172 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
March 1, 1894. 
HAEDY FRUIT GARDEN. 
Prunlngr Filbert and Cob N'uts. —It is not desirable to prune 
these before the rosy pink, brush-like flowers are fully open, because the 
catkins bearing the pollen are mostly borne on the parts that need 
pruning away, and if the latter are removed before the fertilisation of 
the former has been effected a loss of crop will result. The catkins are 
usually the first to open, and if there is any probability of a scarcity of 
them a number should be cut off just as the pollen becomes ready, pre¬ 
serving them until the flowers are developed, over or among which they 
may be hung. The pollen then, if plentiful and dry, will soon be dis¬ 
persed as it shakes oflf freely. The laterals may then be shortened, 
barren shoots as well as those which only bore catkins being pruned 
back to within half an inch of the leading branches. Thin out and 
shorten old growths so that fresh and fruitful side shoots may be pro¬ 
duced for another year. The bushes are kept within a height of 6 feet 
in Kent, and the leading branches not too thickly placed ; light and air 
can then penetrate among them. Remove suckers, planting some of the 
best for forming fresh bushes if necessary. Allow no suckers to extend 
from the roots of established plants. Keep the ground underneath clean 
and free from weeds. 
Strawberries,— Old plantations, if worth retaining, ought not to be 
allowed to become a mass of growth, but a clear space of a foot to 
18 inches left between the rows of plants, so that rich top-dressings may 
be supplied to assist the roots. Strawberry beds are often ruined through 
neglect in timely thinning out the runners and young plants, they fre¬ 
quently being left to late in the winter or early spring instead of attending 
to them in the autumn. Beds which were cleaned and top-dressed in 
the autumn may now have dead and decaying leaves removed as well as 
rough material raked oflE, strong weeds pulled up, the remaining manure, 
being lightly pointed in, not disturbing the ground too near the plants 
where there should be abundance of fibrous roots. In the centre of the 
spaces it may be moved deeper with advantage, and a little fresh 
manure worked in. If, however^ roots have extended there, it will be 
better not to disturb the soil, but mulch the surface with manure. 
Dressing the Beds. —There is no better time than the present to 
supply a dressing of soot to the plants and soil, a peck to a rod being 
sufficient. It w;ll act beneficially in destroying small grubs and other 
insects which seek shelter beneath the foliage and among the crowns of 
Strawberry plants. The virtues of the soot will be washed down to the 
roots, promoting a vigorous start when growth shortly recommences. 
Beds that have had no top-dressing during the winter may receive now 
a mulching of partly fresh stable manure. 
New Beds. —The soil about the plants may require firming, doing 
this only in dry weather. Run the hoe, too, in the spaces between the 
rows to loosen the surface soil, and cut down seedling weeds, the operation 
also promoting growth if frequently practised during the early part of 
the season. If planted in rich ground a mulching of manure will 
scarcely be needed by these at present, though early autumn-planted 
runners should be in a condition to fruit freely this season, and in this 
case a mulching of littery manure can be afforded when flowering 
commences, 
Preparing Ground for Sgjrhig Planting. —The preparation of the 
ground must forthwith be accomplished if spring planting of Straw¬ 
berries is contemplated. They always pay in the long run for the best 
treatment of the soil. Whether deep or shallow, rich or poor, deep cul¬ 
tivation ensures the best results. Trenching is the readiest means of 
deepening soils, but a complete reversal of the top and bottom spits is 
not always desirable, because poor, inert subsoil brought to the surface 
is not suitable for the vigorous growth of Strawberries. The better plan 
is to bastard trench, loosening the bottom spit thoroughly, but leaving 
itiin its original position. The upper spit also should be well broken up 
and enriched liberally with decayed manure, or if the soil be poor an 
addition of old turf and loamy soil would considerably improve it along 
with manure. 
nculchlngr Old Fruit Trees. —A considerable amount of assistance 
may be rendered to old trees by removing a portion of the impoverished 
surface soil down to the roots, and in its place spreading a layer of fresh 
loam intermixed with one part manure and about a fourth of charred 
refuse. The best results will follow from the use of such a dressing if it 
is applied chiefly towards the extremities of the roots and a little 
beyond. The spread of the branches indicates the radius within which 
the roots of each tree may be found. Manure alone may be applied, 
lightly pointing it into the soil, if loam cannot be procured. Fairly 
fresh manure contains a certain per-centage of ammonia, which is soon 
dissipated in the atmosphere if not mixed with soil or pointed in to the 
ground. 
