506 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
June XI, 1894. 
and the Exhibition was well attended. The Committee and workers of 
the Show deserve great praise for their admirable arrangements, and 
early filling in of the prize cards and certificates, 
[Roses are referred to in another column.I 
COLCHESTER SHOW.— June 13tii and 14th. 
Colchester is a decidedly pleasant town, and healthfully situated 
on a breezy hill. It has a prosperous look about it, and no such old- 
world dilapidated appearance as such an ancient Roman station might 
suggest. On the contrary, it contains many fine buildings, nearly all 
of a modern type, and in excellent order. The town no doubt was in 
holiday attire, and the inhabitants must have vied with each other in 
the decorations. The main streets were alive with colour, yet not 
gaudily but tastefully embellished, and not a few houses were embowered 
in greenery. The hotels were full, and streams of visitors wended their 
way through a delightful suburb to Lexden Park—a model site for a 
great Show such as that of the Essex Agricultural Society with horti¬ 
cultural and apiarian adjuncts. 
The park—a close, dry, springy turf—was kindly granted by Captain 
Naylor-Leyland, M.P,, and thousands of persons assembled therein. 
Hundreds of well-groomed farmers were there with well-bred tits that 
could “ go,” and smart equipages ; also hundreds more of a different 
grade, yet ruddy and happy looking. If rank “ depression ” was repre¬ 
sented there one wonders what the sight would have been in a time of 
prosperity. The whole thing is a puzzle. In the old days that many 
pretend to long for, when corn was dear and live stock cheap, there were 
no such gatherings in provincial towns, no such appearance of wealth 
and well-to-do-ism, no such expenditure of money as was in evidence 
on Wednesday in last week, and all, or practically all, “ out of the land.” 
If all the Essex farmers are “ poor ” they have a happy way of not 
apnearing so before the pubUc, and there was no lack of real workers— 
one or two-horse-looking men, smug and cosy—who, with the labourers, 
seemed as if they had plenty to eat. Yet if we are to believe the news¬ 
papers Essex is in a state of grievous penury and almost hopeless 
adversity. Have some of these terrible newspaper men been writing up 
the troubles? There is no telling what those enterprising individuals 
will do to find pabulum for the public and make a little cash for them¬ 
selves. With all the talk of England’s degeneration and continental 
prosperity there is not a provincial town in Europe, outside Britain, of 
the same size as Colchester that could have brought together anything 
like such a gathering as was seen at this Show last week. 
There is good land, too, about Colchester, otherwise such splendid 
Roses as those staged at the Show could not be produced. It is not too 
much to say that among all the other exhibits—and many were highly 
meritorious—that Roses bore the palm, and in no other part of the floral 
department was the crowd of visitors so great as in the Rose tent. Mr. 
Grahame, one of the Judges, correctly describes the display in another 
column. 
Liliums made a brave display, a bank of L, Harris! from Messrs. 
Bunting & Son being such as is seldom seen, though Messrs. Wallace and 
Co. had a greater and choicer variety in smaller plants, while Rev. C. H. 
Berners had splendid examples of L. auratum. Those gentlemen were 
the chief prizewinners. 
Apart from the 10-guinea prize collection of stove and greenhouse 
plants from Mr. W.W. Duffield,Chelmsford,thespeclmens exhibited were 
not particularly noteworthy except in this respect—those that were large 
were not fresh, while those that were fresh were too small. Ferns were 
admirably represented by Messrs. Green, Saltmarsb, and Duffield, who 
won the chief prizes worthily and well. Groups of plants arranged for 
effect were fresh, bright and clean, but in more than one instance too 
close and formally packed. Messrs. Saltmarsh & Son were the premier 
exhibitors, also in the class for baskets of plants—round flat hampers 
filled according to the taste of exhibitors, and which had a pretty effect. 
Show and Zonal Pelargoniums, Tuberous Begonias, Petunias, Gloxinias, 
and Calceolarias added brightness to the marquees in which they were 
arranged, Messrs. Saltmarsh taking the lion’s share of first prizes. There 
was a small but bright display of Orchids from Rev. A. C. Johnson and 
Messrs. W. L. Lewis & Co, with many other plants and prizewinners 
that cannot be enumerated. 
Considering the earliness of the season the display of fruit was good 
for a local Show—several dishes excellent, Mr. Rogers of Rendlesham 
Gardens, and Mr. Messenger of Wolverston being among the chief 
successful exhibitors. Vegetables were also good. Asparagus splendid, 
such as is rarely seen exhibited. It is said to be extensively, as it is 
certainly well, grown around Colchester. This, the Roses and the Lilies, 
were the most admired exhibits. The Show was arranged under the 
direction of Mr. John Andrews, the well known Woodbridge amateur, 
and a visit was made the more enjoyable by meeting him and other 
members of the Committee who made the fleeting moments pleasant to 
all with whom they came in contact. 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
F. Cooper & Sons, Bijou Nurseries, Alicetown, Lower Hutt.— 
Ch rysanthem urns. 
Foster & Pearson, Beeston, Notts.— Illustrated Catalogue of Strtictures 
and Specialties. 
