October 26, 1889. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
119 
LATE PLUMS. 
Ihe value of late Plums cannot be over-estimated or too 
often called attention to, as from my experience there 
appears to be much lack of knowledge on this point 
among fruit growers generally. Most gardeners regard 
them as valuable only in summer and autumn, but it is 
as a late fruit that I consider they should be most appre¬ 
ciated, and as such I consider them deserving of as much 
consideration and attention as any other fruit grown. 
Look at the amount of attention which Peaches and 
Nectarines receive in many gardens as compared with 
Plums, yet, can anyone say that they are more 
useful or profitable to the private gardener 1 Again, 
can anyone show that really good Peaches can be had 
from open walls for so long a period as Plums ? The 
latter can be had from the middle of July till the latter 
part of November, and of good quality too. This gives 
a season of four months. Compare them again in the 
number of ways in which each can he utilised, and the 
Plum has greatly the advantage. As a dessert fruit 
few things are the superior of a really good gage when 
allowed to hang on the tree till it shrivels, or a well- 
ripened Coe’s Golden Drop or Jefferson either. When 
in this state they are like a delicious sweetmeat. 
It is to the very late kinds that I wish now to call 
attention, because most gardeners know what a great 
falling off there is in the dessert when Peaches, Nec¬ 
tarines and Melons are over. It is then that the late 
Plums become valuable. Our late Peaches were over 
hy the 8th of October, as such sorts as Salway are not 
tolerated, but fortunately we have a good supply of 
such Plums as Coe’s Golden Drop, Transparent Gage, 
Reine Claude de Bavay, and Bryanston Gage, which 
keeps us going well. From a west wall we have been 
gathering these kinds for the last month, and we have 
still hanging a goodly number of Golden Drop, which 
will last for a fortnight longer. To-day (October 10th) 
I gathered several dozens of richly-spotted fruits, which 
will be laid out singly in a cold room, and we shall 
draw our supply daily from these, as long as they last, 
when the stock will be replenished from the trees, and 
thus we hope to keep the supply going until the end of 
November. 
On several occasions during the last seven years, 
when located in Hampshire, I sent the last dish of 
Golden Drop to table in the last week of November. 
It is remarkable how well this grand Plum keeps for 
weeks after it has been gathered, putting many sorts of 
Pears completely in the shade in this respect. I would 
recommend these late Plums to every one, as nothing 
pays better when well established.— Con. 
-»$«■- 
OUR APPLE ORCHARDS.* 
Notwithstanding the foreign competition, I maintain 
that British growers could hold their own in the 
English markets, if they would spend more time and 
labour upon the trees in the orchards, and keep them 
clean from lichen and insects. Nothing improves the 
bark of Apple trees more than whitewashing the stems 
and all the large branches with lime. I have noticed 
the last few years how clean and bright the bark has 
looked in the spring after being whitewashed a year or 
two previously. I strongly recommend throwing 
powdered lime into the heads of large Apple trees 
during the autumn and spring months—as soon as the 
leaves are off in autumn, and before the buds swell in 
spring. This work is not costly, and can be done by 
any handy labourer. 
I find that Apple trees in orchards, say forty or 
fifty years old, have very little time and attention 
devoted to them. Here is the great error. The small 
wood in the heads of such aged trees yield very inferior 
fruit, which helps to glut the markets. If the British 
Apple grower for market is to hold his own in open 
competition with the foreign growers he must use every 
means in his power to grow only good fruit. This means 
high-class cultivation. That is what the Apple wants. 
It is the high-class cultivation that I wish to impress 
very forcibly upon the grower. I have here two sam¬ 
ples of Apples taken from old trees in an orchard. 
