February 22, 1894. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
153 
ascending from the soil as in the case of American blight on Apples’ 
mealy bug on Vines, and scale on Acacias. It was suggested that the 
grease band employed by Mr. Wilson and others in the case of the 
■winter moth, might be tried in addition to the methods usually adopted 
of dealing with these pests. 
SOME THOUGHTS DEVELOPED. 
In perusing the pages of the Journal of Horticulture week by week 
various thoughts and ideas, valuable and valueless, force themselves un¬ 
consciously upon the mind, which for a moment brings the eyes of 
readers to a standstill, and thus enables the mind to drink more deeply 
of the subject which so suddenly arrests the progress of vi ion. Truly 
these are thoughts that when expressed become fully developed. The 
issue before me (February 1st) appears so full of interest, and the 
organs of vision so frequently arrested, that the mind becomes for a 
time intoxicated as it were, and this is my excuse for penning these few 
thoughts. 
Commencing with Mr. G. Abbey’s exhaustive article upon “Ferti¬ 
lizers for Small Fruits ” (page 83), we cannot do otherwise than admire 
the masterly style in which the subject is handled. How clearly he 
defines the benefits derived by a judicious use of “ commercial ferti¬ 
lizers 1 ” Yet one point in particular strikes me as somewhat singular— 
viz , that throughout his admirable article he appears to ignore the 
wonderful fertilizing properties of lime, which is really “ the key for 
unlocking the hidden treasures of the soil.” To quote the authority of 
Mr. John Hughes, F.C.S., “on clay soils it has a wonderful effect in 
decomposing the insoluble silicates of potash and rendering them avail¬ 
able as plant food.” On peaty land or rich vegetable soils it corrects 
excessive acidity and promotes the formation of valuable nitric acid 
compounds. This surely entitles it to a place amongst “ commercial 
fertilizers.” Mr. Abbey, without doubt, has some reason for omitting 
this valuable and necessary constituent. 
Allow me to compliment “ E. K.” upon the lucid and life-like 
painting of bygone probationary days, “ Temperance and Temperatures ” 
(page 84). How strictly exacting many of our old masters were 1 
How unnecessary arbitrary many of our gardeners are, even of to-day, 
regarding their uniformity of temperatures, imposing hardships upon 
the young men, and unnecessary expense upon their employers 1 But 
the wave of prudence, humanity, and common sense, I am glad to say, 
is in the ascendency, and social problems in the grand old regiment of 
gardeners are being recognised. Let temperatures inside be regulated 
by temperatures outside, and the result will prove essentially beneficial 
to all concerned. 
Taking my friend Mr. Bardney’s article (page 83) upon “ Mulching 
Outside Vine Borders,” I am practically in accord with his ideas, having 
thoroughly proved the injurious effects of heavily mulching Vine and 
fruit borders generally during autumn and midwinter. Yet I claim 
exception on one point, outside borders of early vineries, where Grapes 
are expected to be cut early in May. The method I have adopted 
successfully for the past four years has been to cover the outside 
border with 18 inches of good strawy manure fresh from the stables, then 
place corrugated zinc upon the top to retain heat and prevent the border 
becoming saturated. This covering is allowed to remain six weeks, 
then removed and more similar material replaced ; this is finally 
removed at the end of February and a slight covering scattered over 
every evening to retain the heat absorbed during the day. Mr. Bardney 
places too much stress upon his rules of frost being absolutely necessary 
to induce perfect rest, and even goes so far as to ask “ Why Vines should 
be exempt from these rules ? ” Because early Vines are usually in full 
growth when that powerful and silent mother of Nature puts her 
children to rest. Further, we wilU anticipate a severe winter, with 
early Vine borders practically unprotected, and frozen to a depth of 
8 inches, or even a foot, which is quite within reason ; the temperature 
inside 65° to 70°, with growths 6 inches to a foot in length. Would 
one be surprised to witness signs of distress in the foliage with each 
burst of sunshine ? Would free access of air (which Mr. Bardney points 
out as absolutely essential) penetrate the frozen borders and fill the 
lungs of the Vines? The borders of Vines and fruit trees which start 
into growth naturally with the season are greatly benefited by exposure 
to frost, and experience has taught me to discard mulching to the end 
of March or early in April. 
Turning to Mr. D. C. Powell’s essay on Pears (page 92) we find 
several points open to objection. His ideas respecting subsoils are 
certainly in one instance the opposite of mine. To quote his own 
words we read, “ the subsoil should be neither loosened nor manured.” 
I fully endoise the evil of placing manure at the bottom when planting 
any kind of fruit trees, but I would strongly urge upon intending 
cultivators the necessity of thoroughly breaking up the subsoil before 
planting, not as an inducement for the roots to penetrate into the 
subsoil, the latter is easily avoided, but for the purpose of ensuring 
perfect drainage, without which no fruit trees can flourish for any 
length of time. After breaking up the subsoil, a layer of cinder ashes 
scattered over will effectually prevent the roots penetrating forbidden 
regions. 
One question I may be allowed to ask respecting summer pruning. 
Does Mr. Powell infer that by pruning the growths of Pears in Julv 
and August flower buds would be fully developed on the same season’s 
growth for fruit-bearing the following season ? If so, I am again at 
variance with his dictum. I am an advocate for summer pruning, 
believing it embodies the secret of continued fruitfulness in Pears and 
other fruits ; yet many young cultivators have been led to believe that 
summer pruning is only to be adopted to produce abundance of fully 
developed flower buds the following season. True, summer pruning 
does considerably advance the buds, but we do not reap the true reward 
until the second season ; occasionally we find a variety of Pear which 
produce flower buds on the same season’s growth. My reason for touch¬ 
ing upon this point is principally to dispel any misunderstanding in 
reading Mr. Powell’s essay, which certainly carries the impression that 
by pruning the growths in July and August we are rewarded by fully 
developed flower buds in place of lateral growths.—F. Dunn. 
TECOMA JASMtNOIDES. 
Although by no means a new plant, Tecoma jasminoides (fig. 24) 
is unknown in some gardens. When properly managed it is a beautiful 
plant for greenhouse decoration, and is usually much admired. The 
FIG. 24.— TECOMA JASMINOIDES. 
flowers are produced freely, and vary from white with a rosy centre to a 
uniform pink hue, differing in the brightness of tint, and some of 
the best marked of these variations have received distinctive names. 
The plant succeeds in a compost of turfy loam, peat, and sand, or 
good leaf soil can be substituted for the peat if more convenient. 
Planted out it grows freely, but it also thrives in a pot, needing 
thorough drainage in any case. 
FORCING NARCISSUS TELAMONIUS PLENUS. 
We think it quite unnecessary to answer Mr. Bardney’s (page 124) 
points away frnm the above. We will give to the Royal Gardeners’ 
Orphan Fund £5 it Mr. Bardney can show a box of the size mentioned of 
Uaff >dil bulbs irom which 450 flowers have been picked. Quoting from 
Mr. B.irdnev’s letter (page 88), “ It can be forced nearly as well and 
as early as the Roman Hyacinth. The treatment given to Roman 