R. Gilbert, Hyde Park Gardens, Slamford.— Strawberry Catalogue. 
E. H. Krelage& Son, Haarlem, Holland.— Chinese Pceonies. 
Ant. Roozen & Son, Overveen, Haarlem, Holland.— Dutch and Cape 
Bulbs. 
WORK.Foii.'raEWEEK.. 
HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 
Summer-Prunlngr Prult Trees. —The main object of summer 
pruning is to concentrate a portion of the energies of growth into the 
wood which it is intended to leave for forming new fruit-bearing spurs, 
or to strengthen existing wood or spurs. Further objects are attained in 
the admittance of light to the interior of trees and bushes, without 
which neither spurs, shortened young wood, nor swelling fruit can 
utilise the advantages gained by the suppression of superfluous growth. 
Such treatment ensures the energies of the trees being usefully employed 
in the continual extension of long growths to be cut back in winter. 
Trees trained in any restricted form demand attention to this important 
detail of culture during the next few weeks. Whether the specimens 
are young or old, and it is desired to keep them compact and fruitful, 
the proper suppression of foreright shoots must be dealt with. Horizon¬ 
tally trained trees and cordons on walls, espaliers, pyramids, trained 
bush trees and cordons in the open may all be attended to as the state 
of the growths permit. 
Effects of Xfon-Sammer Prunlngr. —The more strong shoots are 
allowed to extend the greater root power will the trees have, because of 
the increased area of leafage able to assimilate food which incites the 
roots to greater action, whereby they become gross in character and 
produce future shoots of a like nature. The spurs surrounding the base 
of such shoots have support withdrawn from them, hence they are and 
remain weakly. The summer shoots, extending throughout the season 
unchecked, are a means not only of wasting vigour, but of causing a 
dense shade to the parts below and the interior of the trees. 
Characteristics of Bearing Growth. —Stone fruit trees should 
not be rigidly restricted to spurs only. Where there is room young 
shoots may be laid in, the present being a suitable time to make a 
selection, gradually training them in position. Plums and Cherries can 
be managed on this system, fruiting spurs forming naturally on the 
young shoots along the greater part of their length the following season, 
and fruiting the next year. Spurs constitute Ihe bearing parts of 
Apricots, young shoots also being freely laid in for the next season’s 
fruiting where room can be found, and the ripening process ensured. 
Peaches and Nectarines bear fruit also on spurs, but these are best only 
when they form naturally. The most prolific crops are taken from trees 
that are annually replenished with a supply of young shoots of medium 
strength. Summer-pruning with such, therefore, consists mainly of 
disbudding early in the season, thinning out badly placed growths and 
those which have failed to bear fruit, so as to allow room for training in 
young growths. Further pruning is done as the fruit is gathered. 
Mode of Summer Prunlngr. —The most vigorous growth in all 
forma of trees is made towards the tops, and it is there where a com¬ 
mencement must be made in summer prunin?. Growth proceeding 
from the centre will be found of medium strength, while at the base it 
is comparatively weak. Restriction of the strong uppermost shoots 
diverts the sap for a time to the weaker growths, strengthening them 
and enlarging the foliage. By gradually pruning severe checks to the 
trees are avoided, and the work is lightened because spread over a longer 
period. 
The best time to summer prune is from the middle of June to the 
end of July, selecting the most forward trees the first. Operating at 
weekly intervals on each tree, dividing the growths into three portions, 
is a convenient method to follow. It is important that the leaves on 
the young wood left should be perfect and clean, as on them depends 
the feeding of the buds which will eventually prove to be fruit buds. 
Shorten the shoots to from three to six leaves, subsequent growths to- 
one leaf. The leaves must be full sized. The basal leaves are not 
included, except in the case of Plums and Cherries. If shoots are thickly- 
placed, as they are sometimes, thin out a portion entirely, as well as all' 
thin, weak growths. The tips of young shoots are often curled and 
distorted in shape through the action of insects. Summer pruning is a. 
great relief to such, the trees being ridded of much undesirable growth. 
Currants and Gooseberries are frequently infested in this way. The- 
portions removed ought to be burnt immediately, not allowing any to 
lay about around the trees. Compact growing dwarf shoots that are- 
assuming the character of fruit buds, though rather longer than normal' 
spur growths, should be preserved intact, and not shortened at all. 
Sammer-thlnnlng- Weak and Crowded Growths. — Much 
benefit accrues to bush and standard trees by adopting the practice of 
lightly thinning out weak and crowded wood at intervals through the 
summer and autumn. The first of such raids may be carried out now if 
necessary, and the crop of fruit is not interfered with. It will relieve' 
the trees, provide for a freer circulation of air among the wood left,, 
and improve the contour of any specimen. Gooseberry bushes are 
subject to becoming crowded with growth, a large proportion of which 
cannot become well ripened without tome restriction is employed. Spur- 
piuning Gooseberries is not so generally practited as formerly, partly 
owing to the ravages of birds among the buds in winter. Young, well’ 
ripened wood of the previous year is found to be equally productive y 
