346 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
April 18, 1895. 
for training the trees. The best soil is a calcareous loam, that overlying 
chalk being suitable, and sufficiently fertile in character, warm, well 
drained, and not too deep. When the roots are allowed to descend into 
uncongenial subsoil or even deeply into rich soil, strong succulent 
growths are developed, which are invariably unfruitful. These tend 
also, by encouraging others of like nature, to overcrowd the trees. A 
hard impervious bottom does this the most effectively. Lime rubbish 
mixed with the soil improves it for Fig cultivation where not otherwise 
suitable. It is seldom necessary to add manure. 
Planting. —April is a suitable month for planting young trees from 
pots. If the roots are numerous and matted together the soil should be 
shaken away and the fibres disentangled, spreading them out evenly in 
their new position between layers of soil, which may be pressed firmly 
about them. 
Pruning. —Newly planted examples if not already furnished with 
several branches ought to be pruned back to several buds in order to 
establish such, training these fan shape over the space and originating 
others from them for fully furnishing the tree?. 
Pruning Pstablished Trees. — With due attention to judicious 
training in the first instance, and so to avoid overcrowding at any 
period, little annual pruning is required. Under such conditions the 
wood made is short-jointed and fruitful owing to continuous exposure 
to the influences of light, air, and sun. Thinning out rather than 
shortening back acts best, because the Fig bears at the points of the 
previous year’s shoots, and to prune these away would entail loss of crop. 
There is, however, a system of pruning the Fig which admits of one 
half the shoots being pruned closely to one or two buds and the other 
half retained at full length for bearing. Pruning of this kind may be 
done in the autumn, efficient protection being afforded the trees in 
severe weather to prevent injury to the bearing wood. Injured shoots 
or any not wanted may either be cut out or shortened back to low buds. 
In the latter case shoots will, during the season, be produced for the 
following year. 
Mulcbing' Strawberries. — This is the best season to give a 
general mulching of manure to the oldest established fruitful beds 
which need the most assistance. A mixture of cow and horse manure 
is suitable. On heavy soils let horse manure predominate, fresh cow 
manure being too compact and cold for mulching such soil. It is best 
in any case to use it sparingly now on Strawberry beds without 
abundance of straw or other light material with it. The solid parts of 
the manure used serve as nutriment for the roots, the rain washing the 
beneficial qualities gradually into the soil among the surface roots. 
The light and strawy portions become blanched and clean by the time 
the fruit is ripe, forming an excellent bed for the fruit to rest on. 
Mulching serves other purposes besides feeding. It maintains the 
soil in an equable condition of moisture throughout the season and 
attracts roots to the surface, where they multiply rapidly. Previous to 
applying manure unsightly old foliage should be trimmed off and strong 
weeds growing in the beds uprooted. Hard and trampled spaces between 
the plants ought to be forked over, only disturbing the parts unoccupied 
with roots. Small and seedling weeds may be covered with the mulching 
where they cannot be buried in forking over the ground. 
Voungr Strawberry Beds. —If recently planted beds are lightly 
hoed this serves to promote growth and at the same time kill weeds. 
Several hoeings may be carried out before mulching these plants, as the 
soil being rich enough for their requirements at present does not need 
additional food. Later in the season a light mulching will act bene¬ 
ficially in conserving the moisture then present in the soil and prevent 
rapid evaporation, which prior to that period may be counteracted by 
the frequent hoeings. 
Mulching Gooseberries and Currants. —If these are likely to 
need assistance at the roots during the summer a thick mulching of rich 
manure may be afforded now before the foliage becomes dense. Both 
Gooseberries and Currants root abundantly near the surface, and if the 
fibres cannot find due sustenance when they need it the fruit will be 
small and deficient in quality, the bushes also being more liable to 
attacks from insects. Spread the manure under the branches as far as 
the latter extend. 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Peaches and l^ectarlnes — Earliest House. —The stoning process 
being over with the earliest varieties, they may be given a temperature 
of 70° to 75° by artificial means, but it is not good practice to maintain 
that constantly. Therefore allow the temperature to fall to 65° or even 
60° on cold nights, raising the heat to the figures before named early in 
the day, keeping through this at 80° to 85° from sun heat, ventilating by 
the top at 70° to 75°, and opening the front at 80°, so as to secure a cir¬ 
culation of air and prevent the temperature rising too high. A stagnant 
atmosphere will be avoided by admitting a little air constantly. Close 
the house at 80°, and sufficiently early to allow of an advance to 85° or 
90°, the trees being well syringed and good atmospheric moisture secured, 
which will insure the fruit swelling to a large size, but the fruit and 
foliage must become fairly dry before night, and clear water be used, as 
spring water is liable to leave a stain on the fruit. 
Remove the leaves over or in front of the fruit, and turn this to 
the light, as it adds greatly to the value of the fruit when it is well 
coloured from the apex, besides improving the flavour. Syringing must 
cease when the fruit commences to soften for ripening, otherwise the 
skin may become cracked, and it then is spoiled in appearance and 
acquires an unpleasant, musty flavour ; but a genial condition of the 
atmosphere should be maintained for the benefit of the foliage by damp¬ 
ing the paths and borders twice a day. Keep the roots properly supplied 
with water or liquid manure, using the latter in an available form, such 
as nitrates of potash and soda, when growth in either shoots or fruit is 
desired, as crude material in the late stages of swelling may impart an 
unpleasant flavour to the fruit through its not being converted into 
assimilable matter. Soot has this singular characteristic, and, in less 
degree, blood and other animal manures. A mulching of some partially 
decayed lumpy manure, about an inch thick, will help to keep the soil 
uniformly moist and encourage surface roots, whilst the nutrient matter 
will be in such available form as not to prejudice the quality of the fruit. 
