580 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ December 31, 1885. 
a natural hybrid between that species and N. albo-marginata. It is of 
strong habit and bears leaves 18 inches to 2 feet in length, with pitchers 
10 inches long, of a deep red colour, with darker spots and blotches 
Tuberous Begonias have now become very numerous, and it is not easy to 
obtain new types amongst them. This is, however, being effected by 
crosses with B. socotrana, which was introduced from Socotra a year or t wo 
since. One of these hybrids, named John Ileal, has been certificated, anti 
gives much promise of being a useful Begonia, especially as its rich rosy 
flowers last a great time, either on the plant or cut and placed in water. 
Others, of a similar character as regards habit, have been raised and 
flowered, and probably will be seen at the shows during the coming year. 
Several varieties of Chrysanthemums and other plants have been equally 
honoured, but those named will suffice to illustrate the Yeitchian novelties 
of the year. 
THE CULTURE OF THE APPLE. 
[The following practical paper was rrad by Mr. G-. Picker before the Members of the 
Lincolnshire Gardeners’ Association.] 
The Apple is a national fruit, and when we have a small 
crop we seem to be short of almost everything for the kitchen in 
the way of hardy fruits, because the Apple can be used in so 
many different ways. I believe that if one-third of the Apple 
trees in England were grubbed up and burnt the country would 
not suffer any loss; indeed, there would be a great gain instead- 
In some cases there is good ground occupied by worthless varie¬ 
ties of Apples that are only thrown to the pigs. If good sorts 
were planted in their place it would be a gain in several ways 
It would benefit the owner or occupier, also the nurseryman in a 
small way, and, in fact, the country at large. 
It is impossible to grow Apples on wet ground without under¬ 
ground drainage. It will produce unripened wood or shoots, 
inferior fruit, and little of that. The first severe frost will kill 
the ends of the young growth, which is, I think, one cause of 
canker, and the stems and branches will be covered with moss, 
&c. Therefore, I consider wet land in its natural state useless 
for fruit-growing. If it can be well drainel that will alter the 
case. Three feet 6 inches to 4 feet is a useful depth of drains for 
fruit trees. In some cases we have to be ruled by outfall; 14 to 
18 feet is a reasonable distance, according to the tenacity of the 
soil. 
UN THE IMPROVEMENT OP THE SOIL. 
If the soil is unsuitable we ought to do our best to improve 
it. Lime is a grand improver in many ways, by opening and 
sweetening, killing insects, and making the ground dryer and 
warmer. Give strong, raw, cold land six tons per acre, put it on 
unslaked, and work it in at once. Try one piece as mentioned, 
leave the rest without giving any lime, and note the difference. 
It will be easy to see which had lime and which had not, especially 
in the working of the ground. Three tons of lime per acre is a 
fair dressing for land which is in good order as to working and 
fertility. 1 also consider burnt earth a capital improver of all 
soils. I have used, with the best results, one-fourth of burnt 
earth incorporated with the natural soil. Where there is plenty of 
burnt earth incorporated with the natural soil the trees make less 
wood, more fruit buds; they have heavier and better coloured 
fruit, the soil works more freely, and the whole growth of the 
trees is sturdier. Road parings and scrapings, ditch parings, 
carted into a heap, a good dressing of hot lime, all well mixed 
together, the heap turned over in six months, give a little more 
lime if required, and then let it rest for three months; then 
turn it over again, and in the meantime, if there is any liquid 
manure to spare, throw some over the whole heap. In twelve 
months’ time from carting together it will be found a valuable 
help in planting trees of every description. The soil to be planted 
ought to have a depth of 18 inches to 2 feet if possible; less will 
do, but not so well in hot weather. It is better to raise the soil 
than to take out any stone or clay from under the top soil; 
lowering it makes it colder and damper; raising it makes it dryer 
and warmer in wet weather. The ground should be well worked 
and cleaned before there is any attempt at planting. If the 
land is poor or unfertile it should have a good manuring to begin 
with, sixty tons per acre will not be too much for poor land. 
The manure ought to be kept as near the surface as possible, as 
that will keep the roots there also. 
PLANTING. 
