May 9, 1889. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
S85 
There were two collections of four Alpines, Mr. J. Beswick, Middle- 
ton, being first with Queen Victoria, Diadem, and two seedling laced 
varieties ; second, Mr. S. Barlow, with Charles Needham, one of the 
Stakehill seedlings, Diadem, and two promising varieties, also seedlings. 
Mr. J. Beswick had the best gold-centred Alpine in Sovereign, a bold, 
distinct, and promising flower of his own raising ; Mr. S. Barlow coming 
second with Beauty, one of his fine strain of seedling Alpines ; Mr. 
Beswick being third with a laced variety, fourth with Racer, and fifth 
with a fine dark variety named Emir. Racer and Emir are two 
excellent flowers, raised by the late Mr. E. Pohlman of Halifax. 
The best white-centred Alpine was a pretty seedling-laced variety, 
also from Mr. J. Beswick, and he was second with Queen Victoria, and 
fourth and fifth with seedlings, Mr. S. Barlow being third with Mrs. 
Phipps, a very pretty shaded variety. The premier Alpine Auricula 
was Queen Victoria, shown by Mr. J. Beswick. 
Polyanthus, Gold-laced .—The two best, one black and one red ground 
came from Mr. J. Beswick, who had Cheshire Favourite in fine charac¬ 
ter and a seedling red ground. Mr. Samuel Barlow came second with 
Exile and Sydney Smith, and Mr. G. Thorniley, Middleton, was second 
with the same varieties. The best black ground variety was Exile, from 
Mr. J. Beswick, and he was second with Cheshire Favourite and third 
with a seedling, Mr. S. Barlow being fourth with John Bright. Mr. G. 
Thorniley had the best red ground in George IV., and third and fourth 
with Prince Regent and Sidney Smith, Mr. S. Barlow coming second 
with William IV. The premier gold-laced Polyanthus was Exile, shown 
by Mr. Beswick. 
In addition, prizes were offered in a few classes for spring blooming 
plants, but several of the classes brought no competition. Two green¬ 
house Azaleas were represented by small plants. Plants for table 
decoration were of the usual character, but of small size and in the best 
condition ; hardy shrubs by Rhododendrons and American Azaleas. 
The class for two hardy herbaceous plants in bloom brought three pairs 
from Dr. Morris of Rochdale, a very fine lot indeed, and as in this group 
of classes an exhibitor can make more than one prize, he obtained first 
with a superbly grown Trillium grandiflorum, having twenty-two fine 
flowers, and Cypripe lium pubescens with seven flowers ; second with 
Cypripedium calceolus, with five fine flowers, and Dodecatheon elegans 
with sixteen trusses of bloom ; and third with another Trillium grandi¬ 
florum, and a large and admirably bloomed pan of Narcissus bulboco- 
dium. Some fine specimens of Hoteia japonicawere staged in the class, 
for one plant; and the pots of Lily of the Valley were very good. 
Extra Classes .—These included one for six dissimilar Fancy 
Auriculas, one for six Primroses, and one for hardy Primulas in pairs, 
distinct species. Mr. S. Barlow was the only exhibitor, and in the latter 
class he had Primula denticulata and P. viscosa rosea. 
WORK foi\the WEEK.. 
HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 
Peaks. —The trees are flowering strongly and not too thickly, and 
nothing but a severe late frost will prevent a good set of fruits. Trees 
that bore heavily last season and were not assisted by mulchings and 
good supplies of liquid manure have either flowered very thinly or the 
trusses are weak, in which case the majority will fail to set. The 
Jargonelle has flowered more freely than usual, and from the earliest 
trees the flowers are already falling. As there is every prospect of large 
clusters of fruit setting on this variety it is advisable to resort to early 
thinning, a few extra fine fruits being of much greater value than 
many small ones. Young or newly planted trees have a tendency to be 
unusually precocious, but if these are allowed to make the attempt to 
mature a tenth part of what fruit will most probably set on them, little 
or no young wood will be formed. In order to avoid this stunted 
growth, the whole of the flowers or fruit should be stripped from newly 
planted trees, and those that have been planted one year longer, if at 
all weakly in habit, ought to be similarly treated. A few fruits left 
on comparatively vigorous young trees, on the contrary, will have a 
salutary effect, as they will serve to prevent grossness and keep the trees 
in a productive state. Old trees are not yet far advanced in growth, 
and require little attention, but a little disbudding and stopping is 
needed in the case of vigorous young trees. At the points of the un¬ 
pruned branches especially clusters of shoots are forming, and these 
ought to be freely thinned, and all but the leader or those required for 
furnishing blank space stopped at the fourth or fifth joint. This early 
stopping of the laterals favours the growth of the leading shoots and 
strengthens the more weakly growth on the lower portion of the 
branches. Slugs are frequently very injurious to young trees, and a 
sharp look out should be kept for them. 
Plums. —These have again flowered, or are flowering freely. Those 
on early walls have escaped frosts, and a good crop is apparently well 
set. It is not advisable, however, to be in a great hurry to finally re¬ 
move any light protecting materials that may be fixed over them or in 
readiness to protect them, as there may yet be severe frosts. Not till 
the trees have formed more leafy growth or sufficient to preserve the 
fruit from a moderately severe frost should the coverings be removed. 
