March 5, 1887. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
423 
bench. This has the effect of settling the soil in the 
pot, and leaving room for a covering of sand on the 
surface. If the soil has been placed perfectly level 
across the surface of the pot when it was put in, after 
the knock on the bench, it will still be level, and need 
no further pressing with either thumbs or by knocking. 
The sand to go upon this surface of soil should be 
perfectly dry, so that it will run through the hand or 
through the hole of a small pot. Bun the sand on, 
till the pot is perfectly full and level, when the pot 
may be considered ready for use. After sufficient pots 
are made ready, the next operation will be to obtain 
the cuttings, then make and insert them. No cuttings 
should be allowed to lay about long after they are 
made ; therefore, the sooner they are inserted, and the 
plumper the cuttings can be kept till in the cutting 
pot, the better will be their chance of rooting. 
Soft-wooded Plants. 
Cuttings of all such things as Fuchsias, Heliotropes, 
Coleus, and plants of this class should be taken off the 
stock plants with about three joints—nice, sturdy, 
healthy young bits. Dress—that is, cut—the stem 
close across just under the bottom pair of leaves ; then 
cut the two leaves off close to the stem without in any 
way injuring the bark, when the cutting will be ready 
for insertion. The quicker they are put in the better ; 
and now comes the advantage of having the dry sand 
upon the surface. By using this the dibber is not 
necessary, and the cutting being firm and fresh, you 
take hold of it and gently press it into the dry sand at 
the edge of the pot. The base of the cutting at once 
rests upon the sandy soil, and the dry sand runs into 
and fills up any cavity that may have been caused by 
pressing in the cutting. 
The advantage to be derived from inserting cuttings 
in this manner, where a lot have to be put in, is an 
immense saving of time—a great object in some places. 
Another benefit is that the base of the cutting has a 
solid mass of sand around it, a matter that cannot be 
guaranteed where the dibber and wet sand are used. 
As soon as a few pots are filled with cuttings they must 
have a gentle watering overhead with a fine-rosed 
watering-pot, and after standing to drain for a short 
time they can be placed in the warm cases of the pro¬ 
pagating house, where, with care and proper attention, 
they mil very soon root. 
Show and zonal Pelargoniums may be inserted without 
the aid of the dibber, and often do better when so put 
in, either round the edge of a pot, or one cutting in a 
thumb-pot. These must be made up as previously 
advised, and filled loosely, when the cuttings can be 
inserted round the edge ; then take the pot in the 
hand, as if you were going to insert an ordinary plant, 
pressing the soil firmly to the cuttings with the thumbs 
at the same time. In the case of putting them into 
thumb-pots, the same rule applies, except that the 
cutting is placed in the middle of the pot instead of 
round the edge. These soft-wooded cuttings do not 
require the aid of cases, but generally root well if placed 
upon a shelf in a stove and shaded from the sun.— JV. G. 
-—- 
Hardening I|otes from 
Scotland. 
Fruit Trees. — Peaches, Nectarines and 
Apricots! —The time has now arrived when attention 
may be more specially directed to these trees. In the 
northern and later districts there is not the same 
necessity for retarding them as in warmer and more 
southern situations. "While one is accustomed to read 
of the use of screens, frigi domo nets and other means 
of protection, as being very essential in averting the 
destruction of flowers and the embryo fruit by frost, 
others have written that all such protection is a decided 
evil, and helps to defeat the object in view ; but we 
believe in the use of protection of some kind. Over¬ 
doing or under-doing it is objectionable, and we think 
that nets of the hexagon, or any other kind somewhat 
close in the mesh, are useful at this season during the 
day, when the sun is powerful, to ward off heat in order 
to avoid exciting the buds, as the sun is often power¬ 
ful in the daytime, and at night the frost is sharp. 
I remember once seeing a splendid set of Apricots in 
the county of Suffolk, and during April there was much 
frost and strong sunshine. One day the thermometer 
stood at 72° in the shade, and was followed at night by 
12° of frost; though the trees were covered with garden 
mats that severe night the blooms did not sustain the 
shock, and were all cleared off except a few. This 
happened to the Apricots on a south wall, while 
Peaches—also on another south aspect—produced that 
season, as they invariably did every year, a splendid 
crop, and the cultivator had much reason to be proud 
of them. I once asked how it was that he could 
always rely on such success with his Peaches. His 
words were few—namely, ‘ 1 High planting, pruning in 
March, and nailing up not before April.” No covering 
of any kind was used for the Peaches. 