.applying Xlquld Manure to Fruit Trees. —A soaking of stable 
or farmyard drainings or sewage might be applied at the present time 
with advantage to any large trees needing assistance. The soil and the 
roots are moist and better able to retain the food contained in the 
liquid than would be the case were the soil dry. The active rootlets 
will draw upon the food thus supplied during the whole season, and 
they may be further assisted during the swelling of the crops. Wall 
trees in full bearing will be specially benefited by a soaking oi liquid, so 
also.’Will €01 rant bushes in the open. Liquid manure should not be 
given to young trees of any kind not yet in bearing, unless' a more 
vigorous growth is required in any that have hitherto been growing 
weakly. 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Figs.— Earliest Trees in Pots. —To assist the trees in swelling the 
fruit apply a top-dressing of rich material to the surface of the pots, 
space being provided for this purpose by a layer of turves placed around 
the rims as advised in last week’s calendar for Vines in pots. The 
dressings should not be heavy, but a little of the rich compost supplied 
at weekly intervals. Liquid manure will also be needed to sustain the 
health and vigour of the trees, it being better to supply a varied rather 
than a uniform regimen. Thus, watering with liquid from stable or 
cow house tanks, or guano, 1 oz. to a gallon of water, will act more 
potentially if a sprinkling of some approved advertised fertiliser be 
given about every ten days or fortnight. The following mixture will 
also be useful:—Three parts bone superphosphate, two parts sulphate of 
potash, and one part Thomas’ phosphate, mixed and sprinkled on the 
soil. Let the water or liquid manure be of the same temperature as that 
in which the pots are placed. Driblets are of no use, and insufficient 
supplies of liquid nourishment often cause the fruit to fall. 
Maintain a genial atmosphere by syringing twice a day when the 
weather is bright, but avoid keeping the foliage constantly wet. In 
dull weather damp the walls, paths, and beds instead of syringing the 
trees, but an occasional syringing will be necessary to keep down red 
spider. If this pest appears paint the hot-water pipes thinly with 
sulphur, using skim milk for mixing. Commence ventilating a little 
at 70°, increasing it with advancing sun heat up to 85°, which ought 
not to be exceeded before noon, a rise of 5° to 10° after closing being 
beneficial. The night temperature may still range from 60° to 65° ; 
55° in the morning in severe weather is safer than the higher tempera¬ 
ture, advancing 10° by day. Avoid crowding the trees, but instead of 
very close pinching it is desirable to tie shoots out or down as the 
growth advances, and confine the stopping to nipping ofi the points of 
the unruly growths at the fifth or sixth leaf, rubbing off those not 
required. 
Planted-out Fig Trees. —Where these were started early in the year 
they will now require disbudding and stopping. Water the border 
freely when necessary at the temperature of the house or supply liquid 
manure, not too strong, and mulch with rich compost, which will 
attract the roots to the surface, where they can be fed by sprinklings of 
the mixture advised for trees in pots at the rate of 4 ozs. per square yard. 
Where the trees are confined to narrow and shallow borders encourage 
the emission of roots from the collar or stem by placing pieces of 
fibrous turf and partially decayed manure in contact with it, and by 
extending the material outwards a number of feeders will be secured. 
If these are supplied with water or liquid manure or top-dressings of 
chemical manures they will greatly assist the first and second crop of 
fruit. Keep the night temperature at 55° to 60°. When it reaches 65° 
by artificial means in the day admit a little air, increasing the ven¬ 
tilation with the temperature and reducing it in like manner, closing 
at 70°, syringing twice a day, and otherwise maintaining a genial 
atmosphere. 
Peaches and N'ectarlnes. — Earliest Forced House. —The fruit 
has nearly completed the first swelling and will soon enter on the 
stoning process. If the thinning has been properly attended to there 
will be about one fruit of the larger Peaches to every square foot of 
trellis covered by the trees. Nectarines and Peaches not of the first size 
may be left a little closer. There is danger, however, of the fruit 
falling if too many are left, but this depends greatly on the wood b"ing 
well ripened and the otherwise healthy condition of the trees. If there 
be more fruit than specified above remove the smaller. During the 
stoning process keep the temperature as equable as possible, as a sudden 
check by draughts of cold air in the daytime and too high a temperature 
at night may prove disastrous. The night temperature may range from 
60° to 65°, but 5° less will be safer in severe weather ; 70° to 75° by day 
with sun heat and about 65° by artificial means when the atmosphere is 
cold and the sky overcast. Secure the shoots to the trellis as they 
advance, keeping those retained to attract the sap to the fruit stopped 
at the second or third joint. Keep red spider in check by syringing in 
the morning and afternoon of fine days. If thrips and brown aphides 
appear fumigate carefully when the foliage is quite dry. For destroy¬ 
ing the insects named there are a numbenof advertised insecticides, all 
suitable for their respective applications. Afford due supplies of water 
to inside borders, or if the trees are at all weak liquid manure in a 
properly diluted and warmed condition. 
Second Early Forced House. —Disbud gradually, removing the ill- 
placed and unnecessary shoots, not reserving too many of the best 
situated and most desirable, and tie down the growths early, so as to 
give them the required inclination, allowing sufficient room for their 
swelling in the ligatures. Thin the fruit by degrees, first removing 
those on the under side of the branches, or otherwise badly placed, but 
leave those in the best positions for receiving light and air until they 
indicate by free swelling the necessity for further reduction, then 
remove the smaller, and so on until only a few more than are required 
for the crop are left. Syringe the trees on fine mornings, and ventilate 
early in favourable weather. The temperature may range from 55° to 
60° at night, 60° to 65° by day, ventilating at the latter tempenture 
and closing the house when the heat is declining, allowing an ad yance 
