744 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
July 23, 1898. 
FOR 
MATEURS. 
The month of July is one of the most important of 
all the months of the year to the fruit grower, for at 
this season of the year hardy fruit trees are calling 
for special attention, upon the proper performance of 
which will be very largely determined their future 
career. Experience has shown most conclusively 
that the summer pruning or pinching cannot be 
neglected with impunity, and that if it is carelessly 
or ignorantly performed the trees are bound to 
suffer. The whole object of a fruit-tree’s 
existence is to produce fruit of good quality and in 
abundance. Everything else is subordinate to this, 
although the cultivator soon finds out that in the 
case of wall trees closely trained according to a 
particular system there is a very close connection 
between symmetry of shape and fruitfulness. 
Different trees must, of course, be treated in 
different ways, but in every case the summer pruning 
or pinching is directed towards assisting the trees to 
develop fruit buds, by turning their energies into 
the proper channel and preventing the waste of 
material that would otherwise ensue were this 
restraining and directing influence not brought to 
bear. Besides this husbanding of the tree's resources 
another advantage accrues from timely pruning, viz., 
that the removal of superfluous branches and portions 
of branches lets in the light to all parts of the tree, 
and firmer, better ripened, wood is forthcoming. 
Cordon Pears.—The cordon system of training 
Pears is a very popular and successful one, and has, 
moreover, given rise to a number of styles, all of 
which are to be recommended according to what is 
required Thus we have single cordons, in which the 
plant is confined to a single stem which is allowed to 
lengthen as it lists, and which may be trained either 
vertically or at some angle to the ground, usually 
from 45° to 6o°. Then again we have the multiple 
cordon, in which each tree has several branches, all 
of which, however, are looked after in exactly the 
same way as the single cordon. These, too, may be 
either trained vertically or at an angle. The truit is 
borne upon the spurs, which clothe these main 
branches along their whole length, and in order to 
get fruit we must endeavour to induce the trees to 
develop blossom or fruit buds upon all the spurs. 
The lateral growths will now need to be stopped, say 
between the fifth and sixth leaves. Very weak 
shoots may be pinched closer, but it is not advisable 
to pinch or cut back the strong growths too closely, 
for io do so would cause the now dormant buds to 
break into growth this season, and produce a lot of 
whip-like shoots, and this is not at all what is 
wanted. This is the usual system of pinching. 
Another plan that is both safe and effective is to 
pinch all the strongest shoots at the filth leaf rather 
earlier in the season, say about the end of June in an 
ordinary year, leaving all the weaker ones untouched ; 
then in October to follow this up by cutting all the 
shoots down to three buds. The only disadvantage 
attaching to this method is that the trees look rather 
untidy during the summer months. 
Horizontally Trained and Espalier Pears. — 
There is no difference in the treatment required by 
these to that recommended for the cordons. The 
trees are really multifold cordons with their branches 
trained horizontally. Allow the leaders of main 
branches to lengthen as they will. The laterals 
towards the end of the branches should be pinched 
rather early in the season, and before any of the 
others have been touched. With espaliers a 
good deal of care is necessary. The laterals 
on the upper main boughs should be pinched some 
days before those on the lower ones, for the lower 
branches have always a tendency to be weak, as the 
sap rushes in its greatest force to the highest point. 
If the growths on the lower boughs are observed to 
be very weak allow them to remain as they are for a 
few weeks. They will be all the better without the 
check of pinching. By following this plan the 
balance of strength between the main branches will 
be preserved, and the cultivator will not have to 
deplore undue strength in one and undue weakness 
in another. 
Pyramidal Pears—Here again the top boughs 
have a tendency to appropriate the sap that should 
go to the nourishment of the lower ones, and thus 
the practice of stopping the upper laterals some 
days before the lower ones should be carried out. 
Pinch back to the fourth or fifth leaf according to 
the strength of the shoot, but leave the leader of 
each branch at its full length for the present. 
Horizontally Trained Apples.—Here also the 
fruit is borne upon spurs, and summer pinching to 
the fourth or fifth leaf must be practised in order to 
induce the development of fruit instead of simply 
wood bulbs at the bases of these shoots. 
Cup-shaped Apples.—This system of training has 
been exceedingly popular, and the old-fashioned 
kitchen garden had usually a row of cup-shaped 
Apple trees all round the sides of the walks. In this 
case also the aim is to have fruitful spurs along the 
whole length of the branches. Stop all the growths 
upon these spurs at the fourth or fifth leaf, but leave 
the leader of each branch at its full length to be 
dealt with at the winter pruning. Trees of this sort 
will not infrequently make a great deal of strong 
growth in their leaders, but there is little to fear from 
this as far as the welfare of the fruiting spurs goes. 
Dwarf Bush and Pyramid Apples on the Paradise 
stock are invaluable for small gardens, inasmuch as 
they commence to fruit while they are yet small, and 
the trees can be easily looked after without using a 
step-ladder. The object with these is to keep the 
centre of the tree from becoming crowded with 
sucker like shoots and thus to admit the light and 
air to all parts of it. Any thinning of centre shoots 
that may be necessary should therefore be looked 
after, but those shoots that need stopping should not 
be cut back at all closely, for these dwarf trees are 
not inclined to make nearly such rank growth as 
others on the Crab stock. After the requisite thin¬ 
ning has been done the other shoots may be left at 
their full length for the present, and shortened back 
to half their length in October. 
