Protecting with Poles and Nets.—In the absence of coping from 
which to suspend protecting material some light poles placed in front 
of the trees, one end resting against the top of the wall, the other firmly 
fixed in the ground several feet away from front of trees, will afford 
support for netting or other material. A double or triple thickness of 
fish netting forms admirable protection, and as it admits light and air 
freely there is no necessity to move it to and fro after once placing it 
over the trees until it can be dispensed with altogether. Protection need 
not be afforded within 2 feet of the ground in any case. 
Strawberries.—Beds and quarters of these will need some atten¬ 
tion in clearing away dead and badly discoloured foliage which has 
suffered from the frost. The removal of this affords space for placing 
rich material as a mulching closer round the crowns, radiating from 
which are to be found the greater bulk of the surface roots. Assistance 
thus rendered to them aid materially the new growth, strengthening the 
flower trusses and benefiting the fruit subsequently. If used fairly fresh 
and strawy, spreading it over the entire space between the plants, it 
affords a clean resting bed for the fruit when ripe. Previously to 
applying the mulching, which may be done just as growth commences, 
it is an excellent plan to darken the soil with soot. In dry soils a 
dressing of chemical manure, such as nitrate of soda, at the rate of an 
ounce to the square yard, or 2 lbs. per rod, is very beneficial, as it 
accelerates the growth and proves of great advantage to the crop. 
Occasional applications of any of the advertised chemical manures are 
likewise good. The manurial mulching, however, should not be dis¬ 
carded, as it prevents rapid evaporation from the surface, and the virtues 
in the manure are gradually washed into the soil and appropriated by 
the roots. 
Spring-planting Strawberries. —Late-rooted runners that were 
planted thickly in beds in the autumn on sheltered borders may now be 
removed and placed permanently in rows, selecting well prepared and 
liberally manured ground, so that growth may start freely, the plants 
developing strong crowns during the summer. Spring-planted Straw¬ 
berries should not be allowed to flower the first year. If they do so, 
their energies, which ought to be directed to the production of stout 
crowns and foliage, are appropriated by the small trusses of flowers and 
fruit. The result is seen in inferior fruiting the following year, as 
well as a dwarf stunted growth. It is desirable that the flower trusses 
should show, so that it is known that the plants are of a fruiting instead 
of a blind character or barren. The latter ought to be uprooted at the 
same time as flower stems are broken from the others, because they will 
never do any good. 
Lift each plant with as much soil as will adhere to the roots, 
planting in suitable sized holes so as not to cramp the loose outside 
fibres. Make the soil quite firm about them, and afterwards spread a 
light mulching of stable manure between the rows. The distance apart to 
plant depends on the variety, the strongest requiring 30 inches, while 
those of weaker habit may only require 20 to 24 inches between the 
rows. In order to economise space Lettuce may be sown or planted 
between the plants the first summer. In addition to cutting away the 
flower trusses detach the newly produced runners before they extend 
far. 
Stimulating Raspberries and Currants. — As these have 
abundance of fibrous roots near the surface a thick mulching of manure 
placed on the soil over them will have its virtues speedily appropriated 
by the multitudinous rootlets which are attracted to it. Liquid manure 
applied now will descend and feed the lower roots, some of its fertilising 
virtues being washed and stored in the soil to be drawn upon in the 
future. 
Planting Fruit Trees. — All kinds of young fruit trees and 
bushes ought to be planted as soon as possible, the ground being in good 
working order and becoming warmed. The operation should be care¬ 
fully carried out, cutting off the bruised ends of roots and spreading 
out the latter in light loamy soil near the surface. Afterwards mulch 
lightly all newly planted specimens, and securely stake those that 
require it before the winds loosen their hold of the soil. 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Peaches and Nectarines,— Early Forced Trees. —When the 
fruits are stoning too high a temperature at night and on dull days is not 
favourable ; cold draughts, sudden fluctuation or depression of tem¬ 
perature, and checks of every kind, such as deficiency of moisture at the 
roots and parching atmosphere, are even more injurious ; therefore main¬ 
tain as agreeable conditions as practicable. Continue the temperature 
at 60° to 65° at night and on dull days, 70° to 75° by day with gleams of 
sun, ventilating from 65°, freely at 70°, and not allowing an advance 
over 75° without full ventilation, closing at 75° but not so early as to 
cause the temperature to rise more than 2° or 3° afterwards. Attend to 
thinning the fruit, it being inadvisable to leave more than twice the 
number of fruits that are to be left for the crop for stoning, as it is the 
seed that exerts the greatest strain on the trees. One fruit to every 
square foot of trellis covered with foliage is ample for the large-fruited 
varieties, the medium-sized and Nectarines being left a little, but not 
much, closer. See that the successional shoots for bearing another year 
are properly tied to the trellis as they progress, stopping unduly vigorous 
at about 15 inches, or if very gross and likely to interfere with the due 
distribution of the sap or induce gumming, remove them altogether. 
If the pinching results in laterals stop them to one leaf or joint, 
treating sub-laterals similarly, and if extension is wanted the upper¬ 
most lateral or most promising may be trained in as a continuation. 
When the trees are in good order there is little necessity for stopping 
the growths, they being trained in their full length, allowing space for 
the development of the foliage in order to solidify the wood as made. 
Shoots, however, retained to attract the sap to the fruit should be 
finished after the first stopping at two or three good leaves to one leaf 
as growth is made. 
Second Early Forced Trees. —Attend to disbudding, performing it 
gradually, leaving a promising shoot at the base of the present year’s 
bearing wood, and one on a level with or beyond the fruit, this growth 
being pinched, unless required for extension, at the second or third good 
leaf. On extensions in young trees leave shoots on last year’s wood at 
15 inches to 18 inches distance along them, the shoot at the extremity 
being trained as a continuation of the primary branch, but only such 
