August IS, 1889. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
143 
Earliest Pears. —Doyennd d’Ete, or Summer Doyennd, being 
thinly cropped, is rather larger than usual. In favoured districts some 
of the fruit was fit to gather during the last week in July, and the trees 
would be cleared in about a week. This, when gathered and eaten 
directly it will part freely from the tree, is juicy and sweet, but if kept 
fora short time it becomes dry and mealy. Citron des Carmes, another 
small variety of unattractive appearance, has this season produced 
numerous large clusters of fruit, and unless these were well thinned out 
the quality will be very poor indeed. It is about ten days later than 
the Summer Doyennd, and ought also to be used when first gathered. 
Beurrd Giffard is rather larger than the foregoing, and also superior in 
point of quality. This should be fit to be gathered and eaten by the 
middle of August, by which time the delicious Jargonelle will also be 
available in southern districts. The latter is carrying extra good crops, 
and in order to prolong the season (the variety will not keep a week 
after it is ripe) it is advisable to at once gather a few of the most for¬ 
ward fruit, wrapping these in tissue paper, and, after they are packed in 
a box of soft hay, placing this in gentle heat. It is in this manner 
the Jargonelle is often ripened for the shows early in August, and in 
any case a gain of a week or more will be effected. Birds soon dis¬ 
cover when the Jargonelle is becoming soft and palatable, and unless 
netted over in anticipation of their attack a considerable number of 
the best fruits may be disfigured in a few hours. 
The Earliest Dessert Apples. —Early Bed Margaret was fit for 
use during the third week in July, and fairly plentiful. Eaten soon 
after it is gathered, the quality is decidedly good. Early Harvest, which 
follows closely, has not proved a success this season, but it is a delicious 
little fruit eaten when first ripe. Mr. Gladstone is quite a failure, but, 
as a rule, it is a showy early variety, of small size, and good in quality. 
Beauty of Bath surpasses all the preceding as far as size is concerned, 
and is a handsome variety, of excellent quality if eaten soon after the 
fruit parts readily from the tree. It is a sure bearer, and ripens during 
the first or second week in August. Irish Peach, an old favourite, and 
somewhat later than the preceding, is very lightly cropped this season, 
and ripe fruit keep for a few days without being spoilt. Devonshire 
Quarrenden, another handsome well-known variety, is very scarce this 
summer. It is usually crisp, juicy, and sweet towards the end of August, 
and must not be kept long. Either of the three last named may be for¬ 
warded much as advised in the case of Jargonelle Pears, but it must be 
remembered the quality and appearance of the fruit is not improved by 
this artificial method of ripening. 
Early Kitchen Apples. —The culinary varieties, unlike those 
fit for dessert only, will keep fairly well after they are ripe, and where 
the crops generally are thin; this unfortunately being the rule, it is 
advisable to use the Apples in great moderation while Gooseberries, 
Bed Currants, Plums, and other more perishable fruit last. One of the 
first to be fit for cooking will be found in Carlis'e Codlin, and this 
happens to be well cropped this season. The seedlings of this as well 
as Keswick Codlin and Lord Suffield cook beautifully when not more 
than three parts grown, and their removal will improve the size of those 
left on the trees. Duchess of Oldenburgh does not keep so well as the 
Codlins, and may well be used early, and where Stirling Castle, 
Hawthornden, and Bed Hawthornden are well cropped, these also may 
be gathered from for early use, the first named being the best keeper 
of the three. 
Grapes. —These are quite a failure this season, but that is no excuse 
for neglecting the Vines. Last season the wood ripened badly, but this 
summer the growth is firmer in character, and if duly thinned out and 
stopped there is every prospect of its ripening satisfactorily. The dis¬ 
budding and stopping ought really to have been attended to while 
yet it could have been done without the aid of a knife, but if this 
was neglected all superfluous growth should at once be cut out, and 
the best placed lateral growth reserved and shortened back to the fourth 
or fifth joint. Any with a bunch attached ought to be stopped at the 
second joint beyond this, and in all cases the sub-laterals or the side 
shoots pushed out from the stopped or pruned laterals should be pinched 
back to a single leaf or joint. Young rods are usually the most produc¬ 
tive, especially if they have been laid in early, and stopped when from 
4 feet to 6 feet in length. 
Figs. —Very vigorous trees have failed to fruit this season, but those 
rooting in hard poor ground, as well as any that have attained a great 
size without being of gross habit, are well furnished with fruit. Firm, 
short-jointed wood, in addition to being the most hardy, is also the most 
productive, and this cannot be found on much-crowded trees. In some 
instances the only way to secure abundance of fruit is to allow a mode¬ 
rate number of shoots to grow out from the walls, only the main branches 
being strongly secured. In any case the summer growth must be freely 
thinned out, light and air being absolutely essential for the proper ripen¬ 
ing this, the fruit-bearing wood of next season. Summer stopping is 
sometimes resorted to, but this is a doubtful proceeding, the fruit, as a 
rule, being most plentifully produced near the points of well-ripened 
unstopped shoots. Trees long established and heavily cropped are much 
benefited by a summer mulching of manure, and an occasional soaking 
of water or liquid manure in hot dry weather, the finest and most 
luscious being obtained from old trees thus liberally treated. 
