‘264 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
December 26, 1896. 
•J! iNTS FOR UMATEURS. 
Gooseberries on Walls. — Although wall space is 
usually of considerable value, and is set apart for the 
accommodation of the more valuable fruits, Goose¬ 
berries, not infrequently, are placed in an odd corner 
or so upon walls having a northern or eastern aspect. 
In such a position Gooseberries prove of great 
service, as the fruit will hang for a considerable time 
without deteriorating much in flavour, and after the 
bushes have for long been stripped of their burden. 
Even where they do not find permanent quarters in 
such a place they are excellent for planting in the 
gaps between young trees. The space which has to 
be allowed for young Plums or Cherries at planting 
time, but which will not be occupied by them for 
several years, is thus taken advantage of in the mean¬ 
time, and turned to good account. When the Plums 
or Cherries need the room the Gooseberries can be 
pulled out without making very much of a sacrifice. 
The fan method of training is the most convenient, 
and gives the most satisfactory results, as it enables 
young wood to be easily laid in to replace the old. 
The system of pruning is simple enough, and need 
not puzzle an amateur for very long. As in the case 
of the bush trees it is to the young wood that we 
must look for the finest fruit. Each year, therefore, 
some of the old must be taken out to make room for 
that of the current season’s growth. These shoots 
should be neatly tied or nailed in along their whole 
length, if there is room for them, if not, they must 
be shortened back according to the space at command. 
Any lateral growths should be spurred back to within 
about i in. of their bases. 
Another system of training that finds favour with 
some is what may be termed the " gridiron ” style. 
Three shoots, usually, are selected from a young tree 
and trained up perpendicularly. The side growths 
or laterals are spurred back so as t) limit the pro¬ 
duction of fruit to the spurs, which are about i in. 
in length. The young shoots in this case have to be 
pinched in summer, when they tend to form buds at 
the base of the shoot. If this were not seen to and 
the .vhole of the pruning left until winter, the crop 
would be very light, and not to be depended on. 
Trees that have been properly attended to for stopp¬ 
ing in the summer, will now need to be gone over, 
and the spurs neatly trimmed. The leaders, in a 
young tree, may be left as long as g in., or even 3 in. 
longer if the wood is stout and well-ripened although 
this is an extreme length. Iq cases where the trees 
have nearly filled their allotted space a closer cut 
back must be given. Trees of this kind are very 
handy for planting between other established trees, as 
they do not require very much space in a horizontal 
direction, and by planting them pretty close together 
a vacant piece of wall may soon be covered. 
Another excellent plan of growing Gooseberries is 
to train them to a fence composed of stout wires 
strained along between iron uprights. Such a fence 
may be anything from 3 ft. to 5 ft- in height. Here 
the fan-shaped trees are the most suitable. They 
may be treated to a similar dose of the knife to that 
given to the fan trees on the walls. 
The special advantages attaching to this method 
of cultivation are, first of all, improved facilities fur 
giving protection to the trees, either from birds, both 
in winter and the fruiting season, as well as from 
frosts should occasion require ; also the greater ease 
with which the fruit may be gathered. Those of our 
amateur readers who prefer their fruit when they 
can pick it themselves directly from the tree will 
appreciate this latter condition. In cases that have 
come under our notice it has been amusing to see 
how trees of this kind are especially favoured with 
the attentions of the ladies of the househald, both 
small and big. The former, particularly, are not 
long in finding out the trees from which the fruit can 
be gathered with the least trouble, although youth is 
apt to be somewhat indiscriminating with regard to 
quality, anything that is fruit, and can be eaten, no 
matter how sour, being usually suficient to tempt. 
Bush Cordons —For small gardens where space is 
limited, this kind of tree is a boon. They are easily 
managed and produce very heavy crops of fruit. In 
the nurseries of Messrs. James Veitch & Sons, at 
Slough, vast quantities of trees are trained thus, and 
with conspicuous success, as is amply evidenced by 
the fruiting branches of such bushes which have 
been exhibited from time to time by this firm. Some 
of the trees are trained cup-shaped with five leading 
branches. Others have but three or four of these 
leaders, but in all cases the quantity of fruit produced 
in proportion to the room occupied, is wonderful. 
