322 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
January 21, 1893. 
killed, as are those of the better known variety aureo 
reticulata. Clethra arborea, which, gets some size in 
in the Channel Islands,appears dead, and the beauti¬ 
ful pinnate leaves of Electryon excelsum on a 
young plant are in the same condition. We have 
frequently seen Photinia ovata come through the 
ordeal of a trying winter, but the injured condition 
of the leathery leaves seems unaccountable even after 
the severe frosts which we have recently encountered. 
The species and varieties of Ceanothus generally get 
more or less injured even in fairly ordinary winters, 
so that we are not surprised that they should present 
a dilapidated condition. The broad leaved ones are 
more liable to suffer than the narrow leaved ones. 
The unripened tips of the shoots of Cistus populi- 
folius have also suffered to some extent. The 
variegated Kadsura japonica seems to have suffered 
less than the green leaved form, but neither of 
them will look fresh till they have made fresh 
growth. 
If there is any difference the shrubs located on 
east walls have suffered more than those on western 
aspects. Akebia quinata, which is usually grown in 
a greenhouse, has been very much injured, and 
Lardizabala biternata, belonging to the same family, 
has been considerably browned, but may recover 
The Macartney Rose, although evergreen, has become 
quite brown as far as the leaves are concerned. The 
Heath, like Fabiana imbricata from Chili hangs its 
head as if in distress, and the broad leathery leaves 
of Decumaria barbata are brown in many cases. 
The unripe shoots of the Common Passionflower are 
killed. So far the Chilian Edwardsia Macnabiana 
and Abelia rupestris from China seem only slightly 
injured, but time will tell. The young shoots of the 
common Jasmine are dead, and the same may be 
said of Rosa Fortuneana. A more deplorable aspect 
could not be depicted than that of Stranvaesia 
glaucescens, the leaves of which are brown and dead 
from top to bottom. Curiously enough the young 
leaves of Piptanthus nepalensis are quite fresh, while 
the old ones have been destroyed. The Chilian 
Duvaua longifolia and Maytenus chilensis hold out 
bravely, but they are more or less scorched where 
the shoots stand out some distance from the wall, 
or have been subjected to cutting winds. 
In the open ground the Golden Privet has got cut 
to some extent, and the shruoby Hypericums, such 
as H. oblongum, H. aureum, and H. densiflorum, 
look rather shabby and will no doubt have to break 
again from the base. Neillia -thyrsiflora, probably 
because more nearly evergreen than N. populifolia, 
better known as Spiraea opulifolia, has suffered the 
loss of its leaves, and to all appearance the tips of 
the shoots. Amidst such mischief to tender and in 
many cases choice subjects, it is pleasant to note 
that some things appear quite safe so far, notably 
Cistus corbariensis, C. laurifolius, C. ladaniferous, 
and others. Notospartum Carmichaeliae never has 
much foliage at any time, and none in winter, so that 
its fresh appearance is no doubt due to that circum¬ 
stance Some flowers were open the other day upon 
Lonicera Standishi and others about to expand. 
The typical Trachelospermum jasminoides is usually 
grown in the greenhouse or stove, but the variety 
T. j. ar.gustifolium appears quite hardy, for it is all 
but uninjured. 
THE VEGETABLE CAROEM. 
Mushroom House. 
As sufficient manure is prepared continue to make 
up beds at regular intervals, so that no break occurs 
in the supply. During the severe weather be careful 
not to let the pipes get too hot, and keep the atmos¬ 
phere moist, and as regular as possible, as nothing 
is so hurtful to Mushrooms as extremes of heat and 
moisture.— G. H S. 
Forcing Vegetables. 
Put in regular batches of Seakale and Rhubarb. 
For the Seakale use fresh loam, as this greatly 
improves the flavour of the produce. When it is 
forced indoors the weather will not affect the 
gathering when wanted, but when forced in the open 
care must be taken in the frosty weather to cut in 
ihe middle of the day all that is required. The 
heating material will have to be carefully watched 
to see that it does not become too hot, or on the 
other hand too cold. Put in regular supplies of 
Chicory and Dandelion roots to supply materials for 
tqe salad bowl. About the end of this month a 
frame, on a gentle hot-bed, should be sown with 
French Horn Carrots. Rows of Radishes may be 
sown between the Carrots, as they will come off 
before the latter become very large. — G. H. S. 
