336 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
January 25, 1896. 
HINTS FOR AMATEURS. 
Pruning. 
Red Currants. —It would not be too much to say 
that none of the small fruits are more largely grown 
than these. The kind of tree most frequently to be 
observed in gardens is the cup or hoop-shaped bush, 
carrying a number of main shoots springing from a 
central axis or stem, and arranged in a circle. 
These shoots are furnished along their entire length 
at various intervals with lateral growths. It is with 
these that we have first to deal, and their pruning is 
decidedly easy. It simply consists in cutting them 
back to within about half an inch of the base. By 
cutting back thus far we establish a solid basis for 
the buds, whether wood or flower, that lie below the 
point of severance, and close to the union of the 
lateral with the main branch that produced it. 
This is another instance of spurring, which we 
referred to and explained in connection with cordon- 
trained Gooseberries last week. Some growers like 
to leave the spurs rather longer than we have 
advised above, over an inch at any rate. But little 
is gained by this, however, as anyone can verify for 
themselves by a little observation of bushes that 
have been so treated a few months after pruning. 
The shoots contain a great deal of pith until the 
point of junction with the branch is nearly reached. 
Exposure to wet and cold is invariably fatal to the 
pith, which dies, and is in almost all cases followed 
by the zone of harder woody tissue which surrounded 
it. Where the spurs have been left long, therefore, 
the upper parts of them die away for some little 
distance down. 
The terminal shoots or leaders of the main 
branches may be shortened back to within from 4 in. 
to 6 in., according to their strength, until the tree 
has reached the limit of growth with regard to 
height to which it is desired it should attain. The 
height will, as a matter of course, depend entirely 
upon circumstances. Where dwarf specimens are 
required 3 ft. may represent the maximum of growth 
in a vertical direction, although another 18 in. may 
very well be allowed if room can be spared. When 
the trees have attained the required size the leaders 
may be cut back each year to two or three buds. In 
all cases the bud next to the cut should point outwards. 
In a properly-trained tree the central axis or stem is 
not allowed to bear any branches for at least 6 in. above 
the surface of the soil. This allows of the area of 
ground occupied by the tree being hoed or forked 
over occasionally as desired. The fruit, too, is not 
in so much danger of being splashed with grit and 
dirt—a consideration of some importance. 
Wall Trees. —The pruning needed here is 
similar to that given the bush trees—viz., the lateral 
growths to be spurred back close to the base, and 
the leaders shortened to about 6 in. each year until 
the top of the wall is reached. Trees of this kind 
are exceeding useful for affording late crops, 
especially when they are grown against a north or 
east wall. They can be netted or matted over easily, 
in which case the fruit will hang for a very long time 
without deteriorating to any great extent. 
Black Currants.—A totally different system of 
knife dressing is required for these. Their pruning 
is, if anything, more simple than that of the red 
varieties. Still, when one sees straggling overgrown 
bushes carrying crops of undersized fruits one can 
readily believe that in many cases the owner of such 
specimens needs a little advice. In dealing with 
Black Currants the oldest wood should be cut clean 
out, so as to give the younger fertile branches a 
chance. If the bushes have been suffered to grow 
as they list for a few years, the saw will need to be 
called into requisition to effect the removal of the 
old branches. Afterwards the young ones that 
remain must be thinned out if they exhibit a ten¬ 
dency to become too crowded. The mark to be 
aimed at is to have a number of strong young 
growths distributed fairly evenly over the whole of 
the tree. No shortening back of such shoots is 
necessary, or even advisable, but they must be left 
at their entire length. If this kind of treatment is 
adopted it is astonishing how the size and quality of 
the fruit will be improved, and the bushes, more¬ 
over, may be kept within due limits.— Rex. 
--j.- 
One can understand how it is that humus accumu¬ 
lates in a soil when it is reckoned that one applica¬ 
tion of farmyard manure will take 100 years to 
completely decay, and cease to have an effect upon 
the crops grown. 
Correspondence. 
Questions asked by amateurs on any subject pertaining 
to gardens or gardening will be answered on this page. 
Anyone may give additional or more explanatory answers 
to questions that have already appeared. Those who desire 
their communications to appear on this page should write 
“Amateurs' Page ” on the top of their letters. 