Such subjects have the same advantage over the 
ordinary bushes ss that possessed by the fan-trained 
trees, viz. that the fruit can be easily gathered. The 
fruit is produced upon the spurs along the whole 
length of the main branches. In addition to the 
summer stopping of the lateral shoots which was 
advised when dealing with the “ gridiron" trees, the 
spurs must be cut neatly over, shortening them back 
to within 1 in. of their origin. The topmost grow ths 
of the main branches are to be cut back to within 
2 in. or 3 in. according to the strength of the wood, 
and the size of the tree. 
Propagating Gooseberries is an operation ttat 
requires very little experience. In many rural 
districts it is a common thing for cottagers to raise 
what trees they require—indeed they never think cf 
buying them. Gooseberries may be easily propa¬ 
gated from cuttings. The prunings from bush trees 
will furnish any amount of suitable material. The 
cuttings must be composed of sound, well-ripened 
wood, and should be lrom 10 in. to 1 ft. in length. 
If they are cut ofi close to the older branch from 
which they originated so much the better. The most 
important part about the making of the cuttings is 
the picking out of the eyes or buds for at least 6 in. 
of the whole length. This is necessary in border to 
obtain the clear stem for at least 4 in. above ground 
to which we have previously referred. 
The cuttings will root pretty freely if inserted at 
any time during the autumn, winter, or early spring 
Early in the autumn is, however, the best time, as it 
allows the cut at the base of the cutting to become 
callused over before the spring. 
A border beneath the shelter of a wall should be 
chosen, and here the cuttings may be planted. The 
most expeditious way to do this is to cut trenches 
about 4 in. or 5 in. in depth at a distance of not less 
than 1 ft. apart. In these the cuttings may be 
placed, allowing from 6 in. to 8 in between each. 
Afterwards the soil may be returned, and firmly 
pressed around the base of each cutting by treading. 
These attentions given, the future plants may be left 
to take care of themselves, as they are as hardy as 
their parents. 
CHRYSANTHEMUMS 
Lovers of Chrysanthemums will need to be busily 
engaged now in making the first of their preparations 
for the ensuing season, i.e. the getting in of the 
cuttings. In order to be a successful exhibitor it is 
highly important that this part of the programme 
should be well executed. The cuttings have to be 
got in sometime during the present month, in order 
to give them a good long season of growth ; indeed 
some cultivators make a point of putting in their 
cuttings as soon after the end of November as 
possible. 
The best cuttings are those which are thrown up 
like suckers from the roots. When the supply of 
these falls short recourse must be had to the shoots 
coming from the stem —" stem cuttings ’’ as they are 
technically called by gardeners. 
A good plan is to insert one cutting only in a small 
thumb pot, although where room is precious four or 
five may be put round close to the edge of a small 
sixty. Light sandy soil should be used, and a layer 
of sand placed on the top after the pot has been 
filled nearly full of the compost. After the cuttings 
have been carefully dibbled in they should be 
watered once and left a while to dry before shutting 
them up. 
If strong healthy plants are desired the cutttings 
must not be weakened and spoilt with fire heat. If 
nothing else offers put them in a cold frame upon an 
ash bottom and cover them with a bell glass. If a 
small handlight is available, like those used for 
Cauliflowers, this may be stood on the stage in the 
greenhouse, and about 4 in. of sifted ashes put in it. 
In the ashes the cutting pots may be plunged to the 
rims. 
But little water will be required after the initial 
watering. The frame should be kept close until 
the cuttings are observed to be picking up, but not 
too close, or the atmosphere will become close and 
stuffy. It is an excellent plan to lift off the top of the 
handlight every morning for two or three minutes. 
