FEBRUARY. 
39 
and smaller towns, look forward to gathering the Blackberry, when it 
is ripe, since it is almost the only fruit that some of the poor people 
have it in their power to procure. And it is to me a pleasing thought 
that, however much it might be cultivated, you could not rob the poor 
of this fruitful and natural treasure. 
I do not think I am going too far when I say that I believe there is 
scarcely any gardener, however high he may attain in his profession, 
who had not more pleasure when a boy in plucking the wild Blackberry 
from the hedge than he has now in gathering the most exquisite of 
fruits. Why then should he not spare one square yard in his garden 
for the cultivation of his early favourite, and endeavour to place the 
Blackberry amongst those fruits which our Creator has allowed the 
ingenuity and perseverance of man to perfect and improve, from their 
original wild state ? And to gentlemen who have gardens I would 
say, “ can you not contrive to spare a small portion of ground to give 
this very neglected plant a fair trial ? ” 
J. R. 
A FEW REMARKS ON FORCING THE PLUM. 
The Plum is among the most useful of our fruits, both for kitchen use 
and dessert; and as there are few places in which it is forced, for those 
purposes, perhaps a few directions for its forcing will be useful. The 
first thing to be attended to is the choice of sorts. The following are 
among the best:— 
Victoria 
Jefferson 
Washington 
Green-gage 
Orleans 
Kirk’s 
There may be others that would answer as well, but I speak from 
my own experience. In the next place, I would recommend to all 
who are able to do so, to place their trees out in the front of the house 
or pit, training them in the same manner as Peaches, fifteen inches 
from the glass. A wire trellis is the best, both for neatness and as 
affording little harbour for dirt or insects. 
For planting, the compost should consist of one-half good loam, the 
other half road scrapings, sharp sand, decayed vegetable remains, or 
rotten dung : equal quantities of-each. Eighteen inches will be deep 
enough for the border ; for, if the roots get below that, they may get 
into bad soil, which, of course, would injure them. The pruning is the 
next consideration, and, as the Plum always bears best on the spurs, 
the laterals should be well pinched back, to about three or four eyes. 
In the spring, wtyle they are growing, if this is attended to, good 
healthy spurs will be the result, as the constant stopping strengthens 
the buds, and the knife will hardly be required. 
I shall now endeavour to give a few plain directions for forcing 
the Plum, and, if properly attended to, I have no doubt the result will 
be satisfactory. 
The time for beginning to force varies from December to February ; 
the latter is the best. For the first week, let the heat be from 40 to 
