512 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ December 16, 1887. 
knew him well said the other day, had he been an educated man 
he might have excelled in any calling-. He had a bright eye and a 
kindly manner, while his whole bearing gave you the idea, that of 
all the adjectives which might be applied to him, the most appro¬ 
priate was that which the French have given to their new President, 
honorete. —D., Deal. 
RANDOM THOUGHTS. 
As we approach the end of another year it seems proper to 
look back on the past and also to try and see into the future. I 
think horticulturists may congratulate themselves on the progress 
made in 1887. Various beautiful and valuable additions have been 
made to our already large stock of plants, and the displays made at 
the very numerous shows throughout the year all over the country 
have been excellent in every particular. While I write, Chrys¬ 
anthemums are the rage, and the gardening papers teem, and have 
teemed for a few weeks past, with accounts of shows in all quarters. 
Little w r onder need be expressed at the great popularity of the 
Chrysanthemum. It is a flower which, in an almost endless variety 
of shape, size, and colour, lends a charm to a period of the year 
which is naturally dull, and for this alone the Chrysanthemum is 
justly appreciated. 
Orchids seem holding their own well, and it seems to me that 
the more they are known, and the more it becomes spread abroad 
that they are not so difficult to cultivate, or so very dear (in many 
cases at least), as many people think, the more they will be grown. 
Many beautiful Orchids can now be obtained at prices that place 
them within the reach of most people, and anyone with ordinary 
intelligence can, by the ail of information conveyed in the garden¬ 
ing press and in books on the subject, attain to success in the 
culture of many Orchids. When we think that not only is there 
endless variety and wondrous beauty in the Orchid family, but also 
that the flowers of most of the lovely members of this very remark¬ 
able family last a long time when cut and placed in water, it appears 
not at all surprising that Orchid collecting and Orchid growing 
have become important branches of commercial horticulture. The 
energy and enterprise of Orchid importers is very remarkable, and 
all quarters of the globe are now explored, heavy expenses incurred, 
and numerous perils encountered in the search for new varieties, or 
else increased quantities, of the Orchid family. Orchid literature, 
too, is now becoming very important, and numerous works have 
been, and are being, published on the subject. 
Another large and continually increasing branch of commercial 
horticulture is Grape culture. When we go round the places 
about London which are devoted to Grape-growing, or visit the 
Channel Islands, where seas of glass are to be found, a somewhat 
overwhelming feeling comes to us ; the visitor is inclined to ask 
the question, “ Is not Grape growing going to be overdone soon ? ” 
Now it appears to me that there is ample room for all who at 
present are engaged in Grape culture. Whether in the future it 
will be overdone time alone can tell, but at present good Grapes 
are always in demand at a fair price, and I trust that such may long 
continue. Liberal treatment, judicious manuring with the proper 
manure, moderate cropping, thorough ripening, and careful packing, 
these are some of the things to be considered in commercial Grape 
culture, especially if the highest price in the market is aimed at. 
Some growers strive to obtain tremendous crops of second-rate 
Grapes, and renew their Vines frequently, considering that they 
make as much the one way as the other. 
Regarding the question of the demand and supply of gardeners, 
I am sorry to say that there seems an overplus of gardeners in the 
country. So many places have been reduced, that large numbers 
of gardeners of various degrees of experience have been thrown out 
of employment, and it docs not appear that in this respect much 
improvement can be looked for. In the future this evil can only 
be remedied by fewer young men entering the gardening profession, 
and as a matter of course this will happen if there is not a brisk 
demand for gardeners in the country. 
A seeming injustice in connection with commercial horticulture 
is, that those noblemen and gentlemen—now very numerous—who 
devote their gardens and hothouses principally to growing for 
market, are not subjected to the same rating, and it would appear 
that there is some cause for complaint here. The gardening press 
has been advancing -with the times, and much energy and enterprise 
are now devoted to the carrying on of the various papers which 
record the doings and sayings of horticulturists. It is to be hoped 
that the future, in spite of depression,” may have in store for 
horticulture a long period of success, and that the already large 
army of the lovers of horticulture for its own sake, or else as a 
means of honourable livelihood, may be increased. 
