348 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ October 24,1889. 
names wherever possible or advisable, but let them follow some 
recognised rules. 
One thing is most important, and that is in the revision of 
nomenclature the alteration of accepted names must be performed 
with the greatest caution, as to flood horticultural literature with 
unnecessary synonyms would be a positive calamity. Botanists 
have quite enough to answer for in this respect, and have caused 
each other untold troubles and difficulties in research, but there is 
no reason whatever why horticulturists should follow suit. Names 
that have been given to plants by recognised authorities, or given 
official value by the award of certificates by properly constituted 
committees, should not be touched, and any new rules must be 
prospective, not retrospective. —Lewis Castle. 
RENOVATING AND PLANTING FRUIT TREES. 
I agree with Mr. Iggulden, page 216 of the Journal, that old 
and inferior varieties of fruit trees are not worth the time and 
trouble of either root-pruning or grafting, as the best varieties of 
young healthy fruit trees are very reasonable in price. Rather 
than spend money on trying to patch up old worn out trees, have 
the ground properly prepared for young trees from a reliable 
source. I give a list of the varieties that I have found useful. I 
could name many more, but if anyone will plant some of the 
following I do not think they will be disappointed :—For kitchen 
use : Bramley’s Seedling, Dumelow’s Seedling, Domino, Maltster, 
Besspool, Small’s Admirable, Catshead, Ecklinville Seedling, 
Stirling Castle, Golden Noble, Striped Beefing, Beauty of Hants, 
Warner’s King, New Hawthornden, Alfriston, Lane’s Priace Albert, 
Emperor Alexander, Blenheim Pippin, and Gloria Mundi. 
A few reliable sorts of quality for dessert are Cox’s Orange 
Pippin, Ribston Pippin, Kerry Pippin, Fearn’s Pippin, Margil, 
Golden Winter Pearmain, Irish Peach, Scarlet Nonpareil, Trump- 
ington, Worcester Pearmain, Court Pendu Plat, Lord Burghley, 
and Blenheim Pippin. 
What I have learnt about planting fruit trees—bush trees as 
well, vegetables also—is that it is a mistake to go in for too many 
varieties. It is better to plant twelve trees of one sort than twelve 
trees of different varieties. In the first place, with so many sorts 
there is much trouble in storing. That is not all. When there are 
so many patches of fruit in the fruit room there never seems to be 
any to go on with, so to speak ; but mark the difference if you 
happen to have six to twelve trees of one good variety and a good 
crop ; in that case there is often a few for market. 
With reference to renovating fruit trees I can say that I have 
had a fair share of experience—not always successful at first, but 
with practice and observation failures seldom occur. The first step 
to take in the improvement of existing trees or planting fresh ones 
is to see that there is a good heap of compost available to give 
the roots, composed of burnt refuse, or burnt clay is not to be 
despised. Some gardeners are able to procure plenty of old 
turf ; nothing can be better where available. Unfortunately the 
majority have to make the best of what they can secure ; in 
that case road parings and the scrapings are very useful, and most 
roots will take to them. A heap of three parts road parings, one 
part burnt refuse, with a barrowload of old mortar added to each 
cartload, also a peck of soot, will make a good compost. If when 
planting is proceeding 1 to lb. of bone dust and half-inch bones 
mixed is added for each tree that will improve it. I may state that 
much hard work and care are needed on the part of the chief when 
planting and renovations are taking place. It is useless to make 
holes less than 6 feet across, even for bush trees ; give plenty of 
room for the roots, and keep them near the surface. Stake as 
soon as planted, give a mulching of 3 or 4 inches of half-decayed 
manure. The last week of October and the first fortnight in 
November is the best time for planting fruit trees. —Disengaged. 
[One of the many good gardeners whom we should be glad to 
see engaged and doing good work in gardens.] 
RESTORING SHRUBS. 
