84 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ July SO, 1391 
that they are pale in colour, or the colour comes in pitches in con¬ 
sequence of the leaves having shaded them. The trees should now 
receive their final tying down, all laterals (where not wanted to 
cover blank spaces) be removed, and the fruits be fully exposed to 
the sun. In many cases it will he necessary to tie the shoots a 
little on one side, and even to remove a few leaves. Any 
shoots which are not situated well above the trellis, if carrying 
fruits, should be raised by placing a stick underneath them, the 
ends resting on the trellis. This will bring the fruits well up to 
the light, and by performing the operation thus early the fruits will 
colour evenly. In the case of Nectarines that are trained rather 
close to the glass a light shade ought to be given in bright weather, 
otherwise many kinds, such as Pine Apple, Humboldt, and Lord 
Napier will become spotted instead of assuming their naturally 
rich colour. If Nectarines were trained 2 feet from the glass 
we should hear less complaints about red spider attacking them. 
Where it is necessary to hurry on the fruits to have them ripe 
by a given date the houses must be closed early and thoroughly 
syringed, allowing the temperature to run up to 90° or 95°. This 
treatment is perfectly safe so long as plenty of water is used 
at closing time. In cases where it is necessary to retard keep 
the ventilators open constantly, but syringe the trees morning 
and afternoon whenever the weather is bright until colouring is 
well advanced, when syringing must be discontinued by degrees 
and a light shade given.—H. D unkin. 
THE BRITISH FRUIT GROWERS’ ASSOCIATION. 
CONFERENCE IN BEDDINGTON PARK. 
At a meeting of this Association held on Thursday last, the 
following was adopted as the programme for the Conference in 
Beddington Park on Monday, August 3rd. Sir James Whitehead, 
Bart., one of the Vice-Presidents of the Association and Master 
of the Fruiterers’ Company, will take the chair at 4 p.m., and will 
deliver an opening address, to be followed by Mr. T. Francis 
Rivers. The next subject is “Object Lessons in Fruit Growing 
for Cottagers and Allotment Holders,” illustrated by diagrams, by 
Mr. John Wright. Mr. G. Hammond will follow with some hints 
on “ How to Encourage Fruit Culture amongst Small Farmers and 
Cottagers.” Mr. Joseph Cheal will deal with the “Preparation of 
the Soil for Fruit Trees,” Mr. George Gordon will discuss the 
“ Extension of Fruit Culture and the Work of the British Fruit 
Growers’ Association,” the Rev. T. W. Sharpe proposes to consider 
the best methods of including fruit culture in the technical 
education scheme, while several other members have promised to 
take part in the proceedings and to contribute hints likely to be of 
interest. 
It was resolved early in the season to render the meeting as 
useful as possible to the numerous cottagers and allotment holders 
in the district ; the programme has therefore been prepared with a 
special view to their requirements. The Exhibition held by the 
local Society is expected to be both large and interesting, and if the 
weather prove favourable a large attendance is anticipated. 
I am also desired to state that important papers and addresses 
on fruit subjects are promised for the Conferences at Cardiff on 
August 12th, the Crystal Palace on September 4th, and Edinburgh 
on September 10th. —Lewis Castle, Hon. Sec., Hotham House, 
Merton. 
PRODUCTIVE TOMATOES. 
At page 21 Mr. Buchanan gives the weight of fruit produced by 
700 plants, also the number borne by several plants within 4 feet of the 
ground, both figures indicating good culture and a productive variety. 
A fruiterer here who saw their Tomatoes in the Glasgow market said 
they were superior to anything there ; also a gardener who visited them 
last autumn, when describing what he saw, could compare the produce 
upon the plants to nothing more like them than ropes of Onions. They 
were grown in two span-roofed houses, 130 feet long by 14 feet wide, 
and about 3 feet to the eaves. I erected a small house, 50 feet by 
12 feet, and 5 J feet to the eaves, last spring, and planted it with 240 
plants out of 3-inch pots on April 24th, cut the first frait July 11th 
(Ham Green). Upon one variety (Goldfinder) there are as many as 
twenty fruits swelling in one truss, besides what will eventually swell 
when these ripen. Many of the fruits are slightly corrugated, which 
detracts from their appearance and market value. I do not like either 
Perfection nor Hackwood Park Prolific so well as Ham Green Favourite ; 
they both have a coarser appearance, though good frait and appearance 
are everything in the market. The variety I like best is the produce of a 
fruit picked out of a basket which came from the Edinburgh market. 
