April 23, 1892. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
635 
thrive fairly well in any ordinary garden soil, 
provided it is efficiently drained ; particular attention 
must be paid to the drainage, as they cannot stand a 
wet, sour soil at any price. It is also important that 
the situation should be sheltered; if not naturally, 
artificial means must be resorted to, by planting 
belts of pines or other quick growing subjects. If 
the ground is open to the south and slopes in that 
direction it will be an advantage. 
All planting where possible should be done in the 
autumn, also root pruning. The Plum is one of the 
most manageable of fruit trees under the modern 
system of cultivation, and the roots of no other fruit 
tree are so easily kept within bounds. 
The trees should be planted in an alternate manner, 
and sufficiently far apart so as not to overshadow 
each other; 6 ft. is about the average to plant bush 
or pyramid trees, which are to be root pruned or 
lifted bi-annually. Generally speaking young Plum 
trees grow too strongly the first few years after 
planting; to counteract this I strongly recommend 
them to be lifted and replanted. Replanting and 
root pruning are the same in effect, but in all cases 
where the trees are growing rampantly I would lift 
entirely and replant, root-pruning those which are 
not growing quite so strongly. In planting care 
should be taken to have a solid foundation for the 
tree to rest upon, and have the roots laid out 
horizontally as near the surface as possible, as in 
such a position they are readily influenced by any 
extra treatment we feel disposed to give ; and to keep 
trees in a bearing condition under what I might call 
the high pressure system it is absolutely necessary to 
have the roots under control. Heavily cropped trees 
which show signs of distress can also be improved 
by lifting the roots and replanting in fresh soil; if 
they are carefully lifted and replanted immediately 
in good soil, no check will be given ; large trees can 
be done half ac a time for safety. 
The pruning of the branches is an important item 
in the cultivation of Plums, not that there is an 
amount of labour required, but rather the other way, 
as the less pruning done the better, at least for a 
profitable crop of fruit. When the foundation of a 
good tree is laid, the pruning knife should be laid 
aside, and only brought into use to remove cross 
branches and regulate the young growths where too 
thick. 
The most natural shape for the Plum to grow in 
is the bush form, and undoubtedly it is to be re¬ 
commended where it can be adopted. 
Pyramid Plum trees are however very beautiful 
objects when in flower, and more so when carrying a 
good crop of fruit. A good crop of fruit, however, 
does not always follow a good show of blossom, as 
that dreaded enemy of the Plum (a late spring frost) 
very often intervenes and separates the two, by the 
destruction of the reproductive organs. 
All feeding given to the trees must be applied on 
the surface in the form of mulchings, and during a 
dry summer copious supplies of water should be 
given. 
The fan shape is the best form in which to train 
wall trees, and the branches should be kept 
sufficiently far apart to allow every leaf full exposure; 
as the leaves of different varieties vary greatly so 
will the distance between. the branches. The 
pruning of wall trees differs somewhat from that 
which I recommend for those grown in the open; 
the regulating of the growths should be done while 
the tree is growing, any branches which take the 
lead of the remainder should be pinched to keep the 
tree well balanced. If sufficient growths can be 
obtained to cover the wall, without cutting back the 
branches in thewinter.it willbe an advantage. I would 
only advise hard pruning when more branches are 
required to fill up, all shoots not required to furnish 
the tree must be pinched in the summer at about 
the fourth or fifth leaf, and in the winter SDurred 
back to about two eyes. 
Frequent washings in dry weather are very 
beneficial in all cases, but more especially when 
grown on walls, as then the foliage is more liable to 
get choked with dirt. Heavy waterings must be 
given to the border during summer, especially in the 
early part of the season when the fruit is swelling, 
and its beneficial effect will be plainly seen in the 
size of the fruit. Wall trees are very often allowed 
to suffer greatly from drought. The object in planting 
the trees against a wall is to obtain in the majority of 
cases an increased amount of heat from the sun, in 
doing which we lessen the supply of moisture by the 
increased warmth and the shelter of the wall. This 
deficiency must be supplied to obtain the finest 
samples of fruit; it is also important that the border 
be mulched to keep in the moisture. Over cropping 
should be guarded against, where quality and size 
are preferred to numbers ; a little timely thinning of 
the clusters should be practised and a marvellous 
difference will be made 
In a private establishment where choice dessert 
Plums are in demand, an unheated house devoted to 
their culture is a great acquisition, as under the pro¬ 
tection of the glass the finer varieties can be brought 
to that pink of perfection which it is impossible to 
obtain in the open air, with such an uncertain 
climate as we possess. The season is also consider¬ 
ably prolonged and the fruit efficiently protected. 
