THE GARDENING WORLD 
February 6, 1904. 
no 
• I 
Hardy Fruit. 
Raspberries. —Although full instructions were given at the 
end of October as to the preparation of the ground and the 
planting of tire canes, there may be new subscribers to the 
“ G. W.” for this year who may have in all probability missed 
the a’dvice there given ; hence my return to the subject again. 
No fruit pays better for cultivation, than the one under notice ; 
therefore where it is contemplated making new plantations, 
trench the ground 2 ft. deep, working in plenty of manure, 
especially between the two spits, as, the Raspberry is compara¬ 
tively a surface rooting subject. The rows should run north 
and south for preference, and stand 6 ft. asunder, the canes 
when planted about 18 in. or 20 in. apart, and trained to hori¬ 
zontally-strained wires, three in number, the top one to be from 
5 ft. to 6 ft. from the ground level, and held in position by 
iron trellis or oak posts from 2 in. to 4 in. square. However 
strong the canes, it is wisest to 1 cut, them back to' within a, couple 
of feet of the' ground, thus concentrating their strength to the 
supply of stout canes for next year’s fruiting. The end of the 
month will be soon enough to do this, while autumn-planted 
canes may be shortened forthwith, unless hard frost sets in, 
when all pruning is best deferred for the time. Similar re¬ 
marks apply to established stools, the points of which require 
to be shortened to firm wood, and all plantations should have, a, 
thick mulch of manure if not already applied. 
Strawberries. —Where pot, Strawberries are forced, it is the 
usual practice to- plant out yearly a given number to replace 
those got past their best, and it, is a, plan I can strongly recom¬ 
mend, ,a,s they fruit well for three or four years, but plants 
that supply fruit during March and early April are not used for 
this purpose in our case, relying upon later batches, that are 
brought along with less fire heat. But, to achieve the best 
results the ground must be in good heart, and now is the 
time to' set about the work, trenching as for Raspberries, or 
double digging, placing a, moderate dressing in the bottom 
trench, as well as between the two spits. Retentive soils would 
be' benefited with a percentage of burnt garden refuse or rood 
scrapings, though the Strawberry thrives best, in a fairly deep, 
heavy loam, but the same must be well drained. 
Figs .—These thrive best, in a good mellow loam, with a good 
percentage of lime rubble, thorough drainage being most essen¬ 
tial, and if not natural 6 in. to 9 in. of stone or brickbats should 
be put, under the station where the trees are to go, after taking 
out about 2 ft. 6 in. of soil. Over the drainage place grassy 
turves before filling in, and allow the same to' settle down 
before planting, which, except in the north, may be done from 
this date up to April, applying a, strawy mulch afterwards. 
There are three or more varieties that succeed out, of doors, 
'but for general use the old brown Turkey has yet to be beaten ; 
it crops freely, and the flavour is unique. Do not keep estab¬ 
lished trees covered a, day more than necessary, removing it 
immediately hard frost breaks up; in fact, I 'believe these trees 
are far more coddled than, they should be when at rest. It is 
during April and May, when growth becomes active and late 
frosts occur, when the most damage is done, specially so after 
such wet, cold and sunless summers as the past, two have been, 
and tire wood, or a, greater park of it, ill matured. Defer all 
pruning or thinning of the shoots for a couple of months yet, 
when I hope to revert to’ this subject again. 
Miscellaneous.— Where it is, intended to regraft any fruits, 
the tops should be headed down to- within a few inches where 
the- intended graft is to be put on, .bearing in mind that it is 
only clean, healthy trees free from canker that repay for this 
outlay. Grafts should be tied, named, and heeled in under 
a, north wall until required. The birds: are busy among the 
Gooseberries, knocking out the buds. These must be killed, or 
the bushes made distasteful to them at short intervals, as it 
gets washed off. Black thread wound about the bushes also 
scares the birds'; also keep an eye on the Plum, especially the 
old Greenaraee. I have had them tackle the Apricot in some 
seasons, and have known them in a, neighbouring garden to 
destroy most of the Peach buds. All trees attacked in this 
way should be syringed with the mixture advocated in a 
previous calendar for the Gooseberry. James Mayne. 
Bicton, Devonshire. 
Among the Orchids. 
Seed Sowing. —Orchid hybridists will differ in opinion as to 
the best season of sowing the seed. Some advocate sowing 
immediately the seed pod is ripe, irrespective of whatever 
season of the year at which the’ pod may burst. In the matter 
of Phaius, Cala,ntlies, Cypripediums, and other terrestrial sub¬ 
jects, it matters little when the seed is sown, but for the 
Epiphytal generic species there is. very little benefit to' be de¬ 
rived by sowing seed later than September, unless special 
facilities are provided for the accommodation of the young 
plants during the winter months, and even then it is no easy 
matter to safely protect them through the dull season, when 
almost all the subjects of our Orchid bouses are subjected 
to more or less dangers of damping and fungoid diseases. I 
personally prefer tile first- two weeks of February iu which to 
sow the seed. 
It may be asked how the seed will keep during the period 
from September until the following February. In dealing 
with thick, fleshy seed pods, such as Cattleyas and Laelias, they 
are not always the most easily ripened, and to abstract the 
moisture from the pod is necessary if it, is intended to' defer 
the sowing of the seed until spring. Hanging wrapped in 
tissue-paper from the roof of a warm, dry house is generally 
a good way of harvesting the seed. If carried in one’s pocket 
the seed becomes too shrivelled, and rarely germinate® satis¬ 
factorily. After ripening it is desirable to keep the seed in 
a cool room where there is not too much fire, but still kept 
secure from excessive cold. Under such conditions I am of 
opinion that the seed will be found good practically for an 
indefinite period. 
Systems of Sowing. —Where there is a> difference of opinion 
a,s to the best season, in which to sow the seed, there is likely 
to be found a greater diversity of opinion as to the best 
method of sowing. The old system of sowing the seeds on the 
surface of the potting compost of a plant belonging to its own 
or closely-allied genus is a practice still advocated by many 
prominent growers. Others chop up pieces' of pitch piue, and 
after soaking Thoroughly in water they bruise the wood, and 
after placing the pieces in shallow pans or pots the seed is 
sown. A scaffold pole sawn asunder in thin pieces that will 
fit comfortably into 5-in. pots, and left with the rough saw-cut 
projections, makes a good surface for sowing seed, but, a, great 
amount of moisture is necessary to keep the blocks in a desir¬ 
able condition during bright, warm weather. Pieces of flannel 
lining packed with moss and placed in small pots are suitable ' 
subjects to induce quick germination. Sawdust and coeoanut 
fibre refuse are also admirable with proper attention, and it 
is practically the attention that produces results. Even with 
every facility provided in, the way of hot, moist germinating or 
propagating eases, desirable as these are to induce quick ger¬ 
mination of the seed, it is to the careful attendant and his or 
her attention -that, we will look for the production of satis¬ 
factory results. 
One of the first items is to keep an even temperature ; the 
next is the watering, first to see that the' temperature of the 
water is slightly above that in which the seeds are germinating, 
then the method by which the' moisture is applied. Very little 
indeed is required to disturb young seedling Orchids. There 
is no doubt that the greatest amount, of unsatisfactory raising , 
of Orchid seeds can be attributed at one stage or another to , 
carelessness in the application of moisture. There is no doubt 