Fruit very round, conical, terminating in a point ; a free setter ; colour 
very bright red ; a strong grower ; foliage rather lax. I am trying a 
new American variety, Thorburn’s Long-keeper, said to keep longer than 
any other sort after being cut—more of that anon, when its keeping 
qualities will be tested. My plants will average 7 feet high, with foliage 
grass green from the ground to the apex. The only disease yet seen was : 
the fungus figured and described by Mr. W. G. Smith on page 57. Three 
fruits in one truss were found attacked by it, but when seen were cub 
ofE and consigned to the furnace. I attribute the success of my culture 
to the advice received from a gardener when I commenced to cultivate 
them. He said, “ Be not afraid to use the coal and coke bing.”—* 
G. McDougall, Ravenna Cottage , Stirling. 
MODES OF CHRYSANTHEMUM CULTURE, AND THE: 
BEST VARIETIES. 
[A paper read by Mr. Woodcock, Syston Nurseries, Leicester, at a recent meeting of tlie- 
Sheffield Chrysanthemum Society.] 
( Continued from page 507.) 
Plants for Exhibition Blooms. 
Having disposed of the semi-early flowering section we come now to 
what are known as midseason varieties, and which include most of the 
best exhibition sorts. The cultivation of these has so often been treated 
upon, and by some of the most able and experienced men of the day, that 
I think I can add little to what they have already said upon the subject 
a few general remarks then may be more useful, if only to invoke 
discussion, than would be a detailed code of cultural rules. 
First, then, as to the time for propagation. I have before given it 
as my opinion that the tw r o best months for propagation are November 
and January—the first-named month for the majority of the Japanese 
varieties, and the second for a large section of the incurved, including 
the Queen family, and I have not as yet seen any reason to alter such 
opinion. Of course, there are no rules without exceptions, and December 
may well be selected as the best month for some of the earliest varieties- 
of Japanese and the latest incurves. 
Secondly, as to the most suitable compost. In this matter I think 
Sheffield cultivators are placed at a disadvantage as against cultivators 
from some other districts, notably Liverpool and Hull. There the loam 
is of a free sandy nature, such as encourages the formation of an abund¬ 
ance of roots from whatever plants may be growing therein. As a 
consequence, the turf when taken up contains a large amount of 
fibre. Most of the loam around Sheffield is of a much less suitable 
nature, being cold and heavy ; not an unproductive soil for many crops 
when well treated, but not such as causes an abundant root production. 
Therefore, the turfy loam when obtained is very deficient in fibre as 
compared with loam from the districts named and many others, including- 
that where I am now resident. 
I believe Mr. Tunnington gave excellent advice when he recom¬ 
mended the Sheffield loam to be used fresh as cut, with the green grass- 
still alive and growing upon it. The grass in such case would partially 
compensate for a lack of root fibre. Three important elements in which 
I believe the loam around this district to be much lacking are lime, 
potash, and silica. The first-named may be well supplied in the form 
of crushed oyster shells and dissolved bones ; the second is best supplied, 
in the form of wood ashes, charcoal, and charred refuse generally ; the 
last in the form of sharp sand, river or sea sand by preference. If more 
of this were used by Sheffield cultivators than is the case I feel sure- 
they would recognise a considerable benefit to their plants by the 
addition. 
One of the reasons I especially recommend seasand is that it contains 
a small per-centage of salt, and which has ever, when properly used, 
been found beneficial to these plants. I have before expressed my 
opinion that it is salt in the atmosphere as well as in the soil which 
largely assists growers at Liverpool, Hull, Bristol, Southampton, and 
other like situated towns to obtain such bright colours in their flowers. 
A friend of mine, a Leicester cultivator and exhibitor, has for some years 
past mixed salt judiciously with his compost for the final potting, and 
considers his plants have derived marked benefit from the practice. His 
plants are always remarkable for their dwarf but robust habit with 
exceptionally large dark coloured foliage, which special characteristics 
he attributes to the salt. 
A final recommendation in reference to the compost is to see that it 
is free and open and of a nature that will induce rapid and abundant 
root production. I believe the sooner the ball of earth can be 
thoroughly permeated with, and the pots so to speak “ filled with roots,” 
when the plants are in their flowering pots, the more likely are they to 
produce really fine flowers when required. 
Another question which, though often discussed, still remains to a 
considerable extent a vexed question, is that of topping versus allowing 
the plants to make their natural break. I think that as regards the 
production of the finest exhibition flowers the cutting down system as 
advocated by Mr. Orchard now has no supporters, though undoubtedly 
it has its usc3 for the production of dwarf grouping and decorative 
plants, carrying respectable, although not really first quality flowers ; 
but many of the advocates of topping say that as good or even better 
flowers may be by its means produced than by the natural break 
