394 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ November T, 18m 
varieties, the Blood, Oval, and Pernambuco Orange are all good. 
Several varieties of Lemons and Limes are also grown, and the 
lighter yellow colour of their fruits contrasts beautifully with the 
Oranges. 
Culturally, one important point must be noted, and that is the 
stock upon which they are grafted, a matter which does not usually 
receive the attention it demands. It has been the custom to raise 
seedlings indiscriminately from any Orange pips and then graft upon 
these, but this has been proved at Sawbridgeworth and elsewhere 
to be as erroneous as any haphazard method of action can be. After 
trying a vai’iety of stocks the common Lemon has been found to be 
the best to promote early bearing with a compact habit and fine 
fruits. This accordingly is now the practice adopted, and I under¬ 
stand that in Australia and Florida, where Oranges have been so 
largely planted in recent years, the same course is followed. Then 
for soil a good turfy loam is employed with sufficient sand to render 
it porous ; thorough drainage is provided and abundance of water 
supplied both to the roots and over the foliage. Beyond the main¬ 
tenance of a genial and even temperature nothing is requisite 
except an occasional thinning or shortening of the growths and 
close watching to see that the plants are free from insects. 
STORING FRUITS. 
All who are concerned with preserving the supply of Apples and 
Pears as long as possible know full well the difficulties there are to 
contend with. Some advocate placing the fruit upon the open 
shelves or staging in the fruit room ; others employ straw, hay, or 
paper as an absorbent material, upon which the fruits can rest, each 
having its special recommendations and disadvantages. The great 
desideratum is to have a material that is quite devoid of odour, as 
the flavour of fresh fruits is very readily affected by anything of a 
foreign character. At Sawbridgew'orth, after many experiments, 
ordinary burnt earth has been adopted as the best substance for 
the purpose, and it is placed in a layer an inch or two deep over 
slates. A small span-roof house has the roof thickly thatched in 
the place of glass, leaving only spaces at the ventilators for the ad¬ 
mission of light and air. The path in the centre has a well edged 
bed on each side, and these are devoted to storing samples of the 
principal varieties of Apples and Pears. 
SEEDLING FRUITS. 
The Sawbridgeworth Nursery is not only a fruit-growing 
establishment, but it is also one in which fruit-raising has been 
carried out with remarkable success for a long period. This is 
chiefly due to the fact that it was commenced a considerable time 
ago by the late Mr. Thomas Rivers, who derived much pleasure 
from what subsequently proved a very profitable occupation. 
Thousands of seedlings were raised of Peaches, Nectarines, Apricots, 
Plums and Pears, many of which resulted from the careful crossing 
of approved varieties that were likely to produce the best returns. 
In all cases records had to be kept, and the seedlings watched for 
years before it was known whether they would prove distinct or 
useful additions to the lists. They were crossed not only with a 
view to the improvement of quality, but also to extend the season 
during which such fruits could be gathered either under glass or 
out of doors. The last is an important matter, and much has been 
accomplished in that direction amongst Peaches, as already noted. 
In one of the editions of “ The Orchard House” Mr. Rivers had 
some remarks on this subject. “ To give the reader an idea of the 
pleasing uncertainty of raising seedling fruits, and that a stone from 
Early Beatrice may produce an October Peach, I may mention 
that a large Peach raised here from the Early York Peach some 
years since, is a fine late sort, ripening early in October ; the 
cultivator may also expect Nectarine trees from Peach stones, and 
Peach trees from Nectarine stones. Plums and Cherries vary to 
a great extent when raised from stones, and are most interesting. 
They in common with Peaches, Nectarines, and Apricots should be 
grown in pots in the orchard house, where they will commence to 
beir at about four years old. A hard hearted cultivator must 
select the seeds for the production of new varieties ; he must choose 
the finest and best flavoured fruit, as no seedlings must be raised 
from inferior fruit.” He observes elsewhere, too, with regard to 
Peaches that twenty stones from the Royal George Peach will not 
produce two alike in all characters, while Noblesse and some of the 
yellow-fleshed Peaches are reproduced nearly true from seed. The 
most difficult trial is after growing seedlings for five or six years 
to have to discard so many, yet this has to be done unflinchingly, 
as it is obviously useless keeping varieties that show no advance 
on those ready known, and, of course, in some instances they are 
even inferior. Still, the selected seedling Peaches, Nectarines, and 
Plums sent out from Sawbridgeworth are more numerous than 
could be expected. Thus of Peaches twenty-six are of proved 
merit, of Nectarines nineteen have taken a similar position, and of 
Plums nineteen have also been secured, the latter including such 
thoroughly useful varieties as Early Rivers, The Czar, and 
Monarch. —Pomona. 
