38 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
September 15, 1888. 
The Amateurs' Garden. 
Vines on Walls. 
Owing to the cold, sunless and wet condition of the 
summer just ended Vines on open walls in most parts 
of the country will be a failure this season as far as 
fruit is concerned. Although such is the case, those 
who value a crop of Grapes will not allow the Vines to 
run entirely wild merely because they look beautiful. 
In order to ripen the wood thoroughly, all the rampant 
and useless shoots should be cut away, or, at least, 
considerably shortened back. Without a free play of 
air amongst the shoots, and as much exposure to the 
autumn sun as possible, it is useless to expect a crop 
next year, even should the summer prove a propitious 
one. The leading shoots may be allowed full play, to 
encourage good root development and give vigour to 
the Vine in general. These shoots should be nailed to 
the wall, and not permitted to play about loosely, to 
the danger of their being broken, as well as hindering 
the wood on the lower part of the Vine from attaining 
maturity. 
Apple and Pear Trees. 
Many of the trees have started into growth again where 
they received summer pruning, making vigorous shoots 
that are not only altogether unnecessary, but which 
cannot now be expected to ripen properly. These 
should be pruned back, and where the trees are in¬ 
clined to grow vigorously in ordinary seasons without 
producing a satisfactory crop they should be root- 
pruned to repress their vigour, and throw them into a 
more fruitful state. Dig out a trench, in the case of 
trees upon walls, about 2| ft. deep and 3 ft. from the 
bole of the tree ; when this is done, dig beneath the 
ball of soil in order to get at the tap root and all other 
vigorous ones that strike downwards into the subsoil. 
These are the roots that encourage the excessive growth 
and prevent the tree from becoming productive. Even 
if large roots are cut through the tree will suffer little 
or no harm if the long and useless shoots have been cut 
away. Leading shoots of course should be nailed to 
the wall in their proper places and shortened back at 
the winter pruning. If they are nailed straight and 
regularly now, they will occasion little or no trouble at 
the winter pruning, because by that time they will 
have become fixed and straight, owing to a deposition 
of woody matter before the fall of the leaf. Useless 
wood cut away now will allow of the wounds being 
healed before winter, whereas if left till then, there is 
always a danger of frost splitting the spurs that are 
left, and healing takes place but imperfectly or not at 
all. Standard trees may be treated in the same way, 
but if they are large a distance of 3£ ft. may be allowed 
from the bole of the tree to the trench that is taken 
out. 
Dahlias. 
Considerable pruning will be required in order to 
prevent the plants, as far as possible, from becoming 
top heavy and liable to be broken down by the wind, 
and to induce a greater amount of bloom than would 
otherwise be the case. The size of the heads will be 
improved by using liquid manure occasionally. For 
some time past the earwigs have been very destructive 
to both foliage and flower heads, which, in many cases, 
quite disfigure the latter. They even attack the roots 
where they can get at them, when the ground is 
cracked or open about them. Hollow Bean-stalks laid 
about and amongst the foliage of the plants will entrap 
a great many of them, as they crawl in for shelter and 
concealment. They may be blown out into a pail of 
water in the morning. A better method, even, is to 
place a small quantity of dry moss into the bottom of 
a small pot, which should then be inverted and placed 
on to the top of the stake supporting the plant. The 
earwigs crawl in amongst the moss during the night, 
and may be caught in large numbers in this way, and 
shaken into a vessel of water, and afterwards destroyed 
when the whole of the plants have been gone over. 
The operation should be repeated every morning till 
the pest is diminished. 
Gathering Ripe Fruit. 
Fruit that is intended to be kept in the fruit-room, or, 
in the absence of such, in some convenient place for 
any length of time, should be gathered with the 
greatest care, with the view -of keeping it fresh and 
sound as long as possible. Apples and Pears should 
part readily from the tree when lifted into a horizontal 
position by the hand; and fruits not thus easily 
severed should be gone over again some days later on. 
Each fruit should be placed in a basket by the hand, 
not thrown down, as the skin gets bruised, thereby 
causing decay in a short time. Another means of 
judging of the ripeness of the fruit is by its odour ; and 
when one is cut open the seeds should be black. When 
picked lay them as carefully in a single layer upon a 
table, -or on shelves in a dark room. Heaping them 
up is to be deprecated under any circumstances in the 
fruit room ; and each kind should be put by itself with 
a label attached, so that later gatherings of the same 
variety may be added to those already stored away. 