These trees have been cleaned as advised above. These 
specimens are equal in size and colour to any from 
young trees of the same variety ; one is Beauty of Kent 
and the other is a local variety called Brenchley Pippin, 
a seedling raised at Brenchley, in Kent, a rather small 
Apple, but as shown, of fair size and good colour, much 
like the King of the Pippins in shape and size. This 
Pippin is an excellent cropper. I have never known it 
fail in twelve years. But what I want to point out is 
* A paper by Mr. R. Smith, Yalding, read at the Crystal 
Palace on October 10th. 
that good sound Apples can be grown on aged trees in 
the orchard if properly cared for as to pruning and 
keeping them clean and manuring, not disturbing the 
roots by digging about them. Keep the land well 
mulched with farmyard manure from time to time— 
that is, in autumn and summer. Aged trees want a 
little pruning every year, rather than a severe pruning 
occasionally. I have no doubt whatever the British 
Apple grower for market has many drawbacks. He 
wants more security of tenure. This will come before 
long. The landlord begins to find out it is to his own 
interest that the tenant has security for his investment 
of capital on the land he holds. 
Every Apple grower for market should make a point 
of visiting his neighbours every autumn, as much 
would be learnt in this way. No doubt a few would 
be found who would go in for high-class cultivation 
and planting the best varieties suitable to the districts. 
Many mistakes have been made in not getting the 
right sorts for the localities, consequently a great loss 
of time and season is the result. 
--- 
OTES ON fgRUITS. 
Deux Soeurs Pear. 
The variety known under this name originated in the 
garden of two sisters—namely, the Misses Knoop, at 
Malines, on which account it received the name of 
Deux Sce-urs, or “Two Sisters.” Why, then, the name 
should receive an additional incumbrance by calling it 
Des Deux Sceurs in this country is difficult to conceive ; 
but such a name has been applied, and the unnecessary 
incumbrance seems to be on the increase, in spite of the 
many fruit conferences now being held. The Pear 
itself is an excellent variety, and comes into season 
during October and November. It succeeds as a 
pyramid either on the Pear or Quince, and is sometimes 
grown on the cordon system, bearing annually crops 
of greater or less weight, according to the season. The 
fruit is large, pyriform, suddenly narrowed to the 
apex, and tapering considerably to the base, but often 
with an undulated or very uneven outline, pale greenish 
yellow, mottled with russet, or sometimes covered with 
a thin coating of light brown russet. The flesh is 
white, buttery, and melting, with an abundance of 
juice, and is highly esteemed by most of those who have 
made its acquaintance, although there are some 
who fail to succeed with it, probably on account of the 
nature of their soil, which seems, in some instances, to 
affect the quality of Pears remarkably. It succeeds 
well on the deep alluvial soil at Devonhurst, Chiswick. 
Pear, Flemish Beauty. 
How long this Pear may have been grown before 1810 
cannot be determined, but it was brought into 
prominence then by Van Mons, who was instru¬ 
mental in raising many new varieties in his day. The 
fruit is of large size, obovate, even in contour, and 
beautifully shaped. The skiu is of a pale brown russet, 
except on the sunny side, which is shaded with 
brownish red. The pale yellowish flesh is melting, 
rich and buttery, and esteemed by a large number of 
growers, considering the number of synonyms under 
which it is known, for there are at least seventeen. It 
is said to ripen in September, but will also keep till the 
end of October. In order to make the most of it, the 
fruits should be gathered a few days before it attains 
perfect maturity. The fruits are generally very even 
in size, and consequently look well when gathered. 
Peach Buds Dropping. 
This, in my opinion, is caused by the trees being neg¬ 
lected after the crop has been gathered. I have noticed 
in many places that as soon as the crops are over the 
ventilators are thrown wide open night and day, pipe- 
heat turned off, syringing and damping discontinued, 
the borders never watered, spider allowed to get ahead, 
and, stating the case in a few words, the trees receive 
no attention whatever until the ordinary routine of 
cleaning commences again. Under such treatment, if 
the buds fall off when the trees become a little excited 
in the winter or early spring, gardeners wonder what 
can be the cause, never thinking that the mischief was 
done the previous autumn ; but such, I am convinced, 
is the case. If the trees are kept clean by a frequent 
use of the syringe, ventilation, and fire-heat judiciously 
applied, and the roots receive a plentiful supply of 
water, good results will follow. If the borders are all 
inside, they ought to be watered every ten days or 
fortnight, although much depends upon the nature of 
the soil and drainage. If the soil is light and the 
drainage perfect, the trees can scarcely be over-watered ; 
however, it is better to err slightly on the wet than the 
dry side. I have found it a good plan to place a ring 
of clay and cow-manure, well mixed up together, round 
the base of the trees, to make sure of the fibrous roots 
receiving a plentiful supply of the “needful,” as these 
are the roots we have to depend upon for good wood and 
perfect flowers. Without these we cannot expect to 
have a satisfactory crop.— A. K. 
