January 8, 1898. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
295 
The pruning of standards, and the pruning and 
nailing or tying of wall trees, are now occupying the 
chief part of the attention in this department. With 
the open season there is everything in favour of get¬ 
ting this class of work well forward before the swel¬ 
ling buds render the operation hazardous. It must 
be borne in mind, however, that the mild winter 
will be sure to cause an early spring, and the season 
for such work will thus be proportionately shortened, 
unless we have a further taste of winter. The late 
cold snap was of service in putting a check on too 
forward buds, but the speedy recurrence to high tem¬ 
peratures will restore things to their precocious state. 
Standard Apples. —In the case of orchard trees 
the work of pruning is reduced to a minimum, and in 
some quarters dispensed with entirely, or to quote a 
homely phrase, *• the pole of the axe used instead of 
the head. 1 ’ An annual look round, however, would 
be of service, inasmuch as timely attention will help 
to lengthen the lives of fruitful trees, and bring to 
reason trees, that, like the Fig-tree of old, seem to 
esteem it their special lot in life to bring forth 
nothing but leaves. Any dead branches that may be 
observed should be cut out without delay, since, if 
left they only serve to carry decay to more vital 
parts of the tree, and also serve as a harbourage for 
insects. Any branches that are observed to be 
crossing each other must also be seen to. Usually 
the best plan of dealing with them is to cut one clean 
out. Spray-like growths that are observed to be 
issuing from the main brauches toward the centre of 
the trees should likewise be taken out, as it only 
serves to choke up the centre and exclude the light 
and air that are so necessary for the proper matura¬ 
tion of the wood and the formation of fruit buds. 
Where large branches have been cut the wounds 
should be dressed with coal tar as a preservative. 
Pyramidal Apples. —If proper attention has been 
given to summer pinching the winter pruning of 
these becomes a very light matter. It simply con¬ 
sists in cutting out all dead snags or injured spurs, 
and in making clean cuts where the summer pinch¬ 
ing has left rather ragged ends, or in completing the 
spurring back to the fruit buds where necessary. 
The shortening of the leaders must finally be seen to 
if close pruning is followed. Leave these at lengths 
varying according to the strength of each growth, and 
with a keen eye, of course, to the future symmetry of 
the tree. Shorten to a wood bud, which should 
point outwards, so that the next shoot may be 
in the desired direction. When the upper bud 
points inwards the growth is towards the centre of 
the tree, and thus a crooked main branch results. 
Extension System for Apples. —In not a few 
gardens close pruning is carried to excess, and the 
result is stunted trees that never carry half the fruit 
they ought to. Unfruitful bush or cup-shaped trees 
of this kind may often be vastly improved by allow¬ 
ing the leaders to remain at their full length, pinch¬ 
ing back the laterals during the summer in order to 
foster the development of fruit buds at the bases of 
the spurs, and following this up at the winter pruning 
by cutting over the spmrs where necessary and 
removing snags or dead wood. Of course the growth 
made by the leaders during the first year or two is 
great, but each succeeding season lessens it until the 
branches reach what is practically their natural 
limit of growth. It may be argued that such trees 
as these are ungainly objects from their great height, 
but surely this is counterbalanced by the increased 
crops of fruit. If desired, a few trees only may be 
first treated in this fashion, and theD, once the 
success of the system has been demonstrated, it may 
be extended. 
Most old gardeners shun the use of secateuis in 
pruning, and stick to the older-fashioned kmfe, not 
without some reason be it said, for there can be no 
doubt that the latter is the safer instrument to use, 
more especially when dealing with youDg trees. A 
good pair of secateurs, however, if properly used 
makes a fairly clean cut, and bruises the wood very 
little indeed. The point therefore is, do not the 
greater facilities for speed given by secateurs more 
than make up for a slightly inferior cleanness of 
cut ? For small fruits at all events the secateurs are 
far and away ahead of the knife, and we have never 
been able to trace evil results from their employment 
upon cordons and espaliers, and pyramidal, close- 
pruned trees. 