Morello Cherries.—These are distinct from the 
ordinary sweet Cherry in their manner of growth 
and bearing, for they produce their fruit on wood of 
the previous season’s growth. Hence it will be 
necessary to lay in at full length a sufficiency of 
shoots to keep up next year's fruit supply. In 
“laying,” or tying in, take care that the growths are 
not too crowded. The thin and weak ones may be 
cut clean out if neatness is desired, or they may be 
allowed to remain to keep the nets pushed away from 
the wall, and thus, prevent the birds from getting at 
the fruit. After the fruit is gathered the old wood, 
as far as it is not wanted to carry the young, may be 
cut out in order to give more room, but this will not 
require attention until at least the middle of August. 
Sweet Cherries on Walls.—Here the fruit is 
borne on spurs from fruit buds formed the previous 
summer. Accordingly, the usual pinching must be 
resorted to in order to induce the formation of these 
buds. The leaders of the main branches should not 
be shortened, but left at their full length. 
Plums.—On wall trees Plums generally send out a 
lot of breastwood—probably the extra heat and 
shelter they obtain from the wall is the cause of this 
—but it is dangerous to pinch too early or too 
closely, for the now dormant buds at the base are 
very quick to answer to any stimulus, and would 
soon break into growth if supplied too freely with 
sap. The fruit is borne on spurs on growth from 
one to three years of age. The general instructions 
given for spur pruning will apply here, with the 
caution above given not to pinch too close or too 
early 
Peaches and Nectarines —With these, the chief 
part of the pruning should have been done in Spring 
with the finger and thumb, only instead of calling it 
pruning then we called it disbudding. From the 
buds then selected to be left strong young shoots 
have sprung, and these must be laid in to form suc¬ 
cession shoots for bearing next year. A few of them 
may need to be cut out, but this will depend upon 
the state of the tree, whether crowded or not. It 
must therefore be left to the operator’s own dis¬ 
cretion, with the caution to avoid crowding as far as 
is possible. More room will, of course, be given 
these succession shoots when the gathering of the 
fruit renders it possible to take out many of the 
shoots bearing it.— Rex. 
* I 
-- 
The Common Bindweed, Convolvulus arvensis, also 
a native of this country, is a great pest in Canadian 
farms and gardens. It has been discovered that 
common salt is the best thing for killing it. 
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 ol their letters. 
Raspberries.^-C. P.: You might increase the size of 
the fruit to some extent by watering with liquid 
farmyard manure as you suggest, but this would 
only be temporary relief. The plants are evidently 
run out and the ground poor and exhausted. Next 
autumn, therefore, we should strongly advise you to 
root the whole lot out, and make a plantation in 
another part of the garden, when special attention 
may be given to the preparation of the soil. If you 
decide to do this write later on and we will give you 
what bints you may need. We may say at once, 
however, that it would be advisable to get fresh 
plants from the nurseryman, and it would probably 
be mere waste of time troubling to replant pieces of 
the old stools. 
Aspidistra lurida.— Craft : We should scarcely 
term the plant hardy, although it will pass compara¬ 
tively unhurt through mild winters out-of-doors in 
the south of England. It is true the constitution of 
the plant is vigorous and enables it to withstand a 
fairly low temperature as well as conditions of aridity 
and drought that are almost equally fatal with most 
other plants, but this does not render it ** hardy,” 
as gardeners understand the term. The variegated 
form is a little more tender than the type, but for all 
practical purposes is fully as easy to grow as the 
green one. 
Tree Lupine.— Carolus: The Tree Lupine, Lupinus 
arboreus, although perhaps not seen so frequently in 
gardens as it ought to be, is not at all a rare plant. 
It does very well in the herbaceous border, or in a 
shrubbery, but likes a light rich soil, and a sheltered 
position. Its habit is that of a dense bush with long 
branches that sweep the ground, whilst the racemes 
of flower stand up all over in very conspicuous 
fashion. The best method of propagation is by seed, 
which may be obtained at a very reasonable price. 
The seed should be sown in Spring, either out-of- 
doors in the position in which the plants are to 
remain, or in pots or pans placed in a cold frame. 
Cuttings will root if they are taken off with a small 
heel, inserted in very sandy soil, placed in a frame 
and covered with a bell glass, but seed-sowing is the 
much easier way. 
Hanging Basket for Front Door.— Geo. Henson: 
We think you cannot do better than go in for one of 
the fine varieties of Ivy-leaf Pelargonium for your 
hanging basket. You will find Souvenir de Charles 
Turner one of the best varieties for your purpose. 
The plant is Daturally of pendant habit, and the 
trusses of deep pink flowers are large and showy. 
For a basket, one of the ordinary wire ones to be 
met with at oil shops, will suit well enough if you 
must have a basket. It should be lined with moss to 
keep the soil fiom being washed through during 
watering. If there is any d fficulty in getting a 
basket to suit why not suspend an ordinary pot ? It 
would be even less trouble. 
Azaleas — S. L. C.: If the plants are making 
growth freely we should keep them under glass for 
another fortnight, when they may be put out-of- 
doors to harden and mature their growth. 
Fuchsia not Flowering .—Fuchsia : Probably your 
Fuchsias are ol some nearly worthless variety that 
is very shy in flowering. Plants picked up at the 
door at a penny each are not to be trusted. We 
assume the plants are yet small and weak. They 
may flower later on in the summer. 
Herbaceous Calceolarias.—C. P.: It is not too 
late to sow seed of herbaceous Calceolarias but you 
should not delay a day longer in doing it. Do not put 
the seed pan into heat; a cold frame will be the best 
place for it. 
Peaches.—C. P.: The lateral growths of Peaches 
should be pinched, and not allowed to run on. The 
dropping of the fruits that often and in fact usually 
takes places to some extent when the stones are being 
formed in the fruits is often due to imperfect fertili- 
