Jone 20, 1889. J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
are planted after the leaves can be shaken off them the better. They 
will grow afterwards if moved, even when the buds are swelling in 
spring, provided the roots are kept moist when out of the ground, 
and the soil is in free working condition. At no season plant 
when the ground is in a wet sticky state. Cut off mutilated roots 
and jagged ends, then the wounds will heal quickly and produce 
new fibres. Spread the roots out straight, and do not cover them 
deeper than they were in the nursery, the earth mark on the stems 
being a line of guidance. Do not place manure either in contact 
with the roots nor under them, but spread it on the surface of the 
soil over them, and for a foot beyond their extension, leaving it to 
decay. Do not check roots near the surface by deep digging, hut 
encourage them by top-dressings of manure, especially in hot dry 
weather, for keeping the top soil moist. Roots will then multiply 
there and produce fruitful growth ; if driven down to the poorer 
subsoil for moisture the resulting growth may be strong, but not 
productive. 
Pruning .—This is a puzzling subject to not a few amateurs. 
There is no mystery about it, and the learned who would make one 
are perhaps not quite so learned as they seem. Broadly speaking, 
it is a question if much more fruit has not been prevented than 
produced by the action of the knife. The principle to grasp is this : 
If there is a well-balanced proportion between root growth and 
branch growth, and the branches are so thinly disposed that the 
sun’s rays can pass between them, fruit buds will form plentifully. 
First, then, have a sufficient number of main branches for forming 
a tree, then almost let them alone. Thinning to prevent over¬ 
crowding, instead of shortening the branches to create it, is the line 
to adopt, yet exactly the reverse appears to he the most largely 
Indulged in. The requisite number of branches are produced by 
pruning after planting, cutting the few, then long and thin, back to 
half their length in the spring. The end buds left should point 
upwards and outwards, as the new growths will follow the same 
direction, where they will have room for free leaf development ; 
not downwards or inwards, or the growths would be crowded or 
shaded and the leaves spoiled. Good leaves are manufacturers of 
fruit. Shoots may be shortened after planting, because the roots 
have been shortened in digging up, and the balance between the two 
for the time destroyed. We want to restore it as soon as we can, 
and as we cannot stretch out the broken roots to the length of the 
branches or shoots we cut back these to correspond with the roots. 
If sufficient growths do not push after the first pruning to form a 
tree shorten them the second spring, but less severely ; after that 
the less shortening of the main or leading branches the better if 
the production of fruit is of more importance than some fanciful 
form of tree. Side shoots, or breastwood, that push from the 
mains, threatening to overcrowd the centre of trees, should be cut 
back about midsummer to three or four leaves, this being more 
necessary with Red Currants and Gooseberries than any other 
kinds, and the snags so formed can be shortened to an inch or so in 
winter. When an Apple or any other tree grows too luxuriantly 
in summer, cutting back the shoots in winter is simply followed by 
more and stronger growths, and so the combat between man and 
■Nature may go on for a generation, and Nature will win in forcing 
■growth. If man must conquer in arresting growth and producing 
fruit he must use his brains and change his tactics. A little thought 
will convince him that the roots—the growth-producers—must be 
attacked, or the branches let alone. To cut back the branches of a 
tree with great root force to prevent growth is tantamount to 
screwing down the safety valve of an engine to prevent steam while 
the fire all the time is kept going. The branches of a strong- 
rooted tree, if kept thin and not shortened, will in time counteract 
the root power, form blossom buds, and bear fruit, weather and 
insects permitting ; but if for special reasons the growth must 
be arrested and kept within certain bounds the roots must be 
shortened to a greater extent than the branches, and especially 
strong roots which strike down into the subsoil. 
Insects .—These must be subdued, and not many can resist the 
^effects of a soap and petroleum mixture, made by dissolving 2 ozs. 
•of softsoap and a teaspoonful of soda in a gallon of boiling water, 
stirring very briskly in at the same time a small wineglassful of 
petroleum, such as is burned in lamps. Applied in the evening, 
not in the morning, it does no injury to anything but insects, 
though if the leaves are wet when hot sun reaches them they 
are apt to be scorched. White hellebore powder, obtained from 
chemists, dredged on Gooseberry or other trees when wet will, as 
most gardeners know, destroy all the caterpillars that receive a fair 
dressing, and it is mentioned for the benefit of the multitude who 
•have not yet heard of the remedy. The fruit should be washed 
before using if any of the powder remain on it, for it is poisonous. 