This is better than leaving air on at first. The light 
must be put on again, however, before the cuttings 
flag seriously or the experience will be harmful 
instead of beneficial.— Rex. 
Correspondence. 
Questions asked by amateurs on any subject pertaining 
to gardens or gardening will be answered on this page. 
A nyone 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 of their letters. 
Pruning Peach Trees—You do not say whether 
your trees are young or old, Constant Read-r, nor 
anything as to what condition they are in, whether 
the wood is weak or strong, thin or crowded. Such 
details would have assisted us in giving you precise 
directions as how to proceed. We assume your trees 
are of-the usual fan shape. As the Peach produces 
most of its fruits upon wood, made during the 
previous year, it is necessary to cut out the woed 
that has fruited, except where it is required to carry 
the younger wood, and thus extend the spread of the 
tree. If the tree is iu good order, and has been 
looked after for disbudding in the early part of the 
year, ihere will not be much more thinning required. 
It now remains to shorten the shoots that are to bear 
the next year's crop of fruit, in order that they like 
their predecessors, may produce succession shoots 
close to their bases. The length that should be cut 
off them will depend entirely upon their vigour. In 
all cases they must be cut back to a wood bud, i. e., 
a bud that produces leaves and wood, and not 
flowers. Such buds may be distinguished from the 
flower buds by their being thinner and more pointed. 
Where three buds are observed to be together in one 
cluster, the middle one is generally a wood bud. 
With regard to putting on the heat, that will 
depend upon when you want your fruit. If you 
want it early, say towards the end of June, you may 
start them at the end of this month. A night 
temperature of 40° to 45 0 , with a 5 0 or 10° rise by 
day will be quite high enough at first. 
Pruning Vines—Yes Constant Reader, the young 
branches or laterals must be cut back (spurred) to 
within an inch of the base. Each spur wi 1 then 
throw out several shoots, one from each bud, of 
which the strongest one, or two if required, near the 
base should be left, and the others rubbed out. You 
may prune at once. 
Cuttings of Pelargoniums.—If you want to work 
up a large stock by bedding out time, you had better 
put your plants into a gentle heat-at once, C. After 
they have been in that condition for a week or ten 
days, you may take the tops off, and put them in as 
cuttings, provided they are long enough. If not, let 
them wait until they are. 
Cinerarias. —Yes, you may give the Cinerarias 
weak liquid manure now, T. Gregory. The curling of 
the leaf might be caused by the plant being near the 
pipes, and as you say there are no signs of insects or 
mildew, that is probably the reason. Do without 
fire-heat when there is no frost, and never exceed a 
temperature of 45 0 by night. 
Tomatos. —The xo-in. pots will be quite large 
enough for the Tomatcs, especially for winter work, 
Y. A. You may plunge them in a bed of soil if you 
like. The roots would certainly come through the 
bottom of the pots and run in the bed if the plants 
were vigorous. 
Figs out of doors —You must wait until the winter 
is over be r ore you prune your Figs, Subscriber, or a 
spell of very sharp weather would sadly damage 
them. The hard winter of 1894 95, killed a lot of 
Figs that were unprotected nearly to the ground. 
Passiflora Constance Elliott would do well on a 
back wall in your greenhouse, Pete. If you want the 
plant to grow to any size, you must make a bed for 
it and plant it out. 
Planting Yines. — I am planting a vinery, and 
would like to know at what distance apart the vines 
should be planted, F. Williamson. 
We should advise a distance of 3 ft. 6 in., or 4 ft. 
Some growers for market plant as closely as 
2 ft 6in., but such vineries are not expected to last 
very long. 
Wood Ashes —As a dressing for an Onion bed you 
will find the wood ashes invaluable, L. L. A . You 
may or may not mix them with scot. When preparing 
the bed choose a dry day, sprinkle them evenly over 
the surface of the plot, and fork well in. This may 
be done a few days before sowing, not now. 