Different kinds become ripe at particular periods, and 
all should be used when at their best. 
The Japan Anemone. 
There can be no dcubt about the beauty of this grand 
autumn flower, and what is more important, it is 
perfectly adapted for general cultivation in our climate. 
The present season, although cold, has merely had the 
effect of retarding the flowering period, and the beds 
and borders planted with it are now masses of red, 
rose, or white, according to the varieties grown. It is 
essential to success in the cultivation of this plant, 
that the bed should be trenched or very deeply dug, 
manuring it well at the same time. Insert the roots 
or creeping rhizomes in spring, placing the pieces 
about 1 ft. apart each way. Mulch the bed with old 
hot-bed manure, or that which has been fermented and 
is partly decayed, being careful not to cover the young 
crowns till they have established themselves, and 
become strong. This mulching will retain the mois¬ 
ture should the summer prove a dry one. 
-- 
FIGS AT CHISWICK. 
Two houses that used to be devoted to plant growing 
are this year occupied with Figs, which seem to like 
their new quarters, judging from the fine crop of 
fruit in all stages of advancement towards maturity. 
Ho. 1 was at one time used as an Orchid house, and is 
well adapted to retain moisture in the atmosphere, and 
the stages being high, the plants are kept near the 
light. About fifty kinds are grown, furnishing a great 
variety, both as to shape, size, colour, and diversified 
qualities. The plants vary greatly in size, but with the 
exception of Monstreuse, which is fruitless, or almost 
so, the others all bear a crop, which in the great 
majority of cases is heavy. 
Short or Top-shaped Fruits. 
De l’Archipel has large fruits, which when ripe are 
green on the lower part, and brown upwards. That of 
Grosse Yerte is also large, shallowly ribbed, and pale 
yellowish green when mature. Another having similar 
characters, named Negro Largo, has medium-sized fruits 
of a greenish yellow colour, and similar in size is Grise 
Servantine Bifere or Black Provence, which has a brown 
top-shaped fruit, much the darker on the exposed side, 
and cracking, with numerous white lines when mature. 
Better known is the Green Ischia, of which there are 
black, brown and -white varieties in cultivation, and 
the black variety is also grown here. It is a very 
fruitful variety, with large turbinate, greenish yellow 
fruits when ripe. A large plant of Trois Recoltes bears 
rather small fruits of a greenish colour, suffused with 
dark brown. 
A very fruitful sort is De Grasse, and a large plant is 
now laden with a crop of fruits above the average size. 
The flesh is of a dark red colour, thick, syrupy and 
deliciously flavoured when matured. A good crop is 
also borne by Trifer, a greenish yellow variety which 
often splits at the eye when mature, showing a pale- 
coloured flesh. Large, turbinate, slightly ribbed, 
yellowish green fruit, suffused with pale brown, is 
borne in abundance by Pied de Bceuf. A heavy crop 
is borne by Bourjassotte Grise, the fruit of which is 
glabrous or nearly so, and greenish, suffused with brown 
on the exposed side. A pretty little Fig is (Eil de 
Perdrix, which often splits at the apex, showing a red 
flesh ; the skin is of a dark chestnut-brown where fully 
exposed, and the qualities of the fruit for dessert 
purposes are worthy of attention. A medium-sized 
fruit is Osborn’s Prolific, of a yellowish colour, but 
heavily suffused with brown, especially on the ribs. 
Long, Obovate, or Pear-shaped Fruits. 
Many of the above-mentioned are seldom seen in 
cultivation in this country except where special 
collections are kept, as at Chiswick ; but had the 
nature of our climate been more favourable more of 
them would, undoubtedly, be grown in the open air. 
Those under notice are grown in pots. In the more 
favoured parts much might be done with the Fig than 
is at present the case. The subjoined varieties vary 
considerably in shape and size, and no doubt they vary 
in hardiness also ; but while they are all grown under 
precisely the same conditions as to temperature, their 
hardiness is much less evident. 