Orchard house culture differs very little from that 
of the open walls. A little more attention is required 
in watering and syringing, but with this exception 
the other details of cultivation are practically the 
same. The trees should be planted out in a prepared 
border, which does not need to exceed 18 in. in 
depth. Pot trees should only be grown where a 
great variety is required from a limited space. 
Uses. 
The different uses to which Plums can be put are 
very numerous, and the majority of us are familiar 
with them in various forms I have no doubt. When 
perfectly ripe they form a most wholesome dessert, 
and for culinary purposes they are invaluable. Pre¬ 
served in various forms they are also very accept¬ 
able, as then they are available all the year round. 
In France and other parts of the Continent large 
quantities of Plums are dried and sent to market in 
various forms, and are sold as French Prunes, Plums, 
etc. They form a very important item of export in 
some places. 
There is one form of preserving them to which I 
would like to call your attention for a few moments, 
and as briefly as possibly. It is with the " American 
Evaporator," one of which we have in the gardens 
here (Chiswick), and no doubt many gardeners saw 
it in operation last season. With this machine the 
fruit is preserved in a wholesome and palatable manner 
for several years, thus tending to equalise the prices 
and give us a supply of good culinary Plums all the 
year round. By this method the fruit is evaporated, 
not dried ; and I would strongly recommend to you 
to try the difference in flavour of the evaporated 
produce. When there is an abundant crop of Plums, 
as was the case last season in some districts, the 
surplus should be evaporated, and thus prevent the 
market being glutted with fruit for which there is no 
sale, and thus save money to the country by supply¬ 
ing our own wants. 
Varieties. 
As already mentioned, the number of varieties there 
are to select from is very numerous. Victoria is 
the most popular Plum of the present day. It is the 
best culinary Plum, and is grown successfully all over 
Great Britain ; for dessert it is only second-rate. It 
originated in Sussex, and was first known as Sharpe’s 
Emperor, but was ultimately sold by a nurseryman 
named Denyer, at Brixton, under the name of 
Denyer’s Victoria, in the year 1844. Jefferson I re¬ 
commend as the best dessert Plum; I am well aware 
that several other varieties possess quite as good a 
flavour, notably several of the Gage type, but the 
majority of them are such shy bearers as not to be 
worth growing. Jefferson came originally from 
America, where it was raised by a Judge Buel, and 
named in honour of President Jefferson. The fol¬ 
lowing twelve varieties are the best dessert Plums in 
general cultivation :—Jefferson, Coe's Golden Drop, 
Gteen Gage, Kirke’s, Early Transparent, Oullin’s 
Golden, Transparent Gage, Lawson Golden, Reine 
Claude de Bavey, Denniston's Superb, Washington, 
and Angelina Burdett. And the twelve most useful 
culinary Plums are:—Victoria, Pond’s Seedling, 
White and Red Magnum Bonum, Early Prolific, 
Goliath, Diamond, Early Orleans, Washington, 
Kirke's, Grand Duke, and Prince Englebert. And if 
I had to select three for each purpose, the desserts 
would be, Green Gage, Coe’s Golden Drop, and 
Jefferson ; and for culinary purposes, Early Prolific, 
Victoria, and Kirke’s.— T. W. 
The Carnat'on : its History, Properties, and Management, 
with a descriptive list of the best varieties in cultivation. By 
E. S. Dodwell. Third edition, with supplementary chapter on 
the yellow ground. London: Gardening World Office, i, 
Clement’s Inn, Strand, W.C. is. 6d.; post free, is. yd.— [Advt. 
