July 11th, 1885. 
707 
Clje dkrkntitg Work 
SATURDAY, JULY 11th, 1885. 
The Fruit Cuops. — Ere now stock lias 
geneially been taken of the country’s fruit crops 
of the year, and the reports will doubtless be 
somewhat conflicting, though, on the whole, fairly 
good. We are by no means assured that a heavy 
fruit crop is an unmitigated good, for it is certain 
that when such is the case, very much is taken out 
of the trees without an adequate return. Still 
iarther, a heavy crop of necessity means a poor 
one the following year, and consequent loss, 
whilst the superabundance which is always the 
case when heavy crops prevail invariably leads to 
low prices and much waste. That there should 
have been almost universal anticipations of a big 
crop this season was natural enough, having 
regard to the ripening nature of the previous 
season, the consequent wondrous production of 
fruit buds on all kinds of trees and bushes, and 
finally and not least, the marvellous display of 
hloom seen in the spring —a show of fruit-tree 
flower which has seldom been equalled. 
But all this promise was during the month of 
April very much discounted by the long spell 
of low temperature which then prevailed, and 
which always acts disastrously upon fertility, 
hence it was felt impossible for all trees and 
gardens to entirely escape its effect, and many r did 
not. Still there can be little doubt that the com- 
paratively moderate setnowseen on many fruit trees 
is very largely due to the straininduced by an exces¬ 
sive bloom. It is a recognized axiom with many 
old fruit growers that a gay spring is seldom 
followed by a prolific summer, by which is meant 
that an excessive bloom seldom becomes the 
progenitor of a heavy fruit crop. No doubt 
at the first there was promise of a big set 
on almost all kinds of fruit, but the lack of 
fertility in much of the bloom, induced both by 
the cause just referred to and to the long term 
of low temperature, presently told on the crop, 
and imperfect fruits have fallen thickly; hence, 
it is hardly correct to say that we find this 
season a heavy fruit crop, although, without 
doubt, we have an abundant one. 
We find, for instance, wall-fruits are abundant, 
because under no circumstances are these trees 
permitted to overstrain themselves, let the set¬ 
ting crop be ever so great. But wall-fruits play 
a very unimportant part in the economy of the 
nation, and, therefore, they do not now require 
at our hands further reference. Our most popu¬ 
lar national fruit, the Apple, is an abundant crop, 
though not generally a heavy one. The fruits 
have thinned materially during the past few 
weeks, and it is not at all probable that we shall 
see the abundance of Apples which marked the 
season of 18S2. On the other hand, should the 
trees receive the assistance of some showers 
during the next few weeks, there can be little 
doubt but that the samples in the autumn will 
be large and good, so that thinness in number 
will be somewhat compensated for in extra size. 
Altogether, we are very pleased indeed with 
the Apple crop, which should prove just large 
enough to be profitable. Pears have thinned 
even more than Apples, and happily so, for the 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
first set was heavy. Still, there is what may bo 
well termed a large sprinkling of good sorts, and 
an abundance of commoner kinds. We shall see 
fine clean samples presently, and should the 
project of a Pear congress at Chiswick this year 
be realized, the samples shown ought to bo 
unusually representative and good. Plums, 
especially Victorias, are very abundant, although 
stoning time proved to be a veritable pons 
asinorum for many imperfect fruits. Still, trees 
already have to be supported with props, and 
that fact speaks volumes. Generally, we shall 
see a capital Plum year, and it is earnestly hoped 
that no false choleraic alarm may be raised to 
check the consumption of this useful fruit, and 
that growers may for once again obtain some 
little set off for many past bad seasons. 
Cherries have widely proved deceptive, as fruit 
has thinned immensely since stoning set in, and 
we must regard the crop, except on walls, as a 
very moderate one. Even Morellos on standard 
trees are thin, so that the one Cherry crop of ten 
years is not for the present season. Gooseberries 
have generally been abundant, though in some 
gardens the April frosts and winds did much 
execution. Still there so far has been enough 
to make the fruit too cheap. Black Currants 
have thin bunches, but what fruit is hanging will 
be fine. The crop will be very good, though not 
heavy. Bed Currants are very fair, and fine, 
and the Baspberry crop will probably prove 
to be one of the best of the season, as, indeed, 
it usually is. Strawberries are fair, but recent 
drought and heat have told somewhat upon the 
later fruit, and it is small, and ripening indiffer¬ 
ently. Walnuts will not be very abundant, but 
small nuts should be an unusually heavy crop, 
Bedding Plants. —No sooner are beds full, 
and borders gay with their summer occupants, 
than it is time to think of beginning to propagate 
in order to make provision for another year; but 
before doing this, it is advisable to make note of 
the effect produced the present season, to see if 
any improvement can be made, as now every¬ 
thing is under the eye, faults or weak points are 
soon detected, and may be easily remedied in 
any future arrangement. Where the beds are 
many in number, it is best to have a plan of 
them, and to mark out the rows on each, and 
make a list of the number of plants necessary to 
fill them, by doing which there is no confusion 
when the bedding-out season arrives, as all can 
be got ready beforehand, and no more of any 
one kind struck than is absolutely wanted for 
planting. This limiting of the stock not only 
saves valuable room, but it gives a chance of 
growing the plants bigger and better, which is a 
great gain, as by using such for beds and borders, 
they furnish at once, and quickly come into 
bloom. 