Where the trees are not very fruitful, these usually being of rather 
vigorous habit, strong sappy shoots form early, and these should be 
pulled away at once, or they will overgrow the rest, and probably spoil 1 
the trees. What are needed for laying in or furnishing blank space are 
medium-sized firm shoots, these quickly becoming fruitful, and lay the 
foundation of a serviceable tree. Disbudding should be practised on 
young branches thickly furnished with shoots, only the best placed of 
the latter being reserved, and stopped at the fifth or sixth joint, unless 
required for laying in. 
Cherries. —The trees on warm walls have recently presented a 
very beautiful sight, while those in cooler positions will soon be covered 
with bloom. Morellos never fail. Quite young trees of Cherries 
generally are disposed to be fruitful, but it is surprising to note the- 
weakening effect the production of a light crop of fruit has on them. 
On no account should newly planted trees be allowed to perfect any 
fruit. What is required of these is the production of numerous young 
growths, and which, no matter how long and strong they are, will, if 
given good room, invariably ripen well. Neither the branches nor the 
fruiting spurs should be crowded, and the former may well be 9 inches 
apart, and the spurs about 6 inches apart. All lateral growth should 
therefore be freely thinned where at all crowded, and any not required 
for furnishing duly stopped at the fifth or sixth joint. Morellos bear 
on the young wood formed during the previous summer, this being laid 
in to its full length during the winter or spring between the main, 
branches. 
Planting Forced Strawberries. — Where Strawberries are 
fruited early in pots a considerable number of those forced are pre¬ 
served and planted out either for the purpose of affording an early 
supply of runners or for producing a second crop of fruit in the same 
season, or it may be for cropping the following year. If failures or 
only partial successes result it is not so much the fault of the system as- 
the way in which it is carried out. It is a mistake to keep the plants 
long out of the ground after they are cleared of their fruit, this having 
a weakening effect, especially if too little water is given, and also much 
shortens the best growing season. After they have been slightly hardened 
in a cold frame or pit the plants ought to be turned out of the pots, the 
drainage removed, and the old matted balls of soil and roots freely 
loosened, planting these entire and it may be in a dry state being a 
frequent cause of partial failure. If early runners or a second crop of 
fruit are needed the plants should be put out alongside a path or in some 
other convenient position for layering the runners or protecting the 
fruit, while a good open position is requisite for those intended to fruit 
next season. The site ought in any case to be well manured and deeply 
dug, and the plants arranged 18 inches apart in rows 2 feet apart. The 
old balls of soil and roots should be quite covered and have the soil 
heavily rammed about them. If no runners are required they ought to 
be kept pinched off, and the plants should be well supplied with water 
till such times as they are well established. Vicomtesse Hericart de 
Thury is the variety that can most generally be relied upon to produce a 
second or late crop of fruit in one season. Any of the others will yield 
extra heavy crops during the following-year, after which they are 
worthless and should be dug up. 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Cucumbers. —A clean growth is of the utmost importance in the 
successful cultivation of fruits, particularly Cucumbers. If aphides 
appear fumigate two or three times on consecutive evenings, having the 
foliage clear of water but the floors well damped, which last is more 
especially necessary when “ white fly ” has to be contended with. Red 
spider is almost sure to appear. Remove the worst infested leaves, and 
keep the atmosphere charged with ammonia vapour by damping the 
floors in the evening with liquid manure or guano water, supplying the 
plants at the roots with the same about twice a week. The hot-water 
pipes may also be moderately coated with sulphur. Be careful that the 
plants do not suffer through insufficient supplies of water, always 
supplying it at the same temperature as that of the bed. Plants in 
bearing all the winter will now be showing signs of exhaustion, and had 
better be removed and their places filled with young plants without 
delay. Assist young plants which show signs of weakness by removing 
the staminate blossoms and the first fruits, stopping at every third or 
fourth joint, removing all weakly and superfluous growths. Shading 
will be necessary for an hour or two in the middle of the day when the 
sun is hot, especially for houses facing south, but shade only to prevent 
flagging. Houses with the roof lights facing east or west will not 
requiie shading. Little or no fire heat will be required by day, shutting 
the valves at about 8 A.M. and opening them again at about 4 P.M., or 
later, keeping a good moisture by damping the floors. 
In Pits and Frames. —Sow seed to occupy pits and frames, a fair 
amount of bottom heat being first secured by using the less decomposed 
material from Seakale, Vine borders, or exhausted hotbeds, which with- 
about a fourth of fresh mateiial will afford all the bottom heat now 
required. The days lately though somewhat bright have been cold, and' 
the nights very cold, in which case close pits and frames as early in the 
afternoon as is safe, running up to 90° or more, and employ good night 
coverings. See that a good bottom heat is obtained by duly renewing 
the linings. 
Melons. —Success in Melon cultivation depends upon a firm soil of 
a rather adhesive nature, but not devoid of grit. When the soil is light, 
loose, and rich the shoots are long jointed, the leaves thin and flabby, 
not enduring sun ; the fruit then does not set well, and those that do 
