May 27, 1899. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
619 
if all possible means are taken to destroy sparrows, 
and all bullfinches are trapped, the other birds’ toll 
of fruit may be given them willingly for the general 
good they do in keeping down grubs and insects. I 
speak generally, as I am not unmindful of the attacks 
of starlings, blackbirds, and thrushes on our soft 
fruit crops. The cuckoo is one of the fruit-grower’s 
best friends, as he alone will feed on the Gooseberry 
caterpillar, while all the soft-billed migratory birds 
are insect feeders. I fear that in many places as 
much harm is done by the gun in causing canker, 
broken boughs, and twigs, as the birds themselves 
would do. It is to be regretted that such a hand¬ 
some bird as the bullfinch must be destroyed, but 
he is a silly fellow and can be readily trapped alive, 
and there is a sale for good cock birds in all our large 
towns 
Insects. —To deal properly with the subject of 
injurious insects affecting fruit trees and bushes 
would require an evening by itself, and I can only 
here suggest that adequate manuring of the soil, 
burning all prunings and rubbish as soon as collected, 
combined with a winter washing of lime, soot, and 
soft soap on the older trees, will to a great extent 
check insect ravages. Spring and summer spraying 
will be necessary for red spider on Gooseberries, 
aphis in Plums and Damsons, and black aphis in 
Cherries as soon as any insects are observed; they 
are readily seen, as the leaves curl on being attacked. 
Special formulas are given in most fruit books, but 
the safest remedy for spraying is soft soap and 
quassia. Where winter moth is prevalent, orchard 
trees must be grease-banded, care being taken to 
place a ring of grease proof paper on the stems before 
greasing. 
(To be continued.) 
Strawberries — It will, of course, be some time 
before Strawberries are' plentiful and cheaper, but 
already the season has started, and the cries of the 
hawker may be heard in the better class streets. 
Besides, being the best of fruits (for we have an 
author's evidence:—God might have made abetter 
fruit than the Strawberry, but He didn’t.) to the 
taste, it is also one of the most aromatic fruits 
anyone can think of. The public cannot resist 
buying it, for which fact we are well satisfied. There 
are tons and tons of Strawberries sent off daily in 
the height of their season from the large farms where 
their culture is specialised, but even yet there will be 
an increase both in the supplies and the demand. 
Without going into scientific reasoning over the 
the matter, we can all agree to recommend it as one 
of mildest laxatives one may use, and probably the 
best of fruits for invalids. 
Well, but this is only the fourth week of May yet, 
and many thousands of blooms are yet to open or 
set; and as we are not entirely immune from the 
danger of sudden frosts, it would be well to stand 
prepared for yet a fortnight. On sandy and porous, 
hot soils there is also a great loss in prolonged 
droughts, from malformed and undeveloped fruits. 
If it can be attended to at all, then let the Straw¬ 
berries have a moist root-hold. 
Where a few extra early roots are desired, a thin¬ 
ning and selecting of the fruits on some of the most 
vigorous plants should be done. The lining of the 
rows with hay or straw for the cleanliness of the 
fruit must no longer be delayed. Forced Straw¬ 
berries, whose crops have been gathered and the 
plants hardened off, may be planted in the open with 
the hope of getting a late crop in the autumn. It is 
necessary when doing so to examine them in case 
red spider, aphides, or other flies are upon them. 
Let them have a rich, moist soil, and supply them 
with water regularly. 
Wall Trees. —Peach, Apricot, and Plum trees 
are now swelling their rather light crops, speaking 
generally. I have already hinted that where there 
is a sparse crop, and any of those remaining are at 
all hemmed in or somewhat crushed, the shoots 
bearing them must be relaxed and again regulated to 
allow the fruits freedom. 