What do we want ? Profit, ornament, or a few fine fruits to 
show ? My idea is that if we want profit we should plant 
standards on the Crab stock; for ornament, and, for a few fruits 
to show, plant bushes on the Paradise stock. Pyramids will do 
well on the Crab stock, but they do not bear one-sixth part as 
well as the standard. One standard at thirty years old, if pro¬ 
perly planted, will bear more fruit than ten bushes of the same 
age, even if they live as long as thirty years. To be successful 
we must make a good start. If for an orchard of s f andard Apple 
trees, mark out the rows or lines 30 feet apart each way. Thirty 
feet is quite close enough to be useful or profitable. The distance 
to plant dwarfs or bushes on the Crab stock is from 10 to 12 feet, 
according to the soil and the variety, whether it be a weak or a 
strong grower. For dwarfs on the Paradise stock 8 to 10 feet 
would be a useful distance. If the subsoil were stony, I should 
not trouble to do anything to the bottom of the hole except 
to ram all down firmly. If there were clay or marl I should 
put in 6 inches of drainage at the bottom. First I should 
put in 3 inches of rough drainage, and then 3 inches of 
finer material on the top; then ram all down firmly, leaving the 
top of the drainage convex to draw the water to the sides of the 
hole. n 
For standards, make the holes 8 feet across or 8 feet square. 
We will say that there are 18 inches of good soil, all of which 
we have taken out. Take out 6 inches of the lower or bad soil, 
placing in the drainage. The drainage being all in, mix with 
the natural soil some fresh compost. The heap mixed with lime 
and turned over will be useful now. Fill the hole to within 
6 inches of the top, tread it down as it is put in if in working 
order, otherwise leave it for a few days. Drive down a strong 
stake in the centre of the hole, put the tree to be planted against 
the stake, give one tie round the tree and stake to keep all steady, 
spread out the roots evenly, and cut off all decayed and bruised 
portions. Cover all the bottom layer of roots, then lay out the top 
layer of roots, cover them, and tread down firmly. Leave the 
collar of the tree bare 1 inch and the soil concave, for top-dressing 
and holding water; stake securely. Drive down three stakes at 
equal distances from the stem; fasten three wires round the 
stem, first placing some old carpet to prevent injury; then take 
one wire to each stake ; fasten securely; drive down each stake 
1 or 2 inches to make all tight; give 6 inches of long manure for 
a mulch to keep out the cold, then all will be safe. The holes 
for the dwarfs ought to be 6 feet across and served the same as 
for standards. One stake will be enough for dwarfs, put at an 
angle of 45°. Drive it into the ground 3 feet from the stem, then 
bring it close to the stem and tie it. 
TIME TO PLANT—PURCHASING THE TREES. 
The end of October and the beginning of November is the 
best time in the year for planting fruit trees. Those properly 
taken up and planted again in October and November grow the 
following summer very little the worse for their removal. We 
may plant from October until February, weather permitting. 
Trees planted late will cause much more care and trouble in 
watering and will not make nearly so much growth. 
It is better for purchasers to go to the nursery and choose 
their own trees. It is cheaper in the end to pay more for having 
the pick of the trees than to have what other people leave. 
THE WRONG WAY TO PLANT FRUIT TREES. 
Make a start on some ground that has been worked 6 or 
9 inches deep. Dig out a hole 2 feet square and 3 feet deep, get 
some fresh soil and mix with the natural soil; never mind the 
subsoil. Fill in the hole with the mixed soil up to 1 foot of the 
top, plant the tree, cover the neck 6 inches to save staking, the 
trees waving to and fro with the wind; the planter waiting two or 
three years; the trees doing very little good. The only person 
blamed for things not going on as well as was expected is the 
nurseryman for sending out bad trees, just as in the same way 
the honest seedsman is blamed for sending out bad seeds, when 
in nine cases out of ten the fault lies with the sower. 
ROOT-PRUNING. 
There are several ways of performing this operation. The 
way that I have found the best is to take out a trench 4 to 6 feet 
from the stem, according to the size of the tree, digging down as 
deep as the roots go. I generally cut all the roots off where I 
start, except three or four small ones that run near the surface; 
these I leave for the support of the tree after the shortening of the 
stronger and deeper roots. It is easy to lift the trees nearer the 
surface if required. When so treated I work out the soil from 
underneath the tree; if the drainage is had I add moi’e, and beat 
all down firmly, then add one-fourth of good fresh compost, fill 
in the hole with some of the compost mixed with the soil taken 
out. Lay out the bottom tier of roots, cover them over with good 
soil, then lay out the next tier, cover over 5 or 6 inches, make firm, 
mulch with 4 inches of long manure from the stable. I have 
raised up trees 9 to 12 inches in the op ration, changed trees 
affected with the “ yellows,” and which produced only very poor 
fruit, into trees bearing beautiful and green foliage, and fine 
fruit, after the treatment described. 
I have seen root-pruning done with a vengance—chop off the 
feeding roots, leaving the robber or robbers safe. Then I have 
seen trees that have been root-pruned that required propping 
