82 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDEHER. 
[ January 14, 188<r. 
plant with its roots convenient for transplanting will be the result by the 
middle of March. There is no better way than this of raising a few 
scores of early plants, and the plan applies capitally to Leeks and 
Celery. The transplanting period is the time which tries all early under¬ 
glass-reared vegetables, and the square-turf system preserves the roots 
well.—M. W. 
HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 
Do not waste space in the orchard or fruit garden upon inferior sorts 
of fruit. If you have old trees, ascertain if they are of really good sorts ; 
if not, either grub them up or head back and graft next March. Lists of 
the best sorts of hardy fruits were given in time for selections for autumn 
planting. Since then we have repeatedly seen considerable quantities of 
inferior fruit in the market (especially of Apples) that sold for a mere 
trifle in comparison to what is paid for choice selected imported fruit. 
We have also been to Covent Garden and witnessed the opening of barrels 
of American Apples, and the keen competition of eager purchasers who 
evidently knew that there was “ money ” in the venture. The sight was 
instructive, and we could not but wonder how the fruit-growers of this 
country—at any rate in the south—could allow Brother Jonathan to come 
across the Atlantic and forestall them in the market. We again, there¬ 
fore, before the planting season is over, call attention to some good sorts 
of fruit which are really profitable in the full sense of the word both for 
home consumption and for market. We turn first to the best sorts of 
Kent fruit grown, as enumerated by Mr. George Bunyard, who is a mem¬ 
ber of the Fruit Committee of the Royal Horticultural Society, and Mr. 
Charles Whitehead, whose work, “ Hints on Vegetable and Fruit Farm¬ 
ing,” is so well known. Both these gentlemen reside in the centre of 
the Kentish fruit district, and their selections of sorts are worthy of 
general attention. Mr. Bunyard, in his “Fruit Farming for Profit,” 
classifies Apples, first giving early dessert sorts to sell direct from the 
tree, and these are Red Juneating, Mr. Gladstone, Devonshire Quarrenden, 
Duchess of Oldenburg, Kerry Pippin, Summer Golden Pippin or Ingestrie, 
Worcester Pearmain, Prolific or Colonel Vaughan, Sugar-loaf Pippin, and 
Red Astrachan. Of culinary Apples, also to be sold direct from the tree, 
he gives Early Julien, Keswick Codlin, Manx Codlin, Cellini Pippin, 
Lord Suffield, Old Hawthornden. New Hawthomden, Cox’s Pomona, 
Loddingfon Seedling, Grenadier, Warner’s King, Stirling Castle, Ecklin- 
ville Seedling. Dessert Apples for keeping: King of Pippins, Cox’s 
Orange Pippin, Blenheim Pippin, Gascoyne’s Scarlet Seedling, Wyk.rn 
Pippin, Golden Knob, Sturmer Pippin, Court Pendfl Plat; and of keeping 
culinary Apples : Blenheim Pippin, Small’s Admirable, Golden Noble, 
Lord Derby, Queen Caroline, Gloria Mundi, Winter Queening, Dumelow’s 
Seedling, Beauty of Kent, Northern Greening, and Prince Albert. 
In addition to most of the foregoing, Mr. Whitehead recommends 
Ecklinville Seedling, Lady Henniker, Gooseberry Pippin, Early Straw¬ 
berry, Summer Nonpareil, Ribston Pippin, Margil, American Newtown 
Pippin, Court of Wick Pippin, Claygate Pearmain, and Mannington’s Pear- 
main. If we were planting extensively for market we should not care to 
plant many sorts, but should rather plant a few sorts by the dozen or 
hundred that were certain to afford an early, regular, and abundant supply 
of fruit. Of Apples we would have whole plantations of such sure croppers 
as Warner’s King, Keswick Codlin, Duchess of Oldenburg, Small's 
Admirable, Golden Noble, and Cellini Pippin, only planting Cellini exten¬ 
sively in deep rich soil, as it cankers badly in thin soils. Then, too, what 
a profitable investment would an acre or two of Margil be if dwarf 
bushes of it on the Paradise stock were planted 10 feet apart. For late- 
keeping fruit Court Pend ft Plat, Dumelow’s Seedling, and Gooseberry 
should have preference Court Pendft Plat starts into growth so late in 
spring that its blossom escapes damage from late frost. The fruit of 
Gooseberry keeps good longer than any other Apple, which property gives 
it an especial value. 
Of other fruit profitable enough to grow extensively take Rivers’ Early 
Prolific Plum, Cluster Damson, Prince of Wales Plum, Beurr6 Clairgeau 
and Williams’ Bon Chretien Pears, Prince of Wales Raspberry, Warrington 
Gooseberry, Black Naples Currant, Raby Castle Red Currant. The six 
sorts of Goosberries highly recommended by Mr. Bunyard are Whitesmith, 
Early Sulphur, Warrington, Rifleman, Crown Bob, and Lancashire Lad. 
The fact of this selection having been made from 150 sorts adds to its 
value. 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Teaches and Nectarines — Earliest Bouse— The trees started at 
the commencement of December will now be in flower, and artificial 
impregnation must have daily attention. The camel-hair brush should be 
passed over flowers that have ripe pollen about noon each day, a steady 
circulation of air being secured by opening the ventilators in front of the 
pipes, which should be sufficiently heated to raise the temperature to 65° 
at midday, and 5° to 10° more may be allowed from sun heat. Avoid 
syringing the frees whilst they are in blossom, but maintain a genial con¬ 
dition of the atmosphere by damping the walls, paths, borders and stems 
of the trees in the morning and afternoon of fine days with tepid water. 
