434 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ May 24, 1888. 
hope that much good would result from the National Society coming to 
Sheffield. 
The health of the Presidents and Vice-Presidents, proposed by Mr. 
Ledger, the patrons and subscribers by Mr. Eadon, and the Horticul¬ 
tural Press by Mr. J. Walker, were duly honoured. Mr. L. Castle in 
replying to the last named, regretted the unavoidable absence of Mr. 
J. Wright, Mr. Wynn, Mr. Gordon, and Mr. Dean, but intimated that 
all had promised their hearty support to the project. 
Besides the invitation to the dinner the Sheffield Committee pre¬ 
pared a programme for two days’ excursions, - which proved most enjoy- 
■able. One day was devoted to a visit to Chatsvvorth Gardens and Park, 
a delightful journey by road over the moors in most favourable weather 
being thoroughly appreciated, and the pleasure of the trip was consider¬ 
ably increased by the hospitable reception accorded to the party by Mr. 
Owen Thomas. ' Upon the second day the party visited Oakholme, the 
residence of T. Wilson, Esq., who, with his gardener, Mr. Hannah, 
accompanied the visitors through the compact well furnished range of 
houses and neatly kept garden. At Mount View Mr. D. Ward received 
the party most cordially, and conducted them through his numerous 
houses devoted to valuable and well grown Orchids, of which there is 
now a fine display in flower. The residence of A. Wilson, Esq., West¬ 
brook (gardener, Mr. Pidsley), w'as next visited ; Eccleshall Wood, now 
undergoing a process of improvement, and then to Oakbrook, the 
residence of Mark Firth, Esq., where the gardener, Mr. Woodcock, 
entertainal the party. A hurried visit to Mr. D. Gilmour’s, Sandygate 
Eose Nursery, completed the tour, and shortly after 6 p.m. the members 
of the National Society left Sheffield, amply satisfied with their visit, 
which true Yorkshire hospitality and heartiness had rendered enjoyable 
in the highest degree. 
The above brief reference to the gardens visited must suffice this 
week, but further details respecting the numerous attractions of the 
various establishments are promised for another issue.— One of the 
V iSITOSS. 
HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 
_ Apeicots. —Those under glass copings and further pi'otected with 
blinds, have set remarkably heavy crops, and other trees oidy roughly 
protected have aUo a good sprinkling of fruit. It is very unwise to 
leave large clusters of fruit to mature, as in this case it is of little value 
when ripe, and all the tree's energies will have been exhausted in their 
production. They ought to be freely thinned at once, leaving them 
at least 4 inches apart all over the tree. If extra fine fruit are desired 
they ought to be gone over again later on, and any deformed or rather 
small fruit removed. Only when set very irregularly should the fruit 
be left rather thickly. The least that can be done is to remove all that 
are placed where they cannot possibly swell properly, or those press¬ 
ing against the wall nails and old spurs. Fruit taken from the trees 
before stoning commences, or any not much larger than ordinary 
marbles, may te used in pies by those who appreciate them. It is also 
necessary to thin out the shoots, especially at the highest part of the 
wall and under the copings, the reserved or best placed foreright growths 
being stopped at the fifth or sixth joint, while yet it can be done with 
the finger and thumb. Old trees are constantly losing large branches 
as^well as numerous spurs on the live wood, and there is no preventing 
this. All that can be done is to anticipate the evil, one plan being to 
always have some young trees coming on to take the place of those in 
failing health. Another remedy, especially for the loss of spurs, is to 
lay in a number of young shoots in the same manner as Peach trees are 
treated. Well-ripened young wood produces the finest fruit, and being 
nearer to the walls earlier dishes are obtained than from projecting 
spurs. Now is the time to select a number of well-placed shoots, these 
being laid in either over or between the older wood. 
Watering and Syringing Wall Trees.— The rainfall as yet 
has been very far below the average, and it is doubtful if some wall 
trees get enough moisture at the roots even during a comparatively wet 
sieason. Especially is this the case with those under much projecting 
copings, or which are against a wall near which Elms, Beech, and other 
large trees are growing. There is no doubt that a close examina¬ 
tion of numerous wall borders would disclose the fact that they are 
much too dry at the present time. Apricots, Peaches, and Cherries in 
particular need watering occasionally, and even Plums and Pears 
against hot walls will pay for a little similar extra attention. The 
whole of the space between the walls and vegetable crops growing on 
the fruit borders ought to be loosened with forks, and some of the 
surface soil thrown back in order to just bare the roots. This renders 
the work of thoroughly soaking the border with diluted farmyard 
liquid manure or soot, or some kind of special manure more effectual. 
