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JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ April 11, 1889. 
plants, distinct species, excluding bulbs.’’ All three were disqualified. 
One grower staged Chionodoxa Lucilias, a sufficient reason for disqualifi¬ 
cation. Another sent up only five distinct species, two of the plants 
being varieties of Hepatica triloba ; but the third, who had carefully 
chosen his plants, found it impossible to discover a reason for disquali¬ 
fying in his case. The plants were Saxifraga Boydi, Primula rosea, 
Primula viscosa nivea, Trillium grandiflorum, Anemone blanda, and 
Sanguinaria canadensis. Each one of these is recognised as an alpine 
plant. As species they are distinct, and none of them are bulbous rooted. 
For what reason could they be disqualified ?— Perplexed. 
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HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 
Planting Figs. —There are few more wholesome or more luscious 
fruits than well grown Figs, but unfortunately open air culture even in 
many comparatively warm districts is very much of a lottery. They 
are liable to be badly crippled by frost, this checking their productive¬ 
ness for one, and it may be several, seasons. Along the south coast they 
can be and are very frequently most successfully grown, and they also 
succeed, if properly treated, in more inland districts. They ought to be 
planted in a very sunny corner or against a high wall facing south, and 
not given a rich root run, rank growth being neither fruitful nor hardy. 
At the outset the trees should be planted in a shallow border formed of 
fresh loam and either chalk er mortar rubbish, mixed at the rate of one 
bushel of the latter to three bushels of the loam. Some of the finest 
Fig trees ever seen were grown in a narrow border formed of the chalky 
soil abounding on the cliffs near Dover. In any case the compost should 
be made as firm as possible, and if there is a clayey subsoil a thick layer 
ofjlime rubbish should be spread over it to prevent the roots from running 
down into it, and high planting be practised. The varieties most com¬ 
monly grown in the open are Brown Turkey, White Marseilles, and 
Brunswick. The last named is the least productive of the three, but it 
yields fine fruit of excellent quality. All are usually sold in pots, and 
may therefore be ordered now and firmly planted as soon as received. 
Those with a clear stem are to be preferred, these not being so liable to 
push up soft tender growth. 
Established and Fruitful Fig Trees. —When mats or other 
heavy material are used for protecting the trees these have to be taken 
off by the end of February, otherwise they do more harm than good. 
Hot unfrequently severe frosts are experienced in March, and the 
uncovered trees are liable to lose the points of their branches from the 
«ffects of these. Branches of Fir are the best for protecting Fig trees, 
and they need not be removed till early in April. Nor should the 
pruning be done before the present time, or till it can be seen which are 
the most fruitful branches. The small late-formed Figs which survive 
the winter, and there are many of them this season, rarely if ever swell 
to a serviceable size. They ought really to be pulled off the trees, this 
favouring the more rapid growth of the tiny fruits now showing on the 
points of the branches, and which in forward districts are already nearly 
the size of peas. The most productive trees are those that are not kept 
•closely nailed to the walls, and any branches that are allowed to extend 
beyond the top of the walls are invariably very fruitful. As a rule 
neatly trained trees are preferred, these presenting a better appearance 
and frequently bearing well, but if this system fails loose training should 
be tried. When the lateral growths are allowed to extend from the 
•wall more light and air reaches it, the consequence being a more short- 
jointed fruitful growth. The main branches of these unrestricted trees 
should he kept fastened to the walls with the aid of strong staples, or 
strips of leather or other strong material. The lateral or fruiting 
wood ought to be freely thinned out, the most straggling branches 
being cut hard back. If there is room to further extend the trees, lay 
in some of the leading branches thinly, and allow these to form a few 
lateral growths. Those who adhere to the plan of neatly laying in the 
whole of the wood must not be afraid of using the knife^ otherwise 
the centre of the tree may soon become naked. Fan-shaped trees are 
the best, but any informal method of training may be adopted. In 
•pruning the first proceeding should be to thin out the main branches, a 
few of the most naked being sawn or cleanly cut off near the main 
stem or principal branches of the trees, and from the stump of these 
will duly spring a number of young branches, which can be thinned 
•and those required for furnishing laid in. If the summer pruning and 
training have been well attended to there will be few or no young or 
fruiting shoots to cut out, but on no account should these be crowded 
or shortened in any way, the fruit being principally produced from the 
points of well ripened wood. 
FRUIT FORGING. 
Vines. — Early Houses. —In the earliest house, if hard forcing has 
been practised, red spider may be expected. Upon its first appearance 
paint the return hot-water pipes with sulphur mixed with milk. Where 
the Grapes have commenced colouring give the border a thorough water¬ 
ing, mulching afterwards. This refers .to the inside borders. The water 
or liquid manure should be applied early in the day, so that surplus 
moisture may pass off before closing time. Early Grapes do not always 
colour well, the defect arising from hard forcing, and it is only avoid¬ 
able by a constant supply of dry warm air and a moderately low night 
temperature. Where Grapes are fully ripe, only allow sufficient heat to 
prevent the temperature falling below 60°. A moderate moisture should 
be maintained for the benefit of the foliage. It will not injure the 
Grapes provided free ventilation is afforded. 
