October 8,1891. ] 
313 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
hid been transplanted several years before from the Jersey woods. The 
trusses of flowers which they bore were very nearly white. 
R. maximum of the North Carolina mountains is a delicate pink of 
varying shades. A sketch I male of what I then thought to be the 
R. maximum in 1885 in the State of Washington, where it grows in the 
1 uget Sound region from 10 to 12 feet in height, shows a highly coloured 
flower of a rich, deep pink—possibly the punctatum. The R. cataw- 
biense with its purple flowers is probably the progenitor of most of the 
•delightful varieties produced by English gardeners from what they call 
the “ American Flower”—giving us a broad hint to adopt it as our 
r.attonal posy. It is not weed-like, after the manner of the vivacious 
Daisy, or the rampant Golden Rod, but elegant and patrician from leaf to 
flower, grows from New England to Alaska — at least I found the Kalmia, 
its twin brother, there—and all in all, is fine enough to please the most 
fastidious. The R. Yaseyi, which is deciduous, and has I believe only 
b:en found in the North Carolina mountains, is a shrub of great beauty, 
■and is placed by some flower lovers at the head of all Rhododendrons 
in point of beauty of bloom. 
I he 1’uget Sound basin, by the way, with its England-like climate, 
FIG. 65.— THUIOPSIS DOLOBRATA. 
produces some growths wdiich seem to us dwellers on the Atlantic coast 
as remarkable; for instance, I saw a single Vine-stock of English Ivy 
mantling a bouse in Seattle, which was a foot in diameter at the base ! 
— (Meehan*' Monthly.') 
Calceolarias and Violas. —Before the beds are finally broken up 
abundance of cuttings of these two very serviceable kinds of summer 
bedding plants ought to be put in. Neither require nor should have 
any artificial heat. Three parts fill shallow garden frames or brick pits 
with old heating material, making this quite firm. On this place not 
less than 4 inches of fine light loamy soil, finishing off with a surfacing 
of sharp sand, making all level and smooth. Select short flowerless 
■shoots, reduce these to a lengtffi of about 3 inches, cutting to a joint and 
trimming off the lower leaves, and dibble them in just clear of each 
other all over the bed. Water and keep rather close and shaded till the 
cuttings freshen up, then give more air and do not coddle in any way, as 
no top growth is desirable before next spring. Failing fiames or pits 
use either handlights or boxes, the latter being placed in cold frames. 
Both kinds strike very readily thus treated, and plenty of strong plants 
■ought to be available next season. 
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HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 
Pruning Large Standard Trees .—Now is the best time to attend to 
this, as soon as the fruit is gathered and before the leaves fall, because 
it is easy to see where the weak and worthless branches are, and where 
the healthy ones are too close together ; but after the leaves are off it is 
much more difficult to ascertain which branches ought to be removed. 
Too many persons have an aversion to pruning large fruit trees, and 
think it unnecessary because the trees do not make growths a yard or 
more in length every season, consequently the bush and espalier trees 
get the whole of the attention, and very often a great deal too much of 
the pruning knife, and the large trees are left to take their chance, 
becoming in time dense heads of weak wood that cannot bear sound 
useful fruits, and are interspersed freely with dead or cankered branches. 
The fruit under these circumstances become smaller every season until 
at last the tree is condemned as worn out, having become old loDg before 
its time from want of proper attention. If the main stem and prin¬ 
cipal branches are sound a little extra care will often bring such trees 
round to a healthy condition in a short time. The tops should be dealt 
with at once, leaving the roots to be attended to a few weeks hence. 
Commence by removing all dead and decaying branches, and also all 
those that are merely filling up the centrG of the tree. The latter often 
appear to be the most healthy part of the tree, and probably are, but 
they only rob the other branches, and any fruit in the interior of the 
tree is sure to be small and flavourless. The main portion of the head 
has next to be thinned, so that air and light may reach all the leaves in 
sufficient quantity. The amount of wood to be taken out will vary with 
the different varieties. Among Apples, for instance, King of the 
Pippins and Peasgood’s Nonesuch form more open trees naturally than 
do Wellington, Cox’s Orange Pippin, and Keswick Codlin. All should 
be thinned so that the fruiting spurs can have the full benefit of the 
sunshine. Cutting out the weaker branches will cause a more abundant 
flow of sap to the parts that are left, and with good attention in other 
ways the trees so treated will show a marked improvement next season. 
All branches taken out should be sawn off carefully close to the main 
branches, and the wounds on the latter must be pared carefully with a 
sharp knife. Do not make large wounds if it can possibly be avoided ; 
they are apt to decay extensively before the bark grows over them, and 
often seriously endanger the life of the tree. If it is necessary to 
remove any branches more than 3 inches in diameter the wounds should 
at once be coated wdth pitch to prevent decay. After thinning the 
branches to a moderate distance apart no more pruning of the top 
growths will be required at present. Those branches that remain should 
be left entire, and not shortened in any part unless they are growing 
into the neighbouring trees, in which case a space of 2 feet at least must 
be cleared all round each tree, and this space should always remain clear 
and open, or the trees overlap each other, and then the weakest grower 
gradually perishes. 
Strawberries. —Keep a strict watch on newly planted beds and 
others, also remove all runners as soon as they appear, and keep 
down weeds, which are very troublesome this season. If the summer 
mulching still remain on any of the beds lose no time in removing it. 
Autumn fruiting beds will need attention to keep the fruit from birds 
and from damage by slugs. Beds in poor soil will be much benefited 
now if a good top-dressing of manure is given them. They wiil derive 
strength and nourishment from it all through the winter except during 
severe frosts, and even then will be much assisted by the protection and 
warmth it will afford them. 
Cleaning Plantations. —Have all the fruit quarters thoroughly 
cleared of weeds before cold weather comes. Any seed weeds should be 
removed by hand and destroyed, and others hoed and raked off to 
prevent their starting into growth again, and to make all clean and tidy 
for the winter. Weeds with perennial roots, such as Dandelions, Couch, 
Bindweed, &c., are best attended to now while they are easily found, 
and must be dug out and burned ; nothing but unceasing attention in this 
way will overcome them. 
Labelling Fruit Trees. — The present season is an excellent 
time to attend to this wherever it is necessary. Seldom does such a good 
opportunity occur for comparing the various kinds, and fruit trees should 
always be labelled for convenience of gathering and storing, so that 
the whole of each kind may be placed together, and also to assure 
accuracy when propagating. One of the best kinds of labels is made 
of sheet lead cut into strips, and the name punched into it by means 
of moveable type. The end of this must be long enough to roll round 
one of the smaller branches of the trees. These are not liable to damage 
the trees in any way, and are almost indestructible, but are not so easily 
found as the ordinary wooden label, and the latter answer well where 
only small quantities are required if time can be found to renew them 
when necessary. Labels attached by wire to the trees are almost 
certain to be neglected and to cause injury. For wire trellises 
and walls those made of zinc and inscribed with indelible ink are very 