Replies.— Tomato says he has only sufficient wall 
space to accommodate a couple of trees, and wishes 
to invest in Plums, Pears, or Apples. For a Plum we 
may recommend an Early Favourite as one of the 
best early varieties procurable. Dwarf horizontal- 
trained trees of such Pears as Marie Louise and 
Williams’ Bon Chretien would also do well, 
whilst for Apples we should advise planting either 
Cox's Orange Pippin or King of the Pippins—two of 
the finest dessert varieties to be found within the 
limits of the United Kingdom. With such an aspect 
as the wall has against which Tomato proposes to 
train his trees—viz., west—both Peaches and 
Nectarines may be grown well in the southern 
counties, but we should not advise X., who hails from 
the north of the East Riding of Yorkshire, to attempt 
to plant these on a wall facing the west. It is true that 
in abnormally hot summers, like that of 1893, the 
fruit would ripen, but we do not expect a season like 
that every year. 
Speaking of abnormal seasons we are reminded 
that the present winter of 1895-96 is going far 
towards establishing a record for itself, with regard 
to freedom from frost. Those who grow beddiDg 
plants for market and depend upon there being 
sufficient frost to kill off a large portion, if not all, of 
the stock which the amateur attempts to keep 
through the winter in unheated frames or small 
greenhouses, and thus to create a demand for their 
plants, will be somewhat disappointed. It is quite 
true, Armand, that heating appliances suitable for 
small greenhouses have been improved greatly of late 
both in efficiency and in cheapness. A small Lough¬ 
borough boiler fitted with a flow and return of 4 in. 
piping should enable Armand to keep his small glass¬ 
house up to 42 0 Fahr. by night without any trouble. 
In this temperature many pretty plants may be kept 
in good condition through the dull months. We have 
received complaints from M. Jones, Swansea, that 
many of his Primulas have damped off in a higher 
temperature than this—viz., 43 0 —and asks ** what is 
the reason ? ” Mistaken kindness, most probably. It 
is astonishing how kind some people are to their 
plants in showing them the water-pot; at least, 
if liberality can be called kindness. ODce a day is 
too often to water your plants at this time of year. 
Try giving them water when they warn it, and wait¬ 
ing until they do, when you will find that your green¬ 
house is quite warm enough to grow Primulas, and 
good Primulas too. 
Another case of comparative failure also comes to 
our notice this week, but the unlucky individual 
rejoices in the name of X.. and his plaint is about 
Hyacinths. Says he : the flowers are away down at 
the base of the leaves, and they won’t come up. Why 
do they comelike this ? “ Cussedness ” onthepartof 
the bulbs possibly, lack of strength very probably. 
Perhaps X. has got hold of a cheap lot of bulbs, and 
is now learning by bitter experience that it is not the 
low-priced article that is always the cheapest in the 
end. The only case in which rigid economy pays, is 
the using of bad language. Do not fail to take 
notice of this hint, F. G. R., and give us credit for 
making as much haste to answer your question 
as possible. A Box edging to the border of which 
you speak would look very well indeed, certainly 
moie so than an edging of fancy tiles, be they ever 
so cunningly moulded. Still, it is only fair to the 
latter to say that they have the advantage over the 
Box of not affording a harbour for slugs and other 
vermin; also they are more permanent, and will 
stand more walking over. No dead edging, however, 
can compare for effect with a live green one. 
Tomatos for Fence.—I have a fence 400 ft. in 
length, against which I wish to plant Tomatos. 
How many plants shall I want? Will they lift 
from boxes, or must I pot them first ?— Tomato. 
We should advise you to adopt the single rod 
system of training. About 15 in. of space between 
the p’ants will be necessary. This works out to 320 
plants. Of course, a less number than this would 
do if you allow lateral growths to develop. In any 
case it will be advisable to pot the plants off, as 
they plant out so much better from pots than they 
do when lifted from boxes. 
Lobelia cardinalis.—I have some roots of Lobelia 
cardinalis which are throwing up young shoots. I 
would like to raise more. W T hat shall I do ?— R. B. 
Your best plan will be to divide up the roots. The 
plants may be knocked out of the pots or boxes in 
which they are at present, and a great deal of the old 
soil shaken off. It will be found that they will then 
split up very readily. The divisions should be potted 
up singly into small 6o-pots, using a compost of one 
part of loam to two of leaf soil with a goodly sprink¬ 
ling of sharp sand. A temperature of 50° Fahr. by 
night will suit them admirably. 