The night temperature should be kept at from 50° to 55° when the weather 
is mild, but on cold nights allow the temperature to fall 5°. Look well to 
the outside borders, and guard against sudden chills by keeping the roots 
covered with some dry non-conducting material. A layer of Oak leaves 
covered with shutters a foot thick answers well. 
Second House. —The trees that are to afford ripe fruit early in June 
have been started, and their buds are swelling fast. Syringe them twice 
a day, always early enough to allow the trees to become fairly dry before 
night. Keep the temperature 40° to 45° at night, and 50° in the day by 
artificial means, advancing 10° to 15° with sun heat. Ventilate from 55°, 
See that the borders are in a proper condition as to moisture, and if dry 
afford a thorough supply of water. When the blossoms show colour, and 
the anthers are clear of the petals, discontinue syringing, but secure a 
genial condition of the atmosphere by damping all other available surfaces 
two or three times a day according to the weather. 
Succession Bouses. —Keep these cool and airy, and if the blossoms are 
likely to become too forward a little shading will retard their expansion—a 
double thickness of herring or pilchard nets drawn over the roof breaking 
the force of the sun considerably. The buds are in most cases very 
forward, and as the sap is more or less active and evaporation constantly 
taking place, the condition of the border being ascertained, a good soak¬ 
ing should be given if needed so as to insure thorough moisture through 
to the drainage. It is well not to allow the blossom buds to be subjected 
to very severe frost after they begin swelling, therefore turn on the heat 
in very severe weather so as to prevent the temperature becoming very 
low. 
Late Houses. —Finish all pruning and cleaning at once, for though 
Peaches may be pruned from the fall of the leaf up to the blossoming 
period, many advantages attend the performance of the work before the 
buds begin to swell. One of the most important is the fact that the 
young wood may be washed twice or thrice with a much stronger 
insecticide without fear of injury than when the sap is moving. Ventilate 
fully, except when frost prevails, and see that the trees have sufficient 
water at the roots. 
Fumigation. —A very important operation in the management of 
forced Peaches is fumigation to destroy aphides, but more particularly 
through the early stages. We therefore advise that it be made a standing 
rule to fumigate every house thoroughly just before the blossoms open, 
and to avoid the introduction of all plants that are not free from aphides. 
In fumigating after the blossom is expanded great risk is incurred of 
injuring it, and the foliage also later on is very easily injured by tobacco 
smoke, consequently it needs to be done at all times with care and judg¬ 
ment, or irreparable injury may be inflicted. It is always safer to fumi¬ 
gate on two or three consecutive evenings moderately than risk fatal 
results. The foliage should in all cases be dry and the tobacco paper or 
rag kept from flaring. 
Strawberries in Pots. —Those introduced early in December are 
now starting; the flower scapes are pushing simultaneously with the 
young leaves, which is an indication that the crowns have been well 
ripened, and gives hope of a good crop, inasmuch as there is no loss of 
vigour in the formation of leaves preceding the development of the flower 
spike. Advantage should be taken of every favourable opportunity to 
ventilate, as with growth progressing ventilation becomes a matter of the 
greatest importance to keep the plants sturdy and insure a strong bloom- 
The plants should be closely scrutinised for aphides before flowering com¬ 
mences, and if there be any trace of the pest take prompt measures to 
eradicate it before the flowers expand. Damp the walls and paths in the 
morning and early in the afternoon, with a little ventilation at the early 
syringing, the temperature being bept at from 50° to 55° artificially, with 
an advance of 10° to 15° from sun heat. On bright days the plants as 
well as the paths should be syringed, as absorption and evaporation will 
take place much more rapidly, and the atmosphere will become sufficiently 
dry before dark. Close early so as to raise the temperature to 70° or 75° 
from sun heat. Allow the temperature to fall to 50° at night, but 5 a 
higher if the weather be mild. Examine the plants daily, giving water 
if necessary. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Trellises. —Where new or larger trellises are required upon which to 
train Allamandas, Clerodendrons, and other plants of similar growth, they 
should be prepared at once, as there is more time now for such operations 
than will be the case presently. It is a mistake to leave the making of 
trellises until the plants are ready for potting. Trellises should be 
thoroughly cleaned and painted annually. Plants are frequently attacked 
by insects early in the season through the employment of dirty trellises. 
Stakes. —As opportunity offers, stakes that are not in use should bo 
sorted and tied in bundles according to their size. When deal stakes have- 
been employed for one season they are generally decayed at the base. 
These may be shortened and pointed ready for use ; they will do for plants 
of dwarf growth as well as new ones. When this has been done it can 
quickly he estimated how many of the larger sizes are required. These 
should be made or purchased as early as possible, and painted ready for 
use. Work of this description can be done in the morning and again in. 
the afternoon at this season of the year. We have found where labour is 
an object that it is cheaper to buy stakes—that is, all over 2 feet in length, 
than to make them ; these only require painting green to render them neat. 
All small stakes that we require are made from stout bamboo canes,which 
are cut into various lengths and then split according to the strength re¬ 
quired. These can afterwards be made shapely with but little labour, and 
are very durable. For Hyacinths, Achimenes, and many other similar- 