The clever gardener referred to always aimed at 
having short thoroughly-ripened wood. He had 
practised gardening in Belgium and France, and had 
many resources ■which added greatly to his success in 
fruit culture. Apricots may now be pruned ; but if 
they were well attended to last season during the 
period of growth by stopping and thinning the young 
wood, little will be required now. Retain the shoots 
best placed against the wall, and if short and stiff, so 
much the better. If well under the protection of 
larger branches something will be gained ; they, in a 
measure, escape wet, and are decidedly sheltered from 
frost. Horizontal training, and keeping the leaders— 
right or left—about 1 ft. or less apart, with the bear¬ 
ing shoots fastened closely to the wall, so as to stand 
clear of each other ] when foliage is fully developed, 
may be considered a very safe method. With trees on 
walls, training may be done according to fancy. We 
favour every system, and object to none. Evils arise 
oftener from crowding, the injudicious use of the knife, 
and gross growth from roots in loose and over-rich soil, 
than from any particular method of training. There 
need be no great hurry with Peach pruning in northern 
parts yet; but if pruning is desirable, keep the wood 
free from frost. 
If all other trees are trained and finished, a syring¬ 
ing of soft soap, sulphur and tobacco juice may be 
given over the wood, and it can be repeated until 
the flower buds begin to open. On old walls, where 
nailing and un-nailing has been performed, there are 
many holes where vermin can reproduce themselves 
unmolested. On such walls much difficulty is 
experienced ; we prefer wire fitting close to the walls, 
to which the shoots may be tied. They should be close 
to the walls, but not resting on metal of any kind ; a 
twist of tying material will keep this right. Nails 
placed permanently—where manipulation of the trees is 
done skilfully—will avert the formation of nests for 
aphis, &c. ; when one shoot is removed another takes 
its place exactly. If nails are in the way, it is greater 
economy to break them over than to draw and clean 
them, and the walls are thus saved. 
Examine shoots of young trees especially, to see that 
the ties are not too tight. The branches necessitate the 
renewal or removal of the fastenings, so that mischief 
may not be done to the bark. Soft matting is pre¬ 
ferable to most other material for tying trees. Goose¬ 
berries, Currants and dwarf Apples should be pruned, 
if not already done, and if they are becoming stunted in 
wood, and weakly in foliage, they should have a good 
top-dressing all over the roots. The planting of 
Apples and Pears may yet be done where such work has 
been retarded by continuous frost. A good break of 
dwarf Apple trees which are certain fruiters should be 
planted in every place ; they will be valuable when 
orchards fail.— Caledonian. 
Fyvie Horticultural Association. —The 
annual spring show of early flowers, under the auspices 
of the Fyvie Horticultural Association, was held on 
Friday, 25th inst., in the Town Hall, Fyvie, Aber¬ 
deenshire, and was attended with great success. It 
was only last season that these spring shows were again 
resuscitated after a lapse of several years, and the com¬ 
mittee deserve the thanks of the community for afford¬ 
ing them such an excellent opportunity of seeing the 
harbingers of spring in all their beauty. The entries 
were considerably in excess of those of last season, 
which might be accounted for to some extent by the 
favourable nature of the weather this year compared 
with that of last year. The exhibits were tastefully 
laid out on three rows of tables running along the 
entire length of the hall, with ample space between for 
promenade. On the platform was placed a magnificent 
white Camellia, sent for exhibition by Mr. Frank 
Stewart, Rothiebrisbane. The specimens forwarded were 
uncommonly fine in every class ; nothing could have 
exceeded the beauty of the Hyacinth blooms belonging 
to Mr. "William Beattie, Gordonstown ; the Tulips and 
Lily of the Valley sent by Mr. A. Milne, Fyvie, or 
the Snowdrops and Christmas Roses entered by Mrs. 
