/one 9, 1887. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AXD COTTAGE GARDENER. 
471 
the interior of the chamt>er into two annular portions r a smaller one 
next to the centre flue, which, for the purpose of this description, we 
will call the super-heater, and an outer larger one, which we will call the 
■boiler. Below the vertical opening in the centre of the chamber, which 
we will hereafter designate the lamp chimney, we arrange a lamp 
burner and a reservoir for containing the paraffin oil, by the means of 
•which the apparatus is heated. The boiler being filled to a certain 
Fit;. 80.—Nicotyl Vapouriser. 
height with the nicotyl to be vaporised, and a certain measured quantity 
•of oil poured into the reservoir, the lamp is lighted and allowed to burn 
until the whole of the oil is consumed.” It is well constructed and 
•worthy of a trial. 
HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 
Grape Vines. —These are very late in starting this season, and 
unless- we have a hot summer it is doubtful if much of the fruit will 
ripen sufficiently for dessert purposes. Very excellent wine, however, 
can be made of open-air Grapes, even if they are not fully ripe, and in 
any case the Vines should receive attention both now and later on. 
Directly it is seen which are showing good bunches, all the best placed 
shoots should be reserved and the remainder removed. These laterals 
must not be crowded in any way, too much foliage preventing the 
ripening of both fruit and wood. In most cases they may be laid in 
both right and left of the rods, being either tied to a trellis or nailed to 
the wall, but this ought not to be attempted till the laterals will bear a 
good twist without being drawn out of their sockets. All we shall do 
to ours before the bunches are set with berries will be to stop the laterals 
two joints beyond the bunches, and when they are laid in the sub¬ 
laterals are freely thinned and what few retained stopped to the first 
joint. The bunches where extra plentiful are also thinned out early. 
Where leading shoots arc required they should be laid in early or before 
thej' get unmanageable, and be stopped when about 6 feet long. Young 
well-ripened canes being the most fruitful, it is advisable to lay in 
•several along the old rods, these being stopped at any length, or from 
‘2 feet to r, feet, and may either be fruited instead of the spurs, or, 
where possible, the old rods may be cut clean away. We have our best 
bunches from young canes trained along the top of a south wall ateve 
Peach and other fruit trees, the Vines being planted among the latter ; 
and as they are not allowed to heavily shade the fruit trees no harm is 
done them. One, or at the most two growths, may be allowed to extend 
a few feet from young or newly planted Vines, and these arc best taken 
up from near the ground, unless it happens that the cane planted is 
extra strong, in which case the leading growths may be started 3 feet 
from the ground, and those laterals beyond being rubbed out below the 
pinched-baek to the fourth joint. When two shoots are wanted to 
extend they ought to be laid in well clear of each other. 
Disbudding and Stopping Wall Trees. — Plums, Cherries, 
Peaches, Apricots, and Pears are all growing strongly, and the shoots on 
the younger trees especially need to be freely thinned, or otherwise 
thickets of weakly growth will soon result. After the clean removal 
of all badly placed shoots, or those with a tendency to interlace towards 
the wall, it may yet be necessary to thin out the rest, a moderately 
thinly furnished branch being preferable to spurs thickly disposed. 
The young shoots on the branches that are to lay the foundation of 
’clusters of fruiting spurs ought, in the case of Plums, Cherries, and 
Apricots to be about 3 inches apart, while Pears may well have their 
spurs from 4 inches to 5 inches apart. Wherever there is space to be 
filled either on old or young trees, a well placed shoot on the upper side 
of the branch may be selected and allowed to grow unrestricted for 
some time longer, taking care, however, to secure them in position tefore 
the wood has become set. Such young growth will frequently put new 
life into unprofitable old trees. All the rest of the reserved shoots 
should be stopped at once, or while it can be done with the finger and 
thumb, this being a far better plan than allowing the trees to expend 
much of their strength in the formation of a quantity of growth only to 
be cut away with a knife. Early stopping makes it better for the fruit, 
as well as any young branches that are laid in, and Ls also the quickest 
way of bringing a tree into full bearing. The shoots on Plums, Cherries, 
and Apricots may be left from 2 inches to 3 inches in length, and the 
Pears rather more. Peaches and Morello Cherries are not usually grown 
on the spur system, as these bear best on well ripened shoots formed the 
season previous. Only sufficient of these then ought to be reserved, and 
eventually laid in to take the place of the old fruiting wood to be cut 
away. Thin out the shoots, and in the case of Peaches and Nectarines, 
as pointed out on page 404, take care liave a few leaves about the 
fruit. 