A very distinct sort is Reculver, which has brownish 
black fruit marked with white dots and having a closed 
red eye. A distinct and singular-looking sort is 
Boughton, on account of the lower portion of the fruit 
being drawn out into a long neck. "When mature it is 
of a pale yellowish colour suffused with brown on the 
exposed side. Several plants of Panachee are grown, 
and are characterised by the fruits being striped with 
green on a pale yellow ground. The fruit is agreeably 
flavoured, but not of first-class quality compared with 
many others. Very fruitful is Dr. Hogg, bearing 
large, greenish yellow-ribbed fruits that split at the eye 
when mature. Peau Dure has large, pear-shaped, 
pale yellow, copiously-ribbed fruits, with a rose- 
coloured and rich flesh. It is described as a very 
useful sort for drying. A strikingly dark purple-black 
fruit is borne by Grosse Yiolette ; it is of medium or 
large size, and ribbed. Negronne is similar in colour 
and size, and is pyriform, tapering gradually to the 
base. A large plant is now laden with fruit in various 
stages of ripeness. The popularity of Brown Turkey 
is evidenced in some seventeen or more synonyms that 
are used both here and on the Continent. It is hardy, 
prolific, and more suitable for outdoor cultivation in 
this country than any other. Another fruitful sort is 
Doree, which bears large, obovate, much-ribbed fruits ; 
the skin is yellowish suffused with reddish brown. The 
fruits of Toulousienne are shortly-obovate, frequently 
oblique at the eye, heavily suffused with chestnut- 
brown, and are produced in great abundance. Lee’s 
Perpetual is similar in shape to the last, but more 
distinctly ribbed, and is equally, if not more, prolific. 
A large plant of Gouraud Rouge is also well furnished 
with fruits that are of medium size, yellow, and heavily 
suffused with red on the exposed side when mature. 
The eye is closed, with pink scales. 
The above list includes only those that have been 
ripening their fruits for some time past. Many small- 
fruiting kinds have also been omitted which, from 
their prolific character, would no doubt be very useful 
for outdoor culture where climatic conditions are favour¬ 
able. The collection affords an excellent opportunity 
for intending cultivators to select sorts with suitable 
qualifications for home culture, or for increasing the 
number of those already well known and grown in 
private establishments. A great curiosity presented 
itself in the case of a sort named Angelique Noire, and 
one or two others having proliferated fruits. From the 
eye at the apex of the fruit another projects at right 
angles, and though smaller, appears to be quite perfect. 
-*->!:<-’- 
HARDY PLANTS IN FLOWER 
AT GLENSTAL CASTLE. 
Although too late to see the full beauty of the fine 
herbaceous border at Glenstal Castle, the following were 
especially noticeable at the time of my visit; and 
although I only made notes of the few now noticed, it 
was not through lack of subjects of interest for that 
purpose. Before concluding these few remarks, allow 
me to say that the gardens and houses one and all 
reflect the highest credit on Sir Croker Barrington’s 
able head gardener, Mr. R. "Weller, who evidently 
spares no pains to ensure success in the various depart¬ 
ments. 
Aster Alpines. 
This lovely Alpine subject is now well established after 
repeated failures, and forms an attractive object, its 
lilac flowers being borne on stems about 6 ins. in 
height, thus rendering it a capital plant for the front 
of herbaceous borders. It is the dwarfest of the 
Michaelmas Daisies. 
Calystegia pubescens fl. pl. 
What a pretty plant this is, and bow seldom met with ! 
It is worthy of cultivation in the most select collection. 
It requires sticks to climb over, and when once well 
established is a perfect monopoliser of the ground, 
which may account for its not being more generally 
grown. Its double pink flowers are produced in great 
abundance, and continue to succeed each other for a 
long time. 
Crucianella stylosa. 
This pretty trailing Crosswort, with its pale rose 
flowers, growing amidst rockwork, looks very pretty. 
Although the individual flower-beads are not large, a 
mass of them together is attractive. 
Chrysanthemum maximum. 
This strong-growing variety is grown in quantity 
because extremely showy, and also very useful for 
cutting purposes, producing an abundance of its large 
white flowers at a time when many things are on the 
