THE OARDENtMO WORLD. 
8fiO 
October 29, 1904. 
Hardy Fruit. 
The Winter Moth (Chedmiatobia brumata) is at work again 
among the fruit trees', and, where grease-bands are used—which 
they can be on trees standing in the open 1 —this should trap 1 a 
host of them on their way up the trunk. Cart-grease without 
tar in it is suitable', although there are special preparations 
now supplied by horticultural siundriesmen all more- or less 
effective when renewed from time to time from early this 
month quite up to mid-December. 
Planting. —A start may now be made while the weather 
remains open, but avoid such work during much rain. Red 
Currants are generally leafless at this date, so- could be tackled 
first. These, require' a, distance of 5 ft, to 6 ft. each way, 
and for preference should run north and south, and will either 
thrive in the full sun or partial shade, growing freely on most 
soils that have been deeply worked and amply manured. Jay’s 
Prolific, Raby Castle and Comet are a trio hard to beat for 
size of berry and freedom of cropping, a® also are Champion, 
White Dutch and White Versiaillaise among whites. Thei 
Black Currant prefers a cool and somewhat moist root-run; 
indeed, the finest crops are often to be seen on bushes growing 
quite close to streams where their roots are frequently.covered 
with water. These should not be planted closer than 6 ft. 
each way; 7 ft. where space is a,t command would be better, as 
this variety spreads' much more than, the reds. Good varieties, 
fine in bunch and berry, are the following: Baldwins, Carter's 
Champion, Lee’s Prolific, and Boskoop Giant, All the varieties 
above mentioned may be planted against walls or fences, pre¬ 
ferably on north aspect's, where a much later supply of fruit 
may be looked for, training up three shoots to each plant, allow¬ 
ing 12 in, to 15 in. between each growth. 
Gooseberries are in request in every garden, be it large or 
small, and, a.s with Currants:, it repays to grow them on well 
cultivated ground with a yearly top-dressing of rich manure to- 
be lightly forked in during early spring. These also require 
fully 6 ft. apart each way to be conveniently got at, when the 
fruits are ready for gathering, and are best grown on clean 
stems,, thus avoiding the sucker 1 nuisance. There are numerous 
varieties, some differing but very little, so will append just a 
dozen names for kitchen and dessert purpose® respectively : — 
Reds: Crown Bob-, Lancashire Lad and Warrington. Yellows : 
Gunner, Leveller, Leader-. Whites: Snowdrop, Lady Leicester, 
Snowball. Greens: Thumper, London, Keepsake. Dessert : 
Yellowsmith, Red Warrington, Golden Gem, Green, Walnut, 
Langley Beauty, Whitesmith, Yellow Sulphur, Keen’s Seedling, 
Pitmaston Greengage, Whinham’s Industry, Early Red Hairy. 
Apricots. —This is a fruit that does not thrive in all soils, 
nor, come to that, in all situations, but much can be done in 
renovating comparatively light compost by the addition of re¬ 
tentive loam, limei-rubble, etc.; but above all he sure the 
drainage is perfect, either by 6 in. to 9 in of brickbats at the 
bottom, or, if the: ease demands', a 3-in. drain should be placed 
so that surplus water is carried away from the roots of the 
trees ; and in low-lying districts the border, which ought to be 
quite 4 ft. wide, should be raised a few inches above the ground 
level. Fan-trained tree® are' the best, for all stone fruits, a-; most 
of them are liable to lose a branch now and then, when by a 
slight' rearrangement the gap is 1 easily made good. Varieties 
are not, so numerous: to bewilder the planter like some fruits', 
yet a, few of these appear to do better than,.other.-', ’and be¬ 
ginners cannot do better than plant Moorpark, St. Ambi-oise, 
Hem-kerk, Kaisha, Peach and Powell’s Late. 
Raspberries. — To grow good fruit the ground must bei in 
good order and should bei trenched a couple of feet deep when, 
choosing a new piece' of ground, working in plenty of half- 
decayed stable or farmyard manure, placing a layer between 
the two spits, a® the fruit under notice is not a deep-rooting ; 
plant. Set out in rows 6 ft. apart, the planting canes to' be 
about 18 ini. apart, and make these secure to the wires to ' 
prevent the winds' from twisting the roots. Raspberries grow i 
well, and fruit well, too-, either in the full sun, or in partial I 
shade, but in the former they must not lack moisture during i 
the summer months. Red and yellow Superlative, Hornet-, and 
Norwich Wonder are good summer fruiters, while for autumn- 
bearing choose October Red and Yellow, Belle, de Fontenay, 
and Notre d’Automne'. James Mayne. 
Bicton, Devonshire. 
Among the Orchids. 
The East Indian House. 
Aerides. —Although the species of this most interesting * 
family are not so extensively represented in collections as they s 
were' a few years' ago-, they are. still cultivated in more general 
establishment®, where Orchid cultivation is not considered to , 
be a special subject, and therefore it, is undesirable that allusion 
should not, be made to them in the cultural note® of the hor¬ 
ticultural press. 'The majority of the early summer-flowering j 
varieties: will have' now completed their season's growth ; the i 
indication of maturity is best ascertained by observing the 
conditions of the points, of the new roots. It will be found , 
that immediately growth ceases the brittle points or green I 
tips at the apex of the roots become sealed over with a brown 
film of skin, which Nature provide® no doubt, a®' ai protection 
during the dormant season, as when once sealed they are not 1 
nearly so liable to become damaged as they are in the green 
state: of activity. When the roots have become thus sealed, 
very little root moisture is> necessary, only sufficient being 
given to retain the 1 foliage in a plump state and the stems . 
from becoming shrivelled. 
I have found it advisable to strip the moss and potting 
compost out of the pots and replace with broken crocks 
where A. crispum and members' of the A. multiflonmi sections 
and the, thick-leaved kinds have to be kept in a, house where 
there lias been an excessive amount of atmospheric moisture 
prevailing during the dormant season of the plants. Where 
there' is an excess of moisture about the .plants there is always 
danger of the leave®' spotting and the plants becoming dis¬ 
figured. Under such conditions it is desirable thus to remove 
any possibility of moisture-retaining substance® about, the 
roots, and to render" them so free that when root moisture is 
afforded it may be permitted to dry within, a reasonable period. 
Where morei favourable conditions, prevail these precautions 
are, not necessary, but careful observation, is necessary to keep 
the plants 1 free from insect pests during the period that the 
plants; are in a dormant state. 
Saccolabiums and Rhynchostylis have, with the exception 
of the small-growing kind® of the former, finished growth. It 
is remarkable to what extent of drought the thick-leaved 
species of both these closely allied genera stand without 
apparent injury in a warm, house, and how quickly they are 
injured by water indiscriminately given during the dormant 
season. So- that where there is the least danger of drip fall¬ 
ing from the roof coming in contact with the plants, it is 
advisable. 1 to strip as much of the potting compost away as 
possible. If the plants are removed to cool, dry positions 
during the early portion of the dormant, season they are not 
nearly so liable to injury from damp as they are when placed 
in a stove or in the East Indian house. 
Vaudas.—There are many place® in which Vandas are found 
to grow satisfactorily. The intermediate-house treatment, 
generally proves more desirable and suitable than the' excessive 
heat- and moisture provided and obtainable in a. warm close i 
sto-ve. There is nothing more noble or desirable than a house 
full of finely grown Vandas' of the V. tricolor section. Where 
this obtains there is not a period of the year when the house 
i without flowering plants. It is remarkable liow quickly 
one flowering period succeeds another where plants are well 