It may also be used in solution made by beating 2 ozs. of the 
powder into paste with boiling water, then adding a gallon or more 
.of water ; if strained and applied with a syringe or whitewash 
■brush nothing injurious is left on the fruit, nor will caterpillars 
4 MS 
remain on the trees. Fir tree oil also destroys caterpillars and 
insects, any unpleasant smell resulting from its use vanishing in 
a few days. These insecticides, used as they are when fruit is 
green and small, do not affect its quality, as has been tested by 
analyses. 
Manuring .—A word may be useful on manuring fruit trees. 
They are often too generously treated when young, and over- 
exuberant growth incited ; while when exhausted by bearing, or 
impoverished soil, they are left to starve, or, in other words, are 
first pampered then neglected. The mixture of chemical manures 
previously mentioned is good for fruit trees, so also is a dressing of 
nitrate of potash (saltpetre), all fruits, with perhaps the exception 
of Strawberries, containing more potash than any other substance 
in their composition. In reference to applying manure a plain line 
of guidance is this :—If trees make young growths 18 inches in 
length or more the soil is, generally speaking, rich enough ; if they 
make less than a foot of growth a moderate dressing of manure is 
desirable ; if less than 6 inches a liberal application is demanded# 
A moderate dressing means 2 ozs. of chemicals to each square yard 
of surface, a liberal one twice the quantity, and it must always be 
remembered that the best feeding roots of trees that have been 
left to forage for themselves are not near the stems, but at a dis¬ 
tance from them at least equal to the length of the branches. The 
roots will not travel so far if they find what they need nearer 
home, and the first need is moisture in summer, hence the advan¬ 
tage of surface dressings of manure above advised, though circum¬ 
stances often prevent their application. Liquid manure given 
copiously is of enormous benefit to trees that need additional 
support, and many have been invigorated by the contents of cess¬ 
pools, which may be applied at any time most convenient for the 
work being done, even in dry open weather in winter. 
I hope the subject of fruit tree management will now be better 
understood by those who are yet learners pondering over these 
remarks till the lessons sought to be conveyed are comprehended, 
and they will be rewarded with more fruitful trees. 
(To be continued.) 
OliCHIDS IN BRUSSELS. 
The ninth meeting of L’Orchidienne was held at Brussels orr 
the 9th inst. in the central pavilion of L’Horticulture Inter¬ 
nationale, M. Yan Imschoot in the chair. Present—MM. Massange 
de Louvrex, Lallemand, Wallaert, and Lubbers, Secretary. First- 
class diplomas of honour were awarded tc Catlleya Mossiae alba, 
Cattleya Mendeli var. Peetersi, and Cattleya Mendeli variabilis, 
exhibited by M Peeters. Diploma of honour of the second class 
was awarded to Odontoglossum crispum album, exhibited by 
M Warocque ; to Laclia majalis and Aerides Fieldingi, exhibited by 
M. Linden ; and to Cattleya Mendeli var. Wallaerti and Aerides 
crassifolium from M. Peeters. First-class certificates for culture 
were awarded to M. Linden for Brassia verrucosa, and to M. Peeters 
for Cattleya Warneri. 
CALANTHES. 
I always take great interest in reading any remarks that may 
appear in your valuable Journal upon the culture of Orchids. The 
cultural directions given by “ An Orchid Grower ” at page 437 re¬ 
specting Calanthes I wish to fully endorse. Bat there is one thing 
omitted from that article—viz., their adaptation for basket work. 
During the time I was foreman under the late Mr. Richard Carr I 
used to grow many baskets of them. When in bloom, and the 
baskets suspended from the roof of the conservatory or any other 
cool house, nothing can surpass them in beauty. To grow them 
well they require much the same treatment as advocated by 
“ Orchid Grower,” the only material difference being a more 
frequent use of the syringe. 
DENDROBIUY BENSONI2E MAJUS. 
Now I am writing I should like to ask if this Dendrobium 
cannot hold its own in that family for beauty and delicacy. In my 
opinion it is the best of all the showy Dendrobiums. Our collec¬ 
tion of Orchids is not very large, but as we have been successful 
with them I am in hopes soon to largely increase their number. 
Seeing what a small amount of lisk there is now in buying fresh 
imported plants and the very low prices they are offered at, it is 