Gooseberry, Win nam’s Industry. 
From young bushes, which we planted last October, we 
had a splendid crop of excellent berries this season. It 
is a first-rate berry for market purposes, as it attains 
to a large size ; is early, and, consequently, admirably 
adapted for pulling green. It is also a fine dessert fruit, 
but needs to hang a good long time on the hush till it 
is thoroughly ripe, otherwise it is rather thick-skinned. 
Out of a dozen varieties which we planted, Whinam’s 
Industry has yielded the most satisfactory results. The 
berry is very large and handsome.— Arbutus. 
-- 
IfoTES from Scotland. 
-- 5 -- 
The Right Way of Postering a Love 
for Flowers. —By a recent resolution of the Public 
Parks committee of the Aberdeen Town Council, it was 
agreed to distribute amongst the artisans of the granite 
city, who cared to apply for them, a number of surplus 
plants which were in the hands of the keeper of the 
Duthie Public Park, Mr. Harper. The resolution was 
practically carried into effect on Tuesday and Wednes¬ 
day of last week, and the result has shown how highly 
the privilege has been appreciated. Over 20,000 plants 
were given away to the various applicants, in quantities 
of from six to twelve, according to their wants and 
means of preserving them through the winter. The 
people seemed highly pleased to get the plants, which 
consisted of 14,000 Pansies and Violas, all the very 
best sorts ; 6,000 Pelargoniums, scarlet, pink, bronze, 
and tricolor ; 2,000 Calceolarias, yellow and red, &c. 
North. of Scotland Horticultural Asso¬ 
ciation. —Au annual adjourned meeting of this 
Association was held on the 16 th inst. Mr. D. M. Smith, 
Argyll Place, Aberdeen, in the chair. There was a small 
attendance. Mr. William Reid, secretary, read the 
annual report, which contrasted unfavourably the work 
of last year with that of former years, the meetings 
being smaller, the discussions less animated, and less 
interest manifested in the work. The need for stimu¬ 
lating the interest of members in the affairs of the 
society was referred to by the chairman, Mr. France 
and others, the report being ultimately adopted. The 
office-bearers for next year were appointed as follows:—■ 
President, Mr. D. M. Smith ; vice-president, Mr. C. 
S. France (Messrs. Cardno and Darling) ; secretary, 
Mr. William Reid, 8, Hadden Street, Aberdeen ; 
treasurer, Mr. W. Wyllie, Market Street. The 
usual committees were appointed and a programme for 
the work of the ensuing season gone over. Votes of 
thanks terminated the proceedings. 
--— 
NOTES ON VEGETABLES. 
Cabbage, Winningstadt. 
This Cabbage is a great favourite with us, as it comes 
into use towards the end of August, and keeps up an 
excellent supply for months. A pinch of seed sown in 
August, and another in March, will produce plants 
which will yield capital heads of firm, crisp, sweet 
Cabbages during the last four months of the year. It 
is also a splendid sort for exhibition, growing into a 
good size, solid and well shaped, forming into a graceful 
cone, terminating in a sharp point. It is one of the 
finest second early Cabbages I know of, and one which 
I can highly recommend.— Arbutus. 
Onion, Cranston’s Excelsior. 
Those who admire large Onions will find in this some¬ 
thing to their taste. It is truly a grand sort, and one 
which, perhaps, yields a heavier crop than any other. 
It is not so much in the width as in the depth of the 
bulb that this Onion excels its fellows. It is well 
worth a little extra attention in cultural details ; a little 
help in the way of watering during times of drought 
is amply repaid by its yielding vastly superior bulbs. 
This variety has done exceptionally well here this 
season, surpassing all others grown under similar 
conditions. — Arbutus. 
Potato, Red Kidney. 
This Potato appears to be but little known or grown, 
but from my own experience, having grown a large 
number of sorts and cooked most of them for trial, it 
takes high rank at table. The crop was a good one 
and it ripens early.— Con. 