Succession Houses. —Attend to thinning the bunches and berries. 
Stop and remove laterals gradually, as a large reduction of foliage at 
one time results in a check, very often inducing shanking at a later 
period. See that the borders have plenty of water, and weakly Vines 
will be benefited by tepid liquid manure. Where Grapes are swelling 
the inside borders should have a soaking of liquid manure or water, and 
it is a good plan to give it tepid. Supply it early in the day, mulching 
afterwards, and ventilating freely to allow any superfluous moisture to 
escape. A full crop of Grapes is a great strain on the energies of the 
Vines, and thorough perfection in colour is not always attainable with 
a full crop. Much may be done by a circulation of warm air—constant 
and liberal—and rather dry, combined with a moderately low night 
temperature. Vines swelling their fruit should have a moist atmosphere, 
damping the house two or three times a day, particularly at closing 
time, and if a little guano be added to the water it will improve the 
Vines and act as a check to red spider ; 1 oz. guano to a gallon of water 
is sufficient, at which strength it may be used for filling the evaporation 
troughs. Syringing the foliage, except for special reasons, after the 
Grapes are set, must not be practised. Admit air early. Maintain 
through the day a good temperature (80° to 85°) from sun heat, and 
close early so as to raise to 90° or more, and admit a little air at the top 
of the house before nightfall, which will prevent the deposition of 
moisture on the berries through the night, and is a safeguard against 
scorching. 
Late Houses. —The Vines will now be making rapid progress. Disbud 
and tie out as they require it. Close the house early in the afternoon 
with sun heat, and maintain plenty of atmospheric moisture by fre¬ 
quently damping the houses, syringing the Vines at closing time, but not 
after the bunches show. Examine late Grapes-hanging in the fruit 
room at least twice weekly for decayed berries, and the bottles must be 
duly replenished with water. 
Young Vines. —Those planted last spring are now breaking naturally, 
and when the buds have grown about half an inch a little fire heat will 
prove beneficial, especially on cold days. Remove all buds except one 
at each break, retaining the strongest, and crop lightly, but super¬ 
numeraries may be heavily fruited. Leave the shoots on the permanent 
Vines about 18 inches apart on both sides of the canes. 
Planting Vines. —This is the best time for planting young canes. 
The borders, we presume, have been made some time, if not they may 
yet be formed. We prefer the borders partly within and partly outside, 
planting the Vines inside where practicable. Except for very early 
forcing we do not advocate confining the roots to inside borders. The 
border should be concreted at the bottom, unless it has a substratum of 
gravel or other porous substance. Place rubble on the concrete 1 foot 
thick, and proper drains and outlets must be provided. Thirty inches 
depth of soil is ample. Turf 3 inches thick taken off loam moderately 
strong in preference to light, broken up tolerably small and mixed with a 
sixth of old mortar rubbish if deficient of silicious or calcareous matter, 
otherwise one-tenth, with a similar proportion of charcoal, and a 
twentieth of crushed bones, thoroughly incorporated, form a suitable 
compost, but well drained and fertile garden soil will grow serviceable 
Grapes. The Vines, it is presumed, were cut back in early winter, and 
have been kept in a cool house, the eyes now having grown 2 or 3 inches 
long. Turn them out of the pots, remove all the soil, carefully preserv¬ 
ing the fibres. Spread the roots out straight and fiat, the soil of the 
border being brought to the required height, covering the roots to a 
depth of 3 or 4 inches, working the soil well amongst them with the 
hand, and giving a good supply of water at 90°, mulching with a little 
short litter. If the canes have not been shortened do not shorten them 
now, but remove the buds from the upper portion down to where fresh 
growth is desired to issue, and shorten the canes when the fresh ones 
are fairly in growth. Six feet width of border will be sufficient to 
begin with, confining the roots to the inside border until it is fully 
occupied with roots, when they may be admitted to a prepared width of 
outside border. Sprinkle the Vines and house twice a day, but avoid 
forcing. A steady temperature is necessary, so as to afford time for the 
formation of new roots ; afterwards, and when they have started freely, 
every encouragement to growth should be given. Until the Vines 
recover the removal, a temperature of 65° by day, advancing 10° to 15° 
from sun heat, and 55° by night, will be sufficient. 
Peaches and Nectarines. — Earliest House. —In the case of early 
varieties like Alexander, the fruits will be swelling rapidly, and will 
need to have the leaves drawn aside and the fruit raised by thin laths 
placed across the trellis and secured thereto, so that the apex of the fruit 
will be exposed directly to the light. Syringing must cease directly the 
fruit commences to change for ripening. Continue, however, to syringe 
twice a day until the fruit begins to ripen, which with such varieties as 
Hale’s Early and Royal George will not be for some time yet, and if 
there is the least trace of red spider apply an insecticide, as it is im¬ 
portant that the foliage be thoroughly clean by the time the syringing 