Planting and Transplanting. —As long as the 
soil is not too wet the planting of all kinds of fruit 
trees may be pushed on. Transplanting too may 
claim consideration in cases of trees that have 
hitherto proved unfruitful. The check consequent 
on lifting may induce them to set well with fruit 
buds during the coming season, and the following 
year will then bs all the richer in fruit. —A. S. G. 
KltcHen Barffen Calendar. 
The rains which have fallen so abundantly after the 
frost have made the soil so unworkable in low-lying 
places, that it would be far better to defer getting 
thereon until it has somewhat dried up, than to run 
any risk of losing a crop through trampling upon the 
ground when it is in such a condition. Stiff retentive 
soils are always difficult to manage, though, if taken 
in hand at the proper time, they are usually more 
suitable for the production of good vegetables than 
those of a light sandy nature, which are, however, 
always more easily worked. There is always plenty 
of work to do in this department, if the cultivator 
will only look around him ; and as many of our 
vegetable crops transplant so well, they can be 
brought forward in a limited space under cover. 
Peas. —If these are sown in large Go's where the 
pots can be afforded the protection of a cold frame, 
a three-light box would hold sufficient for a large 
establishment; and those of first-class quality could 
be grown, such, for example, as Early Morn, Gradus, 
Sutton's Early Marrow, Gem, and the like. If from 
ten to a dozen seeds are placed in a pot of the above 
size, ioo pots will be sufficient to plant a row 22 yards 
long. By sowing now and keeping the plants pro¬ 
tected at night and exposing them fully on all 
favourable occasions in the daytime, they will be 
both sturdy and well hardened off, ready for planting 
out when favourable weather occurs, towards the 
latter part of March, or in the more northern 
districts, early in April. Prom such sowings we have 
frequently gathered Peas at the end of May and early 
in June. Peas do well when grown in pots, and now 
that the Chrysanthemum season is past there will be 
ample room to bring them along. It is not necessary 
that they should be sown in large pots, as they 
transplant admirably, so that where room is limited 
the smaller pots may be used. Where there are 
several successional Peach hous:s there will be no 
difficulty in bringing them forward, so that good 
crops may be gathered early in May. Some varieties 
are hardier than others and these should be chosen 
for sowing in the open ground as soon as the 
weather is favourable. Springtide, Exonian, and 
Duke of York are good tall kinds ; while Chelsea 
Gem, William Hurst, and Carter’s Seedling are 
very good dwarf kinds. These latter may be sown 
on a warm border as soon as the soil is in a workable 
condition. 
Onions. —Where large Onions and Leeks are de¬ 
sired a sowing of these should be made in boxes, 
which should be placed where a gentle heat can be 
afforded, so as to ensure free germination. When 
the seedlings appear they should be kept as near to 
the glass as possible. A sprinkling of Lettuce and 
Cauliflower may also be treated in the same way. 
Forced Vegetables. —There is now a great de¬ 
mand for forced vegetables, and as these entail a 
great amount of labour special preparations should 
be made for their growth. Hot-beds should be 
formed for Carrots, Potatos, Asparagus, and such 
things, of sufficient depth to retain the heat till there 
is sufficient warmth generated by the sun to maintain 
the requisite temperature. If leaves were got to¬ 
gether when they were dry, two-thirds of these to one- 
third of stable manure will retain the heat far longer 
than stable manure alone. Care must be taken to 
rid the soil of any insect pests before sowing and 
planting, or the crop will either be a failure or very 
much damaged. Young snails are very partial to 
Carrots just as they appear through the soil, so that 
a sharp look out should be had for these. A sowing 
of Radishes should now be made on a slight hot-bed, 
and where the soil is light and dry a pinch of seed 
can also be put down in a warm border. This should 
be covered with straw mats or litter till such time 
as the seed germinates, after which the covering may 
be dispensed with in the daytime, unless it is very 
frosty. Birds are very destructive to this crop just as 
the young plants are making their appearance; there¬ 
fore a close watch must be kept. When the weather 
is unfavourable for outside work Seakale cuttings 
can be made. If the lower end of these is cut in a 
diagonal manner, and the top horizontal, there will 
be no difficulty experienced in planting th.em. When 
the cuttings are made they should be covered with 
decayed litter to protect them from host.—Kitchen 
Tlie Orcfiid Browe r’s Calendar. 