Forbes, Mains of Fyvie. There was a fine display of 
Cinerarias, specially worthy of notice being those 
sent by Mr. Beattie, Gordonstown and Mr. A. Milne, 
Fyvie ; Mr. Milne was also first for Camellias and 
gi’eenhouse plants and a basket of vegetables. Mr. 
William Sim had the red ticket for Potatos, and Mr. 
James Beaton, Little Millbrex, for Carrots. The Leeks 
were of extraordinary size and quality, Mr. Beattie 
taking the premier position, and Mr. Charles Gammons 
second. Amongst the other successful competitors 
were the Rev. Dr. Milne, Mr. D. W. Greig and Mr. A. 
W. Harn, Mill of Tifty. The judges were Mr. Robert 
Farquhar, Fyvie Castle, and Mr. Smith, Rothienorman. 
There was a large attendance of visitors throughout the 
day, and the whole arrangements were admirably 
carried out by Mr. Adam Mackie, the secretary, and 
the committee of management. 
-->X<—- 
The Am ateurs’ Garden. 
Vegetable Seed Sowing. —With the continuance 
of favourable weather the ground is getting into 
excellent condition for seed sowing. If it has not 
already been done, the main crop of Onions should be 
sown without delay, even in the more northern parts 
of the Island. In the latter case especially, advantage 
should be taken of a day when the drying influence of 
sunshine, or a moderate breeze renders the soil 
workable without becoming puddled by the necessary 
operation of treading. If the soil has been trenched, 
and now lying in ridges, or merely roughly dug up, it 
should be carefully, but not necessarily, deeply forked 
over in order to level and further break or pulverise it. 
Tread it all over equally, as Onions grow and ripen 
best on a firm surface. Whether the ground is laid off 
in beds or not, shallow trenches or furrows should be 
made with a hoe, 9 ins. or 10 ins. asunder, in which 
the seeds should be sown. The advantage of sowing 
them in lines is apparent when they come to be weeded, 
as the Dutch hoe can be run up between the lines, 
facilitating and hastening the work greatly. 
The preparation of the ground for Carrots, Parsnips, 
Beet, Peas and Beans is the same as for Onions, with 
the exception that the soil for such does not require 
treading. The main crops of the above need not be 
sown thus early, as Parsnips and Beet especially are 
liable to become coarse and almost valueless for table 
purposes. Early Horn Carrots should be sown on warm 
borders to succeed those in frames where such have 
been sown. In some old gardens the Carrot Maggot 
proves very destructive to the plants when in a young 
condition, even killing them ; good dressings of soot 
applied at the time of sowing generally assist greatly. 
Peas and Beans, if sown on warm borders, will form a 
succession to those already sown, especially those sown 
in pots, boxes or in turves ; give the latter all the air 
and light possible to prevent drawing. A cold frame 
with a position near the glass will suit fhem well at 
this period. 
Vegetables in Season. —Owing to the exceptionally 
severe winter green vegetables have been very much cut 
up, especially in the neighbourhood of large towns. 
Amongst those that have stood the trying ordeal best 
may be mentioned Purple Sprouting Broccoli and Chou 
de Burghley ; the latter, notwithstanding its compara¬ 
tive neglect, is an excellent-flavoured vegetable and 
resists the atmosphere of towns well; Borecole is rather 
cut up, but as the temperature rises the young shoots 
produced will be both delicate and much appreciated. 
Turnips are still plentiful, and the tops a little later on 
will prove acceptable to many; Carrots, Parsnips, Beet, 
Artichokes and such roots are still good, and will con¬ 
tinue so for some time where they have been stored in 
sand. Celery has not yet become useless, and Leeks, 
where they have been well grown and earthed up, will 
prove very serviceable at this season where a scarcity of 
green vegetables is felt. — F. 
Amateur Gardeners’ Note Book.— Under this 
title Mr. F. Topham, 11, Fox Street, Preston, is 
publishing a cheap little primer for beginners in fruit, 
vegetable and flower gardening, a special feature in 
which is a series of useful selections made by various 
nurserymen of flowers, fruits, &c., for different purposes 
and different districts. It contains also a good deal of 
useful information for tyros. 
