348 
THE' GARDENING WORLD. 
April IS, 1903. 
WITHOUT PREJUDICE. 
Quizzings by "Cal.” 
It is extremely unfortunate for a lady to shoot her gardener, 
and still more so for the man. Lead is undoubtedly a^ useful 
metal, but it is not digestible, especially when it enters the 
stomach from outside. 
* * * 
I have used revolvers and Lee-Metfords on many occasions, 
but I would much prefer a bullet from the latter to one of the 
former. 
* * * 
Some gardeners, are under the impression that they may help 
themselves to their employers’ fruit indiscriminately, but two 
men at Highgate were recently sentenced to one month’s im¬ 
prisonment for stealing their master’s grapes. I guess those 
■ 'rapes were mighty sour. 
° A * * * 
The failure to supply as to contract usually cancels the affair, 
but a Batley Strawberry-grower who failed to send at the time 
required (last July) to a wholesale buyer succeeded in getting 
the amount he claimed. 
* * * 
As the judge stated, you cannot tie Nature down to ripen 
Strawberries at a certain date. The same remarks may be 
applied to all gardening subjects. 
* * * 
I have before dilated upon the value of spraying fruit trees, 
and it would appear that trade growers are commencing to 
awaken as to its importance. 
* * * 
The Americans, especially of California, and also Australians 
owe their great success to the method. 
* * * 
As is well known, these countries are visited by pests such as 
we know nothing of ; yet the wonderful samples sent us prove 
the value of spraying. The soda and potash, of course, cannot 
now be applied," but preparations should be made for the 
blossom weevil moth, etc. 
* * * 
As is well known, Paris green is apt to burn, but the countries 
referred to have been experimenting, which resulted in a spray- 
in" mixture devoid of such caustic properties. 
* * * 
The recipe is 2 lb. washing soda, 1 lb. white arsenic, 2 galls, 
of water. Boil in an iron pot, which must never be used for 
other purposes, until the poison has dissolved. 
•X- * dt 
To 40 galls, of water add one quart of the mixture, and spray 
very' finely. To this quantity 2 lb. of air-slaked lime must be 
added, unless it is desired to spray also for fungoid diseases, 
when Bordeaux Mixture may replace the lime.' 
* * * 
We are only just learning how plants gather their food from 
ihe soil, and now a Russian gentleman is inoculating tree 
trunks with salts of iron, in order to make them grow, and at 
the same time cure such trees of canker and other diseases. 
* * * 
During a recent storm at the Cape the Cape Orchard Co. lost 
at least 100 tons of fruits. We Britishers will suffer by the 
loss, although the importation figures would not give an im¬ 
pression that we were on short allowances. 
1 * * * 
Last February the increase of Apples over the same period 
of last year was 134,953 cwt., the total being 556,497 cwt. 
■* * * 
Regarding the other most important fruit, viz., Potatos, the 
increase was over 5,000 tons, the total being 406,907 cwt. 
* * * 
And this when we have Northern Stars at 15s. per lb. and 
Kin" Edward VII. cropping 21 tons to the acre. 
* * * 
I should imagine these two giants ought to wrest a bit of the 
trade. 
The general advice for planting Roses is, get them in in 
November; but frequently it is impossible to do so, owing to 
various circumstances. 
I myself recently planted a newly-formed bed. 
* * * 
To some it might appear folly to prepare a bed so late as 
March. By preparing a bed I mean bastard trenching, which 
raises the soil to some little heiqht. 
* * * 
Speaking of trenching, I know of no harder work. 
* * * 
I remember once undertaking the making of two beds on grass 
land which had never seen the plough for at least 60 years. 
The soil was of real Kentish heaviness, and when wet so sticky 
that one’s boots had to be securely made, or the soles got 
wrenched off. 
* * * 
Never do I remember struggling through such a tough bit 
* >. * * 
After removing the turf, which is never light work on any 
soil, the labour commenced. 
* * * 
I tried the spade, a four-pronged fork, and a hop-garden tool 
which in this district is termed a sprong-speared fork, hut 
finally decided on the four-tined tool. 
* * * 
To induce the fork to enter the top spit was difficult enough, 
but that subsoil! 
* * * 
Solid gray clay of adamantine consistency. 
* * * 
My full 10 stone failed to get the prongs down, even when I 
stood on the tool. No ; it had to be done by wriggling and 
coaxing, and it required one fully-indicated man-power to 
heave up the slice taken. I am sure I expended more grunts 
and perspiration on those beds than I have ever done before or 
since. 
* * * 
Although the beds were only 7 ft. wide, it took 40 minutes 
to complete a 2^-ft. trench. On several occasions, by the aid 
of the owner of the garden, I cleared a trench in 20 minutes,, 
and once, and only once, did we attempt to dig against time, 
when we completed four trenches in one hour, the manure being 
brought to us. That hour finished my companion, for he left 
me to do the remainder. 
* * * 
I guess Mr. 
top. 
Beckett would not have brought that subsoil up 
* * * 
Worms are good soil pulverisers, but on the above occasion 1 
observed but. very few, and those were exceedingly large. I 
never kill a worm intentionally, but one cannot help cutting 
up a few when digging. 
* * * 
Speaking of cutting worms, there is a story of a little boy . 
w'ho, when reproved by his mother for halving a worm, replied, 
“ Well, he seemed so sorrowful all alone; so I cut him in 
‘ halves,’ and now they have gone off together ever so happy." 
* * * 
I daresay many readers are familiar with the story about an 
Irish orator who in the course of his speech was pelted with 
Cabbages, whereupon he remarked, “Gentlemen, I ask for- 
your ears only, not your heads.” I guess someone will be pelt¬ 
ing me if I do not draw off. 
* * * 
I am indebted to “ T. S.” for information as to the Scotch 
term for Raspberries. 
* * * 
“ Rasps,” I may say, is the trade term down here. 
* * * 
It’S too bad of T. S.” to skit us Southerners, although I know 
that such terms are applied. Indeed, I have heard of such 
things as “ nestises and wapsds.” 
* * * 
One hears many queer expressions in Kent—“ Ee’n ’ for end. 
“crass” for cross, “ wents ” for vents, “ wheats ” for oats, and 
such like. But how about Scotland, “ T. S.,” with your parritch. 
and deil, etc. ? Be careful how you throw stones, “ T. S.” 
* * * 
However, such little pleasantries differ from the petty spleen 
exhibited by some, and such items as quoted by “ T. S.” are 
favoured by the writer. He is ever willing to be corrected. 