Odontoglossum crispum Alexandrae— At the 
famous auction rooms of Messrs. Protheroe & 
Morris, in Cheapside, on Friday, we were given a 
chance to select from a splendid importation of this, 
the most popular, the most easy to grow, and the 
most variable of all the cool house Orchids. There 
are, doubtless, amongst the purchasers some to whom 
a few hints on their’ treatment will be of some 
service. 
Our plan with imported O. crispum is on arrival 
to get the plants thoroughly cleaned, cutting away 
any decayed pseudobulbs, some of the old bracts, 
&c , but in doing this always be careful not to ex¬ 
pose the young growths too much. They do not 
appear to us to come away so freely as they do 
when protected for a time with the bracts, which is 
after all only natural. This being done lay them 
out singly on the stage of the cool house. Here they 
should remain for about three weeks, when, if the 
house is a fairly moist one, they will have plumped 
up and be in a fit state to pot. Sometimes, however, 
at this time of the year, we get some very severe 
weather, and the houses dry up very quickly conse¬ 
quent on the hard firing that obtains. Such being 
the case we would recommend a layer of live moss 
being put on the stage to lay the plants upon, This 
will help them considerably. 
In potting up imported plants always use as small 
pots as is possible, and plenty of drainage. Some 
there are that advise their being put in crocks alone 
for a time, but it is not a practice of ours, believing, 
as we do, that it is a waste of time. The compost 
should be Polypodium or peat-fibre (the latter for 
preference) and an equal quantity of Sphagnum moss. 
The peat should be fairly moist, and the moss also, 
but not wet, and pressed around the plants mode¬ 
rately firmly, so that the plants do not topple over at 
every little touch. Until established they may be 
stood pot thick, which prevents their drying up too 
quickly. A gentle syringing over head to keep the 
moss alive is all they require till the growths are 
well up and roots are running through the compost, 
when the supply should be ample. Some are afraid 
to syringe overhead in the winter,but there is no need 
for alarm unless the temperature is allowed to run 
down low. It is not safe to let it go below 45°, un¬ 
less the outside temperature is exceptionally low. 
This Orchid may be described as one of the 
cleanest grown, when the atmospheric conditions of 
the house are suitable ; but with severe weather and 
hard firing, it is subject to the attacks of yellow 
thrips, which secret themselves in the hearts of the 
young growths, crippling the same and spoiling the 
spikes completely, if not kept under. Dipping in a 
solution of tobacco water and fumigating with XL 
All will keep them in check. 
If these few hints are acted upon we feel sure that 
the results will be as satisfactory as are our own.— C. 
- »I- 
Tubercles on the Roots of Pea Plants.-Some ex¬ 
periments have been conducted at the Louisiana 
Experiment Station, U S A., with the view of ascer¬ 
taining the influence of deep and shallow planting 
upon the root tubercles of Pea plants, the depth to 
which the nitrifying germs penetrate, and the results 
of transferring them to different host plants. The 
Field Pea was planted at depths varying from : in 
to 6 in., and the root system was best developed in 
the case of plants from seeds placed at 2 in. or 3 in. 
from the surface. Pots were filled with soil taken at 
depths varying from 1 ft. to 3 ft., but tubercles were 
found in relatively small quantities only on those 
plants grown in soil not more than 12 in. below the 
surface, the rest having no tubercles. When the 
surface was artificially inoculated with germs, root 
tubercles were produced in abundance. The experi¬ 
ments also go to show that each species, or at most, 
each genus of plants has a different microbe 
peculiar to it. 