Exhibiting Vegetables. 
I notice a misprint in my paper on exhibiting 
vegetables at p. 307 in the eighth line from the 
bottom of the column under the heading of Carrots, 
“ holes made 2 ft. deep ” should read “ 5 ft. deep." 
Allow me to thank you for your kind remarks on the 
collection of vegetables which I staged at the 
Westminster Aquarium at the November show of the 
N.C.S. I quite agree with you that I exceeded the usual 
quantities of each variety, but I do not think, had I 
shown less, that I could have made such an attrac¬ 
tive arrangement, as the space allotted to each 
exhibitor was something like twenty square feet, 
which is much too large for a collection of six 
varieties of the usual quantities, as was amply proved 
by many of the competitors not covering more than 
three parts of their space. I think if those respon¬ 
sible for the division of the spaces had given the 
general effect more consideration, less room would 
have been left for criticism . — James Gibson, The Oaks 
Gardens, Carshaltcn, Jan, 13 ih. 
- — - 
CONCERNING CURRANTS. 
My old friend, Shirley Hibberd, once said he was 
taught to prune Currant trees at twelve years of age. 
I can say much the same, as I went to work in a 
garden when I was about that age and the pruning 
of bush fruit trees was one of the first things I 
learned. Close by was a market garden in which 
bush fruits were largely grown, and the method 
of pruning adopted by the old proprietor, who was 
to a considerable extent my teacher, was right for 
that day and right for ever, as far as our present 
method of cultivating the Currant is concerned. 
Red, White, and Black Currants appear to be just 
the same now as they were then, with perhaps the 
addition of a few improved varieties. My old 
teacher said to me, ‘‘Look here, lad, just take the 
branch in your left hand, and mind ye, Red and 
White Currants are pruned the same way ; and your 
knife so ’’ (turning the blade upwards) " in the right, 
and cut the shoot away so as to leave it four or five 
buds only from the old wood. But Black Currants 
you do another way ; you take the branch at the tip 
and cut away a fourth part of it, as you see these 
bear all the way up ; but Red and White only bear 
on the old wood, or very close to the old wood." 
Such were my instructions from one who had 
graduated in a fruit garden, and had spent his life at 
the work. 
I once saw a plantation of Red and White Currant 
trees that formed a part of a garden which, for lack 
of a tenant, had been suffered to fall into sad 
neglect, and had not been pruned for several years. 
They were like neglected Osiers, consisting of an 
almost impenetrable mass of long rods, 8 ft. to 10 ft. 
high, which all the summer were beautifully wreathed 
with the suffocating growth of the Bear-bind (Con¬ 
volvulus arvensis) with its elegant leaves and snow- 
white flowers. The trees bore well, neglected 
though they were, but the fruit was small and 
feasted truant schoolboys and the birds. When the 
garden was taken, the proprietor saw the almost 
hopelessness of attempting to reduce the trees to 
decent proportions, and if that could be done there 
was the Bear-bind to reckon with. The following 
process was adopted :—A search was made for wood 
two or three years old that had put forth roots 
through their bases touching the soil, and in this 
way a collection of miniature trees were obtained 
with stems a foot or so in length, and the three or 
four branches or shoots upon them cut back to four 
and six inches. These were planted in a well-pre¬ 
pared bed, and the following season they grew with 
remarkable vigour. They actually bore a crop, but 
it would have been better if they had not been 
allowed to fruit, and allowed instead a year’s pro¬ 
bation of preparation. The trees made plenty of 
clean wood, and they were pruned in autumn in the 
usual way. 
Meanwhile the old trees were dug up and burned, 
the ground trenched and cleared of the Bear-bind, 
and a good manuring given to it, and the young 
trees planted in their place ; they produced a fair 
crop the following season, but after that they bore 
freely and finely. Thus there was a distinct gain in 
selecting the rooted wood for trees rather than 
trusting to the much longer process of rearing trees 
from cuttings of the young wood. If any one 
doubts this statement, let them try it. 