THE TRILLIUMS. 
Trillium stylosum is a shy little beauty, hiding its 
wavy pink petals under its top cluster of three sessile 
leaves, so that you must look closely to find it. 
The leaves are oblong, tapering to both ends, and 
the rose-coloured petals of the flower are much 
longer and broader than the greenish sepals. I 
believe this species is not common north of Virginia. 
The queen of all Trilliums is T. grandiflorum, or 
White Wood-Lily, as it is sometimes called. It 
blooms later than the others, and in the northern 
states is somewhat rare, but in the southland is per¬ 
haps the commonest of all the species. The plant is 
usually about a foot in height, with only one stem, 
springing from a tuberous root-stalk. Its three 
leaves near the top are of a bright, shining green, 
deeply veined, a little longer than broad, and barely 
sessile. On a peduncle 2 to 3 in. long is borne a 
single nodding white flower, showy and handsome. 
The petals are often 2 in. long, and change with age 
to rose colour. 
Three other white Trilliums are sometimes found 
in our woods—T. cernuum, another nodding wake- 
robin hiding beneath its leaves, and T. album and 
declinatum, varieties of T. erectum. The last two 
are not clear and snowy, like T. cernuum, nivale and 
grandiflorum, but are somewhat clouded with pink 
or yellow. 
1. grandiflorum is somewhat given to sporting, 
and besides its snowy white form with sessile leaves, it 
has been found in various states with petioled leaves 
and pink flowers, marbled with yellow and deep rose. 
The Trilliums are truly American plants, only one 
species being known outside of America ; this is 
found in Japan. If we were obliged to import Tril¬ 
liums from Japan, or Holland, or Asia, instead of 
merely digging them in our own woods, we might ap¬ 
preciate them better and plant them oftener in our 
gardens. English gardeners import these American 
plants, and besides using them for lawns and shaded 
walks, are trying to naturalise them in half-open 
woods and moist, rich places. 
The Trilliums adapt themselves readily to garden 
culture. The only special point to be observed irv 
their cultivation is that they need partial shade for 
full leaf-development, without which large perfect 
flowers are an impossibility. T. grandiflorum likes 
a drier soil than most other varieties, and under culti¬ 
vation gives flowers as large as the White Lily of our 
gardens .—A merican Gardening. 
--5-- 
GARDENING glSCELLANY. 
ANGELS’ TEARS. 
The above name is aptly given in allusion to the 
delicately coloured and drooping flowers of Narcissus 
triandrus, the corona or crown of which varies 
exceedingly, both in size and colour. The species 
was introduced from Portugal in 1629, and is probably 
not much more common now than then. A figure of 
it was given in an early number of the Botanical 
Magazine, t. 48. The segments are reflexed or turned 
in the opposite direction from the corona, hence the 
flowers may be compared in some respects to those 
of a Cyclamen, though structurally they are very- 
different. The corona is of the same pale hue as. 
the perianth segments in the variety N. t. concolor,, 
but in other varieties or forms it is of a clear yellow, 
short, and cup shaped, elongated and narrow, or very- 
wide and inflated. All these forms may be seen in 
the nursery of Mr. T. S. Ware, Hale Farm, 
Tottenham. The bulbs should be planted in light 
sandy soil, and left undisturbed for a number of 
years, for then they grow strong and flower every 
year. Although they may be flowered in pots, yet 
it is by no means conducive to the longevity or 
vigour of the bulbs which get smaller under that 
treatment. 
BEGONIA CORALLINA. 
The merits of this Begonia have not yet been fully 
recognized, otherwise its dissemination in gardens 
would have been more universal since it introduction 
from Brazil in 1875. The height to which it grows 
may be objected to by some, if the intention was to 
grow it in pots for ordinary decorative purposes. 
Its proper place is in the stove or intermediate house 
where it should be grown as a climber, and where it 
will grow to a height of 6 ft. to 12 ft., and keep on 
flowering from the axils of the leaves as it grows. 