Regulate the flow of the sap by stopping all gross shoots before 
they have time to draw supplies from the weakest parts of the trees. 
Allow the leading shoots, particularly of young trees, to extend over un¬ 
covered parts of the trellis, and pinch out the successional bearing growths 
when about ^14 inches long. In houses that contain such varieties as 
Hale’s Early, A Bee (one of the finest second early Peaches), with Royal 
George, Stirling Castle, and Grosse Mignonne, and the Nectarines Lord 
Napier, Elruge or Stanwick Elruge, which were started about the middle 
of December to afford ripe fruit at the end of May or early in June, the 
night temperature must not be more than 60° to 65° until the stoning is 
completed, and 70° to 75° by day with gleams of sunshine, with 5° to 10° 
advance on bright days, and a free circulation of air between 70° and 75°, 
increasing with the advancing temperature. The prolonged cold weather 
had retarded forcing considerably, but no attempt at accelerating the 
ripening of the fruit may safely be indulged in until the stoning is com¬ 
pleted, then they will bear a considerable advance in temperature. Pay 
particular attention to syringing the trees, using clear tepid rain water 
twice a day, and see that every part is thoroughly washed, as it is very 
important to have the trees free from red spider before the fruit com¬ 
mences ripening, otherwise it will flourish amazingly when the syringing 
is discontinued, and prejudice the trees in the present and next year’s 
crops. 
Second House, —The trees in this structure started at the new year 
are making satisfactory progress in growth, the disbudding being com¬ 
pleted, the fruit thinned to few more than required for the crop, and 
the shoots that are to follow those now fruiting being laid in. Always 
allow abundance of room in the ties, as throttling the shoots has a 
tendency to induce gumming as well as being disastrous to the growths. 
Allow no more growths to remain than are necessary for next year’s 
bearing or for the extension of the trees. Stop gross growths or remove 
them where practicable, as it is highly important the sap be equally 
distributed and an uniformity of vigour maintained through the 
branches of each tree. Shoots retained to attract the sap to the fruit 
should only be allowed moderate extension, stopping them in the 
first instance at three or four joints of growth. Pinch laterals at the 
first joint and at every subsequent one as made. Strive to so distribute 
the growths that the foliage will shade and protect the main branches 
from the direct rays of the sun as the season advances. Avoid over¬ 
crowding the trees with more foliage or growth than can have full 
exposure to light and air. Ventilate freely and carefully, avoiding cold 
currents of air and sudden depressions of temperature. As the fruits 
are swelling fast thin them if too thick, for with the trees in good 
health the fruit will stone satisfactorily and the size be correspondingly 
enhanced, as every fruit not required for the crop and left until the 
final thinning after stoning takes from the size of those allowed to 
ripen. Water the inside borders copiously, and afford nourishing rather 
than stimulating food. Dissolved bones three parts, muriate of potash 
two part?, and basic slag or gypsum 1 part, mixed, and 4 ozs. 
applied per square yard, is a good dressing for stone fruits, supplying^ 
it every three or four weeks and washing in moderately. 
Third House. —Trees started early in February must be frequently 
examined for disbudding, this being best done gradually, and com¬ 
mencing with the strongest parts of the tree, retaining a shoot at the 
base of the current year’s bearing wood, and leaving no more shoots on 
the extension than will be required for furnishing the trees with bearing 
wood at 15 inches apart, pinching the others on these to two or three 
leaves to form spurs. A shoot on a level with or above the fruit must 
be retained to attract the sap, pinching it at the third leaf. As the 
fruit is swelling freely remove those worst situated, leaving only a few 
more of the most promising than will be required for the crop, one to 
every square foot of trellis covered by the trees being ample for the 
large-fruited varieties of Peaches, and the medium-sized sorts and 
Nectarines should not be left closer than every 9 inches square to secure 
large, well-finished specimens. Syringe early on fine mornings, give a 
little air shortly afterward?, gradually increase it, and close about 
3 P.M. ; but if the weather be warm and bright later closing must be 
practised, as soft growths are induced by closeness. 
Fourth House. —The trees started early in March are out of bloom, 
having set the fruit well, and having trace of aphides should be syringed 
with some approved Insecticide or an infusion of quassia chips, 3 ozs. to 
a gallon of water, boiling about a quarter of an hour, then straining, 
and adding 2 ozs. of softsoap, dissolving and making up to 1 gallon, as 
there is some reduction on boiling. This mixture is good against brown 
as well as green fly, also effective in preventing red spider. If fumi¬ 
gation or vapourising be had recourse to it must be done very carefully, 
as an overdose injures the foliage and causes the fruit to fall. Syringe 
moderately in the morning and on fine afternoons, always early enough 
to allow the foliage to become dry before night. Disbud gradually, and 
rub off all small and badly placed fruits as soon as the most promising 
take and retain the lead in swelling. Ventilate freely on all favourable 
occasions, and close early with a view to husband the sun heat, but 
avoid a close atmosphere, admitting a little air constantly at the top of 
the structure to prevent a vitiated condition. 