Next the roots should be placed a layer of partially rotten manure, 
and the surface returned on to this. The former will be kept in a moist 
state by the soil, and, in addition to enclosing the moisture in the border, 
will also be a good food supply for the roots to take possession of. Red 
spider usually follows in the wake of a long spell of clear days and cold 
days, and is already far too plentiful on the Peach and Apricot trees 
under fixed glass copings. Those improved copings with reversible action 
may in showery weather be so adjusted to admit of the rains washing 
the foliage, but the trees under the fixed coping must be frequently and 
heavily syringed, or otherwise the red spider will soon ruin the foliage, 
poor flavourless fruit being an almost sure consequence of this. A 
garden engine is of the greatest service for keeping down the red spider, 
and failing this the syringe must be forcibly used. If the nights are 
clear and cold the morning is the best time to damp them, but in 
warm weather it is advisable to syringe the trees both in the morning 
and also again towards evening. A good drenching should be given 
each time, this being a case where half measures are of no avail. 
Protected Gooseberry Bushes.— In many gardens the plan of 
fixing some kind of permanent protection over a quarter of fruit bushes 
has been adopted, it being found the cheapest and surest way of saving 
both the buds and fruit from the birds. Unfortunately these wire¬ 
netting-covered structures also exclude insect and grub-eating birds, and 
it may easily happen that caterpillars will do more harm to the trees 
than birds usually do. A bush badly infested with the grubs or 
caterpillars of the Gooseberry and Currant sawfly is quite stripped of 
leaves in a few days, and ruined for one season at least. All structures 
designed for covering a wall border or open quarter of fruit trees and 
bushes ought, therefore, to be so constructed as to admit of a portion of the 
fronts or sides being taken down or thrown open in some way as soon as 
they are in full leafage. Birds large and small, including our best friend 
the cuckoo, can then have free access to the bushes, and in country 
districts at any rate, will keep down the grubs. There is no necessity to 
uncover the roof, as they rarely enter in a downright ilirection, but soon 
find their way in and out at the front and sides. Cuckoos are naturally 
shy birds, and are busy among the fruit bushes early in the morning, 
and again when quiet is restored in the evening. One of these caught 
and placed in a “ Gooseberry house ” has been known to keep the whole 
of the usually much-infested bushes quite free from caterpillars. 
Clearing Bushes op Caterpillars.— Where the natural enemies 
of caterpillars are numerous very little troub'e is experienced in 
keeping the blushes clear of those destructive pests, but during some 
seasons a great difficulty is felt in keeping them under in many instances. 
Preventive measures, such as the removal during winter of much of the 
surface soil containing the cocoons from which the fly emerges, 
surfacings of lime and fre:>h tan are effective, but are of no avail so 
late as this. The fly first appears during April or early in May, and 
quickly deposits a number of eggs on the under side of the Gooseberry 
and Currant leaves. In the course of a week the grubs hatch and 
commence feeding on the leaves, their presence being denoted by 
numerous tiny holes in the infested leaves. I f these are detected in 
time, picked off wholesale, and destroyed, those few escaping will work 
but little harm, and may be destroyed in a short time. When the 
caterpillars have been allowed to spread over the bushes they are 
not easily got rid of. Flour of sulphur is a capital remedy, this being 
either freely mixed with water and syringed over the trees sufficiently 
often to well coat both the upper and under side of the leaves with it; 
or the sulphur may, with the aid of distributors, be well distributed over 
the trees when they are moist with dew. Sulphur does not injure the 
fruit in any way, and is less objectionable than hellebore powder and a 
few other remedies. Hot water, ivith just sufficient soapy water or 
soapsuds to make it “ oily,” freely syringed over the trees is another 
good remedy. The leaves in a young state will stand it as hot as 100°, 
and later on the heat may be increased to 120° without injury to aught 
but the caterpillars. Smartly tapping the stems of the liushc-s and 
shaking the branches will dislodge many caterpillars, which can be 
caught on a sheet and destroyed. 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Pines. —Under good management Pine plants as a rule yield the 
finest fruits when they show their fruit ten to twelve months from the 
time the suckers are first potted, but some allowance must be made for 
autumn-potted suckers, which have to make a part of their growth 
under adverse influence. Plants that were finally potted last September 
will now be showing fruit, and if not, means should be adopted to effect 
it. Plants of that age not exhibiting signs of fruiting should be 
subjected to comparative rest for a period of four to six weeks, lowering 
the heat at the roots to 75°, and admitting air fully at 75° to 80°, 
and let the temperature fall to 75° before closing the house for the day. 
Very little artificial heat will be necessary, but it must be afforded if 
necessary to prevent the night temperature from falling below 60°. 
The plants must not be allowed to become excessively dry at the roots, 
but whenever a plant needs it afford water liberally. The smaller 
suckers of the plants referred to potted this spring should bo kept 
growing until the pots are well filled with roots, when, if it be 
necessary, the plants can be subjected to the same course of treatment 
as advised for the larger plants, and these will afford a successional 
supply of fruit. 
The strongest suckers potted last March should be in their largest 
pots. If they are not yet potted no further delay should be tolerated, 
as to retain them longer in small jx)ts is debilitating and detrimental to 
their after growth. Recently potted plants should have a regular 
bottom heat of 85° to 90°, and be thoroughly watered after potting, and 
no more should be given until the soil becomes dry, as it is necessary to 
exercise more care than usual at this stage, the state of the individual 
plants being ascertained before its application. 