There are many parts of the globe still unexplored which may 
reward the collector of the future with many rich and rare gems of 
floral nature ; there are many branches of horticulture at home 
that have new fields to be explored, new wonders to be displayed ; 
and in roaming abroad or plodding at home, there is much to be 
done that will aid to extend our knowledge of plant life in all its 
wondrously diversified forms. May 1888 prove a very prosperous 
year for horticulture ; may those who take pen in hand at its close 
be able to record many new discoveries, many instances of increased 
success in culture at home, and a greatly increased enthusiasm for,, 
and appreciation of, a portion of Nature’s family, that contains 
amongst it endless variety of form, colour, and taste, that ever 
gives a charm or conveys a delight, and which has in the past been 
a means of solace, of refreshment, and of pleasure to many thousands 
of our fellow creatures in all conditions of life. It may confidently 
be stated that in the future horticulture will be no less enchanting, 
no less beneficial, no less elevating, than it has been in the past *. 
and if such prove the case, it will be to increased numbers, with 
increased facilities of enjoyment, und with all the advantages that, 
this nineteenth century can convey.— Scotia. 
KITCHEN GARDEN WALLS—THEIR 
OCCUPANTS. 
Few things probably tend to give more character to a private^ 
gardening establishment than kitchen garden walls well covered 
with trained fruit trees. It requires some years of care and 
attention to produce such ornamental specimens. I say ornamental,, 
because in some cases they have little else to recommend them than 
their appearance in being well trained, not having perhaps for years 
produced that which they were really planted for—a good supply 
of superior dessert fruit. This shows only too clearly that while so- 
much time has been devoted to the symmetrical balancing of the- 
branches, the roots have been left to take care of themselves, and 
by rambling far beyond the border originally prepared for them, 
have done nothing but produce an abundance of unfruitful growth.. 
Some people think a good wall is all that is required. Trees planted 
against that must be successful; but experience proves that success- 
is not so easily attained. Wall trees have a decided advantage over 
standards or pyramids if proper attention be only paid to root and 
branch, but should this be neglected, then I consider they are 
growing under greater disadvantages than those trees planted in- 
the open, as the latter reap the full benefit of the autumn and 
winter rains, also the refreshing rains and dews during the growing 
season, so essential to all vegetable growth. Trees planted close to- 
walls are to a certain extent cut off from these natural advantages, 
by the height of the walls, and the projections in the shape of 
copings, &c., besides the foliage suffering after such hot days as 
were experienced last summer by radiation during the night from 
the hot bricks. A thick brick wall, with its massive foundations,, 
has a great power of absorbing moisture from the soil surrounding 
the ball of the tree, and unless this is counterbalanced by repeated 
waterings and mulchings, the roots will naturally ramble in search 
of one of its greatest and indispensable agents—moisture. This 
will be found in the cold subsoil, and often a great distance from 
the tree. When roots reach such a position, then commences the 
downward career of the tree as fruit-producing. Even should it 
continue to give fruit for a few years, it will fall far short of the- 
standard wall trees ought to produce. It is hardly necessary to 
explain here how such trees should be root-pruned, as this has been 
often fully detailed in your columns, but carrying out those details 
properly will be the only way to get unfruitful trees again into a 
full bearing condition. 
Another point of great importance to wall trees where their 
roots are in restricted borders, or restricted to a given space, is 
that they must have a thorough soaking early in the season ; 
especially so in regard to Peaches growing against a south wall. 
Good crops of these have often been lost through shedding their 
flower buds during the months of March and April, consequent on 
the dryness of the border during that critical period when the- 
roots require a good supply of water to properly develope their 
blossoms. I consider two of the most essential points in connec¬ 
tion with successful fruit culture on walls is to have thorough, 
conlrol over their roots, a good supj ly of water to be afforded to 
both root and branch at the proper season. 
Before concluding, I should like to draw attention to the 
north walls, which are seldom seen to have other or better occupants 
than Morello Cherries. That a few trees of this valuable Cherry 
for late work is most useful I will admit, but a great quantity of 
the same fruit may be grown on dwarf bushes for early and mid¬ 
season work, thereby giving valuable wall space to other and 
probably better fruits. These that I will mention I have proved 
to succeed year after year, therefore I can recommend them after 
successful trials, and not through any fancy idea of what might be 
obtained. One of the most useful is Louise Bonne of Jersey Pear. 