ASPARAGUS. 
The most general mode of forcing this vegetable is by making 
hotbeds in the usual manner about 3 feet high of well prepared 
manure. It is important that the bed be well prepared, as the 
roots are very quickly injured by a strong heat, especially when 
accompanied with much steam. The manure should have repeated- 
turnings, so .as to allow all rank steam to escape previous to being 
made into beds. When these are finished the frames and lights 
may be placed on, leaving them so until the bed has attained a 
regular heat ; after this tread the surface evenly. 
The roots may be from three years’ growth upwards. These- 
can be lifted from the beds in the garden, exercising great care in 
this operation, as the roots are very brittle. Previous to placing 
these on the bed it should be covered with a few inches of dry 
light earth, spreading it evenly, then commence at one end, and' 
place the roots close together in a regular manner, keeping them 
level and the crowns uppermost. When the frame is full these 
may be covered with some fine light soil, filling all spaces be¬ 
tween the roots, which may be covered to the depth of 4 or 
5 inches. 
There is not much likelihood of the heat becoming too strong if 
the manure has been properly prepared. However, should this- 
take place the lights may in fine weather be taken off, which will 
allow the rank heat to escape. When the buds begin to grow air 
should be admitted, and after they appear above ground the 
lights may be removed for a short time on fine days. Air should 
be admitted as much as possible, or the shoots will be drawn up 
weakly without colour or flavour. If the bed becomes too dry 
water must be given with a fine-rose pot, using water of the same 
temperature as the bed. The heat will be sufficient if the bed 
keeps about 50° at night and 60° by day with the sun heat. Should it,, 
however, fall below 45° linings must be applied. It is advisable to 
keep the temperature from 50° to 60° throughout. If wanted for 
succession the beds may be made up and planted at intervals of 
three weeks.—A. G. Frampton. 
PRUNING SHRUBS. 
The proper time to prune or cut back trees and shrubs is a 
question often asked in the Journal. If experience warrants any¬ 
one giving an opinion on the matter I do not think that I need be 
afraid to state mine, as we annually do much of this kind of work. 
Our pleasure grounds extend to between 30 and 40 acres ; nearly 
the half of this area is covered with trees and shrubs, and many 
cartloads are cut from them every year. We cut them with two- 
objects in view—the first to keep them in shape, the second to- 
keep them within due bounds. 
In cutting the shrubs into shape great care should be taken that 
this is not overdone, as nothing detracts so much from the beauty 
of a choice tree or shrub as cutting it into a formal cone. Our 
rule of cutting into shape simply consists in removing one of the 
leaders when two are forming, or cutting a few more points from 
one side than the other as the growth demands. In doing this we 
endeavour to cut without leaving any signs that pruning has been, 
done. This applies particularly to single specimens on lawns, and 
isolated shrubs which stand apart from or above others in groups. 
Cutting to keep shrubs within bounds is generally practised on 
Yew and other hedges, and on shrubs growing close to walks and 
flower borders and also in clusters together. Hedges may be clipped 5 
smooth like the face of a wall, but Rhododendrons and similar ever¬ 
greens should be cut with the knife only, and that just to remove 
the intruding points, leaving no stumps in a prominent position 
where only a surface of leaves or leaf-bearing shoots should be 
seen. Apart from this, however, the form and style into which- 
trees and shrubs are cut will follow the owner’s taste in many 
instances. 
The time of cutting is of very great importance. In situations-- 
where the winters are mild and cutting winds do not usually 
prevail in the spring every kind of tree and shrub that will grow- 
unprotected in the open air may be safely cut, clipped, or pruned 
from the beginning of November until the end of March. Cutting 
before November when the shoots may not be matured often 
causes them to die-back more or less from the wound, and to cut 
them when growth begins in April or during the growing season 
injures many of the more tender sorts. In districts where the 
winters are generally frosty and severe only shrubs of the very 
hardiest description should be pruned until the latter end of March, 