Disbudding is also one of the first and most im¬ 
portant operations the hardy fruit grower has to 
busy himself with at this time. The laws to guide 
him in this work are To take off those growths 
and buds at the extremity of the shoots first. To 
thin little by little (if the trees have been neglected 
for a time) until they are once again free, and within 
limits. Always leave a shoot at the base of a bear¬ 
ing branch to take the place of the said branch 
when it is taken out after the fruit is gathered. Lay 
in extension wood or wood to take the place of bare 
shoots, or shoots which are more cumbersome than 
useful. I do not think it is advisable to increase the 
size of trees after they have covered a space of be¬ 
tween 170 sq. ft. and 200 sq. ft. Where very large 
trees are grown we obtain a plethora of ripe fruits at 
one time, unless, of course, some means of shading 
has been attempted to retard the ripening of a por¬ 
tion of the crop. The garden engine should be in 
operation, never allowing more than a day or two 
to pass if time permits, without giving the trees a 
hearty wash — J. H. D. 
KitcQen Garden calendar. 
The welcome showers of the past week have materi¬ 
ally assisted the growth of all vegetable crops, and 
though the season is very late most things look 
promising. Not only have crops grown apace these 
last few days, but weeds have sprung up in all 
directions, and the chief work for the present will 
consist in keeping these under, for on no considera¬ 
tion should they be allowed to get the upper hand. 
When small, an hour or two’s sunshine will put an 
end to them, if the hoe be run through the crops 
occasionally, but if allowed to get firmly rooted hand 
weeding has to be resorted to, which takes up con¬ 
siderable time, and therefore adds to the expense of 
growing the crop. 
Broccoli will now be getting over, especially in all 
the southern counties. As soon as these are cut, 
the ground ought to be dug' and got ready for 
another crop. In some places late Feas follow the 
Broccoli, and where the ground has to be made the 
most of this is good practice, provided after digging 
it is made firm again, otherwise the soil would be too 
loose for the production of good Peas. Where 
possible it is far better to reserve a plot for these and 
use the late Broccoli ground for Celery ; the trenches 
being got out, planting can be done as the plants 
are ready. The spaces between the rows being sown 
with Dwarf Beans, or planted with salads that will 
be off before it is time to earth up. Celery for early 
use should now be got into the trenches, as the 
plants will grow quite as fast there as elsewhere 
provided liberal treatment be afforded them, and 
there will be no fear of them receiving a check should 
the weather be hot and dry later on. It is not every¬ 
one that can grow nice clean well-blanched stems of 
Celery. In some places the soil is unsuited for this, 
while in others there is often a deficency of water, 
and without a liberal supply of moisture it is 
impossible to grow fine heads. There should be no 
difficulty in blanching these early supplies as this is 
effected much more readily and in less time than in 
the winter months. All that is needed when the 
plants have once taken hold of the soil is to keep 
them well supplied with nourishment and there is 
little fear of them not growing satisfactorily. Peas 
such as Autocrat, Late Queen, Michaelmas, and 
others of that class may now be sown. Those who 
are desirous of having good pods for exhibition 
should sow those of the Duke of Albany type such 
as exhibition Marrow, Telephone, Telegraph, Strata¬ 
gem, etc. As those having dark pods and seeds 
usually find most favour with judges such should be 
given the preference. The present is a good time 
for planting out all kinds of Borecole or Kales, early 
Broccoli, Autumn Cauliflower, Savoys, Brussels 
Sprouts, and Cabbage. If established before the 
ground gets too hot and dry, it is seldom they fail to 
make good progress through the summer. Put 
stakes to Runner Beans as soon as they commence 
to climb, for if allowed to become entangled before 
supports are afforded they do not usually grow so 
rapidly. 
No plant pays better for liberal treatment than 
the Runner Bean. It is astonishing the amount that 
can be gathered from one row if well looked after, 
and care be taken to have all pods picked as they 
become large enough for use. Dwarf Beans should 
be thinned to at least six inches apart in the row, 
there is nothing gained by having the plants standing 
too thickly together ; on the contrary, the crop is 
often lost through overcrowding. Potatos will now 
need attention. The soil between the rows having 
been worked as fine as possible, as close to the plants 
as is consistent without injury, this should then be 
drawn up so as to form a good ridge. The more 
soil that can be got to the plants the better, as this 
will prevent any of the stray tubers from getting 
discoloured by the sun. Those who are desirous of 
having heavy crops of fine tubers should dust the 
soil between the rows with sulphate of iron previous 
to earthing, as this will materially assist in promoting 
a healthy growth .—Kitchen Gardener. 