Tiie beneficial effects resulting from mulchings of manure and 
dressings of artificial manurial agents is well known ; equally bene¬ 
ficial, though perhaps not so well known, are dressings of soil when 
applied to ground which has been exhausted by the roots of shrubs 
or trees. The limits need not be struck at these, as we have proved 
how wonderfully recuperative to fruit trees, flowers, and vegetables 
is the addition of a few inches of soil to the ground occupied. But 
shrubs are so generally starved that it may be well to limit these 
remarks to them. The necessity exists for fresh fcod most gene¬ 
rally in cases where trees grow among and overtop shrubs, and : 
where leaves are carted off before decaying. It does not matter- 
about the quality of the soil used, so long as there is a sufficient 
thickness spread on ; 4 inches in thickness may be taken as the 
least quantity to prove of any permanent good. Where the shrubs* 
are thick the whole ground may require covering, but it must be- 
noted that a good thickness of soil spread thickly under each shrub 
is much better than a less thickness spread over the entire surface 
of the ground. The rationale of this treatment does not depend 
entirely on the fact that the plant is in possession of a supply of 
food. I do not think that an increased food supply is even the- 
main good, but rather we must look to the vitality imparted to the 
whole plant through the increase of young roots, and the quality of 
these roots as compared with the quality and quantity of these 
previous to the addition of soil. I have seen wonderful results* 
follow in the next season’s growth through the liberal application 
of fresh material immediately over the roots of shrubs. Those 
seemingly dying have been brought back to health. 
Another means of putting fresh vitality into shrubs in cases- 
where the soil is strong is simply to dig a circular trench at a 
sufficient distance from the bole of the plant not to stop growth " 
the width of the trench not be less than 12 inches, but 6 inches- 
wider is better. A sufficient opening to work with freedom and 
dispatch is formed at the side, and the soil simply turned over 
and broken up, and that to a depth of at least 15 inches. When 
the shrub is circled the soil thrown out is put back and the work 
completed. If done now or early in spring the plant will show the 
first season the great benefit it has received from this operation. 
The reason is much the same as in the case of those dressed with- 
fresh soil in sufficient quantity—viz., the emission of numbers of 
strong roots in a medium more suited to a healthy growth than 
hard soil unbroken. Another method of throwing fresh vigour into- 
shrubs is the drastic one of cutting them in more or less severely 
according to circumstances ; but this, of course, has the objection* 
of altogether altering the appearance of their surroundings when 
carried to extreme lengths. However, by the method of taking a. 
few feet off particular plants at intervals of every two years it is- 
possible to help the health of plants very much, and in any case the 
digging of a trench round them, or the addition of fresh soil to the: 
surface, will not be lost labour.—B. 
NOTES ON PLUMS. 
Now the Plum season is practically over, it will be interesting- 
to hear which varieties bore well, and those that were failures. I 
do not think the Plum crop of 1889 can be regarded as a full crop 
in many districts. In Herts I think we are favoured with an 
excellent soil, suitable for all fruits, it only requires cultivating. 
The climate, too, is very satisfactory. Our trees are grown on 
walls as standards and bushes. The standards have borne the bost 
crops. I fear the wall trees did not have sufficient water while they 
were swelling their crops, for they did not attain their average she. 
Our season commenced with that excellent Plum Rivers’ Early 
Prolific ; the trees all carried immense crops of medium sized fruits. 
This tree grows well here, but Mr. Pearson tells us it will scarcely 
exist at Chilwell. This clearly demonstrates the fact that it is. 
necessary to ascertain which varieties are likely to thrive in any 
particular district before planting. Early Orleans also carried good 
crops, but the trees being nearly destitute of foliage they did not- 
attain their usual standard. Belgian Purple is represented by two 
healthy standards, and they cropped well ; it is a capital market 
Plum. Angelina Burdett is a good dessert Plum, ripening in Sep¬ 
tember, but it is not a very certain variety. The young trees of 
Jefferson failed entirely ; though a grand Plum, it is very uncertain 
here. Kirke’s was a failure. Of Oullins Golden Gage we have 
some very fine trees ; it is a good cropper and an excellent dessert 
Plum, has a fine appearance, but the thin skin soon bursts in wet 
weather. Green Gages were nearly all small, especially those on 
the walls. Reine Claude de Bavay, a good late Gage, but has 
cracked badly. Transparent Gage.—These have been very fine ; 
it is a handsome Plum, and deserves to be largely planted. Belle 
de Septembre.—A total failure. Belle de Louvain.—Very light 
crop, but an excellent flavoured fruit. 
Diamond is my ideal black Plum, it grows very large, and the 
fruits are very handsome; it travels well, and above all it is a sure 
cropper. Mitchelson’s did not bear. Pond’s Seedling does well as a 
standard, but the skin is rather too thin for a good market Plum ; the 
fruits were very large indeed, and a beautiful colour, but we lost the 
majority of our crop with the wet. Prince Engelbert.—Tree forms 
a very compact top, makes a good standard, very good crop. Victoria. 
—Always a sure cropper and a good market Plum, but with the- 
exception of our young trees, the fruit was undersized. White 
