Jane 6 , 18S9. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
457 
this precaution in June or July. However, I have here advised its 
being done in extreme cases ; and, if very dry weather occur, 
moisture can easily be supplied to it—only in this case the watering 
must be performed in the early stages of the crop, and not in the 
latter ; for by the time the plants have advanced 1 or 2 feet high 
their roots will also have penetrated down to the ground in which 
water abounds in sufficient quantity to meet their wants ; conse¬ 
quently, they will not be benefited by hand-feeding in that case, 
and may derive much harm by a superabundance of water, which, 
as is well known, is more deleterious in its effects when applied in 
an artificial way than in a natural one. However, the season and 
other circumstances will, in general, point that out. 
I cannot conclude this article without urging on amateurs the 
necessity of ensuring a good quality in the seed they select for 
their late crop. It has been customary to sow the early white 
kinds at this season, and they are certainly less liable to misfortune 
than the more delicate green varieties ; but such as present a 
robustness of habit ought to be selected, such as Ne Plus Ultra, 
which I have found to do very well. Even British Queen some¬ 
times bears well at a late period, but as there is generally some 
peculiarity in each individual soil, or something which operates on 
the crop, each place has its favourite variety which succeeds better 
than others. When pains are taken, as above, to ensure a healthy 
and vigorous growth, there is every prospect of obtaining good 
Peas, even in the most unpromising situation ; and the present is 
a good time for sowing.—J. N. 
FRUIT PROSPECTS FOR 1889. 
With us during March and April there was a fair promise of 
blossom, and bullfinches had not then taken many buds. Although 
our district is well wooded, and birds very numerous, little harm was 
done till we had entered the month of May ; but when Apples, Plums, 
and Cherries were just coming into flower the damage done was very great. 
Fine trees of such varieties as Warner’s King, Lord Suffield, King of 
the Pippins, Tower of Glammis, and other Apples were totally cleared of 
blossom buds, and the trees being partially in leaf made it difficult to 
see the red-breasted robbers. Plum blossom half opened shared the same 
fate, and on a Bigarreau Cherry tree I noticed a bullfinch busy nipping 
off the blossoms and taking out the embryo Cherries as neatly and 
cleanly as with a punch. 
With respect to the antidotes for the looper caterpillars, in my case 
I had a band of old sacking smeared with rancid lard, carbolic acid, and 
Stockholm tar round each tree at the end of October, but as far as I can 
judge the loopers are as numerous as ever, in spite of abundance of in¬ 
sectivorous birds, and fine healthy young trees otherwise. Oak trees, I 
observe, are suffering from the caterpillars, but in a lesser degree than last 
year, owing to the greater luxuriance of the trees from the abundant rain¬ 
fall and tropical weather. I hope some of your able correspondents who 
have waged a successful war with the loopers will give their method and 
experience. Some will say, perhaps, Try hand-picking, but to recom¬ 
mend that process in the beginning of June, when it is a question of 
several hundred trees in a bearing state, would mean a serious call on 
the labour staff at most gardeners’ command at the busiest season of 
the whole year. 
Trapping and shooting are the bullfinch remedies which I practise, and 
shall continue to do so, as I believe that the hull finch is the only mem¬ 
ber of the bird family which has no redeeming quality from a gar¬ 
dener’s point of view. I hope, as we have the caterpillar plague once 
more with us, some effective plan of dealing with the enemy may be 
forthcoming. On Sunday morning last we had a very heavy thunder¬ 
storm, and I hoped to find that it had cleared the loopers from the trees, 
but on examining some branches of Oak and Apple trees I found the 
caterpillars safely enveloped in leaves on the under side of the branches. 
—R. M., Newbury. 
The promise of abundant crops as evidenced by the strong and 
plentiful blossom of all kinds of fruit trees is not borne out by the 
setting and the swelling of the fruit. Apricots, however, blossomed 
sparsely, and have not set well; the best crop is being carried by Royal. 
The “ leaf roller” infests Moor Park the most, but the trees are not 
nearly so badly attacked as they were last season. No remedy is so 
effectual as handpicking, or preferably squeezing ; the former denudes 
the trees of too much foliage. Peaches do not' do well on the open 
wall, and they are better and healthier on a west than south aspect. 
Figs do very much better than Peaches, the kinds Brunswick and 
Brown Turkey. Plums against walls set well, but the trees are much 
blighted with blue fly, and the fruit is not swelling so freely as 
could be wished, yet they will probably be an average crop. Pears 
did not have anything like the quantity of blossom essential to a crop, 
and the show of fruit in consequence is very thin. Cherries are the 
only trees that are carrying a crop which may be termed heavy among 
wall fruits, and the foliage is particularly clean. 
Apples, both dwarf and large, are a failure ; the trees are almost 
denuded of foliage by caterpillars, yet some are not so severely 
infested as last season. Similar remarks apply to Pears and to Plums, 
but Damsons are very much better; still there is not much to hope for, 
so complete is the wreck. Is there not a cause ? The caterpillars were 
last year attributed to the drought of the preceding dry hot season, 
but last year was wet, cold, and sunless long enough to satisfy 
believers in the water cure, and yet facts prove there is no faith to 
be placed in either. Indeed, there seems no remedy but the ancient 
one of “catch ’em and kill ’em,” either by despatching the parents 
or urchins—nay, both. What to do with large standard trees swarm¬ 
ing with caterpillars is an unsolved problem. Bush fruits are good. 
Gooseberries may not be as full a crop as they were last season, but 
Currants are better, especially Black. Raspberries are clean and 
healthy and promise abundantly. Strawberries come out, as a rule, 
well after wet ; they have made good foliage, had abundance of strong 
blossoms, and have set and are swelling what promises to be a heavy 
crop of fine clean fruit. Jam lovers may rejoice over a well filled pot, 
sugar refiners permitting.— Herts Gardener. 
Relative to fruit prospects, Apricots did not flower quite so freely 
as usual, but I am pleased to find much thinning out is required, and 
fig. 73.— cypripedium bellatulum, (See page 460.) 
a good average crop will be gathered. Peach blossom was weak, but a 
fairly good set has taken place. Many of the leaves are blistered, and 
the growth is generally unsatisfactory. Plums flowered very thickly, 
more especially the wall trees, and a heavy crop appears to be well set. 
The aphis is very thick on them, and not easily cleared with the aid of 
soapy water and an engine. We shall have abundance of Cherries. 
Pears did not flower very freely, but in most instances a good set has 
resulted. Our crop will be below the average. Apples are most disap¬ 
pointing. Many of the trees flowered freely, but the flowers were weak 
and have fallen off wholesale. Maggots or caterpillars are also very 
destructive, and I am afraid our crop will be much below the average. 
Filberts are eaten up by caterpillars. Gooseberries are very plentiful 
and as yet free from caterpillars. Red and Black Currants are equally 
productive, and there is every promise of a heavy crop of Raspberries. 
Strawberries flowered strongly, and the recent soaking rains will “ put 