-»i*- 
PLANTS RECENTLY CERTIFICATED. 
The undermentioned awards were made by the 
Royal Horticultural Society on the 16th inst. 
Orchid Committee. 
Odontoglossum Coradinei mirabile. Nov. var. 
The flowers of this variety are very large, and sur¬ 
pass the original to such an extent as to appear quite 
a different and altogether a finer thing. The sepals 
are broadly lanceolate, and have two large, transverse 
brown blotches on a white ground. The petals are 
similar in shape, but have only one large blotch 
above the middle. The lip is brown with a white tip 
and edges and a yellow disc. It is certainly the 
most handsome and finest form of this type we have 
seen. The plant shown by Baron Schroder (gar¬ 
dener, Mr. H. Ballantine), the Dell, Egham, carried 
nine flowers on the scape. (First-class Certificate.) 
Odontoglossum luteo-purpureum Dell var. 
Nov. var .—The sepals of this richly coloured variety 
are of a shining chocolate brown, with a yellow tip 
and base. The petals have one large brown blotch 
about the middle and several smaller ones below. 
The lip is obovate, much dilated, crisped and yellow 
with a large, half-moon shaped brown blotch in front 
of the crest. (Award of Merit.) Baron Schroder. 
Phaius Phoebe. Nov-, hyb. —The parents of this 
noble hybrid were P. sanderianus x P. Humblotii. 
The scape of the plant shown was 30 in. high and 
carried five open flowers with ten or twelve buds. 
The sepals are oblong and the petals oblanceolate, 
while all are of a fulvous-yellow colour tipped and 
edged with a rosy tint. The huge lip is the glory of 
the flower, the lamina being widely expanded, and 
rosy, while all the lower portion is orange but heavily 
lined with purple. The crest forms a double yellow 
ridge along the centre. It adds one more to the 
showy race of hybrids. (First-class Certificate.) 
Norman C. Cookson, Esq. (gardener, Mr. Wm. Mur¬ 
ray), Oakwood, Wylam-on-Tyne. 
Odontoglossum andersonianum giganteum. 
Nov var .—The flowers of this noble and telling 
variety well merit the term giganteum. The ground 
colour is of a beautiful clear white, the sepals being 
blotched from the base to the middle, and the petals 
at the middle only. There is just one blotch on the 
centre of the lip. The large flowers and the white 
ground are the telling features of this variety. 
(Award of Merit.) Messrs. Hugh Low & Co., Bush 
Hill Park, Enfield. 
Odontoglossum crispum Purity. Nov. var .— 
The flowers of this fine variety are very large, and 
crisped, with over-lappiDg white segments. The 
triangular petals are jagged at the edges. The lip 
has a yellow disc and sometimes a solitary, but 
minute spot, these being the only colours. (Award 
of Merit.) T. B. Haywood, Esq. (gardener, Mr. C. 
J. Salter), Woodhatch Lodge, Reigate. 
Odontoglossum crispum Raymond Crawshay. 
—The flowers of this handsome and telling variety 
are broad and rounded, with overlapping segments, 
the whole being of a rosy hue. The sepals are 
elliptic, while the petals are jagged at the edges with 
a few large brown blotches on the centre. The lip 
rejoices in numerous blotches and spots. (Award of 
Merit.) De B. Crawshay, Esq. (gardener, Mr. S. 
Cooke), Rosefield, Sevenoaks. 
Odontoglossum polyxanthum Gatton Park 
var. —The sepals of this handsome variety are 
lanceolate-elliptic, and rich brown with yellow tips 
and edges, and netted with yellow towards the base. 
The petals are ovate, acuminate, clawed, and yellow 
with a few irregular brown blotches, mostly below 
the middle. The lip is short, deeply concave, rich 
brown, shining, with a distinctly defined yellow base. 
The lobes of the crest are mostly white. (Award of 
Merit.) J. Colrnan, Esq., J.P. (gardener, Mr. W. 
King), Gatton Park, Reigate. 
Floral Committee. 
Cerasus Pseudo-Cerasus James H. Veitch. —This 
is undoubtedly the finest of all the varieties of this 