Insects on Peach Trees. —Peaches and Nectarines up to the 
present time are singularly free from insect pests, notably green and 
black fly. It may be the severe winter we have just passed through 
has destroyed those that would otherwise, ere this, have been the parents 
of a numerous progeny. As a rule they hybernate in the ground only 
too safely, and the trees may yet be pestered with them. A close watch 
ought to be kept for them, and a remedy applied on their first appear¬ 
ance, or otherwise it is almost impossible to exterminate, the black fly 
especially. There are various remedies available, all doubtless more or 
less effective, but after trying many find none to excel tobacco powder. 
If the infested 1 shoots are cleared of curled leaves and well dusted over 
■with this and left for about two days the engine or syringe will free the 
tree of both powder and fly. Red spider has shown itself, especially on 
Apricot and Peach trees under a glass coping. To prevent a rapid 
spread of this most injurious pest plenty of water must be forcibly 
applied to the whole of the foliage, a garden engine being the test 
implement for the purpose. If this is persevered in, especially on the 
evenings of sunny days, red spider will make little progress, and the 
syringings will otherwise benefit the trees. 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Pines. — The suckers potted last March should, as regards the 
strongest, be in their largest pots. If they be not yet potted, no 
farther delay must be tolerated, as to retain them longer in small pots 
is debilitating and detrimental to their aftergrowth. Recently potted 
plants must have a bottom heat of 85° to 90°, and be thoroughly 
watered after potting, and no more be given until the soil becomes dry, 
as it is necessary to exercise more care than usual at this stage, the state 
of the individual plants being ascertained before its application. 
Young stock will be making rapid progress, and must be regularly 
attended to in every particular, allowing such plants sufficient space for 
development, as nothing is so inimical to sturdy plants as crowding 
them together in their early stages. Ventilate early in the day at 75° 
to 80° to render the foliage dry before it is affected by the sun. Dis¬ 
continue shading successional plants, but for fruiters with the crowns 
in close proximity to the glass a slight shade from powerful sun will be 
beneficial. 
The strongest plants that were shifted into fruiting pots last Sep¬ 
tember will be showing signs of fruiting, or if such be not the case, 
means must be applied to effect it with a view to a supply of early 
winter fruits. The plants should be brought together and subjected to a 
comparative rest for the next five or six weeks, lowering the heat at the 
roots to 75°, maintaining a free circulation of air about the plants when¬ 
ever the weather is favourable, ventilating at 75°, and allowing the heat 
to fall to that degree before closing the house, only employing artificial 
heat to prevent the temperature falling below 60° at night, not with¬ 
holding water entirely, but when a plant becomes dry supply it literally. 
The smaller plants that were not placed into the fruiting pots last 
autumn, but were wintered in smaller pots and shifted this spring, 
should be kept growing until the pots are well filled with roots, at 
which time, if thought necessary, they may bo subjected to similar 
treatment as advised for the larger ones, and those plants will then give 
a successional supply of fruit. 
Peaches and Nectarines. — Early-forced Trees .—In the earliest 
houses the fiuit is all gathered from the very early varieties, such as 
Alexander, Waterloo, Early Beatrice, Early Louise, and Early Rivers. 
The wood on which the fruit has teen borne, it not being extensions, 
should be cut out, and this will admit more light and air to the shoots 
which are to afford fruit next year. The trees should have a thorough 
cleansing with water from the garden engine, or if insects have obtained 
a footing they must be destroyed by some approved insecticide. The 
borders also must be kept in a thoroughly moist condition, and the 
surface be mulched with short manure. Daily syringing will be necessary 
to keep the foliage clean. Admit air freely, and keep the house as cool 
as possible so as to maintain the foliage in good condition as long as 
practicable. The roof lights should not be removed for some time yet, 
but it should be attended to at no distant period with a view to prevent 
over-development of the buds and early casting of the foliage, or the 
trees will start the bloom buds when they should be going to rest. 
WOKK.fWHE WE EK,. 