The first things that ought to be started on are 
the Pelargoniums, which take the most time to 
root, and not only that, but if deferred till late, 
they are apt to damp off, as when growth 
becomes more rapid they are full of sap, and 
soft, in which state they seldom strike freely. 
This being so, choice should be made of the firm 
shoots as they become available; and though it 
may appear to rob the beds of much of their 
bloom to take these, the loss is only temporary, 
for in the end the thinning-out to which the 
plants are subjected really does good, as by 
letting in the light and air more flowering wood 
is made, and instead of a lot of weak, attenuated 
shoots, they all push up short-jointed and 
strong. 
It is the practice with some to lay their Pelar¬ 
gonium cuttings out for a little time before putting 
them in, but that is quite unnecessary, and rather 
detrimental than otherwise, as during hot, dry 
weather it is a difficult matter to prevent them 
drying up, and to have them shrivelled before 
they go into the soil gives them but a very poor 
chance. 
(ittrbwhtg iHisrelkttg, 
Flower Shows for Next Week. — Tuesday: 
Meeting of the Fruit and Floral Committees at South 
Kensington, and Exhibition of Plants and Flowers. 
■—Christleton Rose Show. Wednesday : Exhibitions 
at Bedford and Moreton-in-the-Marsh. Thursday: 
Flower Shows at Chiswick, Helensburgh, and Win¬ 
chester. Friday : Show in the Botanical Gardens, 
Sheffield. Saturday : Wirral Rose Show at Birken- 
head. 
Mr. Sherwood, of the firm of Messrs. Hurst & 
Son, 152, Hounsditeh, and one of the trustees of the 
Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent Institution, has con¬ 
sented to preside at the next anniversary festival. 
The last representative of the seed trade who occupied 
the chair was the late Right Hon. Charles Lawson, 
Lord Provost of Edinburgh, twenty-one years ago, so 
that it is anticipated, and not unreasonably, we 
think, that “ (he trade ” will next year make a 
special effort to ensure the success of the gathering. 
A handsome gold watch of the value of fifty guineas, 
and a cheque for £450, was presented to the 
indefatigable secretary of the Institution at the late 
celebration of the annual festival, a report of which 
will be found in another column. 
The annual picnic of the members of the Man¬ 
chester Horticultural Improvement Society will take 
place on the 30th inst,, when “ The Dukeries ” will 
be visited. 
The Challenge Cup, valued sixty guineas, and £5, 
ottered by the National Rose Society for seventy-two 
single trusses, was won on Tuesday by Mr. B. R, 
Cant, Colchester. 
Mr. Reece, gardener to R. Whyte, Esq., Pentland 
House, Lee, on Wednesday won the Silver Memorial 
Cup presented to the Lee & Blackheath Horticultural 
Society by John Penn, Esq., in memory of the late 
President, Dr. Carr, he having at the annual show 
won the largest amount of prize money. 
Mr. H. Bennett, of Shepperton, was successful on 
Tuesday in gaining another of the National Rose 
Society’s Gold Medals for one of his seedling Roses—- 
Mrs. John Laing—a very fine seedling from Francois 
Michelon, raised several years ago at Stapleford. 
Mr. J. Clark, gardener at Manor House, Congleton, 
has been engaged as gardener to Mrs. Birchell, 
Ribbleton Hall, Preston. 
Mr. T. Blair, son of Mr. Blair, gardener at Shrub- 
land Park, has been engaged by the Duke of Suther¬ 
land to take charge of the gardens at Trentham, in 
the absence of Mr. Stevens through illness. 
The annual Strawberry Fete at Chiswick took place 
on Thursday, and, favoured by fine weather, was well 
attended. 
The last number of The Gardeners’ Magazine con¬ 
tains the first portion of a complete catalogue of 
garden Roses, arranged alphabetically, and carried 
down to Louise Peyronny. Some of our readers will 
doubtless be glad to know of such a useful com¬ 
pilation. 
On Friday next, Messrs. Protheroe & Morris will 
sell the new Angrtecums, Leoni, Seottianum, and 
others, at then- rooms in Cheapside. On Wednesday, 
there will be a special sale of Orchids in flower at 
Stevens’s Rooms. 
A copy of the portrait of the late Mr. G. Bentham, 
in the Linnean Society’s Rooms, has been made for 
the Royal Gardens, Kew, by Miss Merrick. 
Mr. James Lee, from Dalkeith Gardens, has been 
engaged as gardener to Captain Grant, Glen Grant, 
Morayshire. 
The annual exhibition of the Finchley Horticul¬ 
tural Society will be held on Tuesday next in the 
grounds of Mr. Alderman Cotton, M.P., Woodside, 
Whetstone. 
On Wednesday and Thursday next a Rose show will 
be held in the Botanical Gardens, Birmingham. 
Ladv Burdett Coutts lately made an offer to the 
holders of gardens on the allotment grounds at High- 
gate New Town of a bee-hive. The offer was accepted 
by six of those to whom it was made, and the bee¬ 
hives, with appliances, have been delivered to them 
by Mr. Abbott, of Southall, 