Introduction of the Tomato.—Could you inform me 
when Tomatos were first introduced into this 
country ? I can trace them back to the year 1825, 
when they were grown out-of-doors in Staffordshire. 
— Cucumber. 
The Tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum) was dis¬ 
covered in South America so far back as the year 
1596, and was probably brought into this country 
about that date, from twelve to fourteen years 
after the introduction of the Potato to Ireland by 
Thomas Herriott. Like the Potato, its merits 
were for a long time unrecognised, and it doubtless 
occupied a rather obscure position for a couple of 
centuries or so. It certainly could not have been 
very extensively cultivated here prior to the com¬ 
mencement of the present century. 
A Good pink Celery.—Could you recommend me a 
a good dwarf pink Celery ? I have grown a number 
of varieties, among them Clayworth Pride, Sulham 
Prize Pink, Grove Red, Standard Bearer, and 
Pollett’s Prize Colt, but I cannot get one to please 
me.— Cucumber. 
If you have not given Major Clarke's Solid Red a 
trial we can thoroughly recommend this variety as 
likely to give every satisfaction. It is of medium 
growth, produces very solid hearts, is of excellent 
flavour, comes in fairly early in the season, and lasts 
for a loDg time in good condition. 
Seeds of Vegetables.—Will you kindly give me a 
list of the best sorts of the following :—Beet, Brussels 
Sprouts, Pea, Cauliflower, Celery, Lettuce, Cucum¬ 
bers, Tomatos, Vegetable Marrows, and Potatos.— 
Tomato. 
For Beetroot you will find Pragnell s Exhibition a 
medium-sized variety of great value. Veitch’s 
Dwarf Dark Red is also good. Veitch’s Exhibition, 
Scrymger’s Giant, and Veitch’s Paragon will suit 
you well for Brussels Sprouts. Peas: Early Chelsea 
Gem (dwarf), William the First, Sutton’s Ai, and 
Sutton’s Early Prolific; mid-season varieties : 
Stratagem, Duke of Albany, Dr. McLean, Sutton’s 
Maincrop Marrowfat, and Invincible Marrowfat; 
late sorts: British Queen, McLean's Best of All, 
and Sutton’s Late Queen. Cauliflower: Early 
London, Sutton's First Crop, Walcheren, and 
Veitch's Autumn Giant. Celery : Major Clarke’s 
Solid Red, Standard Bearer, and Sandringham 
Dwarf White. Lettuce (Cabbage varieties) : Early 
Paris Market, Golden Queen, Veitch’s Perfect Gem, 
and Brown Dutch; Cos varieties: Mammoth 
White, Superb White, and Bath Cos. Cucumbers: 
Telegraph and Lockie's Perfection. Tomatos: 
Ham Green Favourite, Hackwood Park Prolific, and 
Golden Queen. Vegetable Marrows : Long White 
and Pen-y-Byd. Potatos: Sutton's Ai, Ringleader, 
Windsor Castle, and Satisfaction. 
The following plants are very suitable for produc¬ 
ing plenty of flowers for cutting :—Aquilegias of 
mixed sorts, Asters (China), Calendula officinalis, 
Carnation Marguerite, Candytuft, Single Chrysan¬ 
themums (mixed), Centaurea Cyanus nana compacta 
and C. minor, Coreopsis grandiflora, C. tinctoria, 
and C Drummondii, Dianthus cbinensis (Indian 
Pinks), Gaillardias, Sweet Peas, Marigolds (both 
French and African), Mignonette, Single Petunias, 
Phlox Drummondii grandiflora, Stocks (both Ger¬ 
man and ten week), Sweet Sultan, and Zinnias. 
All these can easily be raised from seed, and will 
give you any amount of stuff to cut from. 
The ’’Thoroughfare Tree '' in Sherwood Forest 
had a roadway cut through its trunk in 1724. The 
Earl of Clare made a wager that he would drive a 
carriage and four through it, and won his bet. The 
archway is 10 ft. 3 in. high, and 6 ft. 3 in. wide. 
The girth of the trunk about the top of the arch is 
35 ft. The age of the tree is estimated at 1,500 
years. 