Keeping Bed Currants. —Very heavy crops of fine fruit are now- 
hanging on the bushes duly protected from birds, and those in structures- 
permanently covered by wire netting are wonderfully productive. 
Should the weather keep dry the fruit will keep well, but in a showery 
muggy August it is liable to rot off wholesale. The only preventive- 
measures are—first, the shortening to the fourth or fifth joint of all 
lateral growth not needed for enlarging the tree, and thinning the- 
clusters of fruit according as it is required for use. This will admit 
much more air to the fruit and cause it to keep better. 
Wasps and Fruit. —A considerable number of wasps are already 
at work among ripe fruit, and unless checked will soon do incalculable- 
damage. As many nests as possible should be taken or destroyed ; one- 
of the most simple plans being to pour a little gas tar into the holes. 
Davis’s wasp killer, used as advised by the maker, is singularly effective- 
when placed where there is ripe fruit. It poisons many wasps and keeps- 
away the rest. Bottles partially filled with beer, sugar, and water, and 
suspended among the fruit, attract large quantities of wasps and flies,, 
few of which leave the bottles alive. 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Figs. —Early Forced Trees in Pots .—Directly the second crop i» 
gathered examine the trees, as keeping them somewhat drier at the roots- 
with a drier condition of the atmosphere, consequent on a free circula¬ 
tion of air, tends to an increase of red spider and scale. These pests are- 
almost inseparable from Fig culture in heated structures, so that the 
cultivator requires to be ever on the alert; still the enemies steal a. 
march upon the grower, especially during the ripening of the fruit, 
therefore when that is cleared off the trees recourse must be had. to 
cleansing, and as the foliage and wood is far advanced in ripening 
destructive agents may be employed at a strength which would not be 
safe at an earlier stage. If therefore those pests, and especially scale, 
have made undesirable progress it will be advisable to syringe the trees 
with a petroleum solution—a wineglassful to four gallons of water, in 
which 8 ozs. of softsoap and 1 oz. of soda has been dissolved, one person 
stirring the mixture briskly with a broom handle, whilst another applies- 
it with a syringe to the trees, so as to thoroughly wet every part of the 
trees, the under as well as the upper part of the foliage, and all the 
wood. To prevent the mixture soaking into the soil a little dry moss- 
may be tied around the stem, and then a sort of pyramid of the same 
placed around the stem. If the wood is badly infested employ a some¬ 
what stiff brush for freeing it of the scale whilst wet. In bad cases 
repeat this in the course of a day or two, afterwards syringing thoroughly 
with tepid water. The trees will need very little further attention, only 
giving water to prevent the foliage becoming limp, ventilating to the 
fullest extent day and night; but protect the trees from heavy rains, 
which have a tendency to keep the trees active instead of inducing that 
rest so desirable for those subjected to early forcing. The old practice 
of placing early forced trees in pots outdoors is now little practised, the 
trees being continued under glass, complete rest being sought in dryness. 
If placed outdoors it must be in a sunny position, and the pots stood on 
a layer of ashes with similar material about them, and though they 
must not be allowed to suffer for want of water, material must be at 
hand to throw off heavy rains, in order to prevent the soil becoming 
sodden. Whether kept under glass or placed outdoors they cannot have- 
too much light or air. 
Early-forced Planted-out Trees .—The second crop is ripening, ancT 
will need a circulation of air constantly, more, of course, by day than at 
night. If dull weather prevail a gentle heat in the pipes makes all the 
difference between well-ripened and insipid fruit. Watering at the 
roots must be diminished and syringing discontinued, but a moderate 
air moisture may be allowed for the benefit of the foliage. If red 
spider is present and there is heat in the pipes coat them thinly with 
sulphur, or a good syringing may be given after the fruit has been 
closely gathered, choosing a time when there is a prospect of the- 
moisture not remaining long upon the trees. As soon as the fruit 
is all gathered the trees may have a good washing with the syringe 
or engine to free the foliage of dust and red spider, otherwise a free 
circulation of air, dry and warm, should be maintained in the house- 
until the foliage begins to fall naturally, and which must not be accele¬ 
rated by allowing the soil to become dust-dry at the roots of the trees. 
Unheated Houses .—To insure a crop of Figs with certainty and of 
the highest qualify glass cases or structures with a south aspect are 
indispensable. The trees succeed capitally if the roots are restricted to- 
narrow borders (one-third the width or height of the trellis is ample), 
well drained, and not more than 2 feet deep, composed of good loam of 
a calcareous nature, or adding a sixth of old mortar rubbish which 
contains what Figs require in lime and sand, or a fifth of chalk may be 
added and a sixth of road scrapings. If the loam be light add a fourth 
of clay chopped small and intermixed, which require to be placed 
together rather firmly to induce a sturdy short-jointed habit. With 
unobstructed light and provision for free ventilation Figs of the choicest 
description may be obtained if the usual attention is given in watering 
through a mulch of partially decayed rather lumpy manure, and feeding 
with liquid manure as required. It is also necessary that the.growths 
be thin, acting upon the extension system, but securing by judicious 
stopping a fair amount of spurs. In no case allow more growth to be 