It is noticeable how some persons m ake a hobby of 
the fancy culture of Currants. I had a neighbour 
who grew Red Currants on a single shoot, and he got 
them up to a height of from twelve to fourteen feet, 
and a pair of high steps had to be brought into re¬ 
quisition to gather the fruits. He got poor crops, but 
an immense deal of pleasure out of the experiment. 
Some persons grow Standard Currants with marked 
success. To make a standard, cuttings of strong 
young shoots are necessary, and they are disbudded 
to within four buds of the top in the usual way. 
The top bud is allowed to grow, the others pinched 
in and kept very short. When the stem is five feet 
in height a head is formed, and it is made of three or 
four shoots which are slightly pruned the first season, 
the object at that stage being to get wood and not 
fruit. The next year these produce an abundance cf 
side shoots, which are pinched back, and then fruit 
follows, for where the shoots are pinched back to two 
or three buds, six inches of blossom buds will form, 
and in due time the heads will be hung with fruit all 
round. The after pruning consists in cutting back, 
first, to preserve the contour of the head and a rather 
open centre ; and secondly, to secure fruit. As a 
matter of course the closer the pruning is done back 
to the junction of the young wood with the old, the 
fewer but finer will be the bunches. 
Some prefer the pyramid form of tree to the bush, 
and much the same treatment is necessary, but 
instead of taking up an upright stem, plenty of wood 
right and left must be secured, the bases of which 
should be about nine inches from the ground, trust¬ 
ing to time to carry the stem of the tree a little 
higher. It is important to form a good base, so it is 
necessary to tie out the shoots to stakes, and at the 
winter pruning, cut them back to a third or half 
their length and then on that foundation keep build¬ 
ing, with every season’s growth, another and another 
tier of branches ; and in due time train to a sharp 
point when the height reached is considered sufficient. 
From this point downwards the outline will extend in 
regular oblique lines to the ground. But it is of the 
utmost importance to note that the foundation of the 
tree must be first laid. 
The summer pruning or pinching of Currant trees 
is now a good deal practised, removing to two eyes 
or so the side shoots, which adds to the fineness cf 
the fruit, admitting light and air among the branches. 
The White Currant is but a variety of the red, 
but whether a seminal one, or whether it originated 
as a sport, or whether the changed condition of 
colour is traceable to cultivation, it is difficult to 
say. The best red varieties are Red Dutch or 
Knight’s Early, of upright growth, and large 
berries ; Raby Castle, with its very dark crimson 
berries, which makes it so valuable for exhibition 
purposes; Fay’s Prolific Red, an American variety, 
of a deep dark red colour, which keeps well; and the 
New Dutch or Chiswick Red, the growth spreading 
and vigorous, fruit dark red, a very free cropper. 
The White Currants are regarded as the most 
delicate in flavour, and therefore best adapted for 
dessert purposes. Of these there are the White 
Dutch, early ; White Transparent, one of the best 
dessert sorts ; the White Versailles, which is the 
largest; and Shilling’s White, cut leaved, a slow 
grower, a great bearer, and one of the sweetest. 
Some remarks upon the Black Currant, and a 
selection of sorts, shall follow next week.— R. D. 
-—- 
ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
We take the following extracts from the Report of 
the Council for the year 1892, to be presented to the 
Annual Meeting of Fellows on February 14th. 
The year 1892 has again been one of steady work 
and progress for our Society. Two Conferences 
have been held at Chiswick, viz. : on Begonias and 
on Apricots and Plums. The attendance of Fellows 
and others at these conferences, as also at the .fort¬ 
nightly lectures in the Drill Hall has continued to 
be more encouraging than in previous years. 
Twenty-two Fruit and Flcral Meetings have been 
held in the Drill Hall, besides those held at Chis¬ 
wick, and lectures have been delivered at nineteen 
of them. The number of awards has been as 
follows:—On the recommendation of the Floral 
Committee, 62 First Class Certificates against 33 in 
1891, 156 Awards of Merit against 183, and 2 Botani- 
